Read Quebec

On August 12th, I'm Buying a Quebecois Book!
2025-08-12 | QC
This #12aout, discover a book from here!
August 12 is Quebec Book Day, known in French as « Le 12 août, j’achète un livre québécois ». Founded in 2014 by authors Patrice Cazeault & Amélie Dubé, August 12 has since become one of the highest-selling days for bookstores across the province.
Here at Read Quebec, we’re excited to showcase the latest local literature with a special focus on English-language books published, written, and translated within Quebec. Beyond bestsellers and prizewinners, we’re also eager to share hidden gems and forthcoming titles that may just become your next pageturner.
Head to ReadQuebec.ca/Books to discover our Fall catalogue, and share your recommendations by tagging us and using the hashtags #12aout #12aoutjacheteunlivrequebecois and #QuebecBookDay. Looking for inspiration? Get started with some favourites from our team below, or pick up a copy of the new Montreal Review of Books to read about some of the latest releases!

: ReadQuebec.ca/Books

RSVP on Facebook

Staff Recommendations

Featured Books

A Different HurricaneFiction H. Nigel Thomas A History of Photography in Canada, Volume 1: Anticipation to Participation, 1839–1918Nonfiction Martha Langford A Ladder of BonesFiction Bunmi Oyinsan AjarPoetry Margo LaPierre All Kidding AsideFiction Jean-Christophe Réhel, translated by Neil Smith And Then Again BeginFiction H. Nigel Thomas Annapurna’s BountyFiction Veena Gokhale As the Andes DisappearedFiction Caroline Dawson, translated by Anita Anand At Beckett’s GravePoetry Robin Durnford Baldwin, Styron and MeMemoir, Nonfiction Mélikah Abdelmoumen, translated by Catherine Khorduc Beyond Ken DrydenMemoir, Nonfiction Oren Safdie Blood BoundFiction Marie-Josée Poisson No results found.

Women in Translation Month
2025-08-01 08:00 - 2025-08-31 17:00 (America/Toronto) | QC
August is Women in Translation Month! Founded by Meytal Radzinski in 2014, Women in Translation Month celebrates writing by women in languages other than English.
Here in Quebec, we are grateful for the care and labour of translators who bring important stories to English-speaking audiences around the world.
Check out some featured titles below, translated from French, Spanish, Korean and more!

Featured Books

As the Andes DisappearedFiction Caroline Dawson, translated by Anita Anand Baldwin, Styron and MeMemoir, Nonfiction Mélikah Abdelmoumen, translated by Catherine Khorduc Club MicrobeKids Elise Gravel, translated by Montana Kane Dandelion DaughterFiction Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay, translated by Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch EmFiction Kim Thúy, translated by Sheila Fischman Hekla and LakiKids Marine Schneider, translated by Nick Frost and Catherine Ostiguy HorseflyFiction Mireille Gagné, translated by Pablo Strauss JournalMemoir Marie Uguay, translated by Jennifer Moxley Land of MirrorsFiction, Graphic novel Maria Medem, translated by Aleshia Jensen and Daniela Ortiz Nauetakuan, a Silence for a NoiseFiction Natasha Kanapé Fontaine, translated by Howard Scott Nights Too Short to DanceFiction Marie-Claire Blais, translated by Katia Grubisic Pale ShadowsFiction Dominique Fortier, translated by Rhonda Mullins PragueFiction Maude Veilleux, translated by Aleshia Jensen and Aimee Wall School for GirlsFiction Ariane Lessard, translated by Frances Pope So Long Sad LoveFiction, Graphic novel Mirion Malle, translated by Aleshia Jensen Songs for AngelFiction Marie-Claire Blais, translated by Katia Grubisic Sugaring OffFiction Fanny Britt, translated by Susan Ouriou The BigamistFiction Felicia Mihali, translated by Linda Leith The FutureFiction Catherine Leroux, translated by Susan Ouriou The JellyfishGraphic novel Boum, translated by Robin Lang and Helge Dascher The Old Man and the ChildKids Gabrielle Roy, translated by Katherine Sehl The WaitingGraphic novel Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated by Janet Hong This Radiant LifePoetry Chantal Neveu, translated by Erín Moure ValidFiction Chris Bergeron, translated by Natalia Hero youPoetry Chantal Neveu, translated by Erín Moure No results found.

Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize Showcase
2024-12-08 15:30 - 16:30 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
The Quebec Writers’ Federation’s Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize Showcase will once again display the creative talents of the finalists for the Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize.
Moe Clark “committing a dream / pawâkan Palestine”
Lucia De Luca “Congratulations”
Emilia Malpica-Iruegas “twenty-one”
Roger Sinha “Hater’s n Baiters: The Culture Collision”
Mac van den Hoeven “Memory Justice”

Cards for Peace
2024-12-08 14:00 - 15:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
We’ll create holiday greeting cards with drawings and writing for family and friends around the themes of peace, gratitude and light! Every tradition welcome!

Vasilios Billy Mavreas is an artist & writer making mostly book works, drawings, comics, visual poetry and collage. He designs and leads bilingual workshops and speaks publicly on creative process, collecting, zines and self-publishing, hybrid literature, found objects and paper ephemera.

