Parry Sound Beacon Star • Friday, October 10, 2008 ARTS & RECREATION LIFESTYLES THIS WEEK - 19A A literary treat for local book lovers International Festival of Authors, ’s biggest literary festival, travels to Parry Sound

BY CHARLENE PECK arry Sound booklovers will be treated to Canada’s biggest literary Pfestival on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 2, when the 29th annual Inter- national Festival of Authors stops at the Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts. This is the first time Parry Sound will be part of the world-ac- claimed IFOA, presented by Authors at Harbourfront Centre. Charlotte Stein of Parry Sound Books, who has been hosting annual readings in Parry Sound for the past 20 years, is excited about host- ing what she describes as one of the biggest literary festivals in the world. “Certainly it’s the key festival in Canada,” she said. “When the granting organizations are looking at what festivals to support, Harbourfront is considered a key festival. They are instrument in the fact that there are literary festivals in Canada.” Morten Holtum photo “The IFOA, in recent years, has taken authors who are in Toronto Maggie Helwig has published Andrew Pyper is the author of for the International Festival outside of the city and into other com- Denmark’s Karen Fastrup made her authorial debut in 2000 with six books of poetry, two books four novels and a collection of munities,” she explained. “They went to Burlington and Hamilton the novel Brønden (The Well). She of essays, a collection of short short stories. His debut novel, (in 2007), and were looking to continue that – because it’s been quite presents Beloved of My 27 Senses, stories, and two previous novels, Lost Girls, was an international successful – and they were looking at working with more people who her first novel to be translated into Where She Was Standing and bestseller, and a Notable Book were already presenting readings.” English. Taking its title from Kurt Between Mountains. She is the in the New York Times, Evening The Stockey centre was recommended to Harbourfront as an ideal Schwitter’s hyper-sensory love associate director of the Scream Standard (U.K.), and Globe and venue for IFOA readings outside the GTA, and such a partnership poem “To Anna Blume,” Beloved Literary Festival. She also works Mail. The Trade Mission and The was suggested to the director of Harbourfront. of My 27 Senses tells the story for the Social Justice and Advocacy Wildfire Season were similarly “I met with him in June, and he’d already decided at that point of Clemens and Anna – who went Board of the Anglican Diocese of feted in Canada, the U.S. and that they were coming to Parry Sound,” she said. “And assuming it’s missing long ago in the Libyan Toronto. Her most recent book is U.K.. Set in Toronto’s Queen West successful this year, then we’ll be on the slate in the future, which is desert – as unravelled by their the novel Girls Fall Down. Set in neighbourhood, Pyper’s stunning wonderful.” son Tore. Part mystery, part love Toronto, Girls Fall Down is a tale new novel, The Killing Circle, is Two of the authors, and Andrew Pyper, were fea- story, Fastrup’s timeless novel is of fear and anxiety in an age of a suspenseful page-turner that tured in the local reading series many years ago, so Stein says “it’s an excavation of love buried deep lurking terrorism threats and explores the repercussions of that kind of neat to be welcoming them back” during Parry Sound Books’ in the sands of time. unknown disease. most dishonest of thefts: stealing 20th year of readings. She is looking forward to meeting the third someone else’s story and calling Canadian author, Maggie Helwig, as well as Danish writer, Karen Fas- it your own. trup, who has never been to this part of the world. Stein’s hope is to attract more authors from outside Canada next year. Paul Quarrington is an acclaimed novelist, screenwriter, non-fiction writer, “That’s the aim,” she said. “That was the incentive for me, because and musician. Quarrington’s Whale Music won the Governor General’s Literary I can have Canadian authors here, but to have international authors Award for Fiction, and his novel King Leary won the Stephen Leacock Medal is really great.” and was selected as the 2008 Canada Reads winner. He presents The Ravine, in From a practical standpoint, she sees being associated with Har- which Phil, a character who self-medicates for guilt and despair, narrows down bourfront as gratifying. the source of his mid-life freefall to the lasting consequences of a childhood “They have a great reputation and it’s a great photo Annabel Reyes incident in a suburban ravine. compliment that they chose to work with me and that they chose to come to Parry Sound is a great compliment to the Stockey centre,” explained ASPEN VALLEY WILDLIFE SANCTUARY THE Crawford Rd., Rosseau, Ont. P0G 1J0 Stein. “They decided that facility met their stan- dards. They were very concerned that the authors (705) 732-6368 they bring would have the same great experience Open to the public Wed. & Sun. 1-4 p.m. that they would have with the Toronto festival, May - Thanksgiving and I was able to assure them that absolutely, they Your support is greatly appreciated. would have a great experience here. We’re well Donations can be dropped off or organized, the Stockey centre is a great facility, and mailed to Audrey Tournay we’re going to cater a dinner for the authors at the This message is generously sponsored by: Stockey centre. It will be terrific.” “I think if we can do a great job the first year, Georgian Bay Family Dentistry and sell a lot of tickets, it will continue,” she com- mented. “I think people will find it invigorating. It The Black Bear during hibernation Dr. J. Jeffrey is wonderful to listen to an author read from their will lose 20 –40 % of its body weight 7 James St., Parry Sound, DDS so during the summer and fall they 746-8317 work and talk about their writing. So we’ll be on the need to consume thousands of or 1-800-430-5065 slate in the future if we can prove to Harbourfront calories to obtain enough fat storage NEW PATIENTS WELCOME

in Toronto that we can put an audience in the hall  Ã  to survive on while asleep. 382206 for them.” WE ARE At The Charles W. Stockey Centre OPEN Visit us at the Nonsuch Gallery & Studio off Hwy. 124 on Long Lake Estates Rd.

3ATURDAY & 3UNDAY/CTOBER& FROMAMTILLPM

Follow the signs. We are 4km in from 124. s s THE CHARLES W. STOCKEY CENTRE Mr. & Mrs. Jack L. Reck 84 Pinewood Rd. R.R. #1 SATURDAY, OCT. 25 @ 8:00 PM Parry Sound P2A 2W7 Ontario Canada BOX OFFICE 705-746-4466 1-877-746-4466 Phone: 746-4955 Email: [email protected] 418584 415147 416521