Newsletter of the Vancouver Writers Fest

WINTER 2012

LITERATI GALA WRAP UP

janet wilson CArol & Wayne

Cunningham

Festival Wrap-up

Hal Wake, Artistic Director

Many who have visited us since the Festival ended have noticed a certain glow emanating from the office, perhaps more accurately, an afterglow. By any measure—attendance, box office revenue, book sales, satisfied writers and audiences—this was one of our most successful Festivals ever. There were many highlights and the ones you settle on depends on what events you were able to see and I guarantee you no one saw everything. Here are a few of mine: Anne Perry and Joanne Drayton in Redemption. Joanne’s biography of crime writer Anne Perry dealt with Anne’s involvement in a notorious murder when she was a teenager, an event that Anne has rarely spoken about publicly. As the event got underway, the room was charged as the audience wondered how the subject would be broached. Moderator Kathryn Gretsinger handled the issue with great tact, but without flinching, and the result was cathartic for everyone in the room. When the first question from the audience was actually an expression of admiration for Anne’s courage and her books, Anne was visibly moved. When Tess Gallagher in her gentle, but strong voice, quoted her late husband Raymond Carver’s poem “Late Fragment,” after describing their last months, days and minutes together, the entire audience wept in silence.

Gordon Pinsent Alistair MacLeod

Donna Morrissey

It wasn’t all serious stuff. Donna Morrissey, Russell Wangersky and Gordon Pinsent swapped tall tales and saucy stories in From the Rock and turned the Improv Theatre into a Newfoundland kitchen party. There was music of course, including Gregorian Chanters from Christ Church Cathedral who accompanied crime writer Louise Penny and transported the audience down through the centuries to the beginning of western music.

Louise Penny

Some years the Festival seems to have a hallmark characteristic that manifests itself in various ways and gives the Festival a bit of a stamp. That characteristic this year was trust. Anne Perry had to trust that Joanne Drayton was not going to sensationalize the events of her past in her biography. Both Joanne and Anne had to trust that host Kathryn Gretsinger would ask questions that were respectful and aimed at discovering the truth, not ones that dwelt on the crime or implied judgment. When I interviewed Alistair MacLeod about his writing and his wonderful story “Remembrance” (which the Festival commissioned) he had no idea what I was going to ask him, but he trusted me. When trust is freely given and then earned, the rewards are often moments of connection that we yearn for all our lives. It is a source of deep satisfaction to all of us at the Festival when those moments take place during our events. I hope you experienced more than a few yourselves. A heartfelt thanks to all who made this year’s Festival possible. It was a marvelous celebration of our 25th anniversary.

Festival Highlights

Author Feedback

Margaret Atwood

“Solitude, while conducive to writing and reading, is sometimes overrated. I did not know how hungry I was to converse and listen, how eager to meet fellow citizens of Planet Book until I arrived in Vancouver. The VWF is full of great things, daring things, the beautiful, the improvised, the intricate and things that happen by fluke. Thank you dear Festival Organizers, Generous Volunteers, Kind Readers, Fellow Writers. Thank you for creating such a vibrant human space. You have completely rekindled my faith in the future of reading.” Kyo Maclear “Vancouver is one of the greatest festivals I’ve ever had the pleasure to be part of, anywhere in the world. Serious about literature and relaxed about pretty much everything else, I was ensorcelled by it from the moment I arrived on Granville Island. The location is perfect - beautiful, selfcontained, packed with terrific auditoria. The programming was inspired—everyone I spoke with was having a hugely enjoyable time flitting from one great event to the next—and it was a pleasure as a writer to meet so many enthusiastic readers and to see everyone’s sessions full.” Chris Cleave

Jane Urquhart with Chor Leone

Junot Díaz

Audience Feedback “This year’s Festival was outstanding. The mix of writers was inspiring and the moderators were excellent. I especially love the combination of literature and music.” Ruth F.

“Prior to the Poetry Bash I thought about what I would like to experience: diverse poets with a wide range of experiences… and you did it! A fabulous group of poets, insightful and joyous!” Karen M. “Junot Diaz was absolutely dazzling. It’s incredibly inspiring to be able to attend events with writers of this calibre. I’ve been to four events this year and I really like hearing authors I haven’t heard before, especially from outside Canada.” Jean E.

