So here it is late July, and my favourite time of year is just around the corner - Festival of the Written Arts time.
Living in an area with the most fabulous libraries in B.C. (and yes, I'm biased), it always surprises me when I meet someone who's never been to the festival. Every year there are authors of every genre to entice even the most cursory of readers, and 2011 is no exception.
This year, as always, there are authors I'm dying to meet. This year's biggest draw, hands down, is Margaret Trudeau. For her many fans, the sad news is that her event sold out right away, but that doesn't mean you can't come and listen to her anyway. There are tables and chairs outside the pavilion where sold-out (only) authors can be heard. Relax with a glass of wine and remember what it was like when mom or dad used to read to you every night. I guarantee there is no easier way to shed the cares of the world than listening to a world-class writer on a moonlit night at Rockwood Garden.
One of the authors I can't wait to meet is Grant Lawrence; his book Adventures in Solitude, or What Not to Wear to a Nude Potluck is hilarious. It had me laughing out loud. He is one funny dude. And apparently I'm not the only person in B.C. who thinks so. He's been number one on the B.C. Bestsellers List for 12 weeks. I suspect his reading will be one to remember. In his other guise, Grant works for CBC Radio, which has probably honed his ad lib skills to a fine art. He won't disappoint.
This year's Bruce Hutchinson Memorial Lecturer, Judy Fong Bates, promises to bring a unique point of view to the event. The Lecture is an opportunity for an outstanding writer every year to bring his or her Canadian experience to the audience, to leave us inspired or called to action. Judy, a Chinese-Canadian, came to Canada as a child and has an insider's perspective of the people who were the life-blood of every little town in Canada. This is a chance to hear about modest people who were often not given their due in our country.
We are also fortunate enough to have Canadian bestseller Sandra Gulland at the festival this year. Her trilogy of the Empress Josephine is one of the most finely-crafted fictional books of that era of French history. But lest you think of them as being history books disguised as novels, rest assured you'll be as much entertained as educated. I was warned when I began reading her Mistress of the Sun that I'd need to call in sick because the book's addictive. And believe me, if I thought I could get away with it, I would have. The book is absolutely amazing. Gulland is so adept at describing people and scenes, you feel like you're teleported back to that time in France. The other thing I like about this author is that her characters are never all good or all bad; in other words, they come across as real people not merely dust in a history book. It will be fascinating to hear how she got engrossed in French history and just how long it took her to research her books. I suspect she'll be a big hit with the audience.
For the past few years, Coast Reporter has sponsored the New Voices event, and this year is no exception. We are thrilled to be part of the Festival and proud to introduce new authors to the Sunshine Coast. Sheryl MacKay from CBC will do her usual bang-up job of interviewing the authors, and together we'll learn about communities new to us. Janet Romain is a Métis Canadian, whose book Grandpère has grabbed stellar reviews from the likes of Richard Van Camp. It is the story of an elderly man that I suspect comes from Janet's own experience. Gurjinder Basran, the second new voice, is from the Punjabi community, and her book, Everything Was Good-Bye, is one I can't wait to read.
Only 12 more sleeps until the fun begins. See you at the Festival.