Comic Book Confessions: Montreal Cartoonists Tell All
2024-12-08 14:00 - 15:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
Montreal has emerged as one of the most vibrant comic book scenes in the world, with a remarkable range of local creators producing weird, wild, and wonderful work that crosses over genres, generations, and languages. Join superstar cartoonists Walter Scott (Wendy), Éloïse Marseille (Naked: The Confessions of a Normal Woman), and Chris Oliveros (Are You Willing to Die for the Cause?) for a candid discussion about creating stories in pictures and words, finding humor in everyday life, and contemplating what could be next for Montreal’s thriving comic arts scene. Moderated by François Vigneault.

Postcards to the Future!
2024-12-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
Mail a message to your older self. We’ll be designing with words and pictures a double sided postcard with a message you’d like your future self to know. It could be serious or playful or both, you decide what the adult version of you should know! For kids 10 and up.

Vasilios Billy Mavreas is an artist & writer making mostly book works, drawings, comics, visual poetry and collage. He designs and leads bilingual workshops and speaks publicly on creative process, collecting, zines and self-publishing, hybrid literature, found objects and paper ephemera.

How I Got Published: Fiction Edition
2024-12-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
Looking for tips on getting your own writing into print? Writer/translator Mélissa Bull, editor of the QC Fiction imprint at Baraka Books, will moderate as panelists Rebecca Morris (Other Maps), Sofia Ajram (Coup de Grâce), and Lili Zeng (Dear Haider) recount their journeys to publication. There will be plenty of time for questions from the floor.

Archives Out Loud: A Panel Discussion on Italian-Canadian Writing in English in Quebec
2024-12-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
Moderated by Nancy Marrelli, archivist of the Italian-Canadian Community Archives of Quebec, which are housed at the Casa d’Italia, an exchange between: Domenic Cusmano, publisher of Accenti: The Magazine with an Italian Accent; novelist and literary impresario Christopher DiRaddo, and playwright Michaela Di Cesare. Reception in the Archives office in the basement to follow.

Opening Cocktail
2024-12-07 17:00 - 19:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
A very special edition of the Read Quebec Book Fair’s 5 à 7. Come have a drink at the end of an exciting day of book browsing and literary events. Meet public historian, artist and educator Cassandra Marsillo, author of Dalla valigia alla tavola, an oral history of Montreal immigrants from the Italian region of Molise, complete with 40 recipes – and enjoy Molisan antipasti created from the book’s recipes. This event is also a “Super Schmoozer” bringing together members of the Quebec Writers’ Federation, the Writers’ Union of Canada, Quebec chapter, and the English-language Arts Network. Chat about books, writing, and the delicious food! Everyone is welcome.

The Violet Hour Book Club Reads Subterrane by Valérie Bah
2024-12-07 15:00 - 16:30 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
Led by founder Christopher DiRaddo, this monthly discussion group for lovers of classic and contemporary works of LGBTQ literature will hold its December meeting on the stage at Casa d’Italia. Author Valérie Bah will make a special appearance via Zoom at 4 pm for the last half hour of the group discussion.

Create your own comic strip!
2024-12-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
We’ll explore the basic building blocks to get you started on drawing and writing a (mostly silly!) comic strip featuring fun characters we’ll create together. Close up faces, word balloons, sound effects and more! For kids 5 to 9.

Vasilios Billy Mavreas (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist and creativity workshop leader specializing in jumpstarting inspiration through collaborative creative play. The author of four graphic novels and director of gallery boutique Monastiraki (1998 – 2021), he has been involved in the Montreal arts community since the 1980s.

Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel in Conversation with Dr. Samir Shaheen-Hussain
2024-12-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
Join Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel, longtime activist and visual artist, to hear about her new book, When the Pine Needles Fall: Indigenous Acts of Resistance. A memoir of a deeply engaged life, with an account of the 1990 Kanehsatake and Kahnawake Siege, where she was a Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) spokesperson. . In conversation with Samir Shaheen-Hussain, MD, author of Fighting for a Hand to Hold: Confronting Medical Colonialism against Indigenous Children in Canada, winner of the 2021 Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-Fiction, the 2021 Concordia University First Book Prize, and le Prix de traduction de la Fondation Cole 2022.

2024 Read Quebec Book Fair
2024-12-07 12:00 - 2024-12-08 17:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
The Read Quebec Book Fair is back! Join us on December 7th and 8th at Casa d’Italia (505 rue Jean Talon est) to discover the latest releases of new works from local publishers, authors, and translators. We’re also looking forward to a full program of literary events – including an interview with author and Mohawk activist Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel on Saturday, a comics panel with a stellar lineup, and QWF Spoken Word Prize Showcase performances on Sunday – as well as a multitude of author signings.
Produced by the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ), the Read Quebec Book Fair celebrates the vibrancy of the English-language literary scene in Quebec, with local publishers displaying their titles, and Librairie Paragraphe selling books from Quebec writers and translators published elsewhere. The Fair will offer fun for young booklovers, with a cozy, book-filled Kids’ Nook both days, and a musical performance for children by Connie Kaldor and Paul Campagne on Saturday at noon. There will be an opening cocktail Saturday evening —it is free and open to all, wine and bites will be served.
The fair is open from 12pm-7pm Saturday, and 12pm-5pm Sunday at Casa d’Italia. The building is accessible directly across from Jean-Talon metro and fully accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. In accordance with public health guidelines, mask wearing for in-person events is optional, though encouraged, with hand sanitizing stations available at all locations.
Discover the full schedule of author signings here!