The Vancouver Writers Fest presents the 11th annual

aDram Come True

Single Malt Scotch Whisky Sampling

Enjoy the superb, complex flavours of a variety of rare and distinguished single malts. A Dram Come True will take place in late spring at a new location, visit writersfest.bc.ca in February 2013 for details.

“I appreciated the diverse selection of writers in attendance and the writings presented — particularly from newer, emerging talents. I was impressed by the eloquence and honesty of Incite authors.” Doug P.

Tamas Dabozy

Candace Savage

Tim Bowling

Sandra Martin

Zac Unger

Every second Wednesday from January 16 to May 22

01/16: Tim Bowling, Tamas Dabozy, Candace Savage 02/13: Sandra Martin, Zac Unger 02/27: Arthur Black, Jackson Davies 03/13: John Barton, Nicole Brossard, Catherine Owen 03/27: Colin McAdam

Guy Gavriel Kay

04/17: Guy Gavriel Kay, Ruth Ozeki

Ruth Ozeki

Title Support

Granville Island

Government Support

Australian Council for the Arts British Columbia Arts Council Canada Council for the Arts Canadian Heritage City of Vancouver Creative New Zealand Creative Scotland Instituto Italiano di Cultura Province of British Columbia Republique Francaise

spreading the word

Spreading the Word, the Festival’s education program, presented 36 events for schools at the fall Festival, sent 20 authors on Reading with Writers school visits, and sent Brian Brett to Cortes Island and Janet Wilson to Haida Gwaii as Writers in Residence. The Cynthia Woodward Development Fund provided 565 subsidized tickets to students throughout the lower mainland and the Bus Subsidy Fund, generously supported by Bonnie Mah, provided local travel assistance to 358 students.

Reading with Writers

Festival Sponsors

Bestseller

City of Vancouver Greenest City 2020 Hangar 18 HarperCollinsCanada Ltd. Random House of Canada Limited Scotia Private Client Group Limited Edition

D&M Publishers Inc. Penguin Group (Canada) Simon & Schuster Canada

Spreading the Word Sponsors

Classic

Amazon.ca HSBC Limited Edition

Kidsbooks

Media Sponsors

CBC Global BC Lamar The Vancouver Sun

In-Kind Sponsors

Air Canada Dockside Restaurant Granville Island Hotel Origins Organic Coffee Pemberton Distillery Rogers Tinhorn Creek

Corporate Support

ACL Services Ltd. Ampersand Canada’s Book and Gift Agency Borden Ladner Gervais LLP Brick Books Inc. Harbour Publishing Co. Ltd. John Steeves Law Corporation Macaulay McColl LLP Microsoft Orca Book Publishers Ltd. Siddall & Associates Telus Thomas Allen & Son Ltd. Urban Impact Recycling Ltd.

Scott Chantler’s Reading with Writers visit at South Slope Elementary & BC School for the Deaf

The Fall Reading with Writers program sent nine Festival authors to local inner-city classrooms, inspiring students to check out books, visit school libraries and get writing. Richard Scrimger, Shane Peacock, Susan Musgrave, Arthur Slade, Sarah Tsiang and Sheree Fitch engaged and entertained students, and talk to them about how their ideas are transformed into a book. “It was a pleasure to host Susan Musgrave here at Britannia. She was engaging and forthcoming in talking about how her personal life shaped her writing. The students were quite mesmerized by her accounts of her life experiences.” Anne Sander, Teacher Librarian Britannia Secondary School

Graphic novelist Scott Chantler visited South Slope Elementary & BC School for the Deaf. TeacherLibrarian Jennifer Araujo was thrilled her students were given the opportunity to engage with an acclaimed novelist and illustrator and feels the students got a lot out of the experience, “and loved the chance to get his autograph.” Through La Joie de Lire, Quebec author Angèle Delaunois and Saskatchewan author Martine Noël-Maw visited French immersion classrooms across the lower mainland. Thank you to HSBC Bank Canada for sponsoring Reading with Writers.

