Roading and Eh, Writing – feat. Will Ferguson,
Natasha Deen will host a discussion with Will Ferguson about his new travel book, Meanwhile Back in Nokomis: Tales from Canada and Elsewhere.
From the Arctic Circle to the mud pools of New Zealand, Will Ferguson has spent a career chasing stories that reveal as much about Canada as they do about the world. Meanwhile, Back in Nokomis brings together his funniest, sharpest and most surprising adventures—collected here for the first time. Ferguson brings readers on a journey, from a tiny theatre town in rural Alberta to the haunted (and horse-grazed) shores of Sable Island off the coast of Nova Scotia. He weighs the benefits and drawbacks of the Confederation Bridge, wanders the jumbled cultural mixture of Montréal’s neighbourhoods and confronts his queasy relationship with Scottish whisky.
In between, Ferguson muses about the defining elements of Canadian culture and offers readers some writerly advice. He ponders the merits of selling out to advertisers, Canada’s national reputation for peacekeeping and the most frequently asked questions in literary interviews. He also offers his thoughts on the real questions: What’s the most Canadian condiment? The best contender for a national bird? And why didn’t he get the handyman gene? With his trademark humour and a sincere appreciation for Canada and beyond, Ferguson roams through a life of travel, writing and the moments in between from a distinctly Canadian point of view.
Annick Mentorship Opportunity!
Supporting Writers Who Have Been Historically Excluded from Children’s Publishing
Launched in 2021, this yearly mentorship program supports works in progress by emerging, underrepresented writers and author-illustrators whose access to children’s publishing may have been limited. In creating the program, we wanted to take concrete and ongoing steps to address issues of inequity and representation in kids’ publishing by offering these creators time, professional guidance, compensation, and an opportunity to learn more about an industry that has not provided equal access to everyone. Applications for 2026–27 are now open! The deadline to apply for this round of the program is September 30, 2026 at 11:59 P.M. ET.
Book Launch for A THOUSAND NIGHTS with me and Nafiza Azad
Mental Health Fundraiser at the Aviary
Join your fellow Edmontonians in a fundraiser in support of mental health
Held Together: Art & Performance in Support of Mental Health @ The Aviary!
$10 advance // $15 @ the door.
Doors @ 7:00pm
A Summer of Dragonflies is a CBC A 2026 KIDS FAVORITE!
Watch: Are Children’s Writers the Ultimate Freedom Fighters?
Thank you to all who joined us for the live panel. Watch the session here.
Thank you to the 2026 Story Avenue Donors
From the: “Story Avenue is an annual set of writing workshops held in Edmonton. The program was started in 2007 as a joint venture between YABS and the City Centre Education Partnership (CCEP) schools. Local professional children’s authors and illustrators teach writing workshops for approximately 400 students. Session sizes are small, allowing for some one-on-one interaction between students and artists. Each child receives a healthy snack and also takes home the gift of a book by one of their instructors. The program is run entirely through donations and sponsorships and is completely free of charge to the schools.”
Are Children’s Writer the Ultimate Freedom Fighters?
It’s early 2026 and the world is an especially scary place. Maybe it always has been but our cameras and screens give us a front row seat that feels more immediate. Whatever the case, there is an almost tangible desperation to retain our intellectual freedom like never before. But what about our kids? Isn’t that where it starts? Our February Controversy @ Noon panel will explore the fundamental role those who write for children play in the great ether of what we allow – or don’t allow – our kids to read, write, and study, and how exposure and accessibility to the ideas and perspectives of a diverse array of authors can shape forthcoming generations. We have to ask ourselves: Are children’s writers the ultimate freedom fighters? Register here.
Congratulations to the winners of the YABS ASOD Giveaway!
