This book is a collection of twelve pieces (by 12 different authors) written under the umbrella of the prestigious Cultural Journalism Program @ Banff Centre for the Arts.
I spent July of 1998 in the Canadian Rockies, sitting
days and nights in a rounded shack in a secluded forest area
of the Centre. This was the writing studio I
had during my stay there. This whole idea
revolves around a simple premise: bring in several
writers, give them one month, a room and a studio, an editor,
and let them chase their own demons. In the end the writers will leave their stories to the host, and leave without looking
back.
During that month I
wrote an essay about the events I witnessed in Belgrade
when the war started. My focus was on how the conflict in Yugoslavia
influenced artists, what it did to their work, and
how it affected their lives and perception of their surroundings.
I felt fortunate to work with Barbara Moon, who was
generous enough to be not only my editor, but also my
psychoanalyst.
“To arrive where you are” holds
pieces written in Banff
over the years. The writing varies wildly in style and topics, but not in quality. These authors are a great company to be
in, among them my friends Patricia Pearson and Mark
Anthony Jarman, and other people whose work I love and
admire.
BTW, Banff Centre Press has published several collections from this particular program. I recommend all if it — this is non-fiction at its best. Here is the link if you are interested: Literary Journalism Publications.
You can read an excerpt from my essay “Ticket to Fiction:
Art & War
in Belgrade” in
the Articles section.
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