“Sheree Fitch’s presentation was truly a gift for our school. With such limited funds, this kind of inspirational speaker is not always easy for us to arrange. Sheree was so compelling when talking about writing and she really encouraged the children to just pick up a pencil and write.” Mary-Ann Brown, Principal Douglas Road Elementary School

spreading the word

WRITER-in-residence on Haida Gwaii

Communit y partners

Canadian Parents for French Chapters Indigo Ruby Slippers Theatre Simon Fraser University The Walrus Vancouver Public Library Whistler Readers & Writers Festival Urban Impact Recycling Ltd.

Photos: Jack Litrell

Travel Assistance

For one week in October, award-winning author and illustrator Janet Wilson mentored a group of Grade 6 and 7 students at Tahayghen Elementary School in Masset, Haida Gwaii. Each day, Janet taught writing and illustrating workshops for the students, focusing on the power of the written word. Tahayghen’s principal, Bernadette Ouellette welcomed Janet’s visit. “We are very excited to have Janet Wilson come and visit us. Our students are very talented and enthusiastic about writing. Unfortunately, we live so far away from the mainland that having visitors is expensive and limits our experiences. The teachers are grateful when there are opportunities for their students to learn and explore a variety of different mediums.” Wilson was thrilled at the prospect of her visit to Haida Gwaii. “This is my first experience of a West Coast First Nation community, my goal was to meet the students and inspire them with true stories of young activists. Hopefully I’ll light a few sparks.”

The students were inspired by Janet’s book Shannen and the Dream for a School, which tells the true story of young activist Shannen Koostachin and her fight for a safe school with culturally based education on the Attawapiskat First Nation Reserve. Janet helped guide the students to write their own call to action about issues that are important to them. During her residency on Haida Gwaii, Janet also spoke to elementary students in Port Clements and held a reading at a local coffee shop. The Writer in Residence program is generously sponsored by Amazon and supported by Pacific Coastal Airlines and the Michael R. Shaw Foundation. Amazon.ca is committed to fostering the creation, discussion and publication of new authors and new books. “Amazon.ca is honoured to be able to work with the Vancouver Writers Fest in support of nurturing and developing the next generation of great writers.” Jon Fine

Director of Author and Publisher Relations at Amazon.ca

Air Canada Alcuin Society Anvil Press Australian Council for the Arts Biblioasis Brindle & Glass Publishing Coach House Books Consulat général de France à Vancouver Cormorant Books Creative New Zealand Creative Scotland Doubleday Canada D&M Publishers Inc. Éditions de l’Isatis Goose Lane Editions Groundwood Books Hachette Book Group Canada Harbour Publishing/ Nightwood Editions HarperCollinsCanada Ltd. House of Anansi Istituto Italiano di Cultura Kids Can Press Knopf Canada Les Éditions de la nouvelle plume McArthur & Co. McClelland & Stewart Nimbus Publishing Orca Book Publishers Pedlar Press Penguin Group Canada Raincoast Books Random House of Canada Second Story Press Department of World Literature and the Humanities Institute at SFU Simon & Schuster Canada Surrey International Writers’ Conference The Betty & Ralph Gustafson Chair of Poetry at Vancouver Island University The Creative Writing Program at UBC The McLean Foundation Thomas Allen & Son Talon Books Thistledown Press Tundra Books

LITERATI GALA WRAP UP

Literati Gal a Sponsors Literati Presenting Sponsor

Scotia Private Client Group Literati Table Sponsors

Annabel Lyon, Anne Giardini, Miranda Hill

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP CAI Capital Management

Rivka and Miriam Lipsey

Literati Reception Sponsor

Vancouver Film School

Literati Gala Art Donor

Andre Petterson Bau-Xi Gallery

Literati Gala Auction Donors

Alma Lee, Louise Dennys

Graham Harris, Carina Harris, Shannon Boggis

To kick off the Festival and commemorate our 25th Anniversary, this year’s Literati Gala was inspired by the fun, festivity and joy of birthday parties. Balloons, birthday presents and confetti brought a pop of colour to the reception and each table was treated to a oneof-a-kind centerpiece: a birthday cake made entirely out of books. Guests at the reception sipped celebratory sparkling peach bellinis and nibbled on fresh popcorn while mingling with Festival authors Alistair MacLeod, Lawrence Hill, Annabel Lyon and Vincent Lam, to name a few. The evening began with an uplifting

performance by the Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir. Gloria Macarenko was a lively and engaging MC and guests were moved to laughter and tears by testimonials from Shirarose Wilensky, a longtime friend of the Festival, and Festival authors Sheree Fitch and Donna Morrissey. The support of everyone in attendance, the generosity of our donors and the dedication of the Literati Gala committee provided the Vancouver Writers Fest with the ability to encourage a love of books and reading in BC’s students through the Spreading the Word program.

