The hunt is on for Memorial's next writer-in-residence. The Department of English is inviting applications for a semester-long author residency to take place in the fall 2007 or winter 2008, subject to the availability of matching funding from the Canada Council and Memorial University.

The position is intended to honour new and established writers who have published their work professionally. In the course of the residency, the author continues his or her projects while making time available to discuss writing with students and writers both inside the university and in the larger community.

Previous writers-in-residence at Memorial have included Kevin Major, Jane Urquhart, Wayne Johnston, Marilyn Bowering, Guillermo Verdecchia, Kenneth J. Harvey, Patricia Young, Gregory Scofield, Lisa Moore and, most recently, Don McKay.

According to Dr. Jennifer Lokash, English, the department is particularly interested in applications that propose innovative ways of bringing Canadian writing to communities both inside and outside of St. John's.

Authors wishing to be considered are asked to provide a letter of application and a curriculum vitae no later than Friday, Jan. 22, 2007. Written or electronic applications should be addressed to: Professor Robert Hollett, Head, Department of English Language and Literature, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland  A1C 5S7; Email rhollett@mun.ca.

When the successful candidate is selected, joint application for funding will be made to the Author Residency programof the Canada Council. Remuneration for the position, if approved, will be $12,000 (plus return air fare if applicable).