Read Local BC

Getting Juicy with Awfully Hilarious: Pillow Talk Book Launch
2026-02-12 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Vancouver) | Whistler Public Library, 4329 Main Street, Whistler, BC, V0N 1B4, Canada
Join us at Whistler Public Library as we celebrate the launch of the latest and greatest from the Awfully Hilarious Project.
First, we cringed and laughed at tales of first dates. Then, we nodded in agreement and horror as we read Period Pieces. Now, join us for the launch of the third book in the series, Pillow Talk. This latest addition to the Awfully Hilarious series takes us into the bedrooms (and back-seats and bathrooms) of its writers with true tales of intimacy, pleasure, and desire.
This book launch will feature readings from several Pillow Talk contributors including Awfully Hilarious mastermind Heather Hendrie, followed by a conversation moderated by Library Program Coordinator Jeanette Bruce and a Q&A with the audience.

Book Launch: Pillow Talk
2026-02-17 18:30 - 20:30 | Squamish Public Library, 37907 2 Ave, Squamish, BC, V8B 0A7, Canada
Join us at the Squamish Public Library as we welcome back Heather Hendrie, the Imagination Agent behind the Awfully Hilarious trilogy. We cringed and laughed at tales of first dates. We nodded in agreement and horror as we read Period Pieces. Now join us for the launch of the third book in the series, Pillow Talk.

Off the Shelf Poetry Reading Series: Jeff Derksen & Saba Pakdel
2026-02-27 19:00 - 21:00 | SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Please join Simon Fraser University’s Department of English and Poetry in Canada for a poetry reading featuring Jeff Derksen and Saba Pakdel.
Details:
Date/Time: Friday, February 27th (Doors 6:30 PM; Event: 7-9 PM)
Location: SFU Belzberg Library at Harbour Centre campus (515 West Hastings St. Vancouver, BC V6B 5K3)
This is a free event, no RSVP required.
Bios:
Jeff Derksen: https://www.sfu.ca/english/people-dir/faculty/jeff-derksen.html
Saba Pakdel: Saba Pakdel: Saba Pakdel is a poet, migration literature scholar, and PhD candidate in English at the University of Victoria. In her SSHRC-funded PhD research, Saba specializes in migration study and climate-induced mobility with a focus on modern and contemporary literature, exploring the experience of exile, displacement, and climate crises. Saba has published two poetry chapbooks In-Between (2022) and Un-Composed (2024) by above / ground press.
Venue Accessibility:
This in-person event takes place at the SFU’s Harbour Centre campus. It is easily accessible by transit and near SkyTrain. The campus is wheelchair accessible and has wheelchair accessible washrooms. Gender neutral washrooms are also available.

"The Librarians" Film Screening at the Rio Theatre
2026-02-28 03:30 - 17:30 | BC
Celebrate Freedom to Read by joining local libraries for a screening of the 2025 documentary The Librarians, a documentary film about how Librarians unite to combat book banning, defending intellectual freedom on democracy’s frontlines amid unprecedented censorship in Texas, Florida, and beyond.
The screening will be accompanied by a short discussion with local librarians and academics on book bans and challenges in Canada, including libraries’ roles in protecting freedom to read and how we can all defend our right to intellectual freedom.
Where: Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V5N 1W1)
When: Saturday, February 28 (Doors 3:00 pm | Movie 3:30 pm)
Tickets & more info: $16 from the Rio Theatre:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/40213-the-librarians-with-post-show-panel-discussion

Poetry Reading: Steven Seidenberg & Danielle LaFrance
2026-03-08 19:00 - 21:00 | People’s Co-op Bookstore, 1391 Commercial, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5L 3X5, Canada
Poets Steven Seidenberg and Danielle LaFrance will be reading at People’s Co-op Bookstore on Sunday, March 8th (7-9 PM).
This is a free event and all are welcome – no need to RSVP.
*This event is hosted by Simon Fraser University’s Department of English.
Bios:
Writer and artist Steven Seidenberg’s literary works include “Coda” (Omnidawn, Fall 2025), “Anon” (Omnidawn, 2022), and “plain sight” (Roof Books, 2020). His books have been published in Italian, Portuguese and Swedish translation, and his most recent collection of photographs is “The Architecture of Silence” (Contrasto, 2023).
Danielle LaFrance is a poet and information malprofessional. Their commitments are anchored to liberation, resistance, and pleasure. LaFrance is the author of “species branding” (Capilano University Editions, 2010), “Friendly + Fire” (Talonbooks, 2016), “JUST LIKE I LIKE IT” (Talonbooks, 2019), and “#postdildo” (Talonbooks, 2022). LaFrance co-created the reading and journal series, “About a Bicycle” and currently collaborates on the ad infinitum intertextual sound project, “Yes, Sydo”. Their forthcoming book, “Verbal Violence” (Talonbooks, 2026) is a scrolling indictment of the professional managerial class. They reside as a guest on still occupied and still unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səlilwətaɬ lands.