A r t Ra f f l e

Eclipse White Mixed media on Paper • Donated by artist Andre Petterson Andre Petterson’s current photography-based work explores various themes of lighting to create elements of mystery. Congratulations to Barbara-Jo McIntosh, the winner of Eclipse White. Thank you to Bau-Xi Gallery and to everyone who purchased tickets!

Auckland Writers & Readers Festival Anne Giardini Bioethique Black Stone Press Blue Water Café Capilano Suspension Bridge Cheryl Berge Crush Imports D&M Publishers Inc. Daniel le Chocolat Belge Fairmont Waterfront Frankie’s Candy Bar Galileo Wine & Spirits Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir Granville Island Tea Company Grouse Mountain Heideh White It’s Still a Dog’s Life Just Imagine Kathryn Shoemaker Kelli Bodnar Langham Hotel Auckland Leslie Hurtig Lisa Kershaw Listel Hotel Mark Anthony Group Nuba Paul Whitney PMA Canada Ltd. Ruff Stuff Dog Services Sage Cottage B&B Sandra Jakab Semperviva Yoga The Cooke Agency The Jewish Book Festival The Lazy Gourmet Thomas Haas Tinhorn Creek Will Stroet Thank You to our Literati Gala Performers

Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir

Foundations

Kinder Morgan Foundation RBC Foundation Rix Family Foundation RJ Nelson Family Foundation The McLean Foundation Vancouver Foundation

VWF Member Profile: CArol & Wayne Cunningham

program schedule and the line-up of authors are always great. We enjoy the combination of music and readings and always build our personal schedule around the Literary Cabaret, the choral presentations and the Sunday brunch and Afternoon Tea. We attend the young adult presentations as well and are constantly amazed at the enthusiasm and audience participation. We even enjoy standing in the lines before events because it gives us a chance to chat with others, to learn where they’ve come from and find out which Festival events they have seen or which they plan to attend. This year we met a woman from Michigan who came to Vancouver to visit her brother, she saw the publicity for the Festival and came to see a few of the sessions featuring mystery writers.

In Kind Donors

Canadian Linen & Uniform Service Daniel Le Chocolate Belge Granville Island Tea Company Origins Organic Coffee Oyama Sausage Company on Granville Island Terra Breads The Milkman Top Ten Produce

The whole Festival is a living tribute to its founder, Alma Lee, to the past and present Board members, to Hal Wake and the current staff—some of whom we’ve gotten to know—and of course, to the hundreds of volunteers. Every year, the organization and program seem to get better and better.

Thank You to the Donors who Generously Contributed to the VWF Volunteer Program

Anne Giardini Arts Club Theatre Company Ballet British Columbia Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival Edible Canada Festival Cinemas Firehall Arts Centre Granville Island Brewery Plum Clothing PuSh International Performing Arts Festival Terra Breads The Granville Island Fudge Company The People’s Co-op Bookstore Vancouver Aquarium Vancouver Chamber Choir Vancouver International Jazz Festival Vancouver Opera Vetta Chamber Music Society

Aeropl an Miles without Borders Donors

Darren Bold Josephine Baxendale James Griffin Colin Harris Harvey McKinnon Anonymous (4)

Photo credit: Robb Hansen

How did you first get involved with the Writers Fest?

Although neither Carol nor I can pinpoint our first contact with the Vancouver Writers Fest, we are both daily readers of The Vancouver Sun and The Province, listeners to CBC radio and viewers of CBC-TV. I’ve also been a part-time book reviewer for the last several years, so, despite living in Kamloops, we’ve encountered lots of references to the Festival. We attended first in 2006 and have come almost every year since. We always pay our membership dues as early as possible to be sure to get the benefit of early-bird ticket sales since we know how quickly certain events sell out. What is your favourite thing about the Festival?

We’re both pretty much agreed that—as trite as it sounds—we enjoy everything about the Festival. The

What were your Festival highlights this year?

