| The Meadow | |
|---|---|
| 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | What to Do… When We Don’t Know What to Do Hosted by: Elizabeth Renzetti Author: Gillian Deacon |
| 12:30-1:30 p.m. | When Voices Dare Hosted by: Kim Echlin Authors: Su Chang, Ashraf Zaghal, Dr. Joanne Liu |
| 2:00-3:00 p.m. | Family Secrets Hosted by: January Rogers Authors: Kevin Hardcastle, Wayne Johnston, Amanda Peters |
| 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Linwood Barclay in Conversation Hosted by: Greg Rhyno Author: Linwood Barclay |
| The Cottage | |
|---|---|
| 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | Guelph School of Environmental Sciences Set: What Lies Beneath Hosted by: Madhur Anand, Professor and Director of the Global Ecological Change and Sustainability Laboratory at the University of Guelph Authors: Sue Sinclair, Merritt R. Turetsky, Dan Werb |
| 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Life in Verse Hosted by: Elizabeth May Authors: Sakiru Abedayo, Qurat Dar, Sanna Wani |
| 2:00-3:00 p.m. | The Art of the Short Hosted by: Catherine Bush Authors: Alison Gadsby, Nadja Lubiw-Hazard and Chanel Sutherland |
| 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Housing and Humanity Hosted by: Conor Russell Authors: Leilani Farha, Priya Guns, Jeff Miller |
| The Clearing | |
|---|---|
| 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | Spotlight on Guelph Hosted by: Jeremy Luke Hill Authors: Tamara Jong, J. Lorito, K.A. Mielke |
| 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Emerge! Writers to Watch Hosted by: Melanie Flake and Libby Johnstone Authors: Tessa Fleming, Charliee Greenbank, Annabel Griffiths Fitzsimmons, Roukia Ali, Ariesha Mais, Lawson Hannaford + “Read at the Fringe” winners, to be announced mid-August. |
| 2:00-3:00 p.m. | Coming of Age in Canadian YA Hosted by: Bridget Raymundo Authors: Kelley Armstrong, Jackie Khalilieh, Kai Cheng Thom |
| 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Myth, Magic and the Search for True Love Hosted by: Melanie D. Marshall Authors: Kelly Anderson, Bar Fridman-Tell, Colin McAdam |
| Willow Hill | |
|---|---|
| 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | Our Stories, Our Rules Hosted by: Amil Niazi, author of Life After Ambition Authors: Stacey May Fowles, Therese Estacion, Rachel Phan |
| 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Oh, the Horror! Hosted by: Chris Krawczyk Authors: Karma Brown, Nick Cutter, Emily A. Weedon |
| 2:00-3:00 p.m. | Hearts and Homicides Hosted by: Kayleigh Platz Authors: Frankie Scott (Zoe Whittall), Vikki Vansickle, Uzma Jalaluddin |
| 3:30-4:30 p.m. | The Geography of Grief Hosted by: Kali Pearson Authors: Mai Nguyen, Nicholas Herring, Michelle Porter |
Children’s Programming
| Robert Munsch Children’s Area | |
|---|---|
| 11:00-11:30 a.m. | Storytelling Brad Woods |
| 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | Every Space Between Naseem Hrab |
| 1:15-1:45 p.m. | Marian’s Big Dig Laura Bontje |
| 2:00-2:30 p.m. | Racc Pack: The Bins Breakout Stephanie Cooke |
| 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Storytellers Campfire James Nowak |
Workshops & Audience Participation
| The Lawn | |
|---|---|
| 12:30-1:00 p.m. | The Art of Storytelling with Brad Woods |
| 1:00-1:30 p.m. | Open Mic |
| 3:00-3:45 p.m. | Children’s and Teen Poetry Contest Winners |
| 4:00-4:30 p.m. | Open Mic |
| Village Loom | |
|---|---|
| 11:00-12:00 p.m. | Land and Language |
| 2:00-3:00 p.m. | Breathing into Poetry: Finding Words Within |
The Meadow – Sunday September 20th
What to Do … When We Don’t Know What to Do
Time: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Elizabeth Renzetti
Author: Gillian Deacon
Whether it’s the economy, climate change, the state of democracy, or the state of our own bodies, wallets and inboxes, we are inundated and overwhelmed. None of us can control what comes next, but we can decide how we face it.
