Authors


Oana Avasilichioaei (CAN)
is a Romanian born poet and translator who co-wrote Expeditions of a Chimeara with Erín Moure. She is the author of Abandon, feria: a poempark and translated Nichita Stănescu's Occupational Sickness from Romanian. Her poetry has attracted significant national and international attention. She has toured in the United States, Mexico, Europe and Canada. Avasilichioaei is a member of the League of Canadian poets and was the founder and curator of the Atwater Poetry Project reading series in Montreal from 2004 to 2009. Avasilichioaei is the current Markin-Flanagan Writer-in-Residence at the University of Calgary. WordFest alumna 2008

Events:

11 - (Not) Lost in Translation

17 - Office Hours: Industry Insiders

38 - Poetry Bash

 
 

C.R. Avery (CAN)
has toured throughout Canada, the United States and Europe, displaying his diverse array of talents. He is a beat-box poet, playwright and rock and roll matador to name a few. His music spans many genres; blues, hip hop, country western and spoken word. His live performances have been likened to those of Patti Smith, Iggy Pop and John Lee Hooker. His second book 38 Bar Blues comes out this fall and his 15th album “The Great Canadian Novel” launches in Europe in the spring of 2011. Avery resides in East Vancouver, BC.

Events:

25. Word of Mouth

48 - Poetry Cabaret

 
 

Ann Beattie (USA
) is a short story writer and novelist. She gained recognition in the 70s for her treatment of post-60s disillusionment in Distortions, a collection of short stories and her critically acclaimed novel Chilly Scenes of Winter. Beattie has published seven novels and eight collections of short stories since and has many honours attached to her name. She received the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in short story form and was the recipient of the Rea Award for Short Story. She is the Edgar Allan Professor of Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Virginia. She presents her novella Walks with Men at WordFest.



Events:

36 - Friday Night Showcase

 
 


Alain M. Bergeron (CAN) est devenu auteur productif pour enfants. Il a écrit plus d’une centaine de livres et est à l’origine des collections Savais-tu, Capitaine Static, et Dominic et ses amis. Ses bandes dessinées ont été élaborées avec le dessinateur Samuel Parent (Sampar). Les jeunes apprécient énormément cet auteur qui est régulièrement récompensé lors du prestigieux Palmarès Communication-Jeunesse. Ses livres ont été traduits en anglais, en japonais et en coréen. Il habite à Victoriaville, au Québec.

Alain M. Bergeron (CAN) was a journalist for over twenty years in Victoriaville, PQ, before becoming a full time children’s author. He has written over 100 books and writes a number of series, such as Savais-tu, Capitaine Static and Dominic et ses amis.  Many works are created in a comic-book style, in collaboration with illustrator Samuel Parent (Sampar).  He is loved by his readers and his books regularly appear on the prestigious list of favorite books selected by youth, the Palmarès Communication-Jeunesse.

 


Events:

14- First Calgary Savings Book Rapport / Festival des mots

26 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport / Festival des mots

 
 

Mark Berube (CAN)
is a multi-faceted musician, songwriter and English literature graduate with a modern-indie folk sound. Garnering international recognition and acclaim, both for his music and lyrics, the former member of spoken-word folk group The Fugitives has been nominated for a Western Canada Music Award and a Canadian Folk Music Award in 2007 and 2008, respectively. After having toured Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark and Austria, Berube accompanied by his band The Few, will be releasing their fourth studio album in early 2011.



Events:

25 - Word of Mouth

37 - Friday Night in the Club

 
 

Dave Bidini (CAN)
is a musician, journalist, filmmaker and author who has published several books about music and sports. Bidini wrote and hosted the Gemini Award-winning small-screen adaptation of Tropic of Hockey, called Hockey Nomad. He currently fronts Bidiniband. Before Bidiniband he spent more than 25 years as a songwriter and guitarist for the legendary Canadian rock band The Rheostatics. His latest book is Home and Away: In Search of Dreams at the Homeless World Cup of Soccer, an uplifting tale describing his travels with Team Canada as they compete for the Homeless World Cup in 2008 in Melbourne, Australia. WordFest alumnus 2001, 2004, 2007

Events:

24 - Thursday Night Showcase

42 - Combat Zone

47 - Banff Distinguished Author Series Celebrates Paul Quarrington

 
 

J. Bone (CAN) is an accomplished illustrator and cartoonist based in Toronto. His first published comic book, Solar Stella, was nominated for the Eisner Award. He has worked on comic books such as Spiderman: Tangled Web, Mr. Gum, Gotham Girls, Madman Adventures and Paul Dini's Mutant, Texas. Bone is the cover artist for The Super Friends, a Johnny DC comic book.  He teams with J. Torres on the Alison Dare series, which follows three friends who escape from their prestigious academy for girls and try to save the world from bank robbers and villains. They bring Alison Dare, Little Miss Adventures and Alison Dare, The Heart of the Maiden to WordFest


Events:

19 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

33 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

 
 

John Boyko
(CAN) is the author of several books on Canadian politics including Hurricane: Attacking Socialism and the CFF and Last Steps to Freedom: The Evolution of Canadian Racism. He is currently Dean of History and Social Sciences at Lakefield College School. His latest book, Bennett: The Rebel Who Challenged and Changed a Nation, is the first major biography of Canada’s controversial eleventh Prime Minister R.B. Bennett. Bennett led the country through the worst years of the Great Depression and was infamous for his “Bennett buggies.” Boyko looks at the prime minister’s sometimes controversial and often misunderstood policies through a creative eye.

Events:

1.    Rebels and Mavericks

 
 

Gail Bowen (CAN) is the author of the successful Joanne Kilbourn Mysteries, which has made her one of Canada’s most popular crime writers. The first book in the series, Deadly Appearances, was nominated for the W.H. Smith Books in Canada Award for Best First Novel. Bowen has also written five plays that have been produced across Canada and several of her novels have been made into TV movies starring Wendy Crewson as Joanne Kilbourn. Now retired from teaching at the First Nations University, Bowen lives in Regina, SK. WordFest alumna 1996


Events:

35 - Dead On

 
 

Dionne Brand (CAN)
is a multi-award-winning poet, essayist and novelist. In 2006, she was awarded the prestigious Harbourfront Festival Prize for her contribution to the world of books and writing, and in 2009, she was named Toronto’s Poet Laureate. Her ten volumes of poetry include No Language is Neutral, Land to Light On, winner of the Governor General’s Award and the Trillium Book Award; thirsty, winner of the Pat Lowther Memorial Award; and Inventory. This year Brand presents Ossuaries, which explores the bones of fading culture and ideas. WordFest alumna 2001


Events:

17 - Office Hours: Industry Insiders

38 - Poetry Bash

 
 

Eleanor Catton (NZ)
was born in Canada and raised in New Zealand. Her debut novel, The Rehearsal, won the Betty Trask Award, the New Zealand Society of Authors’ First Book Award, the Adam Prize, and was a finalist for the Guardian First Book Award. The Rehearsal explores the aftermath of a high-school sex scandal and the consequences of a local drama school’s decision to turn the scandal into a play. Catton currently lives in the United States after winning the Glenn Schaeffer Fellowship to study creative writing at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Catton presents The Rehearsal at WordFest.