Schedule
Saturday, December 7th

A Duck in New York City – Musical Performance for Kids of All Ages
Saturday, December 7 2024
12 pm – 1 pm
20th Anniversary Celebration with Connie Kaldor and Paul Campagne, complete with anniversary cake!
Based on the Parents’ Choice Gold Award-winning musical picture book of the same name, a heartwarming children’s story and a dozen happy-go-lucky songs about self-esteem and determination. Follow a little duck from the Prairies who has a big dream: making it to New York City and doing his ducky dance on Broadway!

Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel in Conversation with Dr. Samir Shaheen-Hussain
Saturday, December 7 2024
2 pm – 3 pm
Join Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel, longtime activist and visual artist, to hear about her new book, When the Pine Needles Fall: Indigenous Acts of Resistance. A memoir of a deeply engaged life, with an account of the 1990 Kanehsatake and Kahnawake Siege, where she was a Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) spokesperson. In conversation with Samir Shaheen-Hussain, MD, author of Fighting for a Hand to Hold: Confronting Medical Colonialism against Indigenous Children in Canada, winner of the 2021 Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-Fiction, the 2021 Concordia University First Book Prize, and le Prix de traduction de la Fondation Cole 2022.

Create Your Own Comic Strip! A workshop with Vasilios Billy Mavreas
Saturday, December 7 2024
2 pm – 3 pm
We’ll explore the basic building blocks to get you started on drawing and writing a (mostly silly!) comic strip featuring fun characters we’ll create together. Close up faces, word balloons, sound effects and more! For kids 5 to 9.

The Violet Hour Book Club Reads Subterrane by Valérie Bah
Saturday, December 7 2024
3 pm – 4:30 pm
Led by founder Christopher DiRaddo, this monthly discussion group for lovers of classic and contemporary works of LGBTQ literature will hold its December meeting on the stage at Casa d’Italia. Author Valérie Bah will make a special appearance via Zoom at 4 pm for the last half hour of the group discussion.

Opening Cocktail
Saturday, December 7 2024
5 pm – 7 pm
A very special edition of the Read Quebec Book Fair’s 5 à 7. Come have a drink at the end of an exciting day of book browsing and literary events. Meet public historian, artist and educator Cassandra Marsillo, author of Dalla valigia alla tavola, an oral history of Montreal immigrants from the Italian region of Molise, complete with 40 recipes – and enjoy Molisan antipasti created from the book’s recipes. This event is also a “Super Schmoozer” bringing together members of the Quebec Writers’ Federation, the Writers’ Union of Canada, Quebec chapter, and the English-language Arts Network. Chat about books, writing, and the delicious food! Everyone is welcome.
Sunday, December 8th

Archives Out Loud: A Panel Discussion on Italian-Canadian Writing in English in Quebec
Sunday, December 8 2024
12 pm – 1 pm
Moderated by Nancy Marrelli, archivist of the Italian-Canadian Community Archives of Quebec, which are housed at the Casa d’Italia, an exchange between: Domenic Cusmano, publisher of Accenti: The Magazine with an Italian Accent; novelist and literary impresario Christopher DiRaddo, and playwright Michaela Di Cesare. Reception in the Archives office in the basement to follow.

How I Got Published: Fiction Edition
Sunday, December 8 2024
1 pm – 2 pm
Looking for tips on getting your own writing into print? Writer/translator Mélissa Bull, editor of the QC Fiction imprint at Baraka Books, will moderate as panelists Rebecca Morris (Other Maps), Sofia Ajram (Coup de Grâce), and Lili Zeng (Dear Haider) recount their journeys to publication. There will be plenty of time for questions from the floor.

Postcards to the Future! A workshop with Vasilios Billy Mavreas
Sunday, December 8 2024
1 pm – 2 pm
Mail a message to your older self. We’ll be designing with words and pictures a double sided postcard with a message you’d like your future self to know. It could be serious or playful or both, you decide what the adult version of you should know! For kids 10 and up.

Comic Book Confessions: Montreal Cartoonists Tell All
Sunday, December 8 2024
2 pm – 3 pm
Montreal has emerged as one of the most vibrant comic book scenes in the world, with a remarkable range of local creators producing weird, wild, and wonderful work that crosses over genres, generations, and languages. Join superstar cartoonists Walter Scott (Wendy), Éloïse Marseille (Naked: The Confessions of a Normal Woman), and Chris Oliveros (Are You Willing to Die for the Cause?) for a candid discussion about creating stories in pictures and words, finding humor in everyday life, and contemplating what could be next for Montreal’s thriving comic arts scene. Moderated by François Vigneault.