Again, we’re unanimous that the highlight for us this year was our re-connection with Louise Penny and her husband Michael Whitehead. We first met them at a Crime Writers of Canada dinner in Toronto for the Arthur Ellis Awards when Louise was up for her first award. Needless to say, she won and her career and accumulation of awards have both escalated ever since. We’ve kept in touch over the years, but it was a distinct pleasure to see her and Michael again, to attend her outstanding performance at Mystery and Music, and to chat, however briefly, with such gracious and charming individuals—all thanks to the Festival. Our usual favourites, the Cabaret, the Brunch, the Afternoon Tea and events featuring Chor Leoni, were annual highlights as well. So was the autograph session with young adult authors Shane Peacock, Richard Scrimger, Kenneth Oppel and Arthur Slade,

Alma Lee LEGACY FUND

The Alma Lee Legacy Fund was established in 2006 to honour the achievement of the VWF’s founder Alma Lee, who retired in 2005. Revenue from the fund will helps us present acclaimed Canadian and international writers to Festival audiences and inspire young readers and writers by offering Spreading the Word programs to schools.

Lead Donors Colin & Helen Harris • Jab Sidhoo • Dr. Yosef Wosk • The Vancouver Sun • Cynthia Woodward Development Fund

VWF Member Profile: CArol & Wayne Cunningham especially since I’ve reviewed several of their books. Actually, every one of the 16 events we attended this year turned out to be memorable in its own way. We’re looking back fondly on this year’s Festival experience and already planning to attend next year, in fact, we’ve already made our hotel reservations. What first sparked your love of books?

My recollection of my first spark of interest in reading was ignited from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Carol’s memory is for Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. Then, for both of us it was the evolving influences of teachers, friends and family that fanned the flames.

(cont)

Loss, Kathy Page’s The Story of My Face and Jack Whyte’s The Renegade, on the go. I’ve just finished Scott Fotheringham’s The Rest is Silence, which I’ll be reviewing for subTerrain magazine and have read Anne Fleming’s Gay Dwarves of America, also to be reviewed for subTerrain. I’m waiting for a review copy of The Red Suitcases: An Inspector Castle Investigation by Lyndsey Norton, which I’ll be reviewing for an American magazine.

What do you do when you’re not reading?

Carol is an avid golfer and goes out twice a week during the Kamloops golfing season. She also enjoys shopping, knitting and keeping in touch with family and friends. When I’m not reading, I’m usually writing a book review or meeting with a client. I do consulting work now that I’m officially retired after a career in postsecondary education and from acting as the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Arts Board, where author Bonnie Burnard also worked as the Board’s Literary Program Officer. What’s currently on your reading list/ bedside table?

Both of us brought back several books from the Festival bookstore, another great service the Festival offers. With these, and others we’ve purchased since, Carol has Anne Perry’s Acceptable

Help us to bring the best Canadian & international authors to BC audiences Your gift allows us to connect readers of all ages to writers and ideas that enlighten, engage and entertain.

Inspire a new generation of readers Our Spreading the Word education program offers K-12 students the rare opportunity to engage with internationally renowned writers at the Festival and in the classroom.

Leave a Legacy The Vancouver Writers Fest accepts gifts by will and can be named as the beneficiary of RRSPs and life insurance policies. Donate online using our secure donation form: writersfest.bc.ca. To make a donation by phone, please call (604) 681-6330. If you make a contribution before December 31st, you will receive a tax receipt for 2012.

R e m e mbranc e A sh o rt st o r y b y

A listair M ac L e o d Commissioned in honour of the Festival’s 25th anniversary, we have printed just 600 copies of “Remembrance” in a beautifully designed chapbook. A limited number of chapbooks are available for purchase at $25 each, plus postage and packing. Click here to order online. Chapbooks can also be purchased in person or over the phone, please call 604.681.6330 ext. 109.

