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| « Back |  | Wes Funk
904-611 University Dr.
Saskatoon SK S7N 3Z1
306-384-0118
306-222-4696
wfunk69@shaw.ca
www.wesfunk.com | | | Bio | - When I published my chapbook 'Humble Beginnings' in 2006 (a collection of my earlier poems and short stories), no one was more surprised than me at how well-received it was. This modest success inspired me to keep puttering away at a semi-autobiographical manuscript I'd been working on for several years. When this sort-of memoir - 'Dead Rock Stars' - hit the shelves in 2008, it quickly became a hit across the Prairies, including being a pick-of-the-month for several book clubs and the subject on numerous Canadian television and radio talk shows. It was also short-listed in The Readers' Choice Award Category of the Sask Book Awards and received an Honourable Mention in Writers' Digests' International Self-Published Book Competetion.
In recent years, I've taken my writing from a closeted hobby to a passionate sideline. My goal is to use my talent to educate people on diversity in Saskatchewan, while making readers laugh at the same time (or at least attempting to). A longtime fascination for rock music and pop culture is also a theme that runs through my work.
Currently, besides working at my part-time day job in recreation therapy, and managing the revenue properties my partner and I hold, I am promoting another semi-autobiographical novel - 'Baggage' - a tale of a group of Saskatoon misfits.
My fierce love of writing has encouraged me to become heavily involved in Saskatchewan's writing community, and I am an active member in both the Sask Writers Guild and the Saskatoon Writers Coop. I am always happy to visit book clubs, libraries, bookstores, classrooms, and other reading venues. My extensive knoweledge of self-publishing has now also put me on the list Writing Coaches for the Saskatoon Writers Coop and landed me a dream-job - the host of Shaw TV's weekly literary talk-show: Lit' Happens!
2012 brought in two extremely affirming events for my writing career - 'Dead Rock Stars' was infused into curriculum at The University of Saskatchewan (in Gender Studies) and my most anticipated novel 'Cherry Blossoms' came to 'fruition' and was well-recieved by the public across Canada. The sweetest part of 'Cherry' was having Sask's Planet S magazine list me as Saskatoon's Second-Most-Favourite Writer in their Annual Best of Saskatoon Survey.
In recent years, I have addressed a number of classrooms on both writing and diversity. I also conduct workshops on self-publishing and/or marketing.
| Publications | - Baggage. Benchmark Press, 2010
- Dead Rock Stars. Backroads Press, 2008
- Humble Beginnings. 2006
| Workshops Offered | - Diversity/Self-Publishing
- Group Size:Willing to read and speak on diversity and self-publishing
| Audience Age Groups | - Adults
- Secondary School (10-12)
- Middle School (6-9)
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