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A Festival for Writers, Readers, and Fans
Friday, August 14
 

10:30am MDT

Games Room is Open!
Friday August 14, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Need to start the day a little low-key? Drop in to the Games Room for Table Top Role Playing Game sign up AND Open Board Games.

Join us in the Games Room this weekend!
From Board Games, Tabletop Roleplaying Games, Quiplash, and more. The games room gives you the opportunity to make a new friend, or eight, and learn some fantastic games. You can even sign out a board game to play elsewhere! 
Friday August 14, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

10:30am MDT

Opening Ceremony & Keynote
Friday August 14, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6

Presenters
avatar for Terry Brooks

Terry Brooks

Born in Illinois in 1944, Terry Brooks spent a great deal of his childhood and early adulthood dreaming up stories in and around Sinnissippi Park, the very same setting for Running with the Demon. He received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College, where he majored in Eng... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Keynote

12:00pm MDT

From Hoops to Books: How Losing Basketball Led Me to Writing
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Educator and Big Five–published author Keenan Jones from the Twin Cities (Minnesota) shares his journey from standout basketball player to children’s author after a career-ending injury and a transformative creative writing class reignited his passion for storytelling; his debut picture book, Saturday Morning at the Shop (Simon & Schuster/USA&Canada), celebrates community and culture...
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Presenters
avatar for Keenan Jones

Keenan Jones


Keenan Jones is a Minnesota-based author, educator, and literacy advocate whose work celebrates Black joy, community, and authentic representation in children’s literature. A 2022 Mirrors & Windows Fellow at The Loft Literary Center, Keenan is the author of the acclaimed debut picture book... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

12:00pm MDT

Launch of last year's WWC collaborative novel, Whiskers Through Time
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub
WHISKERS THROUGH TIME: the Calgary Cat Chronicles

Come join 17 authors to launch a delightfully quirky collaborative novel set in Calgary throughout the last century. This novel was brainstormed and outlined at WWC 2025.  Come hear how the authors experienced the process of working together to create this book.
Presenters
avatar for Shawn L. Bird

Shawn L. Bird

publisher, Lintusen Press
Shawn Bird is an author and publisher in the beautiful Shuswap region of BC. Her novella Murdering Mr. Edwards was nominated for an Arthur Ellis Crimewriting award. Her serial 325 Alex appears in each issue of Salmon Arm's Friday AM. A flash story recently longlisted in the Australian... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

12:00pm MDT

Bring Your Own Lunch and Play D&D (New and Rusty Player Friendly)
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Play a quick one hour game of Dungeons and Dragons. Whether you’ve never played before, played over a decade ago, or play all the time - you’ll fit right in.

Provided for your convenience.
  • Pre-made Lv1 characters (or you can bring your own - 5E)
  • Dice
    • Instructions
    • Fun!

    Sign up or drop in. 5-6 players per table.

Presenters
avatar for Kim Firmston

Kim Firmston

Program Director, Youth Programs, Alexandra Writers' Centre Society

Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

12:00pm MDT

Gemma Files Lecture
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
Presenters
avatar for Gemma Files

Gemma Files

Previously a film critic, journalist and teacher, Gemma Files has been an award-winning horror author since 1999.

​She's best-known for her novel Experimental Film (Open Road Media) and her collections of short fiction, including the Bram Stoker Award-winning In That Endlessness, Our End and Blood From the Air (both from Grimscribe). Her next book, Little Horn: Stories, is out as of October... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

12:00pm MDT

It's a Bird. It's a Plane -- Crafting Realistic Imaginary Creatures for Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
You've created a world, but what about the fauna in it?  Let's use our imaginations to furnish an enviroment filled with unique--yet realistic--wildlife.
Presenters
avatar for Shelly Campbell

Shelly Campbell

author
Shelly Campbill is an author who writes primarily fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Self-taught, she has used the experience of other writers, editors, and books on craft to bring her expertise to a professional level. She has published six fiction novels, and one non-fiction... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

12:00pm MDT

You're Write About It!
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
Everyone thinks writers are intelligent, well-informed, and clever — but what do they really know? Laugh along with host Kevin Weir and a panel of hilarious writers as they try to answer unfair trivia questions, unravel groanworthy puns, and play ridiculous minigames all to win the Goard of Knowledge (see: nothing) and an uneasy sense of satisfaction. 
Presenters
avatar for Megan Baldrey

Megan Baldrey

Executive Board President, Full Circle Theatre
Megan Baldrey is multi-passionate artist and adult spelling bee champion based out of Calgary, Alberta (Mohkinstsis). An honours' graduate of Mount Royal University's Theatre Performance Program, Megan works as a professional voice actor by day and a playwright, arts educator and... Read More →
avatar for Kevin Weir

Kevin Weir

Kevin Weir began his work in film before becoming an author of page, stage, and screen. A writer of medium renown, he has written full-length novels, numerous short stories, and you may have seen him on stage as Principal Prince in Riverona, a play he wrote with Full Circle Theatre... Read More →
avatar for Erin Weir

Erin Weir

Co-Artistic Director, Full Circle Theatre
Erin Weir is a playwright, theatre artist, and educator based in Calgary, where she serves as co-artistic director of Full Circle Theatre.
Her work specializes in collective creation, adaptation, and making Shakespeare cool again. This includes co-writing the award-winning Riverona (a CW-style retelling of Romeo and Juliet), the award-winning Porcelain Dolls ("that play that takes place in the women's washroom at a bar... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

12:00pm MDT

An Isekai by Any Other Name
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Portal fantasy, parallel dimensions, alternate timelines, maybe even time travel or cryogenics. From Outlander to Back to the Future, John Carter to George Bailey, Oz to Narnia, these stories place contemporary characters in a new and unfamiliar settings. What are some of the storytelling advantages (and potential pitfalls) of throwing your character headlong into another world? And why do readers...
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Moderators
avatar for Chris Carolan
Presenters
avatar for Jodi McIsaac

Jodi McIsaac

Jodi McIsaac was born and raised in New Brunswick. Her debut novel, Through the Door, held the #1 spot on Amazon’s science fiction and fantasy bestseller list, as well as #2 in the overall Kindle store. She has since published five other novels with 47North and Thomas & Mercer... Read More →
avatar for Selene O'Rourke

Selene O'Rourke

Selene lives in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. She is a writer and editor who aims to someday visit her namesake. In the meantime, she'll have to settle for building distant (or alternate) worlds of her own.

avatar for Calvin Jim

Calvin Jim

I am a writer of Asian-speculative fiction and have been writing for over 15 years. I have been published in numerous anthologies including Prairie Gothic and Where the Stars Rise. I have been nominated for 4 Aurora Awards including 3 for Best Short Fiction. I have previously spoken... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

12:00pm MDT

Survival Skills in Dystopian Fiction
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
Let’s explore a few different dystopian scenarios and see what a person would absolutely need to actually survive for years and years. Most of us know the basic survival needs for humans. Could you do it? What settings may have special requirements for survival? What type of person is best suited for survival in a dystopian setting? What might your character’s strengths and weaknesses be?
Moderators
avatar for Valerie L. King

Valerie L. King

member, IFWA


Presenters
SF
GR
avatar for Don Miasek

Don Miasek

Moderator, Toronto Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers
Don Miasek is a two-time Aurora Finalist writing from smack dab in the middle of Toronto, Canada. His editorial work brought Amazon best sellers Imps & Minions and Aurora Finalist Strange Wars to market, as well as Speculative North magazine. His debut science fiction novel, Pale... Read More →
avatar for Susan Forest

Susan Forest

Editor, Laksa Media Groups
Susan Forest is the author of dual Aurora Award-winners Bursts of Fire and Flights of Marigold as well as over 25 internationally-published short stories (Analog, Asimov's, Beneath Ceaseless Skies). She edits an award-winning anthology series for Laksa Media Groups, and was Edito... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

12:00pm MDT

The AI Argument
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Since AI emerged, writers and other creatives have been debating about whether or not it has a place in their work. There have been many benefits and drawbacks listed for both sides of the argument. This panel attempts to answer the question: does AI have a place in the creative realm? Listen to both pro-AI and anti-AI authors and decide for yourself.
Moderators
avatar for D.G. Valdron

D.G. Valdron

Publisher, Fossil Cove Press
Renegade Canadian speculative fiction writer, aboriginal rights lawyer, and all round subversive iconoclast. When not railing against authority and injustice, wherever it may be found, Valdron is a pathological writer with over twenty-five books in print, numerous short stories, essays... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Jason Pearce

Jason Pearce

Interviewer

avatar for Cleodel Khrishna

Cleodel Khrishna

Cleodel is an aspiring romantasy writer, known for her lyrical and engaging worldbuilding. Furthermore, her penchant for stortelling extends to her writing comedy channel where she posts her writing spirals, instead of writing. With a Filipino immigrant background, she provides unique... Read More →
avatar for Alison McBain

Alison McBain

Alison McBain is a biracial author whose novels have received over 13 awards, including the Foreword INDIES. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship, and a finalist for Best of the Net in 2025. When not writing for herself, she’s... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

12:00pm MDT

Fundamentals of Commercial Fiction - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.*** ____________________________________________In this intensive Masterclass, professional fiction writer Craig DiLouie guides you through the four pillars of good...
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Presenters
avatar for Craig DiLouie

Craig DiLouie

Craig DiLouie is a bestselling author of horror, speculative, and military fiction. Notable works include My Ex The Antichrist, How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive, Episode Thirteen, The Children of Red Peak, One of Us, and Our War (Orbit/Hachette) as well as Suffer the Childr... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

12:00pm MDT

Make Shame Your Bitch - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________Part craft-talk, part author-development bootcamp, this workshop will help you turn your greatest vulnerability into...
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Presenters
avatar for Jessica Waite

Jessica Waite

Jessica Waite is a best-selling author and award-winning essayist whose work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Alberta Views,The Catalyst and many other outlets. She was a recipient of Châtelaine magazine’s 2025 Doris Anderson Award for overcoming several obstacles in order... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

1:30pm MDT

Tyche Books Presents: 2026 New Releases
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub
Join us in celebrating Tyche's new releases for 2026, including Fascination, the latest anthology from Rhonda Parrish, and Jumpship Freedom, Adria Laycraft's conclusion to the Jumpship trilogy.
Presenters
avatar for Margaret Curelas

Margaret Curelas

Publisher, Tyche Books

Margaret Curelas was raised on a diet of Victorian fiction and Stephen King novels, so it's unsurprising that she now writes, edits, and publishes speculative fiction. Her short fiction has appeared in a variety of anthologies and magazines, and one day she'll finish that novel. After
... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

1:30pm MDT

Open Board Games
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Come on into the games room and try out some board games, meet people, and chat.
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

1:30pm MDT

A CRASH COURSE IN CONTRACTS FOR WRITERS
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
Writers are all about writing. Other aspects of the business, like contracts, are often mysterious and intimidating. The object of this seminar is to give writers a crash course in writing and publishing contracts, exploring the history and evolution of these contracts, the key elements in a publishing contract, what it means, what you don't worry about, what you are giving, what you are getting...
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Presenters
avatar for D.G. Valdron

D.G. Valdron

Publisher, Fossil Cove Press
Renegade Canadian speculative fiction writer, aboriginal rights lawyer, and all round subversive iconoclast. When not railing against authority and injustice, wherever it may be found, Valdron is a pathological writer with over twenty-five books in print, numerous short stories, essays... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

1:30pm MDT

Fear Factor: How Fear Rewires Your Character’s Behavior, Logic & Responses
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
Fear doesn’t just make a person feel unsafe; it rewires perception, disrupts logic, and shapes behavior. Learn how to show your character’s fear on the page by understanding how it manifests and leads to specific responses.
Presenters
avatar for Angela Ackerman

Angela Ackerman

Owner, Writers Helping Writers Canada Inc
Angela Ackerman is a story coach, international speaker, and co-author of the bestselling book, The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression, and its many sequels. Available in ten languages, her guides are sourced by universities, recommended by agents and edi... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

1:30pm MDT

Game Theory 101 for writers
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
From the Prisoner's Dilemma to non-zero-sum strategies, game theory explains why people (and characters) act against their own interests. In this beginner-friendly session, SF author and futurist Ron S. Friedman explains basic game theory scenarios, and how authors can explore these principles to fuel great fiction—enhancing rivalries, negotiations, betrayals, and world-building.
Presenters
avatar for Ron S. Friedman

Ron S. Friedman

Writer, Shaw Communications
Ron S. Friedman is an award-winning science fiction author and AI & energy futurist based in Alberta, Canada. His Amazon.ca #1 bestselling novel Typhoon Time, short story collection Escape Velocity, and Aurora Award-finalist story "Game Not Over" highlight his achievements, with works... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

1:30pm MDT

From the Author’s chair: looking at the gatekeepers from the Author’s POV
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Time to turn the tables… we’ve all seen agent panels and publisher talks; we’ve all done pitch sessions and have heard what we have to do from the industry side, now it’s time to hear from the creators and creatives who toil and sacrifice to make the art that the industry gauges. What does this industry of gatekeepers look like… from the author’s chair? Join a breadth of authors...
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Moderators
avatar for Ali Bryan
Presenters
avatar for Bradley Somer

Bradley Somer

Presenter
Bradley Somer’s is the author of four novels: Fishbowl, Extinction, Imperfections, and most recently, We Are All of Us Left Behind. His work has been published in over twenty countries, translated into several languages, and produced in many print, digital, and audio editions. A few are even in development for screen. His work was awarded the Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction and he was honoured to receive the... Read More →
avatar for Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ+ refugees’ advocate.

His memoir Crooked Teeth received raving reviews and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. His latest novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and

... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

Full Circle - How to thrive in a writing circle
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Writing circles don't have to be scary, even if the writing is.Join members of the Federation of BC Writers Dark Fiction Writing Circle for an inspiring session about creating a writing circle that will last, or finding one that is the perfect fit for you and your work.  You can have it all–community, craft refinement and career development. They’ll guide you through important...
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Moderators
avatar for Kelli Etheridge

Kelli Etheridge

Author/Writing Circle Facilitator
Kelli lives on Vancouver Island. She loves dark beer, dark coffee, and dark fiction. While horror is her favourite genre, she’s gentle in life. She adopts rescued dogs, she doesn’t kill mosquitos, and she swerves away from the monstrous banana slugs on the road. Despite that... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Kim Harbridge

Kim Harbridge

Writer/Editor

avatar for Louise Dumayne

Louise Dumayne

Louise Dumayne lives off-road and off-grid in the remote Yukon wilderness with her husband, Neil, and a retired sled dog called Blaze. She won the Lush Triumphant Short Fiction Award in 2021 with Impact. The Demon Fufu was shortlisted for the Federation of BC Writers Short Fiction... Read More →
avatar for Kristyn Pacione

Kristyn Pacione

Writer
Kristyn Pacione is a Toronto-born writer embracing her new West Coast life on Vancouver Island, BC. A lifelong pluviophile, tea addict, and lover of the macabre, she is pursuing her dream of writing dark and twisted tales inspired by her quiet coastal town. She has a BA in Anthropology... Read More →
avatar for Ennis Lucy

Ennis Lucy

Ennis Lucy is a dark fantasy and horror author with a love for the strange and twisted. They live in Victoria, BC, where they work as a freelance editor. They are currently working on their debut novel.

