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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260415T193000
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SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Yann Martel — Son of Nobody
DESCRIPTION:Yann Martel’s 2001 philosophical adventure\, Life of Pi\, was a runaway global phenomenon—it won the Booker Prize and CBC’s Canada Reads\, spent more than a year on the New York Times bestseller list\, and was adapted to an Oscar-winning film and a Tony-winning play. The Canadian author continued to achieve success with Beatrice and Virgil\, The High Mountains of Portugal\, and now\, his highly anticipated fifth novel: Son of Nobody. \nSon of Nobody is a brilliant retelling of the Trojan War from two commoners: an ancient soldier and modern scholar. While studying an obscure collection of papyrus fragments\, academic Harlow Donne discovers a lost account of the Trojan War. He names the epic poem The Psoad\, after its protagonist\, a Greek commoner identified as Psoas of Midea\, but known to all as son of nobody. The text unlocks echoes of Ancient Greece into the present day\, unfolding “a powerful meditation on life\, death\, and the vanity of human wishes\, all illustrated by a poem that would do Homer proud.” (Kirkus Reviews\, starred review) \nDon’t miss Yann Martel in Vancouver for one night only at the Lindsay Family Stage (formerly known as the Granville Island Stage)\, in conversation with award-winning writer and educator Aislinn Hunter\, whose most recent book is the bestselling novel The Certainties. Books will be for sale at the event from Book Warehouse\, a division of Black Bond Books\, with an audience Q+A and book signing after the talk.  \nWe 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.\n\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/yann-martel
LOCATION:Lindsay Family Stage (FKA Granville Island Stage)\, 1585 Johnston St\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6H 3S2
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260413T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260413T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20260313T000140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T172430Z
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SUMMARY:Ibram X. Kendi in Conversation
DESCRIPTION:Tickets for this event are sold through the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. Click here to buy tickets.\nStandard tickets: $45\nYouth under 25 or Students: $25 \nWe do our best to make our events low-barrier\, accessible experiences for our community. If the payment options provided present a barrier to you\, please reach out to us at boxoffice@writersfest.bc.ca. \nClick here to buy tickets from the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts.  \nFor questions about how to purchase tickets\, contact The Chan Centre: 604-822-2697 or chan.tickets@ubc.ca \n\nIbram X. Kendi is one of the world’s foremost historians of racism and a leading antiracist scholar. Eleven of his seventeen books have been New York Times bestsellers\, including the international bestseller How to Be an Antiracist\, which was named essential reading and one of the best books of the year by multiple publications. He makes a rare appearance in Vancouver for one night only with his latest pivotal work of nonfiction\, Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age.  \nThis highly anticipated new work from the National Book Award-winning author charts how the “great replacement theory” has become a dominant political idea of our time and ushered in an antidemocratic age. Coined in 2011 by a French novelist who argued that Black and Brown immigrants were “invading” Europe\, this dangerous theory has been seized by popular and ruling politicians in every region of the world to erode democratic norms in the name of preventing demographic change\, spreading with alarming speed to countries as distinct as the USA\, Russia\, El Salvador\, Brazil\, Italy\, and India.  \nIn this unmissable conversation with Terri Givens—Professor of Political Science at UBC and the author of Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides and Reckoning: Creating Positive Change through Radical Empathy—Kendi offers an unsettling but indispensable global history of how great replacement theory brought humanity into this authoritarian age—and how we can free ourselves from it. \nBooks will be for sale at the event by our official bookseller Book Warehouse\, a division of Black Bond Books. \n 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/ibram-x-kendi
LOCATION:The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts\, 6265 Crescent Rd\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6T 1Z1\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260312T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260312T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
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SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Michael Ondaatje in Conversation with Madeleine Thien
DESCRIPTION:Update: This event is sold out. If additional tickets become available\, we’ll send an announcement via our weekly newsletter. Subscribe here. \nAmong the many international honours from Michael Ondaatje’s long and storied career: he is the only winner in history of the Golden Man Booker\, awarded to the best work of fiction from the first five decades of the prize\, for The English Patient. His other renowned books include Anil’s Ghost\, In the Skin of a Lion\, The Cinnamon Peeler\, and Warlight. Now\, he joins the Vancouver Writers Fest with a magnificent new collection that gathers some of his finest poems from the past fifty years.  \nIn The Distance of a Shout\, Michael Ondaatje navigates his own past\, beginning with memories of his childhood in Sri Lanka and his eccentric family\, to his life in rural southern Ontario with its beloved rivers\, celebrations of treasured friends\, the close ties of children. Here is a singular poetic memoir that invokes the arc of an astonishing journey\, and offers us a glimpse into the interwoven life and art of one of our most cherished poets and novelists. \nOndaatje will speak with a fellow icon of Canadian letters: Madeleine Thien\, the author of Do Not Say We Have Nothing. Get a head start on enjoying National Poetry Month\, at this intimate evening of readings and conversation. Books will be for sale at the event from Book Warehouse\, a division of Black Bond Books.  \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/michael-ondaatje
LOCATION:Waterfront Theatre\, 1412 Cartwright St.\, Vancouver\, British Columbia\, BC V6H 3R7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260225T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260225T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
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SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Joanna Cheek in Conversation with Gabor Maté
DESCRIPTION:SOLD OUT\nAs our world clashes and collapses around us\, it’s no surprise we’re feeling an acute effect on our mental health. Psychiatrist\, UBC Faculty of Medicine professor\, and mental health speaker Dr. Joanna Cheek joins us on Granville Island to offer a survival guide of personal and collective mental health tools for our disordered world\, in conversation with world renowned physician and author Dr. Gabor Maté\, who wrote the book’s foreword.  \nIn her new release\, It’s Not You\, It’s the World\, Dr. Cheek argues that we’re not broken or doing it wrong when we’re stressed or struggling. As our systems are pushed to the brink of collapse\, self-improvement alone neglects the source of our suffering. Instead\, to care for ourselves\, we must heal the imbalances in our wider systems that keep making us all sick. With practical action to empower\, connect\, and instill hope in the reader\, It’s Not You\, It’s the World is the go-to guide for anyone feeling depressed\, anxious\, enraged\, numb\, or sick from adapting to a world on fire. \nJoin us for an evening of recovery in community\, as Cheek speaks with Maté on-stage\, followed by an audience Q+A. Books will be for sale at the event from Upstart & Crow\, with a book signing after the talk.  \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/joanna-cheek
LOCATION:Performance Works
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260210T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260210T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20260119T071729Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260119T071729Z
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SUMMARY:Incite: Maggie Helwig on Encampment
