Gregory Koop
RR2 Box9 Site 194, Tofield, AB, T0B 4J0
780.722.2850
gregorykoopink@gmail.com
Bio
GregoryKoop grew up on the border of central Alberta and Saskatchewan. After leaving the U
of A’s Combined Honours Write Program studying under Greg Hollingshead, he settled into a
life of Garp, raising a daughter, Isa, and writing. To keep fit and sane he lets people kick and
punch him while studying the art of Muay Thai. He has been published in Other Voices
Journal of the Literary and Visual Arts, The Nashwaak Review, paperplates, Raving: The
Raving Poets Magazine, and Carte Blanche. Gregory was a finalist for a 2010 Alberta
Literary Award. He has been a participant of the Writing Studio at The Banff Centre 2011. He
is currently polishing his first book of short fiction.
Reviews
It's a very strong collection.... You have a nice voice, and I appreciate both the
variety of your characters (and their situations) and the thing s they have in
common. Congratulations on some very accomplished stories.
Alana Wilcox, Coach House Books
“There is some beautiful writing in these stories. There is struggle and despair and
clarity, without sentimentality.”
Bethany Gibson, Goose Lane Editions
“...the stories are polished and nuanced.”
Peter Midgley, UofA Press
“[Gregory Koop]…writes a captivating short Story”
Writers Guild of Alberta
“With humour and gritty bar-room reality, [Jive Willie No-Nose] consistently straddles
the fine line between tragedy and comedy. Jive Willie, with his disfigurement and
associated issues, is carefully drawn with equal doses of respect and equanimity .
The narrator, while not the main character, delivers a subtle self -revelatory tale
which adds a layer to an already captivating story.”
2010 AB Literary Awards Jury
'Patsy Cline's Never Been to Black Gully'-- totally heart-rending, and very well
written.
Alana Wilcox, Coach House Books
Accolades
Juror for the EPL Alberta Readers Choice Award
Alberta Foundation for the Arts Literary Grant
Banff Centre Literary Grant
Howard O'Hagan Award for Short Story (Finalist)
2013
2011
2011
2010
Affiliations
Writers Guild of Alberta
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Gregory Koop
Publication List
When Eyes Yellow
Carte Blanche (#16, Fall 2012)
For Isa
Sifted: A Collection of work by participants
at the Banff Centre Writing Studio, 2011
Endless Buffet Press, 2011
Swimming with Nile Perch
paperplates (Vol.7, No.3, 2010)
In Nangahar
Raving Magazine (2010)
Jive Willie No-Nose
Nashwaak Review vol 22/23 num 1 2009
My Concrete Finisher's Hands
Raving Magazine (2009)
Patsy Cline's Never Been to Black Gully
Other Voices vol 17 num 1summer 2004
Editing and Writing History
Writing: Professional writer since fall of 2006, focusing on short fiction, non-fiction, and
poetry. A number of pieces are currently published or under consideration (see publication
list for details). Completed the Combined Honours Creative Writing and Linguistics
components of my Honours BA at the University of Alberta in 2004. Mentored by such
writers as Jocelyn Brown, Lynn Coady, Marina Endicott, Kristjana Gunnars, Greg
Hollingshead, Shani Mootoo, Andreas Schroeder, and Gail Sidonie Sobat. Completed a
writing residency at the Banff Centre Writers' Studio in 2011. Mentored by Michael Crummey
and Padma Viswanathan.
Editing: Freelance editor since the fall of 2006, working on fiction, non -fiction, and
children's literature from proofreading and copyediting to content editing . Editor for
Other Voices Journal of Literary and Visual Arts Magazine (OV) from 2002-2005.
Experienced in content selection, proofreading and copyediting, content editing
(fiction and non-fiction), layout design, and production editing, working with such
writers as Jessica Grant, Cathy Stonehouse, Vivian Zenari, and others.
Business and Corporate Writing: Developer, manager, writer, and editor for Absolute
Contracting's (2001-2006) and Cooper Concrete Construction Ltd's (1998). Wrote
safety programs and manuals, including safety audits, building science audits,
incident reports, safety orientation, and annual reports.
