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Vancouver Writers Fest

@writersfest.bc.ca

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Connecting people to exceptional books, ideas, and dialogue. 📚 2025 Festival Oct 20–26 📖 Special Events Sept–Dec

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 23d

🎟️ Tickets are on sale NOW for all events at the 2025 Vancouver Writers Fest! 🎟️
writersfest.bc.ca/2025-festiva...

#VWF2025 takes place from October 20–26, featuring over 130 authors in 87 events to spark empathy, action, and transformation. Join us on Granville Island and beyond.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 9h

Curtis Sittenfeld’s attendance presented thanks to the generous support of an anonymous patron.

Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 9h

What does it mean to create art while grappling with the realities of socio-economic ruptures and horrific authoritarianism? US authors Jess Walter, Curtis Sittenfeld, Anne de Marcken & Leila Mottley join us for a roundtable discussion lead by John Freeman.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 13h

Michael Bennett, Walter Mosley & Sam Wiebe join us Oct 26 from New Zealand, the US, and Vancouver, for an evening of page-turning crime fiction. Moderated by Jerry Wasserman.

Bennett’s attendance generously supported by Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 17h

Pleased to announce these authors as featured guests for #VWF2025! Officially D-11 days from the 2025 Festival.

• Saeed Teebi
• Souvankham Thammavongsa
• Madeleine Thien
• Jeremy Tiang @jeremytiang.bsky.social
• Miriam Toews @authormiriamtoews.bsky.social
• Georgia Toews

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 1d

Oct 24, Tara McGuire conducts back-to-back interviews with Elaine Feeney (Let Me Go Mad in My Own Way), Ian Williams (You’ve Changed), and Jack Wang (The Riveter).

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Elaine Feeney’s attendance made possible thanks to the generous support of Culture Ireland.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 1d

Established by philanthropist Yosef Wosk in 2017 and supported by the Yosef Wosk Family Foundation, the award celebrates the career of Max Wyman. The award is intended to honour informed and compelling commentary that gives meaning and context to all forms of cultural activity in Canada.

Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 1d

We’re thrilled to share that Festival friend and author Elamin Abdelmahmoud is the winner of this year’s Max Wyman Award in Critical Writing, which will be presented to him on October 24 at #VWF2025 event 51. Elbows Up.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 1d

Every individual has a role to play in the work of reconciliation. David A. Robertson (52 Ways to Reconcile) and Bruce McIvor (Indigenous Rights in One Minute) speak with Michelle Cyca. Presented w/ Talking Stick Festival and Full Circle: First Nations Performance

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 2d

Booker Prize-winning author Kiran Desai’s new novel, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, has once again been shortlisted for The Booker Prize. Desai speaks with Eleanor Wachtel on Oct 26. Presented in partnership with Indian Summer Festival and The Dhahan Prize.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 2d

Olympic gold medalist and Canadian women’s curling championship winner Jennifer Jones will surprise even her biggest fans in her memoir, Rock Star. She speaks w/ Karin Larsen Oct 23. Presented w/ @harpercollinsca.bsky.social & Vancouver and Marpole Curling Clubs.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 3d

We’re lucky at the Vancouver Writers Fest to work with so many incredible publishers big and small, local and international. Don’t miss these amazing @harpercollinsca.bsky.social authors at this year’s Festival, Oct 20–26!

writersfest.bc.ca/2025-festiva...

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 3d

Tickets are available NOW for our previously sold out special event, Margaret Atwood in Conversation with Carol Off on December 9!

Book your seat ASAP:
writersfest.bc.ca/event/atwood...

Presented with the support of Penguin Random House Canada.

Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 3d

Authors Jill Yonit Goldberg (After We Drowned), Holly Brickley (Deep Cuts), and Michael V. Smith (Soundtrack) convene Oct 25 to share music-infused storylines will have you humming along to the rhythm. Moderated by Margaret Gallagher.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 3d

Congratulations to the 2025 @gillerprize.bsky.social finalists. We can’t wait to hear from all five authors at #VWF2025 this month!

@eddyboudeltan.bsky.social
@emmadonoghue.bsky.social
Mona Awad
Emma Knight
Souvankham Thammavongsa

gillerprize.ca/the-giller-p...

The Giller Prize Proudly Presents its 2025 Shortlist

October 6, 2025 (Toronto, ON) – Five remarkable Canadian writers have been named to the 2025 Giller Prize Shortlist. Representing the boldness, inventiveness, and transformational power of Canadian li...

gillerprize.ca

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 3d

Come listen to these brilliant guest authors at #VWF2025!

• Kim Spencer
• Scott Steedman
• Sarah Suk
• Bindu Suresh
• Nilo Tabrizy

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 4d

Written on the Dark Guy is another masterpiece from Gavriel Kay, one of our most decorated fantasy writers. He’ll speak to this latest novel, along with the rest of his extraordinary body of work, with Robert J. Wiersema on Oct 24.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 4d

Mona Awad (We Love You, Bunny), Jen Sookfong Lee (The Hunger We Pass Down), and Silvia Moreno-Garcia (The Bewitching) confront power imbalances, slip between genres, and deliver page-turning chills. Oct 24 they’re joined by Mattea Roach, host of CBC’s Bookends.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 5d

Renowned local historian and author Eve Lazarus joins us Oct 24 with Beneath Dark Waters, recounting the worst maritime disaster to occur during peacetime in Canadian history—which claimed the lives of more passengers than the Titanic. Moderated by Mark Kershaw.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 5d

Our Good Reads events are just that: superb books that will entertain and amaze kids without fail! Whitney Gardner (Free Piano (Not Haunted), Kim Spencer (I Won’t Feel This Way Forever) and Kathleen Gros (Carousel Summer) present, with moderator Jael Richardson.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 6d

Learn key writing skills from Ray Clark, Anosh Irani, Tanya Lloyd Kyi, Alex Marzano-Lesnevich, and Bronwen Tate. Suitable for writers of every experience level. Hosted by Tariq Hussain.

Presented in collaboration with UBC School of Creative Writing, and in partnership with Peliplat.

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 6d

This returning event on Oct 22 is a top pick for all writers aspiring, emerging, and established! UBC Night Class is an interactive workshop offering writing tips and prompts across various genres, from instructors at @ubccrwr.bsky.social

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 6d

87. The Crime Scene
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🗓️ Sunday, October 26 at 7:00 PM
📍 Waterfront Theatre
💛 Michael Bennett’s attendance generously supported by Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.

Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 6d

75. On Tyranny: Timothy Snyder in Conversation – SOLD OUT
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🗓️ Saturday, October 25 at 8:00 PM
📍 Granville Island Stage

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Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 6d

42. Sarah Manguso in Conversation
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🗓️ Thursday, October 23 at 7:30 PM
📍 The NEST
💛 Sarah Manguso’s attendance made possible thanks to the generous support of an anonymous patron.

Vancouver Writers Fest @writersfest.bc.ca · 6d

29. Reconciliation and You
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🗓️ Wednesday, October 22 at 7:30 PM
📍 Performance Works
💛 Presented in partnership with Talking Stick Festival and Full Circle: First Nations Performance.