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with Vancouver Public Library.\n\n\n\nThe housing crisis plaguing major urban centres across Canada has sent countless people into the streets. In spring 2022\, some of them found their way to the yard beside the Anglican church in Toronto’s Kensington Market\, where Maggie Helwig is the priest. They pitched tents\, formed an encampment\, and settled in. Known as an outspoken social justice activist\, Helwig has spent the last three years getting to know the residents and fighting tooth and nail to allow them to stay. \nWinner of the 2025 Toronto Book Award and one of CBC Books’ and the Globe and Mail’s best books of 2025\, Encampment tells the story of Helwig’s life-long activism as preparation for her fight to keep her churchyard open to people needing a home. More importantly\, it introduces us to the Artist\, to Jeff\, and to Robin: their lives\, their challenges\, their humanity. It confronts our society’s callousness in allowing so many to go unhoused and demands\, by bringing their stories to the fore\, that we begin to respond with compassion and grace.  \nHelwig shares her story and theirs\, and answers audience questions\, with The Tyee senior editor Jackie Wong\, whose journalism on housing and drug policy has been published widely. Books will be for sale at the event by Upstart & Crow\, with a signing afterwards.  \nAbout Incite\nPresented by the Vancouver Writers Fest and Vancouver Public Library\, Incite is a free quarterly series offering fascinating conversations with celebrated authors and emerging talents. Incite is open to all\, in-person at the VPL’s central branch or online. Books will be for sale at the event\, and most events will have a signing after the talk. Can’t make the date? Sign up for the livestream to receive the recording in your inbox! 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/incite-helwig
LOCATION:Vancouver Public Library – Central Library
CATEGORIES:Incite Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260206T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260206T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20251201T173034Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260130T005551Z
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SUMMARY:George Saunders in Conversation
DESCRIPTION:Booker Prize-winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo\, and one of Time’s one hundred most influential people in the world\, George Saunders writes books that are both irreverent and momentous—and utterly unique. To read his work is to grow “more empathetic” (San Francisco Chronicle)\, and to “feel as though you are reading fiction for the first time” (Khaled Hosseini). He joins us in Vancouver with his anticipated new novel\, Vigil. \nVigil transports us\, careening\, through the wild final evening of a complicated man: an oil company CEO in the twilight hours of his life. Visitors begin to arrive (worldly and otherworldly\, alive and dead)\, clamoring for a reckoning. \nWith the wisdom\, playfulness\, and explosive imagination we’ve come to expect\, George Saunders takes on the gravest issues of our time—the menace of corporate greed\, the toll of capitalism\, the environmental perils of progress—and\, in the process\, spins a tale that encompasses life and death\, good and evil\, and the thorny question of absolution. \nSaunders speaks with acclaimed author Alix Ohlin\, whose work has been shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. Both authors are also revered writing instructors—Saunders at Syracuse University\, and Ohlin at the University of British Columbia—and this conversation\, followed by an audience Q+A\, will be filled with essential insights for readers and writers\, and all of us living through these patently absurd times. \nBooks will be for sale at the event by our official bookseller Book Warehouse\, a division of Black Bond Books\, with a signing after the event.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/george-saunders
LOCATION:St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church\, 1022 Nelson St\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6E 4S7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260121T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260121T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20251222T180014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251222T190201Z
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SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Paul Myers on John Candy
DESCRIPTION:Community Partner: VIFF\n\n\n\n  \nBooks & Ideas returns to Granville Island in the new year with headliner cultural icons: Paul Myers\, Charlie Demers\, and the enduring figure of John Candy. One of comedy’s most beloved stars\, Candy captivated audiences with his roles in Hollywood classics like Planes\, Trains and Automobiles\, The Great Outdoors\, Spaceballs\, and Uncle Buck. Now\, for the first time since Candy’s tragic death\, bestselling biographer Paul Myers tells the full story of the man behind the laughs.  \nCanadian author and musician Paul Myers has written the definitive biographies of The Kids in the Hall\, Todd Rundgren\, Barenaked Ladies\, and more. In John Candy: A Life in Comedy\, he draws on extensive research and exclusive interviews with many of Candy’s closest friends and colleagues—including Dan Aykroyd\, Chevy Chase\, Tom Hanks\, Ron Howard\, Steve Martin\, Catherine O’Hara\, and Martin Short—to celebrate the comedian’s life and unparalleled talent. \nJoin us to start the new year with laughs and literary inspiration\, as Myers sits down with author and comedian Charlie Demers\, whose latest book is The Eh Team: A Celebration of Canadianisms from Elbows Up to Poutine\, a laugh-out-loud guide to what it means to be unapologetically Canadian. \nBooks will be for sale at the event from Book Warehouse\, with a book signing after the talk.   \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/paul-myers
LOCATION:Revue Stage
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251216
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260203
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20251119T220203Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251125T013429Z
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SUMMARY:2025 Digital Festival
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with BCIT School of Business + Media and Libro.fm\, and with the generous support of Hotfusion Communications Inc. \n\nBinge-watching worthy of book lovers — get front-row\, online access to the 2025 Vancouver Writers Fest!  \nThis year’s flagship Festival brought together celebrated authors from across Canada and the world\, inspiring brilliant dialogues to spark empathy\, action\, and transformation. Now\, experience it again—or for the very first time—with the Digital Festival: a curated selection of 26 outstanding\, full-length events from our 2025 Festival\, each professionally-recorded and fully captioned. Watch on your own schedule from wherever you are\, from December 16 through February 2. \nBuy a pass\, get a free audiobook! You’ll receive a free audiobook credit from our friends at Libro.fm when you purchase a Digital Festival pass at regular price ($100). Your credit can be used for an audiobook of your choice from their catalog of 500\,000+ audiobooks. Credits will be e-mailed once the Digital Festival ends.  \n\n\n\n\nGive the gift of literature! Enjoyable over the winter holidays and beyond\, the Digital Festival makes a meaningful gift for any book lover\, and can be delivered by email as soon as you purchase it\, or whenever you choose. Print this festive gift certificate if you’d like to give your recipient something that can be slipped in a card or stocking.\n\n\n\nSliding Scale Pricing:$100 – Regular Price Pass$25–50 – Pay What You Can$10 – Accessible Price Pass \nIf the payment options provided present a barrier to you\, please reach out to us at boxoffice@writersfest.bc.ca. \nJoin the global audience. We hope these events\, many of which were sold out weeks prior to the Festival\, will reach people far and wide. These events represent the world-class standards we hold ourselves to in sharing books and ideas with our community\, including recording high quality videos of our events and livestreaming Youth events for free during the Festival. For those unable to attend in person (or who couldn’t be in two places at once!)\, we’re proud to provide this online offering for a limited time. \n2025 Digital Festival Line-Up\n26 full-length events from the 2025 Vancouver Writers Fest are included in this all-access pass (click the title to view the description from our October Festival program): \n01. Ahead By A Century: Lyrics NightFeaturing Holly Brickley\, Jill Yonit Goldberg\, Claire Cameron\, Yiming Ma\, Marcello Di Cintio\, David A. Robertson\, Antonio Michael Downing\, Haley Mlotek\, Georgia Toews\, Eddy Boudel Tan\, Bindu Suresh\, Terry Fallis\, David Moscrop\, and Paul Vermeersch. Hosted by Elamin Abdelmahmoud with DJ Ice B.  \n02. Blood in the Pen: Stories\, Crises\, Repair\, and the WriterFeaturing Madeleine Thien\, Saeed Teebi\, and Otoniya J. Okot Bitek. Moderated by Guest Curator Canisia Lubrin. \n03. Gems of the Emerald IsleFeaturing Emma Donoghue and Eimear McBride\, with harp music by Rebecca Blair. Moderated by Robert J. Wiersema. \n04. It Runs in the Family: Georgia and Miriam ToewsModerated by David A. Robertson.  \n05. Danielle Leavitt on Seven Lives and One Year in UkraineIn conversation with Maria Reva. \n06. Ronald Deibert on Cyber Espionage and the Fight for DemocracyIn conversation with William Johnson.  \n07. Reconciliation and YouFeaturing David A. Robertson and Bruce McIvor. Moderated by Michelle Cyca. \n08. Saeed Teebi: You Will Not Kill Our ImaginationIn conversation with Adel Iskandar.  \n09. Cory Doctorow: EnshittificationIn conversation with David Moscrop. \n10. Writing in Today’s AmericaFeaturing Jess Walter\, Curtis Sittenfeld\, and Anne de Marcken. Moderated by John Freeman. Regrets: Leila Mottley.  \n11. Indigenous Voices: A Steady Brightness of BeingFeaturing Kyle Edwards\, David A. Robertson\, and Niigaan Sinclair. Moderated by Stephanie Sinclair.  \n12. Visions of ChinatownFeaturing Donna Seto and Carol Lee. Moderated by Anna Ling Kaye.  \n13. On Book Banning and CensorshipFeaturing Ira Wells\, Mike Curato\, and Jeremy Tiang. Moderated by Marian Botsford Fraser. \n14. Elbows Up!Featuring Jen Sookfong Lee\, David Moscrop\, Niigaan Sinclair\, and Leslie Hurtig. Moderated by Elamin Abdelmahmoud.  \n15. The ConversationsFeaturing Elaine Feeney\, Jack Wang\, and Ian Williams. Moderated by Tara McGuire.  \n16. Curtis Sittenfeld in Conversation with Alix Ohlin  \n17. The Feminine GrotesqueFeaturing Mona Awad\, Jen Sookfong Lee\, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Moderated by Mattea Roach.  \n18. Verses of TransformationFeaturing Danez Smith\, Billy-Ray Belcourt\, Karen Solie\, Cecily Nicholson\, Junie Désil\, and Paul Vermeersch. Moderated by Guest Curator Canisia Lubrin.  \n19. Building SuspenseFeaturing Terry Fallis\, Jonathan Lethem\, and Eddy Boudel Tan. Moderated by Robert J. Wiersema.  \n20. Crosscurrents of HistoryFeaturing Kyle Edwards\, Maria Reva\, and Jeremy Tiang. Moderated by Guest Curator Canisia Lubrin.  \n21. The Lit CabFeaturing Anne de Marcken\, Fiona McFarlane\, Danez Smith\, Antonio Michael Downing\, and Michael Bennett. Original music by Benjamin Millman and the Oxymorons. Regrets: Michael Redhill. \n22. On Tyranny: Timothy SnyderIn conversation with John Freeman.  \n23. Global Political NarrativesFeaturing Sheung-King\, Jeremy Tiang\, and Maria Reva. Moderated by Renée Sarojini Saklikar.  \n24. Kiran Desai in Conversation with Eleanor Wachtel \n25. A Trio of Vast IdeasFeaturing Claire Cameron\, elin kelsey\, and Niigaan Sinclair. Moderated by Minelle Mahtani.  \n26. Closing Night Event: Susan Orlean with The Current’s Matt Galloway
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/digital-festival-2025
LOCATION:Digital (YouTube)
CATEGORIES:Special Event,Digital
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20251209T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20251209T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250717T160040Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251109T014909Z
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SUMMARY:Margaret Atwood in Conversation
DESCRIPTION:Presented with the support of Penguin Random House Canada.\n\n\n\nSOLD OUT\nHow does one of the greatest storytellers of our time write her own life? Internationally renowned literary legend Margaret Atwood joins us with her long-awaited autobiography\, Book of Lives—a must-read for fans of her deeply influential body of work\, and anyone who wants to learn more about the life of this Canadian icon. This event will also include a special musical element! \nBeginning with her unconventional\, nomadic childhood spent mostly in the wild forest of northern Quebec\, Atwood unfolds the story of her life\, linking seminal moments to the books that have shaped our literary landscape\, from the cruel year that spawned Cat’s Eye to the Orwellian 1980s Berlin where she wrote The Handmaid’s Tale. In pages bursting with bohemian gatherings\, her magical life with the writer Graeme Gibson\, and major political turning points\, we meet poets\, bears\, and larger-than-life characters that seem to come straight from the pages of one of her own novels. She’ll share more about how her life has shaped her art\, and vice versa\, in this conversation with Carol Off spanning the entirety of her staggering career.  \nThere will be no book signing at this event. \n 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/atwood-book-of-lives
LOCATION:Orpheum Theatre\, 601 Smithe St.\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6B 3L4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20251115T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20251115T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250904T201303Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250926T220732Z
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SUMMARY:Chris Hadfield in Conversation with André Picard
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with Book Warehouse\, and with the support of Penguin Random House Canada and SFU. \nTickets for this event include a copy of Final Orbit (a value of $39).  \nA veteran of three space flights\, capsule communicator for 25 shuttle missions\, and former commander of the International Space Station\, Chris Hadfield is one of the most seasoned and accomplished astronauts in the world. He’s since turned his talents and experience to writing works of both fiction and nonfiction that bookstores can hardly keep on the shelves. His internationally bestselling books have topped the charts for months in Canada. Hadfield joins us in Vancouver with his new interstellar thriller\, Final Orbit\, probing China’s secret role in the 1970s Space Race between the US and the USSR. \nFull of intrigue and real history\, Final Orbit captures with heart-palpitating clarity the beauty and terror of survival 270 miles above Earth. This novel could only be written by one of the most experienced astronauts alive. Don’t miss this chance to hear Hadfield in conversation about his journeys to the stars with moderator André Picard\, both on and off the page.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/chris-hadfield
LOCATION:Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema\, SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts\, 149 W Hastings St\, Vancouver
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251020
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251027
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250909T211545Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250911T195116Z
UID:10000330-1760918400-1761523199@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:2025 Festival
DESCRIPTION:Click here to browse all Festival events.\nOur flagship Festival returns from October 20–26\, 2025\,  featuring 130 local and international authors in 85+ events for youth and adults that will spark empathy\, action\, and transformation. \nThis year’s Festival program will explore the issues and themes dominating the cultural and political sphere\, and open the door to wider understanding. It will dig deep into what it means to be Canadian\, and our role in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. Most of all\, it will offer readers of all ages an opportunity to hear from some of the finest authors working today\, and discover new books from every genre that deserve a place on your shelf. \nWe’re thrilled to welcome this year’s Guest Curator\, Canisia Lubrin\, author of The World After Rain and Code Noir\, the latter of which won the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction and the Danuta Gleed Literary Award this year. She has curated four events that will offer a refreshing perspective on our particularly unstable present world.  \nGet your tickets to hear from celebrated\, bestselling authors such as Elamin Abdelmahmoud\, Margaret Atwood\, Mona Awad\, Kate Beaton\, Chloe Dalton\, Kiran Desai\, Cory Doctorow\, Emma Donoghue\, Christine Estima\, Chris Hadfield\, Bob Joseph\, Guy Gavriel Kay\, R.F. Kuang\, Eve Lazarus\, Dennis Lee\, Jen Sookfong Lee\, Silvia Moreno-Garcia\, Walter Mosley\, Susan Orlean\, Arundhati Roy\, Merilyn Simonds\, Niigaan Sinclair\, Curtis Sittenfeld\, Saeed Teebi\, Madeleine Thien\, Miriam Toews\, and many more!
