BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Read Local BC - ECPv6.17.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Read Local BC X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Read Local BC REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Vancouver BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20260308T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20261101T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260501T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260501T203000 DTSTAMP:20260422T232527Z CREATED:20260422T232527Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260422T232527Z UID:52703-1777662000-1777667400@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:Talonbooks Spring 2026 Launch DESCRIPTION:Join us at the Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall for the launch of the Talonbooks spring 2026 titles! Come help us celebrate this season’s authors and books. Here’s the lineup! It’s going to be an amazing evening. \nTaryn Hubbard will read from Beautiful Unknown Future\nJenn Ashton (attending digitally) will read from Growing My Way Home\nGeorge Bowering (attending digitally) will read from Pearl\nJónína Kirton will read from Save Your Prayers – Send Money\nElee Kraljii Gardiner will read from sometimes\, forest\nNicole Raziya Fong will read from SUBTEXT and\nDanielle LaFrance will read from Verbal Violence! \nThe launch will be hosted by the author of Future Works\, Jeff Derksen! \nA live stream will be available on the Talonbooks YouTube page. Light snacks and drinks will be provided. Hope to see you there! \nTalonbooks Spring Launch\nMartha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall\nVancouver\, BC\nMay 1\, 2026\nDoors at 7 p.m.\, readings begin at 7:30 p.m. PDT URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/talonbooks-spring-2026-launch/ LOCATION:Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall\, 1955 McLean Dr\, Vancouver\, BC V5N 3J7\, Vancouver\, BC\, V5N 3J7\, Canada CATEGORIES:Author Discussion,Launch,Meet & Greet,Panel,Reading ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/4122.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260502T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260502T203000 DTSTAMP:20260422T232021Z CREATED:20260422T230906Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260422T232021Z UID:52698-1777748400-1777753800@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:An Evening with Eve Joseph and Patrick Friesen DESCRIPTION:Join us for a beautiful evening of poetry with local legends Eve Joseph and Patrick Friesen. The duo will be launching their latest collections and invite you to join them in readings and conversation. Tickets are free\, but please RSVP for your spot here as capacity is limited. \nIn Eve Joseph’s latest book\, Dismantling\, the poet is occupied with the idea of poetic imagination and how that often elusive thing can transform the mundane into the mysterious. In a book where fish are classified as bees and rivers are legally people\, things are not always as they seem. As the title suggests\, sometimes the act of taking something apart and building again from scratch allows a poem to find its true form. \n​​The poems in Patrick Friesen’s latest collection\, Sightings\, move between the visible and invisible\, between the contradictions of human history and the immediacy of a complex present. Friesen examines memory and music\, rivers and personalities\, open to all possibilities and sceptical of wisdom. Instead\, these poems rely on the kind of knowledge that comes from experience: tremors and fragments riding on the movement of thinking. The distance from Friesen’s first book\, published 50 years ago\, to this one\, speaks to what it means to have known the world through poetry. \nMore about Upstart & Crow: \nUpstart & Crow is a not-for-profit creative studio and literary incubator that champions writers\, readers and stories\, and the role they play in shaping our lives. We develop original programs\, support artists and revel in creative projects focused on Literature In Translation / Climate Solutions / Poetry / Civic Dialogue / Community & Skills Building … all with the aim of elevating the role of literature and storytelling in our lives. Find us on Granville Island\, Gibsons and online at upstartandcrow.com. \nAccessibility: \nThe main studio of our shop is accessible for folks with mobility aids. There is a washroom on the main floor available for attendees. \nQuestions: hello[at]upstartandcrow.com. URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/an-evening-with-eve-joseph-and-patrick-friesen/ LOCATION:Upstart & Crow\, 1387 Railspur Alley Vancouver\, BC V6H 3R7\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6H 3R7\, Canada CATEGORIES:Author Discussion,Launch,Reading ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/New-Leaf-Event-Banner-1180x590-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Upstart &%3B Crow":MAILTO:hello@upstartandcrow.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260529T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260529T150000 DTSTAMP:20260316T180615Z CREATED:20260316T180615Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T180615Z UID:49535-1780059600-1780066800@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:Book launch: The Art of Looking Back by Theresa Kishkan DESCRIPTION:Join Theresa Kishkan for the release of her memoir\, The Art of Looking Back: A Painter\, an Obsession\, and Reclaiming the Gaze. \nTheresa examines her youth and her role as muse to Victoria artist Jack Wilkinson. More than a reminiscence\, this poetic memoir asks questions about older men and younger women and girls\, and the persistence of that dynamic in art. URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/book-launch-the-art-of-looking-back-by-theresa-kishkan/ LOCATION:Sechelt Public Library\, 5797 Cowrie St\, Sechelt\, BC\, V0N 3A0\, Canada CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Launch,Meet & Greet ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TAP-The-Art-of-Looking-Back-Book-1080x1080-CC-20251126_blue.