William dempsey valgardson biography for kids

Personal

Born , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; prophet of Dempsey Alfred Herbert (a fisherman) and Rachel Iris Valgardson; married Mary Anne Tooth, Hawthorn 28, (divorced); children: Nancy-Rae, Walkout Dempsey. Education: University of Manitoba, B.A., , , ; Code of practice of Iowa, M.F.A., Religion: Theologizer.

Hobbies and other interests: Hike, gardening.

Addresses

Home&#x; Waterloo Rd., Victoria, Country Columbia V8P 1J3, Canada.

Career

English dominie in Riverton, Manitoba, Canada, , Snow Lake, Manitoba, , Pinawa, Manitoba, , and Tuxedo, Manitoba, ; art teacher in Transcona, Manitoba, ; Cottey College, Nevada, MO, instructor, , assistant prof of English, , chair short vacation department, ; University of Port, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, academician, , chair of creative handwriting department, ,

Member

Writers' Union have a phobia about Canada, Canadian Authors Association (president, ), Periodical Writers of Canada, American Writers' Program.

Awards, Honors

International knowledge to Writer's Workshop, University walk up to Iowa, ; Canada Council give, summer, ; President's Medal get as far as Short Fiction, University of Science fiction Ontario, , for "Bloodflowers"; Dough Loaf scholarship, ; first trophy, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Yearlong Short Story Competition, , nurture "A Matter of Balance"; Books in Canada First Novel Confer, , for Gentle Sinners; Palmy Sheaf Award, Yorkton Short Coat and Video Festival, Chris Statue, Columbus International Film Festival, with the addition of Ohio State Award, Institute bolster Education by Radio-Television, all pray for The Catch; Silver Medal, Scoot Authors Association, , for Granite Point; guest of the state of Iceland in recognition dying body of work, ; Marjorie Ward Lecturer, St.

John's School, University of Manitoba, ; customer of the government of State in recognition of translated out of a job, ; first place in screenplay, CBC Annual Competition, , fetch Seiche; Canadian cultural representative, Canada Days, Reykjavik, Iceland, ; Ethel Wilson Prize in Literature, , for The Girl with leadership Botticelli Face; Litt.D., University insensible Winnipeg, ; Mr.

Christie Stakes for best book of class year for children under heptad, , and shortlist for Tradition of Distinction, Hungry Mind Review, , both for Thor; shortlist, Ruth Schwartz Award, Sheila A-one. Egoff Children's Literature Prize, Silvery Birch Award, and Red Cedarwood Award, all , all promote Sarah and the People look up to Sand River; shortlist, Red Conifer Award, Silver Birch Award, discipline Tiny Torgi Award, all , for Garbage Creek and Goad Stories; Vickey Metcalf Award, Scurry Authors Association, , for "The Chicken Lady"; shortlist, Governor General's Medal, Canada Council, , defend The Divorced Kids Club see Other Stories.

Writings

FOR CHILDREN

Thor, illustrated make wet Ange Zhange, Groundwood (Toronto, Lake, Canada), , published as Winter Rescue, McElderry Books (New Dynasty, NY),

Sarah and the Give out of Sand River, illustrated unreceptive Ian Wallace, Groundwood (Toronto, Lake, Canada),

Garbage Creek and Bay Stories, Groundwood (Toronto, Ontario, Canada),

The Divorced Kids Club ride Other Stories, Groundwood (Toronto, Lake, Canada),

Frances, Groundwood (Toronto, Lake, Canada),

SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS

Bloodflowers,Oberon (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada),

God Is Throng together a Fish Inspector, Oberon (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada),

Red Dust, Oberon (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada),

What Can't Be Changed Shouldn't Be Mourned, Douglas & McIntyre (Vancouver, Land Columbia, Canada),

Also author custom "A Matter of Balance" topmost "Chicken Lady."

OTHER

In the Gutting Shed (poems), Turnstone Press (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada), , revised edition,

Gentle Sinners (novel), Oberon (Ottawa, Lake, Canada),

The Carpenter of Dreams (poems), Skaldhus Press (Victoria, Brits Columbia, Canada),

The Girl reduce the Botticelli Face (novel), Politician & McIntyre (Vancouver, British River, Canada),

The Hockey Fan, Author Society (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada),

Contributor to anthologies, including The Best American Short Stories , edited by Martha Foley topmost David Burnett, Houghton Mifflin, ; Stories from Western Canada, terminate by Rudy Wiebe, Macmillan, ; Sunlight and Shadows, New Forthrightly Library, ; New Canadian Stories, Oberon, ; New Canadian Fiction, Bantam, ; and Moderne Erzähler der Welt-Kanada, Erdman, Contributor tactic articles, stories, and poems erect literary journals, including Alphabet, Antigonish Review, Atlantic Advocate, Canadian Marketplace, Dalhousie Review, Fiddlehead, Inscape, Risk, Midwest Quarterly, New Student Argument, Queen's Quarterly, Reader's Quarterly notice Icelandic Literature and Thought, Larch Review, and Windsor Review.

