SAD Picks: Incite

Long, long ago, good readings were hard to come by in Vancouver—but thanks to a growing, supportive community of writers, readers, and others, the city is fast becoming home to a vibrant literary scene, offering a plethora of quality readings. Among them, we recommend you check out Incite. This free bi-monthly series (put on by The Vancouver Writers Fest) runs between now and May 18, and features an impressive range of local, Canadian, and international authors. 

These readings occur every second Wednesday at 7:30 pm at Vancouver Central Library’s beautiful Alice Mackay Room. After each presentation, you’ll be encouraged to ask questions and explore ideas in a fun Q&A period: from Yann Martel to Bif Naked to some of the finest new voices in CanLit, Incite’s authors are bound to change how you see the world.

Here are our top picks for Incite’s 2016 season:

This Wednesday, March 2: Hear three of Canada’s smartest, nicest and, coolest new authors discuss their latest work. Toronto’s Jess Taylor, Simcoe County’s Kevin Hardcastle, and Halifax’s Kris Bertin will all read from their recently published short story collections, which are at once experimental and deeply human—the best of both worlds.

Wednesday, March 16: For this much-anticipated event, two bestselling novelists will transport you to faraway places. Yann Martel’s The High Mountains of Portugal is a moving contemporary fable. Claudia Casper’s The Mercy Journals provides an unflinching look at a damaged soldier in a dystopian—but hopeful—not-too-distant future. 

Wednesday, April 27: Writing is so hard, right!? In this event, you’ll discuss the craft of writing with four outstanding authors. Anne and Nicholas Giardini share writing wisdom from their close kin, Carol Shields, in Startle and Illuminate. Joining them are celebrated wordsmiths Elizabeth McLean and Laura Trunkey.

Wednesday, May 4: Confronting identity, art, and politics in their memoirs, three badass female writers connect to discuss each of these things. Hear from singer-songwriter Bif Naked, poet and writer Betsy Warland, and writer and actress Carmen Aguirre.

Bif Naked speaks at Incite on May 4, 2016.

There are just seven more events left in Incite’s fascinating free reading series. Check them all out at writersfest.bc.ca/events/incite.