Events:

45 - The Writing Life

52 - Curtain Call

 
 

Weyman Chan (CAN)
is a Calgary-based poet whose writings have appeared in many Alberta anthologies over the last two decades. He won the Stephan. G Stephansson Award for his first book of poetry, Before a Blue Sky Moon and he was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Acorn-Plantos People's Poet Award for his second book of poetry, Noise From the Laundry. His new featured book at WordFest is entitled Hypoderm, a collection of occasional apocalyptic verse. When he is not writing poetry at night, he is an electron microscope technician by day.

Events:

48 - Poetry Cabaret

 
 

Susana Cook (USA)
is a performing artist based in New York who’s been writing and producing her own work for over 20 years. She has staged 16 original plays all concerned with the issues of racism, classism, nationalism and homophobia. Her work has been presented in numerous performance spaces in New York City, including Dixon Place, PS. 122, W.O.W Cafe Theater and The Kitchen. She fashions powerful satires and uses humour as a tool to reach out to her audiences and to expose certain rationales by the politically powerful. Her shows have toured internationally and have received multiple awards.

Events:

25 - Word of Mouth

37 - Friday Night in the Club

 
 

Emma Donoghue (CAN)
is an Irish author who calls Canada home. A graduate of University of Cambridge, she is the recipient of numerous literary awards including the Lambda Literary Award and the Golden Crown Literary Award. Her books include The Sealed Letter, Slammerkin and Stir-Fry. Donoghue also writes for radio, theatre and film. Her latest work of fiction is Room, about a young boy named Jack who has lived inside one room all his life with his mother.


Events:

43 - Keep it in the Family

49 - Desire, etc

 

 
 

Will Ferguson (CAN)
is among Canada’s bestselling authors and is the name behind the hilarious novels How to be Canadian, Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw and I Hate Canadians. At 19, Ferguson joined the Canadian volunteer program Katimavik where he was paid a dollar a day and all the granola he could eat. Now, he is a three-time recipient of the Leacock Medal for Humour and the Canadian Authors Association Award for Fiction and hopes to never eat granola again. Ferguson presents his latest book, Coal Dust Kisses, at WordFest. WordFest alumnus 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009

Events:

24 - Thursday Night Showcase

 
 

Valerie Fortney (CAN)
is a veteran Canadian journalist with a successful career in broadcasting, magazines and newspapers. Valerie’s feature writing has appeared across North America and around the world, in publications such as Chatelaine, The Los Angeles Times and Readers Digest International. She has worked at the Calgary Herald since 1988. Sunray: The Death and Life of Captain Nichola Goddard is her first book and details the life of Nichola Goddard, the first Canadian female soldier to die in combat in Afghanistan. Fortney was inspired to write the book after she met the Goddard family in the aftermath of their daughter’s death.

Events:

6 -Sunray

 
 

Camilla Gibb (CAN)
is the author of four novels published to critical acclaim around the world. She is a previous winner of the Trillium Book Award, the CBC Canadian Literary Award and the City of Toronto Book Award and was short listed for the Giller Prize for her last novel, Sweetness in the Belly. Her work has been published in 18 countries and translated into 14 languages.
Camilla holds a PhD in social anthropology from Oxford University and is currently an associate faculty member of the graduate creative writing program at the University of Guelph-Humber. She brings her most recent novel, The Beauty of Humanity Movement to WordFest. WordFest alumna 2002


Events:

12 - Wednesday Night Showcase

17 - Office Hours: Industry Insiders

 
 

William Gibson (CAN)
is the author of nine previous books, including, most recently, the New York Times-bestsellers Spook Country and Pattern Recognition. Gibson's 1984 debut novel, Neuromancer, was the first novel to win the three top science fiction prizes—the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award. A founder of the "cyberpunk" genre, Gibson is credited with coining the term "cyberspace" in his short story Burning Chrome. His latest novel, Zero History captures the paranoia and fear of the post-economic crash times. Gibson lives with his wife in Vancouver, BC. WordFest alumnus 2007

Events:

7.Cyberpunks Unite!

 

 
 

Paolo Giordano (ITA)
è il più giovane vincitore del prestigioso Premio Strega con il suo romanzo d’esordio, La solitudine dei numeri primi. Il bestseller è stato tradotto in trenta lingue e ha riscosso un successo travolgente a livello mondiale dopo avere venduto un milione di copie in Italia e in 34 altri paesi. La solitudine dei numeri primi narra le vite di due bambini entrambi turbati da traumi infantili e come queste esperienze segneranno il corso della loro esistenza adulta. Giordano attualmente sta completando un dottorato di ricerca in fisica delle particelle.





Paolo Giordano (ITA)
is the youngest winner of Italy’s prestigious award, the Premio Strega, for his debut novel, The Solitude of Prime Numbers. The bestseller has been translated into 30 different languages worldwide and took the world by storm after it sold over one million copies in Italy and across 34 other countries. The Solitude of Prime Numbers follows the lives of a boy and girl who have both endured childhood traumas and how that subsequently affects their adult lives. Giordano is now working towards his doctorate in particle physics.

Events:

32 - Ciao!

36 - Friday Night Showcase

44 - Breakout Stories

 
 

Katherine Govier (CAN)
is a multi-award winning author of nine novels, three short story collections and the editor of two travel collections. Born and educated in Alberta, she is the recipient of the Marian Engel Award and the Toronto Book Award. She helped found Writers in Electronic Residence, a national online writing program that connects Canadian writers in their homes to high school students in classrooms across Canada. Her recent novels reflect her special interest in historical figures who were artists. Her ninth novel, The Ghost Brush, tells the story of Oei, the daughter of Japanese artist, Hokusai, who created the “Great Wave”. WordFest alumna 1996

Events:

2 - Beyond the Book

43 - Keep it in the Family

47 - Banff Distinguished Author Series Celebrates Paul Quarrington

52 - Curtain Call

 
 

Wayne Grady (CAN)
is the author of 14 nonfiction books, editor of more than a dozen anthologies, and a Governor-General-Award-winning translator. A three-time recipient of the Science in Society Award, he is considered Canada's preeminent science writer. His most recent book, The Great Lakes: The Natural History of a Changing Region, won the prestigious American National Outdoor Book Award. His collaboration with David Suzuki, Tree: A Life History is an international bestseller. His latest book, Breakfast at the Exit Café, is co-written by his wife—and author—Merilyn Simonds.

