Venue: Mary Winspear Centre
Thursday, April 20
7 pm: Bob McDonald, celebrated author and CBC host of Quirks and Quarks, opens the festival with a discussion of his new book, The Future is Now: Solving the Climate Crisis with Today’s Technologies. (Charlie White Theatre) – Tickets $25 (for youth under 18 – $15)
Friday, April 21
7 pm: Wine, Words and Music – A panel discussion moderated by Jack Knox with Bruce Kirkby, Rachel Rose, Frances Peck, Kamal Al-Solaylee, and Dede Crane – Music provided by Brad Prevedoros – Tickets $35, including appetizers and one glass of wine or other beverage. (Room 2)
Saturday, April 22
9:15 am – 10:30 am: Reading with Rachel Rose, francesca ekwuyasi, Frances Peck, and Danielle Geller – Tickets $20. (Room 2)
11:00 am – 12:15 pm: Reading with Joan Thomas, Bruce Kirkby, Brian Thomas Isaac, and Danny Ramadan – Tickets $20. (Room 2)
1:30 pm – 2:45 pm: A Panel Discussion: Choosing Your Path moderated by Barbara Pelman with Michael Harris, Annabel Lyon, Kamal Al-Solaylee, and Dede Crane – Tickets $20. (Room 2)
7:00 pm Authors in Conversation: An Evening with Celebrated Canadian Writers discussing “The Worlds We Create” – A panel discussion moderated by Gregor Craigie with francesca ekwuyasi, Michael Harris, Brian Thomas Isaac, Annabel Lyon, Danny Ramadan, and Joan Thomas – Tickets $30. (Charlie White Theatre)
Saturday Writing Workshops
9:30 am – 11:30 am: Writing Narrative Scenes with Caroline Adderson (limited to 20 participants). Tickets $60. (Room 4)
Show, don’t tell is one of the most misleading axioms of fiction writing. In fact, there is as much to tell in a story as there is to show; the key is to know when to do each, and how. Through instruction and writing exercises, this workshop will explain the four types of prose used in fiction with a special focus on the “showing” mode — the narrative scene.
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Writing Your Memories: creating art from your memories with Yvonne Blomer, author of the travel memoir Sugar Ride: Cycling from Hanoi to Kuala Lumpur and former Poet Laureate of Victoria, BC (limited to 20 participants). Tickets $60. (Room 4)
We all carry an abundance of experiences, from travel stories to tales of life “back in the day”. The trick is to turn these recollections into engaging, well-constructed prose. Poet and memoirist Yvonne Blomer’s workshop includes warm-up activities that will help you explore your stories and memories. The class will discuss a short memoir sample and engage in writing, focusing on the language and descriptive detail that will bring your memories to life.
You will learn characteristics of the memoir form and begin two pieces of memoir prose. The aim of the workshop is to perfect your style and inspire you to a longer project.