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A Festival for Writers, Readers, and Fans
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Sunday, August 16
 

9:00am MDT

A Quiet Hour of Reflection and Poetry
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
A Quiet Hour of Reflection and Poetry
Much as a memoir can retell the highlights and low moments of a life, poetry can tell the story of a sensitive soul.  Come enjoy the poetry of best-selling, Pushcart Poetry Prize-nominated poet Josephine LoRe.  She will share from all her collections:  from her first haiku in the 2016 Haiku Canada Anthology, to the poems in the collaborative collection Late to the Sky, set to be published in the Spring of 2026.
Presenters
avatar for Josephine LoRe

Josephine LoRe

… a pearl in this diamond worldJosephine LoRe has been honoured to present her poetry across North America and Europe. Her words have been rendered into visual art, accompanied by music, and interpreted through dance and ASL. Individual pieces have been published in literary anthologies and magazines in 15 countries... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

9:00am MDT

What Next? Self-editing Strategies for Moving Your Manuscript Forward
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Learn how to engage with your novel or memoir draft objectively and critically, so you can elevate it like a good editor would.
You’ve finished your novel. It might be the first draft. It might be the fourth. You’ve patched plot holes, checked facts, refined prose, and proofread the whole thing—twice. You’ve invested so much already, you’re not sure investing in a professional editor is the right move. But in the competitive world of traditional book publishing, you know that submitting too soon can mean scuttling your chances. 
So…what next?
Join professional editor Sandra McIntyre for a manuscript assessment walk-though and learn how she approaches a high-level novel or memoir edit. Review which elements to consider at the assessment stage and see which problems crop up repeatedly. 
Half of good writing is revision, and developing self-editing skills is an essential part of developing as a writer. This presentation is suitable for fiction and creative non-fiction writers interested in levelling up their big picture self-editing skills.
Presenters
avatar for Sandra McIntyre

Sandra McIntyre

Editor, Parlay Manuscript Services
Sandra McIntyre is a writer, instructor, and book editor with twenty-five years of experience both in-house and freelance. She’s edited anthologies of short fiction and hundreds of books, Canadian bestsellers and award winners among them. Through Parlay Manuscript Services, Sandra... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

10:30am MDT

Building RPG Props Without Breaking the Bank
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
While many RPGs use theatre of the mind, building props to add to your game can really get your players excited (or scared) when they see how big the Big Bad Guy really is!

Darren Tenor, seasoned Game Master, is here to lead you through building jaw dropping props within a budget.
Presenters
avatar for Darren Tenor

Darren Tenor

Writer / Games Master, D10 Dimensions
Darren Tenor is a Calgary-based experimental writer who tries desperately to keep a low profile. 

Starting with tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) as a preteen, he has decades of experience curating a range of stories across forgotten realms and distant worlds. He's written five official books for the Villains & Vigilantes shared universe and has self-published more than 275... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

10:30am MDT

Designing Interactive Stories: An Intro to Visual Novels with Em Williamson
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Visual novels are a type of interactive fiction video game that grant writers the power to easily create digital choose-your-own-adventure-style stories.

In this workshop, instructor and game developer Em Williamson will guide you through the basics of creating your own visual novel. Learn about how to balance your own writing style with player freedom, how to create compelling narrative choices and branching paths, how to create art and assets (even if you don't know how to draw!), and what software is out there to help you get started on your visual novel journey.
Presenters
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

10:30am MDT

Embrace the cringe of the Canadian identity to find success
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
This session unpacks the challenges of writing from the Canadian perspective and encourages writers to embrace the cringe in order to find success. Writing from a uniquely Canadian perspective isn't easy, and this session includes practice-based critical reflexive techniques to examine the Canadian identity, how it informs our writing, and why our writing matters. The seminar focuses on the creative process in a Canadian context and can be broadly applied to a range of genres. 
Presenters
avatar for Lexie Angelo

Lexie Angelo

Chief Editor, Radical Bookshop and Press

Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

10:30am MDT

Ten Ways to Market Your Book on a Budget
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Many new authors, even those who are traditionally published, don’t realize they’ll always have to be the loudest and most consistent cheer-leader of their work. It now goes with the territory, but where do you even start? And everything is so expensive…
Things like Amazon Ads can be confusing and ineffective unless you know how to use them and even then, they’re apt to change along with the algorithm. It can be very scary when you suddenly realize you’ve spent the month’s rent on Ads that may, or may not, work. 😳
In this presentation, participants will be encouraged to seek out opportunities, services, and support that is close at hand, is simple and/or user friendly, and doesn’t cost huge bucks.
Three particular periods will be focused upon if time allows because they’re equally important to the success of marketing and many new authors don’t realize they need to begin their marketing before publication:
  • Pre-launch (3–6 months before)
  • Launch (month of release)
  • Post-launch (3–12 months after)

Specific Discussions Will Include (but are not limited to):
  • Net Galley
  • Book Contests
  • Victoria’s Co-op
  • Canva | Unsplash
  • Tag Lines
  • Social Media
  • Email Marketing
  • Personal Landing Page
  • Give-aways: Pit-falls and Perks
  • Cross Promotion
This class will include links to prepared check-lists and websites that they can download and keep track of their progress.