Website: https://ennislucy.carrd.co/... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

Series Crossovers & Shared Worlds
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
In the ever-evolving landscape of literature, series crossovers and shared worlds present both thrilling opportunities and unique challenges for authors. Join an insightful panel featuring experienced authors who have successfully navigated the complexities of creating crossover narratives.This session will delve into the art of crafting compelling crossovers that not only captivate existing fans...
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Moderators
avatar for Lexie Angelo

Lexie Angelo

Chief Editor, Radical Bookshop and Press

Presenters
avatar for Rick Overwater

Rick Overwater

Rick Overwater is a sci-fi, fantasy and crime writer based in Calgary, Alberta. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and is the author of The Black City Beneath, a late-age steampunk novel available from Calgary publisher, The Seventh Terrac... Read More →
avatar for Camilla Tracy

Camilla Tracy

Author, Asian Romantic Fantasy
Camilla is a lover of many mediums of storytelling. She loves to write Asian YA fantasy with strong heroines who triumph, find love, and adventure with their animals sidekicks. She always has projects on the go and loves to consume stories of all kinds – books, shows, movies, plays... Read More →
avatar for P.D. Workman

P.D. Workman

Author, Sisters in Crime- Canada West
Award-winning Canadian author P.D. Workman has written over a hundred addictive page-turners featuring diverse and divergent sleuths, high-stakes investigations, and stories that linger long after the last page. Her books dive deep into characters’ minds while exploring timely social... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

Short & Sweet, Why Word-Economy Needs to be in Every Writer's Toolkit
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Focusing on the art of concise and impactful writing, award-winning author Alexis Marie Chute delves into the importance of word-economy and its role in enhancing writing skills. Attendees will learn valuable techniques to convey powerful messages using minimal words, refining their writing for maximum effect.Topics covered:Sentence structureImageryMusicalityEditing and revisionChute offers...
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Presenters
avatar for Alexis Marie Chute

Alexis Marie Chute

Founder, Wild Skies Press
Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning visual artist, filmmaker, art gallery curator, and bestselling author of 7 books, including the fantasy trilogy Above the Star, Below the Moon, Inside the Sun, and memoir Expecting Sunshine. Her latest non-fiction books include Prairie Spirits... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

1:30pm MDT

Speak Up! Techniques for Readings and Literary Performances
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
So many of us introverted authors have brilliant words to share, but a solid dose of anxiety and inexperience when it comes to sharing them.  Whether you're a seasoned storyteller or a basement bard, this workshop has tangible exercises to strengthen your reading & delivery regardless of your ability.  Using some warm-up activities and techniques, we will have even the most reserved...
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Presenters
avatar for Miranda Krogstad

Miranda Krogstad

Spoken Word Poet, YYSpeak
Miranda Krogstad is a TEDx speaker and bestselling author of the book Glass Half Full of Poetry.  A spoken word poet, eternal optimist, and workshop facilitator, Krogstad has connected with thousands of writers in dozens of cities across Western Canada.  A member of the 2016 national... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

1:30pm MDT

The Ruminating Muse: Spiral Into Poetry
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
Spiral-thinking can be a poetic engine. This neurodivergent-friendly workshop explores ways to transform attention patterns such as rumination, thought loops, or daydreaming into powerful craft techniques, especially for poetry, hybrid writing, or experimental prose.
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 →
Friday August 14, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing Annual Showcase
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub
Join us for this year's spotlight on fresh work from our talented SF&F authors! Enjoy readings, Q&A, and door prizes as we celebrate our authors and their accomplishments in 2026!
Presenters
avatar for Ella Beaumont

Ella Beaumont

Publisher, EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
Ella Beaumont has been professionally involved in the publishing industry in both traditional and freelancing capacities since 2012 and thinks Live Action Slush should be a national sport. She has been in the process of acquiring EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, a boutique... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

3:00pm MDT

From Overwhelmed to Organized: Your 12 Month Marketing Plan
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
Most authors don’t need more marketing advice, they need a clear, sustainable plan they can actually follow. This in-depth session guides writers through creating a personalized, realistic 12-month marketing strategy that aligns with their goals, resources, budget, and available time.Building on foundational principles of author branding and audience engagement, this workshop walks...
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Presenters
avatar for Angela Douglas

Angela Douglas

Founder, Eyes on Books
Angela Douglas is an award-winning Canadian author who lives in the Okanagan with her husband and kids. Her debut novel and psychological thriller, EVERY FALL, was first published in January 2025, is a finalist for the Canadian Book Club Awards, was selected as a winner of the 2025... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

3:00pm MDT

Let's Talk About Sex: Writing Effective Sex Scenes
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
In this presentation, we will discuss the purpose and effect of sex scenes, how to use sex scenes to develop characters and relationships, how to handle sensitive language and wording regarding anatomy, and how to emphasize consent and safety so that readers feel comfortable and safe within the scene. This presentation will help you gain the confidence to write sex scenes in a professional and...
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Presenters
avatar for Brenna Bailey-Davies

Brenna Bailey-Davies

Editor and author, Bookmarten Editorial
Brenna Bailey-Davies (she/her) is an editor and writer based in Mohkinstsis (Calgary), Alberta. She specializes in editing SFF and romance for indie authors and trad pub companies, focusing on stories with queer representation. She writes sapphic contemporary romance novels under... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

3:00pm MDT

Practice Makes Perseverance: Steps to Creating a Graphic Novel
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
The prospect of bringing a graphic novel to life can feel daunting, but with practice, perseverance and plenty of self-care, you too can create the graphic narrative you've been dreaming of (or furiously wrestling with). Aaron Navrady's talk will focus on the steps taken from initial inspiration to finished product, using samples of process from his most recent self-published work, The...
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Presenters
avatar for Aaron Navrady

Aaron Navrady

Comic Book Creator
Aaron Navrady graduated from the Alberta College of Art & Design (now AUarts) in 2002. His current self-published comics project is 'The Cold Fire', a medieval epic about a Norman Crusader who joins a company of knights tasked with pursuing heretics across the Alps during the Albigensian... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

3:00pm MDT

Adventures in Shorts! Finding Success with Short Fiction and Personal Essays
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Trying to publish a book often involves a lot of waiting: waiting to finish drafts, waiting to query, waiting to hear back, waiting some more. This session makes the case that short stories, poems, essays, and first-person articles are among the best ways to stay creatively alive—and professionally visible—during that wait. Rather than seeing short-form writing as a side hustle or consolation...
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Moderators
avatar for J.C. (John) Corry

J.C. (John) Corry

Writer
J.C. (John) Corry’s first childhood memory was peering through stained glass in a church in London, England, colouring a passion for historical fiction. An army brat, he lived in ten homes by the age of ten in Canada, England and Australia, studied literature (where his love for... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Kim Harbridge

Kim Harbridge

Writer/Editor

avatar for Susan Calder

Susan Calder

Calgary writer Susan Calder is the author of six novels published by BWL Publishing Inc. Four of the books are part of her Paula Savard Mystery Series and the fifth is a standalone suspense novel set in Calgary and California. Susan’s most recent mystery novel, A Killer Whisky,... Read More →
avatar for Hilary Faktor

Hilary Faktor

Hilary Faktor lives in Calgary, AB, with her husband, daughters, and her black lab, Happy. Her essays have appeared in The Globe and Mail, Maclean’s, HuffPost Canada and Canada’s History magazine, among others. Her debut novel, Pretty Bird, a contemporary, coming-of-age thriller... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

No Blueprint Required: Writing Careers Off the Map
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
A playful speculative fiction writer, a literary flash-fiction writer, and an optimistic spoken-word poet walk into a bar . . . and discuss how they built creative community and redefined success on their own terms. Friends Andrew Buckley, Finian Burnett, and Miranda Krogstad share the strategies, mistakes, breakthroughs, and intentional choices that led them to their unconventional full-time...
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Moderators
avatar for Yewande Daniel-Ayoade

Yewande Daniel-Ayoade

Children's author of books that celebrate West African history and culture.

Presenters
avatar for Miranda Krogstad

Miranda Krogstad

Spoken Word Poet, YYSpeak
Miranda Krogstad is a TEDx speaker and bestselling author of the book Glass Half Full of Poetry.  A spoken word poet, eternal optimist, and workshop facilitator, Krogstad has connected with thousands of writers in dozens of cities across Western Canada.  A member of the 2016 national... Read More →
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley is a storyteller, educator, and keynote speaker with over 20 years of experience in creative writing and marketing. His humorous and satirical writing style persists despite polite requests to stop, as he creates engaging speculative fiction across traditional and self-publishing... Read More →
avatar for Finnian Burnett

Finnian Burnett

Dr. Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, the gorgeousness of human complexity, and gender identity. They are a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant and a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize. Finnian is... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

Paths to Publication: Traditional, Hybrid, and Self-Publishing in Today’s Market
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
In today’s publishing landscape, writers have more pathways to share their work than ever before—but choosing the right one can be overwhelming. This panel brings together voices from traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, and self-publishing to offer a clear, candid look at what each route entails. Panelists will discuss the advantages and challenges of their respective models, including...
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Presenters
avatar for Leanne Janzen

Leanne Janzen

Sales Team Lead, Friesen Press
Starting her journey in the publishing world, Leanne began working as a Publishing Specialist - guiding authors through the self publishing process with care and attention. Her ability to form relationships and desire to continually improve and learn led her to the University of Winnipeg. There... Read More →
avatar for Carly Watters

Carly Watters

Literary Agent, P.S. Literary
Carly Watters began her publishing career in 2009 in London at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency. She has a BA in English Literature from Queen’s University, a MA in Publishing Studies from City St. George’s at the University of London, and is a graduate of Harvard... Read More →
avatar for Felicia Zuniga

Felicia Zuniga

Felicia Zuniga was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, where she now lives with her husband and two young sons. She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Carleton University and a Bachelor of Arts in Honours English with a Creative Writing Concentration from the University... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

From Idea to Picture Book Outline & Beyond
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
Do you have an idea for a picture book, or a partially written manuscript, but aren’t sure what to do next? This interactive session will help participants create a story outline and the important components required for a rough draft. We will use a flexible structure template that can be adapted to individual manuscripts. Participants will learn basic guidelines and expectations...
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Presenters
avatar for Dianne Koebel-Pede

Dianne Koebel-Pede

Author
Dianne Koebel-Pede is an author/educator and former kidlit book reviewer for The Edmonton Journal. She is on the CANSCAIP Board of Directors (Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators, and Performers) and hosts their online writing retreats. In 2024, she participated... Read More →
avatar for Paola Santos

Paola Santos

Author
Paola Santos is the author of HOW TO EAT A MANGO, CÓMO SE COME UN MANGO, and the forthcoming picture book A HOUSE IN MY BARRIO (Henry Holt / Macmillan), Fall 2026. Her books have received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage, and have been listed as Bank Street of Education Best Children’s Books of 2025 (Engl... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

Get Ready for Live Action Slush
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
WWC Workshop             90 minGet Ready for Live Action Slush                Randy McCharles and Valerie L. King  Bring your 250 word page for opinions, (from a past judge, and a frequent participant), and find out what works and what doesn’t. Remember that the judges (as do acquisitions editors) all have their...
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Presenters
avatar for Randy McCharles

Randy McCharles

Randy McCharles is a full-time author of crime and speculative fiction.

He is the recipient of several Aurora Awards (Canada's most prestigious award for speculative fiction), and in 2013 his short story Ghost-B-Gone Incorporated won the House of Anansi 7-day Ghost Story Contest.

His most recent publications include the Connecticut Gumshoe trilogy from Tyche Books, and the Peter Galloway soft-boiled detective series. Previous publications include Much Ado about Macbeth (also from Tyche Books), Capone's Chicago, a multi-dimensional alternate history romp, and the YA space o... Read More →
avatar for Valerie L. King

Valerie L. King

member, IFWA


Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

High stakes short fiction
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
High stakes short fiction is a workshop built around writing compelling and attention-grabbing short stories. We'll cover idea generation, plot, character, and dialogue in this workshop designed to make your short fiction stand out.
Presenters
avatar for Lexie Angelo

Lexie Angelo

Chief Editor, Radical Bookshop and Press

Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

TTRGP Games: Pathfinder and Shadowdark
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Table Top RoleplayingPathfinder with Darren Tenor - A world of adventure awaits, but it needs you to be the hero of the story! Pathfinder is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game where you tell heroic tales in a world of quests, magic, monsters, and treasures. Your choices, and the roll of the dice, determine how the story unfolds.Shadowdark with Calvin Jim  - Shadowdark is what an old-school...
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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 →
avatar for Calvin Jim

Calvin Jim

I am a writer of Asian-speculative fiction and have been writing for over 15 years. I have been published in numerous anthologies including Prairie Gothic and Where the Stars Rise. I have been nominated for 4 Aurora Awards including 3 for Best Short Fiction. I have previously spoken... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

3:00pm MDT

Adaptation: Turning your Novel into a Script—and Vice-Versa - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________Learn how to transfer your core ideas from one medium to the other—not just expanding and contracting but completely...
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Presenters
avatar for Robert J. Sawyer

Robert J. Sawyer

SFWriter.com Inc.
Robert J. Sawyer — called “the dean of Canadian Science Fiction” by both the Ottawa Citizen and the CBC — has won the Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards for Best Novel of the Year; a record-setting 17 Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“Auroras... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

3:00pm MDT

Sketch Writing with Kevin McDonald - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________Kevin McDonald is offering a 4 hour workshop about sketch comedy. Students will bring in a one line premise for a...
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Presenters
avatar for Kevin McDonald

Kevin McDonald

Comedian, actor, writer and director Kevin McDonald founded The Kids in the Hall with friend Dave Foley, after they met in Toronto at Second City, and the television series ran from 1988-1995.
In the troupe's television series and stage shows, he portrays several popular recurring... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

4:30pm MDT

In Conversation 1
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Presenters
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley is a storyteller, educator, and keynote speaker with over 20 years of experience in creative writing and marketing. His humorous and satirical writing style persists despite polite requests to stop, as he creates engaging speculative fiction across traditional and self-publishing... Read More →
avatar for Gemma Files

Gemma Files

Previously a film critic, journalist and teacher, Gemma Files has been an award-winning horror author since 1999.

​She's best-known for her novel Experimental Film (Open Road Media) and her collections of short fiction, including the Bram Stoker Award-winning In That Endlessness, Our End and Blood From the Air (both from Grimscribe). Her next book, Little Horn: Stories, is out as of October... Read More →
avatar for Bianca Marais

Bianca Marais

Bianca Marais is the author of the bestselling The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, as well as the beloved Hum If You Don't Know the Words and If You Want to Make God Laugh, and the Audible Original, The Prynne Viper.

Her latest novel, A Most Puzzling Murder, was released on the 10th o

... Read More →
avatar for Craig DiLouie

Craig DiLouie

Craig DiLouie is a bestselling author of horror, speculative, and military fiction. Notable works include My Ex The Antichrist, How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive, Episode Thirteen, The Children of Red Peak, One of Us, and Our War (Orbit/Hachette) as well as Suffer the Childr... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

4:30pm MDT

Book Banning and Censorship: Looking at the Bigger Picture
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Book banning and censorship have become hot-button items in Alberta in 2026 as the United Conservative government continues to announce new measures for limiting access to books deemed to be controversial. In this session, Kit Dobson sets these issues into context by examining how these limits on books fit into a long history of censorship, a practice that has also come back into vogue in...
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Presenters
avatar for Kit Dobson

Kit Dobson

Professor, University of Calgary
I am a professor, academic, and creative writer in the English Department at the University of Calgary. My most recent books are the nonfiction book Field Notes on Listening (2022) and the novel We Are Already Ghosts (2024). Talk to me about book banning and censorship!

... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

Bucket of Bones: Building the Skeleton of Your Murder Mystery
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
This interactive and entertaining presentation will introduce mystery writers and readers to the world of mystery building, from the ins and outs of how police might investigate your fictional crime, to choosing your victim, your sleuth, your setting and more. 
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 →
avatar for Charlotte Morganti

Charlotte Morganti

Charlotte Morganti is an award-winning author of mysteries, ranging from short to long, and from cozy to gritty. Her mysteries are usually set in small towns that miraculously harbour both villains and the sleuths who pursue them. Charlotte also coaches new authors about building... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

The Whole Package: Creating a Top-Quality Published Book That Jumps Off the Shelf and Attacks Your Reader (Nicely)
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
A great book is more than just good writing—it’s a complete package that includes strong editing, professional design, and smart branding. How many times have you been turned off from buying a book because the layout or design was just . . . not great? It screams amateur, right?This session will cover the must-have elements of creating a well-designed, pleasing product...
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Presenters
avatar for Jennifer Sommersby

Jennifer Sommersby

Senior Editor/Owner, SGA Books - Plumfield Editing

Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

Who's afraid to write about aging?
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
If writers tell gritty stories about war, espionage, and post-apocalyptic hellscapes, why is it that writing about aging seems to scare us the most? Hundreds of thousands of Canadians live in nursing or retirement homes, over 3.7 million Canadians provide care for their parents or in-laws, and 1.8 million Canadians are "sandwiched" between care responsibilities for both children and seniors...
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Moderators
avatar for Marie Powell
Presenters
avatar for Karen Elizabeth Lee

Karen Elizabeth Lee

Author
Karen is the published author of two memoirs, a business book, is a writing instructor, group facilitator, and a retired clinical psychologist. She has taught and mentored memoir writers and has consulted in many parts of the world.
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 →
avatar for Robyn Diner

Robyn Diner

Full-time Professor, Vanier College
Dr. Robyn Diner teaches contemporary literature at Vanier College. Her recent publications, "The Cougars of TikTok" and “The Cuddle Party,” are indebted to techniques associated with autofiction, and explore themes linked to aging. Robyn also facilitates an online creative writing... Read More →
avatar for Ann Cavlovic

Ann Cavlovic

Author
Count On Me is Ann Cavlovic’s debut novel (Guernica Editions, 2025). Her fiction and creative non-fiction have appeared in CBC, Event, The Fiddlehead, The Globe and Mail, Grain, Little Bird Stories, PRISM international, Room, SubTerrain, The Anthology This Place a Stranger (Caitlin Press), and elsewhere. Ann lives in the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation -- the Outaouais region of Western Quebec, just outside of Ottawa. Find out more at: anncavlovic.com... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

4:30pm MDT

Writing As Resistance: Using Our Words to Critique, Challenge, and Disrupt
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
“The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” - Albert CamusAs writers, our words wield great power - we craft unique characters, narratives, and worlds. But we must not forget that, in doing so, we have the ability to enact change. We can spark necessary conversations, challenge conventions, and re-write narratives that divide and persecute us. Come join a...
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Moderators
avatar for Madison Joyce

Madison Joyce

Madison Joyce writes literary women’s fiction that is at once cerebral and sensual. With an award-winning background in psychological research, she crafts biting stories about beautiful people, beautiful places, and the rot underneath the world of the elite. A self-proclaimed “messy... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Priscille Bukasa

Priscille Bukasa

Priscille Bukasa is a Calgary-based spoken word artist, writer, and teaching artist with
over 15 years of performance experience. Her work bridges poetry, storytelling, and
community.

