The Wonders of Writer's Festivals

The Vancouver Writer's Fest

An annual week-long literary festival that is held in late October on Granville Island, Vancouver, which was first introduced in 1988 by a founding artistic director called Alma Lee, later to be named 'The Best Large Literary Festival in Canada" by the Canadian Tourism Commission in 2010, then gaining it's current title in 2012. At  this event, writers from all over the world, including Canada,  perform readings, interviews, and panel discussions.

If I could have gone to two of these past VWF events, I would say;

💭 For sure the event that happened October 18, 2022, "14: Ali Hassan in Conversation with Brent Butt." I know I chuckled at Brent's name today, but it's not even just that. I love stand up comedy and I follow so many comedians online. They usually, if not always, have some sort of rough past that made them funny. Hearing people who literally make people laugh for a living talk about their own pasts and real shtuff, is truly inspiring.

 👈Ali Hassan 👈 Brent Butt

💭 "42: Don't You Want Me Baby?: Authors Do 80s Lyrics" - As a big fan of 80s music myself, I think this even would have been hilarious and so cool to attend. Like imagine one of the authors uses Creep by Radiohead and make it some deep, thrilling poetry.

(I couldn't find pictures from this event and too many people were included in this event so I'm just not gonna put any for this lol)

Of course, there are many other writer's festivals that happen in Canada besides just this one. Here are a couple that I would have loved to go to;

Kingston Writers Fest

Where: Kingston
​What it's about: A five-day festival with approximately 50 events, hosting some 70 authors. The festival offers author readings, interviews and discussions, writers' studio master classes, food and beverage events, and more.
When: Sept. 27 to Oct. 1, 2023

I like that it's 5 days long and has so many different events. Even for food. Love food. Also, they hold events where (from the looks of it, their website was a little bit confusing ngl) you go on a field trip? Like I'm pretty sure with the author/writer/whoever is presenting/holding the event? I love field trips as I don't travel very often, like anywhere. It just overall looks like a fun experience.

Edmonton Poetry Festival
Where: Edmonton
​What it's about: A celebration of poetry and spoken word, featuring a wide range of artists and poetic styles.
When: April 22-30, 2023

Honestly this one looks like most of the other poetry festivals I saw, this one is just in Edmonton, and I've always wanted to go there, so it's really just about killing 2 birds with 1 stone. And they even held an open mic, which I would so be way too much of a wuss to do, but watching other people just get up there and share poetry they have written themselves can be so inspiring and helpful to anyone like me, who would love to perform if their social anxiety and FELS (fear of looking stupid) didn't squander their potential.

Author's We Will Be Seeing:

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Aden Polydoros - A transgender author known for their work in the YA genre. Since coming out as trans after a decade of repression, they have used their platform to support trans youth, raising awareness and promoting inclusivity. Their book, "The City Beautiful" is a historical fiction novel set in Chicago during the 1983 World's Fair. The main character, Daniel navigates the darkness of the fairgrounds while he tries to solve a series of brutal murders.

I love a good murder mystery, and this book sounds like an intriguing and suspenseful read. And it seems to explore themes such as love, obsession, and secrets, all in a historical context, which overall I think would make for a good read.

Naben Ruthnum - He is also known as Nathan Ripley (sounds like he's from Scott Pilgrim or something lol) and has written crime fiction and thrillers that are known for suspenseful and exciting storytelling. I couldn't find anything about A Hero of Our Time, however, Helpmeet is his horror novella about a woman who becomes entangled in a dangerous and mysterious relationship.

The novella is definitely something I would watch, as I will quite literally sit my butt down in front of any horror/thriller film. Also I love when romance is incorporated with horror and mystery. That's all. 

Joel A. Sutherland - Known for his enthralling storytelling and has written books among numerous different genres. His work has gained praise for the imaginative selection of plots and characters. His writing often delves into the theme of human nature, relationships, and even the impact of one's past. He is the author of a collection of books called "Haunted Canada" which is about different regions of Canada, and local ghost stories, legends, and paranormal activity.

I'm particularly interested in this one because I'm such a big fan of paranormal and supernatural kinds of literature and history and all that jazz. Sometimes I fall asleep to the Netflix series "Haunted" or Sam and Colby on youtube. I would so purchase and read Joel's entire book series and read it in like 2 weeks max. So excited.

Robert J. Wiersema - Known for his work in thriller and suspense genres in literature. He is the author of several award-winning novels such as "Before I Wake," which I have read myself. He is also the author of a novella, three novels, and a non-fiction book.

I don't really know which of his works he will be talking about, but Before I Wake was a good novel so I can predict that if his other works are even nearly as good, it will be a fun experience. I don't know what else to say for this one honestly lol.

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Cherie Dimaline - Known for novels and short-stories that often explore the resilience and strength of Indigenous communities while also recognising important social issues. Her debut novel "The Marrow Thieves" is set in a dystopian future where people hunt for their bone marrow, because it is believed to hold 'the key to eternal youth.' The story explores themes of survival, identity, and the power of storytelling.

I'm like 90% sure that I read like a few of her short stories last year in EFP, and I know for a fact that I read After 'While. Her debut novel seems so powerful and the story overall would be a really good read judging by what I read about it. 

Jen Ferguson - She has a PHD in English and Creative Writing. She believes that writing, teaching, and beading are political acts. She is an author of a debut young adult novel, "The Summer of Bitter and Sweet" which won a 2022 Govenor General's Literary Award. Her most recent book, "Those Pink Mountain Nights" is a Junior Library Guild Gold selection and has four star reviews overall thus far.

I didn't find too much about Jen, but I'm excited to learn more about her and her work.