Our 2015 Literary Festival was a great success. See below for details. We’ll keep you updated on plans for the next one. Photos by Jo-Ann Way/nuttycake.com.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Youth School Activities
The morning workshop at the North Saanich Middle School featured author Tara Saracuse who described how to build stories. Terry Ann Carter’s afternoon workshop focused on types of Haiku and encouraged the students to write their own. At Parkland High School, Jeremy Loveday gave a series of spoken word performances to approximately 100 students. Jackie Rioux, a creative writing teacher at the school, hosted this workshop.
Opening Celebration – 7:00 P.M. (North Saanich Middle School)
The lively trio Reverie provided music before the event and at intermission. Kenny Podmore, Sidney’s Town Crier rang his bell and proclaimed the evening open. Seven authors read during the evening and student contest winners received their prizes. The authors were: Patrick Taylor, Naomi Beth Wakan, Chris Bullock and Kay Stewart, Zsuzsi Gartner, Lorna Crozier and Steven Galloway.
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Readings – ALL Day (The Sidney Pier Hotel’s Sallas Room)
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.: Lorna Crozier and Arleen Paré. Lorna read from her book “The Wrong Cat.” Arleen read from “The Lake between Two Mountains.”
10:40 – 11:40 a.m.: Patrick Taylor and Zsuzsi Gartner. Patrick Taylor described a family and the incidents that happened to them after they opened their frozen lake to the public. Zsuzsi talked about dog people in a humorous fashion.
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Steven Galloway and William Deverell. Bill read about his character Arthur Beauchamp while Steven read from “The Confabulist” in which Houdini escapes from a Russian stationary transport wagon.
1:40 – 2:40 p.m. Richard Wagamese and Charlotte Gill. Richard read from “Medicine Walk” and Charlotte read from her book “Eating Dirt”.
2:50 – 3:50 p.m. Des Kennedy and Janie Chang. Des read from his humorous “Climbing Patrick’s Mountain” while Janie provided a more meditative reading from “Three Souls”.
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. Kay Stewart and Chris Bullock, Fred Stenson. The audience was intrigued by Kay and Chris’s collaborative writing experiences in “Unholy Rites”. Fred Stenson read from his novel “Who by Fire”, about a family battling a sour gas plant.
Writing Workshops (Sidney/North Saanich Library)
The two free workshops took place at the library, supported by the Friends of the Sidney/North Saanich Branch. In the morning, Naomi Beth Wakan instructed 18 budding authors at her memoir writing workshop. In the afternoon, Nikki Tate introduced active creative writing to 17, 9-12 year-old children by having them write on the spot.
Gala – 7:30 P.M. (Mary Winspear Centre, Charlie White Theatre)
Gregor Craigie of CBC emceed the evening. Sharon Hope commented on the growth of the festival and thanked the committee for their hard work. The two winners of the postcard writing contest read their work and received their prizes. Authors reading in the evening were: William Deverell, Arleen Paré, Fred Stenson, Des Kennedy, Janie Chang, Charlotte Gill and Richard Wagamese. Gregor Craigie moderated a panel discussion with all authors which centered about using real life people or experiences in fictionalized narratives.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Breakfast with the Authors (Haro’s Restaurant, Pier Hotel)
The hot buffet breakfast took place in Haro’s Restaurant. Susan Reece acted as emcee. Federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May, attending as a lover of literary festivals, gave a brief closing speech about editing her first book and her mentor Farley Mowat. Authors reading at the event were Janie Chang, Charlotte Gill, Des Kennedy, Fred Stenson and Richard Wagamese.