Her practice blends poetry, storytelling, and community engagement, with a focus on
voice... Read More →
avatar for Adrienne Adams

Adrienne Adams

Author, Artist, Founder, Woolf's Voices
Adrienne Adams (she/her) is an artist, poet, writer, curator, and gardener living in Treaty 7, dedicated to creating safer inter-sectional space to honour the feminine. She founded Woolf's Voices in 2013.You can view her art and writing in Poetry Pause, The Polyglot, filling Station... Read More →
avatar for Alex Benarzi

Alex Benarzi

Editor, Alex M. Benarzi Editing
Alex Benarzi is a writer and editor living in Calgary, Alberta. Alex writes literary fiction and magic realism. Alex is fascinated by the little absurdities that colour our world. In his editing, Alex helps writers elevate their unique voices. Alex is passionate about accessibility... Read More →
avatar for O.L. McAnord

O.L. McAnord

O.L. McAnord is a work-in-progress.

Author, researcher, and stickler, O.L. spends his time exploring, reading, and writing—distilling information and ideas into narratives he hopes will confront, challenge, entertain, and inspire readers. He believes in the power of stories, the triumph of understanding, and the infallibility... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

4:30pm MDT

Writing Hopepunk: Marginalized Perspectives
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
When the world seems determined to crumble into dystopia, one of our most precious commodities is hope. Hope that a better way, or a better world is possible, especially for those with one or more marginalizations who are already seeing our freedoms under threat. Join a panel of writers discussing how they bring their unique perspectives to defying the establishment and clawing hope out of the...
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Moderators
avatar for Cait Gordon

Cait Gordon

Author, Editor, Podcaster, Disability Advocate
Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian alphabet arranger who celebrates diverse bodyminds. She is the author of the award-winning, disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Her short stories featuring disabled and/or neurod... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Keenan Jones

Keenan Jones


Keenan Jones is a Minnesota-based author, educator, and literacy advocate whose work celebrates Black joy, community, and authentic representation in children’s literature. A 2022 Mirrors & Windows Fellow at The Loft Literary Center, Keenan is the author of the acclaimed debut picture book... Read More →
avatar for Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc is a writer, speaker, and disability rights advocate.
​
​She is the author of the non-fiction book Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space (Coach House Books, 2020), which was shortlisted for the 2020 Governor General’s Award in Nonfiction, and t

... Read More →
avatar for Adriaan Brae

Adriaan Brae

BraeVitae
Adriaan Brae is not sure whether they truly love writing or if story ideas simply bully them until they produce words? This trauma is made lighter by an understanding wife who shares a similar affliction, and a daughter who loves them even though they are weird, like, all the time... Read More →
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

4:30pm MDT

Things That Make You Go: Go! A Workshop on Keeping Your Momentum
Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
 What happens on the days when you don’t feel inspired, when everything is dark and heavy and cloudy? And what about the bright days, when the sun is out, the world is calling you outside, and writing still feels like a drag? This workshop explores the real, human challenges of sustaining a writing practice through rain or shine, literally and figuratively.We’ll look at how to...
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Presenters
avatar for Deniz Soykurumcetin

Deniz Soykurumcetin

Writer, YourStory

Friday August 14, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

5:00pm MDT

Take your character from an RPG to a Novel
Friday August 14, 2026 5:00pm - 6:30pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
You’ve loved taking your RPG character through adventures.

Now it’s time to give their story a novel. Learn how to make the transition.
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 →
Friday August 14, 2026 5:00pm - 6:30pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

7:00pm MDT

Goblin Casino & Market
Friday August 14, 2026 7:00pm - 8:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub
This is totally NOT an illegal casino run by goblins.But if it was, you could use a sinister laugh (or a sinister look) to get in. Once in, you will receive free tickets to play the free games - at which, if you win, you will receive more tickets. These collected tickets can be spent at the Goblin Market which contains items definitely not stolen from your or other’s houses.If you wish to donate...
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Presenters
avatar for Kim Firmston

Kim Firmston

Program Director, Youth Programs, Alexandra Writers' Centre Society

Friday August 14, 2026 7:00pm - 8:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

9:00pm MDT

Noir at the Bar
Friday August 14, 2026 9:00pm - 11:00pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub
Friday August 14, 2026 9:00pm - 11:00pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Special Event

9:00pm MDT

Midnight Gaming (D&D and V&V)
Friday August 14, 2026 9:00pm - 11:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Dungeons & Dragons with Rhonda ParishD&D is the world’s most popular fantasy tabletop roleplaying game. It is a cooperative, storytelling game where you and other players take on the roles of the  characters within a story, making friends and enemies, fighting monsters, discovering loot, and completing quests.Villains and Vigilantes with Darren TenorV&V is a tabletop roleplaying game where...
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Presenters
avatar for Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish has the attention span of a magpie. Not only can she not focus on a single project at a time, but she also fails at sticking to one genre or even one type of writing (she does manage to stay true to one hockey team, though – Let’s go Oilers!). Perhaps best known for her work as an anthology editor – the Ottawa Review of Books called her “Canada’s best-known and most prolific speculative fiction anthologist” – Rhonda also works as a short... Read More →
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 →
Friday August 14, 2026 9:00pm - 11:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games
 
Saturday, August 15
 

9:00am MDT

Books with Hooks
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Presenters
avatar for Bianca Marais

Bianca Marais

Bianca Marais is the author of the bestselling The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, as well as the beloved Hum If You Don't Know the Words and If You Want to Make God Laugh, and the Audible Original, The Prynne Viper.

Her latest novel, A Most Puzzling Murder, was released on the 10th o

... Read More →
avatar for Carly Watters

Carly Watters

Literary Agent, P.S. Literary
Carly Watters began her publishing career in 2009 in London at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency. She has a BA in English Literature from Queen’s University, a MA in Publishing Studies from City St. George’s at the University of London, and is a graduate of Harvard... Read More →
avatar for Cecilia

Cecilia "CeCe" Lyra

Literary Agent, Wendy Sherman Associates
Cecilia “CeCe” Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates representing a range of fiction and nonfiction authors writing for the adult market.

Born and raised bilingual and bicultural in Rio de Janeiro, CeCe is passionate about representing under and misrepresented... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

9:00am MDT

Breakfast and Play D&D (New and Rusty Player Friendly)
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
It’s so early! But since you’re up - bring your breakfast and let’s play some Dungeons and Dragons. Everything will be provided - except nutritional sustenance.
Presenters
avatar for Kim Firmston

Kim Firmston

Program Director, Youth Programs, Alexandra Writers' Centre Society

Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

9:00am MDT

Selling Your Book Without Platform
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
How does a widowed single mom with no major platform become an instant national bestseller with a Big-5 publisher? In this candid, insight-driven session, Jessica Waite shares the choices and strategies that helped her manuscript sell in just seven business days—and the lessons any writer can adapt to position their book for commercial success.We’ll highlight the importance of shaping...
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Presenters
avatar for Jessica Waite

Jessica Waite

Jessica Waite is a best-selling author and award-winning essayist whose work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Alberta Views,The Catalyst and many other outlets. She was a recipient of Châtelaine magazine’s 2025 Doris Anderson Award for overcoming several obstacles in order... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

9:00am MDT

What's Under the Bed - Creating monsters who'll haunt readers long after they've closed the book
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
Monsters have given fear a face since humans could tell stories around campfires. As a prey species, we've had millions of years of terror baked into our bones. We've been stalked, hunted and devoured by terrifying meat-eaters. And we've always lived in a world that we have a deep drive to understand.Fictional monsters pull on our primal fears of predation. We also fear the unknown, and monsters...
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Presenters
avatar for Shelly Campbell

Shelly Campbell

author
Shelly Campbill is an author who writes primarily fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Self-taught, she has used the experience of other writers, editors, and books on craft to bring her expertise to a professional level. She has published six fiction novels, and one non-fiction... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

9:00am MDT

Feminine Solutions in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
The rise of the third wave of feminism has spawned a new heroine: the tough chick—whether anachronistically set in a historical fantasy or whipping through the galaxy in a stolen one-woman Millennium Falcon—who out-fights the toughest monster or mercenary. Does the female protagonist have to be a kickass who wins through masculine aggression, or does she use alternate solutions to the...
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Moderators
avatar for Susan Forest

Susan Forest

Editor, Laksa Media Groups
Susan Forest is the author of dual Aurora Award-winners Bursts of Fire and Flights of Marigold as well as over 25 internationally-published short stories (Analog, Asimov's, Beneath Ceaseless Skies). She edits an award-winning anthology series for Laksa Media Groups, and was Edito... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Bonnie Jacoby

Bonnie Jacoby

Author, CosmicDragon Press
Bonnie Jacoby is the author of the YA fantasy series, Dragon Descendants of Drakkoia, featuring rebellious teen dragons and adventurous teens. Her debut book, Dreams of a Dragon Girl, was awarded 5 stars by IndieReader. She has travelled through the query trenches and the intricacies of indie publishing. Over the years she has joined many writing communities, both as a participant and a presenter. Currently she offers monthly blue pencil sessions, runs a week... Read More →
avatar for Camilla Tracy

Camilla Tracy

Author, Asian Romantic Fantasy
Camilla is a lover of many mediums of storytelling. She loves to write Asian YA fantasy with strong heroines who triumph, find love, and adventure with their animals sidekicks. She always has projects on the go and loves to consume stories of all kinds – books, shows, movies, plays... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

9:00am MDT

Fractured Realities: Time Loops, Parallel Worlds, and What Breaks Between
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Parallel universes and time travel let stories bend reality—and test the limits of cause, choice, and consequence. This panel explores how creators use multiple dimensions and non-linear time to examine identity, fate, and responsibility, from paradox-driven thrillers to deeply personal narratives. Panelists will discuss the rules that make these concepts compelling, common pitfalls, and why...
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Presenters
avatar for Valerie L. King

Valerie L. King

member, IFWA


avatar for Randy McCharles

Randy McCharles

Randy McCharles is a full-time author of crime and speculative fiction.

He is the recipient of several Aurora Awards (Canada's most prestigious award for speculative fiction), and in 2013 his short story Ghost-B-Gone Incorporated won the House of Anansi 7-day Ghost Story Contest.

His most recent publications include the Connecticut Gumshoe trilogy from Tyche Books, and the Peter Galloway soft-boiled detective series. Previous publications include Much Ado about Macbeth (also from Tyche Books), Capone's Chicago, a multi-dimensional alternate history romp, and the YA space o... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

9:00am MDT

Writing Beyond the Self: Creating Characters Outside Our Lived Experience
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Can writers create authentic, respectful characters outside their own race, gender, orientation, culture, or identity? Should they? In this conversation, our panelists will explore how to write characters beyond personal experience — with empathy, research, and nuance. We'll talk about representation, sensitivity reads, and the difference between inclusion and appropriation. This panel is for...
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Moderators
avatar for James Downe

James Downe

James is a writer and designer in Scarborough, Ontario. Raised on Lego, Nintendo, fantasy books, and tabletop role-playing games, he has been creating worlds for as long as he can remember. He is the author of the Sisters of Jade Trilogy (Sisters of Jade, Sorrow & Shroud, and The... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Robert J. Sawyer

Robert J. Sawyer

SFWriter.com Inc.
Robert J. Sawyer — called “the dean of Canadian Science Fiction” by both the Ottawa Citizen and the CBC — has won the Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards for Best Novel of the Year; a record-setting 17 Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“Auroras... Read More →
avatar for Huck Kahng

Huck Kahng

NestBooks
Huck Kahng is a Korean translator and author living in Canada. He has translated many popular titles for the Korean audience, including the Harry Potter series, The Wheel of Time series, and Project Hail Mary: he’s also published several books in Korean, and most recently self... Read More →
avatar for Finnian Burnett

Finnian Burnett

Dr. Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, the gorgeousness of human complexity, and gender identity. They are a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant and a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize. Finnian is... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

9:00am MDT

Get Outta My Head!
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
POV, head-hopping, and Breaking the Rules
Presenters
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley is a storyteller, educator, and keynote speaker with over 20 years of experience in creative writing and marketing. His humorous and satirical writing style persists despite polite requests to stop, as he creates engaging speculative fiction across traditional and self-publishing... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

9:00am MDT

Writing While Neurodiverse: ADHD Strategies for Authors
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Having ADHD can present unique challenges for writers of all experience levels, whether you struggle to stay organized, lose steam halfway through a draft or get derailed by every new idea. This can leave many people doubting their ability to ever write a book. This presentation by the co-author of the #1 Amazon bestselling writing guide book A Novel Approach: Strategies for ADHD...
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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 →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

9:00am MDT

Beyond Character vs. Plot Driven: The Differences between Literary Upmarket, & Commercial Fiction - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________People often say, "I know it when I read it", but what is truly the divide between calling a novel literary or...
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Presenters
avatar for Mira Landry

Mira Landry

Literary Agent, Corvisiero Literary Agency
Mira Landry has been an associate literary agent with Corvisiero Literary. Born and raised in British Columbia, she has traveled to over eighty countries and now resides in Colorado with her husband where she still seeks adventure in both real life and on the page.

She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia and a Certificate of Creative Writing from Simon Fraser University. After a decade building her own business as a photographer, she began her career as an agent in 2022 and is eager to help authors turn their art... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

10:30am MDT

Beyond the Postcard: Cuba's Untold Stories
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Beyond the Postcard: Cuba’s Untold Stories opens a window into a Cuba that exists beyond the postcard image—beyond vintage cars, palm trees, and streets staged in nostalgia. Beneath that surface is another geography: memory that refuses to fade, silences that were never neutral, survival written into everyday life, and stories that were never supposed to be spoken. Based on the book Cuba, Qué...
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Presenters
avatar for Diane Din Ebongue

Diane Din Ebongue

Multidisciplinary artist, curator and storyteller
Diane Din Ebongue is a Cameroon-born multidisciplinary artist, storyteller and curator based in Alberta. Her work explores Afrofuturism, identity, skin tone representation, and cultural memory through visual arts, film, photography, mixed-media installations, and storytelling. She has presented solo... Read More →
avatar for HEBERT POLL GUTIÉRREZ

HEBERT POLL GUTIÉRREZ

Playwright, storyteller, author, poet, Spanicarts, Playwright Guild of Canada, Storytellers of Canada
Hebert Poll Gutiérrez is a Cuban-Canadian author, playwright, poet, and storyteller with 21 years of experience. He sees art as a tool to defend his triple cultural identity—as a Cuban, an Afro-descendant, and an artist—and to create stories that connect African roots with visions... Read More →

Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Author Events

10:30am MDT

In Conversation 2
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Presenters
avatar for Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ+ refugees’ advocate.

His memoir Crooked Teeth received raving reviews and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. His latest novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and

... Read More →
avatar for Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc is a writer, speaker, and disability rights advocate.
​
​She is the author of the non-fiction book Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space (Coach House Books, 2020), which was shortlisted for the 2020 Governor General’s Award in Nonfiction, and t

... Read More →
avatar for Lily Chu

Lily Chu

Lily Chu loves ordering the second-cheapest wine, wearing perfume all the time, and staying up far too late with a good book.

