All times noted in the schedule are PDT – Pacific Daylight Time, or UTC – 7 (Coordinated Universal Time).
Do you need to convert your Time Zone to Whistler, BC? Click here.
With Anna Comfort O’Keeffe (Douglas & McIntyre), Lynn Duncan (Books BC), Adrienne Kerr (Simon & Schuster), Carly Watters (PS Literary Agency), Brad Wilson (HarperCollins)
10:30 – 11:45 a.m. PDT | Online $35
Ever wondered if your manuscript or book idea has what it takes to make it onto library and bookstore shelves? Curious about the pressures literary agents, editors and publishers face? Wish you could ask a publisher what was the best pitch they ever received? Want to know what the latest trends in Canadian publishing are? Got questions about earning a living as a writer?
This session is an opportunity to chat with, and learn from, a cross-section of executives in Canada’s book world. Moderator Katherine Fawcett will kick off the session with our esteemed panel, then divide the audience into small groups to create intimate chat rooms with individual publishing execs. Get ready for lively conversations, juicy details and interesting insights from industry insiders.
Moderator: Katherine Fawcett
Sponsored by: SFU Continuing Studies – Creative Writing
With Anna Comfort O’Keeffe (Douglas & McIntyre), Lynn Duncan (Books BC), Jim Gifford (Simon & Schuster), Grace O’Connell (Simon & Schuster), Nour Sallam (PS Literary Agency), Brad Wilson (HarperCollins)
1:30 – 4:30 p.m. PDT | Online $45 per pitch | Limited space available
Book coveted one-on-one time with a publishing expert. Get advice, or pitch your story; take your shot at getting published. Use your 15-minutes wisely! Come prepared with a five-minute pitch and/or questions for these publishers, editors and agents.
Ticket includes one 15-minute pitch on a first-come, first-choice basis. Choose up to four pitches total. Pro tip: Research these publishers before registering to ensure a good fit for your work (read their bios and Google the kinds of books they publish).
With Tsawaysia Dominique Nahanee and P̓áq̓emúl Shelby Dan
5:00 – 5:50 p.m. | In-person $20 | Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
Two distinct Nations, the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and the Lil̓wat7úl, share territory in the Whistler area.Through storytelling and discussion, Tsawaysia Dominique Nahanee (Squamish Nation) and P̓áq̓emúl Shelby Dan (Lil’wat Nation) will present myths and legends in the oral tradition, and have a conversation about their communities’ vital connections to the land, and how language is an elemental part of cultural identity.
Moderator: Rebecca Wood Barrett
Sponsored by: Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | In-person FREE (RSVP) | Audain Art Museum
Join us for the official launch of 7IDANsuu James Hart: A Monumental Practice, a landmark publication celebrating the extraordinary career of renowned Haida artist and Hereditary Chief, 7IDANsuu James Hart. This free public event includes a book signing with Hart and co-author Curtis Collins, Director and Chief Curator of the Audain Art Museum. Guests are invited to enjoy complimentary food and beverages while exploring the rich stories behind Hart’s monumental carvings and sculptures, which are rooted in Haida traditions and recognized across Canada and internationally. The evening will highlight the artist’s profound impact on contemporary Indigenous art, as detailed in this visually stunning and deeply researched volume. All are welcome.
7:30 – 9:00 p.m. | In-person FREE (RSVP) | Whistler Public Library: Fireplace Lounge
The Lupine Review has taken root and flourished—its scattered seeds blossoming into a vibrant field of poets, writers and artists whose voices echo across the Sea to Sky. Magazine co-founders Abby Deveney and Colleen MacDonald welcome readings from the writers and screenings of artwork from the artists featured in this year’s edition. Be sure to support and spread local culture by picking up your copies of The Lupine Review, and chat with the local literary community over light refreshments.
MCs: Abby Deveney and Colleen MacDonald
Supported by: Real Estate Association of Whistler and Wayne Flebbe Arts Fund: Whistler Community Foundation
In-person $65 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
With Lynn Duncan
Presented by: Vivalogue Publishing
Congratulations, you’ve finished your manuscript. Now what? How do you find a publisher? Do you need an agent? Should you hire an editor first? Should you consider self-publishing? What is hybrid publishing? What about e-books and audiobooks? How do royalties and advances work? How do you approach bookstores? This session includes checklists, resource guides and practical advice on how to avoid rookie mistakes, regardless of the publishing path you choose.
