APRIL CAMPAIGN TOUTS B.C. TITLES
Initiative promotes province’s literary gems and the people who create them
April is a time for B.C. residents to connect with some of the world-class words and ideas created by local talents.
MARGARET REYNOLDS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASSOCIATION OF BOOK PUBLISHERS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Throughout April, bookstores, libraries and publishers in B.C. are encouraging the public to “Read Local, Buy Local, Think Global” as part of a three-week campaign. Launched by The Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia (ABPBC), Read Local BC features more than 25 free events with local authors throughout the province, including nine fiction, poetry, non-fiction and children’s readings in Vancouver.
These events showcase the diversity of publishers who call Vancouver home, including Read Local participants Greystone Books, Arsenal Pulp Press, Anvil Press, Talonbooks, Tradewind Books, New Star Books, Ronsdale Press, UBC Press and Self-Counsel Press.
Read Local BC culminates with BC Book Day on April 22, when dozens of publishers will showcase their work to MLAs at the Legislative Assembly in Victoria.
“We have a thriving, close-knit publishing community in Vancouver. Our city is pioneering new reading series and formats; supporting a growing poetry and literary scene; and producing hundreds of titles — many of them national and provincial award winners — every year,” said Margaret Reynolds, executive director of the ABPBC. “We launched Read Local BC to share these ideas and talents with the wider population.”
Events such as the Real Vancouver Writers Series provide an accessible entry into the city’s thriving literary movement. Meanwhile, titles such as Arsenal Pulp Press’ When Everything Feels Like the Movies — whose author Raziel Reid won the Governor General’s Literary Award and was a Canada Reads finalist — bring attention to Vancouver’s small, risk-taking presses and the quality of their titles.
The inspiration behind Read Local BC lies in the belief that stories, ideas and connections are at the heart of publishing, Reynolds said.
“April is a time for B.C. residents to connect with some of the world-class words and ideas created by local talents,” Reynolds said.
For further information about Read Local BC, visit books.bc.ca/ read-local-bc
We asked local authors to each recommend a B.C. book to read in April.
Aaron Shepard, author of When Is A Man: There are many great poetry collections that wonderfully represent B.C.’s North. My current favourite is Gillian Wigmore’s Orient, which both confirms and confounds our assumptions about northern life with respect to wilderness, work, family and landscape.
Julie Paul, author of The Pull of The Moon: Oh, My Darling by Shaena Lambert. In this collection of short stories, Vancouver’s Lambert turns familiar — and familial — situations on their heads; these stories shine a spotlight on people at points of crisis, and reveal the complicated nature of being a part of the human race.
Patrick Friesen, author of A Dark Boat: Bill Gaston’s Sointula is a beautifully structured off-kilter journey story which ends with a brilliant, sudden image that cracks open the poetic heart of the novel.
Eve Lazarus, author of Sensational Vancouver: Because I write non-fiction it’s a real pleasure to get lost in a novel that has strong characters and a great story. I loved Ellen in Pieces by Caroline Adderson. It’s a beautifully crafted, funny book that revolves around the dysfunctional, 50ish, in-yourface Ellen. Robert ( Lucky) Budd, author of Echoes of British Columbia: I suggest that everyone read anything by poet Jan Zwicky. She is a treasure who ought to be a household name in our province. She is a master artist.
Daniel Zomparelli, author of Davie Street Translations: I would recommend Artificial Cherry by Billeh Nickerson for Read Local BC. It’s one of his strongest poetry collections, and as always he manages to take you into small snapshot moments that are jam packed with insight and humour. He does beautiful work with foul language, and that is near and
dear to my heart.
Rhona McAdam, author of
Ex-Ville: I’d highly recommend Everything Rustles by Jane Silcott. It’s a cumulative memoir of a certain age; wry, intelligent and very human in its prowl through the meaning of the middle years. Satisfying essays that can be dipped into as required, an ideal companion for rainy spring days.