Join Gill Deacon in conversation with Elizabeth Renzetti for an intimate exploration of what it means to live a good life in a world in turmoil.
When Voices Dare
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Kim Echlin, author of Tell Others
Authors: Su Chang, Ashraf Zaghal, Dr. Joanne Liu
Telling our stories is one of the most powerful tools human beings have in resisting oppression and violence. Whether in works of fiction or non-fiction, writers bravely illuminate the unthinkable – bringing us closer and showing us the humanity beneath the headlines.
Join Su Chang, author of The Immortal Woman (a CBC Best Book of 2025), Dr. Joanne Liu, former president of Doctors Without Borders and author of Ebola, Bombs, and Migrants and former president of Doctors Without Borders and Ashraf Zaghal, poet and debut novelist of Seven Heavens Away, in conversation with Kim Echlin. Kim is the Giller-nominated author of The Disappeared and Speak, Silence. Proceeds of her latest book, Tell Others, will be donated to PEN Canada and PEN international.
This conversation will explore how writers find the courage and space to write, even in the face of censorship and persecution. This is a celebration of stories that refuse to stay silent and the power of human creativity to open hearts, moving us beyond despair and toward a better world.
Family Secrets
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Hosted by: January Rogers
Authors: Kevin Hardcastle, Wayne Johnston, Amanda Peters
From the echoing halls of a Newfoundland mansion, to a sprawling farm in North Simcoe County, Ontario, to the base of a tree where Indigenous women have been giving birth for longer than anyone remembers, long-buried family secrets are threatening to emerge – risking family legacies, unleashing terror and violence and forcing deep reckonings between past, present and future.
Join Trillium Book Award-winner Kevin Hardcastle (County Road Six), #1 bestselling and Giller-nominated author Wayne Johnston (The Novice of Holloway Hall) and Carnegie-winning author of The Berry Pickers, Amanda Peters (The Birthing Tree) for a conversation exploring what we hide from one another and why. What can we and our communities gain when difficult truths come to the light?
Linwood Barclay in Conversation
Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Greg Rhyno
Author: Linwood Barclay
With over 20 suspense novels to his name, #1 bestselling author Linwood Barclay is one of Canada’s most beloved mystery and thriller writers. His books have been translated into over two dozen languages, optioned for film and television and sold millions of copies around the world.
In this one-to-one conversation with fellow writer Greg Rhyno, Linwood will read from his latest book, Not a Word. He will share his journey from cub reporter to literary stardom (with a fan club that includes Stephen King), the secrets of writing mysteries readers can’t put down, how the genre has evolved in the past two decades — and what’s next for this prolific writer.
The Cottage – Sunday September 20th
Guelph School of Environmental Sciences Set: What Lies Beneath
Time: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Madhur Anand, Professor and Director of the Global Ecological Change and Sustainability Laboratory at the University of Guelph
Authors: Sue Sinclair, Merritt R. Turetsky, Dan Werb
From the mysteries of boglands that are not quite land and not quite water, to the secret lives of the wild animals that thrive alongside us in cities, to a poetic exploration of our fragile world, this discussion moves away from the catastrophic headlines and calls us to focus our attention on the ecosystems so many of us miss.
Join award-winning poet Sue Sinclair (New-Fangled Rose), Merritt R. Turetsky (Bogland: The Secret World That Defies Death and Protects Life) and Dan Werb (Our Wild Familiars: How Animials are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World) for a thoughtful conversation about what we can learn from the wisdom of these systems – and what they can show us about our role in protecting the more-than-human world.
