These three remarkable new novels follow women who take a stand, rebel against conventions, and take gripping personal risks to protect their communities, their families, or mother nature. You’ll be hearing the authors’ names again in future bestseller lists and award nominations, so come and meet these rising talents now at an intimate Books & Ideas event.
A female driller takes charge of an isolated offshore oil rig with an entirely male crew in At Sea, Y.M. Abdel-Magied’s adult fiction debut novel about ambition, greed, and the capitalist endeavors that overlook the concerns of women—and of Mother Nature herself.
Wild People Quiet by ReLit Novel Award-shortlisted author Tara Gereaux is an instant national bestseller, exploring the harrowing repercussions of a woman’s decision to hide her Métis identity while living in a small, predominantly white prairie town in the 1940s.
And in Liz Johnston’s moving debut, The Fall-Down Effect, a young activist follows in her mother’s footsteps, committing a radical act of environmental activism that leaves her loved ones struggling to make sense of her actions. “Its characters and hopes are seared into my memory.” —Madeleine Thien
They will share their page-turning new books in conversation, with books for sale by Book Warehouse, and an audience Q+A and book signing after the talk. Moderator TBA.
We do our best to make our events low-barrier, accessible experiences for our community. A limited number of accessibly priced tickets are available for purchase. To discuss other ways we can make these events more accessible to you, please reach out to us at boxoffice@writersfest.bc.ca or 604-681-6330.
About Books & Ideas
Launched in January 2025, Books & Ideas is an event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest, bringing literary talent and thought-provoking conversations to Granville Island—home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival—from January to June. With an intimate theatre venue and a pop-up bar for socializing, attendees are invited to connect more deeply with other members of the local literary community, and meet the esteemed authors who grace the stage, in a modern space for exchanging ideas.
Participants and Speakers
Tara Gereaux
TARA GEREAUX is the author of Saltus, which was shortlisted for the 2022 ReLit Novel Award and three Saskatchewan Book Awards; and Size of a Fist, a teen novella, which was also shortlisted for two Saskatchewan Book Awards. Tara holds an MFA in creative writing from UBC and has worked as a writer and story editor for film and television. She is a citizen of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan and lives in Regina on Treaty 4 territory and the homeland of the Métis.
Y.M. Abdel-Magied
Born in Sudan, Y.M. ABDEL-MAGIED‘s first job as a teenager was in a coal mine in rural Australia. After graduating with first-class honours in Mechanical Engineering, Abdel-Magied trained and worked as an MWD (Measurement While Drilling) contractor and drilling engineer across Europe, Australia, Asia and the U.S. She is the founder of the organization Youth Without Borders and the author of six books (three works of non-fiction and three books for children). At Sea is her first adult novel and will be her Canadian debut. She lives in England.
Liz Johnston
LIZ JOHNSTON grew up in Revelstoke, B.C., and now lives and writes in Toronto. Her essays and short stories have appeared in Poets & Writers, The Fiddlehead, The Humber Literary Review, Grain, The Antigonish Review, and The Cardiff Review. Johnston is an editor of Brick, A Literary Journal. The Fall-Down Effect is her debut novel.