An English-language writers’ festival in the heart of Quebec City has attracted some big names in literature. In the most French-speaking city in North America, festivalgoers can take part in events with bestselling authors from around the world.
Award-winning novelist Jane Urquhart is one of 19 authors appearing at the ImagiNation Writers’ Festival this week in Quebec City at the Morrin Centre — a rather unlikely place for an English literary festival.
Urquhart’s 2001 novel, The Stone Carvers, takes place just after the First World War, around the construction of the Vimy Memorial to the war dead.
“It was a brutal, awful war,” she said.
READ MORE: Lethbridge students head to Vimy Ridge for 100th anniversary
READ MORE: Have you ever wanted to wander the halls of Quebec City’s Morrin Centre prison?
It’s a remarkable achievement for a city that boasts a population that is 99 per cent francophone, but there’s a big incentive for authors to take part as well — many of the authors say visiting Canada’s oldest city can be inspiring.
“It’s beautifully organized. To appear in a venue like this, especially for someone like me, who is an historical fiction writer primarily, this is a great opportunity,” said bestselling author C.C. Humphreys.
“To be in a city that is so unconsciously historical, one has the feeling that it’s just so alive,” Urquhart said.
Like its name, the idea of the ImagiNation festival and the books it’s showcasing is to take everyone away from their everyday to a place of creativity and exploration.
“We try to make as varied a lineup as possible — from crime writing, to literature, to sports writing to culinary writing,” McCullough said.
- Budget 2024 failed to spark ‘political reboot’ for Liberals, polling suggests
- Train goes up in flames while rolling through London, Ont. Here’s what we know
- Peel police chief met Sri Lankan officer a court says ‘participated’ in torture
- Wrong remains sent to ‘exhausted’ Canadian family after death on Cuba vacation
Comments