Events:

24 - Thursday Night Showcase

 
 

Steven Heighton (CAN)
writes fiction and poetry. His work has been translated into 10 languages and has been nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award and has received many other awards including; the Gerald Lampert Award, the 2010 K.M. Hunter Artist Award, the Petra Kinney Prize and the Air Canada Award. Heighton brings his latest book Every Lost Country to WordFest, which is inspired by true events about heroism, love and the ability to fail. He also brings a book of poetry to WordFest, Patient Frame, a powerful reminder of human errors and the ability to scan our memories for true moments of lasting value.

Events:

38 - Poetry Bash

42 - Combat Zone

52 - Curtain Call

 
 

Tomson Highway (CAN)
is the author of many plays, novels and children’s books. He is the recipient of the Dora Mavor Moore Award and the Floyd S. Chalmers Award for his plays The Rez Sisters and Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing. Growing up, Highway had no access to books, radio or TV. Today, Highway is the artistic director of Nature Earth Performing Arts in Toronto and Maclean’s magazine named him as one of the 100 most important people in Canadian history. In 2001, he received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for his contribution in arts and culture. WordFest alumnus 1998, 2003

Events:

52 - Curtain Call

 
 

Jack Hodgins (CAN)
is the award-winning author of seven novels and three story collections. Now a retired writing professor, he occasionally conducts fiction-writing workshops, including an annual workshop in Mallorca, Spain. His name is attached to a long list of achievements including the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Commonwealth Prize. In 2009, he was appointed an Officer of The Order of Canada. His life has been commemorated in a National Film Board Film entitled Jack Hodgins' Island. His latest book, The Master of Happy Endings, is a compelling story about how a man in his late seventies manages to conjure one more great adventure for himself. Hodgins lives with his wife in Victoria, BC.

Events:

17 - Office Hours: Industry Insiders

24 - Thursday Night Showcase

 

 
 

Rebecca James (AUS)
has worked several different odd jobs: waitress, English teacher and bartender, before she found her passion for writing. Even though James claims she has developed high procrastinatory skills, she is already writing another book. Her impressive debut novel, Beautiful Malice is a publishing phenomenon after creating a bidding frenzy between several publishers worldwide. The novel has been translated into 30 different languages. Beautiful Malice is a dark, psychological thriller for YA readers about an obsessive friendship. James is a mother of four young boys and lives in Australia with her partner.

Events:

42 - Combat Zone

45 - The Writing Life

 
 

Judith Keenan (CAN) has had a successful career in the culture and entertainment sector for over 20 years in Canada and the United States. She founded BookShorts Inc and BookShorts Literacy Program, which produce, distribute and market film, TV and digital media with a focus on the adaptation of books to screen. Her production credits include many hours of news features, short films, a national television series and feature
documentaries. Guidelines to submit books for option/ development, or filmmaker portfolios at www.bookshorts.com.

Events:

47 - Banff Distinguished Author Series Celebrates Paul Quarrington

50 - Short Change

 
 

Deborah Kerbel (CAN)
is a YA author who has written Mackenzie, Lost and Found and Girl on the Other Side, which was shortlisted by the Canadian Library Association for the 2010 YA Book of the Year Award. A lifelong avid reader, Kerbel began writing soon after she finished her degree in English Literature at the University of Western Ontario. Her latest novel, Lure, is a YA thriller about a teenager being drawn to a library that is rumoured to be haunted. Kerbel lives in Thornhill, ON, with her husband and two children.

Events:

13 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

30 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

 
 

Shane Koyczan (CAN)
is one of the world’s premier spoken word artists. Koyczan has published two books, the poetry collection Visiting Hours, and Stickboy, a novel in verse. Koyczan was the first poet from outside the United States to win the prestigious USA National Individual Poetry Slam. He has performed to full houses around the world, from university amphitheatres to the most respected music and literary festivals.  Koyczan performed a variation of his poem "We Are More" for a worldwide audience of billions at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Koyczan lives in Penticton, BC. WordFest alumnus 2005, 2006, 2008

Events:

12 - Wednesday Night Showcase

25 - Word of Mouth

37 - Friday Night in the Club

 
 

Robert Kroetsch (CAN)
published his first novel, But We are Exiles in 1965, and his book The Studhorse Man won the Governor General’s Award for Fiction. He has steadily elaborated his indelible mark on Canadian writing ever since with his fiction, non-fiction, poetry, teaching and scholarship. In 2004, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Kroetsch’s latest book of poems, Too Bad: Sketches Toward a Self-Portrait, shows his quicksilver wit and lucid perception in full swing. He lives in Leduc, AB. WordFest alumnus 1996, 1998, 2001

Events:

38 - Poetry Bash

48 - Poetry Cabaret

 
 

Alice Kuipers (CAN)
brought WordFest audiences Life on the Refrigerator Door. This first book was sold in 28 countries and won many awards include the Grand Prix de Viarmes. Her YA novel, The Worst Thing She Ever Did, is a novel about a young girl named Sophie who only wants to forget what happened last summer. But that’s not easy when people keep asking if she’s okay, and her mother locks herself behind closed doors for hours at a time. WordFest alumna 2007

Events:

15 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

27 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

 
 

Nadya Larouche (CAN)
a étudié la littérature au Québec pour ensuite enseigner le français langue seconde dans l’Ouest Canadien. Elle a parcouru de nombreux routes avant d’attraper le virus de l’écriture.  Après avoir goûté à plusieurs genres, elle est tombée en amour avec la littérature jeunesse.  Elle a publié une vingtaine d’œuvres, dont Drôle d’oiseau ! , Double croche sur fausse note et Les voleurs de dinosaures, finaliste pour le prix Hackmatack 2010, prix du public jeunesse du Canada Atlantique où ce sont les enfants qui choisissent leurs livres préférés.



Nadya Larouche (CAN)
studied French literature in Quebec before teaching French as a second language in western Canada. She pursued different avenues prior to catching the writing bug.  After trying her hand at several genres, she fell in love with children’s literature.  She has published over twenty novels, such as Drôle d’oiseau ! , Double croche sur fausse note and Les voleurs de dinosaures, which was a finalist for the 2010 Prix Hackmatack, a children’s choice book award from Atlantic Canada.