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/2025-festival-event
LOCATION:BC
CATEGORIES:Theatre
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250918T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250918T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250811T165055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T173424Z
UID:10000328-1758222000-1758225600@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Incite: Bob Joseph
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with Vancouver Public Library.\n\n\n\nWhen Bob Joseph released 21 Things™ You May Not Know About the Indian Act\, it spent an entire year on the BC bestsellers list and enlightened hundreds of thousands of Canadians about the complex issues connected to the Indian Act. The book ignited conversations around questions like: “Can we get rid of the Indian Act?” and “What would that look like\, and would it work?” Joseph returns with an essential new read that shows us the current path forward\, in which Indigenous self-governance is not only already happening\, but is also an absolute necessity that we need more of sooner rather than later. \nIn this Incite event\, Joseph will present on some examples of Indigenous self-government arrangements that are already working\, and share future possibilities from his new book\, 21 Things™ You Need to Know About Indigenous Self-Government. A certified Master Trainer who has been providing training on Indigenous relations since 1994\, Joseph will then hold an extended audience Q+A session for both in-person and online audience members\, where he will answer questions with his trademark deep wisdom and empathy. This is an unmissable event for understanding the future of decolonization. \nBooks will be for sale at the event from Massy Books. \nAbout Incite\nPresented by the Vancouver Writers Fest and Vancouver Public Library\, Incite is a free quarterly series offering fascinating conversations with celebrated authors and emerging talents. Incite is open to all\, in-person at the VPL’s Central Library or online. Books will be for sale and most events will have a signing after the talk. Can’t make the date? Sign up for the livestream to receive the recording in your inbox! 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/bob-joseph
LOCATION:Vancouver Public Library – Central Library
CATEGORIES:Incite Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250917T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250917T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250708T204634Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250718T232905Z
UID:10000326-1758137400-1758142800@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Arundhati Roy in Conversation with Naomi Klein
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with UBC Centre for Climate Justice and Indian Summer Festival\, and with the support of Simon & Schuster Canada. \nArundhati Roy’s first novel\, The God of Small Things\, won the Booker Prize and made her an international household name. She has gone on to publish multiple acclaimed books—including The Ministry of Utmost Happiness—and to challenge injustices around the world as a prominent political and environmental activist. Her impact has been recognized with the PEN Pinter Prize and Time’s 100 most influential people distinction—as well as sedition charges and prosecution by the Indian government. Get up close and personal with the author’s fascinating debut memoir. \nMother Mary Comes to Me is a soaring account of how Roy became the person and the writer she is\, shaped by circumstance\, but above all by her complex relationship to the extraordinary\, singular mother she describes as “my shelter and my storm.” Mary’s death in September 2022 prompted Roy to trace her complex relationship with the mother she ran away from at age eighteen. The author takes us on an intimate journey from her childhood in Kerala\, India\, where her single mother founded a school\, to the writing of her prizewinning novels and essays\, through today. \nRoy speaks with award-winning journalist\, author and activist—as well as her longtime friend—Naomi Klein\, about her latest book and her work to date\, the intricacies of thorny love\, and living on the frontlines of humanism.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/roy-klein
LOCATION:Vancouver Playhouse\, 600 Hamilton St\, Vancouver\, British Columbia\, V6B 2P1\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Vancouver Playhouse 600 Hamilton St Vancouver British Columbia V6B 2P1 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=600 Hamilton St:geo:-123.1125125,49.2807738
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250913T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250913T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250509T125027Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250913T203825Z
UID:10000320-1757791800-1757797200@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:R. F. Kuang: Katabasis
DESCRIPTION:Presented with the support of HarperCollins Canada. \nBestselling literary superstar R. F. Kuang joins us for one night only on the Vancouver stop of her Katabasis tour! \nHot off the trail of her 2023 novel\, Yellowface—an instant New York Times bestseller which has now been optioned by Lionsgate TV—Katabasis is a dark academia fantasy in which two graduate students must put aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul—perhaps at the cost of their own. \nWith nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them\, enough chalk to draw the Pentagrams necessary for their spells\, and the burning desire to make all their academic trauma mean anything\, rivals Alice Law and Peter Murdoch must set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like: their thesis advisor\, Professor Jacob Grimes. \nGet your signed copy of this coveted new release. The cost of the ticket and book bundle includes: \n\nOne (1) pre-signed deluxe limited edition copy of Katabasis.\nA custom Canadian tour stamp (available at a table in the lobby; stamp your copy of Katabasis or other R.F. Kuang books!)\n\nRebecca can personalize only one book per person—either a pre-signed Katabasis or one (1) backlist title.\nNo photos are allowed in the signing line. \nThe author of Babel and The Poppy War trilogy joins us for an enchanting evening of conversation with Michelle Cyca\, and audience Q+A\, at the Granville Island Stage (1585 Johnston St) on September 13. \nA limited number of admission-only tickets (no book included) are available for those who face financial barriers and would like to request an accessibly priced ticket for this event. Contact boxoffice@writersfest.bc.ca to purchase.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/kuang-katabasis
LOCATION:Granville Island Stage
CATEGORIES:Special Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250624T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250624T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250515T233744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T233744Z
UID:10000325-1750791600-1750798800@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books\, Booze & Chill @ The Liberty Distillery
DESCRIPTION:Click here for Tickets \n  \nJoin us for Volume 5 of Books\, Booze & Chill presented by The Liberty Distillery and in partnership with Vancouver Writers Fest \nGrab a book and come join fellow readers at The Liberty Distillery on Granville Island for a book club with a twist — or maybe a splash. Your ticket includes one craft cocktail of your choice from a select menu. \nWe’re not a regular book club — we’re a quiet book club. Here\, everyone brings their own book and we co-read together. \nWait\, What? Yup! No awkward introductions. No pressure to impress with your literary hot takes. Just you\, your book\, and a relaxed ambiance. \nBooks. Booze. Great company. No reading homework. Bring a book (or books) you want to ‘swap’ and meet new friends at the same time. The Vancouver Writers Fest is pleased to provide door prizes for the event! \nBring your current read or that book you keep meaning to start\, order a cocktail (or mocktail)\, and settle into a cozy seat at The Liberty Distillery to get your reading on. \nWant to chat about your book? Awesome. Prefer to stay in your own reading bubble? That’s totally fine. This is your space to blend sips and stories.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/books-booze-jun24
LOCATION:The Liberty Distillery\, 1494 Old Bridge Street\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6H 3S6\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Books Booze & Chill
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250618T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250618T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250516T165519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250612T201057Z
UID:10000324-1750275000-1750279500@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Robert Macfarlane – Is A River Alive?
