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Debbie Okun
Hill has been writing for over 30 years but has only been focusing
on poetry since 2003. She is an experienced journalist/communication
specialist, previously employed at two rural newspapers as well
as The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Lakehead University in Thunder Bay
and Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. As a freelance writer,
she wrote media releases, advertorials for local magazines and had
work published in such international publications as Chicken
Soup for the Soul and other inspirational books. Three of her
short stories have won prizes in different contests.
In addition
to reading and writing, she loves to promote the work of other writers.
Since the Fall 2005 she has co-hosted Spoken Word, a monthly open
mike session for poets and storytellers in the Sarnia-Lambton area
and was named The Ontario Poetry Society's Member of the Year, 2007
for her volunteer work with the organization. She has read her work
in 10 different Ontario locations: Ameliasburgh, Brighton, London,
Oakville, Sarnia, St. Catharines, Toronto, Whitby, Windsor, and
Wyoming and has been invited to read in such Canadian cities as
Fredericton, Hamilton, Calgary, and Vancouver.
Born/raised
on the prairies, Debbie earned a Diploma in Applied Arts, Creative
Communication Program from Red River Community College and has a
Bachelor of Arts Degree from Lakehead University. From 2001 to 2005,
she returned to her studies and completed on-line college courses
on creative writing and poetry and also attended workshops offered
by Brian Henry. She now gardens words full-time in rural southwestern
Ontario.
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Memberships:
Writers in Transition (WIT), 2002 - Present
The Ontario Poetry Society, 2004 - Present (Vice-President Jan.
2007 -Dec. 2010)
Canadian Poetry Association, 2006 - Present
Associate Member, League of Canadian Poets, 2009 - Present
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Selected
Publications and Anthologies:
Since
the Fall 2004, over 150 of her poems have been or will be published
in over 65 different Canadian anthologies, websites, and magazines,
including Other Voices, Quills Canadian Poetry Magazine,
And Left a Place to Stand On: Poems and Essays on Al Purdy,
Ascent Aspirations Magazine, Tower Poetry, Leaf Press
'Monday's Poem', www.feathertale.com, Perspectives Magazine,
and several TOPS anthologies including Arborealis and Executive
Sweet. In the United States, her work has also appeared in
several issues of MOBIUS and will soon appear in The Binnacle.
Her free verse poem "In a Hospital Garden" was translated/printed
in Chinese in North American Maple.
In 2010, she
judged TOPS Emerging from the Shadows Poetry Contest, compiling
the results in the chapbook Emerging Stars, Beret Days Press,
2010, ISBN 978-1-897497-42-5 21 pages.
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Chapbooks
in Print:
Swaddled in Comet Dust: A Collection of Award-winning Poems,
The Stanza Break Chapbook Series #27, Beret Days Press, 2008, ISBN
978-1-897497-10-4 24-pages
Coming Soon:
More Comet Dust: Another Collection of Award-winning Poems,
Beret Days Press.
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Writing Awards
for Poetry
*2007 Ted Plantos
Memorial Award
*1st place,
The Ontario Poetry Society's (TOPS) No Matter What Shape Your Poem
is Contest 2005 and The Lah Dee Dah Dee Dah Poetry Contest 2009
*Winner of The
Ontario Poetry Society's Most Popular Poem (Verse Afire May
2008) Award
*2nd place,
Canadian Poetry Association (CPA) Annual Membership Poetry Contest
2006
*2nd place in
Adult Category, 2007 Dan Sullivan Memorial Poetry Contest
*3rd place in
Individual Poem Category, Writers' Federation of New Brunswick (WFNB)
2010 Literary Competition
*3rd place in
Adult Category, 2006 Toward the Light Poetry Contest
*Shortlisted
in FreeFall 2008 Prose and Poetry Contest
*Finalist in
the West End Writers 2009 Writing Contest
*Honourable
Mention, Ascent Aspirations Magazine Anthology Five Poetry
Competition 2008
*Honourable
Mention for Poetry, Big Pond Rumours Poetry Contest Summer 2006
*Honourable
Mention, The Binnacle's Annual Ultra-Short Competition 2010
*Honourable
Mention, Canadian Poetry Association (CPA) Annual Membership Poetry
Contest in 2006 and 2007
*Judges Selections,
Canadian Author's Association (Niagara Branch) The Saving Bannister
anthology contests in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009
*Judges Selections,
Cranberry Tree Press Themed Poetry Anthology Contests in 2006, 2007,
and 2008
*Honourable
Mention/Runner Ups in the following contests organized by The Ontario
Poetry Society: Simply Good Poetry Contest 2005; In the Mood Poetry
Contest 2005; The Arborealis Prize for Poetry Contest, 2008; The
Lah Dee Dah Dee Dah Poetry Contest 2009; The Male, The Female and
The Mail Poetry Contest, 2009; The Open Heart 3 Poetry Competition
2008; The Open Heart 4 Poetry Competition 2009; and The Writes of
Freedom poetry chapbook anthology contest 2004.
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Contact
Information:
Debbie Okun Hill
E-mail: Debbie
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