Marina Endicott, M.G.Vassanji, and Emma Donoghue among authors for Kingston WritersFest
July 11, 2019 – For immediate release – Kingston, Ontario – Kingston WritersFest has announced authors Marina Endicott, M.G.Vassanji, Michael Crummey, Elizabeth Hay, and Emma Donoghue as part of its line-up for the annual Festival this September 25-29, 2019. The 2019 line-up of authors will appear in 50 events to be held over 5 days in downtown Kingston at the Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront, and select off-site locations.
Kingston WritersFest Artistic Director Barbara Bell announced Wednesday evening that celebrated author Michael Crummey will join local writer and poet Steven Heighton in conversation on the Festival’s opening night, along with opening event Treaties and Ashes: Stories of the Indigenous Experience with Armand G. Ruffo and Jesse Thistle.
The Festival, now entering its eleventh festival season, previously announced the return of one of last year’s most popular programming additions for the 10th Annual Festival, an immersive 2- or 4-day writing retreat.
“Attendees at last year’s Writers Retreat shared with us their appreciation for the program, saying how they greatly benefitted from setting aside everyday concerns to focus solely on their development as a writer,” says Bell. “Our stellar 2019 faculty offers the same level of experienced and instructive guidance to writers at all stages of development.”
Joshua Ferguson will appear in the event Finding Freedom: Beyond the Binary with Lee Airton
during Thursday’s Festival Field Trip line-up (events are open to the public) along with Graphic novelist David Alexander Robertson, and Paula Wild, while Marina Endicott, an award-winning Canadian novelist and short story writer, has been named as this year’s International Marquee Headliner. Endicott will be at the festival with her beautiful new novel The Difference. Her 2009 novel Good to a Fault, won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Canada and the Caribbean and was a finalist for the Giller Prize. The International Marquee, a cornerstone event of the 5-day festival, will move to a more intimate venue for this year’s Festival – The Residence Inn by Marriott.
“We haven’t let up, post-tenth annual festival, in our search for quality authors and books to present in September,” says Bell. “And we have been astonished at the offerings this year, the diversity, range, uniqueness, and depth of story-telling about the world, our history, our future, and ourselves. I can’t wait to present the most diverse, inclusive, surprising, profound, and entertaining Iine-up I think we’ve ever presented. You will still see some of your most favourite, familiar faces, but also have an opportunity to meet talented debut writers, Indigenous writers, writers of colour, writers of difference, writers with something new to say from a unique perspective.”
Award-winning author Elizabeth Hay, along with The Book Lovers’ Lunch event with Ben McNally, and a discussion and reading with Ann Hui during a Chinese buffet were mentioned by Bell as highpoints of the Friday programming, followed by a dinner event named in celebration of the literary legacy of Robertson Davies. This year, KWF alumna Emma Donoghue is our author honoree.
Saturday’s programming highlights see Carol Off returning as moderator for The Big Idea with
Robert Lewis, Lee Maracle, and Dave Meslin to discuss the future of democracy, a special evening presentation of the event Author! Author! with M.G.Vassanji in celebration of the Governor General’s Literary Awards, and the introduction of a brand new literary pub (s)crawl event which will see attendees processing to various pubs in Downtown Kingston to hear light hearted readings. Authors participating in the inaugural literary pub (s)crawl include Lorna Crozier, Nancy Jo Cullen, Abena Beloved Green, Rabindranath Maharaj, Michael McCreary, and Stuart Ross.
Bell comments, “It’s our way of introducing an original event that combines literature and libations…. intrepid bibliophiles and a half-dozen authors of poetry, comedic memoir, and prose on a trek to some of Kingston’s finest watering holes. To me, that spells fun!”
Sunday’s programming includes the return of Steven Price and Cecil Foster, along with festival newcomer Jennifer Robson, and a delicious lunch event with chef Amy Symington which blends story-telling with culinary and literary arts.
Many local Kingston authors round out the line-up, with Ms. Bell welcoming Erika Behrisch Elce, Lee Airton, Allison Chisholm, and Lindy Mechefske.
For a full line-up of authors, and details on all 50 events during the festival, please visit Kingstonwritersfest.ca. Tickets are now on sale online, or in person at the Grand Theatre Box Office.
Program Guides are available at Kingston WritersFest offices on Wellington St., The Grand Theatre, Novel Idea, Kingston Frontenac Public Library, Visitor Information Centre and other select locations.
About Kingston WritersFest
Kingston WritersFest has established itself not only as a prime Kingston cultural event, but also as one of the top Canadian literary festivals. Kingston WritersFest aims to explore the ideas that shape our world, warm our hearts, and stir our imaginations through author readings, writers’ studio master classes, food and beverage events, and discussions that celebrate culture, history, imagination, diversity and originality. For more about Kingston WritersFest, please visit our website.
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To arrange an interview contact: Tricia Knowles, Director of Marketing
Ph: 613.767.0513 | Email: marketing@kingstonwritersfest.com