Cards for Peace: A workshop with Vasilios Billy Mavreas

Sunday, December 8 2024
2 pm – 3 pm

We’ll create holiday greeting cards with drawings and writing for family and friends around the themes of peace, gratitude and light! Every tradition welcome!

Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize Showcase
Sunday, December 8 2024
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
The Quebec Writers’ Federation’s Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize Showcase will once again display the creative talents of the finalists for the Ian Ferrier Spoken Word Prize.
Moe Clark “committing a dream / pawâkan Palestine”
Lucia De Luca “Congratulations”
Emilia Malpica-Iruegas “twenty-one”
Roger Sinha “Hater’s n Baiters: The Culture Collision”
Mac van den Hoeven “Memory Justice”
Children’s Programming with Vasilios Billy Mavreas
At any time during the Read Quebec Book Fair, wee people can hang out in our Babar Books Kids’ Nook and look at children’s books, draw and colour, or just relax in a cozy spot meant specially for them. Kids and their big people can also do some creative activity of their own at one of the three fabulous activities led by artist and writer Vasilios Billy Mavreas. For younger kids: Create your own comic strip! For older kids: Postcards to the Future! And for all ages: Cards For Peace.

A Duck in New York City – Musical Performance for Kids of All Ages
2024-12-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Casa d’Italia, 505 rue Jean Talon est, Montreal, QC, H2R 1T6, Canada
25th Anniversary Celebration with Connie Kaldor and Paul Campagne, complete with anniversary cake!
Based on the Parents’ Choice Gold Award-winning musical picture book of the same name, a heartwarming children’s story and a dozen happy-go-lucky songs about self-esteem and determination. Follow a little duck from the Prairies who has a big dream: making it to New York City and doing his ducky dance on Broadway!

Read Quebec at the Salon du livre de Montréal!
2024-11-27 09:00 - 2024-12-01 17:00 | Palais des congrès, 1001 Pl. Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montréal, Québec, H2Z 1H5, Canada
Read Quebec is returning to the Salon du livre de Montréal!

We’re excited to showcase some of the latest releases and bestsellers from participating local English-language publishers. Find us at kiosk #401 through the week at the hours below:

Wednesday, Nov. 27: 9 am – 6pmThursday, Nov. 28: 9 am – 9 pmFriday, Nov. 29: 9 am – 9 pmSaturday, Nov. 30: 9am – 9 pmSunday, Dec. 1: 9 am – 5 pm

Discover which authors will be signing at our booth by visiting the Salon’s website here.

On August 12th, I'm Buying a Quebecois Book!
2024-08-12 | QC
On August 12, discover a book from here!

Check back soon for details about Quebec Book Day, known in French as Le 12 août, j’achète un livre québécois ! We’re looking forward to sharing our Fall 2024 catalogue, which will include the latest releases written, published, translated and/or illustrated in Quebec.

: ReadQuebec.ca/Books

mRb Summer Launch
2024-07-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Café Osmo, 51 Sherbrooke O., Montreal, QC, Canada
The Montreal Review of Books launches its Summer 2024 issue on Thursday, July 4th at Café Osmo (51 Sherbrooke Street West)! Join us for readings by Frankie Barnet (Mood Swings, McClelland & Stewart), Nour Abi-Nakhoul (Supplication, Strange Light) and Nora Loreto (The Social Safety Net, Dundurn Press).

Doors will open at 6:00 p.m., and mRb readings will start at 6:30 p.m. The authors will be available to sign books after the readings. Admission is free.

For those unable to attend in person, readings will be live-streamed on our YouTube.

We thank you for your continued support of the mRb, and look forward to seeing you there!

Artwork by Peter Krausz, detail from Sans Titre, 2023. Oil on canvas, 102 x 153 cm (40” x 60”). Collection of the artist. Photo credit: Paul Litherland.

Écrire l’environnement / Writing the Environment
2023-11-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Palais des congrès, 1001 Pl. Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montréal, Québec, H2Z 1H5, Canada
Presented by the Association of English-Language Publishers of Quebec, this dialogic performance of poetry in English, French, and translation will imagine writing the environment. Featuring Kaie Kellough and Chantal Neveu, it will embody language in its relation to land and space, and reflect on poetry’s radical stance towards a sustainable future. This event is curated and hosted by Klara du Plessis. / Présentée par l’Association des éditeurs de langue anglaise du Québec, cette performance poétique, qui se déroulera en anglais et en français, permettra d’imaginer comment on écrit et décrit l’environnement. Kaie Kellough et Chantal Neveu exploreront la façon dont le texte incarne la langue dans ses rapports avec le territoire et l’espace. Ils réfléchiront aussi à l’attitude radicale de la poésie à l’égard d’un avenir durable. Cet événement est conçu et animé par Klara du Plessis.
Visit the official Salon du Livre de Montreal website for more information and the link to purchase tickets.

