The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts is pleased to announce the shortlist for the Al and Eurithe Purdy BC Award for Excellence, a new annual prize recognizing an outstanding book of fiction or non-fiction written by a British Columbia author and traditionally published by a BC-based publisher.

The finalists were chosen from nearly 40 eligible titles published in British Columbia in 2025 and include two books of non-fiction and one book of fiction written by authors from Victoria, Williams Lake and Nelson.

“We would like to emphasize the quality of the books being written and published in the province—the field of eligible titles was impressive,” remarked Marisa Alps, the Artistic and Executive Director of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts. “The books that were eventually selected are firmly rooted in the history and landscape of BC and are not only rewarding to read, but bring awareness to issues of cultural importance to British Columbians. They also remind us how a beautifully and skillfully told story can create connection and understanding.”

The 2026 shortlisted authors are:

George M. Abbott — Unceded: Understanding British Columbia’s Colonial Past and Why It Matters Now (UBC Press)
As the current Chief Commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission, George M. Abbott brings a rare insider’s perspective to Unceded: Understanding British Columbia’s Colonial Past and Why It Matters Now, chronicling more than 150 years of BC-Indigenous relations and the failure to resolve Aboriginal title.

Cecilia Dick DeRose, with Sage Birchwater — One Arrow Left: The Memoir of Secwépemc Knowledge Keeper Cecilia DeRose (Caitlin Press)
In One Arrow Left, Secwépemc elder, matriarch, and knowledge-keeper Cecilia DeRose (1935-2026) worked with writer Sage Birchwater to recount her journey from the meadows of the Cariboo through the trauma of residential school to receiving an honorary doctorate in recognition of her work in language and cultural preservation.

Sarah Louise Butler — Rufous and Calliope (Douglas & McIntyre)
Sarah Louise Butler takes readers deep into the rugged BC Interior in Rufous and Calliope, a powerful work of geographic fiction that features runaway children, treehouse hideaways, early-onset dementia and the persistence of hope amidst ecological grief.

Established through the generous support of Eurithe Purdy in memory of her late husband, acclaimed Canadian writer Al Purdy, the award recognizes books distinguished by literary excellence, dedication to craft, originality, and a strong connection to British Columbia’s cultural, historical, or literary landscape.

“It is an honour to be able to endow this new prize for BC writers,” said Eurithe Purdy. “I know from long experience how much effort writers put into sustaining our literary culture and how little recognition they normally receive. I hope this new prize will go some way to showing our appreciation.”

The award seal, which features a dogwood flower, was created expressly for the Al and Eurithe Purdy BC Award for Excellence by acclaimed artist Roy Henry Vickers. “A four-petal Pacific dogwood reminds me of the four directions of the sweat lodge and the four seasons,” explained Vickers. “… The eagle in the centre represents the sun and the moon, and the vision we have to see clearly what we can give to our community as teachers, healers, visionaries, and leaders.”

The three finalists—George Abbott, Sage Birchwater and Sarah Louise Butler—will be featured at the BC Books Showcase event moderated by Kathryn Gretsinger on Friday, August 14, at 2 pm during the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts. The winner of the $5,000 prize will be announced on August 13 at the Festival’s opening reception.

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Register for a one-on-one meeting with Janine Young, a literary writer and the managing editor of Nightwood Editions. This 20-minute session provides the opportunity to get feedback from a publishing professional and learn about the editing process.

Janine Alyson Young is a literary writer from the West Coast of BC. Her short story collection Hideout Hotel was shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed Award, and she has been toiling over her first novel ever since. She is also the managing editor at Nightwood Editions, an indie publisher which proudly works with emerging and award-winning authors. She lives on the unceded traditional land of the Skwxwú7mesh People in Gibsons, BC. 

Please note that the selected registrants will have to submit a writing sample by July 30th. More information will be provided.

Festival and day passes do not include admission to Special Event A. To reserve a ticket for the Blue Pencil Sessions, fill out this order form and the Festival Office will contact you (while supplies last).

