Ever dream about writing a book? Or wonder what it’s like to be part of Vancouver’s literary scene?
You can find out next month at Port Moody Public Library. During May, the library will welcome critically acclaimed Vancouver-raised author Jen Sookfong Lee as its writer in residence.
During her stay, Lee will discuss her books and other literary works, lead writing workshops and provide private 30-minute writing consultations to give writers feedback on their work or novel idea, or suggestions on getting published.
“Being able to have one-on-one consultations with a really amazing author is a really good chance to get feedback not only on your own writing but on what the life of an author really looks like,” said Port Moody Library’s Maryn Ashdown. “So anyone who even thinks they might want to write but maybe might not even have a manuscript written, I hope those people feel comfortable to access the writing consultations so they can ask the questions they might need to become a writer down the road.”
Lee’s first novel, The End of East, was published in 2007. Her second, The Better Mother, hit the shelves in 2011 and was shortlisted for the City of Vancouver Book Award. Her third book, The Conjoined, will be published in September. All her books are set in and around Vancouver.
Along with her books, Lee also makes regular radio appearances focused on writing and reading, and teaches writing at SFU and UBC.
Like a good story, Port Moody Public Library’s writer in residence program has been some time in the making. A grant from the library’s Links to Literacy Golf Tournament finally turned the wish-list item to reality.
When the library went searching for an author, it had someone fairly specific in mind: Organizers wanted an author who was experienced in the editing process and could help other writers fine-tune their work; someone capable of welcoming new writers into the writing community; and able to offer encouragement through the writing process.
“So that kind of narrowed the list down. We were looking for people with those competencies.”
With help from the Federation of BC Writers, they found Lee.
“She was very excited about the opportunity to connect with new audiences and new writers,” Ashdown told The Tri-City News.
And she said the hope is that the writer in residence program will serve both readers and writers. Ashdown figures the library’s readers will be more drawn to Canadian and Vancouver-based fiction after discovering Lee’s work, and hopes the program will also help to strengthen the Tri-Cities’ writing community.
“A lot of writers have told us that what they want to feel supported in their writing is to be able to network with other people who are also writers and going through the same process.”
• For more information about the writer in residence program or to book a one-on-one consultation with Sookfong Lee, visit www.library.portmoody.ca/writerinresidence.