DESCRIPTION:This event is sold out.\n \nPresented in partnership with Pacific Salmon Foundation. \nIt’s been an unforgettable inaugural season of Books & Ideas—our pre-Festival literary and social series on Granville Island—and we’re honoured to close out the 2025 series in the company of bestselling author and celebrated naturalist Robert Macfarlane\, who joins us with his vital new book\, Is a River Alive? \nAt the heart of Is a River Alive? is a single\, transformative idea: that rivers are not mere matter for human use\, but living beings\, who should be recognized as such in both imagination and law. Around the world\, rivers are dying from pollution\, drought and damming. But a powerful “rights of nature” movement is underway to re-animate our relationships with these vast\, mysterious presences whose landscapes we share. This young movement has lit up activists\, artists\, law-makers\, and politicians across six continents—and become the focus for revolutionary thinking about rivers in particular. Macfarlane’s book flows like water on a mind-expanding journey through northern Ecuador\, to southern India\, to northeastern Quebec. \nIs A River Alive? is at once a literary work of art\, a rallying cry\, and a catalyst for change. Macfarlane joins us and local environmental non-profit Pacific Salmon Foundation to discuss a radical re-imagination of not only rivers but life itself\, in conversation with award-winning journalist Laura Lynch\, host of CBC’s What on Earth radio show that explores solutions to climate change. Books will be for sale at the event from Upstart & Crow\, with a book signing after the talk. \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched in January 2025\, Books & Ideas is a new event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest on Granville Island\, home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival. 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/robert-macfarlane
LOCATION:Performance Works
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250617T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250617T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250515T165057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T174339Z
UID:10000323-1750186800-1750190400@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Incite: BC and Yukon Book Prizes
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with Vancouver Public Library and BC and Yukon Book Prizes. \nMeet acclaimed local writers and celebrate their trailblazing new books at this Incite event\, featuring authors shortlisted for this year’s BC and Yukon Book Prizes! We’re thrilled to welcome all five finalists for the 2025 Jim Deva Prize for Writing That Provokes\, which recognizes writing that challenges or provokes the ideas and forces that shape what writing\, art\, and/or society can become. \n\nCarleigh Baker\, Last Woman: Stories — A blistering short story collection that delves into fear for the future\, intergenerational misunderstandings\, and the complexities of belonging.\nBilly-Ray Belcourt\, Coexistence: Stories — A must-read collection of intersecting stories about Indigenous love and loneliness from the author of A History of My Brief Body and A Minor Chorus.\nChristopher Cheung\, Under the White Gaze: Solving the Problem of Race and Representation in Canadian Journalism — A candid investigation into the state of race in Canadian media today that challenges the way we think about the news\, and calls on newsrooms to think critically about representation.\nSarah Leavitt\, Something\, Not Nothing: A Story of Grief and Love — A poignant and beautifully illustrated graphic memoir articulating cartoonist Sarah Leavitt’s grief after her partner of twenty-two years\, Donimo\, died with medical assistance.\nLoghan Paylor\, The Cure for Drowning — A boundary-pushing love story and wartime Canadian historical novel that boldly centres queer and non-binary characters in unprecedented ways.\n\nThe prize’s namesake\, Jim Deva\, opened Little Sister’s Gay and Lesbian Bookstore and Art Emporium with his partner Bruce Smyth\, and was a pillar of the LGBTQ+ community\, championing the rights of the queer community\, sex workers\, and anyone who was not free to be themselves. In a time of fraying social connections and disturbing attacks on the rights of multiple marginalized communities\, we are honoured to gather and discuss books that challenge\, comfort\, and inspire visions of a more empathetic society. The event will be hosted by Megan Cole\, the BC & Yukon Book Prizes Interim Executive Director. \nAbout Incite\nPresented by the Vancouver Writers Fest and Vancouver Public Library\, Incite is a free quarterly series offering fascinating conversations with celebrated authors and emerging talents. Incite is open to all\, in-person at the VPL’s central branch or online. Books will be for sale by Book Warehouse\, a division of Black Bond Books\, and most events will have a signing after the talk. Can’t make the date? Sign up for the livestream to receive the recording in your inbox! 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/bcybp-2025
LOCATION:Vancouver Public Library – Central Library
CATEGORIES:Incite Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250603T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250603T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250429T180029Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250528T182346Z
UID:10000321-1748979000-1748983500@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Scott Turow – Presumed Guilty
DESCRIPTION:#1 New York Times bestselling author Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent redefined the legal thriller genre\, and was turned into a box office smash hit starring Harrison Ford\, and more recently an Apple Original series starring Jake Gyllenhaal that became Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever. Now\, Turow joins us with his highly anticipated new court drama\, Presumed Guilty—a suspenseful\, emotionally charged thriller that follows retired judge Rusty as he’s called back to court by a case too close to home. \n“Presumed Guilty takes you out of your comfort zone and challenges you to think long and hard about the most important issues we face as a country… Few novelists are his peer when it comes to prose\, plot\, and character. No one does it better.” —David Baldacci\, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author \n“Every gift that made Scott Turow a phenomenon is on display in Presumed Guilty. Deep-focus plotting\, implacable pace\, lapidary prose\, stunning climax. But above all… insight. The truth is\, Turow is just better at this than the rest of us.” —Greg Iles\, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author \n“This is manna for legal-thriller fans.” —Booklist\, starred review \n“Turow keeps readers guessing… This easily ranks among Turow’s best.” —Publishers Weekly\, starred review \nTurow speaks with award-winning author and screenwriter Susin Nielsen\, the creator of Global TV’s “Family Law”\, on June 3 at Revue Stage. Books will be for sale at the event from Book Warehouse / Black Bond Books\, with a book signing after the talk. \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched in January 2025\, Books & Ideas is a new event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest on Granville Island\, home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival. 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/scott-turow
LOCATION:Revue Stage
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025_Scott-Turow_banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250527T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250527T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250501T201410Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250501T201440Z
UID:10000322-1748372400-1748379600@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books\, Booze & Chill @ The Liberty Distillery
DESCRIPTION:Click here for Tickets \n  \nJoin us for Volume 4 of Books\, Booze & Chill presented by The Liberty Distillery and in partnership with Vancouver Writers Fest \nGrab a book and come join fellow readers at The Liberty Distillery on Granville Island for a book club with a twist — or maybe a splash. Your ticket includes one craft cocktail of your choice from a select menu. \nWe’re not a regular book club — we’re a quiet book club. Here\, everyone brings their own book and we co-read together. \nWait\, What? Yup! No awkward introductions. No pressure to impress with your literary hot takes. Just you\, your book\, and a relaxed ambiance. \nBooks. Booze. Great company. No reading homework. Bring a book (or books) you want to ‘swap’ and meet new friends at the same time. The Vancouver Writers Fest is pleased to provide door prizes for the event! \nBring your current read or that book you keep meaning to start\, order a cocktail (or mocktail)\, and settle into a cozy seat at The Liberty Distillery to get your reading on. \nWant to chat about your book? Awesome. Prefer to stay in your own reading bubble? That’s totally fine. This is your space to blend sips and stories.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/books-booze-may27