Read Quebec at the Salon du livre de Montréal
2023-11-22 09:00 - 2023-11-27 18:00 | Palais des congrès, 1001 Pl. Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montréal, Québec, H2Z 1H5, Canada
The Association of English-Language Publishers of Quebec will be at the Salon du livre de Montréal! We’ll have member titles available for purchase at kiosk #2206, courtesy of Saga Bookstore. Come by to discover new books and celebrate the province’s unique and vibrant English-language literary culture.

Tickets must be purchased in advance to attend the Salon. Entrance is free for QWF members!

https://www.salondulivredemontreal.com/exposants/aelaq

À propos du Salon:

Autour d’une communauté d’amoureux·euses du livre et de lecteur·rice·s en devenir, la mission première du Salon est de promouvoir le livre et le plaisir de la lecture comme biens culturels dans la société québécoise. Le Salon du livre de Montréal valorise le rôle essentiel des auteur·rice·s, des créateur·rice·s et des artisan·e·s dans le milieu du livre et contribue ainsi à faire rayonner la diversité de la production éditoriale régionale, nationale et internationale. Finalement, le Salon rassemble et mobilise les créateur·rice·s, la communauté professionnelle du livre et les lecteur·rice·s du Québec, tout en offrant des lieux qui favorisent la création, l’échange et le débat autour des enjeux de notre société. Les valeurs qui sont au cœur de notre mission sont le partage, la diversité, l’inclusion et le plaisir.

Making Monster Heads - An Exercise in Slow Group Drawing
2023-11-04 15:30 - 16:30 | McConnell Building Atrium, Concordia University, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada
Atrium of McConnell Building, Concordia University
1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal
In-person. Free, no registration required.
RSVP to the Facebook event here.
Together we’ll SLOWLY build a weird and wonderful bunch of monster heads that we can only create as a team! For all ages.
Vasilios Billy Mavreas (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist and creativity workshop leader specializing in jumpstarting inspiration through collaborative creative play. The author of four graphic novels and director of gallery boutique Monastiraki (1998 – 2021), he has been involved in the Montreal arts community since the 1980s.

Scarborough Screening
2023-11-04 15:00 - 17:15 | DeSève Cinema, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montrea, Montreal, QC, Canada
DeSève Cinema, inside the McConnell Building, Concordia University
1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal
In person. Free, no registration required.
In a pre-festival special event, Image+Nation Queer Culture, Montreal’s long-running queer film festival, will join the Violet Hour to co-sponsor this moving film, an adaptation of Catherine Hernandez’s novel of the same name.
Explore other 2023 Read Quebec Book Fair events here, and discover more English-language books written, published, or translated in Quebec at ReadQuebec.ca.

Postcards to the Future!
2023-11-04 13:30 - 14:30 | McConnell Building Atrium, Concordia University, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada
Atrium of McConnell Building, Concordia University
1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal
In-person. Free, no registration required.
RSVP to the Facebook event here.
Mail a message to your older self. We’ll be designing with words and pictures a double sided postcard with a message you’d like your future self to know. It could be serious or playful or both, you decide what the adult version of you should know! For kids 10 and up.
Vasilios Billy Mavreas (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist and creativity workshop leader specializing in jumpstarting inspiration through collaborative creative play. The author of four graphic novels and director of gallery boutique Monastiraki (1998 – 2021), he has been involved in the Montreal arts community since the 1980s.
Explore other 2023 Read Quebec Book Fair events here, and discover more English-language books written, published, or translated in Quebec at ReadQuebec.ca.

Getting Lit with Linda: Live podcast recording featuring guests Catherine Hernandez and Eva Crocker
2023-11-04 13:00 - 14:00 | DeSève Cinema, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montrea, Montreal, QC, Canada
DeSève Cinema, McConnell Building, Concordia University
1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal
In-person. Free, no registration required.
RSVP to the Facebook event here.
In a first-ever episode with a live audience, award-winning podcaster Dr. Linda Morra will interview novelists Catherine Hernandez and Eva Crocker. Both authors will be available to sign books afterward. Co-sponsored by Montreal’s queer reading series, the Violet Hour.
Catherine Hernandez (she/her) is an award-winning author and screenwriter. She is a proud queer woman who is of Filipino, Spanish, Chinese and Indian descent and married into the Navajo Nation. Her first novel, Scarborough, won the Jim Wong-Chu Award for the unpublished manuscript and was a finalist for several awards including Canada Reads 2022. She wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of Scarborough, which was nominated for 11 Canadian Screen Awards and won 8 including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Her second novel, Crosshairs, was shortlisted for the Toronto Book Award and made the CBC’s Best Canadian Fiction, NOW Magazine’s 10 Best Books, Indigo Best Book, and NBC 20 Best LGBTQ Books list of 2020. Her third novel, The Story of Us, was published this year by HarperCollins Canada and was an instant bestseller. She is currently working on a few television projects and her fourth novel.
Eva Crocker grew up in Ktaqamkuk (Newfoundland) and currently resides in Tiohti:áke (Montreal). Her debut novel All I Ask was longlisted for the 2020 Giller Prize and won the 2020 BMO Winterset Award. Her short story collection Barreling Forward was shortlisted for the Dayne Ogilvie Prize for Emerging LGBTQS2 Writers and won the Alistair MacLeod Award for Short Fiction and the CAA Emerging Author’s Award. She is a PhD student in Concordia University’s Interdisciplinary Humanities program.
Linda Morra is a professor of Canadian and Indigenous literatures, writer, editor, and literary podcaster who lives in Montreal (Tiohtià:ke). Getting Lit With Linda, which she co-produces with Marco Timpano, won the Canadian Podcasting Awards in 2022 and has been shortlisted for the People’s Choice Podcasting Awards this year. Photo credit: Nadia Zhang.
Explore other 2023 Read Quebec Book Fair events here, and discover more English-language books written, published, or translated in Quebec at ReadQuebec.ca.

