WGA Annual Conference 2023: Origins

Online LTAC Panel -- Translations: Betrayal, Loyalty, and Everything In Between

Wednesday, May 17
7:00 pm - 8:15 pm MDT

Panelists: Randy Kohan, Zaira Makhacheva, and Renée Von Paschen
Moderator: Luciana Erregue-Sacchi

Writers expect that their translators remain loyal to the original works. Readers may ask: is the translation I'm reading close enough to the original? Is it worthwhile to read literature in translation? Responding to the social expectation of a translator's loyalty, this panel will explore the creative processes behind translating poetry and other forms of writing. It will also look at how translators endeavour to achieve the utmost intimacy with the original work, while still maintaining a level of creativity along the way. Join our panelists as they discuss the art of translation, and the ever-present concepts of loyalty, betrayal, and everything in between.

This event will be held online and recorded for viewing after the conference.

This event is free to attend as part of your conference registration. If you are not planning on attending the conference, but would like to attend, single event tickets can be purchased for $15: HERE

This panel is sponsored by the Western Canada branch of the Literary Translators Association of Canada.
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RANDY KOHAN is the author of five collections of poetry. His most recent collection, When Conditions are Right, was published by Ekstasis Editions in 2020.

In 2019, Randy and Facilitator/Translator Zaira Makhacheva, travelled to Russia with a dual-language version of his first collection, Hammers & Bells. This collaborative project spanned 5 years and included two translators and a visual artist from St Petersburg, Moscow and Dagestan. At the Tarki-Tau Book Fair in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Hammers & Bells received the Best Book of Poetry Award. Without the generous support of Alberta Foundation for the Arts, this project could not have taken place.

Website: randykohan..com

ZAIRA MAKHACHEVA is a Medical Doctor trained in Russia, with a Ph.D. in Ophthalmology. She has more than 100 publications to her credit that include educational and scientific material. Zaira’s penchant for arts (literature) and studying foreign languages led to literary achievements including her French-Russian translation of the play Shamyl written by the 19th century French author Paul Meurice.

Since 2013, Zaira has been collaborating with Randy Kohan, Edmonton poet. In 2014, Zaira initiated and coordinated the translation, editing, and preparation for publication and presentations in North America and Russia of the bilingual English-Russian version of Randy Kohan’s first collection of poetry Hammers & Bells.

Currently, Zaira is finalizing her Russian-English translation of wisdom stories by an artist and writer Said Tikhilov. In her role as Head of the Dagestan branch of the Russian Union of Translators & Interpreters https://rutrans.org Zaira is continuously initiating and directing new projects related to literary translation. Zaira resides in Edmonton. She is a mother of two adult children.

RENÉE VON PASCHEN: born in Canada; divides her time between North America and Europe. Bilingual poet, literary translator, scholar and conference interpreter. PhD in Theater, Film & Media, University of Vienna; M.A. in Gender Studies. Literary Translator's Fellowship at Frankfurt Book Fair 2021.Taught theater & film at University of Vienna and Webster University, as well as literary translation at the Universities of Vienna and Innsbruck. Postdoc fellowship at Center for Austrian Studies, University of Minnesota. Numerous poetry publications, literary translations and scholarly articles in English, German & French.

Website: art-translation.net

(Moderator) LUCIANA ERREGUE-SACCHI is an Argentinian-Canadian writer, publisher and cultural worker from Amiskwachikahican. She is the director of Laberinto Press, 2022 Emerging Press of the Year (BPAA) and a Banff Literary Arts alumna. Luciana has been the coordinator of the WGA Horizons Writers Circle (2021-2023). Her works and translation have appeared in academic and literary publications and anthologies worldwide. In 2023 her work was longlisted for the Susan Crean non-fiction Award.

Online Read Alberta Panel: A Gathering Place for Publishers, Readers, and Writers

Wednesday, May 24
7:00 pm - 8:15 pm MDT

Panelists: Peter Midgley, Jenna Butler, and Matt Bowes
Moderator: Kieran Leblanc

In little more than two years since it was launched, Read Albertahas become a key space for news about publishing in Alberta, for interviews with authors, and for discussions of general interest to writers and readers. Join the expert panel to hear what Read Alberta does, what plans we have for the coming year, and discover how you can be involved.

This event will be held online and recorded for viewing after the conference.

This event is free to attend as part of your conference registration. If you are not planning on attending the conference, but would like to attend, single event tickets can be purchased for $15: HERE

This panel is sponsored by the Book Publishers Association of Alberta.
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PETER MIDGLEY is a writer and editor from Edmonton. Over the course of thirty years, he has worked inter alia as freelance editor, festival director, university lecturer, managing editor, and acquisitions editor. This experience has given him enough material for more than a dozen books. His latest book, let us not think of them as barbarians (NeWest Press), was shortlisted for the Stephan G. Stephansson Award in 2019.

Photo credit to Shawna Lemay

DR. JENNA BUTLER is the award-winning author of six books, including Revery: A Year of Bees, finalist for the 2021 Governor General’s Award. She is a retired professor, writing teacher, and off-grid farmer in Barrhead County.

MATT BOWES has worked at NeWest Press since 2012 and became the General Manager in 2015. An avid film fan, he co-hosts Bollywood is for Lovers, a bi-weekly podcast on Hindi cinema with his partner Erin Fraser; part of the Alberta Podcast Network. He has also presented two film series at Edmonton’s Metro Cinema Society, a monthly series comparing comic books and film called Graphic Content, and a retrospective on outlaw filmmaker Seijun Suzuki. His critical writing has appeared in The Pulp, Sequential Tart, The Read Albert Website, and Luma Quarterly.

(MODERATOR) KIERAN LEBLANC is the executive director of the Book Publishers Association of Alberta, an industry association that supports the work of 30 Alberta book publishers, including advocacy, professional development, collective marketing, industry development and an awards program. Projects have included work in accessible audiobook production, accessible book publishing, ebook collections with Alberta libraries, and Alberta Books for Schools (including accessible resources for teachers and students). Kieran is a founding member of the Alberta Partners for Arts and Culture. Her past board involvement includes the Book and Periodical Council, Cultural Connections Institute – The Learning Exchange, Shadow Theatre, the Forum for Young Albertans, Edmonton West Rotary Club, Think Equal, and the Professional Arts Coalition of Edmonton.

Check In & Networking Event: Developing Your Networking Superpower

Friday, June 2
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm MDT

Sometimes the most heroic thing we can do as writers is to show up.

Please join the WGA in kicking off our annual conference with dedicated networking time where you will have the opportunity to casually connect with other writers, members, featured speakers and panelists, as well as WGA board members and staff. For some this will be a chance to develop a networking superpower, for others a chance to catch up with friends old and new, but either way let‘s enjoy each other’s company and get our writerly selves chatting.

Canapés, snacks, and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available Friday evening for participants attending conference events in-person.

This event will be in-person exclusive

Welcome Keynote with Alice Major
On Not Being an Action Figure: Can a Poet Make a Difference?