FREE Celebration of Outdoor Learning Books!
2026-03-10 16:00 - 17:00 | https://outdoorlearning.com/event/spring-celebration-2026/, Virtual Event
Free 1 Hour Virtual Event on Tues, March 10 at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern Time.
Sign-up: https://outdoorlearning.com/event/spring-celebration-2026/
This is a chance to connect virtually with the incredible authors of some of the outdoor and Indigenous learning resources that we’ve published. Get the inside scoop, hear about their process, and ask any burning questions. Offered in partnership with Take Me Outside, with the support of Creative BC.
All registrants will receive:
– Access the recording, in case you can’t join us live
– Access a Certificate of Attendance
– Entry for some great prizes!
– A 15% coupon code to access any of the books featured!
Offered in partnership with Take Me Outside, with the support of Creative BC.

Nowruz Celebration: The Seven Trials of Esfandiyar
2026-03-14 14:00 - 16:00 | VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY – CENTRAL LIBRARY
Hear the story of the Seven Trials of the hero Esfandiyar from the famous The Persian Book of Kings! In true heroic fashion, Esfandiyar fights beasts, a dragon, and a mythical bird to get to the fortress where his sisters are held captive. But not all tasks require raw strength and battle skills – heroism is about more than that.
Led by Dr. Alexandra Hoffmann, this event guides you through the story, featuring an engaging lecture, recitations in Persian and English, and an opportunity for discussion. Join us for an afternoon immersed in Persian culture and learn how one might go about killing a dragon.
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This event is organized by Ashkan Doremami, BA (UBC), Dr. Alexandra Hoffmann, Assistant Professor of Classical Persian Literature and Culture (UBC), and Dr. Hessam Dehghani, Assistant Professor of Teaching in Persian Language and Culture (UBC).
In partnership with the Persian Language and Culture Program at UBC and PanBeh Bookstore (Vancouver’s Iranian/Persian Bookstore).

Giant Silent Reading Party
2026-03-17 18:00 - 20:30 | Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 6B1, Canada
Are you feeling a little lonely and finding it hard to connect with community in Vancouver? The Vancouver Public Library is hosting a giant silent reading party to get ready for Spring. Our “silent reading party” at the library is a social space where patrons can sit together and read in silence. Do you have book that you just haven’t had the time or space to finish? Well now you can finally bring that book out of your giant TBR pile to the table!
Enjoy the company of other book lovers with a 30 minute conversational social afterwards to discuss what you are reading.
*Light refreshments will be provided.

Somatic Writing Workshop
2026-03-25 19:00 - 21:00 | wildfires bookshop, 712 A 12th Street, New Westminster, BC, V3M 4J6, Canada
Join us for a Somatic Writing Workshop with poet, spoken word artist, playwright, and somatic psychotherapist, Mercedes Baines. Somatics refers to a practice of listening to and dialoguing with the body (which includes the mind and imagination), allowing us to be present with ourselves.
As local and global injustices continue, our bodies also continues to process, reflect, and protect. Embodied practices like somatic writing can create a space for grounding, connection, and attuned creative expression. Our bodies are a rich and prolific source of inspiration – Images, memories, dreams, and metaphors are within and tapping into them can build our capacity to see ourselves and each other with deep care and empathy.
Resmaa Menakem says, “The body, not the thinking brain, is where we experience most of our pain, pleasure, and joy, and where we process most of what happens to us. It is also where we do most of our healing, including our emotional and psychological healing. And it is where we experience resilience and a sense of flow.”
Whether you are a seasoned writer or this is your first time participating in this type of workshop, you are welcome to join us for an evening of sensory, celebratory & sacred expressions. You will be invited to engage with breath awareness, mindfulness, visualization, memory, dreams, sound, drawing, gentle movement all to foster a deeper attunement to the flow of images and ideas that are already within you and waiting for you to express.
More about our facilitator, Mercedes:
Mercedes Baines (MA, RCC, CCC, CAC) (she/her) is a poet, spoken word artist, playwright, performer & somatic psychotherapist, facilitator, instructor and consultant in private practice – Mind In Body. She identifies as a multi-racial, fat-bodied, queer-adjacent, cis-gendered woman who is a trauma survivor and lives with chronic illnesses. Her work in the performing arts (SFU School for Contemporary Arts), her training in somatic trauma healing (Somatic Experiencing) and Adlerian Therapy (Adler University), influences her approach to psychotherapy & her understanding of the healing and the creative processes. She is passionate about exploring ways to inhabit both the healing & creative processes in ways that are collaborative, embodied & integrated. Her themes of creative practice include: intersection of race & sexuality; identity & race politics; eroticism & sensuality; body image; fantasy; gender identity; intimate relationships & trauma. Her areas of psychotherapy practice include: body image; trauma; living with a life-altering (chronic)/life-threatening illness; disordered eating; depression; anxiety; grief and loss; identity; sexuality and issues related to race and culture.
This event takes place in our Literary Lounge at 712 A 12th Street, in so called new west – the stolen and occupied territories of the Halq’eméylem speaking peoples.
Please register on our website : https://wildfiresbookshop.com/events/49928