Create Your Own Comic Strip!
2023-11-04 11:30 - 12:30 | McConnell Building Atrium, Concordia University, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada
Atrium of McConnell Building, Concordia University
1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal
In-person. Free, no registration required
RSVP to the Facebook event here.
We’ll explore the basic building blocks to get you started on drawing and writing a (mostly silly!) comic strip featuring fun characters we’ll create together. Close up faces, word balloons, sound effects and more! For kids 5 to 9.
Vasilios Billy Mavreas (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist and creativity workshop leader specializing in jumpstarting inspiration through collaborative creative play. The author of four graphic novels and director of gallery boutique Monastiraki (1998 – 2021), he has been involved in the Montreal arts community since the 1980s.
Explore other 2023 Read Quebec Book Fair events here, and discover more English-language books written, published, or translated in Quebec at ReadQuebec.ca.

Read Quebec Book Fair Opening Cocktail
2023-11-03 16:30 - 18:00 | McConnell Building Atrium, Concordia University, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada
McConnell Building, Concordia University Atrium
1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal. Free, no registration required. In person.
RSVP to the Facebook event here.
Following the book fair events in the 4TH SPACE, attendees are invited to attend a wine and cheese reception to mingle with fellow book lovers, peruse and purchase books.
Explore other 2023 Read Quebec Book Fair events here, and discover more English-language books written, published, or translated in Quebec at ReadQuebec.ca.

Eight Voices: Finalists for the QWF Spoken Word Prize
2023-11-03 15:00 - 16:30 | 4TH SPACE, Concordia University, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada
4TH SPACE, McConnell Building, Concordia University
1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal
In-person and livestreamed.
Free, no registration required for in-person event. Registration required for the livestream.
RSVP to the Facebook event here.
In an exciting live event, the finalists for the second edition of the annual Quebec Writers’ Federation Spoken Word Prize will offer short performances showcasing their talents. The prize is open to all forms of spoken word performance, from storytelling to sound poetry, hip hop, and dub. Presented by the Quebec Writers’ Federation and Concordia’s SpokenWeb project.
Explore other 2023 Read Quebec Book Fair events here, and discover more English-language books written, published, or translated in Quebec at ReadQuebec.ca.

Perfect Your Pitch Workshops
2023-11-03 13:30 - 15:00 | QC
The Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec and the Quebec Writers’ Federation have partnered with Concordia University’s Writers Read series to present a panel discussion on crafting successful non-fiction book and magazine pitches. Featuring Maisonneuve Magazine associate editor Nour Abi-Nakhoul, Assembly Press publisher Leigh Nash, and accomplished journalist and author Adam Leith Gollner, the event will be moderated by Montreal arts and culture journalist Matt Hays. No registration is required for the panel, but space is limited.
The panel will be followed by 90-minute workshops with Nour Abi-Nakhoul and Leigh Nash for pre-registered participants. Workshops are free, but pre-registration is required. Each workshop will be limited to 10 participants. A waiting list will be created if needed.
Sign-Up Instructions
Please email Riley Palanca at the QWF to register, including the following:

Your name
Which workshop you would like to attend
For the magazine workshop, please include a draft non-fiction pitch, maximum 500 words, see details below
For the book proposal workshop, please include a 300-word synopsis of one non-fiction project and a 200-word bio, see details below.

Workshop Descriptions
Magazine Pitches with Nour Abi-Nakhoul
In the world of magazine journalism, crafting a pitch that’s succinct, relevant and compelling is necessary for getting your story idea out of your head and onto the page. Over 90 minutes, you’ll obtain personalized, in-depth feedback on your pitch from Maisonneuve Magazine editor Nour Abi-Nakhoul. Participants will learn about proper pitch structure, finding the right publication, email etiquette and how to effectively showcase your writing ability. Participants will be asked to submit a draft pitch prior to the workshop in order to receive feedback. Pitches should be around 3-4 paragraphs long; no more than 500 words.
Nour Abi-Nakhoul is a Montreal-based writer and editor. She’s written for a variety of Canadian and American publications, and is currently the associate editor of Maisonneuve Magazine. Her debut novel, Supplication, is coming out next spring from Penguin Random House. Photo credit: Olivia Gough.
Non-Fiction Book Proposals with Leigh Nash
A solid proposal is essential when it comes to pitching book-length non-fiction projects to traditional publishing houses. On the one hand, it’s great: you don’t have to write a whole book before you begin submitting! On the other, you can’t rely on a stellar manuscript to win over agents and editors. This 90-minute workshop with Assembly Press publisher Leigh Nash will help you pull together the pieces you need to craft a full book proposal that’s tailored to your publishing goals. Participants will be asked to prepare a 300-word synopsis of one non-fiction project and a 200-word bio and submit them in advance; these will be used as the basis for in-workshop exercises.
Leigh Nash is the publisher at Assembly Press. Prior to that, she was publisher at House of Anansi Press and Invisible Publishing, where she expanded the publishing program and shaped an editorial identity that has been met with significant critical acclaim and major literary award nominations. She has also worked for Coach House Books, served on the boards of eBOUND Canada and the Association of Canadian Publishers, and has taught book publishing courses at Humber College and York University. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and has published one poetry collection, Goodbye, Ukulele.