Life in Verse
Time: 12:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Elizabeth May
Authors: Sakiru Abedayo, Qurat Dar, Sanna Wani
Poetry has the unique ability to help us see the world in new ways. By stripping away conventional narrative and linear ways of thinking, we come to new ways of understanding what was already in front of us – and the truths we hold in our own hearts.
In this set, Sakiru Adebayo chronicles the experience of displacement and evacuation due to wildfire, calling for us to consider the importance of eco-collectivism in the face of environmental crisis. Qurat Dar examines devotion and doubt with reflections on faith, identity, diaspora and our place in the natural world. Sanna Wani reflects on how we can live a good life amidst crises of faith, political struggle and intergenerational grief by meditating on the beauty of an ordinary life. These poets invite us to consider what we owe one another and to ourselves as human beings, as we navigate what comes next.
The Art of the Short
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Catherine Bush
Authors: Alison Gadsby, Nadja Lubiw-Hazard and Chanel Sutherland
Short story writers build entire worlds in the space a novel might devote to a single chapter. It’s a craft that calls for precision, economy and grace. Join short story writers Alison Gadsby (Breathing is How Some People Stay Alive), Nadja Lubiw-Hazard (The Life of a Creature) and Chanel Sutherland (Layaway Child) for a conversation on how short story writers create emotional connection and leave readers changed in just a few pages.
From navigating girlhood through the eyes of Carribean immigrants, to haunting interactions between humans and animals, to the life-altering love of sisters, mothers and brothers, the short story writers in this panel have created intricate worlds that teem with life. With insights on craft and how the genre is evolving, this is a discussion writers will not want to miss.
Housing and Humanity
Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Conor Russell
Authors: Leilani Farha, Priya Guns, Jeff Miller
The housing crisis we see in our cities is part of a global crisis, decades in the making. From government policies that favour developers, to financial firms turning homes into tools of extraction, tenants are being displaced, prices are rising faster than income, the risk of eviction hangs heavy over the heads of our most vulnerable residents and a generation of people is being priced out of the housing market. Addressing the housing crisis is about more than policy. It’s about humanity.
Join advocate, lawyer, dreamer and Massey Lecturer Leilani Farha (Housing Inc.) and acclaimed novelists Priya Guns (Hustle Baby) and Jeff Miller (Temporary Palaces) to imagine a different ideology and approach to solving the housing crisis – one rooted in law, humanity and imagination.
The Clearing – Sunday September 20th
Spotlight on Guelph
Time: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Jeremy Luke Hill
Authors: Tamara Jong, J. Lorito, K.A. Mielke
For a relatively small city, Guelph has a big literary footprint and a history of fostering incredible talent. From J. Lorito’s exploration of losing one’s parents (Laugh Track for Dying), to Tamara Jong’s stirring memoir about escaping the confines of a religious community and finding oneself (Worldly Girls), to a Nebula-award winning take on growing up as a queer goblin by K.A. Mielke (Goblin Girl), discover what some of the city’s up-and-coming writers have put into the world this year.
Emerge! Writers to Watch
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Melanie Flake and Libby Johnstone
Authors: Charliee Greenbank, Tessa Fleming, Annabel Griffiths Fitzsimmons, Roukia Ali, Ariesha Mais, Lawson Hannaford + “Read at the Fringe” winners, to be announced mid-August.
Get a glimpse of Canada’s literary future, with readings from the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival “Read at the Fringe” contest winners in fiction, non-fiction and poetry, followed by readings by six rising stars from the MFA program at the University of Guelph.
