Open Book has been down at Harbourfront this week to check out some fantastic OBPO-published writers at the 2024 Toronto International Festival of Authors

The Toronto International Festival of Authors is in full swing now, with the first few days of the fest already in the books. There have been some fascinating readings, discussions, and events throughout the early part of TIFA, with plenty more to come before the close of the festival on September 29th. 

We've been down at Harbourfront this week, making our way from event to event, and crossing paths with all kinds of folks in the local literary community, and those who have come from all over the province, country, and from abroad to take part in TIFA this year.

OBPO authors are represented proudly this year at the festival, and lucky attendees might have seen Giller Prize winner Ian Williams over the weekend, talking about his new CBC Massey Lecture, titled What I Mean to Say: Remaking Conversation in Our Time (House of Anansi Press). He was in conversation with Roland Gulliver, Director of TIFA, and held a lively discussion about the new lecture in print form, and about the challenges of communication and conversation in this day and age. 

There have also been some fantastic panels including Book*hug Press authors Jess Taylor (Play) and Jacob Wren (Dry Your Tears to Perfect Your Aim). Both of whom had their latest novels featured on Open Book recently. A.G.A Wilmot spoke about their new queer, paranormal horror novel Withered, published by our friends at ECW Press. And Tasneem Jamal was on a panel discussing dislocation and relocation as it relates to her new novel, I Never Said That I Was Brave (House of Anansi Press).

There's plenty more to come in the remaining days of TIFA, and we'll be there for events with OBPO authors like Michael Melgaard (Not that Kind of Place), who features on a True Crime panel this week at the fest. Jean Marc Ah-Sen and Alex Pugsley, who will be on a panel named Writers and the City together on Sunday afternoon. We'll also be celebrating so many OBPO authors and Open Book contributors at the Journey Prize Stories Celebration on Wednesday evening. Among those are André Alexis, Kris Bertin, Paige Cooper, Nancy Jo Cullen, Alicia Elliot, Andrew Hood, K.D. Miller, Naben Ruthnum, and Michelle Winters. 

Check out the rest of this year's TIFA events right here, and head down to support your old and new favourites authors!