Events:

9 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport / Festival des mot

14- First Calgary Savings Book Rapport / Festival des mots

 
 

Martine Latulippe (CAN) a publié une trentaine de romans et a acquis une belle réputation, comme en témoignent ses nombreux prix et nominations. Elle a notamment remporté le Prix jeunesse Ville de Québec / Salon international du livre de Québec en 2007 et en 2009 pour la série Lorian Loubier. Deux de ses livres pour adolescents ont figuré au Palmarès Communication-Jeunesse. Martine Latulippe se consacre à l’écriture, aux rencontres scolaires et à la revue de littérature policière Alibis, dont elle est directrice littéraire. Elle présentera ses deux derniers livres, Julie et la messe du revenant et À toi de jouer, Marie-P! WordFest alumna 2008



Martine Latulippe (CAN)
has published over thirty novels and is highly regarded, having received numerous nominations and prizes, notably the Prix littéraire Ville de Québec/Salon international du livre de Québec in 2007 and 2009 for the Lorian Loubier series.  Two of her adolescent novels appear on lists of readers’ favourites, the Palmarès Communication-Jeunesse.  Martine Latulippe dedicates her time to writing, school visits and to the review of detective literature, Alibis, where she is Literary Director.  She will present two of her latest books, Julie et la messe du revenant and À toi de jouer, Marie-P! WordFest alumna 2008


Events:

26 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport / Festival des mots

40 - Café Croissant avec Martine Latulippe et Susie Morgenstern/Festival des mots

 
 

JonArno Lawson (CAN)
is the author of several books of poetry for children and adults and is a two-time winner of the Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry. When studying to teach English as a second language, he started to keep a notebook full of phrases and words he liked. From these notebooks, letters to his grandmother, and other odd scraps he’d kept over the years, he began his first book of poetry. His latest book Think Again explores the experiences of first love. Lawson lives in Toronto, ON, with his wife and three children. WordFest alumnus 2008

Events:

20 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

28 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

38 - Poetry Bash

 
 

Mike Lent (CAN)
is renowned as a “top-drawer bassist” and one of Canada’s leading musicians. He has played professionally for over 25 years, and has a reputation as a masterful performer in a variety of disciplines; from touring with jazz greats like Lee Konitz and Sheila Jordan, to recording with k.d. lang and Jann Arden. When not on tour or on stage, Michael runs his own Edmonton studio, 10th street studios, producing for local artists. His versatility has kept him in high demand and he returns as the Musical Director of WordFest for his fourth year. Lent currently lives in Edmonton, AB. WordFest alumnus 2006, 2007, 2008
 
 

Andrea Levy (UK)
is an internationally acclaimed author. After attending writing workshops Levy began to write the novels that she had always wanted to read; entertaining novels that look closely and perceptively at Britain and its changing population and at the intimacies that bind British history with that of the Caribbean. She has received the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for Best Book, the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Whitbread Book of the Year Award for her novel, Small Island. Levy’s latest novel, The Long Song, is about a young Jamaican girl who endures the hardships of the Baptist War and the abolition of slavery in Britain. WordFest alumna 2004

Events:

36 - Friday Night Showcase

42 - Combat Zone

51 - Between Past and Present

 
 


Marc Levy (FRA) est l’auteur français le plus lu dans le monde. Ses œuvres, traduites en quarante et une langues, ont été publiées à plus de vingt millions d’exemplaires. En 2000, Et si c’était vrai, adapté au cinéma par Steven Spielberg (Just Like Heaven). Passionné de cinéma, Levy a également participé à l’écriture de certains scénarii.  Il habite à New York.  Durant WordFest, il présentera son livre, Toutes ces choses qu'on ne s'est pas dites, l'histoire d'une fille qui perd son père juste avant ses noces. Plus tard, elle trouve un cadeau que son père lui avait réservé, qui se révèlera être le plus beau des cadeaux.



Marc Levy (FRA)
is the most read French author in the world. His novels have been translated into 41 different languages with over 20 million copies sold. In 2000 his novel If Only it Were True, was made into the film, Just Like Heaven, produced by Steven Spielberg.  An avid fan of film, Levy also writes screenplays.  Levy lives in New York City.  During WordFest, he will present his book, All Those Things We Never Said.  It is about a bride who loses her father a few days before her wedding and finds that he has left behind for her the greatest gift of all.



Events:

4- Marc Levy et Guadalupe Nettel / Festival des mots

12 - Wednesday Night Showcase

16 - Marc Levy et Pascale Quiviger / Festival des mots

 
 

Carmen Leñero (MEX) es una poeta, ensayista, traductora, autora de literatura infantil y cantante. Ha escrito ocho libros de poesía y numerosas obras de narrativa y ensayo. En sus escritos encontramos siempre una sensación recurrente basada en la combinación de palabra, voz y pensamiento dentro de una misma experiencia estética. A lo largo de su carrera ha recibido diversos premios literarios y distinciones, entre los que destacan el Premio Nacional de Poesía Carlos Pellicer o su nombramiento como miembro del Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte de CONACULTA desde 2000. Leñero también ha grabado en varias ocasiones poesía y música tradicional y contemporánea mexicana. En esta edición de WordFest nos presenta Emilio y el viaje sin Tesoro y Es una traviesa esa raya.


Carmen Leñero (MEX) is a poet, essayist, translator, children’s writer and singer. She has written eight books of poetry and numerous narratives and essays. The spirit of her different works is to combine thought, word and voice into one aesthetic experience. She has received several literary awards and grants, including the Premio Nacional de Poesia Carlos Pellicer and has been a member of the Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte of the CONACULTA since 2000. Lenero has recorded various contemporary and traditional Mexican poetry and music. She brings Emilio y el viaje sin Tesoro and Es una traviesa esa raya to WordFest.


Events:

11 - (Not) Lost in Translation

48 - Poetry Cabaret

 
 

Claudio Magris (ITA)
è uno dei principali filosofi culturali europei ed altresì giornalista, critico e professore universitario. Il romanzo Danubio è stato tradotto in venti lingue. Ha ricevuto il Premio Letterario Tommasi di Lampedusa ed il Premio della Pace dell’Unione Librai Tedeschi. Gli è stato inoltre conferito Premio Viareggio-Tobino (scrittore dell’anno) nel 2007. Il suo ultimo romanzo, Alla cieca, è stato definito immediatamente un capolavoro; è il monologo narrativo, parte confessione e parte seduta psichiatrica, di un uomo che ripercorre una vita intrisa di orrori, speranze, tradimenti e delle rivoluzioni del secolo passato.