Friday, June 2
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm MDT

Our world is increasingly conflicted and disaster-prone. Behind wars and pandemics lurks the even-larger shadow of climate change. How can a writer (or a poem) make any difference at all? Through her own journey in writing 13 books of poetry and essays, Alice Major examines the role of writers. Do we have a responsibility to promote hope in an anxious time? How do we even do that without dissolving into facile Pollyanna-ism? (Spoiler alert: We do have a superpower as writers: community.)

This event is sponsored by the Jasper Community Habitat for the Arts.

This event will be held in-person, streamed for online participants, & recorded for viewing after the conference

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ALICE MAJOR has just released her 12th collection of poetry, Knife on Snow, from Turnstone Press. Her subjects range from the personal lyric to the big ideas of physics, history, mythology, and environment. Her work has been praised in publications as diverse as Alberta Views and American Scientist, as well as literary magazines across the country. Her numerous awards include the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artist Award, and the WGA’s Golden Pen. A constant community builder, she served as Edmonton’s first poet laureate, founder of the Edmonton Poetry Festival, and president of the League of Canadian Poets among many other volunteer roles.

Website: alicemajor.com

Photo of Alice by Shawma Lemay

Casual Q&A/Discussion with WGA Staff & Board
And Pitch an Agent with Stacey Kondla

Friday, June 2
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm MDT

Chat with WGA staff and board after the keynote!

This event will be in-person exclusive.

For in-person attendees, during this event, we will be offering ten-minute sessions with literary agent Stacey Kondla.

Do you have a work in progress with the goal of getting traditionally published? Stacey Kondla, a literary agent with The Rights Factory will be taking in-person pitches over two sessions on Friday evening and Sunday lunch hour. You could walk away from the 2023 WGA Conference with an agent! Or at the very least, you can get some invaluable practice pitching. Pitch slots are ten-minutes each and are limited to 12 participants total.

Registrations will be taken in-person at the conference beginning Friday, June 2nd at 4:30pm and will be filled on a first come first served basis.

Keynote Address with Waubgeshig Rice
The Community Roots of Speculative Fiction

Saturday, June 3
9:30 am - 10:30 am MDT

Join author Waubgeshig Rice as he discusses how growing up in an Anishinaabe community helped create a storytelling foundation that informs and influences the speculative fiction he writes today. He’ll talk about how community history and cultural teachings guided him through writing his 2018 post-apocalyptic novel Moon of the Crusted Snow, and its sequel Moon of the Turning Leaves, to be published this fall.

This event will be held in-person, streamed for online participants, & recorded for viewing after the conference

This session is sponsored by the Alexandra Writers' Centre. ______________________________

WAUBGESHIG RICE is an author and journalist from Wasauksing First Nation. He has written three fiction titles, and his short stories and essays have been published in numerous anthologies. His most recent novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow, was published in 2018 and became a national bestseller. He graduated from the journalism program at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2002, and spent most of his journalism career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a video journalist and radio host. He left CBC in 2020 to focus on his literary career. He lives in Sudbury, Ontario with his wife and three sons. His forthcoming novel, Moon of the Turning Leaves, will be published in October 2023.

Coffee Break / Discord

Saturday, June 3
10:30 am - 10:45 am MDT

Snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available throughout the day on Saturday for participants attending conference events in-person.

For opportunities to discuss the conference with other participants and network online during the conference weekend, you can join the conference Discord channel using the link provided in your conference registration email.

If you have any difficulties accessing the Discord channel or setting up an account, please contact us at [email protected] and one of the staff will contact you to offer assistance.

Memoir Masterclass with Jacqueline Baker
Inner Monologues

Saturday, June 3
10:45 am - 12:00 pm MDT

Of creative nonfiction, a student recently wrote: “In The Antigonish Review, outgoing editor Thomas Hodd notes that ‘nonfiction is about what you discovered, not just what you did’.” Memoir, a subcategory of the genre, asks not only what you discovered, but who you were, what you understand now that you did not understand then, and why any of it matters. Accessing both interiority and objective distance while trying to shift the personal to the universal demands a great deal of the writer. In this masterclass, you will use examples of the genre and guided writing exercises to enter more deeply into your own inner monologues.

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference

This session is sponsored by Pandemic University.
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JACQUELINE BAKER is the author of A Hard Witching & Other Stories, The Horseman's Graves, and most recently, The Broken Hours, a ghost story about the final days of horror icon HP Lovecraft.

TW: @jakerback | IG: jacqueline__baker

Romance Workshop with Rayanne Haines: Romance Across Genres

Saturday, June 3
10:45 am - 12:00 pm MDT

Romance is as varied as the people who read it. And the way we share our stories of Romance are as varied as the relationships we, the author, chose to write. Many writers and readers are familiar with Romances written with more traditional expectations around theme and trope, but today’s Romance touches on political and social justice issues just as much as more lauded literary work does. What is often lost in stereotyping this genre is the value romance, or love narratives, bring to literary fiction. Further to this, writing across genres is becoming more and more popular as writers branch out into new and exciting territory, all while rebelling against categorization. Poetry for example is the ultimate love language. And with CNF, writers often probe the personal and profound depths of impassioned narratives. In this class, we will rebel against expectation of form as we discuss relationship building, inclusive narratives that exist both within formal romance writing structures and without, and the way to approach your story. You will be invited to write Romance while focusing on the story, not the genre.

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference

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RAYANNE HAINES (she/her) is an award-winning hybrid author of a four-part Urban Fantasy/ Romance series (The Guardians) and three poetry collections. Her most recent collection, Tell The Birds Your Body Is Not A Gun (Frontenac, 2021) won the 2022 Stephan G. Stephansson Alberta Literary Award for Poetry and was shortlisted for both the Robert Kroetsch Award for Poetry, and the National ReLit Award for Poetry. She hosts the literary podcast Crow Reads in partnership with Read Alberta and is the Vice-President for the League of Canadian Poets. Recent work has been published in The Globe and Mail, Minola Review and The Fiddlehead.

Website: rayannehaines.com | TW: @inkrayanne | IG: rayanne_haines

Panel: Writing Character: Respecting the Worlds Outside Our Own

Saturday, June 3
10:45 am - 12:00 pm MDT

Featuring: Stuart Ian McKay, Nisha Patel, Amy Willans
Moderator: Tim Fox

They say “write what you know,” but does that mean you should never write a character that is outside your realm of experience? With proper research, respect and a healthy dose of sensitivity, no character has to be off limits, or do they? In this panel, authors from diverse backgrounds share their take on how authors can respectfully represent their communities in their writing.

This event will be held online and recorded for viewing after the conference.
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STUART IAN MCKAY is a Calgary poet. His poetry and nonfiction have been published in many Canadian journals and anthologies. Stele of Several Ladies-a long poem and a cognate of prayer, his first two books of poetry, were published in 2005 and 2013 by Passwords Enterprises, an independent Calgary press. Even the idea of maya is maya, a poetry chapbook, was published by Frog Hollow Press in Victoria as part of its Dis/Ability Series in 2019. AOS Publishing in Montreal will publish his new book of poetry,the commune of our waking later this year. Stuart is the editor of the poetry chapbook, the way out is the way in, published by the League of Canadian Poets in 2022. This chapbook celebrates the work of Canadian poets with disabilities. He and fellow Calgary poet/noise and sound artist Matt Smith comprise the poetry creation and performance team "the thornlake endeavour." Stuart serves on the poetry editorial collective of filling station. Stuart is the Alberta/North West Territories representative for the League of Canadian Poets, and serves on the Board of Directors for the League. In January 2022, he was the Writer in Residence at the Wallace Stegner House in Eastend, SK. In September 2023 Stuart will be the Writer in Residence at the Penny Lou Cottage at the Rivendell Retreat Centre on Bowen Island,British Columbia.

