Writing workshop at North Hills Museum

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By Carolyn Sloan

The Spectator

NovaNewsNow.com

An award-winning Maritime author, Donna Morrissey will be coming to North Hills Museum this month to offer a writers workshop, focusing on such topics as character development, dialogue, mood and tone.

Originally from Newfoundland, Donna currently lives in Halifax, where she writes and teaches writing. She is the author of the best-selling Kit’s Law, and has won the Atlantic Film Scriptwriting Competition for two years in a row. One of her scripts, the Clothesline Patch, which was filmed and aired on CBC, also won two Gemini Awards for Best Writing in a Dramatic Series and Best Production.

Her second novel, Downhill Chance, won the 2003 Thomas Head Raddall Award for Fiction, while her latest novel, Sylvanis Now, was published in 2005. Her new book, “What They Wanted,” will be released in September, with a book launch at Frog Hollow Books in Halifax.

“She writes about Newfoundland and she writes about the sea,” explains the museum’s Bruce Gurnham. “She writes about the people she has met and the people that she knows.”

He adds that the workshop is part of a large number of community outreach programs that North Hills has organized this season. Last year, they had four or five programs, but this year, it’s up to 14.

“It’s to serve the community,” he says, “to bring the people into the museum and bring the museum into their lives as well.”

The workshop with Morrissey has been rescheduled for June 20 to the 22. On the Friday, from 7 to 9 pm, there will be a meet-and-greet, open discussion and a reading. The program continues from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday with seminars, readings, writing sessions and critiques, and Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm, finishing with an afternoon farewell.

There will also be an opportunity for people to dine with the author at the Garrison House Inn Sunday evening. The cost of the dinner is $25 all inclusive.

The cost of the workshop is $100 for the entire weekend, which includes lunches and refreshment breaks on Saturday and Sunday.

“Always a pleasure to be coming back to Annapolis Royal – always,” says Morrissey. “It’s going to be great. I can’t wait.”

To register, or for more information, phone the museum at 532-2168. The closing date for registrations is June 15. Registration is limited to 12 people.

NORTH HILLS MUSEUM Events Schedule 2008

June 28: Costume Workshop – Ken Nye, $40, 9:30 am-5 pm

July 4: Country & Bluegrass Jam Sesssion, free, 7 pm

July 13: Artifacts & Interiors, 10 am-5 pm

July 26: Loyalist Quilting – Helen Brown, $40, 9:30 am-5 pm

July 27: Granville Ferry Community Picnic, 2-5 pm

August 8: Country & Bluegrass Jam and BBQ, 6-10 pm

August 10: Teddy Bear Picnic Day, 2-5 pm

August 23: Bob Patterson 100th Birthday Party, 2-5 pm

September 6: Tea at Two Party, 2-4 pm

September 13: Rug Hooking – Kay Magwood, $45, 9:30 am-5 pm

September 21: North Hills Road Show, $3 per item, 10 am-4 pm

September 27: Rug Hooking – Kay Magwood, $45, 9:30 am-5 pm

October 4: Cider Making Workshop, 1-5 pm