Perfect Your Pitch Panel
2023-11-03 12:00 | 4TH SPACE, Concordia University, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada
4TH SPACE, McConnell Building, Concordia University, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal
In-person and livestreamed.
Free, no registration required.
RSVP to the Facebook event here.
In partnership with the Quebec Writers’ Federation and the Writers Read series of Concordia University, a panel discussion on how to make successful nonfiction book and magazine pitches. Tips and feedback from the pros, followed by short workshops for pre-registered participants.
With Nour Abi-Nakhoul, Maisonneuve Magazine; Leigh Nash, Assembly Press; and accomplished journalist and author Adam Leith Gollner. Moderated by Matt Hays, Concordia University.
Leigh Nash is the publisher at Assembly Press. Prior to that, she was publisher at House of Anansi Press and Invisible Publishing, where she expanded the publishing program and shaped an editorial identity that has been met with significant critical acclaim and major literary award nominations. She has also worked for Coach House Books, served on the boards of eBOUND Canada and the Association of Canadian Publishers, and has taught book publishing courses at Humber College and York University. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and has published one poetry collection, Goodbye, Ukulele.
Nour Abi-Nakhoul is a Montreal-based writer and editor. She’s written for a variety of Canadian and American publications, and is currently the associate editor of Maisonneuve Magazine. Her debut novel, Supplication, is coming out next spring from Penguin Random House. Photo credit: Olivia Gough.
Adam Leith Gollner is the author of The Fruit Hunters, The Book of Immortality, and Working in the Bathtub. The former Editor in Chief of VICE, his writing appears in Vanity Fair, The Paris Review, GQ, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. Six of his recent feature stories have been optioned by Hollywood studios.
Explore other 2023 Read Quebec Book Fair events here, and discover more English-language books written, published, or translated in Quebec at ReadQuebec.ca.

Read Quebec Book Fair 2023
2023-11-03 11:00 - 2023-11-04 18:00 | McConnell Building Atrium, Concordia University, 1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada
The Read Quebec Book Fair is back! Formerly known as the Holiday Book Fair, the Fair returns for its eighth installment on November 3-4 in the Concordia McConnell Building Atrium to present more than twenty overflowing tables of exciting new works from local publishers, authors, and translators, a full program of hybrid literary events, and multiple author signings.
Produced by the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ) in partnership with the Quebec Writers’ Federation (QWF), the Read Quebec Book Fair celebrates the vibrancy of the English-language literary scene in Quebec, with local publishers displaying their titles, and Librairie Paragraphe selling books from Quebec writers and translators published elsewhere. The Fair will offer fun for young booklovers, with a cozy, book-filled Kids’ Nook both days, and creative activities on Saturday afternoon. There will be a wine-and-cheese reception on Friday and coffee on Saturday morning.
The fair is open Friday and Saturday November 3-4, 2023, from 11 am – 6 pm, in the Atrium of the McConnell Building at Concordia University, 1400 De Maisonneuve Boulevard W. The building is accessible directly from Guy metro and fully accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. In accordance with public health guidelines, mask wearing for in-person events is optional, though encouraged, with hand sanitizing stations available at all locations.
Find below the full Read Quebec Book Fair Events Calendar, as well as author signing schedules.
Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Montreal Review of Books – Fall Issue Launch
Wednesday, November 1, 2023, 7 pm.
La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly (176 Rue Bernard O) In-person and livestreamed. Free, no registration required.
Join us for the launch of the Fall Issue of the Montreal Review of Books, featuring Sean Michaels (Do You Remember Being Born?), Chris Bergeron (Valid) and Mostafa Henaway (Essential Work, Disposable Workers). Hosted by Montreal Review of Books editor, Malcolm Fraser. RSVP on Facebook.
Friday, November 3, 2023

Perfect Your Pitch Panel
Friday, November 3, 2023, 12 pm
4TH SPACE, McConnell Building, Concordia University
(1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W) In-person and livestreamed. Free, no registration required.
In partnership with the Quebec Writers’ Federation and the Writers Read series of Concordia University, a panel discussion on how to make successful nonfiction book and magazine pitches. Tips and feedback from the pros, followed by short workshops for pre-registered participants. With With Nour Abi-Nakhoul, Maisonneuve Magazine; Leigh Nash, Assembly Press; and accomplished journalist and author Adam Leith Gollner. Moderated by Matt Hays, Concordia University.

