Robert Hilles
Encyclopedia
Robert Hilles is a Canadian
poet
and novelist who lives on Salt Spring Island with his partner, novelist Pearl Luke
.
Born in Kenora, Ontario
, Hilles studied at the University of Calgary
, earning a BA
in Psychology
and English
in 1976. He also holds an MSc
in Educational Psychology, earned at the university in 1985.
Hilles lived for many years in Calgary, Alberta
and was very active in the writing community there. For ten years he acted as the managing editor of Dandelion, the oldest surviving literary magazine in Alberta. He developed the magazine from a small pamphlet to one of the most respected literary magazines in Canada. During that time he also organized many successful readings featuring writers from across the country. In 2001, he moved to British Columbia and has been very active in the literary community there, especially on Salt Spring Island where he now lives. He among other writers helped set up a scholarship for beginning writers on Salt Spring and also organized a new reading series on the island.
He served on the executive of the League of Canadian Poets for five years and in 1996 was sent by the League of Canadian Poets and the Department of Foreign Affairs to represent Canada at an International Poetry Festival in Japan. Hilles won the 1994 Governor General's Award for Poetry
for Cantos From A Small Room (1993). In the same year, his first novel, Raising of Voices (1993), won the Writers Guild of Alberta George Bugnet Award for best novel. He has published thirteen books of poetry and fours books of prose.
Wrapped Within Again, New and Selected Poems was published in the fall of 2003 and won the Stephan Stephansson Award. His second novel, A Gradual Ruin, was published by Doubleday Canada in 2004 and is now available in paperback. His books have also been shortlisted for the Milton Acorn People’s Poetry Prize, the W.O. Mitchell/City of Calgary Prize, the Stephan Stephansson Award, and the Howard O’Hagan Award.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and novelist who lives on Salt Spring Island with his partner, novelist Pearl Luke
Pearl Luke
Pearl Luke is a Canadian novelist.Born in Peace River, Alberta, Luke attended University of Calgary and earned first a BA and then an MA in English Literature...
.
Born in Kenora, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Hilles studied at the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
, earning a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and English
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
in 1976. He also holds an MSc
MSC
- Computers:* Mario Strikers Charged* Microsoft Common Console Document, file for the Microsoft Management Console* Microelectronics Support Centre* Microsoft Corporation* MIDI Show Control* Message Sequence Chart...
in Educational Psychology, earned at the university in 1985.
Hilles lived for many years in Calgary, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and was very active in the writing community there. For ten years he acted as the managing editor of Dandelion, the oldest surviving literary magazine in Alberta. He developed the magazine from a small pamphlet to one of the most respected literary magazines in Canada. During that time he also organized many successful readings featuring writers from across the country. In 2001, he moved to British Columbia and has been very active in the literary community there, especially on Salt Spring Island where he now lives. He among other writers helped set up a scholarship for beginning writers on Salt Spring and also organized a new reading series on the island.
He served on the executive of the League of Canadian Poets for five years and in 1996 was sent by the League of Canadian Poets and the Department of Foreign Affairs to represent Canada at an International Poetry Festival in Japan. Hilles won the 1994 Governor General's Award for Poetry
1994 Governor General's Awards
Each winner of the 1994 Governor General's Awards for Literary Merit received $10 000 and a medal from the Governor General of Canada. The winners were selected by a panel of judges set up by the Canada Council for the Arts.-Fiction:Winner:...
for Cantos From A Small Room (1993). In the same year, his first novel, Raising of Voices (1993), won the Writers Guild of Alberta George Bugnet Award for best novel. He has published thirteen books of poetry and fours books of prose.
Wrapped Within Again, New and Selected Poems was published in the fall of 2003 and won the Stephan Stephansson Award. His second novel, A Gradual Ruin, was published by Doubleday Canada in 2004 and is now available in paperback. His books have also been shortlisted for the Milton Acorn People’s Poetry Prize, the W.O. Mitchell/City of Calgary Prize, the Stephan Stephansson Award, and the Howard O’Hagan Award.