On Wednesday, June 17 , The Word Guild is going to present its fourth annual Writing Awards Gala. This is a black-tie event, a once-a-year celebration meant to bring a sense of affirmation and honour to writers who are Christian, whom all of us know are not in the business for the money they make… because that’s pretty minimal to non-existent. It’s one night to get dressed up, feel special, maybe have a date night with your spouse or significant other, see your friends, meet colleagues, hear some thank you remarks (some of them emotional), and applaud vigorously. You’re welcome to join us. Herbie Kuhn, the voice of the Raptors, will again be our fantastic emcee.
Each year, we present the Leslie K. Tarr Award for career achievement, which recognizes a person’s outstanding contribution to Christian writing and publishing in Canada. The award was first presented in 1988, to Les Tarr, a journalist, author and writing instructor, who made a tremendous impact despite debilitating health problems.
This year, the 21st annual award is going to Ray Wiseman of Fergus, Ontario. Here’s an excerpt from his column “Life-wise” that regularly appears in The Wellington Advertiser.
How do I feel? Excited? Ebullient? Exuberant? All of those enthusiastic emotions and a lot more. In my lifetime I have experienced some of the best of times and some of the worst of times. Right now as I bubble with excitement, I find myself experiencing one of the best of times.
But I have had some ‘worsts.’ Two come to mind: one occurred after I left my short career in the pastorate; the other on our return from South Africa…
… Fortunately, life also has its best of times. I’ve had a few, and find myself in the biggest one ever right now. My life experiences, good and bad, moved me toward becoming a writer. Although I had long dreamed of writing, it really got started when Rogers Engineering asked me to take charge of technical writing and publication. Next I volunteered to write for and edit a magazine for Partners International. Soon after, I began writing newspaper columns and books. Without even realizing it, I had developed a whole new career. I began critiquing manuscripts for other writers and have become busier during the last 15 years of retirement than ever before. These latter years have turned into a best-of-times experience.
And now it suddenly got even better. The Word Guild recently published a media release under the heading: Author and Writing Mentor Ray Wiseman to receive 2009 Leslie K. Tarr Award for Outstanding Career Achievement. Then to top it all off, another media release said that my latest book, co-authored with Don Ranney, has been short-listed for a Word Guild award.
This best-of-times experience has overcome all the worst-of-times. And through it all I have learned one thing: all the planning we do doesn’t necessarily bring about victorious times. In my life the best times have come as a surprise. Maybe it has something to do with not planning. When we just let go, the one who controls our destiny takes us down a better path.
Congratulations, Ray, and may you enjoy many more years of writing “wise words.”
At the Gala, we also will present awards to the best novels, non-fiction books, articles, opinion columns, poems, plays and song lyrics published in the past year by Canadian writers who affirm the Apostles’ Creed. We had 237 entries this year, a record. Plus we’ll reveal who has been judged as Canada’s Best New Christian Author, for an unpublished book-length manuscript. The winner will get his/her first book published, or a $1,000 cash prize.
Tickets are still available, for $20 at the door, and anyone interested is welcome to come and support the writers. It takes place at 7:30 pm on June 17 at the World Vision headquarters in Mississauga, Ont., located at Hurontario and the 401.
The day after the Gala, the Write! Canada conference starts on June 18 to 20 in Guelph. It will be a great 25th anniversary event, and Ray Wiseman is one of the plenary speakers, along with Audrey Dorsch and Brian Stiller.
– Wendy Nelles