LOCATION:The Liberty Distillery\, 1494 Old Bridge Street\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6H 3S6\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Books Booze & Chill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/https___cdn.evbuc_.com_images_973996863_2579411772821_1_original.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250522T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250522T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250416T172953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250416T201329Z
UID:10000319-1747942200-1747946700@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Worlds of Short Fiction
DESCRIPTION:The month of May celebrates one of our favourite narrative forms at the Writers Fest: short stories! Discover some of this season’s most brilliant collections at Books & Ideas on Granville Island. These tales are compact but impactful\, bringing readers on transformative journeys through worlds inner\, outer\, and imagined. \nAndré Alexis\, author of the Giller Prize-winner Fifteen Dogs\, transports us from 19th century Trinidad and Tobago to small-town Ontario\, and beyond\, in his highly anticipated new collection\, Other Worlds. Blending poignant philosophical inquiry and wry humour tinged with the absurd\, these captivating stories playfully employ a multitude of literary genres\, including gothic horror and isekai. \nFriendships fail\, families stumble\, and neighbours know each other’s business in Welcome to the Neighbourhood by local author (not to mention former Vancouver Writers Fest staff!) Clea Young. Distinctly rooted in the Pacific Northwest\, Young’s stories deftly explore loneliness and connection\, love and loss\, fear and fortitude\, and perhaps most evocatively the labyrinthine inner lives of women. \nThe author of five acclaimed novels\, Catherine Bush joins us with her searing debut short story collection. Bush’s stories tackle the condition of our restless\, unruly world amidst the tumult of viruses\, climate change\, and ecological crises. Here\, she brings to life unusual and perplexing intimacies: a man falls in love with the wind; a substitute teacher’s behaviour with a student brings unforeseen risks; a woman becomes fixated on offering foot washes to strangers. \nJoin us for readings and a panel conversation moderated by award-winning Vancouver author Caroline Adderson. Books will be for sale at the event from Upstart & Crow\, and the authors will sign after the talk. \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched in January 2025\, Books & Ideas is a new event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest on Granville Island\, home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival. 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/worlds-of-short-fiction
LOCATION:Revue Stage
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025_Worlds-of-Short-Fiction_banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250508T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250508T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250403T164520Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250402T211709Z
UID:10000316-1746732600-1746738000@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Madeleine Thien in Conversation with David Chariandy
DESCRIPTION:Madeleine Thien is one of the most renowned Canadian novelists of our time. The Booker Prize-shortlisted author of Do Not Say We Have Nothing joins us in Vancouver to launch The Book of Records\, her long-awaited new novel that stunningly captures the infinite joys of art and intellectual endeavour. \nIn “The Sea\,” a sprawling\, mysterious building-complex that endlessly receives migrants from everywhere and seems to exist somewhere outside of normal space and time\, adolescent Lina cares for her ailing father. As she grows up in the building\, Lina spends many hours listening to the fascinating tales of three eccentric neighbours: Bento (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Baruch Spinoza)\, a Jewish scholar in seventeenth-century Amsterdam who was excommunicated for his radical thought; Blucher (whose life mirrors Hannah Arendt)\, a philosopher whose academic promise in 1930s Germany became a quest to survive Nazi persecution; and Jupiter (or shades of Du Fu)\, a poet of Tang Dynasty China whose brilliance went unrecognised by the state. \nAnd when she is finally told her father’s account of how the two of them came to reside in The Sea\, the combined force of these stories sets her on her own path into the unknown future—a voyage in which time occupies space uniquely to bring us to “a place that our minds have not yet been to.” (Yiyun Li) \nThe Book of Records is a humane and profound feat of storytelling that has been named a most anticipated release of the year by the Toronto Star\, Literary Hub\, Esquire\, and The Washington Post. Thien sits down in conversation with award-winning Canadian author David Chariandy. Books will be for sale by Book Warehouse / Black Bond Books. \nThe ANNEX – 823 Seymour St\, Vancouver\, BC
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/thien-chariandy
LOCATION:The Annex\, 823 Seymour St\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6B 3L4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Special Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025_Madeleine-Thien_social-banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250429T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250429T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250331T162539Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250331T180356Z
UID:10000315-1745955000-1745959500@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Spring Poetry Bash
DESCRIPTION:Atmospheric and vivacious\, the Poetry Bash is one of our most beloved returning events at the Vancouver Writers Fest. We’re thrilled to bring the magic to this springtime edition featuring four exciting Canadian poets\, curated by poet and KPU Creative Writing instructor Billeh Nickerson. \nFarah Ghafoor’s Shadow Price is a stunning debut collection that asks what gives life value\, in a world that burns under our capitalist lens. In Stages of Tanning Words and Remembering Spells: Part 1: Scraping Lungs Like Hide\, Tawahum Bige explores how voice emerges for a young Two Spirit growing up in so-called “Surrey\, BC\,” far from his Łutselk’e Dene territories. In Your Nature by Estlin McPhee is a lyrical debut that shows us a world in which precedent for gender transition is everywhere—if you know how to look. And in her tenth volume of poetry\, Parade of Storms\, Evelyn Lau turns her focus on the weather: storms\, floods\, wildfires\, and the other effects of intensifying climate change. \nThese evocative poems capture the power of poetry to address questions both political and personal. Join us for readings\, a panel conversation\, book sales and signings\, and an evening of connecting with poets and poetry lovers. \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched in January 2025\, Books & Ideas is a new event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest on Granville Island\, home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival. 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/spring-poetry-bash
LOCATION:Revue Stage
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025_Spring-Poetry-Bash_banner.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250429T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250429T203000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250403T000305Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250403T000305Z
UID:10000317-1745953200-1745958600@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books\, Booze & Chill @ The Liberty Distillery
