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Bruce Hunter continues to be a robust writer in several genres. He is also an active editor, speaker, and mentor.
In January 2023, his most recent poetry collection, Galestro, was published in Italy, following the release there in 2022 of A Life in Poetry, Poesie scelteda Two O'clock Creek. In 2021, his memoir essay, "This is the Place I Come to in My Dreams" based on his semi-autobiographical novel and his poetry, was shortlisted for the Alberta Magazine Publishers' awards for essays. And he is a proud new grandfather of three.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, Bruce was deafened as an infant and afflicted with low vision much of his adult life. He grew up in the working-class neighborhood of Ogden in the shadow of Esso's Imperial Oil Refinery and now decommissioned Canadian Pacific Railway's (C.P.R.) Ogden Shops.
In his early teens Bruce discovered writing as a map through a chaotic world and poetry as a compass. It was in poetry he could hear everything -- and be heard. After high school, he worked for ten years as a labourer, equipment operator, Zamboni driver, and completed his technical education (Olds and Lakeland Colleges) and apprenticeship as a gardener and arborist. In his late twenties, his published poetry won him a scholarship to the Banff School of Fine Arts to study with novelist W.O. Mitchell and poet Irving Layton.
From there he went onto York University to study film and literature and taught in the creative writing department with Don Coles before landing a position at Seneca College.
Bruce taught for twenty-five years at Seneca, where he created the poetry and spoken word workshops based on a pan-cultural curriculum. He also developed and ran two campus learning centres supporting special needs and language across the curriculum.
His poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction have appeared in over 100 blogs, journals and anthologies internationally in Italy, Canada, China, India, Romania, the U.K. and the U.S.
Bruce has authored seven poetry books, as well as the best-selling CBC Radio- produced 1996 short story collection, Country Music Country (the second edition, the Reboot appeared in 2018).
Bruce's 2010 novel, In the Bear's House, about a young deaf boy raised in the wilderness won the Canadian Rockies prize at the Banff Mountain Book and Film Festival. In 2010, his book Two O'clock Creek - poems new and selected, won the Acorn-Plantos Peoples' Poetry Award for Canada.
Bruce was the 2017 Author in Residence for Calgary Public Library. His past residencies and presentations include the Banff Centre, Deaf and Hear Alberta, Richmond Hill Public Library, University of Toronto, Sir John Abbott College, Mount Royal University, and many others across Canada.
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Books:
Galestro, bilingual poetry, Italy, 2023.*
A Life in Poetry, Poesie scelte da Two O'clock Creek, bilingual poetry, Italy, 2022.*
Country Music Country - The Reboot, stories, 2019.*
Two O'clock Creek - poems new and selected, 2010.* limited copies available
In the Bear's House, novel, 2009.* limited copies available
Coming Home from Home, poetry, 2000.
Country Music Country, stories, 1996.The Beekeeper's Daughter, poetry, 1986.
Benchmark, poetry, 1982.
Selected Canadian Rifles, poetry chapbook, 1981.
* These books are all currently available internationally through Amazon or through my website. Please feel free to contact me directly at brucehunter55@icloud.com
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Memberships:
Canadian Hard of Hearing Association Life Member
Canadian Institute for the Blind
League of Canadian Poets
The Ontario Poetry Society
Writers' Guild of Alberta
The Writers' Union of Canada
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