IG: canadianpoet2020

NISHA PATEL is the Poet Laureate Emeritus of the City of Edmonton. An award-winning disabled and queer artist, she is a Canadian Poetry Slam Champion and holds a Master of Arts in Cultural Studies from Queen's University. Her debut poetry collection, COCONUT (NeWest Press) was a finalist of the ABPA Regional Book of the Year. She is currently finishing her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia, where she is writing her first graphic novel.

Nisha’s latest works include multimodal inquiries into disabled life. She is currently working on promoting her newest chapbook, How to get a Thigh Gap (Collusion Books).

Website: nishapatel.ca | FB: anothernisha | TW: @anothernisha | IG: anothernisha | LI: anothernisha

Photo credit to Dwayne Martineau.

AMY WILLANS is an Edmonton-based mental health advocate, writer and speaker. She is the author of Haunted by Blue (The Rasp and The Wine, 2014), and her written work has been published by the CBC, The Globe and Mail, the League of Canadian Poets, and in various journals and anthologies. Willans was the first peer support worker on an Alberta Health Services (AHS) Addiction and Mental Health clinical team, and was a community education presenter and peer support worker for the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta for over 15 years. She is a past participant in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate program at the University of Iowa; and has been featured on White Coat, Black Art, CBC Radio One. Willans was a recipient of the 2015 Partner in Health award, presented by CAARNA, The Edmonton Mayor’s 2019 Ewen Nelson Award for Self-Advocacy, and the 2019 Momentum Mental Health Leader award. With visual artist and poet Laurie MacFayden, Willans co-created the installation Fighting Normal, a travelling multi-discipline collaboration, exploring the stigma of mental illness.

Website: amywillans.com

(MODERATOR) TIM FOX, is a member of the Kainai/Blood Tribe, and current Vice President of Indigenous Relations and Equity with Calgary Foundation. Tim’s primary focus is facilitating a systems change approach for reconciliation, decolonization and racial equity. Tim helps to strengthen and enhance the internal culture and practice at Calgary Foundation while incorporating work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Racial Equity both internally and in the broader community.

Tim published his first children's book, Napi kii Imitaa (Napi and the dogs), in 2021 in both English and Blackfoot as part of a language revitalization project. He co-chairs The Circle on Philanthropy, and was recognized as a top 40 under 40 in 2019 for his efforts of mobilizing systems change for reconciliation and racial equity.

TW: @timothycfox | LI: Tim Fox

Panel: Writing as a Career: Expectation vs Reality Discussion

Saturday, June 3
10:45 am - 12:00 pm MDT

Panelists: Natasha Deen, Rosemary Brown (Basic Income Specialist), Taylor Lambert
Moderator: Jason Lee Norman

There is a gap between what writers in Canada make and how much they need in order to earn a living wage from their writing. What can the writing community do to help writers make more from their written work? How can we strike a balance between managing expectations and pushing for better conditions in our industry? The panel will attempt to answer these questions and also discuss how options like Universal Basic Income can be a path forward for writers and artists across the country.

This event will be held online, streamed at Fort Calgary for in-person attendees, and recorded for viewing after the conference.
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Guyanese-Canadian NATASHA DEEN is a best-selling author, with novels for kids, teens, and adults, and she’s a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. Her novel, In the Key of Nira Ghani, won the Amy Mather Teen Book Award and her most recent YA title, The Signs and Wonders of Tuna Rashad was a Globe & Mail's Top 100 Books for 2022. When she’s not writing, she teaches Introduction to Children’s Writing with the University of Toronto’s SCS and spends an inordinate amount of time trying to convince her pets that she’s the boss of the house.

Recent works: The Spooky Sleuths series, Book three, Don’t Go Near the Water! was recently released.

Website: natashadeen.com | TW: @natasha_deen | IG: natasha_deen

Natasha is on a social media pause, so TW and IG pages may not be showing up at this time.

ROSEMARY BROWN is a white settler of European origin born and raised on the stolen lands of the Onondaga Nation in upstate New York. She has Lived in Mohkinstsis for over 46 years and has three adult children and seven grandchildren.

Brown is a community activist involved with We’re together Ending Poverty and Basic Income Calgary. She holds an MA in African History and another in Social Anthropology , as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts from ACAD. Brown has co-facilitated many workshops and Sharing Circles on Basic Needs and Basic Income. She writes a regular column for her community newsletter the Brentwood Bugle, reviewing books read in the Chapters and Chat and the Settlers; Book clubs

As the author of several literary nonfiction books and a freelance magazine writer and journalist, TAYLOR LAMBERT has been telling Alberta stories for more than a decade. His book Darwin's Moving, an exploration of class divides through the lives of Calgary furniture movers, won the 2017 W.O. Mitchell Book Prize, and his profiles of Jason Kenney and Jason Nixon were both nominated for National Magazine Awards. He is currently an investigative journalist with CBC Edmonton.

TW: @ts_lambert

(MODERATOR)JASON NORMAN is a writer from Edmonton. He edits Funicular Magazine and publishes Monto Books.

TW: @bellyofawhale | IG: bellyofawhale

Lunch

Saturday, June 3
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MDT

Snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available throughout the day on Saturday for participants attending conference events in-person.

Lunch will also be provided.

Poetry Masterclass with Wayman Chan: What Masterclass? Just Speak Your Truth!

Saturday, June 3
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm MDT

Weyman Chan, author of six books of poetry and recipient of the 2021 Latner Poetry Prize, offers various techniques that will help writers find their topic, voice, and order of presentation. Discussion of poem-examples, in class participation and some writing exercises are sure to inspire everyone.

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference

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Recipient of the 2021 national Latner Poetry Prize, WEYMAN CHAN has been an Alberta writer ever since he can recall. His second book of poetry, Noise From the Laundry, was a finalist for the 2008 Governor General’s Award. His sixth book of poetry, Witness Back At Me: mismothering and transmigration poems, was published by Talonbooks in 2022. A member of the poetry collective at fillingStation, Calgary’s experimental literary magazine, he’s convinced that kindness, not ego, will save the world. Toronto visited him once.

Presentation: Adapting Oral Storytelling to Literature, with Waubgeshig Rice

Saturday, June 3
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm MDT

Passing stories down orally from generation to generation is a foundational cultural practice for people around the world. Today, writers capture, adapt, and document spoken stories in many ways. Join author Waubgeshig Rice as he discusses how the oral stories of his Anishinaabe heritage influence his writing, and how he writes them in fiction. He’ll share tips on adapting oral traditions to written forms, with a focus on dialogue and character development.

