Hi, I'm Nathan Harms.

Snowfaux.com is owned and operated by me. The primary purpose of this site is to promote my interests, Utmost Christian Writers, New Leaf Works and Reliable Painters. In addition to this purpose, I am trying to build a supportive community of Christian writers and poets, a community where such Christians exchange views, keep connected and feel they are part of a caring family.

My first step in this direction has been with the ODES of MARCH, founded by Barbara Mitchell and me in March of 1998. The ODES of MARCH provides an opportunity for Christian poets to present their work to the public. Typically, the ODES has been presented in Chapters/Indigo Bookstores and local restaurants in the Edmonton area. The ODES has been well received and has succeeded in drawing significant audiences.

In 2001, I sponsored the first poetry competition associated with the ODES. The competition drew more than 60 entries and resulted in a top prize of $200 going to Ev Heffernan, a poet from Calgary, Alberta. In 2002 we increased the amounts of the all cash prizes and offered non-cash prizes as well. Fenna Schaapman of Calgary, Alberta, won the top prize of $250 and Vivian Hansen of Calgary won the second prize of $100.

The 2003 ODES offers a first prize of $300 and a second prize of $150. Check out details of the 2003 competition here.

2002 was the first year of "The Gathering of Christian Poets." The Gathering was an all-day event in Edmonton. You can read the report here.

The ODES has made a great beginning at drawing together a community of Christian writers. Please pray for me as I work to make the ODES helpful to writers. To offer your support, contact me. nathan@snowfaux.com.

The information below is for those who might like to know just a bit more about who I am and where I have come from.

I was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but spent my childhood and adolescent years in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, famous for its temperate climate and abundant fruit orchards and vineyards.

My gradeschool years were spent in Trout Creek, a small orchard community between Summerland and Penticton. Due to the encouragement of a Grade 6 teacher, Ray McNabb, I became interested in writing and began a lifelong involvement in poetry, publishing and writing of all kinds. My high school years were spent in Penticton. In my graduating year I won the school's creative writing award for my collection of poems, "Pictures of Silver."

While training as a skilled tradesman, I became a Special Constable with the R.C.M.P in Penticton and completed about one year of service. I moved to Edmonton, Alberta in 1977 and began an independent business as a contractor under the name, Reliable Painters.

With my my first home computer (an early Apple model), I taught myself desktop publishing, published a church newsletter and wrote poetry and articles for my own pleasure.

At an InScribe Christian Writers' Fellowship (ICWF) workshop in 1985 I learned for the first time that I could sell my writing and see it published in books and magazines.

Since then I have been fortunate to see my stories, articles and poetry published more than 60 times in a wide variety of formats. Short stories have been broadcast by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Columns and features have been published by the Edmonton Journal. Other writing falls into the genres of fiction for young adults and family life. My poetry has won a number of awards.

In 1994, I began editing the InScribe newsletter, FellowScript. With me as Editor, it grew from a stapled sheaf of ten pages with a circulation of 70, to a magazine-style publication of 24-36 pages with a circulation over 200. I resigned as Editor of FellowScript in September 2000. Some of my other (and continuing) interests through the years have been golf, chess, squash and motorcycling.

I am married to Kristin St. Cyr--an artist (at left)--and we make our home together in an eclectic condominium called "The Museum," due to its style of decoration. I'm fond of Sydney, my 4 year old Cocker/Bichon Frise dog--as well as my Macintosh computer, which is not yet housebroken. When I'm not at a bookstore looking for poetry and sipping a double americano, you'll find me busy at my desk . . . editing or writing poetry . . . or cleaning up after my Mac.