Number one: October in Ottawa is the month for literature. The much anticipated Ottawa International Writer’s Festival is on October 25-30. Number two: we all know that libraries are magical places. Add these together, and you get Teen Author Fest 2018.
The Ottawa Public Library is holding its 9th annual Teen Author Fest on October 27 at its Sunnyside branch (1049 Bank) and at Southminster Church (15 Aylmer). Both locations are a stone’s throw from Lansdowne Park in the Glebe. Young Adult (YA) literature has never been more popular. And it’s not all about finding the next Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen. Great YA literature is a bridge in the mind between the fantasies of childhood and the struggles of adulthood. Stories read in our formative years stay with us for life. Side note, does anyone really know what happened to Jonas at the end of the Giver?
The bilingual festival features writing workshops, writer panels and author meet-and-greets in English and French. This year’s featured writers bring stories that speak to a diverse array of genres, perspectives and themes. And they have plenty of heroes and heroines readers can root for. Several authors are also leading writing workshops throughout the day. This year’s authors are:
- Lucile de Pesloüan : Pourquoi les filles ont mal au ventre?
- Émilie Rivard : 1re avenue
- Sophie Labelle : Ciel
- Hadley Dyer : Here So Far Away
- Susan Glickman: The Discovery of Flight
- Tiffany D. Jackson: Monday’s Not Coming
- E.K. Johnston: That Inevitable Victorian Thing
- Sarah Raughley: Siege of Shadows
- Justin Joschko: Yellow Locust
- Star Spider: Past Tense
- Danielle Younge-Ullman: Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined
If you have a (young) budding writer in your life, this is a great opportunity for them to attend free workshops to learn from published authors. The various fiction panels will also give readers a chance to ask their burning questions. Come out and discover new authors, get a book signed, or just celebrate literature in the city.
Teen Author Fest 2018 will be held at Sunnyside Branch and Southminster Church on October 27 from 12 pm – 5 pm. Admission is free. Visit the OPL site for more details.