Somatic Writing Workshop
2026-03-25 19:00 - 21:00 | wildfires bookshop, 712 A 12th Street, New Westminster, BC, V3M 4J6, Canada
Join us for a Somatic Writing Workshop with poet, spoken word artist, playwright, and somatic psychotherapist, Mercedes Baines. Somatics refers to a practice of listening to and dialoguing with the body (which includes the mind and imagination), allowing us to be present with ourselves.
As local and global injustices continue, our bodies also continues to process, reflect, and protect. Embodied practices like somatic writing can create a space for grounding, connection, and attuned creative expression. Our bodies are a rich and prolific source of inspiration – Images, memories, dreams, and metaphors are within and tapping into them can build our capacity to see ourselves and each other with deep care and empathy.
Resmaa Menakem says, “The body, not the thinking brain, is where we experience most of our pain, pleasure, and joy, and where we process most of what happens to us. It is also where we do most of our healing, including our emotional and psychological healing. And it is where we experience resilience and a sense of flow.”
Whether you are a seasoned writer or this is your first time participating in this type of workshop, you are welcome to join us for an evening of sensory, celebratory & sacred expressions. You will be invited to engage with breath awareness, mindfulness, visualization, memory, dreams, sound, drawing, gentle movement all to foster a deeper attunement to the flow of images and ideas that are already within you and waiting for you to express.
More about our facilitator, Mercedes:
Mercedes Baines (MA, RCC, CCC, CAC) (she/her) is a poet, spoken word artist, playwright, performer & somatic psychotherapist, facilitator, instructor and consultant in private practice – Mind In Body. She identifies as a multi-racial, fat-bodied, queer-adjacent, cis-gendered woman who is a trauma survivor and lives with chronic illnesses. Her work in the performing arts (SFU School for Contemporary Arts), her training in somatic trauma healing (Somatic Experiencing) and Adlerian Therapy (Adler University), influences her approach to psychotherapy & her understanding of the healing and the creative processes. She is passionate about exploring ways to inhabit both the healing & creative processes in ways that are collaborative, embodied & integrated. Her themes of creative practice include: intersection of race & sexuality; identity & race politics; eroticism & sensuality; body image; fantasy; gender identity; intimate relationships & trauma. Her areas of psychotherapy practice include: body image; trauma; living with a life-altering (chronic)/life-threatening illness; disordered eating; depression; anxiety; grief and loss; identity; sexuality and issues related to race and culture.
This event takes place in our Literary Lounge at 712 A 12th Street, in so called new west – the stolen and occupied territories of the Halq’eméylem speaking peoples.

Off the Shelf Poetry Reading Series: Joanne Leow, Garth Martens, Fenn Stewart
2026-03-27 19:00 - 21:00 | SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Please join Simon Fraser University’s Department of English and Poetry in Canada for a poetry reading featuring our own Professor Joanne Leow and Garth Martens and Fenn Stewart.
Details:
Date/Time: Friday, March 27th (Doors: 6:30 PM; Readings 7-9 PM)
Location: SFU Belzberg Library (SFU’s Harbour Centre campus – 515 West Hastings St., Vancouver)
*Free Event; No RSVP Required
Bios
Joanne Leow is Associate Professor and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair of Transnational and Decolonial Digital Humanities in the Department of English at Simon Fraser University. Her first academic monograph is “Counter-Cartographies: Reading Singapore Otherwise” (Liverpool University Press, 2024). She is also a poet and writer with a debut collection of poetry, “Seas Move Away” (Turnstone Press, 2022) and a forthcoming creative-critical memoir, “Exhumations: In the Body of a Petrostate” (Alchemy Press, 2026). Her writing and research interests lie at the intersections of spatial theory, decolonial theory, postcolonial studies, transnational and diasporic texts, and the environmental humanities.
Garth Martens is the author of “Prologue for the Age of Consequence” and “Who Else in the Dark Headed There”. For his first book, he was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry. He is also a past winner of the Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers. His poetry appears in “Dark Mountain Project”, “Poetry Ireland”, “Hazlitt”, “This Magazine”, “Vallum”, “Fiddlehead”, and “Best Canadian Poetry”. He is a co-founder and producer for Palabra Flamenco, a literary flamenco ensemble that joins traditional flamenco dance and music with poetry and oral storytelling. He lives in Victoria, BC.
Fenn Stewart is the author of three chapbooks and two poetry collections – “Better Nature”, which was longlisted for the 2018 Gerald Lampert Memorial Prize, and “women & roosters” (2025). A former editor of “The Capilano Review”, she continues to serve on the magazine’s editorial board. Stewart holds a PhD in social and political thought, and teaches literature and writing at Capilano University. She lives with her kids, and the world’s nicest dog, on unceded Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), xʷməθkʷəỷəm (Musqueam), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories.
Venue Accessibility
This in-person event takes place at the SFU’s Harbour Centre campus. It is easily accessible by transit and near SkyTrain. The campus is wheelchair accessible and has wheelchair accessible washrooms. Gender neutral washrooms are also available.

