As the bookstore-adepts amongst you have no doubt noticed, fall in the literary world is all about glossy new covers, crisp pages of soon-to-be bestsellers and the latest releases from authors both new and old.
For those of you looking to dive into something just a little bit more particular this season, this is where you should start paying attention.
As part of what has been quaintly deemed its “10th Anniversary Shenanigans,” the Concordia Co-op Solidarity Bookstore will be launching the third edition of the Local Legends Reading Series on Oct. 3.
Maintaining a tradition that started in October 2010, this ‘indie’ bookstore will be welcoming a variety of Montreal-based authors such as Sherwin Tija, Daniel Allen Cox, Julie Delporte, Sophie Yanow, Barry Webster, Rae Spoon and Vivek Shraya.
In fact, for the first time this year, the bookstore will be incorporating authors whose work is of the graphic novel medium. Guest authors Delpore and Yanow will both be showcasing some of their work as well as some on the spot drawing. Delporte, seemed extremely enthusiastic about this “multimedia affair.”
The author was quick to mention that the opportunity to incorporate graphic novel literature into more classic literary events does not arise very often. When I questioned the reasons why events would shy away from this literary genre, she replied that there are still people who think that graphic novels are a less noble form or literature, or that they are reserved for children, but I would hope that these people are becoming more and more rare. She also mentioned that it was a fantastic opportunity, as a francophone author, to delve into the unknown territory that is Montreal’s English literary community.
Larissa Dutil, the bookstore programming & outreach coordinator, spoke to the overall goal of the event.
“The big picture when it comes to the publishing world, as I’m sure student journalism and media are aware, is iffy and uncertain at best, and we should celebrate all the victories and moments we have that are positive.”
The other goal is to support some of the more local ‘indie’ artists who don’t necessarily get as much hype as other fall releases. Dutil also proudly pointed out that all the authors invited this year have received notable mentions in their respective fields; two of them have even been nominated for this year’s Lambda Literary awards.
So, whether it be to support a local business or just because you’ve opted for a new spin on literature this season, don’t miss out on the opportunity to discover some local authors this coming October!
The Local Legends reading series’ first event takes place Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at Concordia Community Solidarity Co-op Bookstore, 2150 Bishop Street.