This event will be in-person exclusive.
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WAUBGESHIG RICE is an author and journalist from Wasauksing First Nation. He has written three fiction titles, and his short stories and essays have been published in numerous anthologies. His most recent novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow, was published in 2018 and became a national bestseller. He graduated from the journalism program at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2002, and spent most of his journalism career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a video journalist and radio host. He left CBC in 2020 to focus on his literary career. He lives in Sudbury, Ontario with his wife and three sons. His forthcoming novel, Moon of the Turning Leaves, will be published in October 2023.

Panel: The Enduring Power of the Comic Book and Graphic Novel

Saturday, June 3
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm MDT

Panelists: Aminder Dhaliwal, Teresa Wong & Faith Erin Hicks
Moderator: Josh Rose

It’s no secret that the literary merit of comic books and graphic novels has routinely been called into question -- and probably always will be -- but their continued popularity through decades of origin stories, re-imaginings, countless characters, and ever-changing worlds tells another tale: What is the secret behind the enduring power of the comic book and graphic novel? Can we hold these forms to the same standard we hold other literary forms to? Do we even need to, or are they part of a system all their own? What is it about graphic novels and comic books that resonates with audiences so deeply, generation after generation?

This event will be held online, streamed at Fort Calgary for in-person attendees, and recorded for viewing after the conference.
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AMINDER DHALIWAL is a native of Brampton, Ontario, and received a Bachelor of Animation from Sheridan College. She now lives in Los Angeles, where she is a Writer and Director in Animation. She has worked at Disney TV as a director on The Owl House, as well as Cartoon Network, Sony, Netflix, and Nickelodeon. She has serialized her comics Woman World, Cyclopedia Exotica, and A Witch's Guide to Burning biweekly on Instagram since March 2017 and has garnered over 240,000 followers.

Website: aminderdhaliwal.com | IG: aminder_d

TERESA WONG is the author of the graphic memoir Dear Scarlet: The Story of My Postpartum Depression, a finalist for The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize and longlisted for CBC Canada Reads 2020. Her comics have appeared in The Believer, The New Yorker, McSweeney’s and Event Magazine. A teacher of memoir and comics at Gotham Writers Workshop, she was also the 2021–22 Canadian Writer-in-Residence at the University of Calgary.

TW: @byteresawong | IG: by_teresawong

FAITH ERIN HICKS is a writer and artist living in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her published works include The Adventures of Superhero Girl, Friends with Boys, The Nameless City trilogy, Pumpkinheads (with Rainbow Rowell), One Year at Ellsmere and the young adult novel Comics Will Break Your Heart. She has won two Eisner Awards, and Pumpkinheads was a New York Times bestseller.

FB: faitherinhicks | TW: @faitherinhicks | IG: faitherinhicks

(MODERATOR)JOSH ROSE is an editor and writer from Southern Alberta, currently residing in BC. Josh was a contributor and book editor for a pop culture website before switching from reviewing comics to making his own. He has worked on comics such as Captain Canuck, the best-selling Alberta Comics Anthology, and the award-winning indie series Auric of the Great White North, which was turned into an award-winning beer by Full Beard Brewing Co.

Website: joshwrose.ca | IG: joshw.rose

Masterclass: Writing for Children and Youth with Tololwa Mollel

Saturday, June 3
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm MDT

In this Masterclass, Tololwa Mollel will share with you attributes you should bring into your writing for the young in a way that would appeal and resonate with your intended readers. Touching on categories of writing for young readers of various age groups, Tololwa will delve into aspects to do with some or all of the following: age appropriate content, approach and language; entertainment values; point of view; engaging conflicts and characters, thematic requirements, effective beginnings and endings; and on writing from the perspective of your young reader.

This event will be held online and recorded for viewing after the conference.
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Edmonton-based TOLOLWA MOLLEL writes books, plays, and stories for performance for all ages in English and Kiswahili, the national language of Tanzania where he was born. He has published 24 books for the young in both languages. Some of the books are translated into various African, Asian, and European languages. Tololwa also performs stories, solo or with other performers or artists. He has been spreading his passion for story, performance and writing to the young and old through story workshops, performances and presentations in Alberta schools and communities. He is the 2023 Metro Writer-in-Residence for the public libraries of Strathcona County in Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan and St. Albert.

Coffee Break / Discord

Saturday, June 3
2:15 pm - 2:30 pm MDT

Snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available throughout the day on Saturday for participants attending conference events in-person.

For opportunities to discuss the conference with other participants and network online during the conference weekend, you can join the conference Discord channel using the link provided in your conference registration email.

If you have any difficulties accessing the Discord channel or setting up an account, please contact us at [email protected] and one of the staff will contact you to offer assistance.

Workshop with Julie Sedivy: Mining Your Language History as You Develop Your Voice

Saturday, June 3
2:30 – 3:45 pm MDT

One of the most important aspects of a writer’s development is finding their own unique voice. We’re sometimes hampered in this process by our expectations, often reinforced by literary gatekeepers or teachers, of how our writing should sound. In this session, we’ll explore how a writer’s voice springs from their accumulation of experiences with language. Maybe your first and most emotionally rich language is a language other than English. Maybe you are most expressive in a style of English that is deemed “nonstandard.” Maybe you have formative experiences with language that lead you to value a spare style of writing or maybe you love to sink into lush language. Together, we’ll explore how we can arrive at our most resonant voice by tapping into our personal language histories.

This event will be in-person exclusive.

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JULIE SEDIVY is a writer, editor, and language scientist whose work ranges from the scientific to the poetic and everything between. Her essays have appeared in magazines such as Nautilus, Discover, Scientific American, Literary Hub, the Literary Review of Canada, and Politico, as well as in numerous anthologies, and she has taught linguistics and psychology at Brown University and the University of Calgary. Her fourth and most recent book, Memory Speaks: On Losing and Reclaiming Language and Self was a finalist for the Eggleston Prize for Nonfiction and for the City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize. She is a citizen of three countries and now makes her home on the achingly beautiful lands of Treaty 7.

Website: juliesedivy.com | TW: @JulieSedivy

Workshop with Conni Massing: Introduction to Playwriting

Saturday, June 3
2:30 pm - 3:45 pm MDT

This session will focus on creating great dramatic characters who can power the action of a play, as well as techniques for developing their unique voices through dialogue.

Come prepared to write.

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference.

This session is sponsored by Alberta Playwrights' Network
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CONNI MASSING is an award-winning writer working in theatre, film and television. Recent stage credits include Fresh Hell (Shadow Theatre); Matara and The Invention of Romance, premiered by Workshop West Playwrights Theatre; Oh! Christmas Tree (Roxy Performance Series), and her widely produced stage adaptations of W.O Mitchell’s Jake and the Kid and Bruce Allen Powe’s The Aberhart Summer. Conni’s published credits include essays, short fiction, a comic memoir, Roadtripping: On the Move with the Buffalo Gals (Brindle and Glass Publishing), and seven of her plays. Her writing has been recognized by AMPIA, the Academy of Cinema and Television, the Betty Mitchell Awards, the Writers' Guild of Alberta and the Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards. Conni is a proud member of the Playwrights' Guild of Canada.

