Hasan Namir Hasan Namir has written a debut novel about being queer and Muslim set in 2003 war-torn Iraq. One of the Globe 100 Best Books of the Year, God in Pink calls for equality and respect for all human beings and questions why the gay characters shouldn’t actively participate in Islam – none of them abandon … Read more
Written by Del Phillips So …. you want to write some poetry or a story? Have you secretly wanted to learn how to polish up your writing and give it legs and life? Have you dreamed of taking it off the page and on to performance? Well, there is a wonderful workshop being offered for … Read more
Written by Del Phillips Songwriting may seem like an easy thing to master. We all hum and sing and make up lyrics but making a song that can actually take a comfortable form is a rare talent. Kim June Johnson is such a rare and talented woman who will share her songwriting skills during the … Read more
Still two chances left to hear Eco-Journalist/Activist Andrew Nikiforuk! Andrew Nikiforuk is an award-winning investigative journalist who has been writing about the oil and gas industry, energy and economics for more than two decades. A winner of the Rachel Carson Environmental Book Award, he was one of the first journalists in North America to document the … Read more
Lively, unrehearsed, and not to be missed – Main Stage events at the Readers and Writers Festival, July 13-16. Each year, the organizing committee chooses themes that we hope will appeal to both audiences and the invited authors. This year, there are four Main Stage events: Des Kennedy hosts the first one on Friday evening, … Read more
Carleigh Baker Denman Island is set to welcome Carleigh Baker, an award-winning writer of Cree-Métis/Icelandic descent. Carleigh writes book reviews for the Globe and Mail with a focus on aboriginal non-fiction. Follow the link below to see a review of her own recent book of short stories, “Bad Endings” (2017). Emily St. John Mandel Emily St. … Read more
Stewart Goodings Don’t delay! Registration for workshops at Denman Island’s annual Readers and Writers Festival July 13 – 16 is now open. Here are this year’s intriguing opportunities for aspiring writers: Caroline Adderson, the award-winning Vancouver author, will be leading the five day Writing Week program. Her novels (Ellen in Pieces, The Sky is Falling, etc.) have … Read more
Stewart Goodings Diana Jones, of Victoria, one of the Readers and Writers Festival “Writing Week” alumni, has just had her first novel, “The Bearer’s Burden” published by Friesen Press. Four years ago, Diana took part in the intensive five day writing workshop led by renowned author Jack Hodgins. She credits the encouragement of both the … Read more
Des Kennedy The untimely death of Ojibwa author Richard Wagamese brought particular sadness to those of us close to the Denman Island Readers & Writers Festival. Richard was a featured author at our 2014 festival, mesmerizing large audiences with his skillful fiction as well as his candid honesty about his own sometimes painful personal journey. … Read more
Stewart Goodings As a glass half-full kind of guy, I’d prefer to talk about the delights of helping to run the Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival – the amazing authors we meet, the high of seeing the Community Hall full for a rollicking Sunday morning Main Stage Event moderated by Des Kennedy, the piles … Read more