Claudio Magris (ITA)
is one of Europe’s leading cultural philosophers as well as journalist, critic and professor. His novel Danube has been translated into 20 languages. He was the recipient of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa Literary Prize and was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. Magris was also awarded the Premio Viarreggio Tobino (writer of the year) in 2007. His latest novel, Blindly, was hailed a masterpiece upon publication and follows the monologue–part confession–part psychiatric session of a man who recounts his life, which has passed through the horrors, the hopes and betrayals, and the revolutions of the last century.


Events:

32 - Ciao!

52 - Curtain Call

 

 
 

Lee Maracle (CAN)
is groundbreaking poet, novelist and playwright. She was the first Aboriginal woman to be published and is considered an expert on Canadian First Nations culture and history. She has held numerous distinguished academic posts across Canada. Her critically acclaimed books include, I Am Woman, Ravensong and Sojourner's and Sundogs. Her latest collection of short stories is First Wives Club: Coast Salish Style, which takes the reader on 10 journeys through the life experiences of an Aboriginal woman, university professor and single mother. The narratives are heart-warming and tragic as they describe the past, present and future. WordFest alumna 2001

Events:

36 - Friday Night Showcase

39 - Lattes, Love and Laughter

49 - Desire, etc

 
 

Yann Martel (CAN)
is known for his internationally bestselling novel, Life of Pi, which was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award and won the Man Booker Prize and is currently being made into a movie. He is also the author of the successful website What Is Stephen Harper Reading? a vow to send the Prime Minister of Canada a book every two weeks for him to read. His latest novel, Beatrice & Virgil, is a thought-provoking fable that questions the understanding of our history, in reference to the Holocaust, and the meaning of suffering.

Events:

36 - Friday Night Showcase

45 - The Writing Life

51 - Between Past and Present

 
 

Conni Massing (CAN)
has won several awards for her writing in television, theatre, film and radio and was the recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for contributions to the arts. Massing has worked as a television series story editor on The Beat, North of 60, The Adventures of Shirley Holmes, and as a story consultant on Anaid Productions’ documentary series Taking it Off and Family Restaurant. Her debut novel Roadtripping: On the Move with the Buffalo Gals, is a hilarious travel memoir of Alberta’s most bizarre roadside attractions from the Torrington Gopher Hole museum to Stettler’s train robbery excursion.

Events:

19 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

22 - Buffalo Gals

39 - Lattes, Love and Laughter

 
 

Kim McArthur (CAN)
founded McArthur & Company in 1998. Since then, the company has had over 70 bestsellers and 21 award nominations, including a Governor General’s Award for Kate Pullinger’s The Mistress of Nothing in 2009. McArthur was awarded the Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Startup in 2001 and 2002 and was recognized by the The International Alliance for Woman with their World of Difference 100 Award. McArthur & Company is a Canadian-owned and operated publisher and distributor of quality Canadian and international fiction and non-fiction for adults and children, based in Toronto, ON.

Events:

10 - Would You Buy This Book?: Industry Insiders

 
 

Sharon McKay (CAN)
has been an author for over 20 years and has written more than 14 non-fiction books. Twice nominated for the Governor General Literary Award, she is the first children’s author to be honoured with the title of War Artist, a Canadian government program directed toward the development of military art. Not only is she a successful writer, McKay is also the inventor of sidewalk chalk, which was first sold along with her book, Chalk Around the Block. Her latest book, Thunder Over Kandahar, is a moving story of two girls’ desperate flight through Taliban territory in an attempt to escape the terrible fate that has Afghanistan in terror and the chaos that awaits each of them back home.

Events:

6 -Sunray

15 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

20 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

28 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

 
 

Kirk Miles (CAN)
is a poet, playwright and performing clown. He is a founding member of One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre and the recipient of the Alberta Screenwriters Award for his screenplay, Shadow Maker. His latest work is a book of poetry, of ash of brick of water, consisting of 16 stories about his experiences as a performing clown named Hamlet. Miles performs most of his poems with his band, midnight yoga for alcoholics, with blues guitarist Cennth Sinclair. In 2007, the Bravo! network produced a segment on his life as a poet, playwright and clown.

Events:

37 - Friday Night in the Club

 
 

Susie Morgenstern (FRA)
, chevalier des Arts et des Lettres de la République Française, est originaire du New Jersey mais vit à Nice où elle a enseigné à l’Université pendant quarante ans.  Après la naissance de ses deux filles, elle travaillait le jour et écrivait la nuit.  Aujourd'hui grand-mère, elle se consacre à l'étude de la vie quotidienne, et elle construit ses livres autour de ce thème captivant.  Avec une centaine de livres, dont un certain nombre ont été primés, cette chaleureuse et souriante ambassadrice de la littérature jeunesse est appréciée par les enfants et les adolescents qui trouvent beaucoup de réconfort dans ses ouvrages.



Susie Morgenstern (FRA)
chevalier des Arts et des Lettres de la République Française, originally from New Jersey, now lives in Nice where she taught University for forty years.  After the arrival of her two daughters, she found the time here and there to write.  Now a grandmother, she continues to study everyday life and creates her books around this captivating theme.  With over a hundred books and many literary awards, this warm and cheerful ambassador of youth literature is loved by children and teens who find comfort in her books.


Events:

9 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport / Festival des mot

40 - Café Croissant avec Martine Latulippe et Susie Morgenstern/Festival des mots

 
 

Erín Moure (CAN)
is one of Canada’s most respected poets and translators from English, French, Galician, Spanish and Portugese. She was born in Calgary, AB, and is now based in Montreal, PQ. Moure's first collection of poetry, Empire, was nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award. She later won the award for her poetry book, Furious, and has been a three-time finalist for the Griffin Poetry Prize. She brings Expeditions of a Chimeara, which she co-wrote with Oana Avasilichioaei, to WordFest as well has her own poetry collection, O Resplandor, which explores the art of reading is an embodiment of practice. WordFest alumna 1997, 2006

Events:

2 - Beyond the Book

11 - (Not) Lost in Translation

48 - Poetry Cabaret

 
 

Guadalupe Nettel (MEX) est une auteur de nouvelles très connue en France et en Espagne. Elle est titulaire d'un doctorat en littérature de l’Universidad Nacional Autónoma à Mexico. A l'âge de dix-neuf ans, elle a reçu le prix du meilleur ouvrage en français, donné par Radio France. Son premier texte, El huésped, a été nominé pour le prix Herralde espagnol et a gagné le prix allemand Anna Seghers. Son second livre, Pétalos, une compilation de nouvelles a gagné le prix Antonin Artaud. En 2007, elle a intégré les trente-neuf plus grands auteurs latino-américains de moins de quarante ans, selon l’organisation culturelle Bogotà World Book Capital. Elle est également l’éditrice de la revue littéraire, Nùmero 0.