Introducing Cee Peal: 2026 Indigenous Storyteller in Residence
2026-03-31 18:00 - 19:30 | VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY – CENTRAL LIBRARY
Vancouver Public Library is honoured to introduce Cee Peal as the 2026 Indigenous Storyteller in Residence.
Cee Peal is a theatre artist from the Nisga’a First Nation of Northern B.C. now working in Vancouver on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-waututh), and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) peoples. He brings to the library his experience in storytelling, theatre, and image making, drawing from his experience working as an actor, director, writer, dancer, and producer on various productions. With a passion for Indigenous studies and cultural evolution, Cee is also the Indigenous outreach coordinator at The Cultch and the artistic associate at The Carmen Arts Group.
To find out more about Cee’s residency and keep up with his upcoming events visit: vpl.ca/storyteller
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Join us for an evening of storytelling and theatre magic with special guests.

A Reading of the Play El Terremoto by Christine Quintana
2026-04-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, 350 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 6B1, Canada
Touchstone Theatre and Neworld Theatre present a reading of Christine Quintana’s play El Terremoto (directed by Daniela Atiencia). Twenty years have passed since the three Jurado sisters lost their parents, and life just seems to continue on in their East Vancouver home.
A birthday party, a failed proposal, and a missed connection fill the days and months until an earthquake nearly destroys the city, and brings forward a shocking turn of events that splits their world wide open.
From Dora-Award winning playwright Christine Quintana, El Terremoto is a dramatic comedy about how nothing matters, so everything matters.
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A reading of the full play by seven actors will be followed by a Q & A at the end of the evening with Christine and Lois Anderson, Artistic Director at Touchstone Theatre. Join us for a delightful evening around the playwriting process and the Canadian theatre scene.
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Christine Quintana was born in Los Angeles to a Mexican-American father and a Dutch-British-Canadian mother. Christine grew up as a grateful visitor to the unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh people. Christine is an actor, playwright, and co-Artistic Producer of Delinquent Theatre. In these various capacities, she has worked with Tarragon Theatre, the Arts Club Theatre Company, Bard on the Beach, The Cultch, Neworld Theatre, Electric Company Theatre, Rumble Theatre, Boca Del Lupo, Zee Zee Theatre, Caravan Farm Theatre, Ruby Slippers Theatre, Playwrights Theatre Centre, Pi Theatre, Gateway Theatre, Nightswimming Theatre, Belfry Theatre, Stratford Festival, and Young People’s Theatre. Her writing has been translated and performed in Spanish, French, ASL, and German.
Daniela Atiencia is the Artistic Associate at Touchstone Theatre and a Latinx-Canadian theatre artist born and raised in Colombia. She has a BFA in Theatre Performance from SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts and holds an MFA in Theatre Directing from The University of Essex’s East 15 Acting School. Daniela works as a freelance bilingual director, dramaturg, and deviser. She is currently working on two plays as co-director for Neworld and Green Thumb Theatre. As dramaturg she is collaborating with Tetsuro Shigematsu’s latest commissioned piece for Pacific Theatre and served as Spanish Language Dramaturg for Made in Canada, an agricultural podcast for rice & beans theatre. She is currently based on the Unceded Territories of the Coast Salish peoples (Vancouver, B.C.) and her work recently earned her a finalist spot in the RBC Rising Star Emerging Director award.
Lois Anderson is the Artistic Director of Touchstone Theatre, and an Adjunct Professor at UBC in the Department of Theatre and Film. She won the Jessie Award for Best Direction (Pericles, Bard on the Beach) and the 2019 Critic’s Choice Award for Innovation (Lysistrata). She has worked extensively in Canada and Australia and has been an artistic associate with The National Arts Centre most recently directing You Used to Call Me Marie by Tai Amy Grauman.

Robin Ducharme Launches Real Love Ready
2026-04-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Bolen Books, #111-1644 Hillside Ave., Victoria, BC, V8T 2C5, Canada
Victoria author Robin Ducharme launches Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy, a compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. In conversation with Monique Gray Smith, Robin will discuss how relational literacy can shape the way we connect in love, friendship, family, work, and self. A meaningful literary event for readers drawn to relationships, personal growth, and conscious living.

