Thank you for joining us for the
2026 Summer Reading Series!

Sage Hill Writing’s 2026 Summer Reading Series featured 
our summer program instructors,
with poet Neil Aitken giving the Kroetsch Keynote Address!

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Many thanks to our funders and sponsors for this event: Sask Arts, SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Lotteries, Canada Council for the Arts, and The Writers’ Union of Canada.

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The Spring Fiction Colloquium Was Brilliant!

Nine fiction writers joined us at St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster, SK for the 2026 Fiction Colloquium led by Kevin Chong! The program offered writers a small group context in which to focus on individual writing and manuscript revision.

Photo Credit: Brenda Gunn

In addition to writing and reading, the Sage Hill participants adventured to Humboldt’s thrift store, Muensters’ pub, and the beautiful St. Peter Cathedral Parish.

Thank you to the lovely participants for adding some of these photos to our collection!

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What An Excellent Spring Reading Event!

We had a full house and enjoyed an array of riveting readings at the Humboldt and District Gallery.

We savored readings by Kevin Chong, our Spring Poetry Colloquium Instructor, and Kristy Jackson, dual 2026 Saskatchewan Book Award winner, followed by a Q&A session and a community open mic, where writers from our spring program and from the writing community shared their work.

Thanks to our partners for this event, the Saskatchewan Book Awards and the Humboldt & District Museum and Art Gallery.


  About Our Featured Readers  

(Photo credit: Iris Chia)

Kevin Chong

Kevin Chong is the author of seven books of fiction and nonfiction, most recently the novel The Double Life of Benson Yu, which was a finalist for the 2023 Giller Prize and named a Best Book of Canadian Fiction by the CBC. His creative nonfiction and journalism have recently appeared in Time, Literary Hub, Montecristo, and the Globe and Mail. An associate professor at UBC Okanagan, he lives in Vancouver with his family. 

Kristy Jackson

Kristy Jackson is the award-winning children’s author of MORTIFIED (Harper Collins Canada, May 2024), which was shortlisted for a Governor General’s Literary Award, a Forest of Reading Silver Birch Award, a Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award, the Joan Betty Stuchner Oy Vey Awards, and a Saskatchewan Book Award. TOUCHING GRASS (HarperCollins Canada, September 2025) is her second novel and was recognized as a Calgary Public Library Best Book of the Year, was the 2025 Northern Lights Book Awards Middle Grade Book of the Year, chosen as the #8 Indigo Best Kids’ Book of 2025, shortlisted for a 2027 Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award, and was shortlisted for three Saskatchewan Book Awards. Her work draws inspiration from her Cree and German background and her long list of embarrassing moments. Kristy lives in Saskatoon and is a mother of two boys, a communications professional, and an active volunteer. 

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Many thanks to our partners, funders, and sponsors for this event: the Saskatchewan Book Awards, the Humboldt & District Museum and Art Gallery, Sask Arts, SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Lotteries, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Writers’ Union of Canada.

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Thank you for a successful fundraiser!

Whether you donated a prize, put in a bid, or helped spread the word, you made our fundraiser a success, supporting our 2026 summer programs and the writers who take part in them.  We’re grateful for your generosity!

If you’d like to engage further, here are a few ways to stay connected and involved:

– Follow us on social media to see updates and stories from our programs
(Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn)
– Make an additional contribution to our cause
– Explore our youth and adults’ programs here on our website
– Help spread awareness of our work to friends and family

Thank you again for supporting Sage Hill Writing and our work with writers from across Canada.

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🎊 Thank You, Tara Dawn Solheim, 🎊

For Your Years as Executive Director!

We are excited to share the news of a leadership transition at Sage Hill Writing.

Tara Dawn Solheim has moved on from her role as Executive Director of Sage Hill Writing. From 2016 to 2024, Tara Dawn made a lasting impact on hundreds of writers who attended our programs.  She oversaw a tremendous period of growth for the organization and saw Sage Hill through pivotal changes, including a flood, a fire, changes of venue, and the development and introduction of online writing programs.  With a strong commitment to crafting an exceptional experience for our participants, Tara Dawn is a passionate and devoted supporter of artists.

While recently spending a year on respite from service to Sage Hill, Tara Dawn determined it was time to shift her focus to her own creative work as a musician, writer, and performer.  We are delighted to learn that she has been invited to do a three-month artist residency in Spain!

After nearly a decade of service, we can not thank Tara Dawn enough for her contribution to Sage Hill and the writing community.  Tara Dawn, we wish you success in all of your future endeavours!

“It has been a blessing to work with Sage Hill over the past 10 years. I believe in the value of the experience that Sage Hill offers and it has been a joy to be part of this tradition. I have had the opportunity to meet many amazing writers, to support them in their creative journeys, and have grown so much in the process. I am confident that the Sage Hill community is in good hands with Caitilin Terfloth at the helm! Appreciation to Caitilin, Program Assistant Tia Hendricks, and the Board of Directors for their expertise in steering the ship as I move forward in my own creative adventures. After experiencing breast cancer, I am grateful to now be in a thriving state of being and I feel compelled to use my energy to create art. I’m excited to continue pursuing my own practice in music, singing, DJing, somatic exploration, and poetry.”
– Tara Dawn Solheim

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“I had the pleasure to attend with Tara at the helm, and wow, what a treat! She brings such a wonderful presence — she’s calm, and fun, and supportive.”

– Past Participant

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“I want to thank Tara Dawn and Caitlin for an amazing job! The demands are constant, things come up – and you both handled everything with humour and grace! You created a warm, inviting, creative, friendly environment and that is everything in these situations! It was an honour to be faculty in this kind of nurturing environment! Thank you so much!”

– Jeanette Lynes

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🎉 Welcome to Our New Executive Director 🎉

We are delighted to introduce Caitilin Terfloth as Sage Hill Writing’s Executive Director.

Caitilin has been with Sage Hill since 2016, serving as our Program Manager until she stepped up as Acting Executive Director in August 2024.  During her year as Acting Executive Director, Caitilin developed new community partnerships, increased funding, championed accessibility, streamlined organizational processes, and engaged with staff, board, and participants to develop and implement program improvements – and she’s just getting started!

Caitilin has a deep commitment to helping writers develop, a love of writing, and over a decade of experience in non-profit administration and management.  She has been an editor and volunteer coordinator, has served on several boards, and has a long history of volunteerism.  Her open, collaborative leadership approach, her familiarity with Sage Hill’s inner workings and history, and her dedication to Sage Hill’s mission and values are just some of the reasons why she is so well-suited to guide our organization into the future.

“This past year, my priority was to provide a steady transition, ensuring rewarding experiences for our participants, staff, and facilitators.  I could not have done this without Sage Hill’s Program Assistant, Tia Hendricks, the Board of Directors, and years of learning how to run an arts non-profit from Tara Dawn.  Going forward, you can expect the same high-quality programming for which Sage Hill is known.  I am happy to meet Sage Hill’s supporters and alumni, and anyone who is curious about Sage Hill; don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or would like to connect!” 
– Caitilin Terfloth

It is with confidence that we welcome Caitilin more permanently into the Executive Director role, and foresee an exciting future for Sage Hill Writing!

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“I was so moved by the care and attention to detail and hard work that went into the in-person experience. If I could come back in person every single year I absolutely would. And I am so grateful to Caitilin and Tia for all the thought, effort, and heart that they put into this.”

– Past Participant

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