Looking for impartial feedback? Not sure how to tackle your chosen topic? Want to do a bit of market research? Stuck on a plot point? Whether you are trying to refine your concept, decide on a title, or polish a sales pitch, this question-and-answer session is an opportunity to gather feedback in an informal and supportive environment.
With Kirsten Pendreigh
10:30 – 11:15 a.m. | In-person FREE (RSVP) | Whistler Public Library
Kiddos bring along your adult and listen to Kirsten Pendreigh read from her new book, What Fish Are Saying: Strange Sounds in the Ocean, with pictures by Katie Melrose. This upbeat, rhyming picture book dives into the surprising ways fish and shellfish communicate—from grunts and groans to crackles and moans. And clucks! A fascinating, starred-review introduction to the latest discoveries in underwater science and the noisy conversations happening in the sea. Kids will leave with a fun fishy activity to do at home.
With Chelene Knight
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. | In-person $32 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Reflective writing lays the foundation for everything that follows. It helps us understand our emotions, clarify our creative intentions, and connect more deeply with the stories we’re meant to tell. In this workshop, we’ll begin with a personal object—something emotionally significant, not for its value, but for the story it holds. This object becomes our entry point into memory, emotion, and self-awareness. Rather than treating creative nonfiction as a fixed genre, we’ll explore it as an action—a way to show up truthfully on the page. Through writing prompts and conversation, we’ll explore fear, memory, and structure, while focusing on building trust—with ourselves and our work. You’ll leave with three new pieces of writing and a deeper connection to your creative voice.
Please bring: an object that holds emotional meaning for you.
With Katherine Fawcett
1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30 p.m. | In-person $75 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Are you looking for a supportive review and big picture edit of your creative writing that helps you move forward? This is your opportunity to work one-on-one with Katherine Fawcett, award-winning author, editor and creator of the But Kicker writing course. Sign up and submit 3,000-4,000 words of fiction writing, and she’ll meet with you for 20 minutes at the festival to discuss your manuscript, offering suggestions on theme, character development, point of view, voice, pacing, dialogue and more. Writing submissions are due by Oct. 15. Space is limited. This workshop must be purchased separately from the Festival Workshop pass.
Event: 4:00 – 5:15 p.m. | Doors Open: 3:30 p.m. | In-person $27 | Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
We are thrilled to welcome moderator Jónína Kirton in conversation with Julian Brave NoiseCat, writer, champion powwow dancer, director of the Oscar®-nominated documentary, Sugarcane, student of Salish art and history, and the author of We Survived the Night. NoiseCat’s debut memoir interweaves oral history with hard-hitting journalism and a deeply personal father-son journey into a searing portrait of Indigenous survival, love, and resurgence. NoiseCat is a proud member of the Canim Lake Band Tsq̓éscen̓ and descendant of the Líl̓wat Nation of Mount Currie. Kirton is an Icelandic and Red River Métis author of three collections of poetry. Come early to get your seat and browse the gift shop for authentic Indigenous art and keepsakes, and visit the Thunderbird Cafe for Indigenous-inspired specials, pastries and Spirit Bear Coffee.
Moderator: Jónína Kirton
Sponsored by: Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
5:45 – 7:15 p.m. | In-person FREE (RSVP) | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
We’re shining a spotlight on some of Canada’s best independently published authors. Meet the 2025 finalists for the Whistler Independent Book Awards (WIBA) and hear them read from works nominated in children’s literature, fiction and non-fiction categories. Winners will be announced at All Hallow’s Eve: Murder and Mayhem.
Moderator: Deborah Wade
With Laugh Out LIVE!, Susan Juby and Liann Zhang
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. | In-person $35 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
This is the adult-themed Halloween event you’ve been waiting for! Don your favourite costume, enjoy a glass of wine or Spirit’s Kiss cocktail from our cash bar and snap some hilarious photographic proof at our All Hallows Eve photo booth. Whistler’s own Laugh Out LIVE!, with Ira Pettle, Rebecca Mason and Julie Farr will kick off the mayhem with high-octane improv sketches inspired by novels authored by Susan Juby and Liann Zhang. Thriller writer and moderator Amber Cowie hosts the night and will delve into conversations with Juby on her latest book featuring Buddhist butler sleuth Helen Thorpe (Contemplation of a Crime), and Liann Zhang, whose diabolical debut thriller (Julie Chan is Dead) might just make you even more scared of social media.