Book Launch - Exhumations: Inside the Body of a Petrostate by Joanne Leow
2026-04-09 18:30 - 20:30 | Enabling Arts, 104-343 Railway Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6A 1A4, Canada
Join Simon Fraser University English Professor Joanne Leow at Enabling Arts on April 9th (6:30 PM) for the launch of her new book, “Exhumations: Inside the Body of a Petrostate”.
About the book:
“What unknowable chemical? How slow was this damage, this violence? … How might any of us stay uncontaminated by all that was built around us?”
“Exhumations: In the Body of a Petrostate” oscillates between an unflinching critique of the author’s birth island, Singapore, and a memoir of grief and illness. Seeing our porous bodies as part of a contaminated and compromised system based on extraction, violence, and political repression, the book asks what must be made visible in our current moment. Drawing on her experience as a journalist for state-controlled media, and her current work as a scholar, Leow explores histories of activism, censorship, weapons manufacturing, terraforming, and petroleum refining. In doing so, she traces the networks of power that link Singapore with Canada, Palestine, Israel, England and beyond. Drawing on art, photography, film, and literature, she considers how they exhume truths that cannot otherwise be told.
This launch is supported by Simon Fraser University’s Department of English and the David See-chai Lam Centre, and Alchemy/Knopf.
Professor Leow will be joined by UBC Professors Phanuel Antwi and John Paul (JP) Catungal. (Photo Credits: for Joanne Leow: sweetmoon photography; for Phanuel Antwi: Rachel Topham Photography)
Speaker Bios:
Joanne Leow grew up in Singapore and now lives on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She is Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair of Transnational and Decolonial Digital Humanities at Simon Fraser University. She is the author of the academic monograph, “Counter-Cartographies: Reading Singapore Otherwise” (Liverpool University Press, 2024) and the poetry collection, “Seas Move Away” (Turnstone Press, 2022). Her creative work and research lie at the intersections of the environmental humanities, transnational and diasporic cultural production, global Asia studies, autotheory, and decoloniality.
JP Catungal (he/him) is Assistant Professor in the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice, and Co-Director of the Centre for Asian Canadian Research and Engagement at the University of British Columbia. A queer, first generation, Filipinx Canadian scholar, JP’s research, teaching and public facing works are in conversation with critical human geography and feminist and queer of colour theories and methods. He is particularly interested in how migrant, racialized and LGBTQ+ communities address their experiences of marginalization in the fields of sexual health, education and social services. He has served as co-edit of the book, “Filipinos in Canada: Disturbing Invisibility”, as well as special journal issues for “BC Studies”; “ACME: International Journal of Critical Geographies”; “TOPIA: Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies”; and “Alon: Journal for Filipino American and Diasporic Studies”. He received the Killam Teaching Prize at UBC.
Phanuel Antwi is an artist, an organizer, a curator, and an associate professor of English concerned with race, poetics, movements, intimacy, and struggle. He works with text, dance, film, and photography to intervene in artistic, academic, and public spaces. Dr. Antwi holds a Canada Research Chair in Black Arts and Epistemologies at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His recent book, “On Cuddling: Loved to Death in the Racial Embrace”, is from Pluto Press. He’s currently finishing a manuscript called “Currencies of Blackness: Faithfulness, Cheerfulness and Politeness in Settler Writing”.

Creator Series: Audio Plays with Cee Peal
2026-04-11 13:00 - 15:00 | VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY – CENTRAL LIBRARY
An audio play or drama relies strictly on acoustical elements for its manifestation. There are no visual components involved as it’s rendered strictly with dialogue, sound effects, and music alone to help listeners imagine the characters and the story.
At this fun and playful event, participants are invited to create a live audio play with Cee Peal the 2026 Indigenous Storyteller in Residence.
Have you ever imagined yourself as an actor? If so, then maybe you’d like to use your voice to recite dialogue (practice with our play collection on level 6 at Central Library). Would you like to be more in the background and create noise with sounds effects? Do you know about the Inspiration Lab and its resources? If you are a musician, you may want to experiment with a new instrument. In that case, we want to make sure that you are aware of our Musical Instrument Lending Library. If you’d prefer to sit and watch that is wonderful too as audience members are a huge part of this event as well.
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Cee Peal is a theatre artist from the Nisga’a First Nation of Northern B.C. now working in Vancouver on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-waututh), and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) peoples. He brings to the library his experience in storytelling, theatre, and image making, drawing from his experience working as an actor, director, writer, dancer, and producer on various productions. With a passion for Indigenous studies and cultural evolution, Cee is also the Indigenous outreach coordinator at The Cultch and the artistic associate at The Carmen Arts Group.
To find out more about Cee’s residency and keep up with his upcoming events visit: vpl.ca/storyteller

Phyllis Webb Memorial Reading featuring Wayde Compton
2026-04-11 19:00 - 21:00 | SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Please join SFU English and Poetry in Canada for the 4th annual Phyllis Webb Memorial Reading featuring award recipient Wayde Compton. This free event takes place on Saturday, April 11th (Doors: 6:15 PM; Event: 7-9 PM) at SFU Harbour Centre (Room 1400). Special guests include Cecily Nicholson and Courtenay Chan. Hosted by Professor Stephen Collis. Enjoy readings, discussion, and light refreshments.
The Phyllis Webb Memorial Reading honours a Canadian poet(s) with a cash award and a celebration of their work. This event will occur each April and will be organized and administered by the Poetry in Canada Society, https://www.poetrycanada.org/.
A Governor General’s Award–winning poet and a member of the Order of Canada, Phyllis Webb was a major Canadian cultural figure from the 1950s through the 1980s, publishing ten celebrated collections of poetry and prose and co-founding the CBC Radio program Ideas (in 1965). When “words abandoned” her in the early 1990s and she was no longer able to write, she took up photography, photocollage, and eventually painting.
As Stephen Scobie once wrote, the work of Phyllis Webb “has always been distinguished by the profundity of her insights, the depth of her emotional feeling, the delicacy and accuracy of her rhythms, the beauty and mysterious resonance of her images – and by her luminous intelligence.” It is this legacy that the Phyllis Webb Memorial Reading seeks to honour, by selecting a poet who is distinguished by similar qualities.
In 2026, the fourth annual Phyllis Webb Memorial Reading honours poet Wayde Compton, who is the author of six books and the editor of two literary anthologies. His collection of short stories, “The Outer Harbour”, won the City of Vancouver Book Award in 2015 and his work has been a finalist for three other City of Vancouver Book Awards. He won a National Magazine Award for Fiction in 2011 and was nominated for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize in 2000. In 2002, Compton co-founded the Hogan’s Alley Memorial Project, an organization devoted to researching and promoting Vancouver’s historical Black community and later helped establish the Hogan’s Alley Working Group and the Hogan’s Alley Society, its successor organizations. From 2006-2011 Compton co-published Commodore Books, Western Canada’s first Black Canadian literary press. He has been writer-in-residence at Simon Fraser University, Green College at the University of British Columbia, and the Vancouver Public Library. Compton currently teaches in the Department of Writing at the University of Victoria, and his latest book is “Toward an Anti-Racist Poetics” (U of Alberta P, 2024).
Important Information:
Venue and Accessibility: This in-person event takes place at the SFU Harbour Centre (Room 1400). It is easily accessible by transit and near SkyTrain. The campus is wheelchair accessible and has wheelchair accessible washrooms. Gender neutral washrooms are also available.
Please note: This event may be recorded and/or photographed. If you do not wish to be photographed, please inform the photographer.

