Stella Harvey

Stella Harvey is a fiction writer whose short stories have appeared in The Literary Leanings Anthology, The New Orphic Review, Emerge Magazine and the Dalhousie Review. Her non-fiction has appeared in Pique Newsmagazine, The Question and The Globe and Mail.

Signature Editions published her first novel, Nicolai’s Daughters, in 2012, and Psichogios Publications of Athens published the Greek translation in 2014. The Brink of Freedom was published by Signature Editions in 2015. Finding Callidora is Stella’s third novel.  

Stella was born in Cairo, Egypt, and moved with her family to Calgary as a child. These days she makes her home in Whistler, B.C. Stella founded the Whistler Writing Society, which each year produces the Whistler Writers Festival and other literary programming under her direction. She also mentors students in the Writer's Studio at Simon Fraser University.

Stella’s advice for Writer’s Studio applicants

What are you looking for in your workshop group?
A willingness to provide and receive solid feedback from others, which means searching for strengths as well as weaknesses, and weaknesses as well as strengths, in your own work and the work of others. A determination to help the story and the writer move to the next step. Generosity, a willingness to share your work and ideas and a commitment to excellence in your work and the work of others.

What do you look for when reading an applicant’s submission?
I guess for me whether it is an applicant’s submission or a grant request or an application for a job, I want to know right away: why you, why now, why this, and how will the program move your work forward. The cover letter should be no more than three paragraphs and all support the answers to these questions. In terms of portfolio, I like to see the applicants’ best work but also a sample of the work they plan to work on during the program. For me, these items help me to get to know the applicant and allow me to assess whether I’m the best person to work with them.