Please welcome our new Writer-in-Residence, Wayne Ng

Wayne Ng was born in downtown Toronto to Chinese immigrants who fed him a steady diet of bitter melons and kung fu movies. Ng works as a school social worker in Ottawa but lives to write, travel, eat and play, preferably all at the same time. His latest novel, The Family Code, was shortlisted for the 2021 Guernica Prize, which recognizes the best literary fiction novel that pushes boundaries and is cutting edge.

His second novel Letters from Johnny (Guernica) won the 2022 Crime Writers of Canada’s Award of Excellence for Best Crime Novella and was shortlisted for the 2022 Ottawa Book Award. The sequel, Johnny Delivers will be released in 2024. Ng’s first novel was a political thriller wrapped in a philosophical bowtie, Finding The Way: A Novel of Lao Tzu.

Wayne Ng will write in residence at Historic Joy Kogawa House from August 15 to September 30, 2023, and will present one public program during the residency.

Writing with Emotion, Purpose, and Hope

Art is like therapy. Emotional clarity drives both. For decades, Wayne Ng has worked as a social worker in schools and really enjoys being with young adults and emerging writers. He has run writing groups and delivered discussions on using art as a career pathway, to create, to heal, and to find oneself. Writing is a great vehicle to accomplish this as the strongest craft has elements of self-discovery. This workshop for emerging and young adult writers offers introductory level, hands-on writing prompts taken from epistolary and young adult works that encourage participants to draw from their gut, using self-awareness and emotion in writing scenes and developing character.

• To be held Thursday, September 14, 7:00 to 8:30pm, in the garden or in the living room at Historic Joy Kogawa House, depending on weather. This event will be held in-person or in partnership with Word Vancouver Festival.

Admission by donation. Register at Eventbrite.

Other September Events:

• Sept 9: Poetry in the Afternoon Event
• Sept 11: Anti-Asian Racism Writing Circle Launch
• Sept 15: Wayne Ng Book Launch (with Massy Arts Society)
• Sept 24: Ujjal Dosanjh The Past Is Never Dead Launch
• Sept 27: Finding Your Audience with The Idea Shop