Includes all items below, but EXCLUDES the Writing Week, Workshops & Meals

12:15pm - 1:30pm. Chef’s Salad and Bun, Bacon OR vegetarian option (check box on next page): Chef’s Salad and Smoked Tofu Bun; Rhubarb Streusel Cake

5:45pm - 7:15pm. Moroccan Beef Stew, with Moroccan Beet Salad and Wild Rice; Apricot, Almond and Mascarpone Tartlets. Vegetarian option (check box on next page):

11:30am - 12:45pm. Vegetable Soup, with open-faced Roast Turkey Salad Sandwich OR (vegetarian option) Greek Pita Pocket with Hummus, Artichoke, Feta, Cherry Tomato and Red Onion; Chocolate Pudding with Whipped Cream. Vegetarian option (check box on next page): Vegetable Soup and Greek Pita Pocket with Hummus, Artichoke, Feta, Cherry Tomato and Red Onion; Chocolate Pudding with Whipped Cream

5:30pm - 6:50pm. Pesce all’Acqua Pazza Florentine with Crusty Bread or Focaccia and Cavolo Nero (Kale Salad); Berry Tiramisu. Vegetarian option (check box on next page):

"Why Writing Matters" Susan Lundy, Suzette Mayr and Ruth Ozeki will discuss, with moderator Angie Abdou, why they write, why writing and reading matter to them, and how literature can be a means of survival.

“Humanity’s Daunting Predicament” Britt Wray and Seth Klein take on the psychoanalytic and political/economic dimensions of climate change, with Brad Hornick moderating. The era of talking about "solutions" to climate change is over. We are witness to the mounting effects here and now. The planet is committed to more years of disrupted climate patterns and heightened extreme weather events. How do we prepare our community and ourselves for the new world we are living in?

Two Segments: 9:30-10:35 and 10:45-12:15 - (1) "Why reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is failing and what needs to be done to fix it." with Bruce McIvor, moderated by Denman-based social movement lawyer, Noah Ross. (2) "Migrant Displacement Panel: Three international writers" – novelist and Tibetan exile Tsering Yangzom Lama, Nigerian poet and physician Tolu Oloruntoba, and Egyptian-born novelist and journalist Omar El Akkad – talk with moderator Des Kennedy about the plight of millions forced by war, climate disaster or persecution, to flee their homelands. What are the particular challenges in writing

Please note that $15 tickets are generic and do not guarantee entry to a particular solo session. Entry will be on a first come, first served basis.

Monday to Friday July 17 – 21, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm daily. Join Angie Abdou for a week of artistic nourishment on beautiful Denman Island. Abdou has worked with writers at every stage, from students just getting started to people kickstarting a lapsed writing practice to literary artists who want to advance their publishing careers. With a friendly and supportive critiquing environment and plenty of tricks of the trade from a professional writer, the week promises to be inspiring and inject creative energy into writing projects.

Thursday, July 20, 2:00 - 5:00pm. Find your way to an editor’s heart with Susan Lundy, who is managing editor of the Boulevard Magazine Group and several smaller magazines. Explore the dos and don’ts of freelancing for magazines. Learn how to create the perfect pitch, write an engaging story and make your editor love you. Participants should bring pen and paper and be prepared to write a pitch and work on story leads.

Saturday July 22, 3:00pm - 5:00pm. As described by Stewart Goodings: Here’s a first for the DI Festival – what could be more Denman-like than a stroll through one of the island’s forests, while conversing and listening to one of Canada’s most renowned poets, winner of both the Governor General’s Prize for Poetry and the Griffin Prize for Poetry. Tolu’s latest book is all about finches, so clearly he’s been spending some creative time with the birds. Join him for an experience that combines poetic inspiration and gentle exercise!

Thursday July 20, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Indie publishing is an ever-changing landscape of opportunity, but is it the right choice for you? JP McLean will provide an overview of the options available today, and take you through the preparations necessary to publish your work. Topics include publishing models, distribution, branding, marketing, and publicity. You’ll leave with a resource sheet and a better understanding of what to expect before, during, and after you self-publish.

Thursday July 20, 2:00 – 5:00 pm. Short-listed for last year’s Giller Prize for Fiction, Tsering offers a fiction workshop focusing on the “small moves” that can transform one’s writing in the revision process. This workshop will look at moves acclaimed writers make to add texture, depth, and surprise to their work. Participants are asked to bring along a piece of writing and to be prepared to revise. They will be invited to share their writing in this workshop, though this is optional.