Former workshop participant Mayank Bhatt writes with news that two of his stories will be published within a few months of each other, one in the latest edition of TOK: Writing the New Toronto (Diaspora Dialogues), and the other in the second volume of Canadian Voices (BookLand Press).
Here’s what Mayank has to say about his recent successes.
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My creative writing efforts continue to bear fruit and bring me joy.
In April 2009 I submitted a short story to Diaspora Dialogues during its annual open call and was selected for its mentoring program. My mentor was MG Vassanji and over three months from June to September, I had the honour and the privilege to work with one of Canada’s great writers and improve my short story. Titled “The New Canadians,” it’s about the son of an immigrant family from Indian who may be plotting to plant bombs in Toronto.
I was a media and trade professional in India but when I immigrated to Canada from Mumbai in July 2008 I couldn’t find proper employment. I began to work as a security guard and also started the journalism program at Sheridan College. I was attending Allyson Latta’s memoir writing workshop at North York Central Library when Diaspora Dialogues informed me of my selection for the mentoring program. Allyson’s workshop was really helpful because it encouraged me to focus on understanding the process of writing.
Following the mentoring program, I joined the Humber School for Writers’ correspondence program in creative writing, where I worked on my first novel. I also began working as the chief administrative officer at Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce.
TOK: Writing the New Toronto, now in its fifth year of publication, is a collection of short stories and poems set in this city. Diaspora Dialogues is a not-for-profit program that encourages established authors to write work set in Toronto, while mentoring emerging writers.
More recently I received news that another story, “Ruksana’s Story,” will be published in Canadian Voices: An Anthology of Prose and Poetry by Emerging Canadian Writers, Volume Two, which launches September 20, 2010.
As I’ve written on my blog, I’m immensely proud, delighted and humbled. (Read my blog entry.)
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Mayank Bhatt maintains two blogs: one at Canadian Immigrant and Generally About Books.