Website: connimassing.com | FB: conni.massing

Panel: Independent Booksellers and Their Impact on the Industry

Saturday, June 3
2:30 pm - 3:45 pm MDT

Panelists: Ryan Smith, Richard Young, and Sean Byerley
Moderator: JoAnn McCaig

TThe convenience of Amazon is hard to resist, but if you really want to support local authors, buying from independent bookstores is the way to go. As cornerstones of the literary world, independent bookstores do so much to enhance community and provide invaluable support to authors and readers alike. In this panel, representatives from Calgary area indie bookstores Owl’s Nest Books, Shelf Life Books, Pages, and Yooneek Books discuss the importance of independent bookstores and their impact on the industry. Featuring panelists Ryan Smith, Richard Young, and Sean Byerley, and moderator JoAnn McCaig.

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference.
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RYAN SMITH has always been a reader. While at the University of Lethbridge, a professor asked Ryan to oversee the creative writing magazine Whetstone. Inspired by the experience, he signed up for the publishing certificate program from the Toronto Metropolitan University. After working several years as an editor, Ryan wanted to experience other parts of the publishing industry. In 2020, Ryan joined the Owl’s Nest team. When it came time for one of the owners to retire, Ryan jumped at the chance to make Owl’s Nest Books his lifelong home. Always ready to talk about books, Ryan is perpetually looking for that next great read.

FB: @owlsnestbooks | TW: @owlsnestbooks | IG: owlsnestbooks

RICHARD YOUNG has been a bookseller for over a decade, and is part-owner of three bookstores. Currently on paternal leave from managing Pages Books in Calgary, Richard works as a mentor for bookstores across Canada and the US on the road to opening their doors, as well as performs editorial work with local authors on the road to publishing.

SEAN BYERLEY is the founder and co-owner of Yooneek Books in Okotoks, along with his wife Rae-Lynne. He originally has a background in engineering, but had always had a desire to open and run his own business. After completing his MBA, and finding himself with more free time than he was used to at the beginning of the pandemic, he was making frequent trips to Calgary to purchase books. This was an "aha" moment for Sean, and he was able to marry his passion for reading and desire to open a small business together; thus Yooneek Books in downtown Okotoks was born.

(MODERATOR)JOANN MCCAIG is the author of The Textbook of the Rose and An Honest Woman. She is currently at work on a new novel called The Vigo Reaction. Since 2010, she has been the proud owner of Shelf Life Books, an independent bookstore located in her hometown of Calgary. She co-founded the literary press Freehand Books in 2007, and in October 2020, she purchased the venerable Saskatchewan literary publisher Thistledown Press.

Presentation: The Great Debate: Self Publishing vs Traditional, with FriesenPress

Saturday, June 3
2:30 pm - 3:45 pm MDT

Presenter: Jamie Ollivier (FriesenPress)

Attending this webinar gives you the opportunity to Win a Free Manuscript Evaluation (valued at $499) with FriesenPress!

The publishing industry today looks much different than it did a decade ago. In that time, self-publishing has outgrown its longstanding 'vanity' stigma and become a viable publishing option for many writers. The traditional publishing industry has also experienced great changes and just isn’t what it used to be – even for those who’ve found success within the system.

This workshop will outline the ways in which self-publishing differs from traditional publishing, and how the unrestricted nature of this path might align better with your publishing needs. We’ll also discuss the process of preparing your manuscript for publication and offer advice on how to successfully navigate the industry.

This event will be held online and recorded for viewing after the conference.
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Who is FriesenPress?
FriesenPress is the world's only 100% employee-owned publishing services provider. Since 2009, we have helped thousands of authors publish over 8,000 titles. Part of Canada's largest independent book printer, Friesens Corporation, FriesenPress offers professional editing, design, distribution, and promotional support to those seeking to self-publish their books.

Find us online: Facebook: @friesenpress, Twitter: @friesenpress, Instagram: @friesenpress

JAMIE OLLIVIER is a Publishing Consultant at FriesenPress – the largest publishing services provider in Canada. He brings over 8 years experience to his role supporting authors with self-publishing the best books possible. From touring North America as a stand-up comedian to running his own media company, Jamie's unique and varied background has helped over a thousand authors successfully produce and release their books to the world.

Pacing and Prose - Playing with Time in Genre
Fiction Workshop with Ben Berman Ghan

Saturday, June 3
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm MDT

This event is sponsored by Alberta Views Magazine.

What are the signifiers of a genre, and in what way might they be directed or diverted in different forms of prose? Are there discernible differences between what makes up an excellent short story of science fiction or horror set against that of a novel?

With genre fiction in mind, this session aims to consider how the settings, aesthetics, and limitations of different genres can affect the pacing of short fiction and how we can twist and recombine elements of the genre to play with the scope of a short story— how to make your reader attach to a character in a narrative contained within a half hour, or how to leap across thousands of years at a time without losing the form or structure of a short story.

With examples of how to experiment in short fiction from works of the likes of classics like Ursula K LeGuin and Ray Bradbury and contemporary writers such as Ken Liu and Martha Wells, this session will culminate in an opportunity for a writing exercise that can be expanded upon beyond the confinements of the workshop.

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference.
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BEN BERMAN GHAN is a writer and editor living in Mohkinstsis/Calgary, treaty 7 land and home of the Blackfoot Confederacy, where he’s a PhD student in English literature at The University of Calgary. He’s the author of the collection What We See in the Smoke (Crowsnest Books), and the novella Visitation Seeds (845 Press). His novel The Years Shall Run Like Rabbits is forthcoming with Wolsak and Wynn for spring 2024. His recent work can be found in Clarkesworld Magazine, Wrongdoing Magazine, and The Temz Review.

Website: inkstainedwreck.ca | TW: @inkstainedwreck | IG: ink.stained_wreck

Spoken Word Poetry Workshop with Wakefield Brewster:
PiPP: A Professional Interactive Poetic Presentation
from Page2StageProductions

Saturday, June 3
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm MDT

Fact: the greatest way to receive answers is to posit questions.

I have found that many who attend workshops do so without specific and invested questions. Many come to a workshop just expecting to receive 'the way' or 'the ways' of writing.

When I present, it is powered by the people. Who What When Where Why and How - we all have them about everything, curious creatures are we.

It is time to come to a PiPP to obtain answers on how to engage and improve your poetic works in deeper and more personal ways - as opposed to gathering in a room full of others to 'work' on Poetry.

That is the inception of attending a PiPP with Page2StageProductions - to have you drill down with very personal questions ahead of time, so that the answers relate and resound deeply within.

I will perform pieces of Poetry and also relate them to the Q&A and further interaction. The answers I possess are in my Poems and in my person.

Please attend a PiPP and ask questions.

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference.
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In January 1999, WAKEFIELD BREWSTER (He/Him/His) stepped onto his first stage as a Poet and Spoken Word Artist. Today, he is known as one of Canada’s most powerful Professional Performance Poets.

A BlackMan raised in Toronto by parents from Barbados, he has resided in Calgary since 2016, and it is in the New West where Wakefield has been able to truly flourish as a Poet and as a Person.

