VIWF Program Guide 2008 by Vancouver Writers Fest

#PPL

8 8"3&)064&

Greetings

Writing a novel can be daunting. Your newspaper shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be.

From reviews of the hottest books to our weekly arts and entertainment guide, find inspiration daily in The Vancouver Sun.

(604) 605-READ s u b sc r i b e @ v a n couve r s u n .com

table of contents

W elcome to the va nc ou v er Internat ional W Ri ters & Readers F estiva l o n G r an vil l e isl and I have to admit that I am still savouring some of the extraordinary moments from last year’s 20th anniversary Festival. All of us involved in the Festival were gratified by the warm reception that you the audience provided for our visiting writers, and the engagement and interaction that is the hallmark of our events. We broke attendance records and many of the events were sold out. As a result we are expanding the Festival this year to 69 events to provide more opportunities for you to see and hear some of the finest writers in the world on stages at Granville Island. For the first time we will present events on Tuesday evening, where you will now find our Grand Openings event. Get your tickets for your favourite events early to avoid disappointment! This guide will tell you everything you need to know. And remember, members of the Festival have advance ticket purchase privileges. We will kick things off with a pre-Festival event on September 15 with Miriam Toews, author of A Complicated Kindness, which won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction. Her new novel, The Flying Troutmans, will be one of the highlights of the fall season. We’ve added a new late night event this year at the Backstage Lounge behind the Granville Island Stage. Join us into the wee hours for music and stories with featured performers Ivan E. Coyote, Kinnie Starr, Paul Quarrington and Willy Vlautin. Don’t be surprised if there are cameo appearances by other musically talented writers. We are pleased to welcome back to Vancouver noted Canadian novelists Austin Clarke, Rawi Hage, Joseph Boyden and David Bergen. Ronald Wright will deliver The Bill Duthie Memorial Lecture this year. He gave the CBC Massey Lectures

in 2004 and the book based on the lectures, A Short History of Progress, was a huge bestseller. His new book, What is America?, is sure to provoke vigorous discussion about the U.S., its history and its future. There are a number of prominent American writers joining us this year including the poet Sharon Olds, Ursula K. Le Guin and Peter Matthiessen whose new book led a reviewer in The New York Review of Books to compare him to Dostoevksy, Conrad and Faulkner. This year will also see the return of some Festival favourites including Mark Billingham, Gillian Slovo and Linda Grant from the UK, C.C. Humphreys, Patrick Lane and Donna Morrissey from Canada and Damon Galgut from South Africa. There will be lots of discoveries for you as well. Xiaolu Guo is a young Chinese novelist living in London whose first novel, A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers was nominated for the Orange Prize. Steven Galloway’s third novel The Cellist of Sarajevo made the bestseller lists this spring. And Shaun Tan is a graphic novelist from Australia whose book The Arrival has been described as “a beautiful and compelling piece of art filled with subtlety and grandeur”. We have a distinguished list of international writers coming to the festival including Gail Jones from Australia, Anja Sicking from the Netherlands, Stéphane Audeguy from France, Stefano Benni from Italy and Elizabeth Knox from New Zealand. Mystery lovers will find some new crime novelists to devour: George Pelecanos from the U.S., Qiu Xiaolong whose books are set in China and Leonie Swann from Germany whose first book was translated into 32 languages. Please join us on Granville Island from October 21–26 and enjoy the many delights on offer. Hal Wake ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

5 Contents

Artistic Director’s Welcome 5 Festival Map & Venues 6 Ticket Information 7 List of Authors 8 The Festival Experience 9-10 10 – LA JOIE DE LIRE – FESTIVAL BOOKSTORE 10 Spreading the Word 11 Greetings & Salutations 12-14 Festival Staff 17 Our Supporters 16, 37, 57 The Festival at a Glance 30-31 The Alma Lee Legacy Fund 39 Poetry & Short Story Contest 56 Special Events 58-59

Events schedule School Events are indicated by

Tuesday, October 21 Wednesday, October 22 Thursday, October 23 Friday, October 24 Saturday, October 25 Sunday, October 26 Author Biographies

18-19 20-22 24-27 28-29, 32 33-35 36-37 41-54

How to use this guide

Each bio lists the events (by number) in which the author is appearing. To locate a venue, check the map on page 6. If you have any questions, give us a call at 604 681 6330, or check our website at www.writersfest.bc.ca for updated Festival information.

6 Map Legend 1 Granville Island Public Market

venues and parking Aquabus

2 Revue Theatre 1585 Johnston Street

3 Granville Island Stage

2 False Creek Ferries

Johnston Street

4 Backstage Lounge

an e

ew s M

anville Str

itim

1412 Cartwright Street

Street / Gr

as tT ow er

at lif Bo

Anderson

6 Waterfront Theatre

r Alley

Railspu

5 Tap Room, Granville Island Brewery

ge Stre

nle

11 9, 10

Old Brid

1585 Johnston Street

1441 Cartwright Street

7 Writers Festival Box Office

7, 8

eet above

Main Floor, Festival House 1398 Cartwright Street

ht Street

Cartwrig

8 PTC Studio #50 Bus Stop at entrance to island

3rd Floor, Festival House 1398 Cartwright Street

9 Performance Works

2nd Avenue

Lamey's Mill Road

1218 Cartwright Street

10 Festival Bookstore Rear, 1218 Cartwright Street

11 Granville Island Hotel 1253 Johnston Street

12 Emily Carr University Theatre 1399 Johnston Street

Off-Site Venue Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage 2750 Granville Street

Public Transit Call or check the web for schedule information. Translink Schedule Information 604-953-3333 between 6:30 am and 11:30 pm daily www.translink.bc.ca

Parking Information Free parking in most spots is limited to three hours from 7am to 7 pm. Read the signs carefully: some spots are for one hour or less. Free parking is limited to three hours per day throughout the Island. Don’t park your car in one spot for three hours and then move it to another spot. You risk being ticketed. Parking is free and unlimited in most spots (including the pay parking garages and lots) from 7 pm to 7 am. The parking lot just east of the entrance to Granville Island at the corner of Lamey’s Mill Road and The Castings offers all-day parking for $7. There is also plenty of parking on the north side of False Creek. Consider leaving your car there and coming across on the ferries. For a list of off-Island parking alternatives, please go to www.writersfest.bc.ca. The most important thing to remember is to give yourself time—at least an extra 15 minutes to find a spot—if you plan to park on Granville Island.

Fer ries Ferries travel from various locations along the north and south shores of False Creek to Granville Island at frequent intervals. Call for schedule information.

False Creek Ferries 604-684-7781 www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca Aquabus 604-689-5858 www.aquabus.bc.ca

Advance Ticket Sales

ticket information

Tickets go on sale Monday, September 15, 2008. Tickets are available at the Writers Festival Box Office (in person sales only; see details below), and at VancouverTix by phoning 604-629-8849 or on-line at www.vancouvertix.com. For information about purchasing tickets, please call the Festival office at 604-681-6330. All prices include GST. A few words about surcharges. Please refer to the individual event listings in this program guide for facility surcharges. VancouverTix surcharges will apply to all tickets purchased through VancouverTix on-line or by phone. The Writers Festival Box Office charges a $1 surcharge per ticket and is open for in-person sales only. The Writers Festival Box office is located on the first floor of Festival House, 1398 Cartwright Street, Granville Island. Hours are 10:00 am – 6:00pm, Monday to Friday, and 12:00pm – 4:00pm, Saturdays. Cash, Mastercard, Visa accepted. Advance ticket sales end at 6:00pm on the day before the event.

General Information • We offer a $2 discount for seniors and students who present valid ID, for those on a fixed income and for the unemployed. • We offer a $2 discount for VIWF members purchasing tickets at the Writers Festival Box Office or at the event. • Out of courtesy to other patrons, no babies or small children at adult Festival events please. • Please check your tickets carefully. There will be no exchanges or refunds. • Latecomers may not be seated. • The Festival Program is subject to change without notice. There are no refunds unless an event is cancelled. • No cameras, video recorders or tape recorders. • Please turn off phones and beepers.

All Festival venues are wheelchair accessible. Please call 604-681-6330, local 107, in advance to reserve seating.

ASL interpretation can be provided upon request. Please contact the General Manager by phone 604-681-6330, local 103, or by email generalmanager@writersfest.bc.ca by Wednesday, October 1, 2008, to request ASL interpretation.

Door Sales

(day o f ev ent o nly)

The box office at the event will open 45 minutes before the start of the event. Please call 604-681-6330 for ticket availability information or check on-line at www.writersfest.bc.ca. Cash, Mastercard, Visa accepted.

School Group Tickets School group tickets to Spreading the Word school events are $7 each. Ticket prices include GST. There are no surcharges on school group tickets. Teachers and adults accompanying school groups must purchase tickets. School group tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 10 am. There are three ways to order school group tickets: • On-line at http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/schools/ticket_orders. php (or go to www.writersfest.bc.ca and follow the links to Schools/School Events/Order School Group Tickets) • In person at Writers Festival Box Office • By fax to 604-681-8400 (please call 604-681-6330, local 107, in advance to request a ticket order form to fax)

Subsidy for school groupS The Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival acknowledges the Cynthia Woodward Development Program, the result of many years of dedicated fundraising by Cynthia Woodward. Her vision and generosity enable us to provide free and/or subsidized tickets for school groups. A limited number of subsidies based on financial need are available. To inquire about a subsidy, please contact the General Manager at 604681-6330, local 103, or email generalmanager@writersfest.bc.ca.

8 André Alexis Nadeem Aslam Stéphane Audeguy Stefano Benni David Bergen Mark Billingham Amanda Boyden Joseph Boyden Craig Boyko Kathlyn Bradshaw Austin Clarke John Connolly Kevin Connolly Ivan E. Coyote Andrew Davidson Sylvie Desrosiers Deborah Ellis Leif Enger Cary Fagan

festival participants Sal Ferreras Sheree Fitch Damon Galgut Steven Galloway Marie-Louise Gay Amitav Ghosh Lorna Goodison Linda Grant Xiaolu Guo Richard Gwyn Jen Hadfield Rawi Hage Kenneth J. Harvey Lee Henderson David Homel Andrew Hood Sean Horlor Tristan Hughes C.C. (Chris) Humphreys

Hazel Hutchins Troy Jollimore Gail Jones Young-ha Kim Elizabeth Knox Shane Koyczan Patrick Lane Nam Le Ursula K. Le Guin Jean Little Melanie Little Lisa Lutz Jeanette Lynes Daphne Marlatt Peter Matthiessen Nadine McInnis George McWhirter Teresa McWhirter Miles Merrill

Donna Morrissey Billeh Nickerson Susin Nielsen Martine Noël-Maw Susan Olding Sharon Olds Molly Peacock George Pelecanos Geoffroy de Pennart Paul Quarrington Jonathan Raban Nino Ricci Linda L. Richards Janet Marie Rogers Andreas Schroeder Jordan Scott Anja Sicking Anne Simpson Gillian Slovo

Kinnie Starr Fred Stenson Mary Swan Leonie Swann Mariko Tamaki Shaun Tan Kevin Vennemann Willy Vlautin Eric Walters Russell Wangersky Sheri-D Wilson Meg Wolitzer Ronald Wright Qiu Xiaolong Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas Ting-xing Ye

festival experience

EXPLORE A WORLD OF IDEAS ON GRANVILLE ISLAND… The 21st Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival on Granville Island offers a world of ideas to explore, with 100 writers from around the world. This is your opportunity to attend readings, discussions, debates and poetry bashes, and to meet an eclectic array of writers from Canada and around the world. You can rely on several things—that Festival events will get you thinking, introduce you to new authors and, if your aspirations are to write, you are sure to be inspired. This is just part of the Festival experience. Festival events (with the exception of the Duthie Lecture) take place on Granville Island, which was recently named North America’s best neighbourhood. The island, in the heart of Vancouver, is an ideal, easily navigable location for the Writers Festival—we recommend the water taxis as the ultimate way to get here! Be part of the excitement that permeates Granville Island for the six days of the Festival. Before and after the Festival there are four special events that you won’t want to miss. On September 15 the autumn season kicks off with an evening with Miriam Toews and Joan Barfoot at the Granville Island Stage. Toews will read from her new book, The Flying Troutmans, and Barfoot will read from her new novel, Exit Lines. On October 8, John Ralston Saul will appear at UBC’s Frederic Wood Theatre to discuss his new book, A Fair Country: Telling Truths about Canada.

The author J.B. MacKinnon and the actor Mia Kirshner have teamed up with awardwinning creative directors Michael Simons and Paul Shoebridge, as well as a number of other contributors, to bring four crisis spots in the world into sharp focus with their compilation, I Live Here. Their goal: to shed light on the daily lives of refugees everywhere. Come to the Waterfront Theatre on October 16 to hear more about this amazing project. Our final event of 2008 will be an evening with Mary Lou Finlay reading from her new book, The As It Happens Files, stories from her years as host of the popular CBC current affairs show, As It Happens (November 26 at the Frederic Wood Theatre). Tickets for all of these events are available at the Writers Festival Box office or through VancouverTix by calling 604-629-VTIX (604-629-8849, see page 7). Granville Island is managed on behalf of the Government of Canada by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The Vancouver International Writers Festival is a proud cultural partner of CMHC Granville Island and is honoured to be a resident of this vibrant community. On the Island you will find shops, galleries, artist studios, cafés, restaurants, the wonderful public market and much more. Make all of Granville Island part of your Festival experience. Enjoy.

Inn Style

The Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival gratefully acknowledges Dockside Restaurant and the Granville Island Hotel for their generous contributions to this year’s Festival.

A special thanks

To East India Carpets, Northwest Bungalow and David Hunter Garden Centers for making our Festival stages beautiful.

festival experience

LA JOIE DE LIRE

La Joie de Lire est à la fois le titre et l’objectif des programmes en français du Vancouver International Writers Festival. Les activités de La Joie de Lire sont principalement destinées aux écoliers, et l’une d’entre elles, présentée en soirée, est réservée aux lecteurs adultes. Parmi les invités de cette année, mentionnons Geoffroy de Pennart, de la France, trois auteurs du Québec, soit Sylvie Desrosiers et le duo composé de Marie-Louise Gay et David Homel (qui fera également une présentation en anglais), et Martine Noël-Maw, de la Saskatchewan. Il nous fait grandement plaisir de vous présenter une soirée-rencontre avec Sylvie Desrosiers dans le cadre de l’activité présentée aux lecteurs adultes en soirée. Quand elle écrit, Sylvie Desrosiers, écrivaine québécoise, aime autant émouvoir ses lecteurs que les faire rire. Ses œuvres comprennent des romans pour tous les âges, des textes pour la télévision, des scénarios de films, des articles pour des revues et des collaborations au Festival Juste pour rire. L’activité portera sur l’écriture de textes humoristiques et tentera de répondre aux questions : Comment? Où? Pourquoi? Ensemble, ces activités représentent d’excellentes occasions de faire l’expérience de la joie de lire.

FESTIVAL BOOKSTORE

ROCK SALT New poetry & poetics from 108 BC poets

Book Launch and Reading for

ROCK SALT The first anthology of BC poetry in 31 years! New poetry and poetics from 108 BC poets

An Anthology of Contemporary BC Poetry Edited by Mona Fertig and Harold Rhenisch

Thursday October 23rd 7 pm AGRO Café 1363 Railspur Alley Granville Island Books for sale: $24.95

BI BDI=:G IDC<J: E PUBLISHING LIMITED www.mothertonguepublishing Info: 1-250-537-4155

You will find the Festival Bookstore conveniently located at the rear of Performance Works, 1218 Cartwright Street, near the Granville Island Hotel at the east end of the Island. Books are also sold at the venues following each event, with the writers available for signing. The bookstore carries both current and backlist titles of each Festival writer. It’s the ideal place to browse between events. The bookstore is operated by the Festival’s official bookseller, 32 Books Company. 32 Books Company is a successful independent bookseller known for outstanding customer service and a wide and eclectic selection of books for all ages. 32 Books Company has stores in Edgemont Village, North Vancouver and in the Ringside Market on Hornby Island. The Festival Bookstore is open from 10 am to 10 pm Tuesday – Saturday, and 10 am to 5 pm Sunday.

spreading the word

It’s about reading and writing, books and writers. It’s eclectic, exciting, entertaining and thought provoking. Spreading the Word, the Vancouver International Writers Festival’s schools program, offers K-12 students and teachers the rare opportunity to engage with internationally renowned writers at the Festival and in the classroom. AT THE FESTIVAL there are 34 great events for grades K-12, in French and English. Find study guides for each event at www.writersfest.bc.ca/schools.

FRIDAY DAYTIME EVENTS are designed for teachers and senior students as well as for the general public. Sponsored by Kidsbooks. READING WITH WRITERS – Festival authors visit local inner city classrooms during the Festival and throughout the year to inspire young readers and writers. Reading with Writers is sponsored by HSBC Bank Canada and supported by the Raise-A-Reader fund. ROOKIE WRITER is a writing contest for secondary school students. Prizes include a day in the CBC studio, tickets to a Festival school event and a collection of books courtesy of Raincoast Books. This year the contest will take place in Kelowna area and Lower Mainland schools. Rookie Writer is supported by the Chris Spencer Foundation and is produced in partnership with CBC British Columbia. SUBSIDY FOR SCHOOL GROUPS The Vancouver International Writers Festival acknowledges the Cynthia Woodward Development Program, the result of many years of dedicated fundraising by Cynthia Woodward. Her vision and generosity enable us to subsidize tickets for school groups. A limited number of subsidies based on financial need are available. To inquire about a subsidy, please contact the General Manager at 604 681 6330 local 103, or at generalmanager@writersfest.bc.ca. WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Festival authors spend a week in residence in a small BC community working with creative writing students at a secondary school, and reading at elementary schools and in the community. In May, Chris Humphreys was writer-in-residence in Lantzville and in October authors Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel will be writers-in-residence in Merritt. The Writer-in–Residence program is sponsored by BC Transmission Corporation and supported by the Michael R. Shaw Outreach Program. ABOUT THE MICHAEL R. SHAW FUND Michael R. Shaw was a young man who loved the outdoors and whose life was cut short in 2003 when he and some of his classmates were taken by an avalanche in BC. The Michael R. Shaw Fund was established through the generosity of the Woodward family and the Festival is honoured to lend Michael’s name to this program. SPREADING THE WORD is generously supported by Kinder Morgan Foundation, Vancouver Airport Authority and by our corporate, government and individual supporters.

greetings

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am proud and excited to welcome you to the 21st annual Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival. Our inspired Artistic Director, Hal Wake, has brought together an eclectic and engaging list of both international and Canadian writers for six days of Festival events (not to mention several special events outside of Festival week). This has been a year of growth for the Festival as we have added a extra evening of programming and are presenting more events than ever before. After record ticket sales last year, it became clear that Vancouverites are hungry for the kind of enlightenment and entertainment that only really great books and their authors can provide. Whether you’re 6 or 96, we hope you’ll take part in many of these events! While you browse through this program please acknowledge the many loyal sponsors and donors who generously contribute their financial and in-kind support. And, of course, huge thanks to the staff and volunteers who year after year work so hard to make the Festival come alive.