Coming of Age in Canadian YA
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Bridget Raymundo
Authors: Kelley Armstrong, Jackie Khalilieh, Kai Cheng Thom
The best Young Adult fiction does more than tell a story. It helps young people see themselves on the page and navigate the difficult business of growing up. Take a journey through fast-paced plots, life and death stakes, love, loss and belonging with some of Canada’s top YA writers. Join #1 New York Times bestselling author of several YA series Kelley Armstrong (A Deadly Inheritance) and YA up-and-comers Jackie Khalilieh (Everything Comes Back to You) and Kai Chen Thom (The Shapeshifter’s Guide to Gym Class) for an exploration of what makes the genre so compelling for teens and adults alike – and how today’s rising voices are changing the genre from the inside out.
Myth, Magic and the Search for True Love
Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Melanie D. Marshall
Authors: Kelly Anderson, Bar Fridman-Tell, Colin McAdam
We have been telling stories for as long as we’ve been falling in love. Join three remarkable novelists using ancient myth and folklore to breathe new life into our most timeless tales. From Colin McAdam’s rock and roll retelling of a Greek classic (Daphnis and Chloe), to Bar Fridman-Tell’s feminist take on the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd (Honeysuckle) to the atmospheric appeal of sea-folk myths in Kelly Anderson’s The Wild Beneath, this discussion will explore how legendary archetypes, fated paths and magical realism can elevate ordinary love stories into something extraordinary.
Willow Hill – Sunday September 20th
Our Stories, Our Rules
Time: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Amil Niazi, author of Life After Ambition
Authors: Stacey May Fowles, Therese Estacion, Rachel Phan
Women have been told what to do and how to be for millennia. The writers in this panel give us new orders — to stand up for who we are, tell our own unvarnished stories and make space for others to live differently.
From essays by Therese Estacion (Jelly, Baby) on navigating ableism, to Rachel Phan (That Asian Girl is a Problem) on flouting cultural stereotypes, to Stacey May Fowles (The Lost Season) telling the truth about the milestones that are meant to define us, the writers in this panel will inspire you to stay true to your own story, whatever that might be.
Oh, the Horror!
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Chris Krawczyk
Authors: Karma Brown, Nick Cutter and Emily A. Weedon
From bestsellers to the big screen, horror is having a moment. Of course, the genre has always had legions of fans, but it’s also enjoying a resurgence — allowing us to explore what scares us most in a world rocked by turmoil. Join veteran horror writer Nick Cutter (The Dorians), fan favourite Emily A. Weedon (Hemosapiens) and horror newcomer Karma Brown (Mother is Watching) as they discuss why horror is striking such a chord with new fans, how writers keep their readers up at night and how the genre is changing alongside the world we live in.
Hearts and Homicides
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Hosted by: Kayleigh Platz
Authors: Frankie Scott (Zoe Whittall), Vikki Vansickle, Uzma Jalaluddin
Meet three writers who refuse to be pinned down in their writing journey – and insist on having a lot of fun along the way. Children’s author Vikki Vansickle will read from her mystery debut, best paired with tarot and wine (The Mystic and the Missing Girl), award-winning literary fiction author Zoe Whittal will dive into her swooning summer romance, published under the pen name Frankie Scott (Chasing Summer) and romance writer Uzma Jalaluddin will share the next installment of her charming Detective Aunty mystery series (Moonlight Murder). Learn how these writers jump between genres, what they love most about each and what we all stand to gain by exploring the lighter side of life through fiction.
The Geography of Grief
Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Hosted by: Kali Pearson
Authors: Mai Nguyen, Nicholas Herring, Michelle Porter
Whether it’s the loss of a deeply held belief, a place, or a loved one, grief is deeply personal, and universally human. In the face of loss or in anticipation of loss, how do we carry what might otherwise break us? Join acclaimed authors Mai Nguyen (Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead), Michelle Porter (A Glacier’s Guide to Dying) and Nicholas Herring (Your Breath in Charcoal) for a raw discussion on how each author approaches grief – and how fiction can help us process the unthinkable.
