Sunday October 18th, 2015 International Festival of Authors

The International Festival of Authors is returning to Thunder Bay for the fifth year running.  Each year, we are delighted by authors both familiar and new to us as a reading audience.  Often one name will catch my attention which leads to the discovery of new authors to enjoy.  This year we are so very lucky as to have four authors coming to read.  They are:  Alexander MacLeod, Dionne Brand, Elizabeth Hay, and Miranda Hill.  I see some people borrowing the latest works by the authors coming, while others (myself included) may have good intentions to read their writing but don’t quite get around to it. Partly it’s a lack of planning, but more importantly there’s something magical about being introduced to a book by the author.

So I confess, I have not read recent works by any of these authors and the last book I read by Dionne Brand was “Earth Magic:  Poems” which means I’m in for more of a treat.  I expect to be surprised and delighted by these authors on November 4th.  This strategy has worked well for the past several years, thus ensuring a good stock of new reading for winter.  The timing of this event seems ideal for those of us preparing for the coldest months of the year, you can be introduced to new authors and build your reading list.

However, you may choose to spend the next few weeks getting to know these authors in advance.  In that case, we have a lot to offer regardless of whether you want to dip lightly into each or delve deeper into the works of one in particular.

 As recommendations, if you wish to read Dionne Brand you could pick up “At the Full and Change of the Moon” or “Love Enough” or even delve into “Earth Magic” which is housed in the Children’s collection.  Be not afraid of where the books are found as you never know what will be right for today. Perhaps short stories are what will fill your reading tank today, Alexander MacLeod can help with “Light Lifting” as can Miranda Hill with “Sleeping Funny”.  We are quite simply spoiled for choice with this year’s authors, before even looking at the works of Elizabeth Hay.  Whether you choose to read “Late Nights on Air”, “Alone in the Classroom”, “His Whole Life”, or one of her other works you shan’t be disappointed.

So what will you do?  Read ahead and prepare or await the magic November 4th?

Ruth Hamlin-Douglas