For over two decades, the Vancouver International Writers Festival has celebrated Canadian and international literature. Its emphasis on promoting literature among young people ensures that Canada’s literary scene will continue to flourish for generations to come. This celebration of all genres of literature, by authors of all backgrounds and in both official languages, reflects Canada’s cultural diversity. As Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women and Minister for La Francophonie, I would like to thank all those who have contributed to this year’s festival. I am proud to support initiatives that encourage Canadians to take part in celebrating all aspects of our country’s culture.

The Honourable Josée Verner MINISTER OF CANADIAN HERITAGE AND STATUS OF WOMEN AND MINISTER FOR LA FRANCOPHONIE

Enjoy! If you’re like me, you’ll have a tough time choosing from all the outstanding event choices.

On behalf of my colleagues on Vancouver City Council, and all of the citizens of Vancouver, I am pleased to once again extend my best wishes to the Vancouver International Writers Festival.

See you at the Festival!

Leslie Hurtig CHAIR, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, VIWF

As Mayor, I am proud of Vancouver’s reputation as a centre for learning and creativity. The Vancouver International Writers Festival is a vital contributor in this designation. The Festival has been providing Vancouverites with the opportunity to enjoy the work of the world’s best writers for the last 21 years. By celebrating the written word, we can advance literacy and promote life-long learning for all Vancouver citizens. Best wishes on a successful festival. Yours truly,

Sam Sullivan MAYOR OF VANCOUVER

greetings The Canada Council for the Arts is a proud partner of the Vancouver International Writers Festival and is very pleased to attest to the growing success of this event. Throughout the festival, the best national and international literary talents come to share their voices with us, including reaching out to young readers via the festival’s youth programs. Whether they be writers of fiction or non-fiction, playwrights or poets, these writers contribute to people’s passion for literature. The Canada Council recognizes the important role the festival plays in championing literacy to young readers, in shining a light on contemporary literature, and in encouraging festival-goers to discover the world’s best writers for themselves. Enjoy the Festival.

Le Conseil des Arts du Canada est heureux d’être partenaire du Vancouver International Writers Festival, et salue le succès grandissant de cet événement. Durant le festival, les meilleurs talents littéraires, tant de la scène nationale qu’internationale, viennent nous offrir leurs voix en participant aux activités du festival ainsi qu’au volet jeunesse. Qu’ils soient romanciers, nouvellistes, essayistes, dramaturges ou poètes, ces auteurs alimentent remarquablement la passion du public pour la littérature. Le Conseil des Arts reconnaît le rôle important que joue le festival en faisant la promotion de la lecture auprès des jeunes, en mettant plein feux sur la littérature contemporaine et en invitant les festivaliers à découvrir des auteurs de renommée mondiale. Bon festival.

Robert Sirman DIRECTOR / LE DIRECTEUR, CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS

13 On behalf of the Province of British Columbia, I am pleased to welcome everyone to the Vancouver International Writers Festival.

This B.C. festival is recognized as one of North America’s premiere literary events, featuring some of the best local and international writers. With a gathering of both established and new authors, the Vancouver International Writers Festival draws about 13,000 readers of all ages each year. Throughout its 21 year history the festival has been attended by many literary greats, including Canadians Margaret Atwood, Timothy Findley and Carol Shields. In addition, the festival’s education program, Spreading the Word, the largest children’s literary event in Canada, promotes literacy and a love of reading and writing to school children across B.C. Fostering a love for the literary arts in the next generation is important to the legacy of British Columbia. This year, to commemorate BC150, the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Crown Colony of British Columbia, the Provincial government introduced the BC150 Community Arts Grant and the BC150 Celebration Grant programs as part of its support for the ongoing development of B.C.’s arts sector. I would like to thank everyone who dedicated his or her time, energy and talent to make this year’s festival a success. Events like the Vancouver International Writers Festival would not be possible without the participation of sponsors, writers and volunteers. I hope you enjoy this superb celebration of the literary arts in British Columbia. Sincerely,

Bill Bennett MINISTER OF TOURISM, CULTURE AND THE ARTS

greetings

Une priorité de notre mission est de favoriser le rayonnement de la pensée et de la culture françaises sur la côte Ouest canadienne. Cette action est menée sur les nombreux campus comme dans les festivals littéraires de la région. Cette année nous avons par exemple soutenu les invitations à Vancouver, Victoria et Calgary, du philosophe Jacques Rancières (auteur du Maître Ignorant, conférence à UBC), du dix-septièmiste Michel Magnin (éditeur des Essais de Montaigne, colloque à UVIC) ou encore de l’historien Philippe Artières (directeur du Centre Michel Foucault, symposium à UBC). Nous encourageons également le théâtre français : Old Goriot d’après Balzac et No exit, de Jean-Paul Sartre ont été cette année mis en scène respectivement par James Fagan Tait et Kim Collier avec notre soutien. Après Yves Ravey, l’écrivain Renaud Camus est venu en résidence à UBC ; d’autres sont attendus. Le Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival, ainsi que la manifestation Wordfest de Banff/Calgary, offrent chaque année à l’automne une formidable opportunité pour faire lire la littérature et découvrir les écrivains du monde entier. La franco-canadienne Nancy Huston, et la parisienne Faïza Guène, sont venues en 2007 présenter avec notre soutien leur travail et représenter la littérature française à Vancouver. Cette année, à l’initiative de Hal Wake, directeur du Writers & Readers, et suite à une invitation de celui-ci en France, Stéphane Audeguy (La Thérorie des nuages, Gallimard, tradt. Harcourt) et Geoffrey de Pennart (auteur d’ouvrages illustrés) sont à leur tour conviés à venir lire et débattre. Il s’agit à chaque fois, pour nous, de faire découvrir la force d’une singularité, d’un style et d’une littérature du monde en français : puissent les lecteurs de l’Ouest canadien être sensibles à ces nouvelles voix.

Luc Serot Almeras CONSUL GENERAL OF FRANCE IN VANCOUVER

One of the priorities of our mission is to promote the influence of French thought and culture throughout the West Coast of Canada. This initiative is being conducted at many campuses and literary festivals in the region. For example, this year, we have supported invitations to Vancouver, Victoria and Calgary, for philosopher Jacques Rancières (author of Maître Ignorant, conference at UBC), 17th-century literature specialist Michel Magnin (editor of the Essais of Montaigne, conference at UVIC) and historian Philippe Artières (director of the Centre Michel Foucault, symposium at UBC). We are also encouraging French theatre: with our support, Balzac’s Old Goriot and Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit were staged this year by James Fagan Tait and Kim Collier, respectively. After Yves Ravey, writer Renaud Camus was in residence at UBC; others are expected. Every autumn, the Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival and the Wordfest event in Banff/Calgary provide a wonderful opportunity to get people to read literature and discover writers from all over the world. With our support in 2007, French-Canadian Nancy Huston and Parisian Faïza Guène presented their work and represented French literature in Vancouver. This year, on the initiative of Hal Wake, and following his invitation to France, Stéphane Audeguy (La Thérorie des nuages, Gallimard, transl. Harcourt) and Geoffrey de Pennart (author of illustrated books) were in turn invited to come, read and discuss. For us, each time it involves bringing the uniqueness, style, and literature strength of the French world: may the readers of the Canadian West be touched by these new voices.

Home to the best authors from Canada and around the world.

FESTIVAL SPONSORS

BESTSELLER SPONSORS

TITLE SUPPORT

thanks to our supporters SPECIAL EDITION SPONSORS

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

MEDIA SPONSORS

The Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Gaming and Policy Enforcement Branch

BESTSELLER SPONSORS

Nous remercions de son soutien le Conseil des Arts du Canada, qui a investi 20,1 millions de dollars l’an dernier dans les lettres et l’édition à travers le Canada.

IN-KIND SPONSORS

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $20.1 million in writing and publishing throughout Canada.

CLASSIC SPONSORS

Canadian Heritage Endowment Incentives Program

SPREADING THE WORD SPONSORS

SPECIAL EDITION SPONSOR

We gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance received from the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Arts Presentation Canada and the Book Publishing Industry Development Program).

festival staff

Photo: LALO ESPEJO

;0FA4=24 0 = C 7 > = H 14=458C

L TO R: SANDRA MILLARD, CLEA YOUNG, ANN MCDONELL, ALETHA HUMPHREYS, HAL WAKE, BRENDA BERCK, KATHRYN FOWLER. MISSING: ILONA BEIKS, EDUARDO OTTONI, JUDITH WALKER

F O U ND E R & L I F E T I M E MEMBER:

Staff

Alma Lee

Artistic Director:

B O AR D O F D I R E C T O R S:

General Manager:

Leslie Hurtig Vice-Chair: Kathryn Shoemaker Secretary: Jim Mayhew Treasurer: Mark Eldridge Members: Kelli Bodnar, Anne Giardini, Shirley Lew, Ebie Pitfield, Rod Scheuerman, Kim Thorne, Jan Whitford Chair:

G ala C ommittee

Kelli Bodnar, Brenda Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Keefe Ebie Pitfield, Kathryn Shoemaker (Chair)

Hal Wake Aletha Humphreys

Development & Marketing Manager:

Ann McDonell

Bookkeeping Services:

Office Alternatives Jeffrey Boone, Matt Davy, Elizabeth Robbins Education Co-ordinator: Ilona Beiks Advertising Sales:

Hangar 18 Creative Group Proofreading courtesy of the Editorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association of Canada, BC Branch: Lesley Cameron, Kelly Parry, Cheryl Hannah, Ann-Marie Metten This program guide is dedicated to the memory of Matt Davy.

ARE YOU READY FOR THREE RADICAL TRUTHS ABOUT CANADA?

Food & Beverage Services:

Myrna Casino

Production Manager:

Festival Design:

$35 : tickets only through the JAZZ HOTLINE 604.872.5200 : on sale SEPTEMBER 18 : join us for fundraising pranks! : net proceeds go to the Lawrence Anthony Fund

Distribution Co-ordinator:

Media Relations Manager:

Ann McDonell

COASTALJAZZ.CA

Sandra Millard

Chantaie Allick, Kathryn Shoemaker (Chair) Editor:

:PcT 7P\\Tcc EPdVWP] @dX]cTc ) ?TVVh ;TT 1P]S ) B_hVXa[ 1aPS Cda]Ta @dPacTc ) Ad\QP 2P[iPSP ) 39 A^Q FX[b^]

Administrative Assistant /

A DR A M C O ME T R U E COMMIT T E E

Program G uide

>2C>14A !% &) ?< ?4A5>A<0=24 F>A:B

Judith Walker Eduardo Ottoni

programmer, la Joie de Lire:

Brenda Berck

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss a special appearance by

JOHN RALSTON SAUL

Volunteer Co-ordinator:

Kathryn Fowler

Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading public intellectual

Writer Services/Communications

Clea Young Robin Puga/Digiloom Web Design and Deployment Co-ordinator:

Website Design:

This program was printed by Mitchell Press on Harbour Offset 40% post-consumer waste.

A heartfelt thank you to the 250+ dedicated volunteers who contribute so much to the Festival each year. The volunteer program is sponsored by Penguin Group Canada.

penguin.ca

Wednesday, October 8 7:30 P.M. Frederic Wood Theatre University of British Columbia 6354 Crescent Road

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank God for John Ralston Saul. At least Canada has one leading intellectual unafraid to challenge the negative nationalism and feeble orthodoxies that seem to consume our elite.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D;The Vancouver Sun

18 Travels with My Family Marie-Louise Gay, David Homel

10–11:30 am WATERFRONT THEATRE $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Any child who has sat in the backseat of the family car while his or her parents chatter on about the history or geography of the countryside will delight in Marie-Louise Gay and David Homel’s stories of Max and Charlie and their parents during their year-long adventures in the south of France. The culture of rural France seen through the eyes of two boys who would rather fly kites than dig for clams is both comic and educational.

tuesday, october 21 Une princesse, un dragon et un chevalier

Geoffroy de Pennart Animatrice: Anne-Laure Paulmont

Flying Families and Magical Mitts Cary Fagan, Hazel Hutchins

1–2:30 pm REVUE THEATRE $14 + $1.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

10 h 30 à 11 h 30 PTC STUDIO $14/ $7 pour les groupes d’étudiants

Geoffroy de Pennart raconte et illustre les péripéties d’un loup sentimental qui n’a pas du tout l’air effrayant, d’une princesse, d’un dragon et d’un chevalier intrépide, ainsi que de nombreux héros bien intentionnés qui devront surmonter plusieurs épreuves. Les récits et leurs illustrations raviront les enfants… et les jeunes de cœur.

When baseball mitts can catch any ball, no matter how fast or how high, and families can fly, and teachers can be turned into frogs for science projects, you know you are in the realm of magic. Delight in the imaginary events that come to life when two well-known and award-winning Canadian authors conjure ordinary words into masterful stories. Suitable for grades 3 to 6

Pour les élèves de la maternelle à la troisième année.

Suitable for grades 3 to 6

Cette activité sera présentée exclusivement en français; il y aura beaucoup de possibilités d’interaction entre les élèves et l’écrivain.

Show to Tell

Intolerance

Mariko Tamaki, Shaun Tan, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

Deborah Ellis, Melanie Little

1–2:30 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

1–2:30 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Sometimes the best way to get to the heart of a story is to “show,” not tell. Three gifted storytellers have taken a genre that has caught the imagination of many young adult readers, and created graphic novels that will take your breath away. These creators will explore the marriage of “show” and “tell,” narrative and illustration, when to use words and when to use art to explore the wondrous, and even the most difficult, experiences in our lives.

“You don’t belong here!” Throughout history, authors have told compelling stories of survival in dangerous times as one group pits itself against the other. From 15th century Spain when Jews were expelled, to young Muslims today facing persecution in Afghanistan or in downtown Toronto, the courage to confront intolerance continues to be relevant. One of the best tools we have in the fight against intolerance is to share our personal stories, that way we are able to see and care about the individual in the midst of the group.

Suitable for grades 10 to 12 and adults

Suitable for grades 6 to 9

Aventures hors de l’ordinaire Sylvie Desrosiers Animatrice: Anne-Marie McGinn

13 h à 14 h 30 PTC STUDIO $14 / $7 pour les groupes d’étudiants

Notdog est le chien le plus laid du village. Par contre, il a possédé son propre blogue pendant un certain temps. Demandez les détails à Madame Desrosiers. Dans ce 17ème livre de la série « Notdog », Notdog et ses amis Agnès, Jocelyne et John ont vécu de nombreuses aventures mettant en vedette des trésors, des pirates, des fantômes (sans doute), un violon volé et, à un certain moment, un chien volé ou peut-être perdu. Pour les élèves de la troisième à la sixième année Cette activité sera présentée exclusivement en français; il y aura beaucoup de possibilités d’interaction entre les élèves et l’écrivain.

Beaux Arts Shaun Tan, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

tuesday, october 21 An Intimate Evening with Damon Galgut

7:00 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $17 + $1 facility surcharge

8:00 pm PTC STUDIO $20

Any one of Shaun Tan’s illustrations is an art piece in itself. Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas was an artist before he married his artwork with narrative. Two outstanding artists whose skill and accomplishments have gained them international acclaim discuss how to use illustration to tell a tale, whether it is a wordless novel or a traditional Haida story. This is the art of storytelling seen from the perspective of visual elegance that readers will really enjoy.

South African Damon Galgut garnered international attention when his novel, The Good Doctor, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Dublin IMPAC Award. The Good Doctor, part parable and part thriller, dissected the ideals of post-apartheid South Africa and exposed a world of corruption behind the talk of new beginnings. In his new novel, The Imposter, Galgut has again turned his keen eye on the realities of life in South Africa today, its contradictions and its beauty. He tells the tale of one man’s struggle to regain his moral centre amid the disorientating and often tragic effects of massive social and political change. Don’t miss this opportunity to spend an evening with an author poised to become one of South Africa’s great literary voices.

W R I T ERS & READERS!

The Solo Author Series is sponsored by Raincoast Books and supported by the F.K. Morrow Foundation.

The Alma Lee Opening Night Event

Grand Openings Nadeem Aslam, Lorna Goodison, Rawi Hage, Shane Koyczan, Ursula K. Le Guin, Donna Morrissey, Jonathan Raban Host: Hal Wake 8:30 pm Performance Works $25 + $1 facility surcharge

It’s opening night at the Writers Festival, and the Festival’s Artistic Director, Hal Wake, introduces seven fine writers. Pakistan-born Nadeem Aslam reads from The Wasted Vigil, set in post-9/11 Afghanistan. Lorna Goodison transports us to Jamaica with her spellbinding memoir, From Harvey River. 2008 Dublin IMPAC award winner Rawi Hage reads from his new novel, Cockroach. Homegrown star Shane Koyczan reads from Stickboy, his novel in verse. Ursula K. Le Guin breathes life into a minor character from Virgil’s Aeneid in her new novel, Lavinia. Donna Morrissey takes us to the wild shores of a Newfoundland outport and the equally wild environment of an Alberta oil rig in her novel, What They Wanted. And the intensely watchful writer Jonathan Raban reads from his novel, Surveillance. Open the Festival in grand style in the company of these authors. This event is sponsored by Random House of Canada Limited.