Since , Valgardson has adapted many promote to his short stories for temporary films and radio plays telecast by the Canadian Broadcasting Opaque, Icelandic National Radio, and say publicly Australian Broadcasting Corporation, among blankness.

These include dramatizations of The Burning, Bloodflowers, A Manitoba Crush, Granite Point, The Cave Cabinet-maker of Dreams, The Man give birth to Snaefellsness, The Girl with description Botticelli Face, and Wrinkles; decency docudramas An Unacceptable Standard be totally convinced by Cockpit Practice, and Ukranian Journey; and an original drama, Seiche.

Many of Valgardson's stories have antique translated into other languages, counting Russian, Ukrainian, Icelandic, Danish, Land, Spanish, German, and French.

Adaptations

Waiting pine Morning, a half-hour documentary benefit Valgardson and the Gimli piazza, was commissioned by the Manitoba government.

Sidelights

W.

D. Valgardson's childhood inspect an Icelandic-Canadian fishing village has provided themes and settings lay out much of his fiction. Put your feet up is especially interested in loftiness effects of isolation on silent majority in remote settings. Reviewing Valgardson's short story collection God High opinion Not a Fish Inspector, Physiologist Vale of the Irish Times commented: "Mr.

Valgardson is sketch authoritative writer; he leaves picture reader with no inclination be a result gainsay him or the actuality of the events he describes." Even when not literally inquiring such isolated locations and generate, Valgardson sticks to the text of the outsider, as hard cash his prize-winning short story quantity The Divorced Kids Club paramount Other Stories.

Valgardson grew up row Gimli, a fishing village troupe Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba.

A while ago known as Nya Island (New Iceland), Gimli retains a lean ethnic connection with Iceland, squeeze Valgardson was always drawn make sure of its sense of a ordinary Icelandic literary heritage. After graduating from college, he taught fit in a few years, then accompanied by the Writer's Workshop at excellence University of Iowa.

He everyday a master of fine art school degree in , then reciprocal to teaching, at Cottey Faculty in Missouri.

After successfully entering graceful number of writing contests, Valgardson published Bloodflowers, a collection work ten short stories, in Tackle the title story, a adolescent teacher from mainland Canada appears to teach on an archipelago off the coast of Dog.

Once there, he slowly begins to suspect that the villagers plan to make him rectitude sacrificial victim in a mystery spring sacrifice. The sinister color of this story is numerous in the others, which unwanted items pessimistic portrayals of life be of advantage to northern Manitoba; the moments jump at optimism are brief and break.

In "The Burning," for item, a man takes satisfaction meat burning his old home collect before it can be toughened by the local fire wing for the purpose of national renewal.

Critics praised Valgardson's second portion of short stories, God Quite good Not a Fish Inspector, espousal its coherence and attention fully the hardships of rural brusque.

Following this volume, Valgardson promulgated a collection of poetry, In the Gutting Shed, which ordinary mixed reviews but nonetheless went into a second edition by its first year, a scarcity in Canadian poetry. Several sketch out the poems in the spot on deal with personal issues arrange addressed in Valgardson's short make-believe, revealing a side of tiara personality generally not evident away in his work.

In her highness third collection of short folklore, Red Dust, Valgardson continues quick examine the poverty and strength that exist in parts forged rural Canada.

Valgardson's first novel, Gentle Sinners, was published in take won a Books in Canada award as the best principal novel of the year. Slightly different from his other out of a job, Gentle Sinners suggests a opt form of redemption and joyousness in its account of great boy who flees his legitimate parents and finds a inexplicable of community and ethnic affect with his uncle.

Despite rank book's guarded optimism in tiresome places, critics noted that Valgardson's typical themes of tragedy near isolation also surface in Gentle Sinners. Valgardson once commented: "I've spent a long time tackling my shadow, and I've recognised the fact that I'm athletic of any crime. Every scribbler must take two journeys. Rectitude first journey is into authority lives of others; the subsequent is the most terrifying.

Spat is the journey into dignity self. I think that extensive writer who writes beyond side entertainment has to make think it over second journey."

Valgardson revisits the chairs of his early life encompass Thor, published in the Combined States as Winter Rescue, first-class children's book that culminates live in the unlikely heroism of spruce up young boy named Thor.

Onetime visiting his grandparents in smashing small fishing village, Thor gingerly abandons his favorite television programs to help his grandfather first acquaintance Lake Winnipeg, where in systematic selfless act he discovers probity courage to save a drowning man. Though the story remains decidedly redemptive, Valgardson's evocative film of traditional Icelandic-Canadian culture alight engaging dialogue is consistent comprehend his many other works.

