—Sal Robinson, English teacher, City School
This is the complete list of my published writing pieces. Click on the images for the PDF formats of my work.
Feature: CGI is Ruining the Movies
Published in the Other Press, February 9, 2010
Online version: http://www.theotherpress.ca/bonnie_nicol
Ironically inspired by the uninspired movies of today that rely too heavily on CGI animation and 3D/4D effects, I wrote this article as a feature for my college's student newspaper.
Tales of the City: The Guardian
Published in Vancouver Magazine, October 1, 2009
The 'Tales of the City' section in Vancouver Magazine publishes several Vancouver-themed personal stories every month. My story that was published in the October issue originally occured in 2007 when I was sixteen.
Kudos and Kvetches: Quatchi Haiku Contest
Published in the Vancouver Courier, August 29, 2009
In August, 2009, The Courier’s Kudos and Kvetches column held a haiku contest as a fun way to engage reader's interests and, in K&K's own words: "...gain ground in the war to win the hearts, minds and tweets of online readers who continue to fuel the death of print media." The contest was to write a haiku about the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics mascot, Quatchi. My haiku received an honorable mention in the column.
NOTE: 'to' is spelt as 'too' in my poem, a mistake that was not made in my original submission, and which appeared upon publication in the newspaper.
The Rotton Tomatoes Show: Movie Reviews
Review of Orphan, appeared July 30, 2009:
Review of Brüno, appeared July 16, 2009:
Toad Suck Daze festival: Serialized Story
Published online in the Log Cabin Democrat (Conway, AR), April 30 - May 2, 2009
PART 1: http://www.thecabin.net/stories/042809/loc_0428090005.shtml
PART 2: http://www.thecabin.net/stories/043009/loc_0430090018.shtml
PART 3: http://www.thecabin.net/stories/050109/loc_0501090008.shtml
PART 4: http://www.thecabin.net/stories/050409/loc_0504090009.shtml
My story is based on an Arkansas festival called Toad Suck Daze. Here is a bit of background information about the event:
Toad Suck Daze is a three-day event that draws people from all over the USA, and it has been historically, culturally, and scholastically (the festival has raised over $500,000 in scholarships since its inception) significant to the city of Conway, Arkansas, since 1981. The strange name of the event comes from the old legend that long ago, steamboat captains crossing the Arkansas River would tie-up in Conway during low-tide and get rip-roaring drunk in the local taverns. The irked townsfolk would often say, "They suck on the bottle 'til they swell up like toads," hence, coining the name "Toad Suck." While there are many fun things to do at Toad Suck Daze, it is most famous for holding toad races. Another event linked to the festival is Stuck on a Truck, a contest in which men and women place both their hands on any part of a brand new truck and must stay standing upward without slouching, crouching, or leaning against the truck. Whoever is the last one standing wins; the record is 98 hours and 48 minutes.
My story encompasses both of those events and focuses on three boys--Patrick, Nye, and Duffy--who enter the toad races with hopes of winning before they each go their separate ways.
