I’m sure you’ve heard that Calgary is Canada’s 2012 Cultural Capital. If you’re falling a bit behind in your culture consumption this year, here’s your chance to catch up. Memorial Park Library is hosting the fifth annual Writing in the Works on Saturday, March 10 at 1:30pm. Started in 2008 by Rona Altrows and Lori Hahnel, this event showcases five Calgary writers with books in progress, books soon to be published and books on the prowl for publishers. “Writing in the Works has established itself as a highlight of the spring literary season in Calgary,” says Rona, host of Saturday's literary sampling. She's also the author of two books of short fiction, Key in Lock (Recliner Books, 2010) and A Run on Hose (Thistledown Press, 2006), and was Calgary Public Library’s 2007 Writer-in-Residence.

Writing in the Works 5 will feature writers Rita Bozi, Jane Cawthorne, Lori Hahnel, Rea Tarvydas and Robin van Eck. Brief biographies of their writing accomplishments are listed below.

Rita Bozi's career spans writing for several media, acting, and dancing. She is the producer of the annual event Literary Vaudeville – Loud in the Library. Her co-authored hit play, 52 Pick Up, has been performed in five countries and won a Chapters best text award at the Montreal Fringe. Rita is working on a novel, Uprising, and a short story collection, Hungry, High and Hammered. Rita has had recent publications in Pages of Stories and the online journal Unlikely 2.0.

Jane Cawthorne was a finalist for the Howard O’Hagan Short Fiction Award from the Alberta Writer’s Guild for her story “Weight” which appeared in FreeFall magazine. This year, she was a finalist for the PRISM International non-fiction contest. The essay she submitted to this contest will be published in the Spring Issue of PRISM. Some day, it will be the final piece in a book of personal essays. Jane also has a novel in progress.

Lori Hahnel is the author of a novel, Love Minus Zero (Oberon, 2008) and a story collection, Nothing Sacred (Thistledown, 2009), which shortlisted for an Alberta Literary Award. Her work has aired on CBC Radio and appeared in anthologies and journals including The Fiddlehead, Prairie Fire and The Antigonish Review. Work is forthcoming in Rubbing Stone: A Nose Hill Anthology. She is currently marketing a second novel and working on more short stories.

Rea Tarvydas has just completed her first collection of interconnected short stories called The Globe, and is marketing this collection. She has recent publications in The New Quarterly and The Fiddlehead. Currently Rea is writing a novel.

Robin van Eck, born and raised in B.C., moved to Alberta at age 25. She became involved with and wound up working for the Alexandra Writers Centre, where she serves as program coordinator. Robin's stories, book reviews and articles have been short-listed for contests and published online, in literary magazines and anthologies. She is writing her first novel and researching a second.

Book sales will be provided by an independent bookseller during the event, and refreshments will also be available.