Readers, writers returning to River John

RIVER JOHN – Readers and writers love to connect and they can do that in person once again this year at Read by the Sea literary festival in River John.

"The heart of Read by the Sea is bringing lovers of story together in the same place in real time," organizing committee member Lana MacEachern told The News. "I'm glad we can go back to in-person. That's where the magic happens."

COVID stuck a dagger into the event's 20th anniversary back in 2020 and last year's version was a virtual one, but this year it's face to face.

Whose faces will you see and in what ways can you connect with them? Attendees will get to enjoy the presence of Lawrence Hill, Dr. Afua Cooper, Morgan Murray, and Jon Tattrie on the main stage at the River John Legion.

WordPlay for young readers features Lana Shupe and Gail Francis.

Hill is doing double-duty as he's also taking part in a new event at the festival this year - OnWords. (They're big on bad puns, MacEachern confessed.) Sharing the stage with Hill is author Lisa Harrington. This new event is aimed at middle-school students and teens.

"We wanted to add something for older kids," MacEachern said.

Hill, the author of The Book of Negroes, recently made his first foray into writing for children. His new book is Beatrice and Croc Harry.

MacEachern said it's great to have an author who writes for adults and children.

"It really highlights an author's diversity and opens up other works that people aren't familiar with...It's a great way to expand readers' horizons. The borders or boundaries around audiences for books are not carved in stone, they are fluid. There are no rules to say that children's books are just for children."

WordPlay and OnWords will take place at the River John fire hall.

For aspiring writers, journalist and author Stephen Kimber will lead a writing workshop on June 30 called: "Making a Scene: Putting the Narrative in Nonfiction."

The workshop is part of 'Wordstock.'

MacEachern encourages everyone interested to keep up to date on festival happenings and news through the website at https://www. readbythesea.ca/ as well as Facebook and Twitter.