The Gulf Islands are home to many renowned poets, and authors of both fiction and non-fiction works.
The winner of the 2010 Writers' Trust of Canada Non-Fiction Prize, for example, is long-time Salt Spring resident Brian Brett. His book, called Trauma Farm – A Rebel History of Rural Life, documents the happenings in an "18-year-long day" in the life of his farm.
Salt Spring is also home base for an ambitious new publishing company specializing in B.C. art history, fine art and literature titles. Mother Tongue Publishing Limited's projects include a series of books called The Unheralded Artists of B.C., as well as poetry titles. It also holds the Search for the Great B.C. Novel Contest, now in its second year.
The year 2012 marked the first Words Without Borders festival of writers and ideas held on Salt Spring the last weekend of February. Check the website of the sponsoring body, Salt Spring Forum, at www.saltspringforum.ca, to see details of the 2013 offering.
Salt Spring is also home to award-winning humour writer and CBC broadcaster Arthur Black, who shares his wit and generous spirit at various events throughout the year.
Other Salt Spring literary names to watch for include Ron Wright, Kathy Page, Robert Hilles, Mona Fertig, Kevin Patterson, Derek Lundy, Peter Levitt and George Sipos.
Mayne Island writers include Robert Harlow and Grant Buday. Buday's latest book, Stranger on a Strange Island – From Main Street to Mayne Island, is an enlightening and humourous read for city dwellers pondering a move to the islands.
Galiano Island is a rich literary centre, and Galiano Island Books hosted its third annual Galiano Literary Festival in February of 2012.
Pender Island's authors include crime novelist and Dashiell Hammett award-winner William Deverell, and Andrea and David Spalding.
Stephen Hume now calls Saturna Island home, with his latest work the 2011 book of essays called A Walk with the Rainy Sisters: In Praise of British Columbia's Places.
Gabriola Island is home to one of Canada's most celebrated authors of literature for young people. In 2011, Iain Lawrence won the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, acknowledging his entire body of work. He also won the 2007 Governor General's Literary Award for Children's Literature for his book called Gemini Summer.
Books by Gulf Islands authors are available at local bookstores and other retail outlets.
As well, watch for free or by-donation literary events put on by groups such as the Salt Spring Forum, Theatre Alive! or ArtSpring on Salt Spring Island, Poetry Gabriola on Gabriola Island, or various bookstores on the islands.