The authors in this panel explore the rugged landscape of grief and loss with tenderness and humour. A young woman comes to terms with losing her baby via an unlikely job at a local funeral home, a fisherman navigates madness, displacement and loss on the streets of Toronto and a young Métis man navigates the grief of fire, fractured family and mental illness through the voice of ancestral connections held in a glacier.
From the halls of funeral homes and the unpredictable tides of Atlantic waters to the braided histories of familial and ancestral trauma, these panelists examine how sorrow, grit, and unexpected humor can coexist.
Children’s Programming
Robert Munsch Children’s Area – Sunday September 20th
Storytelling
Time: 11:00-11:30 a.m.
Brad Woods
Stories don’t just live in books — we’ve been telling them since before human beings could write! Join Brad to see what stories are in store for you today.
Brad Woods has told stories at festivals, theatres, conferences, prisons, churches and pubs all over North America and the UK. He tells traditional tales, literary classics and personal stories. His stories have been featured in a variety of broadcasts and publications including CBC Radio 1, the Globe and Mail and Canadian Running Magazine. Brad has told to all ages and in every type of venue imaginable. He is the recipient of the Alice Kane Award for Storytelling and used it to travel to Lesotho (Southern Africa) to tell, trade and collect stories on behalf of Bracelet of Hope.
Every Space Between
Time: 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Author: Naseem Hrab
You can find in-betweens everywhere! Some are as overlooked as the space between an itch and a scratch. Others are as thrilling as the pause between making a wish and blowing out your birthday candles. How you feel about an in-between really does depend on your perspective … and each one is full of potential.
Once you spot the spaces in-between, everything changes. Instead of rushing from one thing to the next, you can pause to collect and reflect.
Sparkling with the signature wit of Naseem Hrab (author of How to Party Like a Snail) and the cracking comedic timing of John Martz (illustrator of How to Give Your Cat a Bath: In Five Easy Steps), Every Space Between is an unexpected invitation to a world of possibilities!
Marian’s Big Dig
Time: 1:15-1:45 p.m.
Author: Laura Bontje
When rock-loving Marian stumbles upon a perfect, pointy stone in the park, she just knows it is a dinosaur fossil! But her geologist mom and her fossil-hunting hero remain unconvinced, so there’s only one thing to do — Marian has to find the rest of the dinosaur. One by one, she excavates more fossils in her backyard (though her parents keep mistaking them for gardening tools and household objects). Piecing them together is puzzling, but Marian’s dinosaur is shaping up to be her best discovery yet.
This playful story told through the eyes of imaginative Marian is accompanied by real facts about fossils, further reading and details about real life fossil discoveries made by kids.
Racc Pack: Prince and the Pawper
Time: 2:00-2:30 p.m.
Author: Stephanie Cooke
Meet the Bins family, a trio of raccoons in the risky business of dumpster diving for all their needs. With Dusty’s brains, ReRe’s muscle and Scraps’s gadgets (please don’t tell him he’s almost definitely an opossum), the Binses are determined to leave no garbage bin unturned in their pursuit of the tastiest, most delicious trash they can find.
Dusty switches places with a pampered look-alike raccoon in this second “entertaining” (Kirkus Reviews) entry in the hilarious middle grade graphic novel series about a sneaky raccoon family who live life in the trash lane!
The Bins siblings have their sights set on the big pet expo in the heart of downtown Toronto. Dusty, Scraps, and ReRe expect to loot the convention for the latest treats, and they definitely don’t expect to meet… Dusty’s doppelganger?!
Prince the Raccoon is everything Dusty isn’t — famous, pampered, and rich! But Prince wants to know what life is like outside his comfy digs and on the streets. So, with the Binses’ help, Dusty and Prince decide to switch places.
At first, Dusty has a great time living it up, but he soon learns the grass isn’t always greener on the other side… even when that side has all the snacks he can eat!
Storytellers Campfire
Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
James Nowak
Gather round and end the day with a campfire … and more stories! You never know what James is going to tell, but we can guarantee it will be hilarious!