By mail: Vancouver Writers Fest Suite 202, 1398 Cartwright Street Vancouver, BC V6H 3R8 Please include your name, telephone number and complete mailing address. ................. CanadaHelps accepts gifts of securities online, on behalf of the VWF. With the elimination of capital gains on donations of publically traded securities, gifts of securities are now the most tax efficient way to make a charitable donation...and a great way for donors to make a greater impact with their gift. To find out more about how it works, visit www.canadahelps.org.

writersfest.bc.ca

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Classic Edition

First Edition

Bonnie Mah

B e s t s e ll e r E d i t i o n

Colin & HelenHarris Kim Thorne Kip Woodward Special Edition

Richard & Virginia Angus Michael Armstrong Yulanda & Moh Faris Judy Gale Anne Giardini Joan McEwen Ebie & Ian Pitfield Helen Shore Donald Shumka Thomas Woods Anonymous (1) Limited Edition

Barry Auger Janice & Doug Dalzell Diana Filer Sandra Jakab Richard Johnston Shirley Lew Moshe Mastai Scott McIntyre Rose Norton Roberta Rich Don & Bonnie Sheldon Kathy Simas Rick Spaulding Hal Wake Anonymous (1)

Margaret Atwood Birgit Bateman Jo Baxendale Cheryl Berge Cindy Bruce David Chariandy Kevin Chong Patrick Dunn Rob Emlyn Clarissa Green Gordon Harris Richard Hopkins Leslie Hurtig Patricia Laidley Alma Lee Gloria Loree Carol McClelland William New Susan Ogul-Propas Talea Pecora Nancy Richler Deborah Roitberg AjaibSidhoo Camilla Tibbs Deborah Torkko Susan Van Blarcom Beverley Watt Ian Weir Sandi Witherspoon

New Edition

Femi Agbayewa Marilou Appleby Norman Armour Deb Armour Kathleen Audia Michael Bain Greg Barnes Ingrid Barnes Kelli Bodnar Cathleen Boyle Brian Brett Doug Brockway Terri-Lynn Brown Allan Buium Carole Cameron Rudy Carlson Katharine Carol Trevor Carolan Colleen Cattell Susan Climie Peter Cook Susan Copland Ann Cowan Patricia Crowe Patricia Curtis Don Davidson Barbara Dawson Pamela Dawson Carol Anne de Balinhard Cal Deedman Mary Doherty Deb Durocher Corinne Durston Ken Ferguson Tracie Fisher Greg Fitch

Cynthia Flood Brian Frank Gary Geddes Barbara Gelfant Brian & Bonny Gerson Crissy George Marilyn Goebel Tina Grabenhorst Valerie Halpin-Jones William Hay Elizabeth Hay Holly Hendrigan Kathleen Hilton Karen Howe Ann Howell Valerie Hunter R. Laurence Johnston Debbie Jung Lisa Kershaw Lorraine Kiidumae Lorraine Koren Melanie Last Glenn Laufer Johanne Leach Karin Lypkie Jim MacAulay Linda MacKinley-Hay Betty McGowan Corky McIntyre Marie McKee George McWhirter Bruce Milne & Ted Mason Terri Newell Carol Newson Susin Nielsen Martine Noel-Maw

The Perfect Gift for Book Lovers! Ignite a pa ssi o n f o r r ea di n g a n d wr i t i ng i n y o u r lov ed o n es th i s h o li da y s e a s o n. Gift certificates, In increments of $20, are now available for the 2013 Vancouver Writers Fest. To purchase gift certificates, valid towards events during the 2013 Festival from October 22 to 27, please call 604-681-6330 ext. 0. Gift certificates are available for purchase until December 17, 2012. Some restrictions apply.

A Festival membership also makes the perfect gift for book lovers and at only $35 (or $60 for two years), you can’t go wrong. Please call 604-681-6330 ext.0 to purchase yours before December 17, 2012.

Deborah Nordheimer Robin O’Brien Peggy Olive Arne Olsen Eduardo Ottoni Maggie Pappas Jennifer Passas Karla Pederson Beverley Price Anne Priestman Nainjeet Rai-Dayal RobertaRich Susan Riley Kim Roberts Nancy Roberts Sylvia Roberts DeborahRoitberg Jenny Rootman Rowland Lorimer Shirley Rudolph Melanie Rupp Robert Safrata Anita Salchert Rob Sanders Minna Schendlinger Sondra Schloss Karen Shuster Marsha Sibthorpe Helen Smith Lynda Spratley Beverley Straight Gloria Sully Tom & Audrey Sun Adrienne Tanner Terri Tatchell Rhea Tregebov Shelagh Van Kempen

M.G. Vassanji Mary Vickers John Vigna Vlasta Vit Olga Volkoff Una Walsh Jerry Wasserman Susan Wasserman Wendy Webber Ray Weremczuk Jan Whitford Paul Whitney Patricia Wilensky Leslie Wilton Cathleen With Ronald Wright Rachel Wyatt Max Wyman Patricia Young Anonymous (2)

Thank you to our volunteers

“A great experience! It was wonderful to help others have positive experience and to see so many of the presentations. A privilege and a treat to be involved!” Julia H.