Presenters
avatar for Faye Arcand

Faye Arcand

Author | Writer | Creative
Faye Arcand is an award-winning author who embraces the gritty reality in characters and situations. She writes contemporary domestic suspense while dipping into the realm of thriller and women’s fiction. Her works are relatable and meant to spark discussion. Arcand worked for several... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

12:00pm MDT

The Do's and Don'ts of Cover Design
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Need advice on choosing an eye-catching cover, what you should and shouldn't pay for, or just plain frustrated by Amazon refusing your current cover AGAIN? The Do's and Don'ts of Cover Design gives you clear, easy to understand guidelines for the technical and creative aspects of building your own cover. Using real book covers to help you visualize advice, this seminar addresses some of the biggest issues and easiest mistakes most self publishers make in choosing a cover. You don't need to be a professional graphic designer to make impressive, technically proficient, and memorable covers: you just need to know where to start.
Presenters
avatar for Crystal Kladreau

Crystal Kladreau

Crystal Kladreau is a professional photographer and publishing consultant in Edmonton, Alberta. She is the creator of The Path to Publication, a series of videos and infographics designed to help make self publishing as simple and painless as possible.

As the child of professional writers, Crystal grew up immersed in the world of Canadian small press. She also studied copy editing and graphic design in post secondary. Knowing her background, would-be self publishers inspired by the boredom of Covid lockdown began to come to her for adv... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

12:00pm MDT

When Dark Clouds Roll In
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
"When Dark Clouds Roll In" takes participants through what can happen when embarking on a personal growth journey after a crisis or tragedy. Retired Detective Dave Sweet shares his insights on resilience and draws on several chilling case examples, along with his own personal journey with Post Traumatic Growth.


This presentation identifies the formula for resilience, which enables investigators to work effectively in uncomfortable and unpleasant environments while serving both the living and the dead.


The takeaway for writers is that not every detective story requires an investigator to end up as the traditional broken-and-damaged image of themselves at the end of their case. In fact, surprisingly, for many, the opposite may be true, and this reality can add depth to a character in any mystery writer's works. This presentation will show participants how.
Presenters
avatar for Dave Sweet

Dave Sweet

Owner, The Unconventional Classroom
Detective Dave Sweet's career spans 25 impactful years in Canadian policing, encompassing various roles within high-stakes investigations. Starting as a patrol officer, Dave later ventured into undercover work and took charge of task forces targeting gangs and organized crime in Calgary... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

12:00pm MDT

Working with a Freelance Editor: What to Expect When You’re Expecting (a Manuscript Edit)
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Congratulations! You typed “The End” and you’ve popped the celebratory bottle of Moët or sparkling cider you’ve been saving for this very occasion. *Clink!* Now that you’re done cheering your huge accomplishment, pull on your gumboots and get back in the trenches: It’s time to send your book to the editor. 


In this seminar, we will discuss:


  • the different types of editors
  • the layers of editing
  • what you can expect from an editor
  • the pros and cons of programs like ProWritingAid and AutoCrit
  • how to use AI to assist you in the self-editing process
  • deciding whether you really need an editor if you’re querying agents
  • some great self-editing tips and techniques you can take on yourself to make sure your manuscript is in tip-top shape before you send it off to that agent or editor


Bring your questions and be ready to get red-inked!


Presenters
avatar for Jennifer Sommersby

Jennifer Sommersby

Senior Editor/Owner, SGA Books - Plumfield Editing

Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

1:30pm MDT

How to Make Readers Fall in Love (or Hate) Your Characters
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Every great story lives or dies by its characters. Readers don’t remember plots, they remember people who made them feel something in a moment. In this seminar, storyteller and producer Chris Corvan explores the psychology of reader attachment and how to intentionally craft characters who inspire obsession, loyalty, or loathing.
Through examples from literature, film, and his own multimedia projects, Chris unpacks the emotional mechanisms that bond readers to fictional people: empathy, projection, mirroring, and moral tension. You’ll learn how to design emotional triggers. From moments of vulnerability, contradiction, and humanity, that make readers invest in your characters long after the story ends.
Whether you write heroes, antiheroes, or beautifully broken souls, this session gives you tools to move beyond “likable” and into unforgettable.
Presenters
avatar for Chris Corvan

Chris Corvan

Author, Publisher & Creative Director, House of Void Press
I am an author, publisher, and multimedia producer based in Calgary, Alberta. Through House of Void Press, I support independent authors with publishing, editing, and long-term creative visibility while championing creator autonomy. I also host and produce the Dripping Creativity... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

1:30pm MDT

Leveling Up Your TTRPG Storytelling
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Ready to turn your D&D sessions from “we walk into a tavern” into “LEGENDARY TALES OF EPIC CHAOS”?! Join us for a relaxing, laughter-packed class on levelling up your storytelling skills at the table.

