The Lethbridge book scene has a few offerings to both writers and  readers alike. The YWCA Lethbridge and District has an active book club, “As the Page Turns”, with details at  http://www.ywcalethbridge.org/book-club where one can read the blog of past month’s book discussions and get the latest information on what the group is currently reading. The group, open to both men and women, meets  at 7 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month at downtown YWCA at 604 8th Street South. The read for May is ‘Loving Frank’ by Nancy Horan. For more details contact Anne Remington at the YWCA at 403 329-0088 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

This month the Lethbridge Public Library will hold a Writers’ Café & Blue Pencil Session with Betty Jane Hegerat, on Thursday, May 20 from 7 - 9 p.m. at the main branch in the Page Break Café. This informal café setting invites writers to talk about the process of writing and the ins and outs of getting published. Facilitator Betty Jane is the author or three books of fiction:  Running Toward Home, A Crack in the Wall, and Delivery. She has been a social worker. She began her social work career in Lethbridge many years ago. She has also been a teacher. She was the 2009 Calgary Public Library Writer-in-Residence. A deep-rooted love of the Alberta landscape and an obsession with sifting through the messy dynamics of family — the secrets and lies in ordinary lives — underpins her stories.

On the book front news for the area, the downtown Chapters store will host author Keith Liggett on April 10. He will be signing his new cookbook, “Island Lake Lodge The Cookbook”. The Lodge, which sits on seven thousand acres of Fernie, B.C. wilderness, is a leader in the trend toward eco-tourism and sustainability known and well for their earth friendly adventures along side the delicious meals featuring fresh regional and local organic fare http://www.whitecap.ca/books/island-lake-lodge.

This week, the University of Lethbridge will see the revival of their historic "Whetstone" literary publication, 10 years to month of its last issue. It was first published in 1971 but has not been not seen since 1999. This traditional term-print student run publication promises to bring a mix of prose and poetry routed in the southern Alberta literary scene.
Also on the University front, the library just completed their Food for Fines Week, offering amnesty for overdue library fines and is pleased to announce they waived over $1,500 in fines in exchange for 407 items of food contributed to the Students’ Union Food Bank.
The newly formed Lethbridge Writers’ Group is meeting for the third time on April 13 and invites all writers of all levels and genres to come out and see what this group is all about. Information on the meetings and discussions of the group can be read on facebook at ‘Lethbridge Writers’ Group’ or by contacting Michelle Greysen at her website info below.

I am thrilled to be writing the new Book Beat for L.A. Beat. I am new to Lethbridge but not new to Southern Alberta or the writing world. I am a professional freelance writer and am the past publisher of the gone and often-missed Calgary Straight Arts & Entertainment Weekly. I write freelance features for magazine and newspapers, profiles, cover features, reviews and more. I am a busy author with many publications in the works and have recently released a book of poetry, First New Forbidden True.
I am also the initiator of the newly formed Lethbridge Writers’ Group and welcome all writers of all levels to join. I look forward to sharing the book news in southern Alberta, featuring local author profiles, book reviews and sharing the Lethbridge writing news and the literary scoop on the street.
The downtown Chapters store features many local author stickers on their books, an Alberta section and a notice board in the entrance with upcoming events. Jeanie Baczuk, assistant manager, invites everyone to attend two Saturday author events in March.