​Four of her books have been released in audio as Audible Originals, performed by Phillipa Soo (The Stand-In, The Comeback, The Takedown, and Drop Dead) and John Cho (Drop Dead). Lily’s best-selling stories are critically acclaimed and have spent multiple weeks at number one in

... Read More →
avatar for Ashley J.J. White (aka Ashley Frerichs)

Ashley J.J. White (aka Ashley Frerichs)

Ashley J.J. White (Ashley Frerichs) is a Treaty 7-based arts advocate, community builder, avid reader, and writer of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Her work has been published in Berkeley Fiction Review, Shadow and Sax, and After Dinner Conversation, among others. She advocates... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

10:30am MDT

15 Ways to Make Money in the Writing World
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
If you're not independently wealthy, and aren't excited by the "starving artist" lifestyle - you're not alone. But there are many ways to earn a healthy living in the writing world, by doing activities you love, that you may be doing already. In this session, discussing money isn't taboo. But to earn it, you may need to get creative. Suzy will share current facts on...
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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 →
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

10:30am MDT

Level Up or Die Trying: Writing and Succeeding in Progression Fantasy & LitRPG
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
LitRPG and Progression Fantasy is a genre that has been around for some time, their popularity growing in the past years. Yet how different are they from your usual Fantasy? What are the demands of the target audience, the right platforms to publish your stories, the way to make profit, how to plan ahead and increase your number of readers and followers?From an author who is now working with a...
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Presenters
avatar for Blake Ravenhart

Blake Ravenhart

Webnovel and Self-Published Author
Blake, also known as Winter, is a fantasy author and professional beta reader with a strong focus on action-driven storytelling, immersive fantasy, and visually rich narratives. With experience in both self-published series and webnovels, she specializes in crafting worlds defined... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

10:30am MDT

The Modern Hero - Virtues of Uncommon People
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
When we think of the modern hero-the uncommon person-what stands out? Do those who perform optimally do so because they possess something unique that sets them apart? Can the secrets of their ability to perform in a crisis be learned?Retired Detective Dave Sweet attempts to answer these questions and more through inspiring stories of extraordinary acts of strength and courage, introducing...
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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 →
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

10:30am MDT

Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion on Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy, where we explore the ideas, traditions, and artistic worlds created by Asian authors and writers from different ethnic backgrounds. This panel will examine how science fiction and fantasy serve as powerful spaces for incorporating Asian mythology and culture, re-imagining history, and imagining alternative futures shaped...
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Moderators
avatar for Alison McBain

Alison McBain

Alison McBain is a biracial author whose novels have received over 13 awards, including the Foreword INDIES. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship, and a finalist for Best of the Net in 2025. When not writing for herself, she’s... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Zeva Mah

Zeva Mah

Zeva Mah reads, writes, and revises near the Rocky Mountains. She has been a member of the Alexandra Writer's Centre since 2019. Her writing features speculative fiction, often with near future technology. She is keen to read and write diverse BIPOC women characters in fiction.
avatar for Camilla Tracy

Camilla Tracy

Author, Asian Romantic Fantasy
Camilla is a lover of many mediums of storytelling. She loves to write Asian YA fantasy with strong heroines who triumph, find love, and adventure with their animals sidekicks. She always has projects on the go and loves to consume stories of all kinds – books, shows, movies, plays... Read More →
avatar for Cleodel Khrishna

Cleodel Khrishna

Cleodel is an aspiring romantasy writer, known for her lyrical and engaging worldbuilding. Furthermore, her penchant for stortelling extends to her writing comedy channel where she posts her writing spirals, instead of writing. With a Filipino immigrant background, she provides unique... Read More →
avatar for Jasmine Sidhu

Jasmine Sidhu

Writer/Author
Jasmine Sidhu is the author of the YA fantasy dystopian novel World of Lost Souls, a story that follows a girl with a hidden healing ability trapped on an apocalyptic earth full of man-eating demons. Jasmine has been a member of the Alexandra Writers' Centre since 2024. She hopes... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

10:30am MDT

Creating a Unique Detective Figure
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Creating a compelling and exciting detective figure can draw readers into the world of crime fiction. Whether it's a cozy armchair detective, a nosy neighbour, a police officer, or a private eye, the role of the detective guides readers through solving the crime. The figure has evolved from the original Sherlock Holmes, yet there are still traces of this style of detection in many modern figures...
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Moderators
avatar for Chris Carolan
Presenters
avatar for Juanita R Violini

Juanita R Violini

Owner/Operator, Mystery Factory
Juanita Rose Violini has been creating interactive murder mystery entertainment for 35+ years with over 50 scripts to her credit. Her live interactive entertainment plays - performed everywhere from luxury hotels in Canada to schools in Australia, wineries in Texas, and pubs in Great Britain - sell worldwide... Read More →
avatar for Jonathan Whitelaw

Jonathan Whitelaw

Jonathan Whitelaw is an award-winning author, journalist and broadcaster. After working on the frontline of politics, he moved into journalism, covering everything from sports to music to radioactive waste – and everything in between. He's also a regular reviewer, panelist and... Read More →
avatar for Lexie Angelo

Lexie Angelo

Chief Editor, Radical Bookshop and Press

Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

10:30am MDT

Panel Intro to TTRPGs: Their Similarities and Differences
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Darren Tenor, Calvin Jim, Cipher, and Rhonda Parish with Host Kim Firmston

So you know Dungeons and Dragons, but do you know Vampire the Masquerade, Land of Eem, Mothership, or the myriad of other Tabletop Roleplaying Games created by those who love to tell stories with others?

Discover the wider world of Tabletop Roleplay and find your new obsession.
Moderators
avatar for Kim Firmston

Kim Firmston

Program Director, Youth Programs, Alexandra Writers' Centre Society

Presenters
avatar for Cipher
avatar for Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish has the attention span of a magpie. Not only can she not focus on a single project at a time, but she also fails at sticking to one genre or even one type of writing (she does manage to stay true to one hockey team, though – Let’s go Oilers!). Perhaps best known for her work as an anthology editor – the Ottawa Review of Books called her “Canada’s best-known and most prolific speculative fiction anthologist” – Rhonda also works as a short... Read More →
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 →
avatar for Calvin Jim

Calvin Jim

I am a writer of Asian-speculative fiction and have been writing for over 15 years. I have been published in numerous anthologies including Prairie Gothic and Where the Stars Rise. I have been nominated for 4 Aurora Awards including 3 for Best Short Fiction. I have previously spoken... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

10:30am MDT

What About Me: From Memoir to Autofiction
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
Are you trying to write memoir, but it’s just not working for you? Why not give autofiction a chance?Although memoir is often praised as the genre that can best capture and convey a writer’s personal tale and truth, the process of writing one can feel highly constraining. In turn this workshop looks to autofiction as a more liberating way to tell stories linked to the self. It asks: What is...
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Presenters
avatar for Robyn Diner

Robyn Diner

Full-time Professor, Vanier College
Dr. Robyn Diner teaches contemporary literature at Vanier College. Her recent publications, "The Cougars of TikTok" and “The Cuddle Party,” are indebted to techniques associated with autofiction, and explore themes linked to aging. Robyn also facilitates an online creative writing... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

10:30am MDT

Whose Plot is it Anyway? How to Master the Dominant Arc in Hybrid Fiction
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Genre-blending is the best-seller standard in today’s market. Romantasy has exploded thanks to BookTok and Bookstagram. But Romantasy isn’t the only genre blend, despite it being the obvious heavyweight. There’s also cozy blend (Legends and Lattes – Fantasy; The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires – Horror; The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet...
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Presenters
avatar for Kim Cheel

Kim Cheel

Kim Cheel Editing
Kim is an award-winning playwright and actor. Through her editing practice at Kim Cheel Editing, she brings a unique, stage-tested perspective to narrative structure and character development. As a playwright, she has mastered the art of the "beat", a skill she now uses to help authors... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

12:00pm MDT

Quiplash With WWC
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Join Kevin Weir for Jackbox’s most popular game, Quiplash. Bring your cellphone, tablet, or laptop and you’re ready to go. In Quiplash, there are no rules or correct answers. You just say whatever you want! Your answer will be pitted against another player’s answer in a head-to-head battle. Other players and the audience then vote on their favorite answer. It’s that simple! Come and join...
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Presenters
avatar for Kevin Weir

Kevin Weir

Kevin Weir began his work in film before becoming an author of page, stage, and screen. A writer of medium renown, he has written full-length novels, numerous short stories, and you may have seen him on stage as Principal Prince in Riverona, a play he wrote with Full Circle Theatre... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

12:00pm MDT

A CRASH COURSE IN COPYRIGHT
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
Writers live by Copyright, it is a fundamental principal of our existence. But it is often only vaguely understood. What is it? Where did it come from and how did it develop? What rights do I have and how far do they extend? How and when should I negotiate these rights? What are similar rights? What is fair use? What is public domain? How do I know when I am infringing? Or when I am infringed...
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Presenters
avatar for D.G. Valdron

D.G. Valdron

Publisher, Fossil Cove Press
Renegade Canadian speculative fiction writer, aboriginal rights lawyer, and all round subversive iconoclast. When not railing against authority and injustice, wherever it may be found, Valdron is a pathological writer with over twenty-five books in print, numerous short stories, essays... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar, Business

12:00pm MDT

An Author's Guide to Longevity and Adapting to the Changing Publishing Landscape
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Publishing has never changed at such a breakneck pace. But some authors not only survive, they thrive for decades, throughout those changes. Veteran writers and industry experts Mark Leslie Lefebvre and Robert J. Sawyer draw on their many decades of experience in traditional, indie, and hybrid publishing to show how to build a career that lasts.From big-box bookstores and ebooks to audiobooks, AI,...
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Moderators
avatar for Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Writer / Industry Representative, Stark Publishing / Draft2Digital
Mark Leslie Lefebvre (who often writes under the name Mark Leslie) has been deeply involved in the book world since his first short story was published in 1992. A horror and speculative fiction writer at heart, he is the author of the Canadian Werewolf urban fantasy series, inclu... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Robert J. Sawyer

Robert J. Sawyer

SFWriter.com Inc.
Robert J. Sawyer — called “the dean of Canadian Science Fiction” by both the Ottawa Citizen and the CBC — has won the Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards for Best Novel of the Year; a record-setting 17 Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“Auroras... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

12:00pm MDT

Bored of Your Book? How to Fall in Love With Your Story Again
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
Let's talk about every writer's nemesis...BOREDOM. Many writers get to a point in their process where they lose interest in their book or notice that it’s a lot harder to motivate themselves to write. You might be distracted by a shiny new idea for a different story, or realize that you don’t have a very good understanding of your plot and characters. Maybe your confidence is...
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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 →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

12:00pm MDT

Make a Killer Movie: Writing Genre Films For Yourself (and the Market)
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
This would be a way to approach genre storytelling when writing your screenplay. You want to both use tropes and conventions and also when not to.  Finding ways to tell these stories that let you stand apart from the crowded field of unproduced genre scripts and also tell stories that are personal and have depth.  Sharing real world experience for stories that are done to death and...
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Presenters
avatar for Michael Peterson

Michael Peterson

Director/Producer/Writer, Peterson Polaris Corp
Michael Peterson (DGC, p.g.a.) is an award-winning producer, writer, director based in Calgary, Alberta and best known for his work in horror and comedy. His directing work includes commercials, documentaries, web series, half-hour tv and the feature films, 'sports' comedy, LLOYD... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

12:00pm MDT

Making Monsters: the Art & Craft of Writing Horror
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
How do you write a jump scare? What words will give a reader goosebumps? Should you describe your monster in detail or leave something to the imagination? These are the questions horror writers obsess over, usually alone with only our keyboards and our ghosts for company. But not today! Join us for a discussion you can sink your teeth into about the challenges, tools, and techniques of crafting...
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Moderators
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 →
Presenters
avatar for James Downe

James Downe

James is a writer and designer in Scarborough, Ontario. Raised on Lego, Nintendo, fantasy books, and tabletop role-playing games, he has been creating worlds for as long as he can remember. He is the author of the Sisters of Jade Trilogy (Sisters of Jade, Sorrow & Shroud, and The... Read More →
avatar for Kim Harbridge

Kim Harbridge

Writer/Editor

avatar for Sam Wilket

Sam Wilket

Sam Wilket's debut novel, A GOOD DAUGHTER’S GHOST (coming Oct 6, 2026 from Annick Press) is a YA supernatural horror story about a babysitter who longs for a life that might destroy her. Sam also runs Forests in Her Mind, a newsletter where she recommends stellar speculative f... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

12:00pm MDT

Queer Rep in Mainstream Media
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
A panel featuring queer authors discussing LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media. Focused on diverse perspectives from queer writers.
Moderators
avatar for Sarah L. Pratt
Presenters
avatar for Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ+ refugees’ advocate.

His memoir Crooked Teeth received raving reviews and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. His latest novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and

... Read More →
avatar for Tanya MacIntosh

Tanya MacIntosh

Tanya MacIntosh is a queer author of speculative fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry with a BA in Creative Writing & Religious Studies from York University. In 2025, she received the Brenda Strathern Award and placed first in the War of the Words competition. You can find her... Read More →
avatar for Adriaan Brae

Adriaan Brae

BraeVitae
Adriaan Brae is not sure whether they truly love writing or if story ideas simply bully them until they produce words? This trauma is made lighter by an understanding wife who shares a similar affliction, and a daughter who loves them even though they are weird, like, all the time... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

12:00pm MDT

Live Action Slush: Short Fiction
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Reader: 
Presenters
avatar for Jennifer Chevais

Jennifer Chevais

The Rights Factory
Jennifer Chevais is a generalist with a strong interest in commercial horror, speculative fiction, as well as children’s fiction and “just the right fit” nonfiction project.

As a generalist she is primarily drawn to character-driven stories peopled by characters so strong th... Read More →
avatar for Lexie Angelo

Lexie Angelo

Chief Editor, Radical Bookshop and Press

avatar for Cecilia

Cecilia "CeCe" Lyra

Literary Agent, Wendy Sherman Associates
Cecilia “CeCe” Lyra is a literary agent at Wendy Sherman Associates representing a range of fiction and nonfiction authors writing for the adult market.

Born and raised bilingual and bicultural in Rio de Janeiro, CeCe is passionate about representing under and misrepresented... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Slush

12:00pm MDT

Afro-Cuban Poetry: From Myths and Memory to Social Transformation
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
Afro-Cuban Poetry: From Myths and Memory to Social Transformation.This 60-minute workshop explores Afro-Cuban poetry and film as living forces of resistance—tools to defend identity, confront stereotypes, and turn silence into action. Moving beyond nostalgia or fixed religious readings, it treats poetry as something alive: memory that breathes, joy that resists, language that refuses...
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Presenters
avatar for HEBERT POLL GUTIÉRREZ

HEBERT POLL GUTIÉRREZ

Playwright, storyteller, author, poet, Spanicarts, Playwright Guild of Canada, Storytellers of Canada
Hebert Poll Gutiérrez is a Cuban-Canadian author, playwright, poet, and storyteller with 21 years of experience. He sees art as a tool to defend his triple cultural identity—as a Cuban, an Afro-descendant, and an artist—and to create stories that connect African roots with visions... Read More →

Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

12:00pm MDT

Bring Your Trauma!
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Bring a traumatic/dramatic event or scene you want to write about. It can be a fictional or a real event that you want to portray effectively and are having difficulties with.
Presenters
avatar for Karen Elizabeth Lee

Karen Elizabeth Lee

Author
Karen is the published author of two memoirs, a business book, is a writing instructor, group facilitator, and a retired clinical psychologist. She has taught and mentored memoir writers and has consulted in many parts of the world.
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

12:00pm MDT

Flying Pork Chops - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________Write from your heart, apply fiction techniques, throw in a flying pork chop and voilà, you have everything you need...
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Presenters
avatar for Lee Kvern

Lee Kvern

Author
Lee Kvern is the author of four books, various chapbooks and oodles of short stories. Her stories have garnered the CBC Literary Award, Alberta + Western Magazine Awards, plus more. Her work has been nominated 24 times. She has won 12 awards. Kvern’s latest novel Catch You on the... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

12:00pm MDT

Master the 5 Elements of Writing - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________Have you ever read (or written!) a scene that feels a little flat, and you just can’t seem to put your finger on...
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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 →
Saturday August 15, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

1:30pm MDT

Inside the 'Shop: The Story Behind the Story
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
Join Keenan Jones, an educator and Big Five–published author from the Twin Cities, for an interactive author event celebrating his debut picture book Saturday Morning at the ‘Shop (Simon & Schuster/USA & Canada). Inspired by the lively culture of barbershop mornings, Keenan will share the creative journey behind the book—from the initial spark and character development to...
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Presenters
avatar for Keenan Jones

Keenan Jones


Keenan Jones is a Minnesota-based author, educator, and literacy advocate whose work celebrates Black joy, community, and authentic representation in children’s literature. A 2022 Mirrors & Windows Fellow at The Loft Literary Center, Keenan is the author of the acclaimed debut picture book... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

1:30pm MDT

Pitch Games
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub
Back by popular demand, stand up and present your best elevator pitch in front of a panel of experienced judges. Train hard, this is Olympic-style "Live Action Slush" for book pitches. Pitches are given a sizzle and delivery score. Judges will hold up two scores. Shaky delivery? Don’t panic, your pitch might be HOT, and we'll all want to read the book. Maybe your pitch fizzles instead of...
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Presenters
avatar for Ed Willett
avatar for Ella Beaumont

Ella Beaumont

Publisher, EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
Ella Beaumont has been professionally involved in the publishing industry in both traditional and freelancing capacities since 2012 and thinks Live Action Slush should be a national sport. She has been in the process of acquiring EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, a boutique... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

1:30pm MDT

Butterflies and Plot Twists: Chaos Theory for Writers
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
Introduction to chaos theory, exploring key concepts like the butterfly effect, sensitive dependence on initial conditions, strange attractors, and fractal patterns. Discover how small changes can trigger massive, unpredictable outcomes—perfect for crafting gripping plot twists, organic character arcs, and layered symbolism. This session equips writers with practical tools to harness chaos...
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Presenters
avatar for Ron S. Friedman

Ron S. Friedman

Writer, Shaw Communications
Ron S. Friedman is an award-winning science fiction author and AI & energy futurist based in Alberta, Canada. His Amazon.ca #1 bestselling novel Typhoon Time, short story collection Escape Velocity, and Aurora Award-finalist story "Game Not Over" highlight his achievements, with works... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

1:30pm MDT

Confessions of a Pants-aholic — How to Plot a Novel When You’d Rather Do Anything Else
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
Does plotting a novel make you want to scream? Have you ever tried to plan a chapter or scene, and ended up head-desking instead?If these scenarios are familiar, welcome. This is the session of your people.Join Claire, prolific pantser and avid hater of plotting, as she shares her tips and tricks for getting your novel planned and written — even if you hate plotting with the fire of a thousand...
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Presenters
avatar for Claire Bonneau

Claire Bonneau

Contemporary Romance Author
Claire is an operating room nurse turned freelance content writer turned steamy romance novel author. She writes bright, voicey stories that center strong female characters. Currently, she works as a freelance writer for medical start-ups, brands, and individual creators while also... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

1:30pm MDT

50 Ways to Kill Your Lover (Homicide at Home)
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
Poisons, “accidents” and other domestic murder methods—our panelists share the many ways victims can die at or near home. This panel also promotes our fourth biennial anthology, Crime Wave 4: Home Sweet Homicide.

