AELAQ And Quebec Writers' Federation Team Up For A Holiday Book Fair

Presented by the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ) and the Quebec Writers' Federation (QWF), the Holiday Pop-Up Book Fair invites booklovers to browse, buy and get books signed just in time for holiday gift-giving. There are hundreds of new titles including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, books for kids, award-winners and bestsellers, plus fun activities for all ages and acclaimed local authors. This free event takes place in the atrium of the McConnell Building at Concordia University on Saturday Nov. 30 & Sunday Dec. 1.

For Anna Leventhal, AELAQ Executive Director, the Fair's fifth anniversary is a significant milestone. "It's been amazing to see the Fair grow to a two-day event, with nonstop readings and multiple events. It's about celebrating our vibrant literary scene, bringing writers, publishers, translators and the public together." QWF Executive Director Lori Schubert says, "This is a rare occasion for readers to see the year's impressive output by Quebec's writers in English, and meet so many of those writers."

Bibliophiles are encouraged to browse diverse genres, including novels, history, fantasy, mysteries and graphic novels. From Véhicule Press' Simon Dardick, "The Holiday Pop-Up Book Fair is exciting because we get to meet the folks who are interested in what we publish." He joins a dozen other local publishers, including DC Books, Linda Leith Publishing, Baraka Books/QC Fiction, McGill-Queen's University Press, Metonymy Press, The Secret Mountain, and Pow Pow Press; Paragraphe Bookstore will sell Quebec authors' books published outside the province.

Special guest, Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Sean Michaels, author of Us Conductors and this fall's The Wagers, said, "It's an honour and a thrill to gather together with Montreal's writing community. There still aren't many moments in the year when large groups of writers meet up in the same room. I hope the city's readers will come and join us; there are so many conversations to have, in multiple languages, themselves a kind of poem to the city's unique literary character."

Book Fair Highlights:

Festive Wine and Cheese: Sat. Nov 30, 4-5 pm Meet Sean Michaels and raise a glass to local lit. Sean will be introduced by Montreal Gazette publisher Lucinda Chodan.

Paper City, A Literary Map: Sat. Nov 30, 2-3:30 pm Curated by Sean Michaels, readings will feature a variety of genres, exploring urban life through literature. Authors include Domenica Martinello, Fawn Parker, Kaie Kellough, Gary Freeman, Addie Tsai, Taras Grescoe, Karen McBride.

Learn Real Good, Book Fair edition: Sun. Dec 1, 3-4 pm Non-fiction authors Amy Fish (I Wanted Fries with That), Allan Globensky (A Little Knock Won't Hurt Ya! My Life as a Hockey Enforcer), and Alison Rowley (Putin Kitsch in America) will share the stories of their books, which will then be spun into comedic gold by a team of players from Montreal Improv.

Also, Getting Published in Quebec: a panel featuring locals who know how to make it happen (Sat. Nov 30, 12-1:30 pm), the launch of Véhicule Press's Resisting Canada: An Anthology of Poetry, (Sun. Dec 1, 12:30-2 pm), guided tours of the Mordecai Richler Reading Room (both days 11-noon), and Livres Babar Kids' Book Nook featuring books and activity kits, with hot chocolate and juice for young booklovers (both days 11-2 pm).

Writers on hand to meet, greet, and sign books include:

Megan Gail Coles, author of Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club, on this year's Scotiabank Giller Prize shortlist

Linguist Gretchen McCulloch, author of New York Times bestseller Because Internet

Gail Scott, whose groundbreaking feminist novel Heroine has just been re-released

Sherwin Tjia, poet, illustrator, and author of graphic novel Plummet

Julie Barlow and Jean-Benoît Nadeau, Charging Ahead: Hydro-Québec and the Future of Electricity

Karen McBride, Algonquin Anishinaabe writer's debut novel Crow Winter, praised by critics and readers alike

Edeet Ravel, multiple award winner and author of young-adult novel, A Boy is Not a Bird

Susan Doherty, whose experiences volunteering at the Douglas Institute led to the illuminating The Ghost Garden: Inside the Lives of Schizophrenia's Feared and Forgotten

Mark Abley, poet, journalist, editor, and author of the moving memoir, The Organist

Holiday Pop-Up Book Fair

Saturday, Nov. 30: 11 am-5 pm and Sunday, Dec 1: 11 am-5 pm

Atrium of the McConnell Building, Concordia University, 1400 de Maisonneuve W.

Wheelchair accessible; family friendly; connected to Guy-Concordia metro station

Admission to the Book Fair and all events is free!

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