DESCRIPTION:Click here for Tickets \n  \nJoin us for Volume 3 of Books\, Booze & Chill presented by The Liberty Distillery and in partnership with Vancouver Writers Fest \nGrab a book and come join fellow readers at The Liberty Distillery on Granville Island for a book club with a twist — or maybe a splash. Your ticket includes one craft cocktail of your choice from a select menu. \nWe’re not a regular book club — we’re a quiet book club. Here\, everyone brings their own book and we co-read together. \nWait\, What? Yup! No awkward introductions. No pressure to impress with your literary hot takes. Just you\, your book\, and a relaxed ambiance. \nBooks. Booze. Great company. No reading homework. Bring a book (or books) you want to ‘swap’ and meet new friends at the same time. The Vancouver Writers Fest is pleased to provide door prizes for the event! \nBring your current read or that book you keep meaning to start\, order a cocktail (or mocktail)\, and settle into a cozy seat at The Liberty Distillery to get your reading on. \nWant to chat about your book? Awesome. Prefer to stay in your own reading bubble? That’s totally fine. This is your space to blend sips and stories.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/books-booze-apr29
LOCATION:The Liberty Distillery\, 1494 Old Bridge Street\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6H 3S6\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Books Booze & Chill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/https___cdn.evbuc_.com_images_973996863_2579411772821_1_original.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250426T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250426T210000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250310T210405Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250326T193508Z
UID:10000313-1745695800-1745701200@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:The NEW Shock Doctrine: An Evening with Naomi Klein
DESCRIPTION:Click here to purchase tickets from The Chan Centre. \nFor any questions regarding tickets\, contact The Chan Centre:\n604-822-2697 or chan.tickets@ubc.ca \n\nPresented by UBC Centre for Climate Justice\, Vancouver Writers Fest\, and Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. \nEighteen years after it was first published\, Naomi Klein’s groundbreaking book\, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism\, is back on the bestseller lists—for reasons much against her will. The Trump Administration has put the world into a state of shock\, using the rolling chaos it creates to push through the most radical pillage of the public sphere ever attempted. It is rushing through a drastic realignment of the international order: one in which Canada is intensely vulnerable. Tariffs may be just the beginning. \nIn this vital event\, Naomi Klein will be joined by her brother and collaborator Seth Klein\, author of A Good War: Mobilizing Canada for the Climate Emergency. In conversation with CBC Radio’s Elamin Abdelmahmoud\, the two will discuss pressing topics such as: \n\nThe historical roots of Trump’s tactics\, and what is new and uniquely dangerous about his uses of shock and fear.\nThe apocalyptic mood of the ascendant authoritarian right.\nWhy incrementalism and simple retaliation to Trump and the populist right are not enough.\nWhy a robust response to Trump’s economic attack requires hurting him where he’s most vulnerable—the oil and gas industry—rather than rushing to extract more fossil fuels\, metals\, and minerals\, especially without Indigenous consent.\n\nRather than responding to the current crisis with panic and despair\, how can we treat it as a portal; an opening to leap into a better version of society? Hear an argument for why Canada and BC need to seize this moment to build an economy far less vulnerable to external shocks\, that takes the transition from a fossil fuel and extraction-based economy seriously. Attendees will leave inspired by what is possible\, and armed with practical policy ideas for charting Canada’s path in a time of crisis. \nGeneral Admission: $40\nYouth Tickets (Under 25): $20\nPremium Seating (Gold): $80\nPremium Seating (Silver): $60 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/naomi-klein-2025
LOCATION:The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts\, 6265 Crescent Rd\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6T 1Z1\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Special Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025_April-26_Naomi-Klein_banner_with-guests.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250425T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250425T230000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250121T195508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250324T172229Z
UID:10000308-1745607600-1745622000@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Whisky & Words 2025
DESCRIPTION:*Early Bird Tickets on Sale Now*\nRaise a glass to the art of storytelling and fine whisky! \nEvery year\, the Vancouver Writers Fest presents Whisky & Words\, an extraordinary whisky-tasting event you won’t want to miss. Delight in unlimited pours of exceptional whiskies from around the world alongside artisanal craft spirits and local brews. \nIndulge in mouthwatering bites and explore rare whiskies and unique experiences at our exciting silent auction. Join us for a remarkable evening filled with indulgence\, community\, and celebration—all in support of the transformative power of storytelling. Who knew that championing the arts could taste so good! \n\n\n\nVIP Entry\n*Early Bird Special*\n$160 + tax/fees\nEnjoy an extra hour of exclusive whiskies and intimate conversations with brand ambassadors from\naround the world.\nGeneral Admission Entry\n*Early Bird Special*\n$125 + tax/fees\nEnjoy whiskies from around the world and learn about this ancient spirit while browsing the silent auction in a vibrant atmosphere.\n\n\n\nWho’s Pouring\nEnjoy unlimited tastings from Liberty Distillery\, Alimentaria Mexicana\, Shelter Point\, Central City Brewers & Distillers\, Odd Society Spirits\, Craftwork Spirits\, TS Global\, Tomintoul\, Magnum Scotch Malt Whisky Cream Liqueur\, Walsh Whiskey\, Ardbeg & Glenmorangie\, Fettercairn Highland Single Malt Distillery\, Roots and Wings Distillery \nWhy Whisky & Words Matters\nAs our largest annual fundraiser\, Whisky & Words helps ensure that the Vancouver Writers Fest can continue to inspire\, educate\, and connect our community through the power of words. By joining us\, you’re not just savouring fine spirits—you’re investing in a future filled with stories that matter. \nAnd as a registered charity\, we’ll provide a tax receipt for 75% of your ticket value.  \nNo minors. Must be 19+ to attend.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/whisky-words-2025
LOCATION:Performance Works
CATEGORIES:Special Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Whisky-2025_showpass-banner.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250416T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250416T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250313T163047Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250311T182509Z
UID:10000314-1744830000-1744833600@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Incite: Garth Mullins on Surviving the War on Drugs
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with Vancouver Public Library.\n\n\n\nGarth Mullins was born into a world too bright for him to fully see\, and too unforgiving to fully accept him. Bullied by both kids and adults\, who mocked his albinism and trivialized his blindness\, Garth turned to activism and punk rock\, and discovered a scene that embraced him for who he was. And yet he still couldn’t quell a haunting pain that had overwhelmed him since he was a child—until he tried heroin. \nGarth’s experience as a heroin user—including dopesickness\, incarceration and overdose—is an all-too-common story for those struggling with drug addiction. Crackdown is an intimate portrait of his relationship with opioids\, and a searing indictment of a broken system. With street drugs getting more toxic by the day\, drug users and their families\, friends\, and communities are left to pay the price. And for Garth\, it was this revelation that propelled him to the forefront of drug user activism. \nGarth joins us at Incite in conversation with The Globe and Mail health reporter Andrea Woo. These two award-winning journalists will discuss a radical reimagining of our approach to drug use\, and lead us to envisage a system that helps rather than punishes. \nAbout Incite\nPresented by the Vancouver Writers Fest and Vancouver Public Library\, Incite is a free quarterly series offering fascinating conversations with celebrated authors and emerging talents. Incite is open to all\, in-person at the VPL’s central branch or online. Books will be for sale by Book Warehouse\, a division of Black Bond Books\, and most events will have a signing after the talk. Can’t make the date? Sign up for the livestream to receive the recording in your inbox! 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/incite-crackdown
LOCATION:Vancouver Public Library – Central Library
CATEGORIES:Incite Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025_Incite-04-16_web-banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250404T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250404T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250225T174508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250321T170921Z