Location: Rockwood Lodge Art Space
Date: Sessions on Friday, August 14, Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16
Cost: $40.00

Event B – Dialogue Workshop with Sam Wiebe

Join crime writer Sam Wiebe for a workshop on dialogue. He’ll discuss the difference between dialogue and real-life speech; how dialogue relates to character, pacing, voice, and plot; and why characters say one thing and mean another (even if they don’t know it).

Sam Wiebe is the author of the bestselling Ocean Drive as well as the Wakeland novels, one of the most authentic and acclaimed detective series in Canada, including Sunset and Jericho and The Last Exile. Guns Across the River is the latest in the series. His work has won the Crime Writers of Canada award, the Kobo Emerging Writers prize, and a silver medal from the Independent Publisher Book Awards, and been shortlisted for the Edgar, Hammett, Shamus and City of Vancouver book prizes. The Last Exile is a finalist for the 2026 BC and Yukon Book Prizes’ Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. Wiebe lives in New Westminster, BC.

Festival and day passes do not include admission to Special Event B. To reserve a ticket for the dialogue workshop, order at www.writersfestival.ca, visit the festival office in person or call 604-885-9631 (while supplies last).

Location: Rockwood Lodge Art Space
Date: Friday, August 14, 12:30 – 2:00 pm
Cost: $25.00

Event C – Writing Memoir with Donna Morrissey

SOLD OUT! Contact the Festival Office to be added to the waitlist

Just what the heck qualifies as memoir and how do you tell your story truthfully when everyone in it is still alive? In this workshop you’ll learn to distinguish between three types of memoir (book length, personal essay and narrative essay), decide which one works best for your story, and identify the main themes or ‘heart’ of your work.

Donna Morrissey is the author of the nationally bestselling memoir Pluck, which was a finalist for the Atlantic Book Awards’ Non-Fiction Award, and of seven acclaimed and bestselling novels, including the national bestseller Rage the Night. She won the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award and the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Crime Fiction for The Fortunate Brother; Sylvanus Now was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize; and The Deception of Livvy Higgs was a One Read pick for Nova Scotia in 2017. Her fiction has also won awards in the US and the UK, and has been translated into several languages. Born and raised in Newfoundland, she lives in Halifax.

Festival and day passes do not include admission to Special Event C. To reserve a ticket for the memoir workshop, order at www.writersfestival.ca, visit the festival office in person or call 604-885-9631 (while supplies last).

Location: Rockwood Lodge Art Space
Date: Saturday, August 15, 12:30 – 2:00 pm
Cost: $25.00

Event D – Festival of the Written Arts Coffee Hour

Enjoy complimentary coffee and tea and live music while you share stories, talk books and mingle with other festival goers. No registration required!

Location: Beside the Book Tent
Date: Sunday, August 16, 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Cost: Free

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Al and Eurithe Purdy

The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts is pleased to announce the Al and Eurithe Purdy BC Award for Excellence, an annual prize recognizing an outstanding book of fiction or non-fiction written by a BC author and published by a BC-based publisher.

The prize is made possible through the generous support of Eurithe Purdy in memory of her late husband, the great Canadian writer Al Purdy, and was created to recognize his literary legacy and his close ties to British Columbia. “It is an honour to be able to endow this new prize for BC writers,” said Eurithe Purdy. “I know from long experience how much effort writers put into sustaining our literary culture and how little recognition they normally receive. I hope this new prize will go some way to showing our appreciation.”

The $5,000 prize will be awarded to an author whose work shows literary merit, dedication to craft and originality, and is rooted in BC’s cultural, historical or literary landscape. Starting in 2026, the award will be presented each year at the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts.

“We are thrilled to be able to support BC-published and BC-authored books through this award,” says Marisa Alps, the Artistic and Executive Director of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts. “The Festival was formed in 1983 with the vision of amplifying Canadian writers, and we think Al and Eurithe Purdy’s award fits beautifully within this mandate.”

For this inaugural year, Alps compiled a list of eligible fiction and literary non-fiction titles published in British Columbia in 2025. (Beginning next year, the award will incorporate a formal submission process for publishers.) Excluded from consideration are reference works, children’s books, poetry, plays and self-published titles. Books will be evaluated by a dedicated reading committee, and a longlist will then be forwarded to an independent jury.

