Past Events: LitFest 2018

A free noon-hour conversation at CBC Centre Stage with local author Carissa Halton.

With all the fake news out there, do you ever wonder what's really happening in the writing world? Where advent calendars top book sales charts, poetry is delivered on coffee sleeves, and short stories come out of machines at the airport—that's YEG for you. Join us for a discussion on Edmonton's creative literary scene to kick off LitFest 2018. Festivities will also include the rapid-fire Elevator Cabaret, where special guests spill the beans on the rest of the LitFest line-up.

A free noon-hour conversation at CBC Centre Stage with author Lindsay Wong.

A special conversation honouring Richard Wagamese and the posthumous release of his final novel, Starlight, with CBC's Shelagh Rogers, Patti Laboucane-Benson, and Wayne Arthurson. A discussion to acknowledge Wagamese's contributions to Canadian literature, and to examine the scope of Indigenous writing in Canada today.

The ever-popular Memoir Hour returns! Family stories abound, from dealing with one's own parents to becoming one, from learning cultural cues to confronting tragedy, from reluctant hockey moms to absorbing "Dad advice," anyone with a parent will identify with and enjoy this bound-to-be fascinating conversation.

With raw honesty, author Vivek Shraya delivers an important record of the cumulative damage caused by misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia, in turn releasing trauma from a body that has always refused to assimilate. Her latest book explores how masculinity was imposed on her as a boy and continues to haunt her as a girl—and how we might reimagine gender for the 21st century. I’m Afraid of Men is a journey from camouflage to a riot of colour, and a blueprint for how we might cherish all that makes us different and conquer all that makes us afraid. Featuring a special guest performance with dancer Sean Giroux.

In this intimate workshop, Angie Abdou will explore the unique challenges of memoir writing. How do you write about family (about children, about parents, about spouses) while respecting their autonomy and privacy? In a narrative form that relies so much on candid honesty, how does a writer decide where to draw the curtain and protect intimate family details from the eyes of the writer? When does the work warrant going deep into personal lives? How does a writer make these decisions – to serve the book while also honouring the family? Through a mix of exercises, examples, and theory, this workshop will explore strategies for immersing readers in vivid scenes and building emotional investment in a story. Bring a pen and paper!

In Lindsay Wong's jaw-dropping, darkly comedic memoir, a young woman comes of age in a dysfunctional Asian family who blame their woes on ghosts and demons when they should really be on anti-psychotic meds. At once a witty and touching, Wong's memoir examines the Asian immigrant experience, along with a harrowing and honest depiction of the vagaries of mental illness. The Woo-Woo is a gut-wrenching and beguiling manual for surviving family, and oneself. Wong will be joined in conversation with host Shawn Tse of Seconds Please! TV.

True crime often tells thrilling, action-packed stories about serial killers, mass murderers, and the people who investigate them. But where are the victims and survivors’ points of view? Carys Cragg wrote her memoir, Dead Reckoning, after surviving her father’s violent death and then meeting the incarcerated man who killed him, twenty years after the crime. Come and learn how to use your experiences to create an emotionally compelling story, by focusing on often untold and silenced stories—those of the people who have been devastated by crime.

What makes us remember? Why do we forget? And what, exactly, is a memory? With playfulness and intelligence, Adventures in Memory answers these questions and more, offering an illuminating look at one of our most fascinating faculties. The authors—two Norwegian sisters, one a neuropsychologist and the other an acclaimed novelist—skillfully interweave history, research, and exceptional personal stories, taking readers on a captivating exploration on the history of understanding memory. Filled with cutting-edge research and nimble storytelling, the result is a charming and memorable adventure. Travel assistance for this event is provide by the Norwegian Literature Abroad Program, NORLA.

Veteran ER physician Brian Goldman reflects on his career in scrubs. While his regular radio observations on CBC's White Coat, Black Art have delved into the fascinating (and sometimes dark) lives of doctors, his most recent book, The Power of Kindness, takes readers far from the theatre of medicine and into the world at large to investigate why kindness is so vital to our existence. Hosted by The Irrelevant Show's ever-irreverent Peter Brown. Presented with support from Kucey Dental Group.

Two of the most talked-about authors of the year come together to discuss society's messages on gender, and what it means for young girls and boys—and the nonbinary—alike. Elizabeth Renzetti's Shrewed takes wry and closely observed look at the lives of women, while Rachel Giese's Boys examines what it means to become a man. Hosted by Edmonton author (and dad), Omar Mouallem.

Bestselling author of On A Cold Road and founding member of the Rheostatics, journalist Dave Bidini uses his stint as guest columnist at the Yellowknifer newspaper to explore the "Gateway to the North," the meaning of community, and the issues facing northern residents and their daily lives. In conversation with Avenue Magazine's Steven Sandor.

How do multilingual speakers negotiate the space between two or more cultures in an increasingly multicultural and multilingual environment? How can multilingual writers expand the horizon for literature in our city, province, and country? With a strong passion for English and/or their heritage languages, six Canadian writers offer their inspiration and stories; raise questions about community, nation, and belonging; and explore new ways of addressing audiences in Canada as well as at home. Panelists will include Mila Philipzig, Lisa Dublin, Leilei Chen, Luciana Erregue-Sacchi, Shimelis Gebremichael, and (Ja)nine Muster. Hosted by Nisha Patel. Presented by the Borderlines Writers Circle members of the Writers' Guild of Alberta.