UID:10000311-1743795000-1743799500@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books & Ideas: Barry Sonnenfeld in Conversation
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with VIFF. \nBooks will be sold at the event by Book Warehouse/Black Bond Books\, and the talk will be followed by a book signing!  \nOne-of-a-kind filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld tells stories only he can tell. In this hilarious and enlightening new memoir\, he provides an inside glimpse into how Hollywood really works (or doesn’t)\, from his blockbuster career with iconic actors\, studio execs\, and producers. \nBest Possible Place\, Worst Possible Time delivers a cavalcade of delightful stories spanning Sonnenfeld’s four-decade Hollywood career\, from mega-franchises like The Addams Family and Men in Black; the critical favourites\, Get Shorty and Pushing Daisies; to the icons\, Will Smith\, John Travolta\, and Michael Jackson; and even the projects that got away: Forrest Gump\, Ali\, and anything starring Jim Carrey. \nFrom battling with studio executives and producers to bad-script-solving on set to coaxing actors into talking faster\, Sonnenfeld provides an entertaining master class in how to make commercial art in the face of constant human foible. Don’t miss hearing the icon in conversation with author\, film critic\, and year-round VIFF programmer Tom Charity at Books & Ideas\, a presentation of the Vancouver Writers Fest.  \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched in January 2025\, Books & Ideas is a new event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest on Granville Island\, home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival. 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/barry-sonnenfeld
LOCATION:Revue Stage
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025_Barry-Sonnenfeld_banner-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250325T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250325T203000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250306T194418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250306T194940Z
UID:10000312-1742929200-1742934600@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Books\, Booze & Chill @ The Liberty Distillery
DESCRIPTION:Click here for Tickets \n  \nJoin us for Volume 2 of Books\, Booze & Chill presented by The Liberty Distillery and in partnership with Vancouver Writers Fest \nGrab a book and come join fellow readers at The Liberty Distillery on Granville Island for a book club with a twist — or maybe a splash. Your ticket includes one craft cocktail of your choice from a select menu. \nWe’re not a regular book club — we’re a quiet book club. Here\, everyone brings their own book and we co-read together. \nWait\, What? Yup! No awkward introductions. No pressure to impress with your literary hot takes. Just you\, your book\, and a relaxed ambiance. \nBooks. Booze. Great company. No reading homework. Bring a book (or books) you want to ‘swap’ and meet new friends at the same time. The Vancouver Writers Fest is pleased to provide door prizes for the event! \nBring your current read or that book you keep meaning to start\, order a cocktail (or mocktail)\, and settle into a cozy seat at The Liberty Distillery to get your reading on. \nWant to chat about your book? Awesome. Prefer to stay in your own reading bubble? That’s totally fine. This is your space to blend sips and stories.
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/books-booze-mar25
LOCATION:The Liberty Distillery\, 1494 Old Bridge Street\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6H 3S6\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Books Booze & Chill
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/https___cdn.evbuc_.com_images_973996863_2579411772821_1_original.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250303T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250303T204500
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250210T232009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250211T223837Z
UID:10000310-1741030200-1741034700@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Canada Reads with Jamie Chai Yun Liew and Said M’Dahoma
DESCRIPTION:Canada Reads is back! Join Jamie Chai Yun Liew\, author of the shortlisted novel Dandelion\, and chef Saïd M’Dahoma for a thought-provoking conversation leading up to CBC’s Canada Reads. In this intimate exchange\, Saïd and Jamie will “break bread” together over a story that nourishes both the heart and the mind\, weaving through personal narratives\, shared experiences\, and the universal power of food to bring people together. \nKnown as The Pastry Nerd by his 200\,000+ social media followers\, Saïd M’Dahoma chose Dandelion by Jamie Chai Yun Liew as the one book all Canadians should read in 2025. Also the winner of the Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers Award\, Dandelion is a deeply affecting novel in which an Asian woman and new mother named Lily traces the journey of her own mother—who disappeared when Lily was eleven—from a small British Columbia mining town to Southeast Asia\, seeking to learn who she really is and where she belongs.  \n“What Dandelion brilliantly does is that it shows that there’s not just one immigrant story\,” M’Dahoma shared on CBC Radio’s Commotion. “There are so many different stories\, so many different dreams and aspirations that immigrants can have when they come… I think it just changes the perspective that some people might have about immigrants and how diverse immigrants can be.” \nHear them in conversation on Monday\, March 3 at the Revue Stage (1601 Johnston St\, Vancouver).  \n\nWe 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.\nAbout Books & Ideas\nLaunched in January 2025\, Books & Ideas is a new event series from the Vancouver Writers Fest on Granville Island\, home of the Writers Fest’s celebrated annual literary festival. 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. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/canadareads2025
LOCATION:Revue Stage
CATEGORIES:Books & Ideas
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025_Canada-Reads_web-banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250225T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20250225T200000
DTSTAMP:20260417T223733
CREATED:20250129T215017Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250218T215457Z
UID:10000309-1740510000-1740513600@writersfest.bc.ca
SUMMARY:Incite: David A. Robertson on Living with Anxiety
DESCRIPTION:Presented in partnership with Vancouver Public Library.\n\n\n\nFrom the outside\, David A. Robertson looks as if he has it all. The author of over 25 books in various genres\, his achievements include numerous awards—not to mention a loving family and a platform for speaking on Indigenous perspectives\, cultures and concerns. But what we see on the outside rarely reveals what is happening inside.  \nRobertson lives with “little monsters”: chronic\, debilitating health anxiety and panic attacks accompanied\, at times\, by depression. During the worst periods\, he finds getting out of bed to walk down the hall an insurmountable task.  \nThe Canadian Mental Health Association reports that by the time we reach 40 years of age\, half of Canadians will have—or previously have had—a mental health problem. Generalized anxiety disorders are on the rise\, particularly among young people aged 15–24. In All the Little Monsters: How I Learned to Live with Anxiety\, Robertson shares his personal story with warmth and candidness\, in the hope of making other people’s mental health journeys a little less lonely. \nDavid A. Robertson joins us at Incite in conversation with Vancouver Writers Fest Artistic Director Leslie Hurtig. He’ll speak about the tools that have helped him carry on\, including community\, therapy\, medication\, and the simple question he asks himself on repeat: what if everything will be okay? \nBooks will be for sale courtesy of Book Warehouse/Black Bond Books\, with a signing afterwards. Can’t make the event time? Register for the livestream option and we’ll send you a link to watch the recording!  \nJoin us for Incite all year-round\, in-person or online! This quarterly series is free and open to all\, offering conversations with celebrated authors and emerging talents. 
URL:https://writersfest.bc.ca/event/incite-little-monsters
LOCATION:Vancouver Public Library – Central Library
CATEGORIES:Incite Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://writersfest.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025_Incite-02-25_social-banner.jpg
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