Welcome

32 Books Company is proud to be the 2008 Festival bookseller! s &)#4)/.

s (%!,4(

s 4%%. ,)4

s (/-% '!2$%.

s -934%29

s #//+).'

s ")/'2!0(9

s 2%&%2%.#%

s ()34/29

s '!-%3

s 4(% !243

s */52.!,3

s ).30)2!4)/.

s #!2$3 ')&43

s 0)#452% "//+3

N O RTH VAN

Edgemont Village, 604-980-9032 H OR N B Y ISLAN D

Ringside Market, 250-335-9030 www.32books.com

wednesday, october 22

20 The Cynthia Woodward Young Readers Legacy

Beatsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Hip Hopâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Power Poetry [1] Shane Koyczan, Miles Merrill, Kinnie Starr Host: Vanessa Richards 10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;11:30 am GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE $14 + $2 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

A hugely popular Festival event returns with three fresh voices. Local spoken word virtuoso, Shane Koyczan, has brought audiences to their feet in New York, London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Auckland, and Los Angeles. Miles Merrillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice is heard throughout his native Australia, flinging words in an onslaught of versification. Kinnie Starr is a musician who has taken her band and words on the road internationally. Together, their energy will rock the stage as they explore everything from harsh social issues to broken hearts. (This event is repeated on Thursday afternoon, Event 28) This event is generously supported by the Hamber Foundation Suitable for grades 10 to 12 and adults

Des voyages avec la famille Marie-Louise Gay, David Homel Animatrice: France Perras

10 h Ă 11 h 30 REVUE THEATRE 14 $ + 1.50 $ frais dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ĂŠtablissement / 7 $ pour les groupes dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ĂŠtudiants

Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;est loin encore? On est bientĂ´t arrivĂŠ? Tous les enfants qui voyagent avec leur famille ont dĂŠjĂ posĂŠ ces questions plus de cent fois. Charlie a aussi dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;autres commentaires Ă formuler Ă la suite de ses nombreuses aventures â&#x20AC;&#x201C; et de quelques dĂŠsastres â&#x20AC;&#x201C; en compagnie de son jeune frĂ¨re Max et de ses parents, en voyage Ă travers lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;AmĂŠrique du Nord ou en France. Pour les ĂŠlĂ¨ves de la troisiĂ¨me Ă la sixiĂ¨me annĂŠe Cette activitĂŠ sera prĂŠsentĂŠe exclusivement en franĂ§ais; il y aura beaucoup de possibilitĂŠs dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;interaction entre les ĂŠlĂ¨ves et les ĂŠcrivains.

Unimaginable Realities Susin Nielsen, Eric Walters

10â&#x20AC;&#x201C;11:30 am PERFORMANCE WORKS $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

The teen years are fraught with trials, but most of them are expected. However, Susin Nielsen and Eric Walters have created two fictional kids who find themselves faced with realities they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have imagined. From a pampered life in North America, after one misdeed too many, Alexandria finds herself doing community service in Kenya. Class nerd Ambroseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love of words leads him into a world of ex-cons and self-defence lessons at the West Side Scrabble Club. Nielsen and Walters have no trouble imagining these realities and bringing them vividly to life. Suitable for grades 5 to 8

Celebrate outstanding writing with Raincoast Books

/JKMD9 &=!MAF

-LÂ´H@9F= M<=?MQ

9ML@GJ G> &9NAFA9

9ML@GJ G> .@= .@=GJQ G> DGM<K 9F< .@= )FDQ -GF

[&9NAFA9 AK =N=JQL@AF? 9 ?J=9L FGN=D K@GMD< := f

[-AL :9;C KL9J= MH 9L L@AK :GGC .@= O=9L@=J K >9K;AF9LAF? f

w <EGFLGF $GMJF9D

w19K@AF?LGF *GKL

wednesday, october 22

Little by Little Jean Little in conversation with Sarah Ellis

Flight of the Hummingbird Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

10–11:30 am WATERFRONT THEATRE $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

10–11:30 am PTC STUDIO $14 / $7 for student groups

Jean Little has written more than 25 children’s books. An extraordinary career in itself, her work is even more amazing when readers who have loved her stories hear of her struggles as a child with a visual impairment trying to fit into a sighted world. Little has experienced the cruelties of the classroom and playground, and she talks with honesty and good humour about the desire to belong while growing up with a disability. Spend a morning with this warm and reflective author who had the courage to become what she always wanted to be— a writer!

On the surface, it’s a simple story: When the Great Forest catches on fire, a brave hummingbird does what she can to put it out, drop by drop. But Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas’ tale has inspired world leaders such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai and his Holiness the Dalai Lama to environmental action. With brilliantly rendered images, this parable about a raging fire that threatens the environment shows us that doing something is better than doing nothing at all. The tale has caught fire globally, encouraging individuals and companies to act on behalf of the world’s limited resources. Meet the author whose seemingly simple act of writing is making such a difference.

Suitable for grades 5 to 7

21 The Sweetest Thing Marie-Louise Gay, Hazel Hutchins, Jean Little

1–2:00 pm REVUE THEATRE $14 + $1.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Settle in for good ol’ storytelling from three very fine Canadian authors who have won admiration from their young readers for decades. Jean Little’s farmyard families will delight young readers, as will Hazel Hutchins’ miniature roads and houses created from backyard dirt and sticks and Marie-Louise Gay’s tale of siblings Stella and Sam at the seashore. The world is a glorious place to explore with these authors. Suitable for grades K to 3

Suitable for grades 4 to 7

Bifocal Deborah Ellis, Eric Walters

1–2:30 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Bifocal has been called “perhaps the bravest, most important, engaging and enraging, most satisfying work of fiction for young Canadians in a long while.” Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters have co-written a timely novel that does not shy away from issues of racism and intolerance, issues that will engage young adult readers in real-life situations that are becoming all too common, even in Canada. Set in a Toronto high school, Bifocal is the story of a two students—one Muslim and one not—engulfed in the investigation of a terrorist plot. Surrounded by arrests and a school lockdown, each boy makes one small gesture that symbolizes what he has discovered about himself and the tumultuous world in which many young people live. Suitable for grades 7 to 10

Un nouveau départ Sylvie Desrosiers, Martine Noël-Maw Animatrice: Trilby Jeeves

13 h à 14 h 30 WATERFRONT THEATRE $14 + $.50 frais d’établissement / $7 pour les groupes d’étudiants

Les retrouvailles d’un garçon et de son père parti travailler dans le Nord n’ont pas lieu comme prévues. Une fillette souffre d’une maladie inconnue. Un jeune homme perd une jambe dans un accident de ferme. Deux auteures, écrivant avec humour et tact, présentent des personnages auxquels on s’identifie et qui, avec l’aide d’amis nouveaux et anciens, parviennent à relever les défis qui surgissent dans leurs vies. Pour les élèves de la huitième à la douzième année Cette activité sera présentée exclusivement en français; il y aura beaucoup de possibilités d’interaction entre les élèves et les écrivaines.

Spoken Word Workshop Miles Merrill

1–2:30 pm PTC STUDIO $14 / $7 for student groups

Here’s an awesome opportunity to strut your stuff and to learn from an ultra-hip, internationally known spoken word performer from Australia. Called a “tour guide of the human spirit” who takes listeners on a “spitladen adventure,” Miles Merrill mixes creative writing and drama with poetry to produce a high-powered explosion of live literary theatre. You can, too! Come to this workshop with your ideas, sounds and words and you could find yourself wildly gesticulating your poems in gibberish or reciting verbal magic. Suitable for grades 4 to 7

VancouverWritersFest.qxd

Annick Proudly Presents ... HAZEL HUTCHINS is an award-winning author of over 30 books for children. Her latest title is Mattland, a heartwarming story about the power of play. MELANIE LITTLE has won numerous awards for her essays and short fiction. The Apprentice’s Masterpiece, a stunning story set during the Spanish Inquisition, is her first novel for young adults. “A magnificent achievement ...” —Canadian Children’s Book News

www.

annickpress.com

wednesday, october 22

04/07/2008

9:05 AM

Page 1

A Great and Terrible Nation Peter Matthiessen, George Pelecanos, Jonathan Raban, Meg Wolitzer

Comings and Goings Rawi Hage, nam le, Donna Morrissey, Gillian Slovo

8:00 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $17 + $1 facility surcharge

8:00 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $17 + $1 facility surcharge

Voters in the USA are on the cusp of a momentous election that has the world watching. At this potential turning point in history, we’ll explore the startling contradictions of a great nation. Four distinguished American writers will go to the heart of what defines our powerful neighbour. Peter Matthiessen’s new book has been hailed as one of the great American novels. In his crime fiction, George Pelecanos insightfully examines race relations. From the perspective of an outsider, Jonathan Raban’s fiction and nonfiction looks at American history and politics. Meg Wolitzer’s novels turn a discerning eye on contemporary marriage, sex and social issues. Join us for an unforgettable evening.

The immigrant experience is a theme in fiction of which readers never tire. When relocation becomes dislocation, when the hope of new opportunity becomes the slap of racism, when the new land and the old culture collide, we get great stories. From Newfoundlanders in the Albertan oilpatch, to immigrants in the Montréal ghetto, from learning a new language to the search to feel at home on foreign soil, four writers, each of whom have “dislocated,” talk about creating stories of immigration, emigration and the search to feel at home in your own skin.

This event is sponsored by The Vancouver Sun.

excellence & innovation in children’s literature

Available from your favourite bookstore

An Intimate Evening with Joseph Boyden

8:00 pm PTC STUDIO $20

Banyen BOoks Offering the Perennial Beauty of the World’s Healing & Spiritual Traditions in Kitsilano since 1970

3608 West 4th Ave.

Books 604-732-7912 Music/Tkts 604-737-8858 Open M-F 10-9 Sat 10-8 Sun 11-7

w w w. b a n y e n . c o m for all our books & events

Joseph Boyden burst onto the Canadian literary scene in 2005 with the publication of Three Day Road. The novel, the story of two Cree friends who leave their pristine northern country to end up in the horrific trenches of the First World War, put Boyden into the literary limelight when he was only in his 30s. Three Day Road was nominated for a number of awards, eventually winning two, and has been translated into 10 languages. Boyden returns to the Festival with a haunting new novel, Through Black Spruce. With the sensitivity that made his first novel so moving, he tackles topics of self-discovery, painful realizations and the inescapable ties of family. This will be an evening well spent, with an author whose wisdom and talent has established him at the forefront of the Canadian literary scene. The Solo Author Series is sponsored by Raincoast Books and supported by the F.K. Morrow Foundation.

Drôle de dame! Une soirée-rencontre avec Sylvie Desrosiers Animatrice: Lyne Barnabé

20 h THE TAPROOM $17

Quand elle écrit, Sylvie Desrosiers, écrivaine québécoise, aime autant émouvoir ses lecteurs que les faire rire. Ses œuvres comprennent des romans pour tous les âges, des textes pour la télévision, des scénarios de films, des articles pour des revues et des collaborations au Festival Juste pour rire. Comédienne, dramaturge, animatrice, Lyne Barnabé s’entretient avec Sylvie Desrosiers au sujet de l’écriture de textes humoristiques; cette dernière répondra alors aux questions : Comment? Où? Pourquoi? Cette soirée-rencontre comprendra également la lecture approfondie d’extraits de romans humoristiques de Sylvie Desrosiers. Pour les gens 19 ans et plus

24 Dreamhunters and the Possessed

Chris Humphreys, Elizabeth Knox 10–11:30 am GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE $14 + $2 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

When we read, we can be given the gift of dwelling in historical or fantasy worlds for a short while, worlds of “far away” or “long ago” that only readers can travel to. In Elizabeth Knox’s far-away world, dreamhunters traffic in dreams, harvesting dreams from the unsuspecting and performing them for eager audiences, until a nightmare is performed with dire consequences. In the long-ago world of Possession, a battle, quite literally for all time, concludes Chris Humphreys’ historical trilogy, the Runestone Saga. Take a trip this morning to worlds where anything can happen, or might have happened, and the impossible becomes more possible with the turn of each page. Suitable for grades 8 to12

thursday, october 23 Where Courage Comes From Deborah Ellis in conversation

10–11:30 am REVUE THEATRE $14 + $1.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Courage is a choice that we make—if we can. Deborah Ellis has written stories about young people in difficult circumstances all over the world, those who are being called on to be courageous every day, and in places where often the only resource they have to fall back on is themselves. The need for courage, and the possibility of hope, is the springboard for a conversation that will take us into the lives of children caught in the Palestinian/ Israeli divide, in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan or in AIDS-stricken Africa. Suitable for grades 6 to 9

The Outsiders Shane Koyczan, Mariko Tamaki

10–11:30 am PERFORMANCE WORKS $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

High school can be a tough place for the outsider or misfit. In her graphic novel, Mariko Tamaki’s goth heroine is struggling to find her own identity in an all-girls school where conformity is honoured above all. In his poetic novel, Shane Koyczan writes about an overweight teenager who is bullied and then becomes a bully himself. But both authors, talented and groundbreaking Canadian voices to whom student audiences will immediately relate, convey a great optimism amid what could be heartbreaking circumstances. This event may contain difficult subject matter. Suitable for grades 10 to 12 and adults

thursday, october 23 Qui suis-je? Sylvie Desrosiers, Martine Noël-Maw Animatrice: France Perras

10 h à 11 h 30 WATERFRONT THEATRE $14 + $.50 frais d’établissement / $7 pour les groupes d’étudiants

Dans L’audition de Thomas, le plus récent roman de la série « Thomas », Thomas se voit offrir un rôle à la télévision, À CONDITION qu’il se fasse couper les cheveux. Il réplique alors : « Sans mes cheveux longs, je ne suis pas moi. » Après en avoir discuté avec ses amis (et s’ils ne voulaient plus être ses amis?) et ses parents, Thomas doit décider de l’importance que revêt, pour lui, ce rôle à la télévision. C’est alors qu’il découvre les choses et les personnes qui sont vraiment importantes à ses yeux. D’autre part, il y a ce « Drôle de zèbre », personnage principal d’un roman collectif écrit en collaboration avec les élèves de l’école Ducharme de Moose Jaw. Qui est-il vraiment? Pour les élèves de la quatrième à la septième année Cette activité sera présentée exclusivement en français; il y aura beaucoup de possibilités d’interaction entre les élèves et les écrivaines.

A Treat of a Tale Cary Fagan, Hazel Hutchins

10:30–11:30 am PTC STUDIO $14 / $7 for student groups

It’s storytime this morning, and two authors will delight young readers with tales that tickle the imagination. Cary Fagan has created Thing-Thing, a stuffed toy whose adventures begin after being thrown out of a high-rise window and end happily in the blankets of a baby carriage. Hazel Hutchins introduces us to Matt, who creates an entire Mattland in his backyard in the middle of a rainstorm. Words and pictures are moulded into a real treat in the hands of these experienced authors. Suitable for grades 1 to 3

26 Beats—Hip Hop— Power Poetry [2]

Shane Koyczan, Miles Merrill, Kinnie Starr Host: Vanessa Richards 1–2:30 pm GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE $14 + $2 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

thursday, october 23 Où est ma place? Sylvie Desrosiers Animatrice: Trilby Jeeves

Paulette et les élèves de sa classe se rendent à Toronto… et vivent des situations inattendues. Tom part rendre visite à son père, qui vit dans le Nord depuis de nombreuses années, et à son arrivée à l’aéroport, il constate que personne n’est venu l’accueillir. Avec humour et délicatesse, Sylvie Desrosiers décrit de quelle façon chacun de ces personnages réagira face à l’imprévu et apprendra ainsi à mieux se connaître et à mieux cerner les personnes qui sont importantes à ses yeux.

(This event is repeated on Wednesday morning, Event 10)

Pour les élèves de la huitième à la douzième année

This event is generously supported by the Hamber Foundation

Cette activité sera présentée exclusivement en français; il y aura beaucoup de possibilités d’interaction entre les élèves et l’écrivaine.

Write to Delight Sheree Fitch, Susin Nielsen

Inside the Artist’s Studio Shaun Tan

1–2:30 pm PTC STUDIO $14 / $7 for student groups

Gemini award-winner, author and scriptwriter Susin Nielsen teams up with award-winning Festival favourite, Sheree Fitch. Together they’ll present an afternoon filled with energy and enthusiasm. Nielsen, scriptwriter for Degrassi Junior High and many other TV series, as well as author of children’s books and books for young adults, brings to life quirky Ambrose, the word nerd. Fitch, well known for her exceptional work for younger readers, has written one this time for older readers, featuring Minn, her grandmother and a ghostly figure of the sole shipwreck survivor off the Maritime coast. The delight of writing, all types and for all ages, will be evident to all as the afternoon unfolds.

Shaun Tan’s The Arrival is a stunning graphic novel without words. It has been widely celebrated for its visual elegance and moving depiction of the immigrant experience. The story is told through a series of illustrated panels that were painstakingly rendered and assembled during a five-year labour of love. With visual examples and working drawings, Tan reveals the creative process behind his mesmerizing images. A not-to-be missed experience with a master of this new literary genre.

Suitable for grades 6 to 8

Two authors tackle the universal themes for young people of friendship, peer pressure and our desire for unwavering support. Melanie Little’s story, told in extended verse, captures the rivalry and friendship between two teens, a scribe and a slave, at the height of the Spanish Inquisition. Half a world away and centuries apart from that time, Ting-xing Ye tells an eloquent tale of two teenage Chinese girls who leave home in pursuit of adventure and escape from poverty and isolation. Suitable for grades 8 to 12 and adults

1–2:30 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Suitable for grades 8 to 12 and adults

Melanie Little, Ting-xing Ye

1–2:30 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

13 h à 14 h 30 REVUE THEATRE $14 + $1.50 frais d’établissement / $7 pour les groupes d’étudiants

A hugely popular Festival event returns with three fresh voices. Local spoken word virtuoso, Shane Koyczan, has brought audiences to their feet in New York, London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Auckland, and Los Angeles. Miles Merrill’s voice is heard throughout his native Australia, flinging words in an onslaught of versification. Kinnie Starr is a musician who has taken her band and words on the road internationally. Together, their energy will rock the stage as they explore everything from harsh social issues to broken hearts.

Suitable for grades 10 to 12 and adults

Friendship/Hardship

Gazebo

Craig Boyko, Andrew Hood, Sean Horlor, Jeanette Lynes, Teresa McWhirter, Janet Marie Rogers, Jordan Scott, Sheri-D Wilson Host: Billeh Nickerson 8:00 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $18 + $1 facility surcharge

The Vancouver International Writers Festival presents the sixth annual Thursday-NightAnything-Goes evening of blood, sweat and beers. Join host Billeh Nickerson and eight writers who will make you laugh and cry, as Nickerson’s evenings at the Festival always do. This year’s event will also feature the Festival’s first ever nipple-piercing give-a-way, our infamous Festival dancers and Nickerson’s mom.

thursday, october 23 Lost and Found in Translation Stéphane Audeguy, Stefano Benni, Young-ha Kim, Anja Sicking, Leonie Swann Moderator: David Homel

8:00 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $17 + $1 facility surcharge

The true beauty of language is conveyed through sounds and rhythm; there is no substitute for hearing authors read their work aloud. Five authors from different countries will read in their mother tongues, while the English translation is projected on screen. Following the readings, the writers explore the transformations that inevitably occur in translation, sometimes elegant, sometimes humorous, often awkward. This is a rare opportunity to find out what it feels like to put yourself in others’ words.