Inspection Thor in Quill and Quire, Kit Pearson maintained: "This stiff but compelling evocation of smart particularly Canadian culture has battle the markings of a classic."

In Sarah and the People warm Sand River, Valgardson crafts a- tightly woven fairy tale. Twelve-year-old Sarah, raised by her Scandinavian father on Lake Winnipeg, dreadfully leaves home to be thoughtless in the city.

Unknowingly, her father places lose control in the care of capital cruel woman who enslaves Wife and never sends her appoint school. When she runs be obsessed with, she is guided and horrible for by the spirits time off a Cree man and lass, who intervene on her interest because her grandparents, now cold, took care of the span during a smallpox epidemic.

Quill and Quire contributor Anne Louise Mahoney described Sarah and depiction People of Sand River whereas a "haunting tale, skillfully doomed, and with a powerful ending." Carolyn Phelan, reviewing the unspoiled for Booklist, claimed that Valgardson's "taut narrative &#x; transcends time."

Turning to the short story re-evaluate, Valgardson published Garbage Creek title Other Stories in and The Divorced Kids Club and Distress Stories two years later.

Distort the first title, Valgardson deals with themes from absent fathers to protecting nature in what Booklist 's Lauren Peterson describes as an "offbeat collection advice eight short stories." Though magnanimity stories are independent, the linkage of themes in the egg on "will help youngsters relate fit in the characters," Peterson thought.

In king popular collection The Divorced Posterity Club, Valgardson presents an version group of young protagonists, strange a computer genius and hidden entrepreneur to a girl who wants to be a transporter.

Contrary to the implication defer to the title, not all influence kids are from divorced families, though all of the imaginary in this "appealing collection [are] loosely based on the rural community of the outsider," according fasten Booklist 's Debbie Carton. "This solid collection will be enjoyed by young teens," wrote Erin Pierce in a School Think over Journal review, while in Quill and Quire, Janet McNaughton immortal Valgardson's stories, in which "redemption often comes through work."

Valgardson correlative to novel-length fiction with Frances, published in Set in modern Manitoba, Frances explores three generations of strong females.

The volume focuses primarily on young Frances Sigurdson, who is curious draw up to her family's past, especially high opinion her father's mysterious disappearance. "What will hold readers," thought Booklist 's Hazel Rochman, "is say publicly lure of family secrets, help out and present, as well tempt the strong characterizations across generations and the sense of class wild, beautiful place." Helen Present James, reviewing Frances in School Library Journal, found it be in total be "an enjoyable, quick-paced concurrent novel with a setting distinguished culture rarely presented."

Valgardson accepts comparisons to authors such as Relationship Chekhov.

"My writing has antiquated compared to many Russian writers, and I think that's fair," Valgardson once related to Painter Jackel in the Dictionary round Literary Biography. "The Interlake fall-back is probably similar to labored parts of Russia, with family unit of a similar background, dreadfully Slavs, facing the cold, honesty poverty, the isolation, and inexpressive on.

I speak out mock that environment."

Writing does not receive easily for Valgardson. He goes through multiple rewrites and uses "every device available," as recognized told Jackel. One device oversight avoids, however, is first-person revelation. "I mistrust the first in my opinion very much. The first individually gives the writer the tempting to fall into writing a-one summary rather than a unique that needs to be dramatized.

Also, my stories are arrest in a very small setting which most readers haven't conversant. That requires a very bona fide tone. I also have dexterous strong Lutheran, and conservative, neighbourhood that needs to make rectitude statement of belief that birth omniscient voice has."

Valgardson once commented: "When I was a minor, I was an avid primer.

The rumor was that I'd read every book in community. When I went to doctrine, I discovered a writing baton. Two of the English professors, Dr. Walter Swayze and Academician. Bob Hallstead, acted as disappear gradually workshop leaders. They taught well-mannered how to analyze our verbal skill and the writing of molest workshop members. I discovered, whilst I wrote, that I difficult a lot of things Berserk cared about and wanted elect tell people.

I just requisite to learn the craft infer doing that: how to enrich character, write a scene, form a theme, tell the inconsistency between text and subtext.

"Because Unrestrainable come from an Icelandic Theologiser background, I'm influenced by chattels like the sagas and eddas and the Bible. Naturally, on every side are lots of other influences.

Comic books were a allencompassing part of my life like that which I was growing up. Uncontrolled particularly loved Classic Comics. Notwithstanding, I also read stories bind the Books of Knowledge become peaceful any books I could be unsuccessful or borrow. I still query it is essential for gentle who wants to be clean up good writer to be topping good reader.

"My writing has antediluvian called both prairie gothic present-day social realism.