Guadalupe Nettel (MEX) es una autora que ha escrito novelas en Espanol y en Ingles y tiene un PhD en literatura de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de la ciudad de Mexico. A los 19 anos, gano el premio por el mejor cuento al idioma Frances por la Radio France Internationale. Su primera novela, El huésped, fue preseleccionada para el premio Espanol Herralde y gano el premio aleman Anna Seghers. Su segundo libro,  Pétalos, es una coleccion de cuentos cortos y gano el premio Antonin Artaud. En el 2007 fue enlistada como una de las 39 personas mas importantes en el mundo de la literatura Latino Americana debajo de 40 por la organizacion internacional cultural Bogota World Book Capital. Tambien es la editora de The Literary Review, Número 0.

Guadalupe Nettel (MEX) is an accomplished short story writer in Spanish and French and has her PhD in literature from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma in Mexico City. At 19 years old,  she won the prize for the Best French-language story, awarded by Radio France Internationale. Her debut novel, El huésped was shortlisted for the Spanish Premio Herralde and won the German Anna Seghers Prize. Her second book, Pétalos, a collection of short stories was the winner of the Antonin Artaud Prize. In 2007, she was listed as one of the 39 most important Latin American writers under 40 by the international cultural organization Bogotá World Book Capital. She is also the publisher of the literary review, Número 0.


Events:

2 - Beyond the Book

4 - Marc Levy et Guadalupe Nettel / Festival des mots

 
 

Richard Newsome (AUS) presents his debut novel, The Billionaire's Curse, which won the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Literature in Australia; it is the first in the trilogy and is being published in seven countries. His trilogy began after telling his children bedtime stories that eventually turned into the Billionaire’s series of books. Richard stands six foot two in his socks and one day hopes to afford some shoes. He can be found tapping away on his laptop in a cupboard under the stairs that he calls his office. Newsome lives in Brisbane, Australia.

Events:

2 - Beyond the Book

19 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

33 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

 
 

Ruth Ohi (CAN)
has illustrated over 40 books for children, nine of which she has also written. Her books have been nominated for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award and the Governor General’s Literary Award. She knew as early as Grade 8 that she wanted to be an illustrator of children’s books. Her favourite things to draw are people and animals. Her latest picture book series, Chicken, Pig, Cow has become an instant favourite, and she brings the latest adventure, Chicken, Pig, Cow, and the Purple Problem, to WordFest.

Events:

21 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

41 - A Morning with Ruth Ohi

 
 

Kenneth Oppel (CAN)
began his writing career in his teens when a family friend passed along one of his stories to Roald Dahl. He was contacted directly by Dahl’s literary agent with news that they wanted to sell his book. Today, he is the author of the Airborn series and the Silverwing Saga, which has sold over a million copies worldwide. His picture book, The King’s Taster, was shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association’s Blue Spruce Award. Oppel presents his latest book, Half Brother, at WordFest. WordFest alumnus 2000, 2007

Events:

13 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

30 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

 
 

Catherine Owen (CAN)
is a poet and essayist whose work has been published in Canadian and international magazines. She has published over 10 books and her work has garnered many nominations and awards, including the Earle Birney Prize. She has been shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Prize and for the CBC Literary Award. Her latest work is Seeing Lessons, a book of poetry based on pioneer photographer Mattie Gunterman. Part biography, part environmental elegy, Seeing Lessons leaves readers seeing the world in a different light. Owen lives in Vancouver, BC.


Events:

25 - Word of Mouth

31 - Alberta Bound

 
 

Michael Palmer (CAN)
has worked in marketing and accounting in the oil and gas industry since moving from Antigonish, NS, to Calgary in 1994. His debut non-fiction book, Dark Side of the Sun, was nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award. His book explores the horrific journey of his grandfather, George Thomas Palmer, and his comrades in WWII during the Battle of Hong Kong. Palmer reveals the untold story of the Omine POW camp where Canadian, Dutch, British and American POWs endured terror and extreme hardships. He lives in Calgary and is close to completing his second book—a 400-page novel entitled The Beggars' Bookends.

Events:

31 - Alberta Bound

 
 

John Pearce (CAN) is enjoying a celebrated and distinguished career in Canadian Literature. Pearce knows the ins and outs of publishing after working as an editor with numerous Canadian publishing houses, including Clarke, Irwin, Irwin Publishing, Doubleday Canada and Random House of Canada. In 2004, he left editing to become an agent with Westwood Creative Artists, Canada's largest literary agency. Working as an editor, publisher and later as agent, he has worked with some of the biggest literary names in Canada and abroad. He lives in Victoria, BC.



Events:

46 - Behind the Book: Industry Insiders

 
 

Louise Penny (CAN)
is an international bestselling author and former CBC journalist. The Brutal Telling (the fifth book in the Inspector Gamache series), recently won the American Agatha Award for Best Mystery. Louise is a three time consecutive winner of the prestigious Agatha award and the only Canadian to have won it. She has penned six novels including her latest mystery, Bury Your Dead, which takes place in Quebec City where a man has been brutally murdered in one of the city’s oldest buildings. The death opens a door into the past, leaving Chief Inspector Gamache to catch the present-day killer.


Events:

12 - Wednesday Night Showcase

 
 

Noah Richler (CAN)
was raised in Montreal and London, England. He was a producer and host of documentaries and features at BBC Radio, where he worked for 14 years and won numerous prizes before returning to Canada in 1998 to join the founding staff of the National Post. His first book, This Is My Country, What’s Yours? A Literary Atlas of Canada, was nominated for the 2006 Nereus Writer’s Trust Non-Fiction Prize and was the winner of the 2007 British Columbia Award for Canadian Non-Fiction. He is a regular contributor to the CBC and the BBC World Service and many Canadian newspapers and magazines. Richler returns as the WordFest's Official Festival Blogger. WordFest alumnus 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009


Events:

 
 

Peter Robinson (CAN)
began his career writing poetry before he became an internationally bestselling author of the Inspector Banks mystery series. His novels have been translated into 19 different languages worldwide and his first novel, Gallows View, was short-listed for the Crime Writers of Canada Best First Novel Award. In 2008, Robinson was presented with the Celebrates Reading Award by the Toronto Public Library. Robinson has a scholarship in his name at the University of Leeds. The Peter Robinson scholarship supports three students through a three-year course in English Literature, with a strong focus on Creative Writing. He presents the latest in the Inspector Banks mystery series, Bad Boy.


