Festival expands list of presenters
Authors with Cape Breton connections will take part in September event
More writers have been added to this fall’s Cabot Trail Writers Festival and at least two have Cape Breton connections.
This year’s Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize nominee Oisin Curran, originally from Maine but who now lives in Southwest Margaree, and bestselling crime writer Phonse Jessome, originally from Sydney, will be among the authors who will be taking part in this year’s festival at the Gaelic College, Sept. 28-30.
Canada Reads finalist Sharon Bala will also be joining the festival. Her first novel, “The Boat People,” has spent 10 consecutive weeks on the Canadian bestseller lists and was a 2018 Canada Reads finalist.
Curran, 47, is the author of “Mopus” (2008) and he was named as a writer to watch by CBC Canada Writers. His new novel, “Blood Fable,” was a
Globe and Mail pick for most anticipated books of fall 2017 and has been shortlisted for the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction
Prize, competing against his wife,
Sarah Faber who was also nominated.
Jessome is a former radio and television news reporter who wrote “Murder at McDonald’s, which was lauded as one of Canada’s best true crime titles. Another book, “Somebody’s Daughter” looks into the world of human trafficking. He’s currently working on crime fiction.
Jared Bland, publisher of McClellan & Stewart and a vice-president of Penguin Random House Canada, will host the festival.
The three will join writers Linda Spalding, Shalan Joudry and Madeleine Thien as featured artists at this year’s event. Before the festival occurs in September, there will be two special events, a Trivia Night at the Inverness County Centre for the Arts on Wednesday, April 18 at 7 p.m. and a literary gala in Margaree Forks at the Drs. Coady and Tompkins Memorial Library on Friday, May 4 at 7 p.m.
Trivia Night will be a fundraiser and those planning to attend and participate can come with a team of up to six players each or join a team when they get there. There will be prizes and a 50-50 draw. Admission is $5 and all proceeds will go towards the festival.
The literary gala on May 4 will feature readings by the three writers shortlisted for the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize including award-winning novelist Carol Bruneau as well as Sarah Faber and Oisin Curran. The evening will celebrate several milestones including the 10th anniversaries of the Cabot Trail Writers Festival and the Atlantic Book Awards and the 40th anniversary of the Drs. Coady and Tompkins Memorial Library. Admission to the event is free.