The shortlist will be announced in June 2026, and the three finalists will be invited to participate in the BC Books Showcase, a celebratory reading event hosted at the Festival of the Written Arts on Friday, August 14. The winner will be announced during the Festival’s opening reception.

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Tickets are still on sale! Don’t miss your chance to hear from others in our incredible lineup of writers this year. You can buy tickets by calling 604-885-9631 or 1-800-565-9631 (toll-free), visiting our office in person (5511 Shorncliffe Avenue in Sechelt), or online via Tickit. You can find more information about the Festival and the remaining events by perusing the 2025 Festival Program.

We have three sold out shows (Event #1, Event #14, and Event #15), but we still have tickets available for all other regular events.

It’s raining, it’s pouring!

This weekend is going to be a rainy one! Come prepared with jackets and umbrellas. The Pavilion is an open-air site, so even though it is covered – it can still get chilly during the events.

Hungry during your event?

We are pleased to announce the return of the Festival Café! We will have fresh and local flexitarian options including a gluten-free/vegan soup, an assortment of sandwiches, and a variety of sweets. Located near the book tent, the Café will be open daily from 8:30 am – 6:30 pm.

Once you’ve got your lunch, come check out the Beverage Booth! Located between Rockwood Lodge and the Book Tent, there are a variety of non-alcoholic and alcoholic refreshments for sale. This year, you can find Sunshine Coast beer from Persephone Brewing and local cider from Banditry Cider.

Locally owned and operated, Strait Coffee will also be serving their delicious coffee and tea on site from Friday-Sunday! Their both will be located in front of Rockwood Lodge

Limited Parking on Saturday

If you are coming to the festival on Saturday morning or early afternoon (on August 16), please leave lots of time to find parking, or carpool, or travel by public transit. The Sechelt Farmer’s and Artisan Market is set up at the end of Cowrie Street until 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and it is very busy!

Shorncliffe Avenue will still be open for drop-offs/pick-ups, and we do have some limited parking for attendees with disabilities.

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Event A – Fiction Workshop: Creating Believable Characters with Caroline Adderson

The aim of this session is to people your stories and novels with characters who might walk right off the page. We will cover the meaning of names, explore techniques to deepen characterization, examine the hidden motivations of your fictional creations, trace their character arcs, and make sure that when they speak (and they will!) effective dialogue comes out of their mouths. Come prepared to write, read and share.

Saturday, August 16, 2025 | 11:30 am– 1:00 pm
Location: Rockwood Lodge Art Space (space is limited)
Workshop cost: $25.00

Event B – Festival of the Written Arts Coffee Hour

Sunday, August 17, 2025 | 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Festival site, beside the Book Tent
Cost: Free

Enjoy complimentary coffee and tea and live music while you share stories, talk books and mingle with other festival goers. No registration required!

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Instead, bestselling novelist Iona Whishaw will be featured in a solo event on Friday, August 16 at 4:00 pm.

Iona Whishaw is a former educator and social worker whose mother and grandfather were both spies during their respective wars. She is the award-winning author of the Lane Winslow Mystery series, which has been called “highly entertaining” by Publishers Weekly, and described as “relentlessly exciting from start to finish” by Kirkus Reviews. Her eleventh novel in the series, Lightning Strikes the Silence (Touchwood Editions), was named by CBC Books as a Top 20 Bestselling Canadian Book of 2024 so far, and recently hit #1 on the BC Bestseller list. Iona lives in Vancouver, BC, with her husband.

We thank Iona Whishaw for stepping in on short notice and hope you will join us in sending good thoughts to Kyo Maclear. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

If you have purchased tickets to see Kyo Maclear, you may use them to attend the event with Iona Whishaw and a new ticket is not needed. Please call or email the Festival office if you would like to request a refund or exchange your ticket(s) for another event (depending on availability).