Paddy Aiken Stefania Alexandru Marty Allen Jen Andersen Paula Apperley Harminder Atwal John Baldwin Sydney Ball Annu Bangar Christine Barrett Elizabeth Barthel Suky Basran Sharon Baxter Margot Beauchamp Cordelia Benjamin Mary Bentley Steven Best Bernice Betts Sandra Bishop Lisa Blachut Steevy Blower Janice Bosnick Nelia Botelho Mark Bradshaw Linda Brandt Carla Braun Simon Briault Louise Brooks Gail Brown Louisa Brunke Allan Buium Sherry Buium Daniel Caicedo Anne Cameron Gwen Cameron Karen Campbell Heather Capocci Jennifer Capocci Sean Casey Kathleen Cassidy Theresa Chaboyer Melissa Chan Cathy Chen Micaelan Cheyne Darryl Chow Liam Clancey Donald Clancy

Melanie Clark Yvonne Colebert Beth Cole-Morgan Robert Collins Sara Comuzzo Mary Cooney Alicia Copp Mokkonen Moira Corrigan Liz Costello Vickie Critchley Jennifer Croll Clare Crosthwait Susan Cuthbert Consuelo Cuyugan Bridget Daughney Judy Daughney Ann Dauphinee Emily Davidson Margaret Davidson Gloria Davies Kaja Dawkins Jacquie Day June Demcheson Alison Dempsey Dana Deschene Sarah Desrosiers Wilma DeVito Ainsley Dinwoodie Lynn Doan Laura Dochtermann Ann Dow Fanny Dufour Patrick Dunn Corinne Durston Kate Eckfeldt Kyla Epstein Kathryn Feeney Lizette Fischer Emily Fisher Kristina Fleming Joan Fogarty Lily Fong Toni Forbes Stella Jesselle Garciano Barbara Gelfant Crissy George Julie Gieseler

Shirley Giggey Audrey Gill Jean Glover Simon Glover Kate Gole Corrigan Goodwin Jill Gorman Charlene Gram Gordon Gram Megan Gray Sonja Grgar Ekatarina Grguric Saura Haggart-Smith Lia Haleem Elise Hall-Meyer Karen Hama Elizabeth Hancock David Handelman Mary Hardy Susan Harman Michelle Harrison Alison Hart Karin Hartner Debra Hawryzki Michael Hayward Jessica Heafey Julia Hedley Gail Helmcken Devon Henderson Wayne Henderson Ann Hinkle Nicole Holas Maureen Howard Marcela Huerta Amanda Hunt Philomene Jahnke Kathryn Jamieson Nicole Jendro Karl Jensen Karen Jeong Amanjeet Jhooty Jas Jhooty Gerald Joe Ellen Johnston Laurie Johnston Kami Kanetsuka Maura Keenan

Anne Kennedy Min-jee Kim Shirley Kim Nancy Kisby Anna Knowlson Leah Koehle Elaine Koochin Erich Kreppenhofer Barbara Kyle Maureen Lawrence Jongbeom Lee Seungwon Lee Megane Leung Scott Lillico Miriam Lipsey Rivka Lipsey Robyn Livingstone Lesley Llewellyn Gordon Long Barbara Lumer Faye Maddock Krysten Maier Jean Maloney Zoe Manarangi Bake-Paterson Kylie Mantei Patricia Marchant Susan Masi Ian Mass Dennis Matheson Mary Matheson Claire Matthews Melanie McBride Bev McDowell Joan McEwen Trilby McGaw Anne-Marie McGinn Betty McGowan Larry McIntyre Catherine McKeehan Amy McKenna Rae Sharon McKibbon Sheila McLean Leanna McLennan John McVicar Susan Mellor Anna Mendoza Jeannie Meredith Allison Mills Sue-Ann Mitchell Sandra Moe Peggy Monro Dylan Moore Linda Moran