Events:

12 - Wednesday Night Showcase

35 -  Dead On

45 - The Writing Life

 
 

Pascale Quiviger (CAN)
was born in Montreal and divides her time between England and Italy writing, painting and teaching visual arts. Her first novel, Le Cercle Parfait, won the 2004 Governor General's Award for French Fiction. Its English translation by Sheila Fischman, The Perfect Circle, was shortlisted for the 2006 Giller Prize. The Breakwater House is Quiviger’s second novel and tells the story of a nameless woman and explores the complex love between mothers, daughters and friends.



Pascale Quiviger (CAN)
est née à Montréal. Elle vit entre l’Angleterre et l’Italie où elle écrit, peint et enseigne les arts visuels. Son premier ouvrage, Le Cercle Parfait, a gagné en 2004 le prix du Gouverneur Général pour une fiction française. La traduction anglaise, effectuée par Sheila Fischman, The Perfect Circle, a été nominé pour le prix 2006 Giller. The Breakwater House est la seconde nouvelle de Pascale Quiviger et raconte l’histoire d’une femme anonyme qui explore la complexe relation d’amour qu’il peut y avoir entre mère, filles et amis.


Events:

16 - Marc Levy et Pascale Quiviger / Festival des mots

51 - Between Past and Present

 
 

Alberto Ruy-Sánchez (MEX) es el editor de la revista Latino Americana, Artes de Mexico. En el 2000, fue nombrado Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres  por el gobierno Frances y en el 2005 recibio el Honor de Gran Orden de Honor Nacional al Merito Autoral en la ciudad de Mexico. Sanchez ha voluntariado como visitante Tinker Scholar en la Universidad de Stanford. Tambien ha servido como el presidente del Programa Creativo No Ficcion  en el Centro para las Artes de Banff. Su ultima novela traducida en ingles es, The Secret Gardens of Mogodor: Voices of the Earth y es basada en una ciudad de Morroco llamada Mogador - un laberinto de calles confusas, mercados y jardines escondidos. WordFest alumnus 1998, 2003


Alberto Ruy-Sánchez (MEX) is the editor of the renowned Latin American arts magazine, Artes de México. In 2000, he was named Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government and in 2005 he received the Honour of Gran Orden de Honor Nacional al Mérito Autoral in Mexico City. He has served as a Visiting Tinker Scholar at Stanford University and as the Chairman of Creative Non-Fiction Program at the Banff Centre for the Arts. His latest novel translated into English is, The Secret Gardens of Mogodor: Voices of the Earth and takes place in the Moroccan city of Mogador, a walled labyrinth of winding streets, marketplaces and hidden gardens. WordFest alumnus 1998, 2003


Events:

24 - Thursday Night Showcase

49 - Desire, etc

 
 

Garry Ryan (CAN)
is a retired teacher from Calgary, AB, and is the author of the Detective Lane Mystery series. Before becoming a successful author, he taught English and Creative Writing to junior high and high school students. He received a Lambda Literary Award for his second installment of the series, The Lucky Elephant Restaurant. In 2009, Ryan was awarded the Freedom of Expression Award in Calgary, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the arts community in Calgary. Ryan presents Smoked, a chilling mystery where a young woman’s body is found in a graffiti-tagged dumpster. In order to find the killer, Detective Lane and Harper must decipher the tag.


Events:

31 - Alberta Bound

 
 

Rob Sanders (CAN)
is a publisher at Greystone Books, which was launched in 1993 with a mandate to publish a list of popular, high-quality books with international appeal. He is an active member of the Association of Canadian Publishers and is Past President of the Association for the Export of Canadian Books. Sanders has served on the board of the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia and has been a guest lecturer at Simon Fraser University’s Masters in Publishing program and Summer Intensive in Publishing.

Events:

46 - Behind the Book: Industry Insiders

47 - Banff Distinguished Author Series Celebrates Paul Quarrington

 
 

Merilyn Simonds (CAN)
has published 14 works of fiction and nonfiction. Her breakthrough book, The Convict Lover, is the true story of a penitentiary romance based on letters she found in an attic when she moved to Kingston, Ontario. Nominated for the Governor General's award, The Convict Lover has since become a classic in Canadian creative non-fiction. Her short stories have been published internationally and her novel, The Holding, was selected as a New York Times Editor's Choice. Her latest work, Breakfast at the Exit Café, is a travel memoir, jointly authored with her husband, Wayne Grady. WordFest Alumna 2004

Events:

24 - Thursday Night Showcase

 
 

Martín Solares (MEX) es un aclamado autor de crimen, asi como tambien un critico y un editor.  Solares recibio el  Premio Literario  Nacional Efrain Huerta en 1998 por su corta novela El planeta Cloralex.  Recientemente completo un doctorado en La Sorbonne y ahora vive en la ciudad de Mexico. E es un miembro del Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte. Su primera novela, Los Minutos Negros, fue preseleccionada para el Premio Novel Internacional Romulo Gallegos y esta traducida al Ingles. The Black Minutes sigue el asesinato de un joven periodista llamado Bernardo Blanco.



Martín Solares (MEX)
is a critically acclaimed crime writer as well as critic and editor. Solares was the recipient of the Efraín Huerta National Literary Award in 1998 for his short story, "El planeta Cloralex". He recently completed a doctorate at La Sorbonne and now lives in Mexico City. He is a member of the Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte. His first novel, Los Minutos Negros, was shortlisted for the Rómulo Gallegos International Novel Prize and is translated into English. The Black Minutes follows the murder of a young journalist named Bernardo Blanco.

Events:

29 - ¡HOLA!

35 - Dead On

 
 

Anne Sorbie (CAN) was born in Paisley, Scotland and now lives and writes in Calgary, AB. Her writing has appeared in national literary journals such as Geist and Other Voices and her poetry was featured in the December 2009 anthology, Home and Away. She is the author of Altar Ego: Gender, Property and the Cult of Marriage and presents her first novel Memoir of a Good Death. Shaped as a memoir, it is a story of family, of death and of the art of living. It also explores the ties that bind a mother to a daughter and the dynamics that govern their love. WordFest alumna 2005.



Events:

31 - Alberta Bound

43 - Keep it in the Family

 
 

Ashley Spires (CAN) has illustrated several picture books and is the creator of the charming Binky Adventure series. She has been nominated for several awards, including the Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award, the Red Cedar Book Award and won the Chocolate Lily Award. Binky returns in Binky the Space Cat, where Binky is a space cat – at least in his own mind. He's really a house cat who has never left the family "space station." Unlike other house cats, Binky has a mission: to blast off into outer space (outside), explore unknown places (the backyard) and battle aliens (bugs).

