Bianca Lakoseljac

Writer & Educator

Bianca Lakoseljac is an author, educator, environmentalist, and a lover of arts and all creative endeavours. She holds an M.A. and B.A. from York University and is the recipient of the Matthew Ahern Memorial Award in Literature. Over a ten year period, Bianca taught communication courses and technical writing at Ryerson University and Humber College in Toronto.

She is president of the Canadian Authors Association (CAA), Toronto Branch. She is a board member of the Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression committee; member of PEN Canada, The Algonquin Square Table (U of T) poetry group, U of T writers co-op, Ontario Poetry Association, Bloorwestwriters, Writers and Editors, among others. Her involvement with the writers’ community includes judging the Dr. Drummond Poetry Contest for 2010; Short Story Contest for the 2009 National Capital Writing Contest; serving on the panel of judges for the 2008 Canadian Aid Literary Award Contest, (poetry, short story, and novel).

Memoirs of a Praying Mantis, a collection of poetry exploring environmental issues, legends and sculptures of High Park, and the horrors of wars, was published by Turtle Moons Press (a First Nation’s publisher) in 2009.

Bridge in the Rain, a collection of short stories, is slated for publication by Guernica Editions in fall, 2010.

Summer of the Dancing Bear, a novel, is slated for publication by Guernica Editions in fall, 2011.

Bianca’s short stories, novel excerpts, and poems have been published in a number of anthologies: Canadian Voices, BookLand Press, 2009; Expressions, White Mountain Publication, 2009; Canadian Woman Studies, Inanna Publications and Education, York University, 2007; Stumbling Through Darkness, Wingate Press, 2006; Verse Afire, 2007-2009 volumes by The Ontario Poetry Society, as well as a number of others.

Bianca is currently working on a historical novel, Flower Power, a construct of two parallel mother/daughter stories set in present day Toronto, with a backdrop of the 1967 Art Symposium in High Park. The novel draws on the events of the anti-Vietnam war movement, symbolized by some of the art work created during the Art Symposium, such as Mark di Suvero’s sculpture Flower Power, after which the novel takes its title.

For events and scheduled readings please see www.biancalakoseljac.ca.