Tidewater Book Festival for Independent Authors

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Saturday, November 1st, 2014
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Visitors of all ages attending the Tidewater Festival for Independent Authors will be able to contribute to a new children’s book set in Nanaimo at Christmas. The book will be written, edited and designed in one day, and will be available for purchase in support of literacy.
It’s the Winter Solstice and someone has come to Nanaimo in search of a mysterious lost item. That is the premise of a children’s book which will be ‘crowd-sourced’ and written as part of the Tidewater Festival for Independent Authors. Writers and illustrators of all ages are invited to drop into the Nanaimo Museum to contribute plot ideas, dialogue, descriptions and illustrations to turn this basic premise into a full book. Written and edited during the event, the finished Christmas story, including professional layout and cover design, will be available online shortly after the festival concludes. All contributors will be credited as authors and the printed book will be available for purchase, with net proceeds being donated to Frontier College in support of literacy.

The Book-in-a-Day project is only one aspect of the Tidewater Festival. Saturday will also feature a book fair showcasing fiction, non-fiction and young adult/children's books by British Columbia independent authors and will conclude with the presentation of the "Best First Chapter" award. Shaw TV host Kait Burgan will be covering the event for her program, Go! Island.

A full day of 10 workshops is scheduled for Sunday 2 November, offering informative sessions led by publishing professionals on topics ranging from the practicalities of self-publishing, through how to design and edit a book, to how to craft your pitch and sell successfully. These workshops will be held at the Painted Turtle Guesthouse, and a full-day pass is available, as well as the option to pick and choose individual workshops of interest.