Deirdre Dwyer
BIOGRAPHY
Deirdre Dwyer has been writing poetry since her teacher taught her about haiku in grade six. In the meantime, she’s worked as an English as a Second Language teacher in Tokyo, a Creative Writing instructor in Halifax, a Sessional Instructor of English in Windsor and a bookseller. Deirdre holds an MA in English and Creative Writing from the University of Windsor, and was a founding member of the Bourbon Street Poetry Society. She has worked with the Hope for Wildlife Society, a wildlife rehabilitation facility on the Eastern Shore. Deirdre was also Coordinator of the Musquodoboit Harbour Farmers’ Market. She was chair of the Musquodoboit Harbour and Area Community Association, and has been writing prose about her three years in Japan and her subsequent travels; and a writing workshop in Iceland in 2019.
Deirdre Dwyer has been writing poetry since her teacher taught her about haiku in grade six. In the meantime, she’s worked as an English as a Second Language teacher in Tokyo, a Creative Writing instructor in Halifax, a Sessional Instructor of English in Windsor and a bookseller. Deirdre holds an MA in English and Creative Writing from the University of Windsor, and was a founding member of the Bourbon Street Poetry Society. She has worked with the Hope for Wildlife Society, a wildlife rehabilitation facility on the Eastern Shore. Deirdre was also Coordinator of the Musquodoboit Harbour Farmers’ Market. She was chair of the Musquodoboit Harbour and Area Community Association, and has been writing prose about her three years in Japan and her subsequent travels; and a writing workshop in Iceland in 2019.
When she visits schools, she can talk about the differences between Japanese culture, discuss Nova Scotian wildlife, show pictures of some of the wildlife she met at Hope for Wildlife, do writing exercises relating to either prose or poetry connected to these discussions, and read and discuss her own work with the students. She can also discuss life in Iceland, publishing books and in journals.
PUBLICATIONS
Deirdre Dwyer has published three books of poetry`
The Breath that Lightens the Body (Beach Holme, 1999)
Going to the Eyestone (Wolsak and Wynn, 2002) and
The Blomidon Logs (ECW Press, 2016)
She has also published over 100 poems in literary journals and magazines.
Her prose has been published in Filling Station, The Eastern Shore Cooperator, and in Queen`s Quarterly.
Honourable Mention, 1997 Short Grain Contest.
Honourable Mention, 1996 annual writing competition, The Fiddlehead.
Honourable Mention, 1994 Short Grain Contest.
Second Place, 1985 Atlantic Writing Competition (Poetry Book), Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia.
Winner, 1980 Atlantic Writing Competition (Poetry), Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia.
Second place, 2012, Atlantic Writing competition (Creative Non-fiction), Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia.
