Andrea Bain
We all know that Valentine’s Day is February 14, but did you know that the day before Valentine’s Day is Galentine’s Day? Originating from a 2010 episode of NBC’s Parks & Recreation, Galentine’s Day has since transcended television and become a worldwide celebration of female companionship. So grab your gals and gather ‘round: We’ve compiled a list of five books that explore the bonds between women, all written by women!
Celebrated in conjunction with Black History Month, Black Futures Month was conceived as an opportunity for Black artists to share their vision(s) of a just and equitable future, and in doing so, contribute to a more nuanced understanding of Black existence as a spectrum.
That goal is foregrounded in the upcoming Black Writers Matter, an anthology of African Canadian creative nonfiction edited by Whitney French. We’ll be celebrating the release of the book on February 20 as part of Kuumba 2019, and in anticipation, we spoke to a few of the contributors who will be participating in the event: Simone Dalton, Scott Fraser, Phillip Dwight Morgan and Angela Wright.
Library for the Blind, Braille Reading via New York Public Library
January doesn’t just mark the start of the New Year – it’s also Braille Literacy Month, commemorating the birth month of French educator Louis Braille, who first published his tactile system of reading and writing in 1829, 17 years after losing his own vision. In recognition of Braille Literacy Month, we reached out to Natalie Martiniello, President of Braille Literacy Canada (BLC), to learn more about the medium as well as the organization’s efforts to bring together and advocate on behalf of braille users, transcribers and producers.
Geoffrey E. Taylor
From all of us here at TIFA: Happy New Year! To commemorate 2019, we sat with TIFA Director Geoffrey E. Taylor for a quick interview about the past, present and future of the Toronto International Festival of Authors. If starting a new year is anything like starting a new book, consider this a very special foreword from the man behind the curtains.
Danielle Bourgon (L) and her mother (R) at Danielle’s 2012 UBC commencement ceremony
In her first stint as a Delegate for the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA), Danielle Bourgon, a frequent contributor to BookRiot, found a second chance to listen to and soak in the teachings of legendary singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie, who was also the key speaker at Danielle’s commencement ceremony years prior.