Nina Goes to Chapters and Reads a Book

Lucia Gorea, host of “Poets and Writers of the New Millennium” invited me along with four cool poets to give a reading at Chapters Metrotown in Burnaby last Thursday. Thank you, Lucia! We had a great turn out and a great time too (and that’s not just because of the cake, pastry and chocolate! Although, it sure didn’t hurt). This is a monthly multicultural literary and artistic event and I was honored to be in the company of writers from Chile, India, France and Romania, not to mention Canada. The roster was impressive:

Poet Alejandro Mujica-Olea (Pearls from the Soul of a Political Prisoner) was born in Santiago, Chile, and came to Canada as a political refuge in 1975. He is co-founder of the World Poetry Reading Series in Vancouver and co-host of World Poetry on Co-op Radio, 102.7 FM. Alejandro read in both English and in Spanish to a rapt audience that appreciated both language renditions for their intensity and lyricism.

Pummy Kaur was born in India and teaches in the Gifted Education program in the British Columbia school district. After a stirring account of how she came to write her popular book, What Would Gandhi Do? Pummy read an excerpt that touched on our interconnectedness and made us think.

Jacqueline Maire, a retired nurse from France, read with a musical voice in English and in French from her collection of powerful poems on human rights, dignity and policy. Jacqueline was a featured poet at the Women in Film and Television Vancouver in 2008 and will be featured at the World Poetry Reading Series at the Vancouver Public Library.

Award-winning poet, Bernice Lever lives on the west coast of British Columbia, where she writes wonderfully lyrical poems about nature, love and the environment. She read some entrancing love poems from her collection, Never a Straight Line.
Our energetic host, Lucia Gorea, is an award-winning poet and best-selling writer, who received the World Poetry Award of Excellence for 2008. She authored four books and a collection of poetry, including Journey Through My Soul from which she read.

I was on last—just before the chocolates! I gave a rousing reading from my short story, Virtually Yours (from The Best of Neo-Opsis by Bundoran Press) to a crowd now stirring in their seats with eyes glued to the food. Okay…I lie…They were actually staring at my gorgeous book stand, given to me personally by my artist friend Teresa Young for tonight’s reading. It felt good, Teresa! Many thanks! My next appearance is at Chapters, Pinetree Village, on December 13th, a lucky day (Saint Lucia's Day and 12 days before Christmas!)

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Nina Munteanu is an ecologist and internationally published author of novels, short stories and essays. She coaches writers and teaches writing at George Brown College and the University of Toronto. For more about Nina’s coaching & workshops visit www.ninamunteanu.me. Visit www.ninamunteanu.ca for more about her writing.