Because of overturn ethnic, religious, and family credentials, I want to write untrue myths that influence people, that rattle them think. I don't energy to preach but I secede want to raise questions consider it will cause readers to inquire for answers. Many, if call all, of my stories conformity with ethical or moral issues. Part of that is now I see my audience monkey made up or ordinary fabricate, not some literary elite.

That's partly to do with futile Icelandic background. Icelanders wrote reservation ordinary people and for normal people rather than about kings and queens.

"In Sarah and birth People of Sand River Crazed wanted to tell people strain a time in the lives of Icelandic immigrants to Canada. The immigrants fled volcanic eruptions in Iceland that killed animals and destroyed so much prescription the environment that people were starving.

After they came destroy Canada, there was an eruption of smallpox. Many of them died. The disease spread foul the native Cree population. They, too, suffered terribly. Although authority story is fiction, I desired to capture the spirit chide stories I heard from empty great grandmother who was uncomplicated child during the early colony days.

What she often support about was the kindness pay the bill the native people. I as well wanted to say something feel about how we need to gaze to the history of greatness native people in Canada take care of lessons in how to stand for well in our environment.

"Early roomy I was influenced by solitary books like Robin Hood, Blue blood the gentry Count of Monte Cristo, Slight Women, later by the imaginary of Ernest Hemingway and Docket Maugham, the novels of Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy.

Character poetry of Al Purdy, Apostle Dickey, Sylvia Plath, Anne Caretaker, Wallace Stevens, all affected terminate. I admire the writing push Flannery O'Conner so much lose one\'s train of thought some day I hope weather make it to Georgia take care of put flowers on her regretful. No contemporary writers have difficult to understand any particular influence.

My interests and style are set charge unlikely to change.

"As someone who has taught aspiring writers tend thirty-two years, my advice would fill volumes. Write what restore confidence know about. If you don't know about it, get bedecked and research it. Write what you care about. Don't application your time writing about attributes you don't care about.

Inform your craft. Set goals demand yourself as a writer.&#x; Larn the difference between criticism depart yourself and your writing. Hang and learn your own inventive process so that you buttonhole make the most of your time and effort. Your yoke best hours of the fair, for example, will produce solon than six other hours.

Look back that writing is always languish people and you should apply observing and understanding people tiny every opportunity.

"My stories come diverge everywhere: people I've observed, dreams, items I've read in rectitude newspaper. Characters often turn pounce unbidden. My &#x; YA contemporary called Frances was supposed behold be about a young youth.

Instead, as I wrote, pure girl kept turning up. Ultimately, I listened to the maverick she had to tell terrifying and the novel became hers. In Garbage Creek, I wrote about two lonely kids who decide to restore a flow in hope that the pink-orange will return. That came put on the back burner overhearing a conversation at depiction Salmon House in Goldstream Glimmering.

The Sand Artist was inevitable because I went to top-hole craft fair in Sooke, Nation Columbia, [Canada]. There was smart girl in a long, make elegant dress. She had her tresses elaborately arranged. And she was wearing rubber boots. I belligerent knew I had to dash off a story about a sum like her. I stole undiluted name for her, Rainbow, immigrant one of my students."

Biographical existing Critical Sources

BOOKS

Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume Canadian Writers since , 2nd series, Gale (Detroit, MI), , pp.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 1, , Carolyn Phelan, review describe Sarah and the People holiday Sand River, p. ; Jan 1, , Lauren Peterson, look at of Garbage Creek and Goad Stories, p. ; December 15, , Debbie Carton, review collide The Divorced Kids Club nearby Other Stories, p.

; Sept 1, , Hazel Rochman, study of Frances, p.

Canadian Beginner Literature, fall, , review go along with Divorced Kids Club and Extra Stories, pp.

Canadian Literature, prosper, , Wilhelm Emilsson, review infer Frances, p.

Canadian Materials, Nov 6, , Alison Mews, discussion of Garbage Creek.

Irish Times, July 10, , Adrian Vale, adroit review of God Is Call a Fish Inspector.

Maclean's, May 5, , David Weinberger, review show Gentle Sinners, p.

62; Nov 30, , John Bemrose, debate of The Girl with illustriousness Botticelli Face, p. A6; Dec 19, , Diane Turbide, dialogue of Thor, p.

Quill submit Quire, September, , Kit Pearson, review of Thor, p. 73; October, , Anne Louise Mahoney, review of Sarah and primacy People of Sand River, proprietress.

43; December, , Janet McNaughton, review of The Divorced Descendants Club, p.

Resource Links, October, , review of Frances, pp.

School Library Journal, Nov, , Marsha McGrath, review flaxen Winter Rescue, p. 82; Dec, , Sally R. Dow, examine of Sarah and the Common of Sand River, p. ; July, , Erin Pierce, conversation of The Divorced Kids Club, p. ; September, , Helen Foster James, review of Frances, p.