Wayne Tefs facts for kids

Wayne Tefs (born in 1947, died September 15, 2014) was a Canadian writer. He wrote many novels, edited books, and shared his thoughts as a critic. He also put together collections of stories by other writers.

Wayne Tefs's Career Highlights

From 1975 to 1977, Wayne Tefs and David Arnason hosted a radio show called "Canadian Writers Symposium." On this show, they talked to 45 Canadian writers. Some famous writers they interviewed included Milton Acorn, George Bowering, and P.K. Page. Tefs also wrote many articles for newspapers and magazines. He also wrote dozens of reviews about books and other works.

In 1976, Tefs helped start a publishing company called Turnstone Press with David Arnason and others. He later worked as the fiction editor for this press from 1995 until he passed away in 2014. He also created a literary magazine called The Sphynx.

His Books and Stories

In 1983, his first novel, Figures on a Wharf, was nominated for an award. This was the Books in Canada First Novel Award. He then wrote The Cartier Street Contract in 1985. He wrote seven more novels after that. His book Barker was published after he died.

In 2000, his novel Moon Lake won the first-ever Margaret Laurence Award for fiction. In 2007, his book Be Wolf won the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award. His short story Red Rock and After won a special medal for magazine fiction. It was also printed again in The Journey Anthology in 1990.

Tefs also put together three collections of short stories by different authors. In 2010, he published his own collection of short stories called Meteor Storm. He also wrote two memoirs. A memoir is a book where someone tells stories from their own life. Rollercoaster: A Cancer Journey (2002) was about living with a serious illness. On the Fly (2012) was about his love for sports, especially hockey. Another memoir, Dead Man on a Bike: Riding with Cancer, was published in 2016 after he died.

Awards and Special Recognition

In 1999, his story Red Rock was played completely on CBC radio's "Between the Covers" show. In 2010, Red Rock was mentioned in a book by T. F. Rigelhof. He said it was one of his top choices for a special reading list called Canada Reads.

In 2010, a film company called Red Wing Films made a documentary about Wayne Tefs. After he passed away, his novel Barker was nominated for a 2015 Relit Award.

Wayne Tefs's Personal Life

Wayne Tefs was a special scholar called a Woodrow Wilson Fellow. He taught at several universities and colleges across Canada. From 1978 to 1992, he was the Head of English at St. John's-Ravenscourt School in Winnipeg. He also taught at the University of Regina, McGill University, and the University of Winnipeg.

Tefs lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with his wife, Kristen Wittman. She is a lawyer and a poet. Wayne Tefs was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba in 1947. This was a separate town near Winnipeg back then. He was the middle of three children born to Armin and Stella Tefs. He lived in Northwestern Ontario before moving to Steinbach, Manitoba in the 1960s. He finished high school there and met future poet Patrick Friesen. He often wrote about the beautiful Canadian Shield area of Ontario and the North.

In 1994, he faced a serious illness. He bravely fought it with the help of special medicines and treatments. He passed away on September 15, 2014.

Wayne Tefs's Education

In 1971, Wayne Tefs graduated from the University of Manitoba. He received a gold medal for his excellent work in Arts Honours. He then received a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. This allowed him to get his Master's degree (M.A.) at the University of Toronto.

He taught at the University of Saskatchewan (Regina Campus) from 1972 to 1974. After that, he finished his PhD at the University of Manitoba in 1978. In 1981, he also received a teaching certificate from McGill University.

Articles by Wayne Tefs

• Our Tour de France, The Globe and Mail, July 5, 2008
• Les Rois Tragiques du Ring, in L'Impossible, September 1992
• Tragic Lords of the Ring, The Globe and Mail, May 22, 1992
• The Last Hurrah, West, August 2000
• Of Ice and Men, The Globe and Mail, October 7, 2001
• The Goalie Mask, West, March 1991