Moderator: Amber Cowie
Sponsored by: Canadian Authors Association
With Sarah Leavitt
9 a.m. – 10 a.m. | In-person $32 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
This workshop is for anyone who wants to write and draw their way into a four-panel bite-sized comics memoir – whether you’re a devoted practitioner or a curious beginner. We will experiment with using shapes, lines and colours, combined with words, to convey information and emotion. There will be a strong emphasis on formal questions intrinsic to comics, as we find ways to make words and images work together to create something new. Don’t worry about whether you “can draw” or not – comics are about much more than that. Beginners welcomed and celebrated; sharing your work is always optional. This event is presented in collaboration with the BC and Yukon Book Prizes.
With Clea Young, Eddy Boudel Tan and WIBA Winner
10:15 – 11:30 a.m. | In-person $27 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
What masks do we wear to endure, and to connect? In Clea Young’s collection Welcome to the Neighbourhood, the women in these stories crave connection but often get in their own way of achieving it. Eddy Boudel Tan’s novel The Tiger and the Cosmonaut tells the story of a family whose members have long made themselves small and quiet and obedient—and what happens when the cycle is finally broken. Join moderator Antonio Michael Downing as he explores the theme of characters who camouflage, and those who desperately wish to connect with others—and themselves. This year’s fiction panel will be joined by the 2025 Winner of the Whistler Independent Book Award for fiction.
Moderated by: Antonio Michael Downing
Sponsored by: Capilano University
With Susan Juby
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | In-person $32 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
A good crime story demands an intriguing offense, an engaging plot, a worthy villain, and—most importantly—a compelling investigator. In this workshop, we will explore the qualities that make an effective investigator and cover the essential tools for writing crime fiction. This course will equip you to write everything from a police procedural to a hard-boiled detective story or a cozy mystery set in a small village.
With bronwyn preece
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. & 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. | Fairmont Chateau Whistler (near bookseller)
A place-based poet writing on the spot, spontaneous and personalized poems in a pop-up festival venue … bring your ideas, your thoughts, your prompts and bronwyn preece (knee deep in high water : riding the Muskwa-Kechika, Sea to Sky Alphabet, Gulf Islands Alphabet) will tap out a reflective response on her vintage typewriter … a reciprocal gifting … weaving together words and wonder in a shared moment …
With Karina Halle
1:30 – 2:45 p.m. | In-person $42 – includes coffee & tea and red velvet cupcake | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Fantasy. Morally grey characters (sometimes). Romance. Spicy. Definitely dragons. Come get your delectable romantasy fix, paired with coffee, tea and a red velvet cupcake. Author and moderator Alli Vail spills the tea on the romantasy genre with Karina Halle, a screenwriter, former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of River of Shadows and The Royals Next Door, as well as 80 other romances across all sub-genres, ranging from spicy rom coms to gothic horror and dark fantasy. Realm of Thieves is Halle’s latest release, in which two thieves vie for dominance in the illegal dragon egg trade, putting both their lives and their hearts on the line in this scorching romantasy.
Moderated by: Alli Vail
With Ardra Shephard, Veronica Woodruff and WIBA Winner
3:00 – 4:15 p.m. | In-person $27 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
The most powerful non-fiction writers take a fact and wrap it in an emotion. In Ardra Shephard’s memoir Fallosophy: My Trip through Life with MS, she learns she’s been sold a lie about disability—it isn’t a fate worse than death, and she begins to realize a difficult life doesn’t have to be a joyless life. For Veronica Woodruff, author of Blind Drunk: A Sober Look at Our Boozy Culture, she combines research with memoir, charting the evolution of drinking culture in North America, from the morality-based lens that led to Prohibition to the science-based approach that underlies today’s sober curious movement. Join author and moderator Leslie Anthony as he hosts a frank conversation about what it’s like to live with difference in our contemporary world. This year’s event will be joined by the 2025 Winner of the Whistler Independent Book Award for non-fiction.
Moderator: Leslie Anthony
With Bret Newton of FriesenPress
4:30 – 5:45 p.m. | Online $27
Marketing is one of the most important elements of a self publishing authors journey. Whether you’re planning to make this a career or are fulfilling a passion project, you’ll want to ensure you establish the right marketing strategy for your book. This webinar will provide an overview of the foundational marketing practices needed to build an audience for your book prior to publication and in the long term. We’ll also explore the differences between hiring a company to handle your book promotion versus executing those pieces yourself—with or without coaching. Within the vast expanse of publishing, it’s easy for authors to feel overwhelmed. The goal of this webinar is to provide a clear understanding of your options, the marketing services available to you, and to develop an informed opinion on how to best move forward in your publishing journey.
