Photo Credit:
Photo credit
Ian Jackson
Ruth DyckFehderau
BIO
Biography

Mostly Ruth DyckFehderau (pronounced Dyke-FAY-der-ow) writes literary fiction and non-fiction. Sometimes she teaches Creative Writing and English Lit at University of Alberta or in far-flung places around the world. She holds degrees from Universities of Alberta (PhD ’01, MA ’95) and Winnipeg (BA ’91).

Ruth has written three books:  I (Athena), a Miramichi Reader Best of 2023 novel (NeWest Press); E nâtamukw miyeyimuwin: Residential School Recovery Stories of the James Bay Cree, Vol.1 (© James Bay Cree, 2023), written with James Bay Cree storytellers, winner of Independent Press Award, Foreword INDIES Gold, among others; and The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee: Stories of Diabetes and the James Bay Cree (© James Bay Cree, 2017), written with James Bay Cree storytellers, now in Second Edition (2020), winner of International Book Award, IPPY Silver, among others.

Ruth's work is hearing-impaired and queer. She has lived in many places, including Eeyou Istchee, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa, France, Italy, and Poland.

ADDRESS
City: Edmonton, Province/Territory: Alberta
EMAIL
GENRE
Fiction and Creative Nonfiction
LANGUAGES
English
PUBLICATIONS
Publications
Title
I (Athena)
Publisher
NeWest Press
Year
2023
Title
E nâtamukw miyeyimuwin: Residential Recovery Stories of the James Bay Cree, Vol 1
Publisher
JBCree Storytellers. Publ, © Cree BHSS James Bay. Distrib Wilfrid Laurier UP
Year
2023
Title
The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee: Stories of Diabetes and the James Bay Cree
Publisher
JB Cree Storytellers. Publ, © Cree BHSS James Bay; Distrib Wilfried Laurier UP
Year
First Ed 2017 Second Ed 2020 Audio 2020
AWARDS
Awards
Name
International Book Award
Publication
The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee
Year
2018
Name
Silver Foreword INDIES Book of the Year
Publication
The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee
Year
2017
Name
Silver Independent Publisher (IPPY)
Publication
The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee
Year
2018
Name
Shortlist Editor's Choice Foreword INDIES
Publication
The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee
Year
2017
Name
Finalist National Indie Excellence
Publication
The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee
Year
2018
Name
Finalist Next Generation Indie
Publication
The Sweet Bloods of Eeyou Istchee
Year
2018
Name
Longlist CBC Literary Award
Year
2017
Name
Best of the Fest: GirlPlay Short Play Festival, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Publication
Hildie and Hilda Go for a Walk
Year
2013
Name
Mactaggart Writing Prize
Publication
"Themba and the Commodity of Fear"
Year
2007
Name
Finalist, 2023 Book of the Year, Independent Author Network
Publication
E nâtamukw miyeyimuwin: Residential School Recovery Stories of the James Bay Cree, V1
Year
2023
Name
Longlist, First Nations Communities Read
Publication
E nâtamukw miyeyimuwin: Residential School Recovery Stories of the James Bay Cree, V1
Year
2024-5
Name
Gold, Foreword INDIES
Publication
E nâtamukw miyeyimuwin: Residential School Recovery Stories of the James Bay Cree, V1
Year
2023
Name
Independent Press Award
Publication
E nâtamukw miyeyimuwin: Residential School Recovery Stories of the James Bay Cree, V1
Year
2024
Name
Miramichi Reader: Best of 2023 list
Publication
I (Athena)
Year
2023
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS
Presentation details
Audience Size
Audience size
Any
Presentation Genre
Prose (Fiction, Nonfiction, Scholarly)
Presentation Length
Any
Presentation Description
Presentation description

Ruth is a popular speaker/facilitator on many topics. She has been teaching English Lit and Creative Writing at universities and doing presentations/workshops with various arts, writing, and theatre organizations since the mid '90s. She can speak/has spoken to large and small groups about

        any aspect of prose writing craft (fiction, nonfiction, or scholarly) such as:

                constructive feedback

                character development

                avoiding tropes

                effective diction

                inclusive writing

                punctuation and meaning

                scrubbing out wordiness/jargon

                de-academicizing your creative writing

                crafting setting

                travel writing

                point of view

                and more.

        any aspect of workshopping

        censorship and cancel culture

        life writing with Indigenous groups/storytellers

        writing with marginalized or traumatized people

        writing queer characters

        what queer texts can teach all writers

        activism and writing

        writing the stories of others; writing from privilege; writing about people living in insecurity

        narrative medicine; writing and health/illness or trauma

        accessible/inclusive book design

        individual stories/books and plays.

       various aspects of Canadian Lit, Queer Lit, Children's/YA Lit, Women's Lit, Indigenous Lit

 

Presentation Fee(s)
Depends on presentation.
Workshop details
Audience Size
Any
Intended Audience
Adult and young adult
Workshop Length
Any
Workshop Description
Workshop description

Ruth has done/can do workshops on any of the topics listed above (under presentations).

Workshop Fee(s)
Depends on presentation.
EQUITY INITIATIVE
As part of the Union’s Equity Implementation Plan, we are committed to increasing awareness of authors who are Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQI2S, or living with a disability. This author identifies as:
Members who identify as:
LGBTQI2S
Living with a disability
Programs & Interests
Interested in participating Union’s Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program:
All members are eligible for the Union’s Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program. Are you interested in participating in this pro
Yes
Interested in participating in the Northern Ontario WITS program:
The Union’s Northern Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program funds in-person visits to northern Ontario schools when possible. Ar
Yes