W. D. Valgardson

William Dempsey Valgardson (born 7 May 1939) is an Icelandic-Canadian fiction writer and poet. He was a long-time professor of writing at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. His short story "Bloodflowers" was included in Best American Short Stories 1971, while "Trees" is listed in the 1977 issue of Best Canadian Stories.

Biography Valgardson was born 7 May 1939 in Winnipeg, Manitoba to parents Dempsey Alfred Herbert, a fisherman of Icelandic descent, and Rachel Iris Valgardson. He was raised in Gimli, Manitoba, a community with a large Icelandic population. This upbringing greatly impacted his personal life perspective, as well as his future writing.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba in 1960, followed by a Bachelor of Education in 1966. Three years later, he received a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa after attending the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

Between his degree programs, Valgardson taught English in various schools across rural Manitoba; after receiving his master's degree, he taught English at Cottey College. During this time, he began writing and publishing, with his first short story collection, Bloodflowers: Ten Stories, coming out in 1973.

Valgardson began teaching writing at the University of Victoria in 1974.

Novels Gentle Sinners, Oberon Press, 1980 The Girl With the Botticelli Face, Douglas & McIntyre, 1992 In Valhalla's Shadows, Douglas & McIntyre, 2019

Short stories Bloodflowers: Ten Stories, short stories - Oberon Press, 1973 The Job, Anthology, Toronto, CBC radio God is Not a Fish Inspector, short stories - Oberon Press, 1975 "Trees" - In 77: Best Canadian Stories,, ed. by Joan Harcourt & John Metcalf, 23-36. Kingston, ON: Oberon Press, 1977. Red Dust, short stories - Oberon Press, 1978 What Can't Be Changed Shouldn't Be Mourned, short stories, Douglas & McIntyre, 1990 What The Bear Said: Skald tales from New Iceland, folk tales from Lake Winnipeg - Turnstone Press, 2011

Radio and film Beyond Normal Requirements, Anthology, Toronto, CBC radio, 1977 God is Not a Fish Inspector, film Allan Kroeker, Dept.of Education, Manitoba, 1980. The Burning, CBC Radio, Vancouver, 1981 Bloodflowers, Stereo Sound Stage, CBC radio, Toronto, Oct. 30, 1982 The Pedlar, based on "A Place of One's Own", film Directed by: Allan Kroeker Produced by: Michael Scott 1982, 54 min 32 s Gentle Sinners, CBC film 105 min, Director: Eric Till, 1983 Bloodflowers, Sundary Matinee, Toronto, CBC radio, March 6, 1983 Granite Point, Saturday Stereo Theatre, Toronto, CBC radio, Oct. 29 1983 The Cave, Vanishing Point, Toronto CBC Radio, Dec. 28, 1985 An Unacceptable Standard of Cockpit Practice Disasters, CBC radio, Vancouver, 1985 Sælir eru einfaldir, Icelandic National Radio, Reykjavik, Iceland, May 3–31, 1985 Bloðrot Icelandic National Radio, Reykjavik, Iceland, July 27, 1986 Carpenter of Dreams, Sextet, Sunday Matinee, CBC Radio, Feb. 15, 1987 Seiche State of the Arts, CBC Radio, Jan. 10, 1987 Ukrainian Journey, Morningside, CBC Radio, Jan. 22–26, 5 parts, 1987 The Man From Snaefellsness, Stereo Theatre, CBC Radio, (2 hour drama), Oct. 6, 13, 1991 Wrinkles, Arts Encounters, CBC Radio, Winnipeg, 1991 The Girl With The Botticelli Face, On The Arts, CBC Radio, April 18, 25, 1994 The Man Who Was Always Running Out of Toilet Paper, Icelandic National Radio, Reykjavik, Iceland, trans Solveig Jonsdóttir, Sept., 1994 The Girl with the Botticelli Face, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Nov. 10, 17 Nov. 11, 18, 1994 Ingibjorg's Christmas Gift performed by the Inuvik Choral and Theatrical Society, CBC North Radio, Dec. 18, 19, 20, 1995 A Matter of Balance, CBC Radio, Toronto, 1999 Í Manitoba, Utvarp Reykjavik, Rikis Utvarpid, Reykjavik, Iceland June 11, 1977 Blóðrót, islensk þýðing Guðrúnar Guðmundsdóttir, ásamt inngangi eftir Harald Bessason—Kópavogi:Sigmar Þormar, 1989. The Girl With The Botticelli Face, Between The Covers, CBC, Toronto, Oct. 4–22, 1993

Poetry In The Gutting Shed, poetry - Turnstone Press, 1976 The Carpenter of Dreams, poetry - Skaldhus Press, c1986

Books for young people Frances, novel - Groundwood, 2002 Thor, children's picture book, illustrated by Ange Zhang - Groundwood, 1994 The Hockey Fan - 1st ed. -- Victoria [B.C.] : Published for the Hawthorne Society by Reference West, c1994 Winter Rescue, illustrated by Ange Zhang. 1st U.S. ed. 1995. -- New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1995, c1994. Sarah and the People of Sand River children's picture book, illustrations by Ian Wallace - Groundwood, 1996 Thor, teikningar eftir Ange Zhang; Guðrun B. Guðsteinsdóttir, Íslenkaði—Seltjarnarnes [Iceland]: Ormstunga, 1996 Garbage Creek and Other Stories, short stories - Groundwood, 1997 The Divorced Kids Club, short stories - Groundwood, 1998