Session Sponsor: Sisters In Crime (SinC)
 
 
Moderators
LS

Linda Sanche

President, Sisters in Crime - Canada West

Presenters
avatar for JE Barnard

JE Barnard

Developmental Editor, Incisive Editing Services
Calgary author J.E. Barnard writes & edits award-winning fiction. Her first Falls Mystery, When the Flood Falls (Dundurn Press, 2018) brought home the CWC Award of Excellence. Her second Maddie Hatter Adventure, Maddie Hatter & the Gilded Gauge (Tyche Books 2017) was an Alberta Book of the Year. She’s been a finalist for the UK Debut Dagger & the Prix Aurora for Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy. A developmental editor for Incisive Editing Services, she finds extra fulfillment in book reviewing & literary juries. Find... Read More →
avatar for Pamela Donison

Pamela Donison

Immediate Past President, Sisters in Crime Canada West
Pamela Donison, JD, (PJ Donison) writes soft boiled murder mysteries and women’s literary fiction. Her self published works include the Camelia Belmont Mystery Series: Death Comes For Christmas (2022), Death At The Crossroads (2024), and Death of the Butcher (Fall 2026).

Pame... Read More →
avatar for Merrilee Robson

Merrilee Robson

I have written over 40 short stories, mostly in the crime genre, appearing in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, the People’s Friend, and various anthologies in Canada, the UK, and the USA. Writing short stories provides opportunities for variety and... Read More →
avatar for Susan Calder

Susan Calder

Calgary writer Susan Calder is the author of six novels published by BWL Publishing Inc. Four of the books are part of her Paula Savard Mystery Series and the fifth is a standalone suspense novel set in Calgary and California. Susan’s most recent mystery novel, A Killer Whisky,... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

Surviving Publishing
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Writing can be a lonely endeavour, requiring a lot of hard work and delayed gratification. Sometimes it feels easier to throw in the towel rather than completing all the steps necessary to get a book done and out the door. Get tips and inspiration from writers who have gone through the process and lived to tell the tale.
Moderators
avatar for Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish has the attention span of a magpie. Not only can she not focus on a single project at a time, but she also fails at sticking to one genre or even one type of writing (she does manage to stay true to one hockey team, though – Let’s go Oilers!). Perhaps best known for her work as an anthology editor – the Ottawa Review of Books called her “Canada’s best-known and most prolific speculative fiction anthologist” – Rhonda also works as a short... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Richard Graeme Cameron

Richard Graeme Cameron

Publisher and editor, Polar Borealis Magazine
I Publish the SF&F Magazines Polar Borealis and Polar Starlight, four issues each per year, since 2016 (PB) & 2021 (PS). I publish only Canadian Authors, poets & artists. I am particularly keen on publishing beginning writers, people like me, for instance. Only took me 58 years to... Read More →
avatar for Jason Pearce

Jason Pearce

Interviewer

avatar for Margaret Curelas

Margaret Curelas

Publisher, Tyche Books

Margaret Curelas was raised on a diet of Victorian fiction and Stephen King novels, so it's unsurprising that she now writes, edits, and publishes speculative fiction. Her short fiction has appeared in a variety of anthologies and magazines, and one day she'll finish that novel. After
... Read More →
KD
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

This too shall pass… write what you want/write for the market.
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Market trends come and market trends go. Sparkly vampires and the dystopian wave, trauma autofiction and the romantasy tsunami… this too shall pass. Join panelists new and old (ahem, debut authors and those with a few books out there), as they discuss writing and publishing across genre and within it, chasing market trends and staying true to their artistic drive, and how to keep that muse...
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Moderators
avatar for Bradley Somer

Bradley Somer

Presenter
Bradley Somer’s is the author of four novels: Fishbowl, Extinction, Imperfections, and most recently, We Are All of Us Left Behind. His work has been published in over twenty countries, translated into several languages, and produced in many print, digital, and audio editions. A few are even in development for screen. His work was awarded the Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction and he was honoured to receive the... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Ali Bryan
avatar for Marcello Di Cintio
avatar for Ben Zalkind

Ben Zalkind

Author
Ben Zalkind is a writer living in Calgary. His debut novel, Honeydew, was published by Radiant Press in October 2025. In an adventurous past life, Ben made a spirited, but ultimately futile, effort to avoid STEM, which led to graduate degrees in literature and psychology and well-meaning... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

Query Slush
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Want to know if your query letter works? Query letters are your first introduction to an agent or publisher. They need to introduce your work in a way that stands out in the hundreds of emails filling their inboxes. Join this lively slush reading where anonymous queries are read out to a panel of experts (authors, agents, editors, publishers, or assistants) who will raise their hand when they...
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Presenters
avatar for Jennifer Sommersby

Jennifer Sommersby

Senior Editor/Owner, SGA Books - Plumfield Editing

avatar for Erin Weir

Erin Weir

Co-Artistic Director, Full Circle Theatre
Erin Weir is a playwright, theatre artist, and educator based in Calgary, where she serves as co-artistic director of Full Circle Theatre.
Her work specializes in collective creation, adaptation, and making Shakespeare cool again. This includes co-writing the award-winning Riverona (a CW-style retelling of Romeo and Juliet), the award-winning Porcelain Dolls ("that play that takes place in the women's washroom at a bar... Read More →
avatar for Mira Landry

Mira Landry

Literary Agent, Corvisiero Literary Agency
Mira Landry has been an associate literary agent with Corvisiero Literary. Born and raised in British Columbia, she has traveled to over eighty countries and now resides in Colorado with her husband where she still seeks adventure in both real life and on the page.

She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia and a Certificate of Creative Writing from Simon Fraser University. After a decade building her own business as a photographer, she began her career as an agent in 2022 and is eager to help authors turn their art... Read More →
avatar for Bonnie Jacoby

Bonnie Jacoby

Author, CosmicDragon Press
Bonnie Jacoby is the author of the YA fantasy series, Dragon Descendants of Drakkoia, featuring rebellious teen dragons and adventurous teens. Her debut book, Dreams of a Dragon Girl, was awarded 5 stars by IndieReader. She has travelled through the query trenches and the intricacies of indie publishing. Over the years she has joined many writing communities, both as a participant and a presenter. Currently she offers monthly blue pencil sessions, runs a week... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Slush

1:30pm MDT

Craft a Collaborative Novel
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
Join Shawn Bird from Lintusen Press to brainstorm and outline a novel in this fast-paced, engaging, and productive workshop. Writers at all levels of experience are invited to participate. At the end of the workshop, interested participants  are invited to commit to writing a chapter within a communal document throughout the following three months, in order to bring the novel to reality...
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Presenters
avatar for Shawn L. Bird

Shawn L. Bird

publisher, Lintusen Press
Shawn Bird is an author and publisher in the beautiful Shuswap region of BC. Her novella Murdering Mr. Edwards was nominated for an Arthur Ellis Crimewriting award. Her serial 325 Alex appears in each issue of Salmon Arm's Friday AM. A flash story recently longlisted in the Australian... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

1:30pm MDT

Real vs. Reality
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Reality is factual: what happened, when, where, how, and to whom. When written, it is accurate journalistic reporting. Yet, as creative writers, we want our readers to feel deeply, experience the intensity of actions, and know the internal agony, ecstasy, desolation, and joy our characters feel when reality strikes. This workshop focuses on methods and choices used to expose the personal impact of...
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Presenters
avatar for Donna D. Conrad

Donna D. Conrad

Writer
Donna Conrad is a bestselling author whose genres include historical fiction, memoir, flash fiction, and personal essay. Her debut historical novel, The Last Magdalene, published by Cold Creek Press, has won seven national awards and is designated a “must-read” by Publishers Weekly and The St. Louis Review.Donna’s writing explores the times and lives of marginalized women, making their stories accessible to a modern audience. Her novels blend de... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

1:30pm MDT

TTRPG Games: Legend in the Mist / Vampire the Masquerade
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Legend in the Mist with Calvin JimThis is a rustic fantasy RPG based on the award-winning and groundbreaking narrative game engine of City of Mist. Spin a fireside tale of unlikely villagers setting out on a quest into a greater unknown world, rife with peril and mystery, in the vein of The Lord of the Rings, The Wheel of Time, Princess Mononoke, and many other classic fantasy stories.Vampire the...
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Presenters
avatar for Cipher
avatar for Calvin Jim

Calvin Jim

I am a writer of Asian-speculative fiction and have been writing for over 15 years. I have been published in numerous anthologies including Prairie Gothic and Where the Stars Rise. I have been nominated for 4 Aurora Awards including 3 for Best Short Fiction. I have previously spoken... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 1:30pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

3:00pm MDT

Beyond the Bottom Line: Running an Anticapitalist Author Business
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
What would it look like to run your author business in a way that resists hustle culture, extraction, and manipulation, and instead centres care, equity, community, and sustainability? This session explores what it means to build an anticapitalist authorial practice—one rooted in community, ethics, and balance rather than productivity and profit. We’ll unpack how capitalism shapes...
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Presenters
avatar for Brenna Bailey-Davies

Brenna Bailey-Davies

Editor and author, Bookmarten Editorial
Brenna Bailey-Davies (she/her) is an editor and writer based in Mohkinstsis (Calgary), Alberta. She specializes in editing SFF and romance for indie authors and trad pub companies, focusing on stories with queer representation. She writes sapphic contemporary romance novels under... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

3:00pm MDT

Offstage Characters: What Are They Up To?
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
Especially in plotty books like mysteries and thrillers (and what SF, fantasy or romance doesn't have a bit of mystery?) secondary characters can weave in and out of the main action. But what are they up to when they're not on the page? Why DID that guy with the knife show up at her house at midnight, just as the book approached its climax? Even secondary characters must have a reason for...
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Presenters
avatar for Susan Forest

Susan Forest

Editor, Laksa Media Groups
Susan Forest is the author of dual Aurora Award-winners Bursts of Fire and Flights of Marigold as well as over 25 internationally-published short stories (Analog, Asimov's, Beneath Ceaseless Skies). She edits an award-winning anthology series for Laksa Media Groups, and was Edito... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

3:00pm MDT

Disability, Romance, and Adventure: Yes, Your Book Can Have Them All!
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Oftentimes, disabled bodies and/or neurodivergent brains are desexualized and/or de-romanticized because of ableist narratives. These narratives also propose that disabled folks are incapable of sharing in the adventure without a “cure." But as disabled and neurodivergent authors, we are the protagonists of our own lives, so why can’t we craft stories that turn these harmful tropes upside...
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Moderators
avatar for Alex Benarzi

Alex Benarzi

Editor, Alex M. Benarzi Editing
Alex Benarzi is a writer and editor living in Calgary, Alberta. Alex writes literary fiction and magic realism. Alex is fascinated by the little absurdities that colour our world. In his editing, Alex helps writers elevate their unique voices. Alex is passionate about accessibility... Read More →
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 →
avatar for Blake Ravenhart

Blake Ravenhart

Webnovel and Self-Published Author
Blake, also known as Winter, is a fantasy author and professional beta reader with a strong focus on action-driven storytelling, immersive fantasy, and visually rich narratives. With experience in both self-published series and webnovels, she specializes in crafting worlds defined... Read More →
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 →
avatar for Cait Gordon

Cait Gordon

Author, Editor, Podcaster, Disability Advocate
Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian alphabet arranger who celebrates diverse bodyminds. She is the author of the award-winning, disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Her short stories featuring disabled and/or neurod... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

The Personal is Political and The Political is Personal! Activism and Advocacy Through Fiction
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Ben Zalkind will facilitate this session with Kirti Bhadresa [and others] that will offer a primer on how authors use fiction as an incubator of political imagination. Storytelling has long been a tool of political awareness and change. Writers articulate the political discontent of our time, expose and tear down unjust power structures through our art. Readers access otherwise-silenced stories...
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Moderators
avatar for Ben Zalkind

Ben Zalkind

Author
Ben Zalkind is a writer living in Calgary. His debut novel, Honeydew, was published by Radiant Press in October 2025. In an adventurous past life, Ben made a spirited, but ultimately futile, effort to avoid STEM, which led to graduate degrees in literature and psychology and well-meaning... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc is a writer, speaker, and disability rights advocate.
​
​She is the author of the non-fiction book Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space (Coach House Books, 2020), which was shortlisted for the 2020 Governor General’s Award in Nonfiction, and t

... Read More →
avatar for Ann Cavlovic

Ann Cavlovic

Author
Count On Me is Ann Cavlovic’s debut novel (Guernica Editions, 2025). Her fiction and creative non-fiction have appeared in CBC, Event, The Fiddlehead, The Globe and Mail, Grain, Little Bird Stories, PRISM international, Room, SubTerrain, The Anthology This Place a Stranger (Caitlin Press), and elsewhere. Ann lives in the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation -- the Outaouais region of Western Quebec, just outside of Ottawa. Find out more at: anncavlovic.com... Read More →
avatar for Kirti Bhadresa

Kirti Bhadresa

Author
Kirti Bhadresa (she/her) lives in Calgary, Alberta on Treaty 7 territory. Kirti has fiction and non-fiction writing in many publications including The Fiddlehead, Prairie Fire and Room Magazine. Her first book, a short story collection entitled An Astonishment of Stars was published... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

Workplace Horror - Something Smells in the Break Room
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
We're not saying that every job is a horror, or every workplace is cursed, but some days... Whether you feel like stepping across the threshold is entering literal hell, or that your boss is the devil, or that microwaved tuna someone left on the counter to cool off is possessed, there IS horror to be found where you most expect it. Join us as we delve into what makes this sub-genre so delightfully...
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Moderators
avatar for Jason Pearce

Jason Pearce

Interviewer

Presenters
avatar for Sarah L. Pratt
avatar for Rob Bose

Rob Bose

VP, AWCS
Robert Bose grew up on a farm in southern Alberta spending every free moment reading whatever weird fiction he could get his hands on. He's the editor of a variety of books and anthologies for The Seventh Terrace, the author of myriad short stories including the fiendish collection... Read More →
avatar for Chris Marrs
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

Writing for Tabletop Roleplaying Games (and publishing them)
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
Want to homebrew your own tabletop roleplaying adventure? Perfect!

Our panel will walk you through the steps of what to prepare, what to skip, and how you can make the whole thing as painless as possible.

Then - as an added bonus, Darren Tenor will tell you how to sell what you’ve created.
Moderators
avatar for Chris Corvan

Chris Corvan

Author & Creative Director, House of Void Press

Presenters
EM
avatar for Caelen Bell

Caelen Bell

Caelan Bell is a local Calgary filmmaker and professional dungeon master. He has worked with the Alexandra Writers Center Society for three years and specializes in writing and DMing games for kids and teenagers.
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 →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

Live Action Slush: Romance
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Reader: Nicole Roche
Presenters
avatar for Nicole Roche

Nicole Roche

Communications & Marketing, Alexandra Writers Centre Society


avatar for Mira Landry

Mira Landry

Literary Agent, Corvisiero Literary Agency
Mira Landry has been an associate literary agent with Corvisiero Literary. Born and raised in British Columbia, she has traveled to over eighty countries and now resides in Colorado with her husband where she still seeks adventure in both real life and on the page.

She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia and a Certificate of Creative Writing from Simon Fraser University. After a decade building her own business as a photographer, she began her career as an agent in 2022 and is eager to help authors turn their art... Read More →
avatar for Carly Watters

Carly Watters

Literary Agent, P.S. Literary
Carly Watters began her publishing career in 2009 in London at the Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency. She has a BA in English Literature from Queen’s University, a MA in Publishing Studies from City St. George’s at the University of London, and is a graduate of Harvard... Read More →
avatar for Alison McBain

Alison McBain

Alison McBain is a biracial author whose novels have received over 13 awards, including the Foreword INDIES. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship, and a finalist for Best of the Net in 2025. When not writing for herself, she’s... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Slush

3:00pm MDT

Accelerate It: Writing in Flow
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
In this one-hour seminar, Rosey guides writers into a more natural, sustainable way of writing so the story in their head can finally make it onto the page. This session is designed for writers who feel stuck, scattered, or slowed down by doubt, perfectionism, or lack of time, even though they know the story is there.Rooted in a heart-led, intuitive approach to craft, this seminar blends structure...
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Presenters
avatar for Rosey Hwang

Rosey Hwang

Romance Author | Digital Marketing Expert | Story Acceleration Coach
Rosey Hwang writes addictive, binge-worthy contemporary romance novels that are all heart yet unconventional, taking women deeper into the places within themselves that prevent them from living their own fairy tale. Her debut novel, Everything She Wanted, will be available in boo... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

Laugh Out Loud Literary Devices
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
We all know the serious side of creative writing, but what about the lighter side of the literary arts?  This workshop will hit your funny bone with laugh out loud examples of personification, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and more!  Have a blast writing and sharing some rapid-fire comedic material that will have the whole room giggling together!  Regardless of the outcome, it will...
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Presenters
avatar for Miranda Krogstad

Miranda Krogstad

Spoken Word Poet, YYSpeak
Miranda Krogstad is a TEDx speaker and bestselling author of the book Glass Half Full of Poetry.  A spoken word poet, eternal optimist, and workshop facilitator, Krogstad has connected with thousands of writers in dozens of cities across Western Canada.  A member of the 2016 national... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

Fiction as Riot: Writing When the World is F*cked - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________When the world sucks, writing is an act of resistance. This masterclass explores how to channel rage and grief into...
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Presenters
avatar for Finnian Burnett

Finnian Burnett

Dr. Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, the gorgeousness of human complexity, and gender identity. They are a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant and a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize. Finnian is... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

3:00pm MDT

Screenwriting Essentials - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________Storytelling when applied to film or TV is one of the most exciting mediums to explore. It not only improves a...
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Presenters
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley is a storyteller, educator, and keynote speaker with over 20 years of experience in creative writing and marketing. His humorous and satirical writing style persists despite polite requests to stop, as he creates engaging speculative fiction across traditional and self-publishing... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

4:30pm MDT

Making an Audiobook: Getting your Words off the Page
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
Have you found a way to get your words onto the page? Congratulations! But whether you're published, self-published, or perhaps just working up to it, there is an audience waiting for you out beyond that page. They are the growing number of 'readers' who'd rather listen than read. This seminar is about getting your words into their ears.  Audiobooks are not new. But never have they been...
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Presenters
avatar for Brian E Pearson

Brian E Pearson

Brian E Pearson is an author, podcaster, and songwriter whose latest book,Talking to Trees: A Journey into Soul, explores the spiritual terrain on the far side of conventional religion. The book was published by Friesen Press but prepared as an audio book by the author himself, u... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

Channel A
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Channel A is a party game in which you create and pitch ridiculous anime series and convince the other players that they really want to watch them!