An Intimate Evening with Peter Matthiessen 8:00 pm PTC THEATRE

$20

Best known for his National Book Award winning The Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen is also an explorer, naturalist and author of more than 20 books. His new novel, Shadow Country, touches on the great themes of American literature: race, the destruction of wild places the belief in self-transformation and renewal, violence and patriotism. The New York Review of Books said: “Shadow Country is altogether gripping and shocking and brilliantly told, not just a tour de force in its stylistic range, but a great American novel, as powerful a reading experience as nearly any in our literature.” An intimate evening with one of the greats of our time. The Solo Author Series is sponsored by Raincoast Books and supported by the F.K. Morrow Foundation.

The Stars of UBC Dennis Foon, Jack Hodgins, Nancy Lee, Joan MacLeod, george mcwhirter, Barbara Nickel, Susan Olding, Kevin Patterson, Terence Young

8:00 pm the TAPROOM $17

Over the past 40 years, a great galaxy of literary stars has burst out of the University of British Columbia’s creative writing program. Tonight you’ll be dazzled by a few of them. Come out and celebrate the University of BC’s centenary with readings by graduates from this remarkable program, spanning the eras and genres. These stars of UBC are, indeed, brilliant. For those 19 years and older Presented in association with the Creative Writing Program at UBC.

28 Writing Your Life Lorna Goodison, Susan Olding, Andreas Schroeder, Russell Wangersky

10–11:30 am GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE $14 + $2 facility surcharge / $7 student groups

One of the best ways to make sense of your life is to pin it to paper, to write about it till patterns emerge. Memoir, the literary essay or, in Andreas Schroeder’s case, adding a light veneer of fiction, are the ways in which these four authors have chosen to explore the significant events of their lives. But writing your life leads not only to insights, but also to questions of self-exposure, how much care you must take in writing about others, and the central concern about what is true and what can be imaginatively recreated. Join these fine writers as they expose how they transform their “stuff of life” into literature.

Freestyle X 5 Craig Boyko, Ivan E. Coyote, Andrew Hood, Melanie Little, Mary Swan

10–11:30am WATERFRONT THEATRE $14 + $ .50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Novels seem to get all the attention, but many fiction writers launch their careers with a collection of short stories. This sometimes overlooked form allows the writer to engage in literary ventriloquism, venture through time and space and inhabit the skin of others with a freedom that novels can’t sustain. Lyrical or satirical, saucy or sombre, the stylistic scope of short fiction is the writer and reader’s delight. To the following adjectives to describe the short story—captivating, enthralling, compelling and alluring—add satisfying when in the hands of these five writers. This event is sponsored by the UBC Writing Centre.

friday, october 24 Flights of Fantasy

Beyond Atonement

Andrew Davidson, Tristan Hughes, Elizabeth Knox

David Bergen, Joseph Boyden, Gail Jones

10–11:30 am REVUE THEATRE $14 + $1.50 facility surcharge / $7 student groups

10–11:30 am PERFORMANCE WORKS $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Beyond realism lies a realm of fiction where ghosts and the supernatural, the fantastic and the mysterious, create mesmerizing images that linger long after you close the book. Three authors whose work will linger in your mind’s eye take the stage this morning to talk about writing the fantastic. Elizabeth Knox imagines dreamhunters who collect people’s dreams and turn them into dramatic performances for theatrical presentation. In Andrew Davidson’s The Gargoyle, a mysterious woman caring for an injured man insists they were once lovers in medieval Germany. And in Tristan Hughes’ Revenant, a ghost, real or metaphorical, is at the heart of this compelling novel. A mustsee for fans of hauntings and the gothic.

In recent years both the Australian and Canadian governments have apologized for their treatment of Aboriginal peoples. The clash of cultures is central to the past and present of both countries. Canadian writers David Bergen and Joseph Boyden and Australian Gail Jones have written insightful novels about aboriginal–white relations from very different perspectives. What will it take to heal the wounds of the past? How can we manage our contemporary relationships more successfully? And what role can literature play in reconciliation? Join in the conversation with these fine novelists.

This event is sponsored by Douglas & McIntyre Publishing Group.

Founding Father Richard Gwyn

10–11:30 am PTC THEATRE $14/ $7 for student groups

Richard Gwyn’s prize-winning John A. is the first full-scale biography of Canada’s first prime minister in half a century. Colourful, intensely human and with a full measure of human frailties, MacDonald was beyond question Canada’s most important prime minister. A vivid, multi-dimensional portrait of a fascinating character and his times, Gwyn’s John A. casts fresh eyes on our founding father and gives history a new life. Winner of the prestigious Charles Taylor Prize for literary non-fiction.

Cement Shoes Mark Billingham, john connolly, Lisa Lutz, Linda L. Richards

1–2:30 pm GRANVILLE ISLAND STAGE $14+ $2 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Crime fiction is an equal-opportunity genre. It’s all-inclusive—from hard-boiled mysteries featuring gun-toting molls, to comedic capers, to gritty realistic tales that take on hard-edged social issues. Crime fiction also makes room for all kinds of brilliant writers. Led by Festival favourite Mark Billingham, the gang will talk about whose fictional footprints they are following and how they sleuthed out their literary voices.

friday, october 24 Wasserman & Company Andrew Davidson, Amitav Ghosh, Linda Grant Moderator: Jerry Wasserman

1–2:30 pm REVUE THEATRE $14 + $1.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Jerry Wasserman has delighted Festival audiences in past years with his interviews. This year, he engages three intensely imaginative writers in discussion about the world of words and the worlds they have created. Although you may not have heard of Winnipegger Andrew Davidson yet, you will this fall as his extraordinary debut novel, The Gargoyle, is published—in Canada, the USA and the UK, with translations set for 18 other jurisdictions next year. Well-known Indian author Amitav Ghosh joins Wasserman to talk about Sea of Poppies, a sweeping historical saga that spans the lush poppy fields of the Ganges, the high seas and the backstreets of China. And Orange Prize winner Linda Grant introduces her new novel, The Clothes on Their Backs, which will have you thinking about the clothes we choose to wear and the personalities we dress ourselves in.

The Mini Poetry Bash Kevin Connolly, Jen Hadfield, Troy Jollimore, Patrick Lane, Jeanette Lynes, Nadine McInnis

1–2:30 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $14 + $.50 facility surcharge / $7 for student groups

Take your mind to another realm with this eagerly awaited afternoon of poetry. The Mini Poetry Bash is an annual favourite with students, teachers and poetry fans alike. This year the Festival has invited exceptional and award-winning poets from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada who can conjure lasting images with the flick of a phrase, bring a smile to your face or a tear to your eye. Poetry is emotion compressed and we’ve squeezed some amazing feelings into this hour-and-a-half experience.

High Style Stéphane Audeguy, Kenneth J. Harvey, Lee Henderson, Gail Jones 1–2:30 pm PTC THEATRE $14 / $7 for student groups

A simple, straightforward narrative can be riveting, but there is added pleasure when a writer puts as much emphasis on the how of storytelling as on the what happens next. While Stéphane Audeguy writes with a savoury mixture of science, history and dreamy prose, Kenneth J. Harvey employs a multiplicity of voices in his unconventional story, Blackstrap Hawco. Lee Henderson’s debut novel, The Man Game, uses an edgy and anarchistic style to tell of life in a pioneer town. Australian author Gail Jones doesn’t adhere to a clear-cut structure, rather she places pieces of prose to form her story in her new novel, Sorry. Come hear how four contemporary masters use style to great literary effect.

write (better) BA Minor in Creative Writing

Introductory to advanced courses in creative writing with award-winning faculty Faculty: Aaron Bushkowsky Genni Gunn Aislinn Hunter Zoe Landale

Apply now kwantlen.ca/creative_writing

Sessionals: Rodger Cove Billeh Nickerson Ross Laird

Kwantlen POLYTECHNIC

festival at a glance

30 TUESDAY

Event #1

10 –11:30 am Waterfront Theatre Travels with my Family Marie-Louise Gay, David Homel Event #2

10:30 – 11:30 am PTC Studio La Joie de Lire Une princesse, un dragon et un chevalier Geoffroy de Pennart Event #3

1 – 2:30 pm Revue Theatre Flying Families and Magical Mitts Cary Fagan, Hazel Hutchins Event #4

1 – 2:30 pm Performance Works Show to Tell Mariko Tamaki, Shaun Tan, Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas Event #5

1 – 2:30 pm Waterfront Theatre Intolerance Deborah Ellis, Melanie Little Event #6

1 – 2:30 pm PTC Studio La Joie de Lire Aventures hors de l’ordinaire Sylvie Desrosiers Event #7

7:00 pm Waterfront Theatre Beaux Arts Shaun Tan Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas Event #8

8:00 pm PTC Studio An Intimate Evening with Damon Galgut Event #9

8:30 pm Performance Works Grand Openings Nadeem Aslam Lorna Goodison Rawi Hage Shane Koyczan Ursula K. Le Guin Donna Morrissey Jonathan Raban

wednesday Event #10

10 – 11:30 am Granville Island Stage Beats – Hip hop – Power Poetry [1] Shane Koyczan Miles Merrill Kinnie Starr Event #11

10 – 11:30 am Revue Theatre La Joie de Lire Des voyages avec la famille Marie-Louise Gay David Homel Event #12

10 – 11:30 am Performance Works Unimaginable Realities Susin Nielsen Eric Walters Event #13

10 – 11:30 am Waterfront Theatre Little by Little Jean Little Event #14

10 – 11:30 am PTC Studio Flight of the Hummingbird Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas Event #15

1 – 2:00 pm Revue Theatre The Sweetest Thing Marie-Louise Gay Hazel Hutchins Jean Little Event #16

1 – 2:30 pm Performance Works Bifocal Deborah Ellis Eric Walters

thursday

Event #17

Event #23

Event #18

Event #24

1 – 2:30 pm Waterfront Theatre La Joie de Lire Un nouveau départ Sylvie Desrosiers Martine Noël-Maw 1 – 2:30 pm PTC Studio Spoken Word Workshop Miles Merrill Event #19

10 – 11:30 am Granville Island Stage Dreamhunters and the Possessed Chris Humphreys Elizabeth Knox 10 – 11:30 am Revue Theatre Where Courage Comes From Deborah Ellis

8 pm Performance Works A Great and Terrible Nation Peter Matthiessen George Pelecanos Jonathan Raban Meg Wolitzer

Event #25

Event #20

10 – 11:30 am Waterfront Theatre La Joie de Lire Qui suis-je? Sylvie Desrosiers Martine Noël-Maw

8 pm Waterfront Theatre Comings and Goings Rawi Hage Nam Le Donna Morrissey Gillian Slovo Event #21

8 pm PTC Studio An Intimate Evening with Joseph Boyden Event #22

8:00 pm The Taproom Drôle de Dame : Une soirée-rencontre avec Sylvie Desrosiers

10 – 11:30 am Performance Works The Outsiders Shane Koyczan Mariko Tamaki Event #26

Event #27

10:30 – 11:30 am PTC Studio A Treat of a Tale Cary Fagan Hazel Hutchins Event #28

1 – 2:30 pm Granville Island Stage Beats – Hip Hop – Power Poetry [2] Shane Koyczan Miles Merrill Kinnie Starr Event #29

1 – 2:30 pm Revue Theatre La Joie de Lire Où est ma place? Sylvie Desrosiers Event #30

1 – 2:30 pm Performance Works Friendship/Hardship Melanie Little Ting-xing Ye

23 Event #31

1 – 2:30 pm Waterfront Theatre Write to Delight Sheree Fitch Susin Nielsen Event #32

1 – 2:30 pm PTC Studio Inside the Artist’s Studio Shaun Tan Event #33

8 pm Performance Works Gazebo Craig Boyko Andrew Hood Sean Horlor Jeanette Lynes Teresa McWhirter Janet Marie Rogers Jordan Scott Sheri-D Wilson Host: Billeh Nickerson Event #34

8 pm Waterfront Theatre Lost and Found in Translation Stéphane Audeguy Stefano Benni Young-ha Kim Anja Sicking Leonie Swann Event #35

8 pm PTC Studio An Intimate Evening with Peter Matthiessen Event #36

8 pm The Taproom The Stars of UBC Dennis Foon Jack Hodgins Nancy Lee Joan MacLeod George McWhirter Barbara Nickel Susan Olding Kevin Patterson Terence Young

festival at a glance friday Event #37

10 – 11:30 am Granville Island Stage Writing Your Life Lorna Goodison Susan Olding Andreas Schroeder Russell Wangersky Event #38

10 – 11:30 am Revue Theatre Flights of Fantasy Andrew Davidson Tristan Hughes Elizabeth Knox Event #39

10 – 11:30 am Performance Works Beyond Atonement David Bergen Joseph Boyden Gail Jones Event #40

10 – 11:30 am Waterfront Theatre Freestyle X 5 Craig Boyko Ivan E. Coyote Andrew Hood Melanie Little Mary Swan Event #41

10 – 11:30 am PTC Studio Founding Father Richard Gwyn Event #42

1 – 2:30 pm Granville Island Stage Cement Shoes Mark Billingham John Connolly Lisa Lutz Linda L. Richards Event #43

1 – 2:30 pm Revue Theatre Wasserman & Company Andrew Davidson Amitav Ghosh Linda Grant

24 Event #44

1 – 2:30 pm Waterfront Theatre The Mini Poetry Bash Kevin Connolly Jen Hadfield Troy Jollimore Jeanette Lynes Patrick Lane Nadine McInnis Event #45

1 – 2:30 pm PTC Studio High Style Stéphane Audeguy Kenneth J. Harvey Lee Henderson Gail Jones Event #46

8 pm Performance Works The Literary Cabaret Ivan E. Coyote Damon Galgut Amitav Ghosh Kenneth J. Harvey Lisa Lutz Kinnie Starr Host: Salvador Ferreras Event #47

8 pm Waterfront Theatre Chinese Puzzle Xiaolu Guo Qiu Xiaolong Ting-xing Ye Event #48

8 pm PTC Studio An Intimate Evening with Sharon Olds Event #49

8 pm The Taproom Down and Out in Reno Willy Vlautin in conversation with Nancy Lee

saturday Event #50

10:30 am – 12 noon Revue Theatre Femmes Fatales Lisa Lutz Linda L. Richards Leonie Swann Event #51

10:30 am – 12 noon Performance Works Black, White and Shades of Grey Amanda Boyden Austin Clarke Gillian Slovo Event #52

10:30 am – 12 noon Waterfront Theatre Way Out West Leif Enger Lee Henderson Patrick Lane Fred Stenson Event #53

10:30 am – 12 noon PTC Studio Shanghai Sleuth Qiu Xiaolong in conversation with Lonnie Propas Event #54

2 – 3:30 pm Revue Theatre Lives of Girls and Women Austin Clarke Sheree Fitch Xiaolu Guo Meg Wolitzer Event #55

2 – 3:30 pm Performance Works Ripple Effects Steven Galloway Paul Quarrington Nino Ricci Anja Sicking Mary Swan Event #56

2 – 3:30 pm Waterfront Theatre Olds’ Worlds Sharon Olds in conversation with Hal Wake

31 25

Event #57

2 – 3:30 pm PTC Studio Daphne Marlatt’s Aural Tapestry Event #58

8 pm Performance Works The Poetry Bash Kevin Connolly Jen Hadfield Troy Jollimore Nadine McInnis George McWhirter Sharon Olds Molly Peacock Jordan Scott Host: Genni Gunn Event #59

8 pm Waterfront Theatre Polyphony André Alexis Stefano Benni Amanda Boyden Sheree Fitch Nino Ricci Anne Simpson Kevin Vennemann Event #60

8 pm PTC Studio An Intimate Evening with Ursula K. Le Guin Event #61

8 pm Emily Carr University Theatre Moving Stories Film Festival Hosts: Judith Keenan, Paul Quarrington Event #62

10 pm The Backstage Lounge Speakeasy Ivan E. Coyote Paul Quarrington Kinnie Starr Willy Vlautin

sunday Event #63

10:30 am – 12 noon PTC Studio Burning Down the House Russell Wangersky in conversation with Mark Forsythe Event #64

11:00 am – 12:30 pm Performance Works The Sunday Brunch Kathlyn Bradshaw Steven Galloway Linda Grant Tristan Hughes Gail Jones Andreas Schroeder Event #65

1:30 – 3:00 pm Waterfront Theatre Poets Turned Novelists Patrick Lane Daphne Marlatt Anne Simpson Event #66

1:30 – 3:00 pm PTC Studio Inspired by Monsters Kathlyn Bradshaw C.C. Humphreys Event #67

3:30 – 5:00 pm Performance Works The Afternoon Tea André Alexis Leif Enger Susan Olding Gillian Slovo Fred Stenson Mary Swan Event #68

4 – 5:30 pm Waterfront Theatre emerge Simon Fraser University Writers’ Studio participants Event #69

8 pm Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage The Bill Duthie Memorial Lecture Ronald Wright

32 The Literary Cabaret Ivan E. Coyote, Damon Galgut, Amitav Ghosh, Kenneth J. Harvey, lisa lutz, Kinnie Starr Host: Salvador Ferreras

8:00 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $25 + $1 facility surcharge

It’s quite simply magic that happens among Sal Ferreras, his chameleonic band Poetic License and the authors who take the stage tonight. This wildly popular event blends music and literature in ways that can only be described as breathtaking. Audiences are guaranteed a sensory spectacular, an evening of jaw-dropping talent on all fronts. Don’t miss out on the fun; buy your tickets early because they’re sure to go quickly. This event is sponsored by Simon & Schuster Canada.

friday, october 24 Chinese Puzzle Xiaolu Guo, Qiu Xiaolong, Ting-xing Ye

An Intimate Evening with Sharon Olds

8:00 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $17 + $1 facility surcharge

8:00 pm PTC STUDIO $20

The Beijing Olympics have brought unprecedented attention to China from around the world. Through the overwhelming media attention focused on the Olympics, we get a tantalizing glimpse of China as it is. But what of the China that was? The Cultural Revolution, Tiananmen Square and the rise of capitalism have shaken, shattered and shaped China—and the people who lived through those years. Xiaolu Guo, Qiu Xiaolong and Ting-xing Ye all grew up in China and left their homeland over the past 20 years. This evening, they talk about their childhoods, their run-ins with the regime and their views of their homeland from abroad. It’s sure to be a fascinating conversation that will deepen our understanding of one of the world’s most powerful nations.