Stage Your Own Play with Cee Peal - Part One
2026-04-14 18:00 - 20:00 | VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY – CENTRAL LIBRARY
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the playwriting process from initial concept to production and finally opening night in this three-part series program. Learn about the concepts of Scene and Monologue Writing, Text Analysis, Staging, Performance, Production and more.
Use this time to explore the early stages of theatre development and experiment with others in a collaborative and unique process.
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Cee Peal is a theatre artist from the Nisga’a First Nation of Northern B.C. now working in Vancouver on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-waututh), and sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) peoples. He brings to the library his experience in storytelling, theatre, and image making, drawing from his experience working as an actor, director, writer, dancer, and producer on various productions. With a passion for Indigenous studies and cultural evolution, Cee is also the Indigenous outreach coordinator at The Cultch and the artistic associate at The Carmen Arts Group.
To find out more about Cee’s residency and keep up with his upcoming events visit: vpl.ca/storyteller

Book Signing with Garth Mullins
2026-04-18 15:30 - 17:00 | Munro’s Books, 1108 Government Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1Y2, Canada
Please join us for a book signing with Garth Mullins; author of “Crackdown: Surviving and Resisting the War on Drugs”. This will be in collaboration with the Name the Crisis community art show, which will be running from April 7-26th. Prior to the signing, you can attend Garth’s reading and Q&A event at the Victoria Art Council Bay Centre Gallery at 1150 Douglas Street from 2-3:30pm!
“Crackdown” is an intimate portrait of Garth’s relationship with opioids, and a searing indictment of a broken system that is failing drug users and non-users alike. With street drugs getting more toxic by the day, drug users and their families, friends and communities are left to pay the price. This book asks us to radically reimagine our approach to drug use, and to envisage a system that helps rather than harms.
What: Book Signing with Garth Mullins
When: Saturday, April 18th from 3:30-5:00pm
Where: Munro’s Books – 1108 Government St
How: This event is free to attend

BC Book Day
2026-04-21 - 2026-04-22 | BC
WHEN: Tuesday, April 21, 2026
WHAT: BC Book Day invites British Columbians to celebrate the province’s book & magazine publishers, authors, illustrators, bookstores, libraries, festivals, and literary prizes that connect us with local stories.
GOAL: To raise awareness among government and the public of BC’s publishing ecosystem and its cultural and economic contributions.
WHO: BC Book Day is coordinated by Books BC, which works to support the long-term health and success of the Canadian-owned book industry in British Columbia.
How can you support BC Book Day and BC’s Independent Publishers?

Buy BC-published books directly from your local independent bookstore or the publisher’s website (list of BC publishers here).
Encourage your school and public library to buy and stock both BC and Canadian-published books (find our Books for Schools database here)
Celebrate Canadian Independent Bookstore Day on April 25 (learn about the day and how to participate here).

Stage Your Own Play with Cee Peal - Part Two
2026-04-21 18:00 - 20:00 | VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY – CENTRAL LIBRARY

