For Immediate Release

IFOA ANNOUNCES FINAL NAMES IN FESTIVAL LINE-UP AND PATRON AND SUPPORTER EARLY-BIRD SALE

TORONTO, August 31, 2015 ----- IFOA is thrilled to announce the final 54 participants in the line-up for the 36 th edition of the International Festival of Authors , ’s festival of words and ideas, which takes place October 22 to November 1, 2015, as well as a special celebratory event for the 25 th anniversary of CBC Radio’s Writers & Company with Eleanor Wachtel and details on IFOA’s Patron and Supporter pre-sale . Attendees of the Festival can enjoy literary talent from across the globe in a number of events, including panel discussions, interviews, readings and free book signings.

The Festival now features an 11-day line-up of over 100 authors . Expect bestselling American novelists Jami Attenberg , Sara Gruen and Audrey Niffenegger ; T. S. Eliot Prize– winning poet John Burnside ; acclaimed short story writers Samuel Archibald , Mark Anthony Jarman and Jess Taylor ; playwrights Douglas Cameron and David Macfarlane ; Poet Laureate of Toronto George Elliott Clarke ; Bernstein Prize–winning Israeli author Assaf Gavron ; celebrated memoirist Wayson Choy ; buzzed-about debut novelists Hannah Kent , Neil Smith and Mike Steeves ; The Story Prize winner Jim Shepard ; talented poets Oana Avasilichioaei , Veronica Gaylie , Dane Swan , Zachariah Wells and Liz Worth ; horror writer Nick Cutter ; Amazon.ca First Novel Award winner Michel Basilières ; international stars Eric Reinhardt , Santiago Roncagliolo and Witold Szabłowski ; Scotiabank winners and Richard B. Wright ; The Best Canadian Poetry 2015 contributors Barry Dempster , Richard Greene , Amanda Jernigan , Jacob McArthur Mooney , A.F. Moritz , Shane Neilson , Hoa Nguyen , Alexandra Oliver , Molly Peacock and Priscila Uppal ; beloved children’s writers Andrée Poulin and Richard Scrimger ; popular UK novelist Patrick Gale ; Canadian historians Tim Cook , and Carolyn Harris ; Governor General’s Award for Poetry winner Brecken Hancock ; literary thriller authors Benjamin Percy and Robert J. Wiersema ; Man Booker Prize–shortlisted Australian author Steve Toltz ; Toronto Book Award winner Rabindranath Maharaj ; for Poetry finalist Deanna Young ; critically acclaimed Canadian author Lauren B. Davis and Singaporean mystery writer Ovidia Yu .

IFOA is delighted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of CBC Radio's Writers & Company with Eleanor Wachtel, featuring MacArthur Foundation grant winner Aleksandar Hemon , Orange Prize for Fiction–winning novelist Zadie Smith and more.

For a full list of announced names, please visit ifoa.org .

IFOA is extending a pre-sale option to its Patrons and Supporters for all ticketed Festival events . Tickets for the 36 th edition of the IFOA will be on sale for Patrons and Supporters on September 3, 2015 at 1pm , a full week in advance of the general public on-sale date of September 10 . Patrons are allotted one free ticket to any event and any additional tickets at the Supporter-discounted price. Supporters have access to one ticket per event at the Supporter- discounted price. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 416-973-4000 . Check ifoa.org for event listings and details.

If you are not a Patron or Supporter, but would like to become one and take advantage of this great offer, call 416-973-4760 .

IFOA Supporter levels:

Supporter With a $57 one-year subscription or a $96 two-year subscription (HST included), you receive free admission to regular weekly readings, discounts on tickets to special events, a minimum discount of 10% for ticketed events at the Festival (certain exceptions apply) and special offers and promotions.

Patron To help us support author travel and innovative youth programming, and be eligible for special promotional offers like the IFOA pre-sale, you may wish to consider becoming a Patron with a $500 annual contribution (HST included).

Patron+ To support IFOA’s broad range of programming and benefit from behind-the-scenes IFOA experiences, please consider becoming a Patron+ with an annual contribution of $1,000/individual or $1,500/couple (HST included).

Donations IFOA welcomes your support in maintaining the calibre of talent it brings to you. All donations of $25 and over are automatically issued a tax receipt.

All tickets are subject to availability. Events take place at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre: 207 & 235 Queens Quay West. Tickets to most events are $18/$15 Supporters and free for students and youth under the age of 25 (subject to availability). Some exceptions apply (please refer to individual event listings). The public may purchase tickets through the Harbourfront Centre Box Office at 416-973-4000 or online at ifoa.org .

For more information about IFOA and for programming updates, the public may visit ifoa.org .

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Since its inception in 1974, IFOA has hosted over 8,500 authors from more than 100 countries, including 21 Nobel Laureates. Our season runs from September to June and includes the annual International Festival of Authors (October 22–November 1, 2015), including YoungIFOA and IFOA , and the annual ALOUD: a Celebration for Young Readers with Forest of Reading® Festival of Trees™ (May 12–13, 2015).

MEDIA CONTACTS Maeve O’Regan : [email protected] ; 416-973-5836 Meghan Gribben : [email protected] ; 416-973-4395

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Visit IFOA online: ifoa.org