When American poet Sharon Olds stood on the steps of the library at Columbia University having earned her PhD, she vowed to become a poet, even if it meant giving up everything she had learned. The vow she made freed her to develop her own voice and set her on a path that has won her international acclaim over three decades. Olds has published eight volumes of poetry, her work has appeared in more than 100 anthologies and collections, and it has been translated into seven languages. Yet Olds remains modest about her place in history. “I don’t know what poetry is,” Olds says. Spend an evening with one of America’s greatest living poets.

and now an ad from hangar

www.hangar18creative.com 604.737.7111

Well, yes. When you’re the company that designs and produces the program for the world’s best Writers and Readers festival, you can pretty much do what you like when it comes to designing and placing your own ad. Hangar 18, by the way, is one of Canada’s leading branding, advertising and new media firms. We specialize in, well, branding, advertising and new media. And we could go on about our company and our clients such as YVR, BC Hydro, Boston Pizza and, well, this very Writers Festival. But we won’t. Rather, we thought we’d say a few things about the Writers Festival itself. If you’ve never been to the festival, go. If you have plans, cancel them and go. The Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival is singularly the most entertaining, engaging, pee-inyour-pants-funny event hosted by the city of Vancouver. And no, you don’t have to be bookish either. Stuart swears he saw Kid Rock there once. Anyway, there’s our ad. Like other ads, it has pitch. But unlike other ads, the pitch is for something other than the company that placed the ad. The Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival. Go.

The Solo Author Series is sponsored by Raincoast Books and supported by the F.K. Morrow Foundation.

down and out in reno willy vlautin in conversation with nancy lee

8:00 pm THE TAPROOM $17

Willy Vlautin is the leader of an alternative country ensemble Richmond Fontaine as well as a novelist. Both his novels and songs mine a seam of American writing that celebrates the broken lives of the dispossessed and the luckless. And, like his writing, his music is mournful, understated and proudly steeped in menthol smoke and bourbon. Often compared to Steinbeck and Carver, Vlautin is in fact an American original. Enjoy a soulful evening of music, words and conversation with Vlautin and Vancouver author Nancy Lee. For those 19 years and older This event is sponsored by HarperCollinsCanada Ltd.

Femmes Fatales Lisa Lutz, Linda L. Richards, Leonie Swann

10:30 am–12 noon REVUE THEATRE $15+ $1.50 facility surcharge

There are disputes about who wrote the first crime novel, but there can be no doubt that, in recent years, imaginative writers have given the genre a new spin. The Spellmans in Lisa Lutz’s side splittingly funny novels are a highly functioning yet dysfunctional family of gumshoes that includes Izzy who even investigates men she intends to date. The detectives in Leonie Swann’s witty, philosophical mystery are sheep investigating the murder of their shepherd. And in her Depression era pot-boiler, Linda L. Richards exposes the secret behind every male, noir shamus: a quiet, faithful, good-looking secretary who can keep her nylons’ seams straight, and solve crimes.

shanghai sleuth Qiu Xiaolong in conversation with Lonnie Propas

saturday, october 25 Black, White and Shades of Grey

33 Way Out West

Amanda Boyden, Austin Clarke, Gillian Slovo

Leif Enger, Lee Henderson, Patrick Lane, Fred Stenson

10:30 am–12 noon PERFORMANCE WORKS $15 + $.50 facility surcharge

10:30 am–12 noon WATERFRONT THEATRE $15 + $.50 facility surcharge

The challenges of race relations are not unique to any one nation. That gives writers plenty of conflict to explore, but the telling requires equal measures of honesty and sensitivity. From the plight of Sri Lankan immigrants trying to settle in England in the 1950s, to the impoverished neighbourhoods of Toronto, and finally New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina, these novels take an unflinching look at a subject we all too frequently want to avoid. Three different countries, three different histories and three insightful writers will talk about where we have succeeded and where we have failed in living together in this world.

The “West” brings to mind the clichés of tumbleweeds and gunslingers. But you can leave your boots and Stetson at home this morning, because these writers will show you the West as you’ve never seen it before. In the hands of four authors who have taken the West as their canvas, it is flooding rivers and raging fires, the harsh reality of trying to carve out a community in a new landscape; it is the challenging geography of the rain forest, the Okanagan or the plains. The West has always inspired myth-making, and these skilled writers are creating new myths for modern times.

Lives of Girls and Women Austin Clarke, sheree fitch, Xiaolu Guo, Meg Wolitzer

Ripple Effects Steven Galloway, Paul Quarrington, Nino Ricci, Anja Sicking, Mary Swan

10:30 am–12 noon PTC STUDIO $15

2–3:30 pm REVUE THEATRE $15 + $1.50 facility surcharge

2–3:30 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $15 + $.50 facility surcharge

Shanghai in the mid-1990s is an unfamiliar setting for most readers of crime novels. But it’s the fascinating world of Qiu Xiaolong’s exciting Inspector Chen Cao series. Like many detectives, Chen is frequently frustrated with his career and his bosses. But this is China and trying to crack cases involving murder and political intrigue in a time of rapid cultural, economic and political development presents unique challenges—and riveting fiction. Xiaolong, who left China in 1988, feels compelled to document these dramatic changes, and imagine for himself the home he left behind. Meet this rising star and his complicated, not always likeable, detective.

Who would argue with the assertion that the unexamined life isn’t worth living? The lives of contemporary girls and women give any writer much to examine. But these are not just any writers. Filmmaker and novelist Xiaolu Guo was shortlisted for the Orange Prize for her first novel in English. Austin Clarke, who often writes from the perspective of strong women, won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2002. Multiaward-winning writer Sheree Fitch is widely recognized for her contribution to Canadian literature and issues affecting women and children. And Meg Wolitzer is renowned for her portraits of women at critical turning points in their lives.

Some of our very finest novels hinge on a moment of drama, a significant and singular event that has deep repercussions on individuals and the community. In their new novels, Paul Quarrington and Mary Swan focus on personal childhood traumas that leave an indelible mark on their characters and an impact that lasts far into adulthood. In the books of both Nino Ricci and Anja Sicking, devastating secrets threaten to upend the precarious balance of their characters’ ordinary lives. And Steven Galloway’s novel opens with the explosion of a bomb, the effects of which reverberate throughout the entire book. Enjoy an afternoon with writers who reveal how a single incident can lead to a story you can’t put down.

saturday, october 25 olds’ worlds Sharon Olds in conversation with Hal Wake

2–3:30 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $15 + $.50 facility surcharge

In the words of Michael Ondaatje, Sharon Olds’ poetry is “pure fire in the hands.” Olds has been writing for almost 30 years and her poetry has won her a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Book Critics’ Circle Award. Her poetry is filled with sensuality, humour, sprung rhythm and stunning imagery. She expresses raw truths about domestic and political violence, sexuality, family relationships and the body. Her new collection, One Secret Thing, completes her cycle of family poems in a book that is intense and harmonic, playful with language and rich with a new self-awareness and sense of irony.

Daphne Marlatt’s Aural Tapestry Daphne Marlatt with Robert Minden and Carla Hallett

2–3:30 pm PTC STUDIO $15

The celebrated Vancouver poet Daphne Marlatt has etched memorable portraits of Steveston and Strathcona in her work. Her poems reveal that history is never a thing of the past in these vital communities, but still there to whisper stories into the ears of those willing to listen. Listening forms the core of this event, as Marlatt teams up with musicians Robert Minden and Carla Hallett to bring her poetry to life. Together, they combine waterphones, bowed saws, theremin, a toy piano, found percussion objects and voice in their explorations of musical textures and forms. The result is sure to be an aural tapestry that is melodic, percussive and unforgettably poetic.

The Poetry Bash Kevin Connolly, Jen Hadfield, Troy Jollimore, Nadine McInnis, George McWhirter, Sharon Olds, Molly Peacock, Jordan Scott Host: Genni Gunn

8:00 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $22 + $1 facility surcharge

Genni Gunn is at the helm of this year’s Bash and, for all you insatiable poetry lovers, she’s charted a voyage that is off the map. Whether you’re looking for a little free verse or form, lyric energy or staccato pop, there’s a poet in this unbelievable lineup who will be speaking directly to you. International voices, new voices, seasoned voices—get ready for an evening of readings that will reaffirm why poetry matters, in case there was ever any doubt.

André Alexis, Stefano Benni, Amanda Boyden, Sheree Fitch, Nino Ricci, Anne Simpson, Kevin Vennemann

Settle back this evening to hear seven fine writers read from their new works. There’s definitely more than enough in store here to introduce you to some riveting and entertaining fiction that you will want to explore further. Canada’s André Alexis reads from his long-awaited second novel, and Italian Stefano Benni reads from his satirical work. Amanda Boyden introduces her multi-voiced tale, and Sheree Fitch presents her premier novel for adults. Governor General’s award-winner Nino Ricci reads from his new book set in Montréal, Anne Simpson presents her family saga, and Kevin Vennemann offers up a book that straddles real and imaginative worlds. Come and sample some great reads!

Hosts: judith keenan and Paul Quarrington

8:00 pm EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY THEATRE $17

New this year: a festival within the Festival featuring short films adapted from the written word. Moving Stories is a juried competition showcasing eclectic shorts made by filmmakers from around the world. The films span genres from comedy to drama, in formats from biography to animation. In addition to the main program, Moving Stories will premiere Vancouver filmmakers Ken Tsui and Brittany Junek’s short film adaptation of David Chariandy’s novel Soucouyant, produced with the support of BookShorts Literacy Program and Emily Carr University of Art and Design. A perfect evening for fans of the cinematic and literary arts. This event is produced in association with BookShorts Literacy Program and Canadian Heritage.

8:00 pm PTC STUDIO $20

8:00 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $17 + $1 facility surcharge

Moving Stories Film Festival

An Intimate Evening with Ursula K. Le Guin

Ursula K. Le Guin is a wise, compassionate, profoundly moral writer who believes, with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, that “the great instrument of moral good is the imagination.” She has been shortlisted for every major literary award in the United States, including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award and the PEN/ Malamud Award. Her science fiction has won multiple Hugos and Nebulas. Le Guin’s Lavinia, her latest novel, gives a rich fictional life to a character from Virgil’s The Aeneid and has been praised as “perhaps the masterwork of her career.” This is the chance to hear Le Guin talk about her lifelong passion for books and what inspires her creative imagination. The Solo Author Series is sponsored by Raincoast Books and supported by the F.K. Morrow Foundation.

Speakeasy Ivan E. Coyote, Paul Quarrington, Kinnie Starr, Willy Vlautin

NUALA O’FAOLAIN

10:00 pm BACKSTAGE LOUNGE $17

Put your hands together for this dynamite ensemble! Four writers with phenomenal talents beyond putting words on the page. Paul Quarrington is one of four Canadian lads in a popular band called Porkbelly Futures, with songs regularly hanging out on the blues and roots radio charts. MC-singer-actress-beatnikmusicmaker Kinnie Starr was nominated for a Juno in 2004. Willy Vlautin, champion of the dispossessed, is the leader of the alt.country ensemble Richmond Fontaine. And storyteller Ivan E. Coyote is no stranger to the magic that happens when words and music get together. This is a lineup you’ll never catch the likes of again in such an intimate space. For those 19 years and older

Polyphony

saturday, october 25

In Memoriam One of the memorable events at our 20th anniversary Festival, Our Town: New Views of Vancouver Through Irish Eyes featured Nuala O’Faolain. She was asked, along with another Irish writer, Claire Keegan, to spend some time roaming the city and then write a piece describing her encounter. Nuala brought her discerning eye, fierce wit and generous spirit to the task. On stage she delighted the audience with her humour and eye for detail. Not long after her visit to the Festival Nuala passed away, on May 9th 2008. She was a fine writer, a good friend and she will be greatly missed.

sunday, october 26

Burning Down the House Russell Wangersky in conversation with Mark Forsythe

Inspired by Monsters Kathlyn Bradshaw, C.C. Humphreys

10:30 am–12 noon PTC STUDIO $15

1:30–3 pm PTC STUDIO $15

How do firefighters deal with the devastation they’ve seen? What are the emotional and psychological costs of being an emergency worker? Russell Wangersky is a Canadian journalist, editor in chief of the St. John’s Telegram and short story writer. Now he’s written a memoir of his 20 years as a volunteer firefighter, a visceral, gorgeously written record of what he saw and heard, smelled, felt and thought while responding to fires, highway disasters and medical emergencies. He’ll talk about how he has attempted to put to rest the haunting pieces of these experiences that have changed his life.

Perhaps two of the most famous and monstrous figures in all of literature are Count Dracula and Frankenstein, who have served as inspiration for countless novels and movies. But Kathlyn Bradshaw and C.C. Humphreys have used these familiar old legends to fashion powerful new tales of mystery and betrayal. Bradshaw’s Frankenstein Murders combines elements of gaslight detective novels and smog-drenched ghost stories to explore the psychological underpinnings of characters first rendered almost two hundred years ago. Vlad, The Last Confession, C.C. Humphreys’ latest novel, follows not the Dracula of fiction but his real-life 15th century much more frightening counterpart, Vlad the Impaler. The book weaves legend and fact into a monumental novel of blood, love and terror. Not for the faint of heart.

The Sunday Brunch Kathlyn Bradshaw, Steven Galloway, Linda Grant, Tristan Hughes, Gail Jones, Andreas Schroeder Host: Sheryl MacKay

11 am–12:30 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $30 + $1 facility surcharge

The Afternoon Tea

Those who wake up in the early hours of the weekend to the voice of Sheryl MacKay on CBC Radio One’s North by Northwest don’t have to get up with the birds this morning. MacKay, in person, will serve up a literary repast that is sure to satisfy your appetites in more ways than one. With lots of good readings and large helpings of merriment, your morning cup of coffee won’t be the only hot thing on the go. Come with a friend or make a new one over croissants and champagne. Be forewarned, this event is very popular and tables fill early.

Poets Turned Novelists Patrick Lane, Daphne Marlatt, Anne Simpson

1:30–3 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $15 + $.50 facility surcharge

If a poem is the compression of experience, then a novel is the gradual unfolding of events and emotions. If a poem demands the precise juxtaposition of images, then a novel allows for a sprawling panorama of characters, incidents and consequences. Anne Simpson has won the Griffin Prize for poetry; Patrick Lane, a Governor General’s Award; Daphne Marlatt has received numerous awards for her work, and all three poets have leapt into the unknown world of the novel. How does a writer who has mastered the craft of one form effectively adopt a totally different style? Are poets destined to write “poetic novels”? Discover how these fine writers faced the challenges and made the leap.

André Alexis, Leif Enger, Susan Olding, Gillian Slovo, Fred Stenson, Mary Swan Host: Paul Grant

3:30–5 pm PERFORMANCE WORKS $30 + $1 facility surcharge

What could be more pleasant and relaxing than joining host Paul Grant for a thought-provoking afternoon of tea and tales from a diverse selection of Festival authors? This event is freshly baked to warm your senses and stimulate your soul. TEA AND SCONES INCLUDED

Emerge

Kathryn Alexander, Christy Allen, Shary Bartlett, Devin Chan, Drew Clarke, Mark Feenstra, Joan Flood, Yael Harlap, Denyse Johnson, Carmen joy king, Sonja Larsen, Lora McElhinney, Joni McKervey, Brian O’Neill, Insiya Rasiwala, Mandana Rastan, Dima M. Yassine, Daniel Zomparelli 4–5:30 pm WATERFRONT THEATRE $10 + $.50 facility surcharge

This afternoon’s launch of emerge, the annual anthology from Simon Fraser University Writers’ Studio, also provides a tantalizing taste from the work of those who have participated this year in the Writers’ Studio. Come and hear from the new voices of writers in our midst—18 new writers who span four generations and write in the genres of non-fiction, poetry, fiction and lyric prose.

The Duthie Lecture

Ronald Wright 8:00 pm STANLEY industrial alliance stage $25 + $2 facility surcharge

What Is America? is a timely question to explore in these, the final days before the United States’ presidential election. Novelist, historian and essayist Ronald Wright is not afraid to tackle the big questions, and his new book takes as its title that very question. With insight into history and human behaviour, Wright dissects the world’s lone superpower, how it rose from a marginal frontier society to the de facto ruler of the world in a mere two centuries, how it regards itself as the most modern country on earth and is, in some ways, so deeply archaic, and how, for better and worse, America has Americanized the world. Join Wright on the final night of the Festival as he looks at the world’s most powerful nation and reframes the debate about our neighbour and ourselves. This event is sponsored by Scotia Private Client Group. The speaker honorarium is generously provided by Duthie Books Fourth Avenue.

sunday, october 26

12015_Kidsbooks ad_concept.ai

in-kind donors Anne Giardini Aletha Humphreys Angela James @ Organic Rooibos Tea Ann-Marie O’Keefe / Incredible Goodies Barbara Jo’s Books to Cooks Barefoot Wines BC Book Prizes Bishop’s Black Stone Press / David Clifford BookShorts Literacy Program British Consulate-General Butter Bakery Canadian Linen and Uniform Services Cin Cin Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli Claire Keegan Curry 2 U Duso’s Foods East India Carpets Esther Rausenberg Festival Vancouver Fraser Valley Juice and Salad Bar Granville Island Florist Granville Island Tea Company Kaisereck Deli Kathryn Shoemaker Kichi Sushi HSBC Bank Canada La Baguette et L’Echalote Laurelle’s Fine Foods

Lee’s Donuts Leslie Hurtig Lonsdale Event Rentals Mad About Food Milan @ D&M Djordjevich Vineyards The Milkman Monte Cristo Bakery Muffin Granny Olde World Fudge Co. Ltd. Pizza Pzazz Planet Veg Que Pasa Mexican Foods Raincoast Books Richard & Virginia Angus Rogers’ Chocolates The Salmon Shop Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America Seafood City Semperviva Yoga Stock Market Stuart’s Bakery Sunrise Produce Sweet Cravings Terra Breads US Consulate General Vancouver Van Dusen Gardens Vancouver International Film Festival Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club West Restaurant Judith Walker

SPECIAL THANKS Indran Amirthanayagam Steve Chow Sandy Garossino Granville Island Cultural Society Granville Island Maintenance Crew Anne Green/WordFest Brian Gold/Gold Distributing Colin & Helen Harris Judith Keenan/ BookShorts Hadrien Laroche

Alma Lee Tracey McVicar Kathleen Oliver Playwright Theatre Centre Anita Salchert Andrea Seale/Blueprint Fundraising Geoffrey Taylor/International Festival of Authors Bob Turner

CMY

invest in a best seller

)NmUENCE 5PVDITUPOF 5IFBUSF QSFTFOUT

CZ +BOFU .VOTJM

%JSFDUFE CZ ,BUSJOB %VOO

6OLOPXO NFEJDBM TUVEFOU +PIO ,FBUT XBOUT UP BCBOEPO IJT NFEJDJOF UP CFDPNF B QPFU

1FSGPSNBODF 8PSLT

5ISFF XBSSJOH (SFFL HPET XJMM TIPX IJN UIF XBZ JOยบVFODJOH UIF GVUVSF GPSFWFS

QIPUP PG %BOJFM "SOPME BOE $PMMFFO 8IFFMFS CZ %BWJE $PPQFS

SUPPORT THE WRITERS FESTIVAL As a non-profit charitable organization, the Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival depends on your support. Your contribution allows you to: โ ข Purchase earlybird Festival tickets โ ข Receive a 10% discount at Blackberry Books, Duthie Books Fourth Avenue, Peopleโ s Co-op Bookstore and 32 Books โ ข Receive Ink, the Festival newsletter. Depending on your level of support, other benefits may include recognition in the official program guide and newsletter, as well as at Festival venues, plus access to the Festivalโ s author hospitality suite. Contributors of more than $35 receive a tax receipt. All supporters are also eligible to vote at our annual general meeting. For full details, see our website, www.writersfest.bc.ca, or call 604 681 6330.