We’ll take you through the magic of worldbuilding and show you how to give each corner of your realm its own vibe, mystery, and personality. Learn how to mix tones and styles of your players, so the characters aren’t just a husk meant to do damage, but they will live and breathe and win you Oscars. Trust us, tears will be shed and gore so visceral, you’ll clench your buttcheeks!

We’ll break down backstories that actually matter (and not just “my parents are dead”), plus share tips on weaving player choices into a collaborative narrative that feels alive, reactive, and downright cinematic. Again, Oscar-winning worthy right? 

Whether you’re a DM, a player, or someone who just wants more story spice in their campaigns for any TTRPG, this class is your ticket to a +5 in Creativity. Bring your imagination. We’ll bring the inspiration.
Presenters
avatar for Hailey P. Foss

Hailey P. Foss

Hailey is a writer of speculative fiction whose work blends character-driven storytelling with influences from fantasy, westerns, and cozy slow-burn romance. With fifteen years of writing experience, she is drawn to narratives that explore identity, resilience, and the unexplored... Read More →
avatar for Kathy Enriquez

Kathy Enriquez

Owner, Kathy Enriquez Books & Art
Kathy is an author and artist who thrives in a weird little space where “aww” meets “oh no!” She’s the meowstermind behind the cute series “What If Cats Wrote”, where cats write poetry, haikus, and much more (including an upcoming horror instalment, because of course... Read More →
avatar for Jacob Breitmeier

Jacob Breitmeier

Out of line books, Out of line books
Jacob was born at a very young age in a small town in Oregon.  Growing up with two older brothers he had many adventures, but it wasn't until he moved to Canada that his adventures became less dangerous and more imaginary. Jacob started playing D&D in 2020 where he learned the magic... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

1:30pm MDT

Your Process, Your Way: The Busy Wordsmith’s Sustainable Writing Practise
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
For the busy writer, books don’t end up unfinished because of a lack of talent or inspiration; it’s often because they lack a sustainable writing practice. And what is sustainable? It’s what’s going to work best for you. Developing a writing practice doesn’t have to be about setting rigid schedules, daily word counts or copying the habits of famous authors; it’s about showing up consistently in a way that you can maintain, even when your motivation dips or life gets busy. We’ll explore how writers can build a process that actually fits their lives, instead of trying to force themselves into methods that collapse under pressure. We’ll look at how routines become habits, what type of accountability works best for you and how to stay engaged with a project long enough to finish it. It’s time to let go of one-size-fits-all advice and start designing a practice that supports creativity, momentum and completion. If you want to stop starting and start finishing, this is how you build a writing life you can sustain.
Presenters
avatar for Nicole Bross

Nicole Bross

Author, Editor, Book Coach, Manuscript Alchemy
Nicole Bross is a certified book coach, editor, and co-author of the #1 Amazon bestselling A Novel Approach: Strategies for ADHD Writers, a writing guide for neurodiverse authors whose ADHD is getting in the way of finishing their books. She's also the author of Past Presence, an... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

3:00pm MDT

The Healthy Writer
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Too often we have too many projects and too little time and when we do get around to writing it typically means long hours,usually sitting, often hunching and possibly snacking. This lecture will go beyond the usual health tips for writers (sit up straight! take a break!) and look at how incorporating an exercise practice into our writing routines can create positive health, wellness and creative outcomes now, and more importantly, as we age. 

Ali Bryan spent a decade in the fitness industry as both a Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor and is a former Master Trainer for Jari Love's best-selling Get Ripped! program.

Presenters
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

3:00pm MDT

Write What You Know: Transform Lived Experience into Powerful Fiction
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
What if the stories that shaped your life could also shape your career?
In this inspiring and practical session, Julie A. Christiansen—award-winning psychotherapist, executive coach, and bestselling author—shares how she wove threads from her family history and clinical experience into a four-part women’s fiction series written under the pen name Jaycee Ryan. The emotional authenticity of her stories resonated so deeply with readers that it opened the door to a traditional publishing deal for her nonfiction work, The Rise of Rage.
Participants will learn how to mine their personal and professional lives for rich, layered storylines, how to ethically draw from real-life trauma and relationship dynamics without retraumatizing themselves or others, and how fiction can become a powerful platform for building thought leadership—even in nonfiction genres.
This session is ideal for writers of memoir, fiction, or creative nonfiction who want to turn lived experience into meaningful narratives—and for professionals seeking to translate their expertise into publishable stories that sell.
Presenters
avatar for Julie A. Christiansen