Perfect Your Pitch Workshops
Friday, November 3, 2023, 1:30 pm
Concordia University
(1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W) In-person. Registration required.
The panel will be followed by 90-minute workshops with Nour Abi-Nakhoul and Leigh Nash for pre-registered participants. Workshops are free, but pre-registration is required. Each workshop will be limited to 10 participants. A waiting list will be created if needed. Visit the event page for registration details.

Eight Voices: Finalists for the QWF Spoken Word Prize
Friday, November 3, 2023, 3 pm
4TH SPACE, inside the McConnell Building, Concordia University
(1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W) In-person and livestreamed. Free, registration required for livestream.
In an exciting live event, the finalists for the Quebec Writers’ Federation Spoken Word Prize will showcase their talents in short performances.

Read Quebec Book Fair Opening Cocktail
Friday, November 3, 2023, 4:30 pm
McConnell Building, Concordia University Atrium
1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal. Free, no registration required. In person.
Following the book fair events in the 4TH SPACE, attendees are invited to attend a wine and cheese reception to mingle with fellow book lovers, peruse and purchase books.
Saturday, November 4, 2023
On Saturday morning, coffee will be offered to browsers with the compliments of the Read Quebec Book Fair.
The books of the participating authors will be available for sale at the in-person events, and a curated selection of books by Quebec writers will also be available through the Read Quebec online catalogue. This is a wonderful opportunity to find the perfect holiday gift for your loved ones!

Create Your Own Comic Strip!
Saturday, November 4, 2023, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Atrium of McConnell Building, Concordia University
(1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal). Free, no registration required. In person.
We’ll explore the basic building blocks to get you started on drawing and writing a (mostly silly!) comic strip featuring fun characters we’ll create together. Close up faces, word balloons, sound effects and more! For kids 5 to 9.

Getting Lit with Linda: Live podcast recording featuring guests Catherine Hernandez and Eva Crocker
Saturday, November 4, 2023, 1 pm
DeSève Cinema, McConnell Building, Concordia University
(1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal). Free, no registration required. In person.
In a first-ever episode with a live audience, award-winning podcaster Dr. Linda Morra will interview novelists Catherine Hernandez and Eva Crocker. Both authors will be available to sign books afterward. Co-sponsored by Montreal’s queer reading series, the Violet Hour.

Postcards to the Future!
Saturday, November 4, 2023, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Atrium of McConnell Building, Concordia University
(1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal). Free, no registration required. In person.
Mail a message to your older self. We’ll be designing with words and pictures a double sided postcard with a message you’d like your future self to know. It could be serious or playful or both, you decide what the adult version of you should know! For kids 10 and up.

Scarborough Screening
Saturday, November 4, 2023, 3:00 pm
DeSève Cinema, inside the McConnell Building, Concordia University
(1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal). Free, no registration required. In person.
In a pre-festival special event, Image+Nation Queer Culture, Montreal’s long-running queer film festival, will join the Violet Hour to co-sponsor this moving film, an adaptation of Catherine Hernandez’s novel of the same name.

Making Monster Heads – An Exercise in Slow Group Drawing
Saturday, November 4, 2023, 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Atrium of McConnell Building, Concordia University
(1400 Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal). Free, no registration required. In person.
Together we’ll SLOWLY build a weird and wonderful bunch of monster heads that we can only create as a team! For all ages.
Thank you to our generous funders, partners, and sponsors!

Montreal Review of Books – Fall Issue Launch
2023-11-01 19:00 - 21:00 | La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly, 176 Bernard O, Montreal, QC, Canada
Wednesday, November 1, 2023, 7 pm.
Montreal Review of Books – Fall Issue Launch
La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly, 176 Rue Bernard O, Montréal, QC H2T 2K2
In-person and live streamed. Free, no registration required.
Join us for the launch of the Fall Issue of the Montreal Review of Books, featuring Sean Michaels (Do You Remember Being Born?), Chris Bergeron (Valid) and Mostafa Henaway (Essential Work, Disposable Workers). Hosted by Montreal Review of Books editor, Malcolm Fraser. RSVP on Facebook.
Sean Michaels is the author of the novels Do You Remember Being Born?, Us Conductors, winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and The Wagers; his non-fiction has appeared in The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, Pitchfork and The New Yorker. He lives in Montreal. Photo credit: Julie Artacho.
Mostafa Henaway, a Canadian-born Egyptian, is a long-time community organizer at the Immigrant Workers Centre in Montreal, where he has been organizing for justice for immigrant/migrant workers for over two decades. He is also a researcher and PhD candidate at Concordia University.
Chris Bergeron is diverse and fluid: after beginning a career in journalism and eventually winding up at the helm of the weekly cultural magazine Voir, she now dedicates her artistic vitality to Cossette, a leading global marketing agency. She offers speaking engagements on leadership, diversity, inclusion, and trans rights. Chris lives in Montreal. Photo credit: Geneviève Charbonneau.
