An absurdist collection of poems and monologues that is timely as ever If all the world’s a stage, Charlie Petch is undoubtedly one of its more seasoned performers. Petch’s absurdist collection of poems and monologues, Infinite Audition, invites us to step into the multitude of roles — some chosen, some forced upon him — he has inhabited as a transmasculine

The Bewitching builds methodically and ties together generations of witches This is it — the book dark academia aficionados have been waiting for. Fantasy-horror, Mexican-Canadian author Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s new book—The Bewitching—goes full dark academia, which is probably what everyone has been waiting for all along. She’s written gothic (heavy on the gothic) romances, explored stories of vampires with unusual dogs,

Author demonstrates that a sober life is possible and offers a good time “On a personal level, alcohol has determined the course of my life both positively and negatively—from a childhood marred by alcoholic parents to a career as a bartender, to my own gradual dependence and ultimate sobriety. For better or worse, it is a gift that enabled a

These poems make reviewer want to scream for joy Anna Swanson’s Garbage Poems reads like a trail of human traces — garbage as a way to map our lives, our thoughts, our pains, and desires. Each poem repurposes the language of waste, transforming what we discard into something tender and alive. Threaded through this work is an ode to water — especially

This first novel is a Coyote story and this story-telling style won’t be erased When Julian Brave NoiseCat was a child, his father left. But he remained a gravitational, charismatic, larger-than-life figure in NoiseCat’s life. For NoiseCat, his dad is Coyote — the iconic trickster, and ancestor to NoiseCat’s people, central to their stories. From the get-go, NoiseCat connects the everyday

Memoir is funny, delightful and matched with wicked turns of phrase After throwing back a couple of Tylenol to ease the pain in her left eye, one that felt “like a hyper-localized, concentrated third-degree hangover,” Ardra Shephard is summoned to her manager’s office. Rather than being in trouble for being late, again, she is offered a promotion. The “Big Boss”

Novel follows search for belonging through four acts Growing up on a bend in the river, Ophelia Blue Rivers is lonely. She spends her days playing with frogs and dreams of being lifted into the air and carried away by butterflies. To where, she doesn’t know. Abandoned by her parents, Ophelia is raised by her Grandma Blue on a “Cherokee

If you support badly behaved women, this book is for you Women Versus the Void. No, I’m not talking about me and the gals on a Friday night. I’m talking about my new favourite sub-genre of contemporary literature, in which female protagonists are faced with anxiety, dread, and the banality of existence (finally!), often through a darkly humorous lens. Of

Even the quieter stories hum with resonance in this collection One of the best things about shorter days and longer nights in the fall is that when you go for evening walks in the dark, it’s easier to spy into your neighbours’ homes through their lit windows. Or, you could save yourself the trouble, and crack Clea Young’s subtle but

The festival mixes literary best-sellers with up-and-comers The Whistler Writers Festival brings together New York Times bestselling authors like Siliva Moreno-Garcia and Karina Halle, and Canadian best-selling favourites including Susan Juby and Antonio Michael Downing, alongside up-and-comers whose debut books are capturing attention for the 24th annual festival.  Popular, well-known authors share the festival limelight with Canadian authors just starting

Students will be lining up for this engaging and fun graphic novel that touches on modern themes As a middle-grade school teacher, and knowing that my students loved Fake Blood, I eagerly read Whitney Garner’s latest graphic novel Free Piano (Not Haunted). The story follows Margot, a young aspiring songwriter, in the small town of Cascade Cove. Margot desperately seeks

Clea Young writes about the inner worlds of women and girls Clea Young’s short stories have been included in Best Canadian Stories 2025 and three volumes of The Journey Prize Stories. Her first collection, Teardown (Freehand Books), was published in 2016. Her latest, Welcome to the Neighbourhood (House of Anansi), was published this past spring.  Whistler Writers Festival: For readers

Susan Juby writes books about discovering your purpose and people Susan Juby is the author of Contemplation of a Crime, the latest in the bestselling Helen Thorpe mystery series. A Leacock Medal winner, Susan’s books have earned international acclaim. Alice, I Think was adapted for TV. She teaches creative writing at Vancouver Island University. Whistler Writers Festival: For readers who

Author cranks up the suspense in new book Malika needs to make money and the promise of hitting 50,000 fans on Ghost Queen’s VidVibe will do just that. Malika and her boyfriend Veer live in Delhi and have been filming and posting ghost stories to a growing number of followers. Although they turn “out to be a trick. Wind through

Juby weaves her passion for social issues into plots and characters If you’ve read Susan Juby’s fiction before, you’ll understand that she is master of the clever line, delicious plot twists, endearing characters, and is very, very funny. Contemplation of a Crime does not disappoint. The third in Juby’s Helen Thorpe series, this story once again takes us on a

Ardra Shephard wants stories that change how we think about disability Ardra Shephard, author of Fallosophy: My Trip through Life with MS, is a trailblazing voice in the MS and disability communities, and creator of the award-winning blog and podcast Tripping On Air. As the host of AMI-tv’s Fashion Dis and a consultant on various TV projects, Ardra is reshaping

Taranto says that writing motivated by joy, justice and liberation is resistance  Léa Taranto is a disabled Chinese Jewish Canadian writer who lives with OCD and comorbidities. A graduate of both SFU’s The Writer’s Studio and UBC’s MFA program, A Drop in the Ocean is her debut novel. She resides on traditional, unceded Halkomelem and Squamish territories in BC. Whistler

Boudel Tan propels narrative tension and emotional depth in third novel Eddy Boudel Tan’s third novel is a haunting and intricately woven story of loss, identity, and the secrets families keep. The Tiger and the Cosmonaut is as thrilling as it is tender, making it a book that’s painful to put down. At the centre is Casper Han, who returns

The Whistler Writers Festival serves up murder, mayhem, mystery, thrills and chills in time for Halloween This year’s Whistler Writers Festival is a very special edition — running from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, the annual fall festival is doubling down on all things spooky and thrilling, including myths and legends, in honour of the season. Embrace orange foliage, colder temperatures,

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is inspired by subverting genres Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of The Bewitching and Mexican Gothic. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award–winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu’s Daughters). She has been nominated for the Locus Award for her work as an editor and has won the British Fantasy Award and the Locus

Need a deep dive into creating a healthy relationship with your writing? There’s help for that Writing is a solitary practice. The writer goes to work daily, alone, without feedback, mentorship or a colleague to bounce off ideas. There is no performance review to help them meet their goals and grow their skills. Often, self doubt and anxiety creeps in

Love is in the details in Evelyn Lau’s powerful Parade of Storms “Poets are always taking the weather so personally. They’re always sticking their emotions in things that have no emotions.” — J.D. Salinger, Nine Stories I can’t attest to knowing Evelyn Lau’s personal opinion on this choice quote from literaria’s most famous recluse, but I suspect she’d have no

Curtis Collins celebrates the practices of artists on the Northwest Coast Curtis Collins is the Director and Chief Curator of the Audain Art Museum. Collins received his PhD from the Department of Art History and Communications Studies at McGill University. He has served as a director and curator for a variety of institutions across Canada, including the Beaverbrook Art Gallery,

Delightful story conjures sizzling hot dogs, bug spray, new friends, and summer camp For readers who enjoyed Wood Barrett’s first novel, My Best Friend is Extinct, they will be thrilled to be back with Henry on this new adventure, his very first summer camp. These readers will remember that wherever Henry is involved, strange and wacky things happen; like discovering