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Sechelt Public Library":MAILTO:programs@secheltlibrary.ca END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260718T114500 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260718T123000 DTSTAMP:20260709T182726Z CREATED:20260709T182726Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T182726Z UID:57261-1784375100-1784377800@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:Book Launch & Signing with Saul Leslie DESCRIPTION:Book Launch and signing with Saul Leslie for “A Working Title I Want to Change: A Novel” (Repeater Books\, 2026) \n“A Working Title I Want to Change” explores the bleach-scented\, dizzyingly over-lit world of a supermarket’s aisles\, as austerity makes everyone within the store’s walls poorer. In the labyrinth of Tesco’s flagship supermarket\, precariously employed workers search for dignity at the margins of late-capitalist London\, while a nameless narrator cycles through the discarded nametags of sacked colleagues. Gradually absorbing their stories\, he drifts from shifts at the superstore to temporary accommodation\, as imminent homelessness threatens his intellectual hopes. Petty triumphs\, quiet humiliations\, and fleeting acts of kindness become markers of resistance to the wider collapse beyond the store’s walls. \nSaul Leslie is a writer and academic in Liverpool. He teaches literature and creative writing at the University of Liverpool and Hope University. His fiction has been published by Bloomsbury and Liverpool University Press\, and his remarks about disability and literature have appeared in the Times Literary Supplement\, The Conversation\, and The Poetry Review. His academic research on disability and employment was instrumental in influencing policy that brought about the British Sign Language Act in 2022. In addition to his PhD research on disability and the workplace\, he also works with Penguin-Random House as an editor of disabled writers’ memoirs and novels. \nThis reading is sponsored by the International Lawrence Durrell Society as part of the On Miracle Ground XXIII conference. Registration for the conference is NOT required to attend this event. URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/book-launch-signing-with-saul-leslie/ LOCATION:Fairleigh Dickinson University\, Vancouver BC\, 842 Cambie Street\, Vancouver\, Canada CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Launch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Badge-branding.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260823T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260823T213000 DTSTAMP:20260720T221236Z CREATED:20260720T221236Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260720T221236Z UID:57559-1787511600-1787520600@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:Jessica Peterson Launch Event for Colt DESCRIPTION:Join us for this ticketed event to celebrate the release of Colt! The event will have a moderated discussion\, Q&A\, and a signing line. Colt is the first in a brand new series from the author that brought you the Lucky River Ranch series. A guaranteed happily ever after\, Colt is a spicy\, cowboy romance featuring a single dad and a city girl that definitely isn’t supposed to fall for the hot foreman. URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/jessica-peterson-launch-event-for-colt/ LOCATION:St James Community Square\, 3214 W 10th Ave\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6K2L2\, Canada CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Launch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Author-events-12.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Perfect Match Bookshop":MAILTO:events@perfectmatchbookshop.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260913T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260913T160000 DTSTAMP:20260824T181614Z CREATED:20260824T181614Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T181614Z UID:60626-1789304400-1789315200@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:Book Launch: smokin' holy spirits by Nate Nate Nainers DESCRIPTION:Come celebrate Nate Nate Nainers’ (my) newest (and wildest) poetry book\, smokin’ holy spirits (Galleon Books)!!! \nPurchase Tix Here: \nhttps://www.enablingarts.com/product/smokin-holy-spirits-book-launch/F6DU6CDIHD5HENVPYQ62XC6L \nAbout smokin’ holy spirits: \nA multi-dimensional clown has popped the evangelical bubble she was indoctrinated in. By subverting the art of prophecy with profanity\, transgressions\, and crazy-talk\, this clown takes us on a wild and careening ride through the fall-out of leaving the church in six simple steps to quit smoking. With each step\, she moves closer to a generational redemption arc\, making peace with demons and angels alike. She is Nainers as much as she’s not Nainers\, and when she says she’s Nainers\, she’s not at all. \nProudly working-class (though mildly educated)\, neurodivergent (though heavily medicated)\, gay as fuck (though actually bisexual)\, and a bastion of all things weird and strange (though pretty serious\, ok?); smokin’ holy spirits is Canada’s favourite sacrilegious pastime. \nBlurbs