Throughout his career, Wakefield has been published in several Anthologies:
 •  T-Dot Griots, Trafford on Demand Publishing, 2004
 •   The Great Black North, Frontenac House, 2013
 •  The Calgary Project, Frontenac House, 2014
 •  The Black Prairie Archives: An Anthology, Wilfred Laurier University Press, 2019

Since moving to Calgary, he has produced two Professional Recordings to his credit:
 •   Wakefield Brewster, da lyrical pitbull (Produced by Kill Whitey Records, 2007)
 •   east2west (Produced by Spanish Fly Music, 2008)

Here is a list of roles he is currently enlisted in:
 •   Professional Poet & Spoken Word Artist
 •   Professional Poetic Interpreter™
 •   3-Time Calgary Poetry Slam Champion & Team Captain; 2006, 2008, 2009
 •   Inaugural Poet Of Honour, People’s Poetry Festival, 2011
 •   Calgary Poet Laureate Shortlist/Finalist 2012, 2020
 •   Inaugural Resident Poet & Spoken Word Artist of The Grand Theatre 2019 – 2022
 •   Inaugural TD ARTIST INCUBATOR at Arts Commons, Poet-In-Residence, 2021-2022
 •   Canadian League Of Poets Member
 •   Elephant Artist’s Relief Society Board Member
 •   Peter Gzowski Foundation For Literacy Calgary Poet Laureate, 2021
 •   Registered Massage Therapist and owner of WakeFull Wellness Registered Massage Therapy & HealingSpace
 •   Community Builder by engaging in Volunteering, Leadership and Mentorship for Youth and through The Arts
 •   Advocate for Literacy and The Humanities; Healing Arts & Alternative Medicine; Alcoholism & Addictions; Mental Wellness & Recovery

• In 2019, he was appointed as The Resident Poet & Spoken Word Artist of The Grand Theatre House in Calgary, Alberta.

• In 2021, Wakefield joined The League Of Canadian Poets in order to become a more integral part of Canada’s Literary scene, while representing the standards of Diversity and Representation.

After all that the stage has given him, he has discovered other ways that he may repay his beloved Poetry and Arts Communities by performing silently, backstage, for them.

Wakefield finds that underneath the many hats and the many hoodies he wears, resides a wonderful life.

He would like to sincerely Thank You all for being a part of it.

Website: wakefieldbrewster.com | FB: wakefield.brewster | IG: wakefield_brewster | TW: @lyricalpitbull | TBLR: da-lyrical-pitbull | LI: wakefield-brewster

Panel: A Taste of Food Writing

Saturday, June 3
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm MDT

Panelists: Wendy McGrath, Mila Philipzig, Tazeen Hasan, and Kathryn Lennon
Moderator: Luciana Erregue-Sacchi

Have you ever written a family recipe? A restaurant review? Is there anything beyond these well-known types of food writing? How can food be a conduit to intercultural dialogue and the basis for memoir, journalistic, and other types of writing? Mila Philipzig, Wendy McGrath, Kathryn Lennon, and Tazeen Hasan will join Luciana Erregue for an entertaining discussion on the increasing importance of food writing across a variety of genres, and how writers can incorporate the language of food in their own writing.

This event will be held online, streamed at Fort Calgary for in-person attendees, and recorded for viewing after the conference.

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WENDY MCGRATH is a Métis writer/artist based in Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 Territory. Her latest poetry chapbook, The Orange Scribbler, is forthcoming from Jack Pine Press (Fall, 2023). This chapbook is a poetry collection that incorporates memoir, fragments of old recipes, letters, and photographs. McGrath’s writing and artistic practice embraces multiple genres—including creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and spoken word. She has written four novels and two poetry collections. Her most recent novel, Broke City (the final book in her Santa Rosa Trilogy—which includes North East and Santa Rosa), is a prairie gothic novel that chronicles the struggles of a working-class family and is told through the eyes of a child-narrator. McGrath is also a printmaker and creates artist’s books. She has a Masters’ Degree, English from York University, Toronto and a Bachelor of Arts, English (with Distinction) from the University of Alberta.

IG: wendyannmcgrath

MILA PHILLIPZIG has published five children's books, four of which are bilingual (Filipino-English). She also translated two children's books from Filipino to German which were included in the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2022. Mila also has poetry, personal essays, and articles published in various magazines, anthologies, and podcasts in the Philippines, Canada, and Germany. In May 2019, she was the featured artist by Edmonton Arts Council for Asian Heritage month.

From 1982 to 2007, Mila managed to bounce around and live and work in 16 different countries. She is forever grateful for having had so many opportunities to discover and enjoy so many different cultures, languages, and cuisines.

TAZEEN HASAN is a human rights advocate, writer, and independent researcher. Her research work has earned her recognition, including the prestigious 2020 Harvard Spotlight Award, a testament to her unwavering commitment to promoting justice and equality. With a rich background as a seasoned journalist, having reported from South Asia, the Middle East, and North America, Tazeen brings a wealth of knowledge to her leading role at Justice For All, a Canadian human rights organization committed to ending the persecution and genocide of minority and indigenous community. As a prolific writer, Tazeen's works, which primarily center around human rights, gender, and the impact of digital technology on society, have been widely published and well-received. She has contributed to two anthologies published in Canada. Driven by a sense of purpose and a desire for meaningful impact, Tazeen remains steadfast in her resolve to use her voice and expertise to drive positive change in these critical areas.

KATHRYN LENNON is the co-creator and co-editor of Hungry Zine, a food-focused publication that centres voices missing in mainstream food media. Her poetry and writing has appeared in Living Hyphen, the Globe and Mail, Ricepaper Magazine, the Ethnic Aisle, Spacing Magazine, Alternatives Journal, and the 2010 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival. She sees the acts of growing, cooking and sharing food as ways of honouring those who have come before, imagining just and sustainable futures, and cultivating relationships to people and place.

Website: hungryzine.com | TW: @hungryzine | IG: hungryzine

(MODERATOR) LUCIANA ERREGUE-SACCHI is an Argentinian-Canadian writer, publisher and cultural worker from Amiskwachikahican. She is the director of Laberinto Press, 2022 Emerging Press of the Year (BPAA) and a Banff Literary Arts alumna. Luciana has been the coordinator of the WGA Horizons Writers Circle (2021-2023). Her works and translation have appeared in academic and literary publications and anthologies worldwide. In 2023 her work was longlisted for the Susan Crean nonfiction Award.

Panel: Barriers to Gateways

Saturday, June 3
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm MDT

Panelists: Jodi McIsaac, Jessica Waite, & Norma Dunning
Moderator: Tololwa Mollel

A writer will face any number of obstacles throughout their career: Perhaps you’re writing in a second language and fear the essence of your voice will be lost in translation, maybe you’ve been told your work doesn’t fit in with current market trends or appeal to a large enough audience, perhaps you lack a formal education or have experienced too many professional and/or personal setbacks to count. What is the key to transforming perceived barriers into opportunistic gateways? Join our group of panelists as they discuss obstacles they’ve encountered throughout their literary journeys and how these barriers informed, shaped, and even helped their careers.

