Word Vancouver Board of Directors
Mary Ann Yazedjian
President
1.What do you love most about the Literary Community in Vancouver?
Pre-Covid (and we'll get there again!), I loved how many literary events and readings there were going on around Vancouver all the time. In Covid times, I've loved how we've all adapted so quickly to having our literary events online and making them as accessible to as many people as possible.
2. Who is your favourite Canadian Author?
My favourite Canadian author...there's no way I can pick just one! The authors that I anticipate new books from are Janie Chang, Andre Alexis, Cherie Dimaline...just to name a few. :)
3. What Canadian book are you currently reading or excited to read?
I just read Genki Ferguson's Satellite Love, which comes out in March, and is fantastic. And now I'm reading Tanya Boteju's upcoming YA book Bruised, which I can already tell I'm going to love as much as I loved their first book Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens.
Laura Farina
Vice-President
1. What do you love most about the Literary Community in Vancouver?
So much! I love the spirit of experimentation in Vancouver's literary community, its willingness to try new things in new ways. I love its deep commitment to mentoring emerging writers.
2. Who is your favourite Canadian Author?
I discovered the writing of Stuart Ross one summer when I hadn't written a word in over a year. His playfulness about the most serious of things, and his ability to use these wacky surreal images to get at the heart of what it means to be human was deeply affecting and inspiring.
3. What Canadian book are you currently reading or excited to read?
I am anxiously awaiting the third novel in Eden Robinson's Trickster trilogy. I've been rereading Kevin Spenst's Hearts Amok, and digging its energy and wordplay.
Tiffany Stone
Director
1.What do you love most about the Literary Community in Vancouver?
So. Much. Talent.
2. Who is your favourite Canadian Author?
Fellow kids’ poets Robert Heidbreder and Sheree Fitch inspire me with their linguistic gymnastics and joy for words.
3. What Canadian book are you currently reading or excited to read?
I ‘read’ one of Sarah Kramer’s vegan cookbooks, published by Arsenal Pulp Press, almost daily and have been relying on them for recipes since I got them when they were newly published.
David Geary
Director
1. What do you love most about the Literary Community in Vancouver?
Everyone is happy to fly their freak flag high!
2. Who is your favourite Canadian Author?
Kim Senklip Harvey Kim Senklip Harvey - Director, Playwright, Actor
3. What Canadian book are you currently reading or excited to read?
Love After The End - An Anthology of Two-Spirit & Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction - edited by Joshua Whitehead.
Photo Credit: Tae Hoon Kim
Taslim Jaffer
Director
1. What do you love most about the Literary Community in Vancouver?
What I love most about the folks who read and write in Vancouver and surrounding cities is the diversity of voices, stories, and interests. And that within that diversity there is a common thread of being lit-lovers, supporting each other as best we can and always willing to learn how to do that better.
2. Who is your favourite Canadian Author?
My favourite Canadian author is Lawrence Hill. I admire his ability to write fiction and non-fiction equally well, and have always come away from anything he has written having learned something.
3. What Canadian book are you currently reading or excited to read?
Next in my reading queue is Souvankham Thammavongsa's short story collection, How to Pronounce Knife. I was on the library waitlist for some time and finally, the book is in my hands!
Allan Horton
Director, At-large
1. What do you love most about the Literary Community in Vancouver?
Not being resident in Vancouver, I love the literary community in any location. The lively exchange of ideas and thought provoking language grabs me and sends me off in a new direction intellectually and emotionally with every encounter. The realization that there are so many things to explore and discuss stimulates me to no end - and it never will end.
2. Who is your favourite Canadian Author?
Having spent a number of years in the US, I am coming to appreciate more Canadian authors. My current favourite, to no one’s surprise, is Leonard Cohen. His passing five years ago reminded me of the incredible depth of his expression. It continues to touch me.
3. What Canadian book are you currently reading or excited to read?Believe if or not, I’m currently reading a Stephen Leacock book I didn’t know existed until a neighbour of mine and I were talking a few months ago and he mentioned that Leacock had been a political scientist and economist at McGill after studying at the University of Chicago. He is remembered now as a light humorist and, in his day, was one of the most recognized humorists in the world. I wanted to become a bit more familiar with the academic side of Leacock so I’m reading 'The Dawn of Canadian History; A Chronicle of Aboriginal Canada’ and ‘Adventures of the Far North; A Chronicle of the Arctic Seas’ both published in 1920. Leacock’s academic work in history and economics are largely forgotten because of his light-hearted approach so I wanted to see what that was like in his writing. Even his light humour is largely unknown by young writers and readers now. Everyone has their day I guess. I really need to read more contemporary Canadian authors.