for smokin’ holy spirits: \n“A shootin’ the shit poetics that falls into a free-wheeling polyphonic journey with counter-culture undertones and feel good overtones” – Kevin Spenst \n“Nainers’ book walks a tightrope between the twin peaks of nonsense and deep meaning with a wild bull ride that dares us to hang on for sweet joy with an open heart and good lingerie” – RC Weslowski \nAbout the Author: \nNate Nate Nainers is an award-winning poet\, storyteller\, and performance artist living on the unceded territories of the Kwikwetlem and Sto:Lo First Nations\, (PoCo\, BC). Their first book\, “It’s Gonna Be Sick As Hell!” (Wharfingers Press) came out in 2022. In 2024 they placed 3rd at the Vancouver Story Slam Championship at the Vogue Theatre. In 2025\, they wrote and produced two 40 minute solo shows with music and aspects of clown; “Berry Stained Teeth\,” and “Jerald the Space Bear” which was performed at North Vancouver’s Arts in the Garden. In 2026 they were also a featured artist at Galiano Literary Festival. They have been a board member for SAD Magazine\, as well as a co-producer for Parade of Lost Souls\, and founded the street performance group\, Wizard Walks\, as well as Whoa Whoa Hey Now Cabaret\, and the League of Fuddy Duddies with Silly Hats. \nPurchase Tix Here: \nhttps://www.enablingarts.com/product/smokin-holy-spirits-book-launch/F6DU6CDIHD5HENVPYQ62XC6L URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/book-launch-smokin-holy-spirits-by-nate-nate-nainers/ LOCATION:Enabling Arts\, 104-343 Railway Street\, Vancouver\, British Columbia\, V6A 1A4\, Canada CATEGORIES:Interview,Launch,Reading ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Official-Book-launch.png ORGANIZER;CN="Enabling Arts":MAILTO:info@enablingarts.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260923T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260923T203000 DTSTAMP:20260824T181518Z CREATED:20260824T181518Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T181518Z UID:60815-1790188200-1790195400@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:Book Launch for Anattā: Heart of Wisdom by Michael Schauch DESCRIPTION:Join Squamish-based alpinist and award-winning author Michael Schauch in celebrating the launch of his new book\, Anattā: Heart of Wisdom (Hohm Press)\, with a special community event on Wednesday\, September 23\, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Brackendale Art Gallery in Squamish. \nThe evening will feature readings from the book\, conversation and audience Q&A\, live music from local group Riverbank Roses\, and a book signing. \nAbout the Book: \n“Schauch writes about liberation—not through escape but through intimacy with life as it is.” —Sharon Salzberg \n***\nIn the spirit of The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen comes a series of contemplative essays and poetry that restore our connection to each other and ourselves. \nIn Anatta: Heart of Wisdom\, award-winning author\, alpinist\, and Buddhist practitioner Michael Schauch brings us to places where stories reign: among bones nestled in crystal-lined sky caves\, in villages atop the high Himalaya\, and within the warmth of a backyard campfire. Our stories are vehicles for our memories\, individual identities\, and shared cultures…but can we connect to an older story\, one that transcends time and the barriers between us? \nAnatta—the Buddhist idea of “non-self\,” or non-attachment to permanence—is a necessary antidote to our uncertain times. Schauch demonstrates that by immersing ourselves in the wonders of nature\, we can ignite an ancient connection and deep loving-kindness. He shows that the way to resolve conflicts with others is to first resolve conflicts within ourselves—an essential practice in an age of increasing war and polarization. \nBy weaving tales of the metaphysical with Buddhist ways of seeing\, and with refreshing bursts of humour and grace\, Schauch reconnects us to the beauty of everyday life—the stories that connect us across time and place\, and the primordial way back to the heart. \n*** \nThis book is a ‘sword of light’ for those ready to cut through the illusion of separateness and come home.” —Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo \n“Ultimately\, Anattā feels like shelter in challenging times.” —Bernadette McDonald \nMore information on the book and pre-order links are available at michaelschauch.com/anatta. URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/book-launch-for-anatta-heart-of-wisdom-by-michael-schauch/ LOCATION:Brackendale Art Gallery\, 41950 Government Road\, Squamish\, BC\, Canada CATEGORIES:Author Discussion,Book Signing,Launch,Meet & Greet ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Anatta-MarketingAssets-v2_Eventbrite-Banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Brackendale Art Gallery":MAILTO:arts@brackendaleartgallery.