The Festival office is located at the Rockwood Centre, 5511 Shorncliffe Avenue, Sechelt. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Phone: 604-885-9631 or 1-800-565-9631 (toll-free)
Email: summerintern(at)writersfestival.ca

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Caroll Simpson, author of Alone in the Great Unknown, unfortunately also had to cancel her appearance at the festival this year. Her fellow panelists Amanda Lewis and Ellen Schwartz will still be talking about their experiences off the beaten path, tracking the giant trees of British Columbia and living as a hippie homesteader.

We hope you will choose to attend these stellar events, but if you’ve already bought tickets and you wish to receive a refund instead, please contact the festival office at (604) 885-9631 or su**********@*************al.ca.

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If you would like to see the 2o23 brochure (we can email you the PDF version or mail you a print copy) please contact the office by emailing info(at)writersfestival.ca.

EVENT# 1: Thursday, August 17 @ 8:00 pm
Adriana Barton, with Simon Paradis

Journalist Adriana Barton explores music’s profound effects on the human body and brain in her pitch-perfect book, Wired for Music. This event is a special collaboration with Sunshine Coast musician Simon Paradis.

EVENT # 2: Friday, August 18 @ 9:00 am
Tamar Glouberman and Hilary Peach, with Kate Braid

Delving into issues of women working in “non-traditional” fields, this event with Tamar Glouberman (Chasing Rivers) and Hilary Peach (Thick Skin) will be entertaining, fascinating and inspirational. Moderated by Kate Braid.

EVENT # 3: Friday, August 18 @ 10:30 am
Carrie Mac

As a writer for teens Carrie Mac has earned numerous prizes and accolades. Last Winter, her first novel for adults, is a haunting portrayal of a family and a community caught by disaster.

EVENT # 4: Friday, August 18 @ 1:00 pm
John Vaillant

Bestselling author John Vaillant takes us on a riveting journey in Fire Weather, his account of a colossal wildfire and a panoramic investigation of the rapidly changing relationship between fire and humankind.

EVENT # 5: Friday, August 18 @ 2:30 pm
JD Derbyshire

JD Derbyshire is a comedian, mad activist, performer, playwright and inclusive educator. Their one-person play, Certified, won two Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards. Miriam Toews calls Mercy Gene, JD’s debut novel, “an incredible book.”

EVENT # 6: Friday, August 18 @ 4:00 pm
Corinna Chong and Andrea Routley, with Megan Cole

Our short fiction showcase features the work of two accomplished and unique writers, Corinna Chong (The Whole Animal) and Andrea Routley (This Unlikely Soil). Expect to be illuminated by their readings and discussion on the craft of writing. Moderated by Megan Cole.

EVENT # 7: Friday, August 18 @ 7:00 pm
Angela Sterritt

In Unbroken, a remarkable work of investigative journalism and memoir, award-winning Gitxsan journalist Angela Sterritt shares how she survived life on the streets against all odds while also reporting into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

EVENT # 8: Friday, August 18 @ 8:30 pm
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald is an award-winning and bestselling author and long-time host of CBC Radio’s science show Quirks & Quarks. He joins us to speak about his newest book, The Future is Now.

EVENT # 9: Saturday, August 19 @ 9:00 am
Jack Knox

Popular Times Colonist columnist Jack Knox is known for his witty, wry, heart-warming and hilarious writing. He has four BC bestsellers to his name including his latest, Fortune Knox Once.

EVENT # 10: Saturday, August 19 @ 10:30 am
Danny Ramadan

Danny Ramadan is an award-winning Syrian-Canadian author, public speaker and advocate for LGBTQ+ refugees. The Foghorn Echoes, his second novel, is the moving story of forbidden love between two boys in war-torn Syria.

EVENT # 11: Saturday, August 19 @ 1:00 pm
Tara McGuire

Tara McGuire, a former broadcaster turned writer, discusses her first book, Holden After and Before, a stunning hybrid work in memoir and fiction that explores grief, motherhood and the overdose crisis.

EVENT # 12: Saturday, August 19 @ 2:30 pm
Jen Currin, Conor Kerr and Cecily Nicholson

Jen Currin (Trinity Street), Conor Kerr (Old Gods) and Cecily Nicholson (Harrowings) are award-winning writers and truthtellers who use imagery, landscape and a sense of place to form unexpected poems that call for change and help forge connection and compassion.