This event will be held online and recorded for viewing after the conference.
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JODI McISAAC is the author of six novels: The Thin Veil series (47North), the Revolutionary series (47North), and the pre-pandemic pandemic novel A Cure for Madness (Thomas & Mercer). Her short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in Writer’s Digest, The Globe and Mail, and other outlets. She's also the owner of a boutique copywriting agency serving the non-profit sector. Born and raised on the East Coast, Jodi made her way to Calgary via Belfast, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Vancouver. She lives with two delightful teenagers and their cat, Chaucer.

Website: jodimcisaac.com | FB: jodimcisaac | IG: jodimcisaac

JESSICA WAITE believes books can save lives. Her debut memoir, The Widow’s Guide to Dead Bastards (forthcoming from Simon & Schuster in 2024) tells the story of how, in the wake of her husband’s sudden death, she uncovered secrets that undermined everything she’d trusted about the man she loved and their extraordinary life together. Then, amidst the chaos and confusion of her new reality as a widowed single mom, strange, inexplicable coincidences forced Jessica to consider whether her husband might be reaching back from beyond the grave. When life handed her a riveting, horrifying and surprisingly beautiful story, Jessica transformed herself into a writer.

In 2022, Jessica received the JON WHYTE MEMORIAL ESSAY AWARD. Her stories have been listed in contests by GEIST, ROOM, and PRISM INTERNATIONAL magazines. Her essays and short fiction have been anthologized in print publications in the USA, UK, and Canada.

Website: storymourning.com/a-secret-book.html | IG: endless_stories_jess

Photo credit: Christina + Nathan

NORMA DUNNING, PhD is a Padlei Inuk writer, professor, grandmother to six grandchildren. Kinauvit? What’s your name is a revelatory look into an obscured piece of Canadian history: what was then called the Eskimo Identification Tag System – this is her first work of non-fiction. She has published five books to date. Her collection of short stories Tainna (the unseen ones) received the 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award. Annie Muktuk and Other Stories received the Dunata Gleed Award (2018) and several other literary awards. Dunning has released two collections of poetry, Eskimo Pie: a poetics of Inuit Identity (2020) and Akia (the other side) (2022).

Photo Credit: Emily Weltz Studios

(MODERATOR) Edmonton-based TOLOLWA MOLLEL writes books, plays, and stories for performance for all ages in English and Kiswahili, the national language of Tanzania where he was born. He has published 24 books for the young in both languages. Some of the books are translated into various African, Asian, and European languages. Tololwa also performs stories, solo or with other performers or artists. He has been spreading his passion for story, performance and writing to the young and old through story workshops, performances and presentations in Alberta schools and communities. He is the 2023 Metro Writer-in-Residence for the public libraries of Strathcona County in Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan and St. Albert.

Alberta Literary Awards Gala

Saturday, June 3
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm MDT
Tickets: $50

6:00 pm Cocktails
7:30 pm Program

Keynote Speakers: Shane Onyou & Naomi Davis
Emcee: Jason Lee Norman

Please join us for an evening that celebrates literary excellence and Alberta's writing community! We will present awards in nine categories that include fiction, nonfiction, drama, poetry, memoir, and children's literature.

We will also be holding a Literary Awards Raffle during the in-person event!
Raffle Licence: 6440389

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SHANE ONYOU (he/him) arrived on the Calgary drag scene in 2017 as the premier, sexy and sultry Daddy of the community. Throughout his career, Shane has not only been a popular performer at Twisted Element, Fake Mustache at Dicken's Pub, ISCCA events, or frankly anywhere with a stage, but has also been a frontline advocate in the community.

Serving as a 2SLGBTQIA+ activist, Shane's resume of service includes Reading with Royalty through Calgary Pride, online Storytime With Shane, supporting queer youth by providing paid stages for up-and-coming youth drag performers, and sitting on various boards including Okotoks Pride. Building a safer future for the queer youth of today is Shane's highest priority. Safety in the community is a passion for Shane, as he fills the role of head of security at Calgary's most popular queer nightclub, Twisted Element.

From newspaper covers during Pride to evening news segments covering the increasing vitriol toward the queer and drag communities, Shane never hesitates to speak up for the rights of those being targeted by bigotry and hatred. You can frequently find him on podcasts, in interviews, photo essays, and various ad campaigns as he continues to fight for a more equitable world for all. Serving you old school style and eyes that will melt your heart, Shane was Viscount of the Fake Mustache through ISCCA, and brings a unique blend of campyness and sex appeal that has audiences consistently screaming for more! Shame on you if you've yet to fall in love with Shane Onyou!

Website: calgarypride.ca/reading-with-royalty

Authors have always been NAOMI DAVIS's superheroes. Growing up in Minnesota, they spent their elementary years pretending they were every character in every book they read. Working with authors and incredible colleagues at BookEnds Literary Agency has been a dream come true for Naomi.

Naomi has a passion for helping authors develop stakes, voice immersion, and tension to a story's highest possible potential. They seek dynamic, character-driven adult and young adult titles in fantasy, sci-fi, and romance, and represent select picture book authors.

Naomi is particularly passionate about finding new fantasy and sci-fi settings with unique magical structures that surprise the reader and change the rules readers associate with those worlds.

Naomi is nonbinary and happy with either pronoun, she/her or they/them. Activism in the queer community is a key focus of Naomi's work, including supporting queer storytellers, defending drag storytime and queer youth, and volunteering in queer spaces.

Website: bookendsliterary.com/myauthors/naomi-davis/

Coffee & Mixer

Sunday, June 4
9:00 am - 9:30 am MDT

Coffee and brunch will be available Sunday morning for participants attending conference events and the AGM in-person.

Keynote: In-Conversation and Q&A with Emily St. John Mandel (Virtual)

Sunday, June 4
9:30 am - 10:30 am MDT

HOST: Dorothy Bentley

Join us for an in-conversation chat with host Dorothy Bentley and featured author Emily St. John Mandel, where Dorothy and Emily will discuss the nuances of craft and Emily’s most recent novel, The Sea of Tranquility. Afterwards, we will open the floor to a 15-minute Q&A where participants can have the opportunity to ask Emily their literary-related questions.

This event will be held online, streamed at Fort Calgary for in-person attendees, and recorded for viewing after the conference.
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EMILY ST. JOHN MANDEL is the bestselling author of numerous novels, including The Glass Hotel, Station Eleven, and Sea of Tranquility. Her novel Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, won the 2015 Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Toronto Book Award, and the Morning News Tournament of Books, and was adapted into a limited series for HBO. A previous novel, The Singer's Gun, was the 2014 winner of the Prix Mystere de la Critique in France. Her short fiction and essays have been anthologized in numerous collections, including Best American Mystery Stories 2013. She is a staff writer for The Millions.

Photo of Emily by JiaHao Peng.

For more information on Emily St. John Mandel, please visit: prhspeakers.com.