Events:

21 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

 
 

Chevy Stevens (CAN) was a sales rep and a real-estate agent on Vancouver Island, BC, before she became one of Canada’s most sought after debut authors. She left her career in real estate to write full time and to finish her debut thriller, Still Missing, a compelling novel about a young woman’s abduction and frantic escape from her captor. Stevens found inspiration for her novel at an open house after imagining being abducted. She lives on Vancouver Island, BC, and when she's not working on her second novel, Never Knowing, she's hiking with her husband and dog in the local mountains.

Events:

35 - Dead On

44 - Breakout Stories

 
 

Miguel Syjuco (CAN) was born in the Philippines and now lives in Montreal, PQ. He writes fiction, poetry and journalism pieces for national and international publications. He is working towards his PhD in English Literature on a scholarship at the University of Adelaide in Australia. His debut novel, Ilustrado won the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize and won the Grand Prize for the novel in English at the Palanca Awards. Ilustrado follows a young Filipino man caught within a notorious scandal spanning the history of the Philippines.



Events:

36 - Friday Night Showcase

44 - Breakout Stories

51 - Between Past and Present

 
 

Drew Hayden Taylor (CAN) is an Ojibway from Ontario’s Curve Lake First Nations and is an accomplished journalist. He is one of Canada’s leading playwrights of over 70 productions and has been a nominee for the Governor General’s Award for Best Play. His storytelling skills have led him to work on numerous documentaries that explore the Native experience. His most recent novel, Motorcycles and Sweetgrass, is about a mysterious stranger appearing in a quiet town. The town’s chief, Maggie, is completely enchanted by the curious man on the Indian Chief motorcycle. WordFest alumni 2004, 2008

Events:

24 - Thursday Night Showcase

43 - Keep it in the Family

47 - Banff Distinguished Author Series Celebrates Paul Quarrington

 
 

Joan Thomas (CAN) has worked as a freelance writer, editor and reviewer for the Globe and Mail. Her first book, Reading by Lightening, won the Commonwealth Prize for Best Book. Her short stories and non-fiction pieces have been published across Canada in several magazines and she is the writing and publishing program consultant for the Manitoba Arts Council. Her newest novel, Curiosity, tells the story of a young girl who finds the bones of a prehistoric creature more than 40 years before the publication of The Origin of Species.

Events:

44 - Breakout Stories

49 - Desire, etc

 
 

J. Torres (CAN) is the Shuster Award-winning comic book writer of Love as a Foreign Language and Teen Titans Go. He is a contributing writer for DC Comics’ Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Nickelodeon magazine’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. His other works include the YALSA nominated Days Like This and Lola: A Ghost Story. With illustrator J. Bone, he presents the Eisner Award nominated Alison Dare, Little Miss Adventure and Alison Dare, The Heart of the Maiden. These graphic novels star Alison Dare, an adventurous 12 year old who always manages to escape danger with the help of her sidekicks, Dot and Wendy.

Events:

19 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

33 - First Calgary Savings Book Rapport

 
 

Priscila Uppal (CAN) is a poet, fiction writer, academic and professor at York University. She is the author of even poetry books and two novels. Her internationally published work explores omen in closed societies, the dynamics of mourning, the nature of human violence and multicultural clashes. Uppal is a member of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Arts Council, and she brings to WordFest her sixth collection of poetry, titled Traumatology, a surreal investigation of how we define our mental, physical and spiritual health. WordFest alumna 2007

Events:

38 - Poetry Bash

48 - Poetry Cabaret

 
 

Jane Urquhart (CAN) is the author of six internationally acclaimed novels including poetry, short stories and fiction novels. She is the recipient of the General Governor’s Literary Award, the Marian Engel Award, the Trillium Award and was nominated for the Giller Prize. In 2005, she was named an Officer of the Order of Canada. Her latest book, Sanctuary Line, is a contemporary story that takes place on a farm and includes three very powerful and different love stories. She divides her writing time between Ontario and Ireland where she finds inspiration for the settings of her historical writing. WordFest alumna 2005, 2007

Events:

12 - Wednesday Night Showcase

39 - Lattes, Love and Laughter

47 - Banff Distinguished Author Series Celebrates Paul Quarrington

52 - Curtain Call

 
 

Aritha van Herk (CAN) is an award-winning Canadian novelist whose work has been acclaimed throughout North America and Europe. She is the author of five novels and her short stories, essays, articles and book reviews regularly appear in national and international periodicals and newspapers. She has been a member of the Royal Society of Canada since 1997 and teaches Canadian Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Calgary. Her irreverent but relevant history, Mavericks: An Incorrigible History of Alberta, is currently being read by all of Calgary as part of Calgary Public Library's One Book, One Calgary initiative. WordFest alumna 1998, 2002.

Events:

1 - Rebels and Mavericks

42 - Combat Zone

 
 

George Webber (CAN) uses his camera to capture artful and poetic images of the Canadian West and captures his fascination of photographing people. He has won numerous magazine awards and his work can be found in museums all over the world. His photography books include People of The Blood, A World Within and Requiem and his latest photography work, Last Call. Webber spent five years engaging in an astounding collection of photographs of Calgary’s East Village, along with poignant excerpts from his personal journals. He teaches photography at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and the Alberta College of Art and Design.

Events:

34 - Last Call

 
 

Rachel Zolf (CAN) is a poet and literary editor of poetry books from Toronto, ON. She is the author of four full-length poetry collections and the recipient of the Trillium Book Award for Poetry and a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. She is the founding poetry editor of The Walrus magazine and brings her latest poetry book, Neighbourhood Procedure, a follow up to the Trillium Award-winning, Human Resources. Neighbourhood Procedure is an extraordinary collection of poems regarding the correspondence between the daily news and the contemporary theory of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. She currently lives in New York City.

Events:

25 - Word of Mouth

 
 

David Suzuki (CAN)
is an award winning geneticist, environmentalist, broadcaster and the founder and chair of the David Suzuki Foundation. He has been educating people for over 40 years on environmental issues and science. Suzuki has received many honours and awards, including being named an Officer of the Order of Canada and was nominated as one of the top 10 "Greatest Canadians" by viewers of the CBC. Suzuki has penned 49 books including his latest book, The Legacy: An Elder’s Vision for Our Sustainable Future, an environmental explanation on how we got where we are today and his vision for a better future. The book is being adapted into a film.

Events:

WordFest Presents David Suzuki September 21, 2010