Update: Dan K. Woo is regrettably no longer able to join this event. Luckily, Janice Lynn Mather will be stepping in to join us! 

That tiny detail which holds insight into the most expansive of experiences; the crisp focus of an event that unfurls across time: despite their spare canvases, short stories are often profound. This is certainly the case for these three collections, examining human nature and the burdens it holds. Dan K. Woo’s Taobao introduces us to characters from different regions of China, sharing a captivating portrait of this country. Francine Cunningham, who’s been compared to Chuck Palahniuk and Joyce Carol Oates, explores redemption amidst desperation in God Isn’t Here Today. Saeed Teebi shares engrossing stories of Palestinian immigrants to Canada in the taut, compelling Her First Palestinian. Discover more about these masters of observation. Moderated by Eddy Boudel Tan.

Event Participants:

Francine Cunningham

FRANCINE CUNNINGHAM is an award-winning Indigenous writer, artist, and educator. God Isn’t Here Today is her debut collection of short fiction, and her debut book of poems On/Me was nominated for the BC and Yukon Book Prize, the Indigenous Voices Awards, and the Vancouver Book Award. (ALBERTA)

Janice Lynn Mather

JANICE LYNN MATHER is the author of two acclaimed novels for young adults: Learning to Breathe, which was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, and Facing the Sun, which won the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award. Uncertain Kin is her adult debut. (BRITISH COLUMBIA)

Eddy Boudel Tan

EDDY BOUDEL TAN is the author of two novels: After Elias, a finalist for the ReLit Awards and the Edmund White Award, and The Rebellious Tide, a finalist for the Ferro-Grumley Award. In 2021, he was named a Rising Star by the Writers’ Trust of Canada.

Saeed Teebi

SAEED TEEBI is a writer and lawyer based in Toronto. His story “Her First Palestinian” was shortlisted for the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize and is the title of his latest collection of short stories. He was born to Palestinian parents in Kuwait and has lived in Canada since 1993. (ONTARIO/PALESTINE)