/PW ยฌ 5JDLFUT ] UJDLFUTUPOJHIU DB

DONNA MORRISSEY LEE HENDERSON

What They Wanted

JOSEPH BOYDEN Through Black Spruce

The Man Game

PENGUIN.CA

EDEET RAVEL Your Sad Eyes and Unforgettable Mouth

PENGUIN IS FICTION

THE ALMA LEE LEGACY FUND

the AlmaLee legacy fund

In 2006 the Vancouver International Writers Festival created an endowment fund celebrating the accomplishments of its founder, Alma Lee. The fund has grown to over $863,000, thanks to many generous donations from individuals and matching contributions from our government partners, the Province of BC through the BC Arts Renaissance Fund, and the Department of Canadian Heritage. The fund will increase our ability to present international writers of significant stature to Festival audiences, develop Spreading the Word programs for schools and help us plan for the future. The BC Arts

Renaissance Fund and Canadian Heritage have announced that they will continue to match donations to the Alma Lee Legacy Fund until the end of 2008. This is a rare opportunity to give more than you ever thought possible.

For more information on the Alma Lee Legacy Fund please call Ann McDonell at 604 681 6330 ext 104.

ALMA LEE LEGACY FUND LEAD DONORS Colin & Helen Harris Jab Sidhoo Wosk Foundation The Vancouver Sun Cynthia Woodward Development Fund Sandra Garossino Sheahan & Gerald McGavin Rudy & Patricia North Megan Abbott Douglas Coupland Yulanda & Moh Faris Anne & Tony Giardini Scott Griffin

KMC Foundation Caroline Lawrence Bonnie Mah Joanne & David McDonald Tracey McVicar Brenda & Michael Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Keefe Ebie & Ian Pitfield Rod & Laurie Scheuerman Helen Shore Yasmeen & Andrew Strang Thomas Allen & Son Ltd. W.A.U. Nicoll Robertson Charitable Foundation Trust John Welson Jan Whitford & Michael Stevenson

Centred on your priorities... At Scotia Private Client Group, we take as much pride in sponsoring the Vancouver Writers Festival each year as we do in helping you achieve continued financial success. Contact Rod Scheuerman at (604) 718-7110 Home of the Robson Reading Series & Good Reads Discount Book Club

3B7

or visit www.scotiaprivateclientgroup.com

Scotia Private Client Group consists of private client services from The Bank of Nova Scotia, The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company, Scotia Cassels Investment Counsel Limited, Scotia Cassels U.S. Investment Counsel Inc., and ScotiaMcLeod, a division of Scotia Capital Inc., all members of the Scotiabank Group. Scotia Capital Inc. is a member of CIPF.

ALMA LEE LEGACY FUND DONORS (AUGUST 2007 - AUGUST 2008)

Joy Alexander Gordon B. MacRae Law Corp. Sherry and Allan Buium Hilde Colenbrander Corinne Durston Sheree Fitch Margaret Kapturkiewicz Lorey Lasley & Brian Schecter Fiona Lehn Franci Louann Margaret MacMillan Margaret Mason Moshe Mastai Ken Mitchell Donna Morrissey Rudy & Patricia North Lana Okerlund Edward O. Phillips Jack Prelutsky Nino Ricci Linda Robbins Anne Robillard Mary Schendlinger Carol Schneider Carole Shaw Shauna Singh Baldwin Eileen Steward Diane M. Stuart Rhea Tregebov Lorenz von Fersen Patricia & Marshall Wilensky Fei Wong Paul Yee Anonymous (3)

CONTINUING STUDIES

Writing and Publishing Program celebrates

#FDPNF UIF XSJUFS ZPV XFSF NFBOU UP CF

years!

Choose from over 100 courses in Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most comprehensive writing and publishing program. t t t t t

Business Writing, Public Relations and Marketing Communication Creative Writing/The Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Studio Editing Publishing Technical Communication

778-782-5093 | wpp@sfu.ca | www.sfu.ca/wp

Invites you to our anthology reading and launch October 26, 4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;5:30 Vancouver International Writers Festival THE AWARDď&#x161;şWINNING WRITERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STUDIO IS the core component of a one-year part-time certificate program a one-on-one relationship with a professional writer/mentor mentor-led workshops courses, readings and book production professional training in addition to writing practice. 2009 MENTORS Wayde Compton, narrative and non-fiction Anne Stone, fiction Rachel Rose, poetry and lyric prose

Application deadline: October 27 | 778.782.5073 | www.sfu.ca/wp/tws

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This week I launched my first book, Paper Trail which I wrote largely during my year in TWS.â&#x20AC;? Arleen ParĂŠ, TWS 2002 B.C. Book Prizes Award Nominee

author biographies

Stefano Benni

Joseph Boyden

ONTARIO, EVENTS 59, 67

Italy, Events 34, 59

Ontario/US, Events 21, 39

André Alexis’ internationally acclaimed debut novel, Childhood, won the Chapters/Books in Canada First Novel Award and the Trillium Book Award, and was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. He has also written a short story collection, Despair and Other Stories of Ottawa, the play, Lambton, Kent and Other Vistas, and the young adult novel, Ingrid and the Wolf. He is the creator and host of Skylarking, a nationally broadcast weekly program on CBC Radio 2. His long-awaited second novel is Asylum.

Stefano Benni is widely considered one of Italy’s foremost novelists. His trademark mix of biting social satire and magical realism has turned each of his books into a national bestseller. His previous novels include Bar Sport, The Company of Celestini, The Café Beneath the Sea and Margherita Dolce Vita. Benni is also the author of several volumes of essays and poetry and many collections of short stories. His latest novel is Timeskipper.

Joseph Boyden is a Canadian with Irish, Scottish and Métis roots. His first novel, Three Day Road, received the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the McNally Robinson Aboriginal Book of the Year Award, and was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. He divides his time between Northern Ontario and Louisiana, where he teaches writing at the University of New Orleans. He is also the author of a short story collection, Born with a Tooth, and a new novel, Through Black Spruce.

ANDRÉ ALEXIS

Stefano Benni’s appearance is made possible by the Istituto Italiano de Cultura.

Craig Boyko David Bergen

British Columbia, Events 33, 40

Nadeem Aslam was born in Pakistan and moved to the UK as a teenager. His first novel, Season of the Rainbirds, won the Betty Trask Award and the Authors’ Club First Novel Award. It was also shortlisted for the Mail on Sunday/John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the Whitbread First Novel Award. His second novel, Maps for Lost Lovers, which took 11 years to write, won the 2005 Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize. His new novel is The Wasted Vigil.

Manitoba, Event 39

Craig Boyko’s fiction has been published in many of Canada’s best literary magazines, and four of his stories have been anthologized in the prestigious Journey Prize Stories. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Boyko lived in Calgary for several years before moving to Victoria. His first collection, Blackouts, has earned rave reviews for its inventiveness, range and vision.

David Bergen is the author of four previous novels: A Year of Lesser, a New York Times Notable Book and winner of the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award; See the Child; The Case of Lena S.; and The Time in Between, winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award and the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction. His new novel is The Retreat.

UK, Event 9

Kathlyn Bradshaw UK, Event 42

France, Events 34, 45

Mark Billingham worked as an actor, TV writer and stand-up comedian before publishing his first crime novel, Sleepyhead, which was an instant bestseller in the UK. Though still occasionally working as a stand-up comic, Mark now concentrates on writing the series of crime novels featuring London-based detective Tom Thorne, which includes Scaredy Cat, Lazybones, The Burning Girl, Lifeless, Buried and Death Message. His newest novel is a standalone thriller, In The Dark.

Kathlyn Bradshaw has lived her entire life in the Ottawa region, where the gothic architecture of Parliament has become embedded in her subconscious. She currently works at the Algonquin College School of Advanced Technology as a professor of English. The Frankenstein Murders is her first novel.

Stéphane Audeguy is a novelist and essayist whose first novel, The Theory of Clouds, was a critical and popular success. His second novel, The Only Son, which takes place during the French Revolution, is the fictional autobiography of JeanJacques Rousseau’s brother. He has won several literary prizes for his work. He teaches art history and the history of cinema at a high school near Paris. Stéphane Audeguy’s appearance is made possible by the Consulate General of France in Vancouver.

Ontario, Events 64, 66

Stéphane Audeguy

Mark Billingham

Austin Clarke Ontario, Events 51, 54

Amanda Boyden

Joan Barfoot

Joan Barfoot is the award-winning author of 11 novels. Her novels include Critical Injuries, which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and Luck, a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Her most recent novel is Exit Lines.

Ontario, Special Event

Amanda Boyden’s early career included work as a professional trapeze artist, stuntwoman and science lab assistant. She attended the University of New Orleans and graduated with an MFA in Fiction. Amanda is the author of two novels, Pretty Little Dirty and, most recently, Babylon Rolling.

US, Events 51, 59

Austin Clarke won the 2002 Giller Prize, the 2003 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the 16th Annual Trillium Prize for The Polished Hoe, which was also longlisted for the 2004 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. He is also the winner of the 1999 W.O. Mitchell Prize, awarded each year to a Canadian writer who has produced an outstanding body of work and has served as a mentor to other writers. Clarke is the author of six short-story collections and ten novels, the latest of which is More.

Nadeem Aslam

author biographies John Connolly

Andrew Davidson

ireland/us, event 42

Manitoba, Events 38, 43

John Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute. He is the author of 10 books, most recently, The Reapers.

Andrew Davidson was born in Pinawa, Manitoba, and graduated in 1995 from the University of British Columbia with a B.A. in English literature. He has worked as a teacher in Japan and as a writer of English lessons for Japanese websites. The Gargoyle, the product of seven years worth of research and composition, is his first book.

Sylvie Desrosiers Québec, Événements 6, 17, 22, 26, 29

Sylvie Desrosiers est une écrivaine et une journaliste québécoise qui a publié à ce jour plus de 20 romans dans plus de 10 pays. Elle écrit autant pour les jeunes que pour les adultes, pour la télévision, le cinéma et les magazines, et depuis plusieurs années pour le Festival Juste pour rire. Ses romans pour les jeunes lecteurs comprennent L’Audition de Thomas, L’Héritage de la pirate, Quatre jours de liberté et Les Trois Lieues. La Perruche qui miaulait est son plus récent titre destiné aux adultes.

Kevin Connolly Ontario, Events 44, 58

Professional and creative courses to nurture your growth as a writer. s s s s s s s

The Role of a Literary Agent Short Fiction Workshop Writing Creative Non-Fiction Children’s Book Workshop Writing Your Life’s Story Beginning Your Novel Getting Published

and many more…

writingcentre.ubc.ca/wf

604-822-9564

Ivan E. Coyote Ontario/British Columbia, Events 40, 46, 62

Sylvie Desrosiers

Ivan E. Coyote is a writer and performer. She is the author of three story collections and two novels; her most recent title is The Slow Fix. Coyote was also a founding member of the performance collective Taste This. She is a long-time columnist for Xtra! in Toronto and Xtra! West in Vancouver. Originally from the Yukon, Coyote spent many years in Vancouver before relocating to Ottawa in 2007, to teach at Carleton University.

Sylvie Desrosiers is a Québec writer and journalist who has published more than 20 novels in more than 10 countries. She writes for children as well as for adults, for television, film and magazines, and for many years, for Juste pour rire. Her titles for young readers include L’Audition de Thomas, L’Héritage de la pirate, Quatre jours de liberté and Les trois lieues. La Perruche qui miaulait is her most recent title for adults.

Québec, Events 6, 17, 22, 26, 29 © laura sawchuk

Turn a new leaf.

Kevin Connolly is a Toronto poet, editor and arts journalist. Connolly’s first collection of poems, Asphalt Cigar, was nominated for the 1996 Gerald Lampert Award. His second collection, Happyland, was published to wide acclaim in 2002 and his collection, drift, won the Trillium Book Award for Poetry. His most recent collection is Revolver.

author biographies

Deborah Ellis

Sal Ferreras

Ontario, Events 5, 16, 24

British Columbia, Event 46

Deborah Ellis is a political activist and has been advocating non-violence since the age of 17. She has spent time in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan, talking to women and documenting their experiences of 20 years of war. She won a Governor General’s Literary Award for her first novel, Looking for X. Her other books include The Breadwinner, Parvana’s Journey, Bifocal (co-written with Eric Walters) and, most recently, Off to War: Voices of Soldiers’ Children.

Sal Ferreras is a percussionist, teacher and event organizer who works in many facets of the Canadian music scene. He received a BC Entertainment Hall of Fame star in 2002 and a Healey Willan Award for Outstanding Contributions to Choral Music in 2005. He has a PhD in Ethnomusicology and is Dean of the Vancouver Community College School of Music. Ferreras has directed the Literary Cabaret since 1989, and he and his allstar band, Poetic License, consider it one of the highlights of their musical year.

Dare yourself.

Cary Fagan

Mary Lou Finlay has had an illustrious 35-year career in broadcasting in TV and radio, for the CBC and CTV. She co-hosted Live It Up at CTV (1978—1981) and she helped launch the CBC primetime news program The Journal in 1982. In 1988 she moved into radio to host Sunday Morning. From 1997 to 2005, she co-hosted As It Happens. This is her first book.

Ontario, Events 3, 27

Cary Fagan is an awardwinning writer for both young readers and adults. He wrote the awardwinning biography of Chan Hon Goh, Beyond the Dance: A Ballerina’s Life, in addition to several picture books. He has won a Mr. Christie Silver Medal for Daughter of the Great Zandini, a City of Toronto Book Award for his first adult novel, Street of Attitude: Toronto Stories, and the Jewish Book Committee Prize for Fiction for The Animals’ Waltz.

Nova Scotia/US, Events 31, 54, 59

Sheree Fitch is a multi award-winning writer, speaker and educator, and the author of 23 books in a variety of genres. She has received the Vicky Metcalf Award for a body of work inspirational to Canadian children and two honorary doctorates for her contribution to Canadian literature and issues affecting women and children. Kiss the Joy as it Flies is Fitch’s first novel for an adult audience.

ADVANCE.

MAKE A SCENE.

Take your work to the next level. 1001 Ways to Tell the Truth, Writing Comedy and Humour, Flash Fiction and the Prose Poem and Memoir.

Novel Writing, Getting Published, The Ongoing Story, Fiction Writer’s ER Clinic – all the tools you need for progress.

Write a scene and collaborate with actors culminating in a live performance! Starts Wednesday, September 17.

Full course descriptions at langara.bc.ca/cs jwillington@langara.bc.ca 604.323.5322

mary lou finlay

Leif Enger was raised in Minnesota and worked as a reporter and producer for Minnesota Public Radio for nearly twenty years. His debut novel, Peace Like a River, was a bestseller. He also has five mystery novels to his credit, co-written with his brother Lin under the pen name L.L. Enger. His new novel is called So Brave, Young, and Handsome.

EXPLORE. CREATE. TELL.

Learn more.

Leif Enger US, Events 52, 67

PENGUIN GROUP (CANADA) WELCOMES OUR AUTHORS TO THE FESTIVAL Joseph Boyden }

Lee Henderson }

THROUGH BLACK SPRUCE

Donna Morrissey }

THE MAN GAME

WHAT THEY WANTED

Meg Wolitzer

}

THE TEN YEAR NAP

{ Gillian Slovo

Molly Peacock }

BLACK ORCHIDS

SECOND BLUSH

{ Linda Grant THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACKS

Elizabeth Knox } DREAMQUAKE

Amitav Ghosh }

Ting-xing Ye

SEA OF POPPIES

MOUNTAIN GIRL, RIVER GIRL

Stefano Benni

{ TIMESKIPPER

penguin.ca

}

Gail Jones

{ SORRY

Damon Galgut

author biographies

Amitav Ghosh

US/India, Events 43, 46

Damon Galgut is a South African novelist, playwright and short-story writer. His debut novel, A Sinless Season, was published to great success in 1984. His other novels include The Good Doctor, which won the 2003 Commonwealth Writers Prize (Africa Region, Best Book) and was shortlisted for the 2003 Man Booker Prize for Fiction and the 2005 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award), The Beautiful Screaming of Pigs, Small Circle of Beings and The Quarry, which was made into an award-winning feature film. His new novel is The Imposter.

Amitav Ghosh is one of India’s best-known writers. He was born in Calcutta and educated in New Delhi, Alexandria and Oxford. His acclaimed books of fiction, travel writing and journalism include The Circle of Reason (winner of the Prix Medicis Etranger, one of France’s top literary awards), The Shadow Lines, Dancing in Cambodia, The Glass Palace and The Hungry Tide. His most recent novel, Sea of Poppies, is the first volume of the Ibis trilogy.