Julie A. Christiansen

CEO, Author, Speaker, Coach, Psychotherapist, Leverage U
Julie A. Christiansen, M.A. is an award-winning psychotherapist, executive coach, bestselling author, and internationally recognized speaker specializing in emotional regulation, mental wellness, and personal transformation. With over 30 years of experience, she is the creator of... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

4:30pm MDT

Developmental Editing Your Book
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Want to know for sure whether agents, publishers and readers will love your book? Readers’ enjoyment is less subjective than you think. You can learn to read your own writing with an editor’s eye. Developmental Editing looks at the big picture of your book’s draft as a whole, identifying red flags and finding ways to fix issues before you send it off to readers. In this presentation, Suzy shares her proven Developmental Editing methodology, used to evaluate hundreds of manuscript drafts, so that you can apply it to your own drafts and your book ready for readers.
Presenters
avatar for Suzy Vadori

Suzy Vadori

Author. Editor. Book Coach.
Suzy Vadori
Author. Editor. Book Coach.Suzy is Calgary Bestselling Author of The Fountain Series (The Fountain, The West Woods, Wall of Wishes). This fantastical series has received three Aurora Nominations for Best Young Adult Novel. She is represented by Naomi Davis of Bookends Literary Agency.Suzy is the founder of th
... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

4:30pm MDT

The Hidden Architecture of Character Desire: How Want, Fear, and Contradiction Drive Every Scene
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Every memorable character is pulled by a longing they can't shake and a fear they can't outrun. That inner friction, wanting one thing while dreading another, shapes how they think, react, and move through their world. It influences their decisions, alters what they notice, and gives a scene its underlying charge. When desire is written with honesty and precision, tension rises naturally, and even quiet moments feel active and alive.


This lecture looks closely at the internal forces that guide a character from within. Developmental editor Sarah Brinley explains how to identify what a character wants, what they avoid, and how the gap between those two pressures influences the story at every turn. The focus is on understanding how emotional movement creates narrative movement, and how character-driven tension can replace the need for constant plot escalation.


Writers will learn a clear method for building scenes around these internal dynamics so that momentum comes from desire, fear, and choice rather than from external events alone. By the end of the session, you will have a practical way to reveal who your character is becoming and a framework for shaping scenes that feel grounded, intentional, and aligned with the emotional truth of your story.
Presenters
avatar for Sarah Brinley

Sarah Brinley

Founder & Developmental Editor, Wildflower and Main Editorial
Sarah Brinley is a fantasy writer and fiction developmental editor who helps authors reconnect with their characters and rebuild the momentum in stories that have stalled. With a background as a registered nurse, she brings insight into human emotion, stress, and the moments that reveal who a... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

4:30pm MDT

“How Do You Say…”: Writing With a Bilingual Mind
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
What if your imagination runs on one language, but your emotions bloom in another? Or it feels as if the place where imagination and emotion overlap comes in one version per language? This workshop explores bilingual, immigrant, and translingual cognition — the shifts of memory, rhythm, metaphor, and voice across languages. Drawing on hybrid poetic structures and lived translingual experience, with just a touch of psycholinguistics, we will discuss ways to harness the power of language-interference, emotional memory, and translation as craft tools.
Presenters
avatar for Lavinia Leon

Lavinia Leon

Lavinia Leon (MD, PhD, AuDHD) was born in Romania and writes about the times and forms of Home from amiskwaciwâskahikan / Edmonton. Her writing orbits around the in-betweens — "the eternally hybrid spaces that carry liminal and luminous qualities alike," she says. Lavinia received an Honourable Mention in... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada

4:30pm MDT

Something in the Air Tonight: Using Setting to Reflect Emotion
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - Monday August 17, 2026 5:45pm MDT
Pounding hearts, sweaty armpits, and noodle legs – there are so many ways to convey a character’s emotion through their own experience, but how can we take that further in our writing? In this workshop, we’ll discuss and practice techniques for expanding our characters’ feelings into the setting itself, so that the very world around them is coloured by their experiences.Bring a paper and pen – or whatever you’d prefer to free write with – and come prepared to learn, practice, and discuss other writers’ work and our own as we uncover the potential for deepening scenes and making every word count.
Presenters
avatar for Fiona McTaggart

Fiona McTaggart

As an avid lover of all things genre fiction, Fiona has been writing Sci-Fi and Fantasy for most of her life, for both middle grade and adult audiences. She is the former Editorial Director of MuggleNet.com and has an Honours BA in English and Creative Writing from Concordia University... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - Monday August 17, 2026 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
 
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