Workshops & Audience Participation
The Lawn – Sunday September 20th
The Art of Storytelling with Brad Woods
Time: 12:30-1:00 p.m.
Stories don’t just live in books. Oral traditions — from storytelling, to ballads and recitations — have been with us for millenia. Join Brad for an introduction to the art of storytelling and stay for your chance to share a story of your own at the open mic!
About the facilitator: Brad has told stories at festivals, theatres, conferences, prisons, churches and pubs all over North America and the UK. He tells traditional tales, literary classics and personal stories. His stories have been featured in a variety of broadcasts and publications including CBC Radio 1, the Globe and Mail and Canadian Running Magazine. Brad has told to all ages and in every type of venue imaginable. He is the recipient of the Alice Kane Award for Storytelling and used it to travel to Lesotho (Southern Africa) to tell, trade and collect stories on behalf of Bracelet of Hope.
Open Mic
Time: 1:00-1:30 p.m.
Step right up and share a tale with the festival community! Each participant will have a maximum of five minutes to tell their story or poem.
Please be mindful that this is an all ages event and stories should not include graphic content or foul language.
Children’s and Teen Poetry Contest Winners
Time: 1:00-1:30 p.m.
Get ready for something special… The winners of this year’s poetry contests for children and teens are a talented bunch! We had a record number of entries this year and can’t wait to see the winners of the Primary, Junior and Senior contest for children as well as the Junior and Senior winners of the teen contest take the stage.
Open Mic
Time: 4:00-4:30 p.m.
Step right up and share a tale with the festival community! Each participant will have a maximum of five minutes to tell their story or poem.
Please be mindful that this is an all ages event and stories should not include graphic content or foul language.
On-Site Workshops
Village Loom – Sunday September 20th
Land and Language
Time: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
Katarina Vuckovic
Write from a place of attunement to the natural world, grounded by the river and cedars of Eden Mills. This workshop will begin with a movement activity to help participants connect with the land and the senses. Facilitator and author Katarina Vuckovic will then share an optional writing prompt and participants can write, sketch or simply sit in contemplation for the duration. At the end of the workshop participants will be invited to share their work, should they wish to do so, before enjoying the rest of the day at the festival.
About the facilitator:
Katarina Vuckovic is a poet and writer of short fiction. She has won two poetry competitions with the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival and was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize (2023) for her poem “Silence”. Her work has also been published in the New Quarterly and Commuterlit, and shortlisted for Blank Spaces magazine short story prize. Katarina lives in Eden Mills with her husband and two girls, and spends summers in Eastern Europe where most of her extended family and many of her friends live. Much of her poetry stems from movement; for years, she has been dancing and moving in the woods and then listening to the words that come. Her work centers around themes of immigration, land connection, as she tries to navigate where home is. Poetry is her way of making meaning out of the inherent chaos and complexity, out of the constant movement and never-ending change.
Breathing into Poetry: Finding Words Within
This workshop invites attendees to explore the connection between breath, sound and language. Through breath and phonetic meditation, metaphor and letter-writing exercises, along with blackout poetry, participants will discover how words can emerge from the body as much as the mind. Open to writers of all levels, this workshop offers tools for authentic expression and a deeper connection to the written word. By noticing and translating sensation into language, participants will tap into new sources of inspiration, move through creative blocks and discover what their voice may have been trying to say all along.
About the facilitator:
Ravi K. Gandhi is a Canadian-Indian poet, writer, breathwork facilitator and educator, living in Guelph, Ontario. He regularly performs and speaks about the power of poetry in front of audiences. He also runs workshops that integrate ideas around healing with writing, and how it may help uncover and dynamically process trauma that is stored in the body. His latest poetry collection titled Hope in the Black Hole, is a transformative and healing journey into the cosmos of one’s soul. With a growing online community, his words have captivated the hearts and minds of readers all over the world.