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SEPTEMBER 22

Red Deer Public Library offers new chapter for local authors in Culture Days fair

Sep 9, 2024 | 3:29 PM

Alberta’s Culture Days are in full swing, and the Red Deer Public Library (RDPL) is hosting a few events, including a local author fair and writing workshop.

On September 22 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the downtown branch will host 11 local authors to promote their books and connect with other writers.

“Events like this help us connect with other authors and readers—and in this case, librarians. I expect to sell a few books, but even if I don’t, my interactions with fellow authors and readers are more valuable than book sales in the long run. You never know what opportunities will pop up in a group of like-minded people,” said Brenna Bailey, one of the authors participating in the fair.

The event is family-friendly and will feature works for all ages and from a variety of different genres; Authors will have copies of their books for sale.

“Libraries started out with books, and we’ve gone beyond books now to all sorts of different media, but writers and books are always the basis, the bedrock of libraries. So, we always want to encourage people that want to write to get their books out to an audience,” said Trish Klein, a public services library assistant with RDPL.

Additionally, there is a writing workshop with Leslie Greentree slated for 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. the same day, also in the downtown branch. During the workshop, Greentree will take participants through discussions and writing exercises to get them comfortable with conflict and chaos, and their role as plot devices.

The workshop has a limited number of seats and requires registration.

Although it might seem like a tight timeline, Klein said the last hour of the fair should be plenty of time to browse and chat with the authors, an opportunity that may be especially helpful to young writers looking to connect with those with more experience.

She added that RDPL hosts a Paging All Writers monthly workshop for aspiring authors, and that there are many other programs available throughout the city for people hoping to get their name on the shelves.

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