Three bestselling Lower Mainland authors with three different outlooks on mystery and crime-writing, ranging from dark and thought-provoking to historical intrigue to outright comedy. Join us for a lively conversation where A.J. Devlin, S.M. Freedman, and Iona Whishaw chat about their inspiration, their locations (British Columbia!), and their characters and entertain us with short readings.

Moderator: Erik D’Sousa, Death on the Rocks (Timbercrest Publishing)

Readers: A.J. Devlin, Bronco Buster (NeWest Press) | S.M. Freedman, Blood Atonement (Dundurn Press) | Iona Whishaw, Lightning Strikes the Silence (TouchWood Editions)

Join four dynamic queer poets for short readings and a discussion about the craft of writing poetry.

Moderator: Guest LGBTQIA2S+ Curator Jen Currin

Readers: kitchen mckeown, i need not be good (Rahila’s Ghost Press) | David Ly, Dream of Me as Water (Palimpsest Press) | Jane Shi, echolalia echolalia (Brick Books) | Kayla Czaga, Midway (House of Anansi Press)

In this event, Indigenous writers Selina Boan and Molly Cross-Blanchard will read from their recent collections and meet in conversation for a rich discussion about poetry, process, and cross-genre creativity. 

Moderator: Molly Cross-Blanchard, Exhibitionist (Coach House Books)

Reader: Selina Boan, Undoing Hours (Harbour Publishing)

This panel invites some of Vancouver’s most engaged Spoken Word Poets who have mentored, taught, and significantly impacted many poets across the country.

Moderator: Johnny D Trinh

Readers: CR Avery, 38 Bar Blues (Write Bloody North) | Johnny MacRae | Kiran Kaur | Leslie Stark | Brandon Wint, Divine Animal (Write Bloody North)

Join these acclaimed authors as they share their personal stories taking us through the hardest of times to the joys and celebrations so that we cry, laugh, and cheer with them.

Moderator: Todd Wong

Readers: Keiko Honda, Accidental Blooms (Caitlin Press) | Tara Sidhoo Fraser, When My Ghost Sings: A Memoir of Stroke, Recovery, and Transformation (Arsenal Pulp Press) | Kagan Goh, Surviving Samsara: A Memoir of Breakdowns, Breakthroughs, and Mental Illness (Caitlin Press)

Join these three authors who examine climate change and its devastation from various vantage points to give us the personal, the historical and the hopeful.

Sponsored by The Writers Union of Canada and the Canada Arts Council

Moderator: Vince Beiser

Readers: Sarah Cox, Signs of Life (Goose Lane Editions) | Meghan Fandrich, Burning Sage: Poems from the Lytton fire (Caitlin Press) | Frances Peck, Uncontrolled Flight (NeWest Editions)

Local authors are invited to share their work and discuss it with a live audience.

Moderator: Anna Eastland, Unexpected Blossoming: A journey of grief and hope (Blurb)

Readers: Kate MacIntosh, The Champagne Letters (Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books) | Esmeralda Cabral, How to Clean a Fish: And Other Adventures in Portugal (University of Alberta Press)

Where do writers get their ideas? For this panel — from you! All morning, The Writer’s Studio has been soliciting discussion topics at their table in the concourse.

Moderator: Andrew Chesham

Readers: Nazanine Hozar | Raoul Fernandes | Dayna Mahannah

Are you a new or established local writer or journalist looking to refine the art of your pitch? Join us for a panel discussion by local editors and writers on pitching and submitting your work — including general interest, news, literary magazines, and niche publications.

Moderator: Jessica Key

Readers: Jesse Donaldson | Sara Harowitz, The Georgia Straight | Dayna Mahannah, Geist