ann y.k. choi
Toronto-based author and educator
Winterset In Summer Literary Festival
Posted on August 17, 2026
My first time in Eastport, Newfoundland! I was thrilled to be part of Winterset in Summer Literary Festival‘s 25th year.
Eastport was an hour drive from Gander International Airport. The town is located in Central Newfoundland on the Eastport Peninsula. My family and I enjoyed the nearby sandy beaches and explored the many coastal hiking trails that offered stunning ocean lookouts. The festival was held at the Beaches Arts & Heritage Centre.
This was my first time in conversation with David Bergen. On stage, we discovered that Phyllis Bruce, one of Canada’s most legendary editors, edited both our debut novels. A Year of Lesser was a Phyllis Bruce Books (imprint with HarperCollins Canada, 1996) and Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety was a a Phyllis Bruce Edition (imprint with Simon & Schuster Canada, 2016). Our moderator was the super-cool Ted Blades, who made it easy for us to have a relaxed and fun chat.
I can’t take selfies, but Maddie sure can! Ever since I read Sweetland, I’ve been a huge fan of Michael Crummey’s work. What a pleasure to meet and watch him on stage. And I finally got to thank Lisa Moore for her kindness and generosity when she moderated my first out-of-province lit panel back in 2016. Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety had been published that year and suddenly I was in Vancouver sharing a stage with Ivan Coyote and Ashley Little for one event and Andre Alexis, Rowan Hisayo Buchanan, Emma Donoghue, Francesca Melandri, Peter Robinson with host Caroline Adderson, for another. Lisa told me to “just breathe.”
The event with Souvankham Thammavongsa and Ian Williams in conversation with William Ping was entitled “Excellence in Craft” and covered a range of topics that included beauty, appearance, and identity. Souvankham talked about how hard writing was – that the real work was the things readers couldn’t see – navigating editorial feedback, having to defend creative choices, and writing for countless hours that might not result in anything meaningful. Ian made everyone laugh when he said, “I’d trade food for a good idea.” He raised an important point when he wondered, who gets to be in a novel? What type of characters are included? Excluded?
Madeleine Thien in conversation with Eleanor Wachtel moved us with her candor and honesty. When asked, what is it to imagine? Maddie replied that she had spent something like 31,200 hours inside her imagination working on The Book of Records.
Our welcome bag had coffee, tea, bread, locally made jam and even a mini-first aid kit. The flashlight came in handy! It got very dark at night. The partridgeberry jam had a lovely tart twist without being overly sweet. The East Coast Glow lip balm, which I just started using, soothes and softens instantly – love it!
The fish dinner at the local Legion was a huge hit! People were taking photos of others taking photos of their meals – which made everyone laugh.
My family and I loved our little cabin! And because each cabin around us had an author staying in it, White Sails Inn felt like a little writing community. The festival also had a Hospitality space in a house near the Beaches Centre for guest authors and hosts to hang out and grab a bite to eat.
Congrats on 25 years Winterset! A huge thanks to everyone for making this year’s festival such a memorable and engaging experience.
Special thanks to Emma (middle photo) for lending me her copy of All Things Under the Moon to read on stage. And, Helene (top photo), I hope you keep writing!
Eden Mills Writers’ Festival 2024
Posted on September 15, 2024
Eden Mills Writers’ Festival has become one of my favourite lit festivals! It’s outdoors, and although the weather forecast predicted rain and even thunderstorms on the main event day, Sept 8, 2024, we had sunshine!
Spotlighting the authors & their books
The first event I moderated was called “It’s A Little Complicated: When life serves lemons, it’s a recipe for humour, whimsy, and delight!”
The panel included: Emily Austin (Interesting Facts About Space), Leanne Toshiko Simpson (Never Been Better), Natalie Sue (I Hope This Finds You Well).
What I really appreciated about this panel was their brilliant use of humour to address serious and sensitive topics that include domestic violence, mental health, family expectations, identity, and complicated friendships and relationships with co-workers.
The second event I moderated was called “The Way Forward”. The three historical novels featured young protagonists struggling against extraordinary challenges in Canada during the first half of the 1900s.
The panel included: Edward Y.C. Lee (The Laundryman’s Boy), Barbara Joan Scott (The Taste of Hunger), Leslie Shimotakahara (Sisters of the Spruce).
I’ve always thought historical fiction was a wonderful way to learn about history. Unlike textbooks, the compelling narratives, plotlines, and engaging characters make historical fiction a pleasurable reading experience, and offer a deeper understanding of important events and periods in time. I highly recommend these novels.
Author signings
This was Natalie Sue’s first literary festival! She’s signing my copy of I Hope This Finds You Well above. The official bookseller for the festival was The Bookshelf.
Image source: x.com/emwf. Learn more about the 2024 featured authors.
Catching up with other authors
One of the things I love most about this festival is its commitment to spotlighting debut novels! This includes four novels featured in the panels I moderated: Edward Y.C Lee’s The Laundryman’s Boy, Barbara Joan Scott’s The Taste of Hunger, Leanne Toshiko Simpson’s Never Been Better, and Natalie Sue’s I Hope This Finds You Well. I also had the immense pleasure of moderating Natalie’s first literary festival event this year.
It was also wonderful to spend time in the author green room and catch up or meet with other authors. With Vincent Anioke and Thomas King.
For the kids
Author Sahar Golshan reading from her book, So Loud! in the Children’s Nook.
Publishers’ Way
A dedicated part of the festival called Publishers’ Way featured publishers and other vendors.
Some Tips!
If you’re planning to attend next year’s festival, here are some tips to keep in mind:
Dress in layers. The festival runs rain or shine. The winds can also get strong! Bring a jacket and sunglasses or an umbrella. There’s a small food court. See the list of options.
Wear comfortable shoes. From the parking lots a few blocks away to the five event locations spread throughout, you’ll be walking on gravel, dirt, grass, and paved roads, with some inclines in places. Accessible parking is available, as are accessible portable toilets. Volunteers in golf carts assist with travelling around the grounds for guests requiring accessibility accommodations.
If the grounds are dry, a blanket is the easiest way to enjoy the events. Otherwise, a folding chair will add to your viewing pleasure. Water stations allow water bottles to be refilled easily.
Many of us could not get cell service! Bring cash if possible.
Say hello to authors and get your books signed. Many authors shared that they would love to visit your book clubs in-person or virtually. Get in touch with them by visiting their websites.
Visit Eden Mills! Founded in 1842, the village is by the beautiful Eramosa River. Eden Mills is located 12 km east of Guelph and 90 km west of Toronto. For the festival, parking is available at 136 Barden Street and 19 Memorial Street.
Finally, a huge thanks to the staff and volunteers who make this festival possible! Eden Mills also has year-round online events. Check out their website to learn more.
Thank you and see you next year!
ann y.k. choi 