Raymond Fraser


Raymond Fraser was a Canadian biographer, editor, essayist, memoirist, novelist, poet and short story writer. Fraser published fourteen books of fiction, three of non-fiction, and eight poetry collections. Fraser's writings were been praised by such literary figures as Farley Mowat, Irving Layton, Louis Dudek, Alden Nowlan, Sheila Watson, Leonard Cohen, Hugh Garner, and Michael Cook.

Biography

Born in Chatham, New Brunswick, Raymond Fraser attended St. Thomas University where in his freshman year he played on the varsity hockey and football teams, and in his junior year was co-editor with John Brebner of the student literary magazine Tom-Tom. His 20-year correspondence and friendship with the poet Alden Nowlan date from this period.
During the sixties Fraser worked as a lab technician, a high school teacher, and as editor and freelance writer for a number of tabloid newspapers.
While living in Montreal in 1966, Fraser and poet Leroy Johnson founded the literary magazine Intercourse: Contemporary Canadian Writing. In 1971 he was one of the founders of the Montreal Story Tellers Fiction Performance Group and the Rank Outsiders Poetry Extravaganza. His first book of fiction, The Black Horse Tavern, was published in Montreal by Ingluvin Publications.
Fraser died in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on October 22, 2018 at the age of 77.

Awards and recognition

His novel, The Bannonbridge Musicians was a finalist for the 1978 Governor General's Award.
In 2009, following publication of his novel In Another Life, he received the inaugural Lieutenant-Governor's Award for High Achievement in the Arts for English Language Literary Arts.
Five of Fraser's books were listed in Atlantic Canada's 100 Greatest Books, a distinction shared by only three other authors.
In 2012 he was made a member of the Order of New Brunswick, the province's highest honour, for his contributions to literature and New Brunswick's cultural life.
In May 2016, he received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from his alma mater, St Thomas University. In 2017, he received the Canadian Senate Sesquicentennial Medal in recognition of valuable service to the nation.
Over the years he received four Canada Council Grants, six New Brunswick Arts Board Grants, and the Canadian Writers’ Trust Woodcock Grant.

Fiction