Certification: Proofreading and copyediting certified through Simon Fraser
University, Vancouver, BC in 2002.
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Gregory Koop
Experience
Freelance Editor and Writer
2006 - Present
 Edited short fiction, non-fiction, and children's literature for local area
writers, such as Michael Sheehan.
 Wrote grant applications, follow-up reports, budgets, etc, and secured funding
through Alberta Foundation for the Arts and The Banff Centre.
 Edited short fiction and novellas for several Canadian and American writers
via Francis Ford Coppola's online writers' community, Zoetrope Virtual
Studios.
 Researched topics for short fiction, articles, and novels; including,
construction practices, Creole Genesis, Polynesian folklore, and North
American war involvement.
 Wrote poetry, non-fiction, short and long fiction, including a novella, a
novelette, and a novel, mentoring under Lynn Coady, Gail Sidonie Sobat, etc.
 Worked with computer software, including: Microsoft Office and Publisher,
Dragon Naturally Speaking 10.1, etc.
Absolute Contracting
2001 - 2006
Owner
 Estimated and bid on concrete construction projects from sidewalks to oilfield
ecology pits.
 Managed all projects under municipal, provincial, and federal building
codes/regulations.
 Managed the office and all accounting and bookkeeping records.
 Oversaw Quality Assurance/Quality Control.
 Designed and implemented company promotions.
 Organised and ordered subtrades.
 Performed construction labour.
OV
Editor
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2002 - 2005
Editor: edited fiction and non-fiction.
Contributing Editor: wrote editorials and fiction.
Submissions Editor: collected, sorted, logged and tracked, and distributed
submission batches, wrote and issued acceptance and rejection letters.
Proofreader and Copyeditor: proofed and edited fiction, non -fiction, and
poetry for publication, as well as, advertisements and other content.
Production Editor: oversaw and coordinated layout from inception through
galleys to final printed version with visual arts editor and printing press.
Blackfoot Conex
2001 - 2003
Superintendant
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Managed residential rental property, interviewing tenants, collecting rent,
writing and issuing legal notices.
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Gregory Koop
Cooper Concrete Construction Ltd.
1994 - 2000
Foreman
 Estimated and bid on concrete construction projects from residential to
industrial.
 Managed company safety program in 1998.
 Supervised crews and projects, from residential to industrial, including Wal Mart, CNRL and Husky Oil Refinery expansions, oilfield pipeline development
and ecology pits, By-Provincial Upgrader expansion, and ADM canola plant
expansion.
 Organised and ordered subtrades.
 Performed construction labour.
Bird Construction Ltd.
1998
Project Coordinator Fort Saskatchewan Shell Glycol Expansion
 Managed onsite office.
 Organize and tracked job progress, extra work orders, and payroll.
 Scheduled and ordered subtrades and materials.
 Obtained Alberta Construction Safety Association safety certification.
Education
Banff Centre
2011
Writing Studio 2011
 Completed fiction writing residency.
 Edited and revised a short story collection.
 Mentored by Greg Hollingshead, Michael Crummey, and Padma Viswanathan.
University of Alberta
2000-2004
Bachelors of Arts (Combined Honours) Creative Writing and Linguistics
 Completed 4.5 of 5 year Creative Writing and Linguistics honours degree (had
to withdraw because of medical reasons), including nearly a dozen writing
workshop and pro-seminar classes.
 Mentored under Greg Hollingshead (short story collection), Ted Bishop, Shani
Mootoo, Kristjana Gunnars, Betsy Sargent, and many others.
Simon Fraser University
2002
Copyediting and Proofreading Certification
 Completed Copyediting and Proofreading Summer Publishing Workshops.
Victoria School of Writing
2002
Writer's Workshop
 Mentored under Andreas Schroeder writing fiction and non -fiction
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
Construction Engineering Technologies
 Completed two year engineering diploma.
1996-1998
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Gregory Koop