South Africa, Events 8, 46

Lorna Goodison

Marie-Louise Gay Québec, Événements 1,11, 15

Marie-Louise Gay est une auteure et une illustratrice de livres pour enfants de renommée mondiale. Elle a remporté de nombreux prix et a été finaliste pour le prix Hans Christian Andersen. Elle est plutôt connue pour ses livres mettant en vedette Stella et Sam, livres qui ont été publiés en plus de 15 langues. Marie-Louise Gay Québec, Events 1, 11, 15

Marie-Louise Gay is a world-renowned author and illustrator of children’s books. She has won numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature (illustration), and has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. She is best known for her Stella and Sam books, which have been published in more than fifteen languages. Her latest book, On the Road Again (cowritten with her husband David Homel), is a follow-up to the acclaimed Travels with My Family.

Lorna Goodison is the Jamaican-born author of eight books of poetry, including Travelling Mercies, Controlling the Silver and Goldengrove: New and Selected Poems. She has also written two collections of short stories and an acclaimed memoir, From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her People, winner of the 2008 B.C. Award for Canadian Non-Fiction. Goodison has taught at the University of Toronto and now teaches at the University of Michigan. Lorna Goodison’s appearance is made possible the B.C. Achievement Foundation. Linda Grant UK, Events 43, 64

Linda Grant is the author of three works of non-fiction: Sexing the Millennium: A Political History of the Sexual Revolution, The People On The Street: A Writer’s View of Israel and Remind Me Who I Am, Again, an account of her mother’s decline into dementia. She has also written four award-winning novels: The Cast Iron Shore, When I Lived in Modern Times (winner of The Orange Prize for Fiction in 2000), Still Here and, most recently, The Clothes on Their Backs. Xiaolu Guo UK/China, Events 47, 54

Xiaolu Guo published several books in her native China before moving to London in 2002. Her first novel translated into English, Village of Stone, was nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Her first novel written in English, A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers, was shortlisted for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction in 2007. Guo is also a filmmaker and has won international awards for her features and documentaries. Her latest book is 20 Fragments of a Ravenous Youth.

Steven Galloway is the author of three novels: Finnie Walsh, Ascension, which was optioned for film and serialized on CBC Radio’s Between the Covers and, most recently, The Cellist of Sarajevo. His work has been translated into 20 languages and optioned for film. He currently teaches at the UBC Creative Writing Program and is a mentor at The Writers Studio at SFU.

British Columbia, Events 55, 64

Ontario, Events 9, 37

Steven Galloway

author biographies

Sean Horlor

British Columbia, Events 45, 52

British Columbia, Event 33

Richard Gwyn is an award-winning author and political columnist. He is widely known as a commentator for the Toronto Star on national and international affairs and as a frequent contributor to television and radio programs. His most recent book, John A: The Man Who Made Us, was awarded the 2008 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary non-fiction. The second volume of Gwyn’s biography of Macdonald will be published in 2009.

Lee Henderson is the author of the award-winning short story collection, The Broken Record Technique. He is a contributing editor to the arts magazines, Border Crossings in Canada and Contemporary in the UK. He has published fiction and art criticism in numerous periodicals and co-organizes Father Zosima Presents, a monthly night of sound performances, in Vancouver. The Man Game is his first novel.

Sean Horlor’s first poetry collection, Made Beautiful by Use, garnered positive reviews across Canada and was longlisted for the 2008 ReLit Awards. His work also appeared in the groundbreaking Seminal: The Anthology of Canada’s Gay Male Poets. He has previously worked as a speechwriter for Premier Gordon Campbell and freelances as a writing consultant. Horlor is currently completing his second collection of poetry.

Richard Gwyn’s appearance is made possible by the Charles Taylor Prize. Jen Hadfield UK, Events 44, 58

Jen Hadfield lives in Shetland where she works as a poet, writing tutor, artist and sometimes shop assistant. Her first collection, Almanacs, won an Eric Gregory Award from The Society of Authors, which enabled her to begin writing Nigh-No-Place in Canada. She continues to indulge her passion for getting words onto objects, and uses linocut, photography, woodwork, bookbinding and fly-tying in her artist books, which she calls “Rogue Seeds.”

Kenneth J. Harvey’s award-winning and critically acclaimed books are published in more than a dozen countries. His collection of stories, Directions for an Opened Body was a finalist for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and his novel, Brud, was shortlisted for the Books in Canada First Novel Award. His new novel, Blackstrap Hawco, is an epic about Newfoundland’s working class spanning more than a century.

Tristan Hughes

Québec, Événements 1, 11

UK/ontario, Events 38, 64

David Homel est un romancier primé, un scénariste, un journaliste et un traducteur, dont les livres ont été traduits en plusieurs langues. Il a reçu le Prix du Gouverneur général, section traduction, et son plus récent roman, The Speaking Cure (L’Analyste), lui a valu le Prix Hugh McLennan et le Prix de la Bibliothèque publique juive, section ouvrages de fiction. David Homel demeure à Montréal avec sa femme, Marie-Louise Gay.

Tristan Hughes has, since childhood, moved back and forth between the Welsh Island of Ynys Môn (Anglesey) and Northern Ontario. His first two novels, The Tower and Send My Cold Bones Home, were highly praised in the United Kingdom. Revenant is his third novel and, like the others, is an extended—though not uncritical—love letter to Ynys Môn.

David Homel

British Columbia, Events 23, 66

Québec, Events 1, 11

C.C. (Chris) Humphreys comes from a family of actors and has appeared on stages ranging from London’s West End to Hollywood’s Twentieth Century Fox. As C.C. Humphreys, he has written five historical-fiction novels, including The French Executioner and Blood Ties as well as three books based on Jack Absolute, a character from Richard Sheridan’s play The Rivals. As Chris Humphreys, he has written a trilogy for young adults, The Runestone Saga. His latest adult novel is Vlad: The Last Confession.

David Homel is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, journalist and translator whose books have been translated into many languages. He has won the Governor General’s Literary Award for translation, and his novel The Speaking Cure won the 2003 Hugh MacLennan Prize for fiction and the Jewish Public Library Award for fiction. His latest book, On the Road Again! (co-written with his wife, Marie-Louise Gay), is a follow-up to the acclaimed Travels with My Family. Andrew Hood Québec, Events 33, 40

Hazel Hutchins

Andrew Hood’s first short story collection, Pardon Our Monsters, won the 2007 Danuta Gleed Literary Award. He also won the Irving Layton Award for Undergraduate Fiction at Concordia University, and his stories have appeared in Concordia’s Soliloquies and Headlight Anthology.

Newfoundland & labrador, Events 45, 46

Québec, Events 9, 20

Kenneth J. Harvey

David Homel

C.C. (Chris) Humphreys

Rawi Hage

Rawi Hage was born in Beirut and lived through nine years of the Lebanese civil war. He immigrated to Canada in 1992. He is a writer, visual artist and curator. Hage’s debut novel, De Niro’s Game, won the 2008 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. He lives in Montreal, which provides the setting for his new novel, Cockroach.

Lee Henderson

Ontario, Event 41

Richard Gwyn

Hazel Hutchins has written more than 30 books for children and young adults and has received numerous awards for her work. Her books include One Duck, Ben’s Snow Song, Sarah and the Magic Science Project, Beneath the Bridge and The List. Her active imagination uses both real life and magic to move stories in humorous and enlightening ways. Her latest book is Mattland.

author biographies

Troy Jollimore

Elizabeth Knox

US/Nova Scotia, Events 44, 58

New Zealand, Events 23, 38

Gail Jones Australia, Events 39, 45, 64

Gail Jones teaches literature, cinema and cultural studies at the University of Western Australia. Her novel, Dreams of Speaking, was longlisted for the Broadband Orange Prize for Fiction in 2006 and was a finalist for the 2008 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Her most recent novel is Sorry.

The MFA Programs at UBC Residential MFA

Since 1965, UBC has been home to one of North America’s most respected and innovative writing programs. With nine genres of study, the residential program encourages a uniquely comprehensive exploration of writing craft and practice.

Elizabeth Knox’s appearance is made possible by Creative New Zealand.

Optional Residency MFA

Shane Koyczan

South Korea, Event 34

Patrick Lane British Columbia, Events 44, 52, 65

Patrick Lane has received numerous awards for his writing, including the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. His acclaimed memoir, There Is a Season, won the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence and the inaugural British Columbia Award for Canadian Non-Fiction. Red Dog, Red Dog is his debut novel.

Young-ha Kim

Shane Koyczan is one of the world’s premier spoken-word performers. He is also the first nonAmerican poet to win the prestigious USA National Individual Poetry Slam. His book Visiting Hours was hailed as one of the books of the year by The Guardian and The Globe and Mail newspapers. He has performed at literary and musical events around the world, including the Edinburgh Book Festival, the Winnipeg Folk Festival and Ottawa’s 2007 Canada Day Celebrations.

British Columbia, Events 9, 10, 25, 28

Gail Jones’ appearance is made possible by the Australian Council for the Arts.

Young-ha Kim has published three novels and numerous short stories and has a daily radio show in Seoul. He teaches drama at the Korean National University of Arts and has received all of Korea’s top literary awards. The English translation of his first novel, I Have the Right to Destroy Myself, has garnered rave reviews.

Flexible. Comprehensive. Challenging.

Elizabeth Knox is the author of the young-adult novel Dreamhunter. She has also written several books for adults, including The Vintner’s Luck, which has been translated into French, German, Norwegian, Spanish, Dutch and Hebrew, and is currently being adapted for film by Niki Caro. Her latest novel is Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet. It was singled out as an “Honor Book” at the 2008 Michael L. Printz Awards for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.

Troy Jollimore’s acclaimed first book of poetry, Tom Thomson in Purgatory, won the 2006 National Book Critics Circle Award. A Nova Scotia native, he has a Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University and is currently Associate Professor of Philosophy at California State University in Chico, California.

With seven genres of study, more flexibility and less time on campus, students can now be part of UBC’s renowned MFA program by distance education. Unique features include full-time or part-time study, with up to five years to complete the degree, an optional yearly summer residency and online workshops and mentorships.

Residential Faculty Meryn Cadell Keith Maillard Maureen Medved Andreas Schroeder Linda Svendsen Peggy Thompson Rhea Tregebov Bryan Wade

Optional Residency Faculty Luanne Armstrong Gail Anderson-Dargatz Brian Brett, Sioux Browning Catherine Bush, Zsuzsi Gartner Gary Geddes, Terry Glavin Wayne Grady, Sara Graefe Stephen Hunt, Glen Huser Peter Levitt, Lisa Moore Susan Musgrave

For more information: call (604) 822-2469 or visit www.creativewriting.ubc.ca THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Peter Matthiessen

US, Events 42, 46, 50

US, Events 19, 35

Nam Le was born in Vietnam, and raised in Australia. His work has appeared in Zoetrope, A Public Space, One Story, Conjunctions, and the Pushcart Prize and Best American Nonrequired Reading anthologies. Currently the fiction editor of the Harvard Review, he divides his time between Australia and the United States. The Boat is his first book.

Lisa Lutz spent most of the 1990s hopping through a string of low-paying odd jobs while writing and rewriting the screenplay Plan B, a mob comedy. After the film was made in 2000, she vowed she would never write another screenplay. She turned to fiction with The Spellman Files, the story of a dysfunctional-family-run private investigation firm. Her recent follow-up is Curse of the Spellmans.

Ursula K. Le Guin

Jeanette Lynes

Peter Matthiessen has written eight novels, most recently the American epic Shadow Country. In his parallel career as a naturalist and environmental activist, Matthiessen has produced numerous works of non-fiction, most of them serialized in The New Yorker. These works include The Snow Leopard (a National Book Award winner) and The Tree Where Man Was Born (a National Book Award nominee). He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1974.

US, Events 9, 60

nova scotia, Events 33, 44

Ursula K. Le Guin is the author of numerous short stories, essays, volumes of poetry, children’s books and novels. Her honours include a National Book Award, five Hugo Awards, five Nebula Awards, the Janet Heidinger Kafka Award, a Pushcart Prize and the Howard Vursell Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her latest novel, Lavinia, revisits Virgil’s Aeneid, and has been called by many her greatest achievement.

Jeanette Lynes’ collections of poetry are Left Fields, The Aging Cheerleader’s Alphabet, A Woman Alone on the Atikokan Highway, and most recently, It’s Hard Being Queen: The Dusty Springfield Poems. Her awards include the Ralph Gustafson Poetry Prize, the Bliss Carman Award, and first prize in the Grain Postcard Story Competition. She is currently co-editor of The Antigonish Review.

Lisa Lutz

us/australia, event 20

nam le

Nadine McInnis Newfoundland and labrador, Events 44, 58

Nadine McInnis is the author of Two Hemispheres, her fifth poetry book. She has published six other books, including Quicksilver (short stories), Hand to Hand (poetry) and Poetics of Desire: Essays on Dorothy Livesay. Her work has appeared in a variety of journals, including The Malahat Review, The New Quarterly, Event and Room of One’s Own. She teaches in the Professional Writing Program at Algonquin College.

J.B. MACKINNON Jean Little

BRITISH COLUMBIA, SPECIAL EVENT

Ontario, Events 13, 15

J.B. MacKinnon is the author of Dead Man in Paradise, winner of the 2006 Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-fiction, co-author of The 100-Diet: A Year of Local Eating, and, most recently, I Live Here, a collaborative project with Mia Kirshner, Paul Shoebridge and Michael Simons.

Melanie Little Alberta, Events 5, 30, 40

Melanie Little has won numerous awards for her essays and short fiction. Her short-story collection Confidence was named one of The Globe and Mail’s Best Books of 2003, and was shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed Award. The Apprentice’s Masterpiece is her first novel; it’s also her first book for young adults and her first book written in verse. She is currently at work on several new projects, including a novel, a book of short stories, a poetry project and a book of essays.

George McWhirter British Columbia, Events 36, 58

Daphne Marlatt British Columbia, Events 57, 65

Daphne Marlatt is known for her formally innovative books of poetry, including Steveston, Touch to My Tongue, Salvage and This Tremor Love Is. She is also the author of two acclaimed novels, Ana Historic and Taken. In addition to being a teacher and editor of numerous literary publications, including The Capilano Review and Tessera, which she co-founded, Marlatt has been writer-in-residence at universities across Canada. Her new book is a long poem called The Given. Daphne Marlatt’s appearance is made possible by The Betty and Ralph Gustafson Chair of Poetry at Vancouver Island University.

Jean Little has been one of Canada’s most-beloved authors of children’s books for more than four decades. She became a Member of the Order of Canada in 1992. Her award-winning books include Mine for Keeps, Listen for the Singing, Pippin the Christmas Pig, Dancing Through the Snow and the acclaimed Dear Canada series. Her latest book is The Sweetest One of All.

George McWhirter is the author and translator of 25 books and Vancouver’s inaugural Poet Laureate. His Catalan Poems shared the first Commonwealth Poetry Prize in 1972 with Chinua Achebe. He has translated two Mexican poets, Gabriel Zaid and Homero Aridjis, and has won the F.R. Scott Prize for Translation with The Selected Poems of José Emilio Pacheco. For his novel, Cage, he was awarded the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. His latest collection of poetry is The Anachronicles. Teresa McWhirter British Columbia, Event 33

Teresa McWhirter has taught English in Korea, spent time in Thailand and Costa Rica, and travelled extensively throughout Canada and the United States. Her fiction has been published in many periodicals, including subTerrain, Geist, Bust and Vice. Her first novel, Some Girls Do, was published to great acclaim in 2002. Her followup, Dirtbags, is a novel about reckoning—with one’s past, one’s choices and one’s expectations for the future.

author biographies

from wales...

Douglas & McIntyre Publishing Group and the Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival invite you to meet

tristan hughes, author of Revenant

...to the west coast Events #38, #64

and

michael nicoll yahgulanaas, illustrator of Flight of the Hummingbird

Events #4, #7, #14

www.douglas-mcintyre.com

author biographies

Miles Merrill

Susin Nielsen

Australia, Events 10, 18, 28

British Columbia, Events 12, 31

Miles Merrill combines poetry with theatre, experimental audio, hip-hop beats, stand-up comedy and political confrontation. Born in Chicago, he is now based in Sydney, Australia. His shows Night Words (Sydney Opera House, 2008) and Slamming (Sydney Festival, 2005) have won him critical acclaim. Merrill’s work is available on CD, on DVD and in print, but is best experienced live.

Susin Nielsen is a Gemini Award-winning television writer who has written and story-edited many television series, including Degrassi Junior High, Ready or Not, Madison, The Adventures of Shirley Holmes and Edgemont. She has also adapted author Susan Juby’s book Alice, I Think into a television series. Nielsen has published three children’s books: Hank and Fergus, winner of the Mr. Christie’s Silver Medal Award, Mormor Moves In and The Magic Beads. Her latest novel is Word Nerd.

Miles Merrill’s appearance is made possible by the Australian Council for the Arts. Donna Morrissey Newfoundland and labrador, Events 9, 20

“...darkly intriguing...” — Booklist

Donna Morrissey is the author of three award-winning novels, Sylvanus Now, Kit’s Law and Downhill Chance. She also wrote the Gemini Award-winning screenplay Clothesline Patch. Her work has been translated into several different languages. Morrissey grew up in the Beaches, a small fishing outport in Newfoundland, although she now lives in Halifax. Her new novel is What They Wanted. Billeh Nickerson British Columbia, Event 33

Billeh Nickerson is the author of The Asthmatic Glassblower, Let Me Kiss It Better: Elixirs for the Not So Straight and Narrow and the forthcoming collection, McPoems. He co-edited, with John Barton, Seminal: the Anthology of Canada’s Gay Male Poets. A founding member of the performance troupe Haiku Night in Canada, he serves on the Writers’ Union of Canada National Council. Nickerson has curated the Festival’s Thursday night event for six years.

Martine Noël-Maw Saskatchewan, Événements 17, 26

Martine Noël-Maw a obtenu un baccalauréat en Études françaises de l’Université de Montréal. Avant de commencer à écrire pour les jeunes et les adultes, elle travaillait en communications et en ressources humaines. Son deuxième livre, Amélia et les papillons, lui a valu plusieurs distinctions, dont le Prix du livre français du Saskatchewan Book Awards 2006. Ses plus récents titres sont Drôle de zèbre et La malchance d’Austin. Martine Noël-Maw Saskatchewan, Events 17, 26

Martine Noël-Maw was born and raised in Québec, but has made Saskatchewan her home since 1993. She graduated from l’Université de Montréal and worked in communications and human resources before turning her hand to writing for youth PLATO Timaeus and Critias LUCRETIUS On The Nature of Things FRANCISand adults. Her second book, Amélia et les BACON The Great Instauration and New Atlantis RENÉ DESCARTES Discoursepapillons, has won many honours, including on Method CAROLYN MERCHANT The Death of Nature CHARLES DARWIN the Prix du Livre Français at the 2006 On Evolution MICHEL SERRES The Natural Contract BARTOLOMÉ DE Saskatchewan Book Awards. In 2007, she LAS CASAS In Defense of the Indians BLAISE PASCAL Pensées WILLIAM collaborated with students from Moose Jaw PAINEOF The Age of Reason DAVID HUME PALEY Natural Theology THOMAS MASTER ARTS IN LIBERAL STUDIES SIGMUND FREUD The Future of an to create two youth books: Drôle de zèbre and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion Illusion WILLIAM JAMES Will To Believe JANE AUSTEN Sense and SensibilityLa malchance d’Austin.