Create shows based on random words in your hand, and vote for your favorites. So, ready your kaiju, magical girls, and secret ninjas and tune in for an evening of hilarious fun! No previous anime knowledge needed!
Presenters
avatar for Kim Firmston

Kim Firmston

Program Director, Youth Programs, Alexandra Writers' Centre Society

Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

4:30pm MDT

Breaking Barriers: Writing, Developing, and Creating Despite Disabilities
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
Having a learning disability or mental health challenge doesn’t mean you can’t pursue your passion for writing; it just means the journey looks different. In this empowering session, award-winning author, journalist, and podcast host Steffanie Costigan shares her personal story of overcoming severe dyslexia to succeed as a writer, reporter, and content creator. This session is designed...
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Presenters
avatar for Steffanie Costigan

Steffanie Costigan

Reporter/Journalist, Reading Dream Press
Steffanie Costigan is an investigative reporter and journalist specializing in crime, homelessness, and the hidden stories that define our communities. Known for her fearless reporting and ability to humanize complex issues, she brings clarity, honesty, and empathy to every piece... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

Resurrecting Religious Legends for a Modern Audience
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
Many cultures rely on canonical texts and doctrines as frameworks for devotees to follow. Modern writers are presented with a plethora of contradictory sources that claim to be the true “teachings” of any given religious sect. This workshop will examine how to discern historically accurate facts from religious biases and the probable actions of people who have become legendary or even divine....
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Presenters
avatar for Donna D. Conrad

Donna D. Conrad

Writer
Donna Conrad is a bestselling author whose genres include historical fiction, memoir, flash fiction, and personal essay. Her debut historical novel, The Last Magdalene, published by Cold Creek Press, has won seven national awards and is designated a “must-read” by Publishers Weekly and The St. Louis Review.Donna’s writing explores the times and lives of marginalized women, making their stories accessible to a modern audience. Her novels blend de... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

The Most Powerful Characterization Detail You're Overlooking: A Character's Job
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
One of the big mistakes writers make is treating a character’s job as an afterthought—choosing something off the cuff to anchor them in the story. In reality, the work they do is the mother lode of 'showing' information that readers need to know about the character's personality, values, preferences, skills, and more! You'll never think about a job as a background detail again.

Presenters
avatar for Angela Ackerman

Angela Ackerman

Owner, Writers Helping Writers Canada Inc
Angela Ackerman is a story coach, international speaker, and co-author of the bestselling book, The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression, and its many sequels. Available in ten languages, her guides are sourced by universities, recommended by agents and edi... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

Cinematic Storytelling: Does Hollywood Flair Work in Speculative Fiction?
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Cinematic storytelling in fiction is often seen in a negative light. It can reduce character agency and emotion, pulling away from the introspective side, instead relying on tense action and big explosions. Books and movies are very different media. What works in one doesn’t necessarily translate to the other. But is there a way to adapt the techniques of the visual medium and utilize it for the...
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Moderators
avatar for Chris Corvan

Chris Corvan

Author & Creative Director, House of Void Press

Presenters
avatar for Rick Overwater

Rick Overwater

Rick Overwater is a sci-fi, fantasy and crime writer based in Calgary, Alberta. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and is the author of The Black City Beneath, a late-age steampunk novel available from Calgary publisher, The Seventh Terrac... Read More →
avatar for Don Miasek

Don Miasek

Moderator, Toronto Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers
Don Miasek is a two-time Aurora Finalist writing from smack dab in the middle of Toronto, Canada. His editorial work brought Amazon best sellers Imps & Minions and Aurora Finalist Strange Wars to market, as well as Speculative North magazine. His debut science fiction novel, Pale... Read More →
avatar for James Downe

James Downe

James is a writer and designer in Scarborough, Ontario. Raised on Lego, Nintendo, fantasy books, and tabletop role-playing games, he has been creating worlds for as long as he can remember. He is the author of the Sisters of Jade Trilogy (Sisters of Jade, Sorrow & Shroud, and The... Read More →
avatar for Michael Peterson

Michael Peterson

Director/Producer/Writer, Peterson Polaris Corp
Michael Peterson (DGC, p.g.a.) is an award-winning producer, writer, director based in Calgary, Alberta and best known for his work in horror and comedy. His directing work includes commercials, documentaries, web series, half-hour tv and the feature films, 'sports' comedy, LLOYD... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

4:30pm MDT

From Personal to Perennial: The Craft and Career of Picture Books
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
Picture books may be short, but the path to publication—and beyond—is rarely quick or simple. In this craft-and-business-focused panel, four traditionally published picture book authors unpack how personal stories move from idea to book deal to long-term career momentum.Panelists will discuss how they identify the central “big idea” in personal material, make key craft decisions around...
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Presenters
avatar for Keenan Jones

Keenan Jones


Keenan Jones is a Minnesota-based author, educator, and literacy advocate whose work celebrates Black joy, community, and authentic representation in children’s literature. A 2022 Mirrors & Windows Fellow at The Loft Literary Center, Keenan is the author of the acclaimed debut picture book... Read More →
avatar for Yewande Daniel-Ayoade

Yewande Daniel-Ayoade

Children's author of books that celebrate West African history and culture.

avatar for Paola Santos

Paola Santos

Author
Paola Santos is the author of HOW TO EAT A MANGO, CÓMO SE COME UN MANGO, and the forthcoming picture book A HOUSE IN MY BARRIO (Henry Holt / Macmillan), Fall 2026. Her books have received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage, and have been listed as Bank Street of Education Best Children’s Books of 2025 (Engl... Read More →
avatar for Maria Marianayagam

Maria Marianayagam

Maria Marianayagam is an award-winning, Tamil Sri Lankan-Canadian engineer turned children’s book author, and a Calgary Top 40 under 40. She fell in love with children’s books (again!) after becoming an Amma (mom). She is the author of over ten books for young readers, including... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

4:30pm MDT

From the Past to the Page: Transforming Historical Research into Compelling Fiction
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
In this engaging panel, members of the AWCS Historical Fiction Roundtable will discuss the numerous resources available to writers of historical fiction, memoir, and true tales of historical events. They will share their personal research journeys and show how oral histories, letters, diaries, records, archives, and books have contributed to their writing.Panelists will describe their favourite...
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Moderators
avatar for Bob Booth

Bob Booth

Bob Booth was born in Winnipeg, raised in Calgary, and after training as a naval officer and receiving his Bachelor of Engineering, graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada. He went on to graduate in Law from Dalhousie University, then returned to Calgary to spend forty-five... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Susan Calder

Susan Calder

Calgary writer Susan Calder is the author of six novels published by BWL Publishing Inc. Four of the books are part of her Paula Savard Mystery Series and the fifth is a standalone suspense novel set in Calgary and California. Susan’s most recent mystery novel, A Killer Whisky,... Read More →
avatar for Lisa Williamson

Lisa Williamson

Historical Writer
Lisa Williamson has roots in Canada, having been born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and now has her feet planted in Calgary, Alberta. Her professional career in the healthcare system and later as a business owner provided unique opportunities and experiences. She attended the University... Read More →
avatar for Pamela Clark

Pamela Clark

Writer, Educator
Pam Clark is a Calgary educator and author, infusing her passion for history into her work. As a member of AWCS since 2016, she has mentored writers through the Borderlines and Own Voices Programs, and has been a story coach with the Author Development Program. Pam finds tremendous... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

6:00pm MDT

IFWA at the Improv
Saturday August 15, 2026 6:00pm - 7:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub

Presenters
avatar for Calvin Jim

Calvin Jim

I am a writer of Asian-speculative fiction and have been writing for over 15 years. I have been published in numerous anthologies including Prairie Gothic and Where the Stars Rise. I have been nominated for 4 Aurora Awards including 3 for Best Short Fiction. I have previously spoken... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 6:00pm - 7:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Special Event

6:00pm MDT

Board Games and Magic the Gathering Mixer
Saturday August 15, 2026 6:00pm - 8:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Join Cipher in the games room and try out some board games, meet people, and chat.

Plus, if you are interested, play or learn to play Magic the Gathering. We will have a few sets of cards available, but if you play - bring yours and join us!
Presenters
avatar for Cipher
Saturday August 15, 2026 6:00pm - 8:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

6:00pm MDT

Kevin McDonald Superstar
Saturday August 15, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6
***This presentation is part of WWC's annual Saturday Night Showcase Event. Tickets are sold separately (register at the link provided)The night includes: Hollywood Cringe Red Carpet welcome!Kevin McDonald, Superstar!Buffet dinner from the spectacular chefs of the Hyatt RegencyCash BarOpen Karaoke after-party!About Kevin McDonald, Superstar!Kevin McDonald Superstar is a comedic, autobiographical...
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Presenters
avatar for Kevin McDonald

Kevin McDonald

Comedian, actor, writer and director Kevin McDonald founded The Kids in the Hall with friend Dave Foley, after they met in Toronto at Second City, and the television series ran from 1988-1995.
In the troupe's television series and stage shows, he portrays several popular recurring... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Special Event
  • Room Capacity 200

7:30pm MDT

Readings From Your Next Favourite Romance Authors
Saturday August 15, 2026 7:30pm - 8:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub
Hear established and debut romance authors read excerpts from their latest novels, discover your next favourite book, and stick around afterward to ask questions!

Plus Eliza Gordon!
Presenters
avatar for Jennifer Sommersby

Jennifer Sommersby

Senior Editor/Owner, SGA Books - Plumfield Editing

avatar for Rosey Hwang

Rosey Hwang

Romance Author | Digital Marketing Expert | Story Acceleration Coach
Rosey Hwang writes addictive, binge-worthy contemporary romance novels that are all heart yet unconventional, taking women deeper into the places within themselves that prevent them from living their own fairy tale. Her debut novel, Everything She Wanted, will be available in boo... Read More →
avatar for Alix Kelinda

Alix Kelinda

Romance Author | Avid Reader | Hopeless Romantic
Alix (she/her) lives in Calgary, Canada and embraces the quiet beauty of a snowy day. She enjoys helping her characters find love and humour amidst self-discovery and growth. Her debut romance novel The Christmas Curse will be published in fall 2026 by Doubleday Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House. She has short stories published both online and in print, and holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology, a master’s degree in Medical Sciences, and a certificate in Creative Writing. When not... Read More →
avatar for Lily Chu

Lily Chu

Lily Chu loves ordering the second-cheapest wine, wearing perfume all the time, and staying up far too late with a good book.

​Four of her books have been released in audio as Audible Originals, performed by Phillipa Soo (The Stand-In, The Comeback, The Takedown, and Drop Dead) and John Cho (Drop Dead). Lily’s best-selling stories are critically acclaimed and have spent multiple weeks at number one in

... Read More →
Saturday August 15, 2026 7:30pm - 8:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

9:00pm MDT

Open Mic Night
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00pm - 10:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub
Open Mic is back.  Join us for an evening of entertainment. Or be a part of it! Bring your vocals, instruments, poems, stories, and stand-up comedy routines in front of the mic. Vanessa and Val will put you into a rotation, so that you can keep coming back with more. We ask that you time your performances to be about 5 mins or less each. We also request family friendly language in the...
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Presenters
avatar for Randy McCharles

Randy McCharles

Randy McCharles is a full-time author of crime and speculative fiction.

He is the recipient of several Aurora Awards (Canada's most prestigious award for speculative fiction), and in 2013 his short story Ghost-B-Gone Incorporated won the House of Anansi 7-day Ghost Story Contest.

His most recent publications include the Connecticut Gumshoe trilogy from Tyche Books, and the Peter Galloway soft-boiled detective series. Previous publications include Much Ado about Macbeth (also from Tyche Books), Capone's Chicago, a multi-dimensional alternate history romp, and the YA space o... Read More →
avatar for Valerie L. King

Valerie L. King

member, IFWA


Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00pm - 10:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Thompson Social Hub 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Special Events

9:00pm MDT

Midnight TTRPGs (Mothership and D&D)
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00pm - 11:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Mothership with Darren Tenor Mothership is a science fiction horror tabletop RPG that immerses players in a tense, survival-focused experience set in the depths of space, combining elements of horror and exploration.Dungeons and Dragons with Rhonda ParrishD&D is the world’s most popular fantasy tabletop roleplaying game. It is a cooperative, storytelling game where you and other players take on...
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Presenters
avatar for Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish

Rhonda Parrish has the attention span of a magpie. Not only can she not focus on a single project at a time, but she also fails at sticking to one genre or even one type of writing (she does manage to stay true to one hockey team, though – Let’s go Oilers!). Perhaps best known for her work as an anthology editor – the Ottawa Review of Books called her “Canada’s best-known and most prolific speculative fiction anthologist” – Rhonda also works as a short... Read More →
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 →
Saturday August 15, 2026 9:00pm - 11:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games
 
Sunday, August 16
 

9:00am MDT

BYOBreakfast and Play D&D
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
It’s so early!

But since you’re up - bring your breakfast and let’s play some Dungeons and Dragons. Everything will be provided - except nutritional sustenance.
Presenters
avatar for Kim Firmston

Kim Firmston

Program Director, Youth Programs, Alexandra Writers' Centre Society

Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Games

9:00am MDT

THREENOTE: With Amanda Leduc, Danny Ramadan, and Craig Dilouie
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6
Craig Dilouie:
Democratization: The Double Edged Sword
In this keynote, professional fiction writer Craig DiLouie reviews how publishing has changed in the past 25 years, focusing on democratization—how technology produced a renaissance in small press and self-publishing but is now threatening to replace humans altogether even as it offers new augmentation tools.
Presenters
avatar for Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc is a writer, speaker, and disability rights advocate.
​
​She is the author of the non-fiction book Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space (Coach House Books, 2020), which was shortlisted for the 2020 Governor General’s Award in Nonfiction, and t

... Read More →
avatar for Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ+ refugees’ advocate.

His memoir Crooked Teeth received raving reviews and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. His latest novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and

... Read More →
avatar for Craig DiLouie

Craig DiLouie

Craig DiLouie is a bestselling author of horror, speculative, and military fiction. Notable works include My Ex The Antichrist, How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive, Episode Thirteen, The Children of Red Peak, One of Us, and Our War (Orbit/Hachette) as well as Suffer the Childr... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Keynote

9:00am MDT

A Quiet Hour of Reflection and Poetry
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
A Quiet Hour of Reflection and PoetryMuch 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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

9:00am MDT

What Next? Self-editing Strategies for Moving Your Manuscript Forward
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

9:00am MDT

The Importance of Finding Your Tribe
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Writing has been called a singularly lonely profession. However, for those who seek to build a long-term career as a writer, finding and building your writing community, your tribe, is perhaps the most important thing you can do (next to actually writing). Join a panel of authors as they share their experiences and tips on finding and building community, and why these steps have been so...
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Moderators
avatar for Deniz Soykurumcetin

Deniz Soykurumcetin

Writer, YourStory

Presenters
avatar for Donna D. Conrad

Donna D. Conrad

Writer
Donna Conrad is a bestselling author whose genres include historical fiction, memoir, flash fiction, and personal essay. Her debut historical novel, The Last Magdalene, published by Cold Creek Press, has won seven national awards and is designated a “must-read” by Publishers Weekly and The St. Louis Review.Donna’s writing explores the times and lives of marginalized women, making their stories accessible to a modern audience. Her novels blend de... Read More →
avatar for J.C. (John) Corry

J.C. (John) Corry

Writer
J.C. (John) Corry’s first childhood memory was peering through stained glass in a church in London, England, colouring a passion for historical fiction. An army brat, he lived in ten homes by the age of ten in Canada, England and Australia, studied literature (where his love for... Read More →
avatar for Angela Douglas

Angela Douglas

Founder, Eyes on Books
Angela Douglas is an award-winning Canadian author who lives in the Okanagan with her husband and kids. Her debut novel and psychological thriller, EVERY FALL, was first published in January 2025, is a finalist for the Canadian Book Club Awards, was selected as a winner of the 2025... Read More →
avatar for Marie Powell
Sunday August 16, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

10:30am MDT

Creativity & Chaos
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
This part-game, part-workshop, part-collective-hallucination literary event lets writers drive the story. Co-hosts Finnian Burnett and Andrew Buckley lead participants through word games and collaborative storytelling exercises designed to spark creativity, dismantle perfectionism, and build genuine connections between writers.
Presenters
avatar for Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley

Andrew Buckley is a storyteller, educator, and keynote speaker with over 20 years of experience in creative writing and marketing. His humorous and satirical writing style persists despite polite requests to stop, as he creates engaging speculative fiction across traditional and self-publishing... Read More →
avatar for Finnian Burnett

Finnian Burnett

Dr. Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, the gorgeousness of human complexity, and gender identity. They are a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant and a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize. Finnian is... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Author Events

10:30am MDT

Building RPG Props Without Breaking the Bank
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
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
  Lecture/Seminar

10:30am MDT

Designing Interactive Stories: An Intro to Visual Novels with Em Williamson
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
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...
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Presenters
EW
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

10:30am MDT

Embrace the cringe of the Canadian identity to find success
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

10:30am MDT

Ten Ways to Market Your Book on a Budget
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

10:30am MDT

Inside the Villain's Mind: The Psychology Behind The Crime
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
   Featuring a retired homicide detective, a forensic criminal psychiatrist, a divorce attorney, and a prolific author of neurodivergent characters, this panel will expose the psychology of the villain's mind and the investigator's drive. Understanding why people commit criminal acts can enrich your writing and bring realism to the crime writer's story. ...
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Moderators
avatar for Pamela Donison

Pamela Donison

Immediate Past President, Sisters in Crime Canada West
Pamela Donison, JD, (PJ Donison) writes soft boiled murder mysteries and women’s literary fiction. Her self published works include the Camelia Belmont Mystery Series: Death Comes For Christmas (2022), Death At The Crossroads (2024), and Death of the Butcher (Fall 2026).

