Vancouver author Evelyn Lau will be one of the featured presenters at this year's Mission Writers and Readers Festival on March 7.
Lau, 43, has 11 published books and has received many accolades for her poetry. Her first book, Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid, chronicles her life as a teenager living on the streets. The book was published when she was 18 years old and has been translated into a dozen different languages.
Lau will be speaking at an informal workshop and answering questions participants might have about writing, publishing, working with agents and editors, finding inspiration, etc.
Other workshops this year are:
• Down the Rabbit Hole: Writing for Children and Young Adults with Lois Peterson. Peterson wrote for adults for more than 20 years before her first children’s book was published in 2008. Since then she has published six more books for children ranging in age from six to 14. Peterson is an engaging speaker and storyteller who will provide insight, tools and strategies for reaching children and teens with writing that reflects and responds to their world.
• Rise of the Poetry Video: How to Make the Trend Your Friend with Chris Gilpin. This workshop will examine how YouTube has changed the poetry landscape. Participants will learn several different approaches to putting their work online and how different video techniques fit different types of poems. Gilpin is the executive director of Vancouver Poetry House. He has performed at numerous festivals and has won awards for his work.
• Having Fun with Rejections with Daniela Elza. The focus of this workshop is to look at rejection letters, break down some barriers, and examine what the rejections mean. Elza eaned her doctorate in philosophy of education from SFU and is currently the writer in residence at the University of the Fraser Valley. Her work has appeared nationally and internationally in more than 80 publications.
The festival, a presentation of Lifetime Learning Centre Society, will be held at Heritage Park Centre, 33700 Prentis Ave., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registrations are now being accepted for the event. Regular admission rates are $40 and $20 for students with ID. Children ages 5 to 12 accompanying a paying adult will not be charged for admission. Lunch is included.
To register, call 604-820-0220 or email lifetimelearning centre@telus.net.