“...one of the best comic novels I’ve ever read.” — Margaret Cannon, Globe & Mail

www.SimonSaysCanada.com

Expand your intellectual horizons through GOETHE Sorrows of Young Werther DOSTOEVSKY Notes from Underground graduate studies for the working adult. STEVENSON Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR The Second Central Station basis VIRGINIA WOOLF A Sex ELIZABETH SMART By Grand Develop an intellectual in the ideas and values that shaped Error modernST. cultures. Descartes’ AUGUSTINE Room of One’s Own ANTONIO DAMASIO Confessions, Letters of Abelard and Heloise The Bhagavad Gita EURIPIDES Join a community of inquiry, discussion IBSEN Hedda Gabler NABOKOV Lolita Medea PLATO The Symposium and research. SHAKESPEARE Hamlet FLAUBERT Madame Bovary FREUD Civilization Confessions MARY SHELLEY5152 Frankenstein and Its Discontents ROUSSEAUwww.sfu.ca/gls | 778-782-5104/ DOSTOEVSKY The Grand Inquisitor MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT Travels in Norway SAPPHO Poems DANTE The Divine Comedy MACHIAVELLI The Prince SHELLEY A Defence of Poetry RUMI Poems

Geoffroy de Pennart

Ontario, Events 36, 37, 67

France, Événement 2

Susan Olding was recently named one of The New Quarterly’s Most Loved Living Writers. She has been a finalist for a National Magazine Award, two Western Magazine Awards and a CBC Literary Award. She is also a two-time winner of the Event Creative Non-fiction Contest and a winner of the Prairie Fire Non-fiction Contest. Her work has also appeared in several literary journals and anthologies. Her first book is Pathologies.

Geoffroy de Pennart est né en 1951, à Paris. Diplômé de l’École supérieure d’arts graphiques en 1974, il s’inscrit comme travailleur indépendant. Ses premiers travaux payés sont des cartes de géographies, et enfin il gagne sa vie en faisant des illustrations et du graphisme pour les entreprises. Il a écrit quelques livres pour les enfants : La princesse, le dragon et le chevalier intrépide, Les Déjeuner des loups, Le Loup, la chèvre et les 7 chevreaux, La Reine des abeilles pour en nommer que quelques-uns.

Sharon Olds

Le Consulat général de France à Vancouver assume les coûts de déplacement de Geoffroy de Pennart.

Ontario/US, Event 58

Molly Peacock has published five books of poetry, including Cornucopia: New & Selected Poems. Among her other works are How To Read A Poem and Start A Poetry Circle and a memoir, Paradise, Piece By Piece. A former president of the Poetry Society of America, Peacock is one of the creators of Poetry in Motion on subways and buses throughout North America. Her latest collection is The Second Blush. George Pelecanos US, Event 19

George Pelecanos worked as a line cook, dishwasher, bartender and women’s shoe salesman before publishing his first novel in 1992. Since then, he has published more than a dozen crime novels set in and around Washington, D.C. Esquire magazine has called him “the poet laureate of the D.C. crime world.” He has also worked in film and television. His novels include The Big Blowdown, Right as Rain, Hell to Pay, Soul Circus, The Night Gardener and, most recently, The Turnaround.

Geoffroy de Pennart France, Event 2

Geoffroy de Pennart was born in Paris, and after studying graphic arts, began his career as a commercial artist. His books for children include La princesse, le dragon et le chevalier intrépide, Le déjeuner des loups, Le loup, la chèvre et les 7 chevreaux and La reine des abeilles. Geoffroy de Pennart’s appearance is made possible by the Consulat général de France à Vancouver. Paul Quarrington Ontario, Events 55, 61, 62

Novelist Paul Quarrington is also an awardwinning screenwriter, an acclaimed non-fiction writer and a musician, most recently with a band called PorkBelly Futures. His novel, Galveston, was nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and Whale Music won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction in 1989. Quarrington’s novel King Leary won the Stephen Leacock Medal and CBC’s Canada Reads in 2008. His latest novel is The Ravine.

Molly Peacock

US, Events 48, 56, 58

Sharon Olds is a towering figure in American poetry who has been much praised for the courage, emotional power and extraordinary physicality of her work. Her numerous honors include a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, the San Francisco Poetry Center Award for her first collection, Satan Says (1980) and the National Book Critics’ Circle Award for The Dead and the Living. She has published nine volumes of poetry, most recently One Secret Thing.

Jonathan Raban US/UK, Events 9, 19

Jonathan Raban is the author of Soft City, Arabia, Foreign Land, Old Glory, For Love and Money, Hunting Mister Heartbreak, Bad Land and Passage to Juneau. He has also edited The Oxford Book of the Sea. Raban has received numerous awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Heinemann Award for Literature, the Thomas Cook Award and the PEN West Creative Nonfiction Award. His latest collection of essays is My Holy War: Dispatches from the Home Front and his latest novel is Surveillance.

Susan Olding

author biographies

Andreas Schroeder

Anne Simpson

Ontario, Events 55, 59

British Columbia, Events 37, 64

Nova Scotia, Events 59, 65

Nino Ricci’s first novel, the bestselling Lives of the Saints, garnered international acclaim and won a host of awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Books in Canada First Novel Award. It was the first installment in a trilogy, rounded out by In A Glass House and Where She Has Gone, which was adapted for a television miniseries. Ricci’s next novel, Testament, won numerous awards. His latest is The Origin of Species.

Andreas Schroeder has made his living as a freelance writer for the past 40 years, writing poetry, fiction, nonfiction, translations, journalism and literary criticism. His 20 books include Shaking It Rough (nonfiction), Dust-Ship Glory (novel), File Of Uncertainties (poetry), The Late Man (short fictions) and The Mennonites in Canada (history). More recently he has also published two works of nonfiction for young adults, Thieves! and Scams! His latest title is Renovating Heaven.

Anne Simpson is the author of three books of poetry, Light Falls Through You, winner of the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award and the Atlantic Poetry Prize; Loop, winner of the Griffin Poetry Prize and a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award; and Quick, winner of the 2008 Pat Lowther Award. Her work has been shortlisted for the Pushcart Prize. She has also written two novels: Canterbury Beach and, most recently, Falling.

Nino Ricci

Linda L. Richards

Gillian Slovo

British Columbia, Events 42, 50

Jordan Scott

UK, Events 20, 51, 67

Linda L. Richards is the editor and co-founder of January Magazine and a regular contributor to The Rap Sheet. Mad Money, her first work of long fiction, was nominated for the Arthur Ellis Award for best first novel. The other titles in her Madeline Carter series are Calculated Loss and The Next Ex. Her new L.A. noir-style novel is Death Was the Other Woman.

British Columbia, Events 33, 58

Gillian Slovo was born in South Africa and moved to England in 1964. She has worked as a writer, journalist and film producer. Her first novel, Morbid Symptoms, was the first in her series of crime-fiction novels featuring detective Kate Baeier. Her other novels include Ties of Blood, The Betrayal, Ice Road and Red Dust, a courtroom drama set in contemporary South Africa, which explores the effects of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Her new novel is Black Orchids.

Jordan Scott’s first book of poetry, Silt, was nominated for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. Jordan is the author of two chapbooks Mere Mismemory and A Walking History of Wladyslaw’s Body in Parts. His work has also appeared in Van, filling Station and Matrix. In the fall of 2006, he worked on the final sections of his latest book, Blert, while acting as the writer-in-residence at the International Writers’ and Translators’ Centre in Rhodes, Greece.

Janet Marie Rogers British Columbia, Event 33

Kinnie Starr

Declared a “prophet” by TIME Magazine, John Ralston Saul is included in the prestigious Utne Reader’s list of the world’s 100 leading thinkers and visionaries. His works have been translated into more than a dozen languages. His provocative new book, A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada, unveils three of our country’s founding myths.

Ontario, Special Event

British Columbia, Events 10, 28, 46, 62

Netherlands, Events 34, 55

Kinnie Starr’s musical career began in 1993 in Manhattan’s East Village when a friend pushed her onstage during an open-mike night. Since then, she has produced four critically acclaimed records and has been nominated for a Juno Award for New Artist of the Year. Her music mixes punk, pop, rock, hip hop and spoken-word poetry. Her first book—a collection of poetry, art and photos—is How I Learned to Run.

Anja Sicking was born in The Hague and studied the clarinet at the Royal Conservatory for music and dance. She worked as a professional musician before beginning to write stories. Her debut, The Keurisquartet, won major Dutch awards and is currently being adapted for the screen. Her most recent novel, The Silent Sin, was nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Anja Sicking’s appearance is made possible by the Foundation For the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature.

Fred Stenson Alberta, Events 52, 67

Fred Stenson is the author of The Trade, which was nominated for the 2000 Scotiabank Giller Prize and won the inaugural Grant MacEwan Writer’s Award, the City of Edmonton Book Prize and the Writers Guild of Alberta’s Georges Bugnet Novel Award. He has also written scripts for over 140 produced films and videos, and writes a regular humour column for Alberta Views Magazine. The Great Karoo is Stenson’s eighth book of fiction.

John Ralston Saul

Anja Sicking

Janet Marie Rogers is a Mohawk writer from the Six Nations territory in southern Ontario. Originally a visual artist, Rogers later channeled her creative energy into writing, exploring poetry, drama, fiction and fantasy. She is known as a dynamic spoken word artist and performer. Splitting the Heart is her first collection of poetry.

author biographies

Mary Swan

author biographies Mariko Tamaki

Ontario, Events 40, 55, 67

Ontario, Events 4, 25

Mary Swan is the winner of the 2001 O. Henry Award for short fiction and is the author of the collection, The Deep and Other Stories. Her work has appeared in several Canadian literary magazines, including The Malahat Review, Ontario Review and Best Canadian Stories, as well as in Harper’s and other publications. Her debut novel is The Boys in the Trees.

Mariko Tamaki is a Toronto-based writer and performer—“a talented writer getting better and better,” according to NOW Magazine. She is the author of Cover Me, True Lies: A Book of Bad Advice, Fake ID and Skim, a graphic novel for young adults. Her latest graphic novel, Emiko Superstar, is illustrated by indie comics legend Steve Rolston. Shaun Tan Australia, Events 4, 7, 32

Germany, Events 34, 50

Shaun Tan has illustrated young-adult fiction and picture books for more than ten years. His brilliant wordless book, The Arrival, won The Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year, The New South Wales Premier’s Book of the Year and the Community Relations Commission Award; it also received a Special Mention at the 2007 Bologna Ragazzi Awards. His latest graphic novel is Tales from Outer Suburbia.

Leonie Swann earned degrees in philosophy, psychology and communications from Munich University and has worked in journalism and public relations. Currently working on her doctorate in English literature, she lives in Berlin. Three Bags Full is her first novel. Leonie Swann’s appearance is made possible by the Goethe-Institut Toronto.

Leonie Swann

An independent Vancouver book store located in Kitsilano. Since 1957 Duthie Books has sought to provide excellent service to readers throughout the Lower Mainland. We have a thoughtfully chosen inventory and can quickly obtain titles from a database of literally hundreds of thousands of entries upon request. Our booksellers are friendly, knowledgeable and skilled researchers. If you have a question about a book please do not hesitate to ask. We would like to be your neighbourhood bookstore, wherever you are. Our web site will allow you to purchase books online, read up on new titles, as well as browse our catalogue before you come in to visit us. www.duthiebooks.com

author biographies

Russell Wangersky

Qiu Xiaolong

Manitoba, Special Event

Newfoundland and labrador, Events 37, 63

US/China, Events 47, 53

Kevin Vennemann

Qiu Xiaolong is a poet and translator and the author of the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels, Death of a Red Heroine, A Loyal Character Dancer, When Red Is Black, A Case of Two Cities and the award-winning Red Mandarin Dress. He is also the author of two books of poetry translations, Treasury of Chinese Love Poems and Evoking T’ang, and his own poetry collection, Lines Around China.

Russell Wangersky is an awardwinning writer of fiction and non-fiction and the editor of the daily Newfoundland and Labrador newspaper The Telegram. His vivid, incisive style has garnered awards and accolades, and his first book, The Hour of Bad Decisions, was longlisted for the 2006 Scotiabank Giller Prize. His latest work, Burning Down the House, is a riveting account of his experiences dealing with human tragedy as a volunteer firefighter and his own resulting trauma.

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

Germany, Event 59

British Columbia, Events 4, 7, 14

Sheri-D Wilson

Willy Vlautin US, Events 49, 62

Willy Vlautin is the author of the critically acclaimed novel, The Motel Life. His stories have been published in such magazines as Zembla, ColdDrill, Sun Dog Southeast Review and Chiron Review. He is also the singer and main songwriter for Richmond Fontaine, band whose albums include Post to Wire, The Fitzgerald and, most recently, Thirteen Cities. His new novel is Northline. Eric Walters Ontario, Events 12, 16

Eric Walters began writing to encourage his grade 5 students to get more involved in literature; his first novel, Stand Your Ground, was created especially for them. Since then, he has published more than 45 novels, which have been embraced by children, parents, teachers and critics, and which have won more than 30 awards. His many books include Splat!, Elixir, Tiger by the Tail, and most recently, Alexandria of Africa and La Voyageur.

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas is a visual artist and writer who challenges native stereotypes through illustrative storytelling; he takes traditional Haida stories and turns them into manga (Japanese-style comics). His books include A Tale of Two Shamans, The Last Voyage of the Black Ship, and Hachidori, a bestseller in Japan. His latest book is Flight of the Hummingbird.

Alberta, Event 33

Sheri-D Wilson is a poet, performer, filmmaker, educator, producer and activist with six previous collections of poetry under her belt. She has two spoken word CDs and four awardwinning video poems produced for BravoFACT. Her honours include Global TV’s Woman of Vision Award (2006) and Bumbershoot Heavyweight Title for Poetry USA (2003). She is also the founder of the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival. Her new collection is Autopsy of a Turvy World.

Ting-xing Ye Ontario/China, Events 30, 47

Ting-xing Ye was an English interpreter for the Chinese government before leaving China in 1987. Her memoir A Leaf in the Bitter Wind was published in nine countries. She is the author of the award-winning Throwaway Daughter and White Lily; her latest books are the young-adult novel Mountain Girl, River Girl and the memoir My Name Is Number 4.

Meg Wolitzer US, Events 19, 54

Meg Wolitzer is the author of eight novels, including The Position, The Wife and Surrender, Dorothy. Her short fiction has appeared in The Best American Short Stories and The Pushcart Prize. She has taught creative writing at The University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop and at Skidmore College, and she has written several Hollywood screenplays. Her latest novel is The Ten-Year Nap. Ronald Wright British Columbia, Event 69

Ronald Wright is the internationally acclaimed, bestselling author of several non-fiction books, including A Short History of Progress, Stolen Continents and Cut Stones and Crossroads. He is also the author of the novels Henderson’s Spear and A Scientific Romance, the latter of which won Britain’s David Higham Prize for Fiction. His latest title is What Is America?

Following studies in German literature, history and Jewish studies, Kevin Vennemann published his first collection of short stories, Wolfskinderringe in 2002, followed by the novel, Nahe Jedenew, in 2005. His writing has generated comparisons to Sebald, Kafka and Borges, and he has been hailed for his unflinching look at German history. His second novel, Mara Kogoj, has just been published in translation.

Miriam Toews’ first novel, Summer of My Amazing Luck, was nominated for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour and won the John Hirsch Award. Her second novel, A Boy of Good Breeding, won the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award. Her third novel, A Complicated Kindness, was a Scotiabank Giller Prize Finalist and won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Fiction. Her latest novel is The Flying Troutmans.

Miriam Toews

travel assistance Annick Press Arsenal Pulp Press Australia Council for the Arts BC Achievement Foundation Brick Books Consulat géneral de France Cormorant Books Douglas & McIntyre Doubleday Canada Éditions de la nouvelle plume Exile Editions Foundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature Freehand Books Frontenac House Goethe-Institut Toronto Groundwood Books HarperCollinsCanada Ltd. H.B. Fenn and Company Ltd. House of Anansi

thanks to our supporters Istituto Italiano de Cultura Les éditions de la courte échelle Les editions Hurtubise Ltd. McArthur & Company McClelland & Stewart Nimbus Publishing New Zealand Book Council Penguin Group (Canada) Publishers Group Canada Raincoast Books Random House of Canada Scholastic Canada Ltd. Simon & Schuster Canada The Betty and Ralph Gustafson Chair of Poetry at Vancouver Island University The Charles Taylor Prize Thomas Allen & Son Ltd. Tundra Inc. Véhicule Press

www.uwlm.ca

United Way works with community partners to help seniors to stay active and to live independently. Success depends on all of us. Please give. 3014–0808

Literati Gala Dinner Fundraiser

Join us for an evening of festivity, food and literary laughs hosted by Gloria Macarenko. All proceeds benefit Spreading the Word, the Festival’s education program.

monday, october 20, 2008 four seasons hotel 791 west georgia street reception: 6:00 pm dinner: 7:30 pm tickets: $150 corporate tables also available For tickets please call the Writers Festival office at 604 681 6330 ext. 109.

TVC5FSSBJO HSBUFGVMMZ BDLOPXMFEHFT UIF GJOBODJBM TVQQPSU PG $BOBEJBO )FSJUBHF 5IF #$ "SUT $PVODJM BOE UIF $BOBEB $PVODJM GPS UIF "SUT

Greetings

The tenth Annual Vancouver International Writers & Readers Festival Poetry and Short Story Contest

The Invitation Submit your finest prose and poetry to the Vancouver International Writers Festival Poetry & Short Story Contest.

The Rewards Prizes will be awarded to the top two entries in poetry and fiction.

1ST PRIZE IN EACH CATEGORY: $350 2ND PRIZE IN EACH CATEGORY: $250 First prize winners will published in the Spring 2009 issue of subTERRAIN and on the Festival website: www.writersfest.bc.ca.