The second Paper Covers Rock readers and writers festival is on for Oct. 1-8 at The Salty Pear Gallery and B&B, and organizers say ticket sales have begun.
The festival, presented in partnership with Country Grocer and Salt Spring Books, is set to host in-person workshops on fiction, poetry, music, comedy, memoir writing and more, with over 11 speakers confirmed throughout the week.
“Paper Covers Rock isn’t your typical writers’ festival,” said event producer Terri Potratz. “The joy of writing is often found in surprising or unexpected sources of inspiration. For this reason, in addition to having established authors to the festival stage, we’ve invited innovators across a variety of genres.”
The festival kicks off with Cecily Nicholson, winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for poetry. Danny Peart will discuss the virtues of self-publishing, followed by a chapbook-making workshop with Kevin Spenst, poetry mentor at Simon Fraser University’s the Writer’s Studio.
During the week, Vancouver-based filmmaker Liz Cairns will discuss strategies for crafting believable characters and storylines; Cairns is currently shooting her first feature on the island. Giselle Vriesen will teach how to write authentically for fiction or fantasy genres. Other speakers include Nellie’s Catering co-founder Gracie Gardner, sharing connections between cooking and storytelling, and Ahava Shira leading guided meditations and writing exercises.
Closing weekend will feature a movement workshop with Shauna Devlin, and renowned fiction authors Lee Henderson and Michael Christie will lead their own respective sessions before coming together for an author-to-author Q&A.
Several free social and networking events during the week include a Blues and Haikus event, inspired by Jack Kerouac’s classic beat album, a children’s storytime reading with Jenn Wint, and a bonfire social at the Salty Pear Gallery.
“We have an incredibly talented lineup of speakers leading workshops this year,” said Potratz. “Intimate workshops, thoughtful break-out sessions and endless opportunities to write peacefully in this incredible location make this festival one of a kind.”
In addition to general admission tickets, the festival offers a pay-what-you-can payment option for each workshop.
For more information and tickets, visit the website: www.papercoversrock.ca.