EVENT # 13: Saturday, August 19 @ 4:00 pm
J. Edward Chamberlin and Theresa Kishkan

The Sunshine Coast is known for its excellent writers. Case in point: J. Edward Chamberlin (Storylines) and Theresa Kishkan (Blue Portugal and Other Essays). Both will read from their new books and speak to the power of storytelling.

EVENT # 14: Saturday, August 19 @ 7:00 pm
Tom Rachman

From the author of the international bestseller The Imperfectionists comes a new novel about a series of writers struggling around the world. The Imposters is Tom Rachman at his inimitable best.

EVENT # 15: Saturday, August 19 @ 8:30 pm
The Rockwood Lecture: The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould served as the Independent MP for Vancouver Granville, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence until her resignation in 2019. Her latest book, True Reconciliation, is a national bestseller.

EVENT # 16: Sunday, August 20 @ 9:00 am
Amanda Lewis, Ellen Schwartz and Caroll Simpson

Spend time off the beaten track with Amanda Lewis (Tracking Giants) recounting misadventures in the forest; Ellen Schwartz (Galena Bay Odyssey) sharing stories as a hippie homesteader; and Caroll Simpson (Alone in the Great Unknown) describing remarkable experiences in northwestern BC.

EVENT # 17: Sunday, August 20 @ 10:30 am
Janie Chang

Critically acclaimed author Janie Chang writes historical fiction drawing on family history and ancestral stories. Vividly rendered and set in WWI France, The Porcelain Moon is a tale of love, identity, and belonging.

EVENT # 18: Sunday, August 20 @ 1:00 pm
New Voices: Jessica Johns and Sheila Murray, with Megan Cole

These writers have created complex, captivating worlds with their debut novels. Jessica Johns’ Bad Cree was called “a masterwork of creeping tension,” by Eden Robinson while Sheila Murray’s Finding Edward was a finalist for a Governor General’s Literary Award. Moderated by Megan Cole.

EVENT # 19: Sunday, August 20 @ 2:30 pm
Laura Trethewey

Laura Trethewey is an author and ocean journalist whose writing captures our changing relationship with water. With The Deepest Map, she has written a tale of science, nature, technology and extreme adventure.

EVENT # 20: Sunday, August 20 @ 4:00 pm
Ian Ferguson and Will Ferguson

Between them Ian Ferguson and Will Ferguson have won numerous book prizes, including the Giller Prize and the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. They’ve combined their considerable talents to create I Only Read Murder, the first volume in a comedic crime series.

EVENT # 21: Sunday, August 20 @ 7:30 pm
Tom and Kalissa Landa, with Steve Mitchell

Tom and Kalissa Landa are best known for their work with Vancouver band The Paperboys. Their electrifying performance will feature Celtic, folk, Latin and roots music. Joining them is Steve Mitchell, their longtime friend and musical collaborator.

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While we hope you will attend, please contact the festival office at (604) 885-9631 or su**********@*************al.ca if you wish to receive a refund instead.

Festival bookseller, Talewind Books, is one of the first booksellers in Canada to have copies of Joshua’s new book, Making Love with the Land, and it will be on sale–along with a selection of Joshua’s other books–in the book tent for the duration of the festival. Those who purchase one of Joshua’s books at the book tent can request a signed book plate which will be mailed after the festival. Thank you for your understanding.

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Kamal Al-Solaylee
S. Bear Bergman
Columpa Bobb
Cedar Bowers
Tania Carter
Ivan Coyote
Farzana Doctor
Norma Dunning
Frances Ekwuyasi
Shaena Lambert
Marsha Lederman
Jen Sookfong Lee
Andre Picard
Jael Richardson
Shelagh Rogers
Harley Rustad
Russell Wallace
Isabella Wang
Betsy Warland
Jesse Wente
Joshua Whitehead
Sam Wiebe

with

Megan Cole
Charmaine de Silva
Kathryn Gretsinger

and

The Fugitives

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