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260923T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260923T203000 DTSTAMP:20260824T181437Z CREATED:20260824T181437Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T181437Z UID:60794-1790190000-1790195400@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:Book Launch: Syl-Lo-Therapy by Crystal Hurdle DESCRIPTION:Join us for the launch of Syl-Lo-Therapy by Crystal Hurdle\, a bold\, witty\, and imaginative collection of poetry that brings together two of literature’s most iconic figures: Nabokov’s Lolita and poet Sylvia Plath. Through free verse\, prose poems\, pop-culture references\, and sharp feminist insight\, Hurdle explores power\, obsession\, identity\, and the stories we tell about women. \nPart literary investigation\, part cultural critique\, and part personal meditation\, Syl-Lo-Therapy is a fast-moving\, inventive\, and deeply engaging work that challenges readers to rethink narrative\, truth\, and representation. By placing Lolita and Plath in conversation\, Hurdle creates a startling and original exploration of female experience\, resilience\, and cultural mythology. \nProvocative\, humorous\, and meticulously researched\, Syl-Lo-Therapy is a celebration of poetry’s power to question\, subvert\, and transform. \nJoin us to celebrate this remarkable new work and meet award-winning poet and local author Crystal Hurdle. \nBooks will be available for sale by the author at the event. URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/book-launch-syl-lo-therapy-by-crystal-hurdle/ LOCATION:North Vancouver Public Library – Capilano branch\, 3045 Highland Blvd.\, North Vancouver\, BC\, V7R 2X4\, Canada CATEGORIES:Launch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sy-lo-therapy-by-crystal-hurdle.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="North Vancouver District Public Library":MAILTO:info@nvdpl.ca END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260926T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260926T200000 DTSTAMP:20260824T181332Z CREATED:20260824T181332Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260824T181332Z UID:60991-1790447400-1790452800@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:‘Brotherhood Is a Constant Possibility’: An Evening with Ryan Cho DESCRIPTION:Join Upstart & Crow in celebrating the launch of Brotherhood Is a Constant Possibility: Asian Masculinity in a World Made for Whiteness\, the debut from Vancouver-based author Ryan Cho. Drawing from his own experiences and interviews with other Asian men and nonbinary people\, Cho explores how culture\, sexuality and race combine to influence identity. \nAlong the way\, he meets people redefining what masculinity means to them and discusses what we can do to steward a version of masculinity that is inclusive\, progressive and authentic. \nCandid\, challenging and personal\, Brotherhood Is a Constant Possibility is part memoir\, part research and social analysis\, inviting readers to question the roles Asian men have been allowed to play and to imagine broader and more nuanced ways of thinking about masculinity and men. \nThis event is free\, but please RSVP here as capacity is limited. For every book bought at the event\, the author will donate $10 to local groups supporting masculine folk ($5 to the Dude’s Club of Vancouver and $5 to the House of Rice). Hope to see you there! URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/brotherhood-is-a-constant-possibility-an-evening-with-ryan-cho/ LOCATION:Upstart & Crow\, 1387 Railspur Alley Vancouver\, BC V6H 3R7\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6H 3R7\, Canada CATEGORIES:Author Discussion,Book Signing,Launch ORGANIZER;CN="Upstart &%3B Crow":MAILTO:hello@upstartandcrow.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260928T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20260928T203000 DTSTAMP:20260804T200441Z CREATED:20260804T200441Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260804T200441Z UID:59079-1790618400-1790627400@www.readlocalbc.ca SUMMARY:The Sorceress of Sky Serpents Book Launch DESCRIPTION:Join internationally acclaimed Haisla and Heiltsuk author Eden Robinson for an unforgettable evening exploring the power of Indigenous storytelling\, mythology\, and imagination. Register now and get your signed copy of The Sorceress of Sky Serpents! \nCelebrated for her award-winning novels Monkey Beach and the bestselling Trickster trilogy\, Robinson returns with a sweeping new fantasy inspired by the Indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest. Her newest novel\, The Sorceress of Sky Serpents\, follows Yuala\, a young woman whose unusual connection to creatures feared as monsters may hold the key to her people’s survival. \nThe evening will begin with a welcome from Manuel Axel Strain. Then\, in conversation with Secwépemc and St’at’imc writer Julian Brave NoiseCat\, Robinson will discuss the origins of her richly imagined world\, the role of Indigenous mythology in contemporary fantasy\, and the enduring importance of stories as vessels for culture\, identity\, and resilience. \nThe evening will include an engaging conversation\, an audience Q&A\, and a post-event reception and book signing with Eden Robinson. Books by both Robinson and NoiseCat will be available for purchase on-site. \nEden Robinson is one of Canada’s most celebrated literary voices. Her work has earned numerous honours\, including the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize\, the Writers’ Trust Fellowship\, and the 2024 Indspire Award for her contributions to Indigenous arts and storytelling. \nThis event is co-presented with generous support from Penguin Random House\, SFU Library\, SFU LIVE\, Capilano University Library\, and Talking Stick Festival. URL:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/event/the-sorceress-of-sky-serpents-book-launch/ LOCATION:Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre\, SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts\, 149 West Hastings Street\, Vancouver\, BC\, V6B 1H4\, Canada CATEGORIES:Book Signing,Launch ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.readlocalbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/The-Sorceress-of-Sky-Serpents.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="SFU Public Square":MAILTO:publicsq@sfu.ca END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR