WordBridge writing conference expanding to two days

The city’s conference for writers, WordBridge, is expanding to two days this year.

A series of events will be held Feb. 7 at the Good Times Comedy Club, followed the next day by author presentations and “slush” sessions at the Lethbridge Public Library.

Co-ordinator Alicia Visser says opening-day sessions will include a memoire-writing workshop with Lethbridge author Elizabeth McLachlan in the morning and an afternoon workship focused on writing for teens, led by local author Danica Stone.

Later in the afternoon, “how to” sessions will explain how writers can arrange book launches, selected readings and book-signing sessions.

Opening day will end with an “Artsy Fartsy Fest” where conference participants may mingle.

Break-out presentations as well as further “live action slush” sessions are planned for Saturday morning, concluding with a Skype talk on selfpublishing by Mark Leslie — considered Canada’s leading authority on the process.

Featured speakers later on Saturday will include Order of Canada recipient and sciencefiction writer Robert Sawyer and southern Alberta author Thorsten Nesch.

“Both authors will speak and answer questions in the open ‘snack and chat’ session,” Visser says. That session, wrapping up the conference, will begin at 5 p.m. in the Mortar & Brick meeting place.

Tickets for individual events are available online at Eventbrite.ca but for more detailed conference information, check