(HOST) Growing up in Southern Ontario gave DOROTHY BENTLEY a love of nature, books, and scribbling words. Transplanted to Alberta, she is a freelance writer and workshop presenter. Her picture book, Summer North Coming, was published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside in 2019, her YA novel, Escape from the Wildfire, was published by Lorimer Kids & Teens, 2022; and her poetry was included in the M(othering) Anthology, Inanna Press, 2022. In the time period BC (before children), she won the WBRL Excuses Excuses contest. Recently, she was a winner of the RMWB Words in Motion poetry contest (2016), and she was short-listed for an Excellence in the Arts Award, Literary Arts category, by Arts Council Wood Buffalo (2022). She lives with her family in the Alberta Foothills which are never too quiet with their excitable sheltie, Clay, and a cat named Whitney Mewston who likes to sing.

Website: dorothybentley.ca | FB: Dorothy Bentley | IG: dorothydbentley | LI: Dorothy Bentley

WGA Annual General Meeting

Sunday, June 4
10:45 am - 12:15 pm MDT

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference.

More details coming soon! Check back for updates!

Lunch

Sunday, June 3
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm MDT

Coffee and brunch will be available Sunday morning for participants attending conference events and the AGM in-person.

For in-person attendees, during the lunch hour on Sunday, we will be offering ten-minute sessions with literary agent Stacey Kondla:

Do you have a work in progress with the goal of getting traditionally published? Stacey Kondla, a literary agent with The Rights Factory will be taking in-person pitches over two sessions on Friday evening and Sunday lunch hour. You could walk away from the 2023 WGA Conference with an agent! Or at the very least, you can get some invaluable practice pitching. Pitch slots are ten-minutes each and are limited to 12 participants total.

Registrations will be taken in-person at the conference beginning Friday, June 2nd at 4:30pm and will be filled on a first come first served basis.

Ask an Agent and Publisher Interactive Talk/ Q&A

Sunday, June 4
1:30 pm - 2:45 pm MDT

Featuring: Kelsey Attard (Freehand), Stacey Kondla (The Rights Factory) & Brian Scrivener (University of Calgary Press)

Are you curious about what an agent does and if you need one? What is the role of the publisher in your literary journey? This interactive talk gives you the opportunity to ask Stacey Kondla from The Rights Factory, Kelsey Attard from Freehand Books, and Brian Scrivener from the University of Calgary Press all your agent and publisher-related questions!

This will be a hybrid event: held in-person and streamed online. This event will be recorded for viewing after the conference.
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KELSEY ATTARD is the managing editor of Freehand Books, a literary publisher in Calgary. She has a master of publishing degree from Simon Fraser University, and she has worked for fifteen years in Alberta's writing and publishing industry.

TW: @kelseyattard

A life-long bibliophile, STACEY KONDLA's experience includes working as a Field Representative for Scholastic Book Fairs, managing at Chapters/Indigo stores, freelance editing, and serving on the organizing committee of When Words Collide (A Festival for Readers and Writers). She joined The Rights Factory in 2018 and represents fiction and nonfiction authors across age categories and across genres. Stacey is drawn to strong narrative voices, innovative storytelling, feeling all the feels, laughing all the laughs, and also the dark and the weird.

TW: @StaceyKondla | IG: 101minerva

Co-author of two books and midwife to dozens more, BRIAN SCRIVENER started his five-decade-long career in publishing at the University of British Columbia Press right out of grad school. After stops along the way as editorial director at Raincoast Books in the early Harry Potter days, senior editor at Opus Sports Books, forays into advertising and related dark arts, and an intermittent career as a freelance editor, he landed in 2015 as director at the University of Calgary Press, where he remains today.

TW: @Scr1vener

Panel: The Relevance of Speculative Fiction in a Real Scary World

Sunday, June 4
1:30 pm - 2:45 pm MDT

Panelists: Jaqueline Baker, Deborah Willis, and R.M. Olson
Moderator: Eric Choi

As we navigate our way through a changed world post-pandemic, we might ask ourselves what bearing speculative fiction has in our writing when there are so many real, immediate, and downright scary events occurring presently across the globe. Why does speculative fiction continue to be a relevant, almost fundamental vehicle many writers use to tell their stories? Is it easier to talk about real-life issues through the guise of otherworldly tales? Can exploring alternative worlds, histories, and possibilities enhance our ability to understand our own world better, ultimately making us better writers?

This event will be held online, streamed at Fort Calgary for in-person attendees, and recorded for viewing after the conference.

This session is sponsored by EDGE.
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JACQUELINE BAKER is the author of A Hard Witching & Other Stories, The Horseman's Graves, and most recently, The Broken Hours, a ghost story about the final days of horror icon HP Lovecraft.

TW: @jakerback | IG: jacqueline__baker

DEBORAH WILLIS is a writer based in Calgary, Alberta. Her first book, Vanishing and Other Stories, was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for fiction, named one of The Globe and Mail’s top 100 books of the year, and recommended by NPR as one of the best books of 2010. Her second book, The Dark and Other Love Stories, was longlisted for the 2017 Giller Prize, won the Georges Bugnet Award for best work of fiction published in Alberta, and was named one of the best books of the year by The Globe and Mail, the CBC, and Chatelaine Magazine. Her fiction and nonfiction has appeared in The Walrus, The Virginia Quarterly, The Iowa Review, Lucky Peach, and Zoetrope. Her novel, Girlfriend on Mars, is forthcoming this June from Penguin (Canada), W.W. Norton (U.S.), and Serpent's Tail (U.K.).

R.M. OLSON writes space opera science fiction that features queer and neurodivergent characters, found families, friends-to-lovers, and a whole lot of action. They've published fourteen novels, along with various novellas and short stories, and have two more series currently in the works. R.M. loves space opera as a genre, because it gives them freedom to flesh out their characters and relationships (platonic and romantic) while still having all the wild mile-a-minute action scenes that they love. In 2021 R.M. quit their job as a lawyer to become a full-time author, and hasn't looked back since. Besides writing, R.M. has ridden the Trans Siberian railway, jumped off the highest bungee jump in the world, gone cage-diving with great white sharks, faced down a charging buffalo bull, and knows how to milk a goat. Currently they reside just outside of Calgary, Alberta with their four children, multiple cats, and a dog the size of a small bear. They go hiking and skiing more often than they probably have time for, eat more chocolate than is probably good for them, and read more books than is probably prudent.

Website: rmolson.com | FB: rmolsonauthor | IG: rolson_author | YT: rmolsonsci-fiauthor9303

(MODERATOR) ERIC CHOI is a Hong Kong born writer, editor, and aerospace engineer based in Toronto. He was the first recipient of the Isaac Asimov Award (now the Dell Magazines Award) for his novelette “Dedication,” and he has twice won the Prix Aurora Award for his short story “Crimson Sky” and for the Chinese-themed speculative fiction anthology The Dragon and the Stars (DAW) co-edited with Derwin Mak. With the late Ben Bova, he co-edited the hard SF anthology Carbide Tipped Pens (Tor). Eric’s work has appeared in more than thirty publications in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Hungary, and Japan. His first short story collection Just Like Being There (Springer Nature) was released in 2022.

Website: aerospacewriter.ca | Amazon Page: amazon.com/author/aerospacewriter | FB: aerospacewriter | TW: @aerospacewriter | IG: aerospacewriter | LI: linkedin.com/in/eric-choi-91969514