Member Profile

Richard Scarsbrook

Photo: Ken Tsung 2002

Richard Scarsbrook is the author of the hilarious and insightful YA novel Cheeseburger Subversive , its rock ‘n’ roll sequel, Featherless Bipeds, and a collection of prize-winning adult literary short stories called Destiny’s Telescope. His latest novel, The Monkeyface Chronicles, won the 2011 White Pine Award.

His short stories and poems have appeared in Prairie Fire, Descant, Matrix, Carousel, The Dalhousie Review, PRECIPICe, The Guardian Unlimited (UK), Rampike, Storyteller, The New Orphic Review, The Nashwaak Review, The Harpweaver, The Backwater Review, NeWest Review, Lies With Occasional Truth, The Moose and Pussy, Jones Avenue, Verbicide (US), Surface and Symbol, Zygote, and many other magazines and anthologies.

Richard teaches adult creative writing courses at George Brown and Humber Colleges in Toronto, runs a writing camp for teens at the Toronto Writers’ Centre, and taught middle and high school students for over 15 years.

He also plays, sings, and writes songs for several bands, and has worked as a stage actor and director.

More about Richard’s literary adventures can be seen at his website, www.richardscarsbrook.com, or his blog, www.richardscarsbrook.blogspot.com.

E-mail: richardscarsbrook@gmail.com
Phone number:
416-425-3303

Publications

Guessing at Madeline. Cranberry tree Press, 1996
Cheeseburger Subversive. Thistledown Press, 2003
Featherless Bipeds. Thistledown Press, 2006
Destiny's Telescope. Turnstone Press, 2006
The Monkeyface Chronicles. Thistledown Press, 2010

Awards

Short listed, Canadian Library Association’s Young Adult Book of the Year Award for Cheeseburger Subversive, 2004
Short listed, Ontario Library Association’s White Pine Award for Cheeseburger Subversive, 2005
Short listed, Stellar Book Award for Cheeseburger Subversive, 2005
Short listed, Canadian Library Association’s Young Adult Book of the Year Award for Featherless Bipeds, 2006
Short listed, Stellar Book Award for Featherless Bipeds, 2007
Long listed, ReLit Award for Destiny's Telescope, 2007
Winner, Cranberry Tree Press Poetry Chapbook Competition for Guessing at Madeline, 1997
Winner, Matrix LitPop Award for "Bankrupt", 2009
Winner, Lawrence House Centre for the Arts Short Story Competition for "The Twilight Girl", 2002
Winner, New Orphic Short Story Award for "Sky and Earth", 2001
Winner, Scarborough Arts Council's 2001 Poetry Competition for "Stop" and "High Diver", 2001
Winner, Hinterland Award for Prose for "Benjamin's Aliens", 1998
Winner, The Ontario Library Association's White Pine Award for The Monkeyface Chronicles, 2010
Links:
Website
http://www.richardscarsbrook.com
,
Blog
http://www.richardscarsbrook.blogspot.com
,
Podcast
http://twitter.com/richscarsbrook
Eligible for National Public Readings Program :
Yes

WITS

Presentation Description

I can present in a variety of ways, depending on the needs of each group of students. No group is too large or small! I’ve run creative writing workshops with groups as small as five students, and have delivered readings and Q+A sessions to audiences of hundreds. 

As a college and high school teacher with nearly 20 years experience, I can present in any venue, from classroom to library to auditorium to outdoor amphitheater, and I am quite comfortable presenting to audiences of any age (although my books lend themselves best to audiences aged 12 to Adult).

My usual “large group” presentation will start with an entertaining reading from one (or more) of my books, followed by an inspirational discussion of the creative writing process fueled by questions from and interactions with the students involved.

Presentation Length:
45 Minutes to 1.5 hours
Genre:
Young Adult Fiction, Adult Fiction, Poetry
Grades:
6 and up
Audience size:
negotiable
Workshop Description:

For smaller groups (up to 25 students), particularly High School English and
Writer’s Craft classes, I can run a variety of workshops according to the needs
of the class, based on one of the many writing classes I teach at George Brown and
Humber Colleges. Here are examples of specific workshops I can present:

“The Nuts and Bolts of Fiction Writing” – Learn how Point of View, Verb Tense, Modifiers, Language Use and Literary Devices affect the “feel” of a story.  Discover how to develop realistic characters, settings, and plots. Find out how to create a great title for your work every time, and when a story should end.  Learn to transform your experiences and ideas into great stories!

“Creative Writing Kick-Start” – Eliminate “Writer’s Block”! With the fun, real-time writing cues, prompts, and activities I will provide, you can leave this workshop with up to a dozen beginnings to new stories!

Northern OAC WITS:
No
One session:
$250
Two sessions:
$500
Three sessions:
$750
Four sessions:
$1000
GST:
GST not applicable