Off the Shelf Poetry Reading Series with Cornel Bogle, Lisa Richter, Salena Wiener
2026-04-24 19:00 - 21:00 | SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Please join SFU English and Poetry in Canada for a poetry reading featuring Professor Cornel Bogle, Lisa Richter, and Salena Wiener.
Details:
Date/Time: Friday, April 24th (Doors 6:30 PM; Event: 7-9 PM)
Location: SFU Belzberg Library at Harbour Centre campus
This is a free event, no RSVP required.
Bios
Cornel Bogle engages Caribbean archives and diasporic memory through erasure, found, and lyric poetry. Their work has been published in literary platforms such as “brick”, “Arc Poetry Magazine”, and “Pree: Caribbean Writing”, and has been presented in readings across Canada and the Caribbean.
At SFU, they teach in areas such as Black and Caribbean literatures, decolonial literary studies, diaspora, transnationalism, and creative writing, guiding students to explore how storytelling travels across borders, histories, and communities. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, they earned their BA at the University of the West Indies, and both their MA and PhD at the University of Alberta, joining SFU in 2023.
Lisa Richter is a Toronto-based poet, writer, and educator. She is the author of two books of poetry, “Closer to Where We Began” and “Nautilus and Bone”, winner of the Canadian Jewish Literary Award, the National Jewish Book Award (U.S.), and the Robert Kroetsch Award. Her work has been longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize, a National Magazine Award finalist, and appeared in “Best Canadian Poetry”, “The Fiddlehead”, “The Malahat Review”, and “The New Quarterly”, among other places. She holds an MFA from the University of Guelph and teaches at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies. Her third book, “Sublunary”, is forthcoming with University of Alberta Press in March 2026.
Salena Wiener is a poet and PhD student in English Literature at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests include British Romantic women’s writing, print and manuscript culture, digital humanities, and ecopoetics. She has worked as a Research Assistant for SpokenWeb and the Women’s Print History Project. Her critical and creative work appears in “Honey & Lime Lit Magazine”, “Peculiars Magazine”, “Montreal Review of Books”, “Digital Studies”, and elsewhere. She is the author of two poetry chapbooks, “bodies like gardens” (Cactus Press 2023) and “Cities of Delusions” (Anstruther Press 2026).
Venue Accessibility
This in-person event takes place at the SFU’s Harbour Centre campus. It is easily accessible by transit and near SkyTrain. The campus is wheelchair accessible and has wheelchair accessible washrooms. Gender neutral washrooms are also available.

Canadian Independent Bookstore Day (CIBD)
2026-04-25 - 2026-04-26 | BC
Save the date!
April 25, 2026 is this years celebration of Canadian Independent Booksellers.
Indie booksellers work hard to serve their customers and communities. CIBD is our opportunity to say thank you.
Here are some ways you can participate in Canadian Independent Bookstore Day:
Buy books! Purchase books and other items in-person, online, or by phone to show your support and to enter our annual contest.
Check out bookstore activities. Local shops across Canada are planning celebratory activities for the big day including customer giveaways, discounts, exclusive products, author events, and more. Visit their websites and social channels for details.
Help us spread the word. CIBD is an opportunity to raise awareness about everything that indies have to offer. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to share our info about the campaign throughout the month of April.

Canadian Independent Bookstore Day at Munro's Books!
2026-04-25 09:30 - 18:00 | Munro’s Books, 1108 Government Street, Victoria, BC, V8W 1Y2, Canada
Come celebrate Canadian Independent Bookstore Day at Munro’s Books on Saturday, April 25th! The party will include a contest to win $1000 to spend at the indie bookstore of your choice, exclusive bookstore swag with each purchase (while supplies last), two author signings, double rewards points on purchases (in-store and online), blind date with a book, a draw for a Munro’s Prize pack, photo booth, bookmark colouring station, and more!
This will mark the annual day when readers, writers, illustrators, publishers, and others come together to celebrate indie bookstores across Canada. By joining the celebration, you are advocating for independent businesses, supporting a flourishing book selling community, and investing in Canadian culture.
The book signings will include authors April Howells from 11:00am-1:00pm , and Phoebe Wang from 1:00pm-3:00pm.
We hope you can come party with us!
What: Canadian Independent Bookstore Day Celebration
When: Saturday, April 25th during opening hours (9:30am-6:00pm)
Where: Munro’s Books – 1108 Government St
How: This event is free to attend

Canadian Children's Book Week Author Visit: Marsha Skrypuch
2026-04-28 13:30 - 14:30 | North Vancouver Public Library – Lynn Valley branch, 1277 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7J 0A2, Canada
In celebration of Canadian Children’s Book Week, children’s author Marsha Skrypuch will present on her book trilogy Kidnapped from Ukraine.
Marsha Skrypuch is an internationally bestselling children’s author whose books span a century of wars from a kid’s view, concentrating on those stories that have been erased by oppressive regimes. Her best-known book is Making Bombs for Hitler. Her most recent is the Kidnapped from Ukraine trilogy. She has received death threats and honours for her writing. Marsha lives in Brantford, Ontario, and you can visit her online at calla.com
Marsha talks about the war, the books, how she did her research, and the challenges she encountered. She also talks about what happens when you’re banned for life by Russia (she is the only children’s author in North America thus targeted).
Teachers of grades 4-6 may register their group to attend. Maximum of 3 classes. Please include the number of students attending.
Interested members of the public may also register to attend.
Best for children grades 4-6

Stage Your Own Play with Cee Peal - Part Three
2026-04-28 18:00 - 20:00 | VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY – CENTRAL LIBRARY