Pame... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for P.D. Workman

P.D. Workman

Author, Sisters in Crime- Canada West
Award-winning Canadian author P.D. Workman has written over a hundred addictive page-turners featuring diverse and divergent sleuths, high-stakes investigations, and stories that linger long after the last page. Her books dive deep into characters’ minds while exploring timely social... Read More →
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 →
DC
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

10:30am MDT

The importance of names and language
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
Talking about the importance of names and language while writing. It can be easy to allow oppressive voices seep into our narratives and ignore important aspects of name giving and sourcing. All cultures have sacred practices around naming, how can we utilize those practices to breath new, authentic life, into the stories we tell.
Moderators
avatar for Lareina Abbott
Presenters
avatar for Jason Pearce

Jason Pearce

Interviewer

avatar for Camilla Tracy

Camilla Tracy

Author, Asian Romantic Fantasy
Camilla is a lover of many mediums of storytelling. She loves to write Asian YA fantasy with strong heroines who triumph, find love, and adventure with their animals sidekicks. She always has projects on the go and loves to consume stories of all kinds – books, shows, movies, plays... Read More →
avatar for Onyx Shelton

Onyx Shelton

Co-Founder, Alberta Indigenous Writers Collective
Onyx Shelton comes from a family of mixed Canadians and Ojibway. His Anishinaabe family hails from Kaakiiskakamigaag (Little Saskatchewan First Nation, Treaty 2 Territory). He was born in Wînipêk, Manitobah (Treaty 1 Territory) and has lived in many places since. His literary taste... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

10:30am MDT

Marketing Without the Ick: Show Up, Be Seen, and Share With Heart
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Marketing that's fun, doable, and feels like YOU instead of marketing that's performative and exhausting!In this one-hour seminar, Rosey draws on over a decade of professional marketing and communications experience, along with years of supporting entrepreneurs, to demystify marketing and make it feel less daunting.This session reframes marketing as an extension of storytelling and...
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Presenters
avatar for Rosey Hwang

Rosey Hwang

Romance Author | Digital Marketing Expert | Story Acceleration Coach
Rosey Hwang writes addictive, binge-worthy contemporary romance novels that are all heart yet unconventional, taking women deeper into the places within themselves that prevent them from living their own fairy tale. Her debut novel, Everything She Wanted, will be available in boo... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 10:30am - 11:45am MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

12:00pm MDT

My Stupid Career, with Kevin McDonald
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Kevin does a talk with comedy where he tells then story of his... well, stupid career. From when he realized that he may be funny as a kid to meeting the Kids in the Hall to starting a solo career in Los Angeles, ending with the Kids in the Hall reuniting in 2000 for their first big tour.
Presenters
avatar for Kevin McDonald

Kevin McDonald

Comedian, actor, writer and director Kevin McDonald founded The Kids in the Hall with friend Dave Foley, after they met in Toronto at Second City, and the television series ran from 1988-1995.
In the troupe's television series and stage shows, he portrays several popular recurring... Read More →

Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

12:00pm MDT

The Do's and Don'ts of Cover Design
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
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...
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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... 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
  Lecture/Seminar

12:00pm MDT

When Dark Clouds Roll In
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
"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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

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
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

12:00pm MDT

From Manuscript to Market: Ask Us Anything
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
This interactive Q&A flips the traditional panel format on its head. Instead of listening to pre-set discussions, attendees bring their own questions and get answers from a cross-section of the publishing industry. Whether you're curious about submissions, revisions, contracts, marketing, or career paths, this panel is shaped entirely by what you want to know.
Presenters
avatar for Leanne Janzen

Leanne Janzen

Sales Team Lead, Friesen Press
Starting her journey in the publishing world, Leanne began working as a Publishing Specialist - guiding authors through the self publishing process with care and attention. Her ability to form relationships and desire to continually improve and learn led her to the University of Winnipeg. There... Read More →
avatar for Mira Landry

Mira Landry

Literary Agent, Corvisiero Literary Agency
Mira Landry has been an associate literary agent with Corvisiero Literary. Born and raised in British Columbia, she has traveled to over eighty countries and now resides in Colorado with her husband where she still seeks adventure in both real life and on the page.

She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia and a Certificate of Creative Writing from Simon Fraser University. After a decade building her own business as a photographer, she began her career as an agent in 2022 and is eager to help authors turn their art... Read More →
avatar for Ella Beaumont

Ella Beaumont

Publisher, EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
Ella Beaumont has been professionally involved in the publishing industry in both traditional and freelancing capacities since 2012 and thinks Live Action Slush should be a national sport. She has been in the process of acquiring EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, a boutique... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

12:00pm MDT

Hard Science Fiction Shouldn't Be Hard
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
The science in Science Fiction need not be a barrier for readers. From the World War II style of Star Wars to the physics-bound solar system of 2001: A Space Odyssey, authors have a spectrum of how accurate and detailed the science should be. Will pages of mathematical formulae on black holes turn readers away? Will characters breathing in space cause your audience to laugh during a tense,...
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Moderators
avatar for Sarah Johnson
Presenters
avatar for Robert J. Sawyer

Robert J. Sawyer

SFWriter.com Inc.
Robert J. Sawyer — called “the dean of Canadian Science Fiction” by both the Ottawa Citizen and the CBC — has won the Hugo, Nebula, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards for Best Novel of the Year; a record-setting 17 Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“Auroras... Read More →
avatar for Don Miasek

Don Miasek

Moderator, Toronto Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers
Don Miasek is a two-time Aurora Finalist writing from smack dab in the middle of Toronto, Canada. His editorial work brought Amazon best sellers Imps & Minions and Aurora Finalist Strange Wars to market, as well as Speculative North magazine. His debut science fiction novel, Pale... Read More →
avatar for Calvin Jim

Calvin Jim

I am a writer of Asian-speculative fiction and have been writing for over 15 years. I have been published in numerous anthologies including Prairie Gothic and Where the Stars Rise. I have been nominated for 4 Aurora Awards including 3 for Best Short Fiction. I have previously spoken... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

12:00pm MDT

Historical research methods that work for you
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Conducting historical fiction research takes many forms. Some writers prefer to research, both virtually and through books. Some prefer to conduct ‘on the ground’ research in their story locations. Some prefer a combination of both. Each method has pros and cons. Join historical fiction authors Donna D. Conrad, Marie Powell, and J.C. Corry as they share their preferred methods, and some tips...
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Moderators
avatar for Jodi McIsaac

Jodi McIsaac

Jodi McIsaac was born and raised in New Brunswick. Her debut novel, Through the Door, held the #1 spot on Amazon’s science fiction and fantasy bestseller list, as well as #2 in the overall Kindle store. She has since published five other novels with 47North and Thomas & Mercer... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for J.C. (John) Corry

J.C. (John) Corry

Writer
J.C. (John) Corry’s first childhood memory was peering through stained glass in a church in London, England, colouring a passion for historical fiction. An army brat, he lived in ten homes by the age of ten in Canada, England and Australia, studied literature (where his love for... Read More →
avatar for Donna D. Conrad

Donna D. Conrad

Writer
Donna Conrad is a bestselling author whose genres include historical fiction, memoir, flash fiction, and personal essay. Her debut historical novel, The Last Magdalene, published by Cold Creek Press, has won seven national awards and is designated a “must-read” by Publishers Weekly and The St. Louis Review.Donna’s writing explores the times and lives of marginalized women, making their stories accessible to a modern audience. Her novels blend de... Read More →
avatar for Marie Powell
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

12:00pm MDT

Get that grant! How to win literary arts grants
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
The literary arts is an emerging sector in the world of arts funding. This workshop will unpack how to improve your grant applications, what to include, and what the judges are looking for. Unlike other art forms, the literary arts comes with many challenges including bias from judging panels who simply don't understand the discipline very well. In this workshop, we will work on crafting an...
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Presenters
avatar for Lexie Angelo

Lexie Angelo

Chief Editor, Radical Bookshop and Press

Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

12:00pm MDT

Workshop with Bianca Marais - TBA
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
Presenters
avatar for Bianca Marais

Bianca Marais

Bianca Marais is the author of the bestselling The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, as well as the beloved Hum If You Don't Know the Words and If You Want to Make God Laugh, and the Audible Original, The Prynne Viper.

Her latest novel, A Most Puzzling Murder, was released on the 10th o

... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 1:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

12:00pm MDT

10 SIGNS You’re Ready to Write a Murder Mystery - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________When are you actually ready to write your mystery novel? You have an idea, a theme, or a moment—but no idea how to...
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Presenters
avatar for Juanita R Violini

Juanita R Violini

Owner/Operator, Mystery Factory
Juanita Rose Violini has been creating interactive murder mystery entertainment for 35+ years with over 50 scripts to her credit. Her live interactive entertainment plays - performed everywhere from luxury hotels in Canada to schools in Australia, wineries in Texas, and pubs in Great Britain - sell worldwide... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

12:00pm MDT

A Very, Very, Very Fine House: The Warp and Weft of Worldbuilding - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________A Very, Very, Very Fine House: The Warp and Weft of Worldbuilding. From politics to food to the architecture of...
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Presenters
avatar for Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc

Amanda Leduc is a writer, speaker, and disability rights advocate.
​
​She is the author of the non-fiction book Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space (Coach House Books, 2020), which was shortlisted for the 2020 Governor General’s Award in Nonfiction, and t

... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

12:00pm MDT

Make and Take with Kim
Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 5:30pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A
Make a cool and unique momentum of the 2026 When Words Collide Conference while trying all manner of word art.

All materials and instructions are provided. Fun for everyone! It’s a great way to end a great weekend!
Presenters
avatar for Kim Firmston

Kim Firmston

Program Director, Youth Programs, Alexandra Writers' Centre Society

Sunday August 16, 2026 12:00pm - 5:30pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen A 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

1:30pm MDT

Actors Read YOUR Dialogue!
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Worried your dialogue sounds wooden, one-note, or like no human would ever say it? Do all your characters potentially speak with the same voice (yours)? We’ve got your back. The team at Full Circle Theatre knows one thing about theatre, it’s ALL DIALOGUE, BABY! In this fast-paced, high-reward workshop, you’ll bring one dialogue-heavy page from your work-in-progress, and we’ll bring the...
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Presenters
avatar for Erin Weir

Erin Weir

Co-Artistic Director, Full Circle Theatre
Erin Weir is a playwright, theatre artist, and educator based in Calgary, where she serves as co-artistic director of Full Circle Theatre.
Her work specializes in collective creation, adaptation, and making Shakespeare cool again. This includes co-writing the award-winning Riverona (a CW-style retelling of Romeo and Juliet), the award-winning Porcelain Dolls ("that play that takes place in the women's washroom at a bar... Read More →
avatar for Megan Baldrey

Megan Baldrey

Executive Board President, Full Circle Theatre
Megan Baldrey is multi-passionate artist and adult spelling bee champion based out of Calgary, Alberta (Mohkinstsis). An honours' graduate of Mount Royal University's Theatre Performance Program, Megan works as a professional voice actor by day and a playwright, arts educator and... Read More →
avatar for Claire Bolton

Claire Bolton

Co-Artistic Director, Full Circle Theatre
Claire Bolton is a theatre artist, stage manager, and producer based in Calgary, where she serves as co-artistic director of Full Circle Theatre and resident wrangler of budgets, schedules, and all things production management.With a background in dance, physical theatre, and clown... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Author Events

1:30pm MDT

How to Make Readers Fall in Love (or Hate) Your Characters
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
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...
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Presenters
avatar for Chris Corvan

Chris Corvan

Author & Creative Director, House of Void Press

Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

1:30pm MDT

Leveling Up Your TTRPG Storytelling
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

1:30pm MDT

Your Process, Your Way: The Busy Wordsmith’s Sustainable Writing Practise
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

1:30pm MDT

Beyond the Familiar: Crafting Asian Fantasy Worlds
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Explore how authors draw on the rich mythologies, folklore, histories, and landscapes of China, Japan, East and Southeast Asia to create immersive fantasy worlds. This panel will examine the unique approaches to magic, spirits, animals, and societal structures in Asian fantasy and speculative fiction, offering insights into worldbuilding, character design, and narrative style that go beyond...
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Presenters
avatar for Cleodel Khrishna

Cleodel Khrishna

Cleodel is an aspiring romantasy writer, known for her lyrical and engaging worldbuilding. Furthermore, her penchant for stortelling extends to her writing comedy channel where she posts her writing spirals, instead of writing. With a Filipino immigrant background, she provides unique... Read More →
avatar for Jasmine Sidhu

Jasmine Sidhu

Writer/Author
Jasmine Sidhu is the author of the YA fantasy dystopian novel World of Lost Souls, a story that follows a girl with a hidden healing ability trapped on an apocalyptic earth full of man-eating demons. Jasmine has been a member of the Alexandra Writers' Centre since 2024. She hopes... Read More →
avatar for Zeva Mah

Zeva Mah

Zeva Mah reads, writes, and revises near the Rocky Mountains. She has been a member of the Alexandra Writer's Centre since 2019. Her writing features speculative fiction, often with near future technology. She is keen to read and write diverse BIPOC women characters in fiction.
avatar for Calvin Jim

Calvin Jim

I am a writer of Asian-speculative fiction and have been writing for over 15 years. I have been published in numerous anthologies including Prairie Gothic and Where the Stars Rise. I have been nominated for 4 Aurora Awards including 3 for Best Short Fiction. I have previously spoken... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

Power Dynamics in Fantastical Worlds
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
In many tales, plot dynamics hinge on who has power and who doesn't. How are some characters marked and how does that affect their agency in a fantasy or science fiction world? How can you use viewpoint to emphasize power dynamics? Panelists will talk about how to handle power ebbs and flows when writing speculative fiction.
Presenters
avatar for Randy McCharles

Randy McCharles

Randy McCharles is a full-time author of crime and speculative fiction.

He is the recipient of several Aurora Awards (Canada's most prestigious award for speculative fiction), and in 2013 his short story Ghost-B-Gone Incorporated won the House of Anansi 7-day Ghost Story Contest.