Sponsored by: FriesenPress
Event 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. | Doors Open 7:30 p.m. | In-person $35 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
We are delighted to welcome renowned Mexican-Canadian author Silva Moreno-Garcia in concert with musician Geeta Das, and in conversation with moderator Jeanette Bruce. Moreno’Garcia’s latest book is The Bewitching, in which three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multi-generational gothic horror saga. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the New York Times best-selling author of a number of critically acclaimed novels, including Gods of Jade and Shadow, Mexican Gothic, and Velvet Was the Night, and writes in a variety of genres including fantasy, horror, noir and historical. Enjoy a glass of wine or a signature Spirit’s Kiss cocktail from our cash bar.
Moderator: Jeanette Bruce
Sponsored by: RGF – Integrated Wealth Management
With Charlie Petch, Anna Swanson and the SLCC Cultural Ambassador
9:00 – 10:15 a.m. | In-person $27 | Meeting Point: Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Join us to celebrate the 50th birthday of Brick Books, a Canadian poetry-only press, and a caring hub and home for poets and lovers of poetry. Moderator Tatiana Lee will guide us along the Salish Stroll Forest Walk and Fitzsimmons Creek to pause for poetry readings by Anna Swanson (The Garbage Poems) and Charlie Petch (Infinite Audition), and to experience cultural talks by Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre’s Cultural Ambassador. Dress for the weather; this event takes place rain or shine.
Moderated by: Tatiana Lee
Sponsored by: Brick Books
With Whitney Gardner, Mahtab Narsimhan, Léa Taranto, and WIBA Winner
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | In-person $27 for Adults | FREE for Youth | Fairmont Chateau Whistler
How do you create young characters that feel real, like they truly exist out there in the world? Moderator and author Sara Leach will explore the vital aspects of craft—voice, point-of-view and complexity, among others—that bring literary BFFs to life, with four children’s and YA authors Whitney Gardner (Free Piano (Not Haunted)), Mahtab Narsimshan (Ghost Queen), Léa Taranto (A Drop In The Ocean) and the 2025 Whistler Independent Book Awards winner for children’s fiction. Find out how their books’ characters ooze curiosity, boldness, and take decisive action to sleuth out truths and unravel mysteries in a way that is entirely authentic.
Moderator: Sara Leach
With Michael Antonio Downing, Evelyn Lau and Sarah Leavitt
Doors Open 10:45 a.m. | Breakfast at 11:00 a.m.
Event from 11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | In-person $65 (includes breakfast) |Fairmont Chateau Whistler
Spend a cozy Sunday morning with fellow bookworms, talking about Canadian literature over a delicious Whiskey Jack Continental breakfast. Moderator Rachel Bergquist engages three award-winning Canadian authors — Antonio Michael Downing (Black Cherokee), Evelyn Lau (Parade of Storms), and Sarah Leavitt (Something, Not Nothing)—in conversation about their astonishing new works. Collectively, their books are meditations on race, identity, environmental upheaval, navigating grief and loss, and reconciling shadows of the past. This reading event is presented in collaboration with the BC and Yukon Book Prizes.
Moderated by: Rachel Bergquist
Sponsored by: Penguin Random House
With Rebecca Wood Barrett
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. | FREE (RSVP) for youth 18 and under | Whistler Public Library
Are you ready to create fantastical creatures? In this creative writing class with Rebecca Wood Barrett (My Summer Camp Has Mega Sloths), we’ll look at some of the most memorable imagined creatures and brainstorm ideas on how to create your own. We’ll talk about why some invented beings are so memorable, and how you can create your own unforgettable beasts to make your story exciting to read!
While there is no minimum age recommended, youth participants should be able to write independently.
In-person $282 (save $50)
Treat yourself and gain access toall of this year’s festival reading events. There is a limited quantity of these so get your reading pass today!
In-person $173 (save $50) Get the most bang for your buck and elevate your writing practice with access to six festival workshops, all for one price. There is a limited quantity. Note: This pass does notinclude Workshop 2: Pitch In!, Workshop 5: The Little But Kicker, or Workshop 9: Writing Fantastical Creatures. These workshops must be purchased separately.
We’ve created a quiet space for you to reflect on your festival experience, read your new festival book, or take out your notebook and get writing. The Federation of BC Writers will welcome you; pop in and say hi, connect with the team and meet other writers. Coffee, tea, and treats are on hand to fuel your writing.
Sponsored by: The Federation of BC Writers