Join us for Local Author Series, a dynamic series featuring six talented local authors, each bringing their own depth of knowledge, breadth of experience, and unique storytelling perspective. From fiction to memoir, poetry to prose, this series offers a rich exploration of the writing life through readings, reflections, and conversations with the authors themselves.
Whether you're a reader, writer, or simply curious about the creative process, this is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the literary talent in our own community.
Local Authors:
Abby Wilson: West Kootenay Hiking
An overview of writing the West Kootenay Hiking guidebook, with tips for being a self-published author.
Abby Wilson is an author, artist and adventurer living in Nelson. Her new West Kootenay Hiking guidebook has become a local bestseller with over 1000 copies sold. She was elected as an Associate Member of the Federation of Canadian artists and her paintings are held in private collections around the world.
Tom Wayman: The Road to Appledore, How I Went Back to the Land Without Ever Having Lived There in the First Place
Issues included literal vs. emotional facts (Truth vs Reality) and fact vs fiction with regard to people (characters) in memoir.
Tom’s books about Slocan Valley life include The Shadows We Mistake for Love (short stories; Douglas & McIntrye, 2015), How Can You Live Here? (poems; Frontenac House, 2024) and the Road to Appledore (Memoir; Harbour, 2024). Tom received BC’s 2022 George Woodcock Award for lifetime achievement in the literacy arts.
Dwayne Minton: Fiction Writer
Speculative fiction writer Dwayne will share their creative process, inspirations, and approach to crafting imaginative worlds. Including insights into how they harness ideas and transform them into compelling stories, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the art of writing speculative fiction. The session will include live readings from some of Dwayne’s work, followed by an open discussion and Q&A with the audience.
Dwayne is a biologist and professional fiction writer who lives in Balfour. He has published over 50 short stories in some of the top speculative fiction magazines and five books in a series of thrillers set in an alternative 1920s Eastern Europe. Their fiction takes a humanist approach to speculative fiction.
Ross Klatte: How Fiction Works
Explore the essential elements of fiction writing, including plot development, characterization, dialogue, voice, and style. This course features examples of various writing styles, highlights writers Ross admires and why, and emphasizes the value of reading great authors as a tool for becoming a better writer.
Self published a collection of stories, How Long Have I Been Here (FriesenPress, 2021) and a novel, Waiting for the Revolution (FriesenPress, 2024).
Kate Armstrong: The Stone Frigate: The Royal Military College’s First Female Cadet Speaks Out
Winner of the 2020 Ontario Historical Society Alison Prentice Award for best book on women history and finalist for the 2020 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in Nonfiction.
Brian d’Eon: Big Ledge, Loose Ends, Eta Carinae
Shares past and present writing projects, sample readings and discussion of the self-publishing process.
Brian wrote his first novella, “Lost in a Void Eternity” in grade 8. Unfortunately, the manuscript has been lost. Since then, he has written and published four novellas, a short story collection and three novels. He also enjoys converting his work into audiobook form.
Visit our registration page for course locations, times and fees.