A free noon-hour conversation at CBC Centre Stage with author Dave Bidini

A free noon-hour conversation with Darrel J. McLeod, author of Mamaskatch: A Cree Coming of Age. Presented in collaboration with the Canadian Literature Centre's Brown Bag Lunch Series.

Growing up in the tiny village of Smith, Alberta, Darrel J. McLeod was surrounded by his Cree family’s history. In shifting and unpredictable stories, his mother, Bertha, shared narratives of their culture, their family and the cruelty that she and her sisters endured in residential school. Beautifully written, honest and thought-provoking, Mamaskatch—named for the Cree word used as a response to dreams shared—is ultimately an uplifting account of overcoming personal and societal obstacles. Hosted by Lewis Cardinal.

The special LitFest edition of Story Slam is an all-time favourite event, where slammers battle for the limelight to the audience judges' hearts. Ten writers. Five Minutes. All glory. (Arrive early, seating is limited.)

As Carissa Halton's family made their home in one of the oldest parts of the city—Alberta Avenue—her writing reflected on the revitalization that is slowly changing the view from her little yellow house. Join us at OTTO for a conversation about the book and the neighbourhood, with a short walking tour to follow (event will start and end at OTTO. Stick around for dinner if you like!). This event is presented with support from Walkable Edmonton.

If there's one thing Andrea Warner understands it's how to take the lives of renowned musicians and transform them into stories. Join the author for a reading and conversation about her latest book Buffy Sainte Marie: The Authorized Biography. Stay following the talk for a special performance with Edmonton's own folk-soul songstress extraordinaire, Celeigh Cardinal.

A free noon-hour conversation at CBC Centre Stage with author Andrea Warner.

Journalist Marcello Di Cintio first visited Palestine in 1999. Like most outsiders, the Palestinian narrative that he knew had been simplified by a seemingly unending struggle, a near-Sisyphean curse of stories of oppression, exile, and occupation told over and over again. In Pay No Heed to the Rockets, he reveals a more complex story, the Palestinian experience as seen through the lens of authors and books, exploring what literature means to modern Palestinians and how they make sense of the conflict between a rich imaginative life and the daily violence of survival.

A celebration of some of YEG's finest food artisans, along with the book that salutes them: Food Artisans of Alberta. The authors and artisans will be joined by Trina Moyles, who discusses the importance of female providers in her book, Women Who Dig: Farming, Feminism, and the Fight to Feed the World. Tastings of various foods (and wine!) will be provided. Tickets are limited, and always sell-out, so be sure to book in advance. Presented with support from Your Holistic Earth, Canada's first holistic health care system: www.yourholisticearth.ca .

Writing Raw: How to Explore Personal Material That Is Touchy, Dark, Intimate, Tangled, Problematic, Risky, Taboo or Downright Radioactive

How do you write about subjects that are raw, in all the senses of that word? “Raw” experience can mean many things: intimate; painful; crude; unprocessed; exposed; frank; harsh; undiluted. Such material holds out unusual promise, for the writer and for a potential reader. And it poses unusual challenges. Whatever is most raw is usually most private, hidden from others and often from oneself. Unearthing it is difficult, delicate, painful. Valuable, potentially; but fraught.

Dilemmas bedevil every stage of the writing. Should I write about this stuff? At what cost to myself? At what cost to others? How can I approach it—in what form? What genre: fiction (what type)? Nonfiction (what structure)? What language can I use? How will it change the experience to record it? What do I do with parts of the story that belong to others? How much should I disclose? Can I share it—with whom? Can I—should I—publish it? Everyone has raw experience. Some want to write about it. Having written about my own mental illness, and now about my mother’s dementia, I’ve discovered a few strategies—and many more questions—about working with the raw. This workshop will use a collaborative approach to explore some of the ways this tricky, transformative work can be done.

Glass Buffalo teams up again with LitFest to present past magazine contributors to share their writing and perspectives on current-day women’s issues, including the #MeToo movement, media representation of female bodies, and social and religious gender expectations. Hear from three thoughtful women on what progress the movement's made in the last year, and all of the work still to come. With host and editor of Glass Buffalo, Matthew Stepanic.

In a world where every place has been discovered, what is the point of travel writing? In this workshop, we will discuss the changing role of narrative travel journalism in today’s hyper-connected world. When writers go off to seek stories in the great wide world, what are their goals and responsibilities, how do they portray the Other, and how far should they go to create compelling art?

Part manifesto, part memoir, This Wound is a World is an invitation to “cut a hole in the sky to world inside.” The highly acclaimed, multiple-award winning Edmonton poet Billy-Ray Belcourt issues a call to turn to love and sex to understand how Indigenous peoples shoulder sadness and pain like theirs without giving up on the future. His poems upset genre and play with form, scavenging for a de-colonial kind of heaven, where everyone is at least a little gay.

The popular Sunday brunch on the final day of the fest returns! Join authors and readers to reminisce about the fest, hear from the author's books, and about what's going on in YEG's lit community. Patrons will enjoy a mimosa or two, and a fabulous buffet brunch, courtesy of the Matrix Hotel. Featuring authors Billy-Ray Belcourt, Trina Moyles, Carissa Halton, and Mike Barnes, and host-with-the-most, Edmonton's own Ted Bishop.