Write On! Whistler Writers Fest
Posted by: Feet Banks
Canadian writer Linden MacIntyre has never been to Whistler, and that is a very good thing. As one of Canada’s most celebrated investigative journalists on the CBC’s hit show The Fifth Estate, MacIntyre would often show up in places only after some kind of terrible tragedy had occurred.
Instead, MacIntyre is coming to town for the first time to partake in the Whistler Writers Festival October 15-18, 2015. “These are perfect circumstances,” he says. “You generally don’t want me lurking around unless it is something like this.”
Aside from his brilliant broadcast career MacIntyre, now retired, has been writing novels for more than a decade and is bringing his latest title, Punishment, to Whistler for a reading and panel discussion. “I’ve been to a few author’s festivals and what I really like is that it gives me an opportunity to discuss what I do with the most important person in the chain- the person who buys and reads the book. I am interested in that primary level of attraction that makes a reader pick your book out of all the choices available.”
And with twelve reading events on the program the Whistler Writers Festival is definitely reader friendly. “We changed the name this year from Readers Writers Festival because we’ve been around long enough now that people know it is for both,” explains festival founder Stella Harvey, who also programmed 10 writing workshops over the 3-day event. “There are more readers in the world than writers so we want to appeal to both and I consistently get feedback that people are so happy to be able to meet the authors.”
Now in its 14th year, the Whistler Writers Festival originated in Harvey’s living room. This year she is launching a novel of her own at the fest alongside big name guests and presenters like MacIntyre and 2009 Canada Reads award winner Lawrence Hill.
“Over the past five years it’s become easier to get authors to come here because we’ve built a reputation,” Harvey says. “Plus a lot of people have a curiosity about Whistler anyhow. But for me the important thing is no matter how much we grow I never want to get away from that intimacy, that feeling of sitting in someone’s living room.”
For event listings and more info on the 14th annual Whistler Writers Festival hit up Whistler.com and when you get here be sure to stop into Armchair Books in The Village Square.
Article source: http://www.whistler.com/blog/post/2015/10/14/writers-fest-2015.aspx
