Ben Nuttall-Smith taught Music, Theatre, Art, and Language until he retired in 1991.
He is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada and a Past President of the Federation of British Columbia Writers. Ben’s ten major publications with Rutherford Press of Qualicum Beach, B.C. include a memoir, historical fiction, poetry, short stories and commentary, three illustrated children’s books and a major film script.
Awards include The Surrey Board of Trade Special Achievement Award 2011 for work as a writer and for service to the writing community, and an Honorary Life Membership – Federation of British Columbia Writers, 2013, “in recognition of extraordinary service and dedication to the ideal of Writers Helping Writers”. He is still painting and writing…
The Birdie at Willets Cottage
How does one deal with bullies? Cry? Fight? Run away?
Ben was told by his step-father to grow up. He tried, with adventures on the high seas, in the old Deep South, in the frigid north. With his constant search for love and redemption, Ben usually just found bullies. This is his memoir, for real this time, including a pedophile uncle (and inventor of Technicolor), the London Blitz, his OSS spy mother, getting beaten almost to death by White Power thugs, becoming a Brother, falling madly in love, being tossed out in his hour of most dire need, and finally, discovering his healing garden. At last, Ben found love, given and received. It should be a movie.
Ben Nuttall-Smith lays it all out: eighty years of living under the most painful memories. And then a reprieve.
$28.00 plus shipping of $10
Puzzles, Plays & Whimsy
“As a former high school teacher, youth group leader and Lexophile, I am sharing discovered gems from my dusty repertoire. Have some fun with the English Language and a bit of Theatre to boot.”
A magical collection of plays, poems, paintings and more.
$22.95 plus shipping of $10
Books from Ben —– cost in C$, plus $10 delivery per book
- Puzzles, Play & Whimsy – $22.95
- The Birdie at Willets Cottage – $28.00
- Flying With White Eagle – $20.00
- Crescent Beach Reflections – $24.00
- Mad God of the Toltecs – $20.00
- Margot: Love in the Golden Years – $27.00
- Henry Hamster esquire – $17.00
- Grandpa’s Homestead: Haiku – $14.00
- The Rawness of Time – $15.00
- Rhyming Fun With Billy and Trish – $10.00
- workshops: Dynamic Presenter; Creating Chapbooks – tba
Workshops by Ben
Creating Chapbooks
Chapbooks are a legitimate form of publication. Whether you intend to print and assemble your own chapbook or prepare a manuscript for a commercial printer, I invite you to learn from my own experience in producing eight different chapbooks – from the regular 8 ½” X 5 ½” B & W to the 10” X 8” glossy illustrated children’s book, to an affordable 5” X 4” coil-bound booklet to get the best deal from a printer company.
In this hands-on workshop, you will discover how to plan your pages, format left facing and right facing pages and insert colour illustrations, photographs and promotional material. You will also discover how to obtain an ISBN number and sales barcode.
Learn how to produce an attractive booklet of your own poetry; “Grandma’s War”; “My Years With the R.C.A.F.”; “The Feeding and Training of a Husband”; “Adventures in Acrylics”; “Mexico on a Shoestring”; – that publication you’ve always dreaded as too momentous a task.
This workshop will provide you with a mock-up of your own chapbook, ready to go to work with computer, printer, paper-cutter and stapler.
NO TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT REQUIRED.
Dynamic Presenter
- Engage a *Listening* Audience with Your Written Words
- Voice and Performance Skills Workshop
- For Writers, Poets and Public Speakers
You’ve done the research, written the book, created the poem and seen your masterpiece to press. As you look forward to multiple author readings and book promotions fear of public speaking can cause undue anxiety. Ben Nuttall-Smith will guide you through a voice and performance skills workshop to become a more dynamic and relaxed speaker.
Part One: (40 minutes)
Through a proven set of simple, enjoyable exercises, you’ll learn to relax, develop your voice and increase your power of projection.
This workshop will present the primary and most important lesson from a full series of exercises for helping you to become a more dynamic and relaxed speaker.
Posture and diaphragm control are the basic elements for projection. In this forty-minute session, you will learn the secret of relaxation and triple the power of your delivery. You will also be given handouts for further work at home.
Part Two: The Spoken Word
Part Two will focus on how to read your written words in an engaging way to transform your poetry/book reading into an event (or poem) to be remembered. The workshop will present many different strategies and practical advice on: selecting the best poems/stories to read out loud, breaking through nerves/anxiety and knowing/targeting your audience.
There will be an opportunity for everyone to practice, and share their readings with the group.
Dynamic Presenter Workshop Testimonials
“Ben Nuttall-Smith presented The Dynamic Presenter, his voice and
performance workshop, to The Interior Authors Group and other writers here in Kamloops. His knowledge of theatre, music and the spoken word has enabled him to create a powerful workshop. We stood, we breathed, we made funny shapes with our lips and even funnier sounds with our well-projected voices. I remember the exercises that made us laugh and I repeat them as I make my way to a Board or General meetings. They came in very handy when I read my poems at a recent Poetry Slam. I heard laughter, which is a good thing, from the back of the room. hope you have a chance to attend this workshop. It will extend your performance when you are reading your work to an audience.
We were thrilled to have him as a presenter.”
Dana Ramstedt – President of the Interior Authors Group in Kamloops, B.C.
“Thanks for the course! It went way beyond my expectations of what
could be accomplished in two days. The members of the group made great strides in their presentations; they dropped their public face and let their real selves come out, to great advantage. I felt privileged to be there.”
Sincerely, William Thomas BA in English, U. of Chicago, 1966.
Daddy’s Darling Daughter, Simon & Schuster of Canada, 1974.
Dangerous Vision, Authorhouse, 2005. wathomas [at] shaw [dot] ca
“For me, the Dynamic Presenter Course with instructor, Ben Nuttall-
Smith on October 27 & November 3rd, 2012, was well worth the cost.
Ben created a learning environment, where students practiced
breathing and enunciation techniques, and warm-up exercises. Most beneficial were the tips and suggestions he provided as students read their stories in front of classmates.”
Marion Iberg msiberg [at] telus [dot] net
“I very much enjoyed all of the exercises that you gave us as
handouts. I try my best to read something each day with your many
pointers in mind. I really felt that the teachings you shared will help
me tremendously in my future endeavours as a poet. Breathing, as in
Pranayam, is very important. I completely understood the importance.”