Book writers and lovers unite at the 2022 Book Bash to enjoy local literature.
On Sunday afternoon, around 300 people gathered at Guelph Farmers' Market to interact with the literary community in Guelph. Over 30 local authors and publishers were in attendance. This is the seventh edition of the event.
Jeremy Luke Hill, managing director of Vocamus Writers Community, said the event provides an opportunity for residents to learn about the local literary scene, which has best-selling authors, like Robert Munsch and Eric Walters.
"What we want is for people to have an idea of what the local literary community is. Guelph doesn't necessarily think of itself as a literary spot, we prefer to think of ourselves as a music town because we have all of these music festivals," said Hill.
Hill adds many events held by Vocamus Writers Community are free and every type of writer is encouraged to join them.
"We don't care if you're writing genre fiction or the most experimental poetry, everyone is welcome."
"It gives us exposure to people we wouldn't otherwise have exposure to," said Ralph Martin, author of Food Security: From Excess to Enough, about attending Book Bash.
Besides showcasing veteran authors, Hill said there were lots of new writers who are also in attendance at Book Bash.
"A lot of people during COVID did things, and so there have been a noticeable bump in COVID books, not books about COVID, but, 'I'm at home on CERB and I have always wanted to finish this children's book,' You saw a lot of that," said Hill.
One writer inspired by the past few years is John Baden Speers, who joined the Guelph literary community in 2020. This was Speer's first time at Book Bash and was there to promote Wise Salmon: How We mastered The Beast and discovered ourselves.
"I've been writing my whole life, it's just something I do, I just never tried to sell it or publish it," Speers said about the book, "I wanted to get it going through the community and see how people would respond to it."
For Book Bash volunteer, Serena Tene, the event was a realization of how big the literary community is. Tene said they have been in the community for 25 years and saw many people they knew at Book Bash.
"Like a friend I know who wrote a novel, I also found out she has a poetry book as well, which I didn't know," said Tene.
