Illuminating Worlds
“Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate.” Thomas Aquinas
I haven’t been blogging over the past few weeks because I’ve been visiting and helping my aging father. He’s fine overall. His memory sometimes clear, other times incredibly fuzzy and all of these reversals in the span of ten minutes. Despite it all, I’m grateful to be here with him and to all of you who checked in to see if I was okay. I so appreciate your friendship and concern and the kind words about my blogs. Thanks for reading and commenting on them. And thanks for being in my corner.
I’m heading home on Monday. It will be difficult to leave my dad. I like being with him even when he forgets my name or that I’m his daughter. We traipse down memory lane, listen to Greek music (I love it when he sings) and we laugh a lot. When I remind him who I am, he lights up and remembers immediately. I tell him, I’m going to grow up with a complex. He quips, “You mean I didn’t already give you one with the way I raised you.” I’m heartened. He’s as sharp as ever.
Anyway, aside from taking care of my dad, I’ve been busy finalizing this year’s Whistler Writers Festival (the program and tickets go on sale August 13th) and the second event in the Spring Reading Series, Illuminating Worlds, which will take place Friday June 22 at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler. Doors open at 7pm, and the show starts at 7:30pm. Here is the line up:
Chelene Knight was born in Vancouver, and is currently the Managing Editor of Room Magazine. A graduate of The Writers’ Studio at SFU, Chelene has been published in various Canadian and American literary magazines. Her debut book, Braided Skin, was published in 2015. Dear Current Occupant is her second book. Chelene is also working on a historical novel set in the 1930s and 40s in Vancouver’s Hogan’s Alley.
John Mavin is the author of Rage, a collection of dark literary short fiction, who teaches creative writing with Simon Fraser University's Southbank Writer's Program. A past nominee for both the Aurora Award and the Journey Prize, his writing has been translated, studied, and published internationally.
Arlene Paré has published five books, Paper Trail, Leaving Now, Lake of Two Mountains, He Leaves His Face in the Funeral Car and The Girls with Stone Faces. She has won the Victoria Butler Book Prize in 2008, the Governor General’s Award for Poetry in 2014 and the CBC Bookie Award. Arleen now resides in Victoria, where she lives with her partner, Chris Fox. She has two adult sons.
Timothy Taylor is a Giller Prize nominated author of 8 books, including Stanley Park and The Blue Light Project, which was awarded the CBC Bookie Award in the literary fiction category. He is also the winner of the Journey Prize, and has been finalist or runner-up for six other major national fiction prizes in Canada. He is an associate professor of creative writing at UBC and lives with his family in Vancouver.
The event’s moderator is our very own Rebecca Wood Barrett, an award-winning filmmaker and writer living in Whistler, BC. She is a seven-time finalist in the World Ski and Snowboard Festival’s 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown, and has won the People’s Choice award two times. Rebecca’s short fiction has been published in Room, The Antigonish Review and Pique Newsmagazine.
These award-winning authors will explore and illuminate themes that are unique to their experiences and imagination. The truths they deliver to others will inspire. Please join us for an evening of readings and discussion on June 22nd. Tickets available at: whistlerwritersfest.com
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