Helen Morres Elinor Morris Patricia Morris Cecelia Muirhead Tony Mumford Carole Nakonechny Chandni Navani Stephanie Nazywalskyj Megan Nelis Barb Nelson Tom Nesbit Rod Neuman Nancy Newman Sharron O’Brien Susan Ogul-Propas Arline Oishi Sally O’Neil Lalitrudee Onkaew Arthur Orsini Charles Pan Jennifer Passas Anne-Laure Paulmont Maida Paxton Lourdes Pereira Caitlin Perry Michelle Peters Stephanie Peters Tera Pham Betty Lou Phillips Karly Pinch Claire Ping Betti Port Lonnie Propas Sarah Quigley Lee Rachar Shazia Ramji Karen Ranalletta Katie Redburn Debby Reis Sara Reoch Nadya Rezansoff Stephanie Rice Deborah Rizun Elizabeth Robbins Farryn Robins Linda Robins Shirley Rudolph Yasaman Sabersheikh Anita Salchert Lennie Sargent Michael Schwartz Vanessa Sidhu Shalon Sims Allie Slemon

Jane Slemon Dawn Smaill Marcia Smith Amy Spence Ashly Stanyer Daryl Sturdy Lorraine Suomi Marjan Szlivka Lauren Tam Yixin Tang Mark Tanner Rowena Tate Claire Thompson Elaine Thorson Deborah Tildesley Noreen Timms Dario Tolusso Mark Torry Susan Tourigny Kim Van Haren Eva van Loon Katje van Loon Brad Verity Pierrette Vezina Elizabeth Vint Gillian Walker Amanda Wallace Ada Wan Wei-Ju (Heidi) Wang Sandra Waserman Scott Waters Lucy Wedge Fiona Wei Claire Westlake M. Lynne Westlund Jackson White Cora Whiting Shirarose Wilensky Deborah Wilkins Marilyn Williams Siobhaun Williams Sharron Wilson Ann Wong Cynthia Wong Kayi Wong Mary Yarwood Claire Young Mike Yu Kat Zelenika Lindsey Zikakis

staff and board The Vancouver Writers Fest ignites a passion for books and ideas by connecting readers of all ages to writers and ideas that enlighten, engage, and entertain. We shape conversations through live and online experiences, featuring established and emerging writers, from Canada and around the world, whose work is compelling and diverse. Founder and Lifetime Member

Alma Lee Board of Directors

Chair: Anne Giardini Vice-Chair: Kim Thorne Secretary: Kelli Bodnar Treasurer: Cheryl Berge Members: Terri-Lynn Brown, Sally Harding, Leslie Hurtig, Sandy Jakab, Shirley Lew, Harvey McKinnon, Kathryn Shoemaker, Paul Whitney

Patrons Circle

Patricia Crowe, Yulanda & Moh Faris, Sandra Garossino, Colin & Helen Harris, Alma Lee, Jim & Joan Mayhew, Don Prior, Bonnie & Don Sheldon, Yasmeen & Andrew Strang, Jan Whitford, Cynthia Woodward Staff

Artistic Director: Hal Wake Executive Director: Camilla Tibbs Director of Marketing & Development: Ann McDonell Writer Services Co-ordinators: Jocelyn Wagner & Clea Young Administrator: Sandra Millard Development & Marketing Assistant: Tavia Audia Education Co-ordinator: Ilona Beiks Programmer, La Joie de Lire: Brenda Berck Bookkeeping Services: Office Alternatives Advertising Sales: Yasmeen Strang

Media Relations Manager: Judith Walker Production Manager: Eduardo Ottoni Production Co-ordinator: Katja Schlueter Production Assistant: Liam Kupser Catering Co-ordinator: Carolina Sartor Catering Assistant: Joey Mallett Food & Beverage Co-ordinator: Heideh White Food & Beverage Assistant: Cathy Abrossimoff Volunteer Manager: Kathryn Fowler Volunteer Assistant: Lili Okuyama Hospitality Suite Manager: James Taylor Irvine Night Manager: Brade Stanton Box Office Supervisor: Megan Verhey Box Office Assistant: Amanda Konkin Website Design: Chris MacDonald Ink Design: Steve Chow All photos by Chris Cameron unless otherwise noted.