His most recent publications include the Connecticut Gumshoe trilogy from Tyche Books, and the Peter Galloway soft-boiled detective series. Previous publications include Much Ado about Macbeth (also from Tyche Books), Capone's Chicago, a multi-dimensional alternate history romp, and the YA space o... Read More →
avatar for Alison McBain

Alison McBain

Alison McBain is a biracial author whose novels have received over 13 awards, including the Foreword INDIES. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship, and a finalist for Best of the Net in 2025. When not writing for herself, she’s... Read More →
avatar for Kim Cheel

Kim Cheel

Kim Cheel Editing
Kim is an award-winning playwright and actor. Through her editing practice at Kim Cheel Editing, she brings a unique, stage-tested perspective to narrative structure and character development. As a playwright, she has mastered the art of the "beat", a skill she now uses to help authors... Read More →
avatar for Blake Ravenhart

Blake Ravenhart

Webnovel and Self-Published Author
Blake, also known as Winter, is a fantasy author and professional beta reader with a strong focus on action-driven storytelling, immersive fantasy, and visually rich narratives. With experience in both self-published series and webnovels, she specializes in crafting worlds defined... Read More →
avatar for Susan Forest

Susan Forest

Editor, Laksa Media Groups
Susan Forest is the author of dual Aurora Award-winners Bursts of Fire and Flights of Marigold as well as over 25 internationally-published short stories (Analog, Asimov's, Beneath Ceaseless Skies). She edits an award-winning anthology series for Laksa Media Groups, and was Edito... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

Through Fires and Fascism: Staying Creative When the World Seems Upended
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
How do we keep creating when the world feels unbearable? This panel explores art as resistance, writing through despair, and finding joy in storytelling when everything around us is crumbling. These authors will talk about writing through the hard stuff and practical strategies for self-care when everything sucks. 
Moderators
avatar for Sarah Johnson
Presenters
avatar for Cait Gordon

Cait Gordon

Author, Editor, Podcaster, Disability Advocate
Cait Gordon is an autistic, disabled, and queer Canadian alphabet arranger who celebrates diverse bodyminds. She is the author of the award-winning, disability-hopepunk adventure, Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! Her short stories featuring disabled and/or neurod... Read More →
avatar for Finnian Burnett

Finnian Burnett

Dr. Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, the gorgeousness of human complexity, and gender identity. They are a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant and a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize. Finnian is... Read More →
avatar for Tanya MacIntosh

Tanya MacIntosh

Tanya MacIntosh is a queer author of speculative fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry with a BA in Creative Writing & Religious Studies from York University. In 2025, she received the Brenda Strathern Award and placed first in the War of the Words competition. You can find her... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

1:30pm MDT

Feedback Without Freefall: How to Hear Critique and Know What to Do Next
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Feedback can save a story or sink it, and most writers are never taught how to tell the difference. Notes come in, emotions spike, and suddenly the path forward blurs. Many writers lose confidence, start doubting their instincts, or feel pulled in too many directions to revise with any clarity. This workshop explores what actually happens in that moment—and how to move through it with steadiness...
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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 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

1:30pm MDT

How to Write a Synopsis without Crying First
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
It doesn't have to be the Dreaded Synopsis. It can be the efficient, well-written synopsis that highlights your premise and stand-out voice, all without making you want to give up writing. We'll cover a Synopses Writing Recipe using Shawshank Redemption as a practice example.
Presenters
avatar for Mira Landry

Mira Landry

Literary Agent, Corvisiero Literary Agency
Mira Landry has been an associate literary agent with Corvisiero Literary. Born and raised in British Columbia, she has traveled to over eighty countries and now resides in Colorado with her husband where she still seeks adventure in both real life and on the page.

She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of British Columbia and a Certificate of Creative Writing from Simon Fraser University. After a decade building her own business as a photographer, she began her career as an agent in 2022 and is eager to help authors turn their art... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

War of the Words Readings
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B

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

3:00pm MDT

The Resilient Writer
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
Every writer faces rejection. The question isn’t if it will happen, but how you’ll respond when it does. From hitting #1 to receiving more than 400 rejections in a row, Jodi McIsaac has learned what it takes to keep writing through the ups and downs of a career in publishing.  What she discovered might surprise you. What if rejection isn’t the enemy of your writing career...
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Presenters
avatar for Jodi McIsaac

Jodi McIsaac

Jodi McIsaac was born and raised in New Brunswick. Her debut novel, Through the Door, held the #1 spot on Amazon’s science fiction and fantasy bestseller list, as well as #2 in the overall Kindle store. She has since published five other novels with 47North and Thomas & Mercer... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Lecture/Seminar

3:00pm MDT

Write What You Know: Transform Lived Experience into Powerful Fiction
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 9
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

3:00pm MDT

The Third Path to Publishing: Finding Author Success with a Small Press
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
    Many writers believe there are only two paths to publishing a book: securing a “Big 5” deal after years in the query trenches, or self-publishing. This session explores a powerful third option: publishing with a small, independent literary press.    Led by three first-time authors with novels debuting in 2026, this candid panel demystifies how to secure a...
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Presenters
avatar for Hilary Faktor

Hilary Faktor

Hilary Faktor lives in Calgary, AB, with her husband, daughters, and her black lab, Happy. Her essays have appeared in The Globe and Mail, Maclean’s, HuffPost Canada and Canada’s History magazine, among others. Her debut novel, Pretty Bird, a contemporary, coming-of-age thriller... Read More →
avatar for Susan Carpenter

Susan Carpenter

Susan spins tales grounded in realism with a spicy dash of humour. She has published short fiction, was longlisted for the CBC nonfiction prize, and writes for and acts on stage and screen. A graduate of Western University and Humber School for Writers, Susan has taught memoir and... Read More →
avatar for CM Shanahan

CM Shanahan

CM Shanahan, known by others as Catherine Mackie, returned to live on the prairies surrounded by canola fields and singing coyotes after chasing numbers on spreadsheets in office towers for too many decades. Her writing is coloured by her experiences and can be found on 50-WordSt... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

Tricks, Tips & Traps for Successful Writing Groups
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
Whether you are a debut novelist or an established author, a disciplined writing group is a powerful engine for professional growth. Join our panel of three seasoned writers for a strategic look at how to build, lead, and sustain a high-functioning literary community. The presentation will conclude with an interactive Q&A session to address your specific group challenges.
Moderators
SN

Sandy Navrady

As a member of AWCS, Sandy Navrady is active in a fiction writing group, Free Fall writing and writing non-fiction stories about his risk-taking adventure experiences around the world. He emigrated to Canada in the 1970’s and, with a degree in Urban Land Economics in his toolbox... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Lareina Abbott
avatar for Sean Crawford

Sean Crawford

Being in three writers groups (fiction and nonfiction) keeps me in the arena, as does blogging a weekly essay. I like journalism because I was a reporter for the student newspaper at university, while earning a degree in Community Rehabilitation. I once did a literature tour by following... Read More →
EW
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

Why Do We Keep Destroying the World?
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
Post-apocalyptic fiction like pandemics, climate collapse, nuclear war, and zombie plagues is still going strong. Why is apocalypse so appealing? This panel could explore what post-apocalyptic narratives offer readers and writers. They could discuss how politics are embedded in their apocalypses, whether "cozy catastrophe" is even possible, what anxieties their stories channel, and when stories...
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Moderators
avatar for Ambre Olivari
Presenters
avatar for Rick Overwater

Rick Overwater

Rick Overwater is a sci-fi, fantasy and crime writer based in Calgary, Alberta. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and is the author of The Black City Beneath, a late-age steampunk novel available from Calgary publisher, The Seventh Terrac... Read More →
avatar for Nikki Vogel
avatar for Chris Carolan
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

3:00pm MDT

Live Action Slush: Science Fiction
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Reader: Krista Wallace
Presenters
avatar for Richard Graeme Cameron

Richard Graeme Cameron

Publisher and editor, Polar Borealis Magazine
I Publish the SF&F Magazines Polar Borealis and Polar Starlight, four issues each per year, since 2016 (PB) & 2021 (PS). I publish only Canadian Authors, poets & artists. I am particularly keen on publishing beginning writers, people like me, for instance. Only took me 58 years to... Read More →
avatar for Bonnie Jacoby

Bonnie Jacoby

Author, CosmicDragon Press
Bonnie Jacoby is the author of the YA fantasy series, Dragon Descendants of Drakkoia, featuring rebellious teen dragons and adventurous teens. Her debut book, Dreams of a Dragon Girl, was awarded 5 stars by IndieReader. She has travelled through the query trenches and the intricacies of indie publishing. Over the years she has joined many writing communities, both as a participant and a presenter. Currently she offers monthly blue pencil sessions, runs a week... Read More →
avatar for Krista Wallace

Krista Wallace

Writer, actor, musician, audiobook narrator
Krista is a fantasy writer, jazz & rock musician, audiobook narrator, actor, podcaster, mother, Gran, a lover of pie, dark chocolate, and fine single malt scotch. She hails from Port Coquitlam, BC, where she writes and records in a closet, emerging occasionally to sing with the big band... Read More →
avatar for Ella Beaumont

Ella Beaumont

Publisher, EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
Ella Beaumont has been professionally involved in the publishing industry in both traditional and freelancing capacities since 2012 and thinks Live Action Slush should be a national sport. She has been in the process of acquiring EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, a boutique... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Slush

3:00pm MDT

Ripped from the Headlines: Unique Places and Ways to Find Inspiration
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
In this workshop, you will be inspired by the bizarre, the mundane, and perhaps even the insane. Sometimes, you simply need a nudge from the inspirational muse to get out of your own way. During the session, a headline is read aloud and briefly discussed; you are given several minutes to jot down the ideas that come to mind. This format allows for the sharing of your writing and the receipt of...
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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 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

Write-Her Rhythm
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
Write-hers (women and female presenting folk) we are the keepers of everyone else’s schedules, stories, and needs. In this collaborative workshop we'll look at invisible and overt obstacles preventing us from writing and interrupting our flow. We'll discuss familial and cultural messages, roles and obligations, and other ways we've been taught to suppress ourselves. We'll...
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Presenters
avatar for Laura-Jeanne Stollery

Laura-Jeanne Stollery

Laura-Jeanne can leap tall buildings in a single bound...wait, wrong bio. Laura-Jeanne has created a career supporting others, helping people navigate conflict, speaking, educating, and writing. Laura-Jeanne is a life coach, conflict resolution specialist, and storyteller. Wearing... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 4:15pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Workshop

3:00pm MDT

Strategies for Surviving Feedback - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________Writing feedback is hard to come by and can be rated on a scale between encouraging and soul-crushing. Critical...
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Presenters
avatar for Finnian Burnett

Finnian Burnett

Dr. Finnian Burnett is a writer whose work explores the intersections of the human body, mental health, the gorgeousness of human complexity, and gender identity. They are a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts grant and a finalist in the 2023 CBC nonfiction prize. Finnian is... Read More →
avatar for Christine Tsai Taylor

Christine Tsai Taylor

Writer, StoryCraft
Christine Tsai Taylor is a Dutch American Taiwanese writer and storytelling consultant who has called Edmonton home since 2021. After nearly twenty years in Europe, she was thrilled to build a life and find writing community in a country with loads of English language bookshops. She’s... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Bannerman
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

3:00pm MDT

The Three Bodies Problem - MASTERCLASS (pre-reg req)
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
REGISTER NOW
***Please note that Masterclasses are add-ons that require pre-registration and a separate payment. Masterclasses are only available to Festival Passholders. Adding to your SCHED schedule does not mean you are registered for the class.***____________________________________________When writing a memoir, one faces an ultimate dilemma: what to tell, how to tell it, and how to make it relevant to the...
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Presenters
avatar for Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and LGBTQ+ refugees’ advocate.

His memoir Crooked Teeth received raving reviews and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. His latest novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and

... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 3:00pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Walker
  Masterclass, Pre-Registration Required

4:30pm MDT

Developmental Editing Your Book
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 7
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

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
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Stephen B
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,...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

“How Do You Say…”: Writing With a Bilingual Mind
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4
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,...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

4:30pm MDT

Cross-Genre Careers: Keeping Series & Voice Coherent Across Genres
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
In today’s dynamic literary landscape, many authors are venturing beyond the confines of a single genre, crafting stories that blend cozy mysteries with heart-pounding thrillers, or intertwining fantasy with contemporary romance. But how can multi-genre writers effectively manage their diverse narratives while maintaining a coherent voice and a loyal readership? Join us for an enlightening panel...
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Moderators
avatar for Jennifer Sommersby

Jennifer Sommersby

Senior Editor/Owner, SGA Books - Plumfield Editing

Presenters
avatar for Alison McBain

Alison McBain

Alison McBain is a biracial author whose novels have received over 13 awards, including the Foreword INDIES. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, shortlisted for the Alpine Fellowship, and a finalist for Best of the Net in 2025. When not writing for herself, she’s... Read More →
avatar for Alexis Marie Chute

Alexis Marie Chute

Founder, Wild Skies Press
Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning visual artist, filmmaker, art gallery curator, and bestselling author of 7 books, including the fantasy trilogy Above the Star, Below the Moon, Inside the Sun, and memoir Expecting Sunshine. Her latest non-fiction books include Prairie Spirits... Read More →
avatar for P.D. Workman

P.D. Workman

Author, Sisters in Crime- Canada West
Award-winning Canadian author P.D. Workman has written over a hundred addictive page-turners featuring diverse and divergent sleuths, high-stakes investigations, and stories that linger long after the last page. Her books dive deep into characters’ minds while exploring timely social... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Doll
  Panel

4:30pm MDT

Decolonization of Speculative Fiction
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
We live in a world made up of peoples of diverse races, cultures, and ethnicities. We often forget that colonization has had an immense effect on how we write characters. What are these colonial fallacies and stereotypes and how do we remove them from our fiction?
Moderators
avatar for Susan Forest

Susan Forest

Editor, Laksa Media Groups
Susan Forest is the author of dual Aurora Award-winners Bursts of Fire and Flights of Marigold as well as over 25 internationally-published short stories (Analog, Asimov's, Beneath Ceaseless Skies). She edits an award-winning anthology series for Laksa Media Groups, and was Edito... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Onyx Shelton

Onyx Shelton

Co-Founder, Alberta Indigenous Writers Collective
Onyx Shelton comes from a family of mixed Canadians and Ojibway. His Anishinaabe family hails from Kaakiiskakamigaag (Little Saskatchewan First Nation, Treaty 2 Territory). He was born in Wînipêk, Manitobah (Treaty 1 Territory) and has lived in many places since. His literary taste... Read More →
avatar for Zeva Mah

Zeva Mah

Zeva Mah reads, writes, and revises near the Rocky Mountains. She has been a member of the Alexandra Writer's Centre since 2019. Her writing features speculative fiction, often with near future technology. She is keen to read and write diverse BIPOC women characters in fiction.
avatar for Calvin Jim

Calvin Jim

I am a writer of Asian-speculative fiction and have been writing for over 15 years. I have been published in numerous anthologies including Prairie Gothic and Where the Stars Rise. I have been nominated for 4 Aurora Awards including 3 for Best Short Fiction. I have previously spoken... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Herald
  Panel

4:30pm MDT

Writing the long game: the endurance panel.
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5
Getting a manuscript completed is a huge effort, getting one published is an even more Herculean task. But what adjective can be used to describe the follow-up novel, and the one after that, and the one after that… Brobdingnagian, we suppose. Join four authors who have done just that: learn about the long game, what hurdles these authors have faced from their first, through multiple...
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Moderators
avatar for Bradley Somer

Bradley Somer

Presenter
Bradley Somer’s is the author of four novels: Fishbowl, Extinction, Imperfections, and most recently, We Are All of Us Left Behind. His work has been published in over twenty countries, translated into several languages, and produced in many print, digital, and audio editions. A few are even in development for screen. His work was awarded the Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction and he was honoured to receive the... Read More →
Presenters
avatar for Ali Bryan
avatar for Marcello Di Cintio
avatar for Leanne Shirtliffe

Leanne Shirtliffe

A former WWC keynote, Leanne Shirtliffe is a certified AWA writers' workshop facilitator.

Leanne is published in many genres, including middle-grade fiction, picture books, adult memoir, and poetry; most recently, her poems have appeared in The Kenyon Review, The Baltimore Review, Carousel, and FreeFall magazine. Leanne grew up in Manitoba; has taught in Ontario, Alberta... Read More →
avatar for Nikki Vogel
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 5 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Panel

4:30pm MDT

Live Action Slush: Fantasy/Urban Fantasy
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6
Reader: Megan Baldrey
Presenters
avatar for Margaret Curelas

Margaret Curelas

Publisher, Tyche Books

Margaret Curelas was raised on a diet of Victorian fiction and Stephen King novels, so it's unsurprising that she now writes, edits, and publishes speculative fiction. Her short fiction has appeared in a variety of anthologies and magazines, and one day she'll finish that novel. After
... Read More →
avatar for Bonnie Jacoby

Bonnie Jacoby

Author, CosmicDragon Press
Bonnie Jacoby is the author of the YA fantasy series, Dragon Descendants of Drakkoia, featuring rebellious teen dragons and adventurous teens. Her debut book, Dreams of a Dragon Girl, was awarded 5 stars by IndieReader. She has travelled through the query trenches and the intricacies of indie publishing. Over the years she has joined many writing communities, both as a participant and a presenter. Currently she offers monthly blue pencil sessions, runs a week... Read More →
avatar for Megan Baldrey

Megan Baldrey

Executive Board President, Full Circle Theatre
Megan Baldrey is multi-passionate artist and adult spelling bee champion based out of Calgary, Alberta (Mohkinstsis). An honours' graduate of Mount Royal University's Theatre Performance Program, Megan works as a professional voice actor by day and a playwright, arts educator and... Read More →
avatar for Ella Beaumont

Ella Beaumont

Publisher, EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing
Ella Beaumont has been professionally involved in the publishing industry in both traditional and freelancing capacities since 2012 and thinks Live Action Slush should be a national sport. She has been in the process of acquiring EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, a boutique... Read More →
Sunday August 16, 2026 4:30pm - 5:45pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
  Slush

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
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 8
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...
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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
  Lecture/Seminar

6:00pm MDT

Closing Ceremony: TWONOTE with Andrew Buckley, Gemma Files; plus War of the Words Winners
Sunday August 16, 2026 6:00pm - 7:30pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6

Sunday August 16, 2026 6:00pm - 7:30pm MDT
Hyatt Regency Calgary - Imperial Ballroom 4+6 700 Centre St S, Calgary, AB T2G 5P6, Canada
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