In Translation Book Club: Now I Surrender, by Alvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer.
2026-04-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Upstart & Crow, 1387 Railspur Alley Vancouver, BC V6H 3R7, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3R7, Canada
Welcome to Upstart & Crow’s In Translation Book Club, a celebration of global literature and storytelling across languages and borders! This free, bi-monthly event in our studio space introduces readers to powerful voices writing in languages other than English, amplifying fresh perspectives, underheard narratives and bold ideas.
On Wednesday, April 29 at 6:00pm, we’ll be discussing Now I Surrender, by Álvaro Enrigue, translated by Natasha Wimmer.
In 1886, famed Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to the U.S. army after decades of resistance across the borderlands of Mexico and the United States. Álvaro Enrigue’s newly translated novel takes its title from his words: “Once I moved about like the wind. Now I surrender to you and that is all.”
Beginning with the kidnapping of a Mexican woman, the novel follows the ragtag expedition sent to retrieve her — a soldier, a sharpshooting woman known as “the Nun,” and two devilishly charismatic Yaqui twins. Part anti-imperialist epic and part alt-western, Now I Surrendertakes apart and reassembles the mythology of the “American” borderlands to challenge the stories we think we know about conquest and resistance. The result is a gripping, genre-bending meditation on freedom, myth, and the contested histories of the desert frontier. Named a most anticipated book of 2026 by The New York Times, The Washington Post and LitHub.
Bring yourself and an open mind to discuss the book! You do not need to have purchased the book from us to attend, but we’ll be offering a 10% discount on the title if you do. You can do so by selecting between two ticket options here.
More about Upstart & Crow:
Upstart & 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.
Accessibility:
The main studio of our shop is accessible for folks with mobility aids. There is a washroom on the main floor available for attendees.
Questions: hello[at]upstartandcrow.com.

The Art of the Book: Scott McIntyre
2026-04-30 18:30 - 19:30 | VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY – CENTRAL LIBRARY
At this upcoming Alcuin event, legendary publisher Scott McIntyre will offer a deeply personal retrospective on his nearly 50-year career at the forefront of the Canadian literary landscape. As the force behind Douglas & McIntyre, McIntyre will trace the evolution of one of the country’s premier independent houses, sharing behind-the-scenes anecdotes involving industry icons and celebrated authors. More than just a history lesson, the talk serves as a passionate defense of the physicality of books—emphasizing why craftsmanship in paper, binding, and design remains a vital tribute to the written word even in an increasingly digital age.
For Scott, the physicality of books remained fundamental. Echoing the imperatives of Knopf; paper, binding, and type design had to honour the words. That resulted in winning more Alcuin awards than any other single house, national or multinational, while building the largest art book program in Canada, and establishing an international reputation for high quality books. Even the D&M logo, the Burghead Bull, declared intent, based upon a carved image from a 9th century Pictish fort overlooking Moray Forth: defiant; Scottish; echoing the traditions of old-line publishing houses.
Anecdotes about the evolution of Canadian publishing will focus on important D&M projects: The Art of Emily Carr, History in Their Blood, Doug Coupland’s Souvenir of Canada, and A Story as Sharp as A Knife, amongst many others.
This will be his personal take on the world that he chose to embrace and why the old standards still matter, even in a digital world.
—
Scott McIntyre, CM, OBC, LLD (Hon), BA, is best known as the co-founder and the retired Publisher and CEO of the pre-eminent, Vancouver headquartered, Canadian publishing house Douglas & McIntyre. His company published over 2000 Canadian books from its founding in 1971 to his retirement in 2013. He also spent over 40 years engaged in industry/government relations.
Scott remains an active member of Canada’s cultural community. His recent Boards have included PEN Canada, the BC Achievement Foundation and, at UBC, Green College, the Global Reporting Centre, the Museum of Anthropology, and the Vancouver Institute. He delivered the 2019-2020 Clyne Lectures at Green College. His memoir, A Precarious Enterprise: Making a Life in Canadian Publishing, was published by ECW of Toronto on September 9, 2025. Scott is a graduate of UBC, and holds an honorary Doctor of Laws from SFU. He is a member of both the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia. His significant contributions to Canadian publishing have been further recognized by the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee medals.

Talonbooks Spring 2026 Launch
2026-05-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall, 1955 McLean Dr, Vancouver, BC V5N 3J7, Vancouver, BC, V5N 3J7, Canada
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.
Taryn Hubbard will read from Beautiful Unknown Future
Jenn Ashton (attending digitally) will read from Growing My Way Home
George Bowering (attending digitally) will read from Pearl
Jónína Kirton will read from Save Your Prayers – Send Money
Elee Kraljii Gardiner will read from sometimes, forest
Nicole Raziya Fong will read from SUBTEXT and
Danielle LaFrance will read from Verbal Violence!
The launch will be hosted by the author of Future Works, Jeff Derksen!
A live stream will be available on the Talonbooks YouTube page. Light snacks and drinks will be provided. Hope to see you there!
Talonbooks Spring Launch
Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall
Vancouver, BC
May 1, 2026
Doors at 7 p.m., readings begin at 7:30 p.m. PDT

An Evening with Eve Joseph and Patrick Friesen
2026-05-02 19:00 - 20:30 | Upstart & Crow, 1387 Railspur Alley Vancouver, BC V6H 3R7, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3R7, Canada
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.
In 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.
​​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.
More about Upstart & Crow:
Upstart & 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.
Accessibility:
The main studio of our shop is accessible for folks with mobility aids. There is a washroom on the main floor available for attendees.
Questions: hello[at]upstartandcrow.com.
