The month of May celebrates one of our favourite narrative forms at the Writers Fest: short stories! Discover some of this season’s most brilliant collections at Books & Ideas on Granville Island. These tales are compact but impactful, bringing readers on transformative journeys through worlds inner, outer, and imagined.

André Alexis, author of the Giller Prize-winner Fifteen Dogs, transports us from 19th century Trinidad and Tobago to small-town Ontario, and beyond, in his highly anticipated new collection, Other Worlds. Blending poignant philosophical inquiry and wry humour tinged with the absurd, these captivating stories playfully employ a multitude of literary genres, including gothic horror and isekai.

Friendships fail, families stumble, and neighbours know each other’s business in Welcome to the Neighbourhood by local author (not to mention former Vancouver Writers Fest staff!) Clea Young. Distinctly rooted in the Pacific Northwest, Young’s stories deftly explore loneliness and connection, love and loss, fear and fortitude, and perhaps most evocatively the labyrinthine inner lives of women.

The author of five acclaimed novels, Catherine Bush joins us with her searing debut short story collection. Bush’s stories tackle the condition of our restless, unruly world amidst the tumult of viruses, climate change, and ecological crises. Here, she brings to life unusual and perplexing intimacies: a man falls in love with the wind; a substitute teacher’s behaviour with a student brings unforeseen risks; a woman becomes fixated on offering foot washes to strangers.

Join us for readings and a panel conversation moderated by award-winning Vancouver author Caroline Adderson. Books will be for sale at the event from Upstart & Crow, and the authors will sign after the talk.

WHEN: Thursday, May 22 at 7:30 PM.

WHERE: Revue Stage, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC.

WHAT: Moderated conversation, followed by a Q&A and book signings.

HOW: Tickets $27.