If you’re of the opinion that writers should be treated like rock stars (regardless of how uncomfortable that may or may not make them), you might consider taking in The Frye Festival in Moncton, New Brunswick. And, they have just unveiled their complete line-up of national and international others for their 19th annual celebration of all things bookish.
The festival will provide an exciting opportunity to meet in person those people who specialize in communicating in a text format. The 2018 lineup boasts 34 writers from the Atlantic provinces, Canada, France and Latvia. Also, 27 Canadian publishers will be represented and the event will play host to nearly 50 different activities, including workshops, readings, jams, book signings, talks and Q&As.
“All these activities promote the benefits of reading,” explains Frye Festival director Diana Newton. “Numerous studies have established that reading boosts empathy, tolerance, and well-being, and helps develop essential skills such as literacy and critical thinking. The Festival also increases access to literature and rich cultural programming, helping to create a vibrant, informed society.”
Newton says that the festival gives back to the community by distributing approximately $5,000 worth of books each year, while their Writers in the Schools program allows the interaction of thousands of K-12 students across the province with authors visiting their classrooms.
“I feel incredibly honoured proud to be at the helm of a literary festival that is now in its 19th year. Last August, when I became the new executive director of a literary festival, I hopped aboard a well-oiled train that has been running smoothly ever since its first edition in 2000. This is all thanks to the incredible work done by the dedicated members of our volunteer board of directors and committees, the over 100 volunteers who help out during the Festival week, our talented Festival team, and the awe-inspiring good will toward the Festival that is reflected in the very generous government funding, private sector sponsorships, and individual donations we receive. The Frye Festival enjoys an enviable reputation and was described last year by one of our authors as “one of the brightest pearls on the necklace of Canadian festivals.”
The Frye Festival are welcoming a handful of notable children’s authors for their popular youth program. As a highlight, among them will be well-known, award-winning author Sheree Fitch, along with Casey Lyall, and Deborah Ellis.
The list of Canadian authors to attend includes Claire Cameron, best-selling author; Joey Comeau, author and creator of webcomic A Softer World; Eva Crocker, winner of the 2017 Canadian Authors Association Emerging Author Award; Oisín Curran, illustrator, author and book designer; Siobhan Gallagher; Genevieve Graham; Susanna Kearsley, best-selling author; Tima Kurdi; Zoey Leigh Peterson; André Picard; Sue Sinclair; Gillian Sze; and Michelle Winter.
And, of course, in representation of la francophonie, the festival will also include Francophone authors Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, Biz, Geneviève Côté, India Desjardins, André Marois and Frye Festival’s Poète flyée, Monica Bolduc.
In addition, the festival will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Latvia with Latvian author Jānis Joņevs, whose debut novel, Jelgava ’94, was a bestseller and won the EU Prize for Literature in 2014.
Paris-based, Cuban-exile author Zoé Valdés will also be making an appearance. In 1995, her book Le Néant Quotidien received a particularly negative review from the Cuban government, and she has since lived in Paris.
“I’m especially honoured that the Frye Festival is showcasing Tima Kurdi, and her beautiful, poignant memoir, The Boy on the Beach, on Saturday, April 21 at 11 am at théâtre l’Escaouette,” says Newton. “Tima Kurdi is the aunt of a young Syrian refugee boy whose lifeless body washed up on a beach in Turkey in 2015. His photo made the headlines and created shockwaves across the country (and the world) and awakened a national consciousness about the global refugee crisis. I would like to encourage anyone who cares about refugees to come to this event.”
“I’m greatly looking forward to the conversation with Claire Cameron about her latest novel. The Last Neanderthal; it’s fabulous! I’m also super excited to showcase Susanna Kearsley, a New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestseller who interweaves contemporary romantic suspense with historical adventure; along with Siobhan Gallagher who is from Moncton, and whose amazing debut book is entitled In a Daze Work: A Pick-Your-Path Journey Through the Daily Grind , and André Picard, the Health Columnist at The Globe and Mail whose latest must-read book, Matters of Life and Death, tackles our nation’s most pressing health issues including Canada’s right-to-die law, the true risks of the Zika virus, and the social and economic impacts of mental illness.”
The 19th annual Frye Festival will take place from April 21 to 28, 2018, in the Greater Moncton Area. More information, including complete author biographies and the schedule of events, are available online. Tickets for the conversation with Tima Kurdi on April 21st are available at www.escaouette.com. Tickets are also available in advance for Soirée Frye on April 27 at the Capitol Theatre and for the French-language Maillet-Frye lecture at the Dieppe Arts and Culture Centre. Admission to all other events is payable at the door on the day of the event.
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(Photo: LP Chiasson)