News and Interviews

Eden Mills Writers Festival to Host Six Months of Online Literary Events

While this year's edition of the Eden Mills Writers Festival may not be happening in its traditional form, the organizers have announced their plans to host a series of online literary events running from May to October 2020. Book clubs, panel discussions, and presentations for children will all be included in the programming.

In a press release, Artistic Director Nicola Dufficy said:

"We were uncertain whether we would be able to gather for a festival in early September. We didn’t want to plan something wonderful and then have to cancel. There are so many incredible books being published in Canada this year, and we want to share them with our community. So, we decided that if we couldn’t host the festival in our backyard, we’d bring it to yours!”

“We’re disappointed that we won’t be able to welcome book lovers to our little village this September," EMWF Board Chair Hélène Duguay said, "but we are delighted that we will still be able to provide our audience with the opportunity to hear from and engage with the very best writers in Canada.”

Among the scheduled events are a book club with The Glass Hotel author Emily St. John Mandel, hosted by The Globe and Mail's Judith Pereira; a panel discussion featuring Shani Mootoo (Polar Vortex), John Elizabeth Stintzi (Vanishing Monuments), and Souvankham Thammavongsa (How to Pronounce Knife) hosted by author Farzana Doctor; and a children's presentation by Music For Tigers author Michelle Kadarusman.

Registration for all events is now open. Those interested in signing up or viewing the full schedule can visit the EMWF website for more details.