To help with the information overload, we have put together a guide with everything you need to make the most of the weekend.

Passes

We have four types of passes to choose from and we’re sure that one is right for you!

• Friday Pass: $20 Regular | $15 Under 25

• Saturday Pass: $35 Regular| $20 Under 25

• Sunday Pass: $35 Regular | $20 Under 25

• 3-Day Festival Pass: $75 Regular | $45 Under 25

Passes are required to attend author conversations and presentations, but are not required for events indicated as FREE on the schedule. Masterclasses require separate registration. Browse the full schedule here.

Masterclasses

MOTIVE’s Creative Writing Masterclasses offer the opportunity to learn how to craft compelling stories and bring captivating characters to life through hands-on lessons from acclaimed authors and industry experts. This is a 90-minute masterclass. All writing levels are welcome.

These workshops require separate registration. View the full list of Masterclasses here.

Free Events

University of Toronto Workshops

University of Toronto is back again offering free forensic science workshops and lectures! The workshops are incredibly popular and require registration to attend. You can book your spot here.

• The Answer at your Fingertips: Ridge Patterns in Criminal Investigation: June 28 at 11 AM & 2:30 PM
• University of Toronto Forensic Anthropology Workshop: June 29 at 11 AM
• Right Down to the Bone: The Identity of Jane Doe: June 30 at 2 PM

Outdoor Events

Join us in the outdoor quad for a variety of conversations and panels on the inner workings of book writing, the publishing industry, and the dark history of Toronto! Toronto Crime Tours will be back on Saturday and Sunday telling all the chilling tales they heard and experienced during their over 30 years as Toronto detectives. The Crime Writers of Canada (CWC), a national non-profit organization for Canadian crime and mystery writers, will also be holding panels and have an information tent. Check the schedule for all the events happening in “Victoria University in the University of Toronto” at the bottom of the schedule here.

Special Events

Join us Saturday night for A Murder Most Proper: An Interactive Murder Mystery in partnership with BarTeam Theatre complete with live music and a bar! Step back in time to 1930s England where the only thing more scandalous than a sudden death could be the impropriety of it all.

This event is included in the Saturday and 3-Day Festival Passes.

See the Author, Buy the Book!

The Festival bookstore, operated by the University of Toronto Bookstore, will be located off the main lobby of Victoria College in Room 115. You can browse the full Motive 2025 reading list here.

Bookstore Hours:
Friday 5:30 PM – 9 PM
Saturday 10:30 AM – 9 PM
Sunday 10:30 AM – 6 PM

Book signings will take place in the Victoria College lobby following each event. Events in the Isabel Bader Theatre will have remote book sales and signings in the lobby of the theatre.

Getting to Victoria University at the University of Toronto

Festival weekend will be a busy time on and around the University of Toronto campus. If you’re driving or using transit to get to Victoria College, we strongly encourage you to plan your travel in advance and allow extra time to navigate potential delays or congestion.

Subway Directions

Share your MOTIVE moments with us!

From your book hauls to photos of meeting your favourite authors, we want to see it all! Share your pictures and Festival stories with us on social media:

Instagram
Facebook

Don’t forget to use #MotiveTO in your posts.

Browse the full schedule of MOTIVE events, screenings and conversations, here.

The post Everything You Need to Know about Motive 2025 appeared first on TIFA.

Something wicked this way comes to Toronto’s literary scene. The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) today announced that MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival will return for its fourth spine-tingling year from June 27 to 29 at University of Toronto (U of T). In a new partnership with Victoria University at U of T, the festival will transform these gothic halls into an epicentre of literary suspense. 

MOTIVE will bring together an unprecedented mix of voices this year including: Iceland’s former First Lady  Eliza Reid who recently made her fiction debut, international bestseller Shari Lapena returning as a festival favourite, romance star Uzma Jalaluddin crossing into the wildly popular cozy crime category, and thriller master Linwood Barclay continuing to define the genre. This year’s festival will unfold in a new location at University of Toronto – within the fitting gothic revival halls of  Victoria University. This new atmospheric backdrop will allow attendees to immerse themselves in the festival’s celebration of crime and mystery storytelling.  

“We’re thrilled to be presenting MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival in partnership with Victoria University this year,” says Roland Gulliver, Director of TIFA, “With our new venue, the festival brings together crime and mystery fans for a weekend where analyzing clues, discussing murder weapons, and debating red herrings over coffee is perfectly normal, and everyone appreciates a good plot twist. We’re incredibly proud that our roster of authors is filled with bestsellers from Canada and across the globe, while also featuring veteran talent and new voices.” 

This year’s program offers a compelling mix of true crime, interactive events, and literary exploration, appealing to both dedicated readers and aspiring writers. Highlights include the return of forensic science workshops, an immersive Gin & Sin mystery performance, and in-depth panels on Canadian and international crime writing – spanning cozy mysteries to psychological thrillers. The lineup also features masterclasses, Toronto Crime Tours, and timely true crime discussions led by journalists, former FBI agents, and subject-matter experts. 

Passes for MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival start at $20 CAD and are on sale now. Canadian booklovers can purchase them at festivalofauthors.ca/motive-2025/. To request complimentary press tickets, please email akasha@thetarogroup.com for more information.

Full programming details can be found here – the event will feature appearances by notable authors from Canada, Argentina, France, Korea, Norway, UK and the USA, including but not limited to :

 *alphabetical by last name 

Linwood Barclay 

Toronto-based New York Times bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than two dozen languages and sold millions of copies. Many of Barclay’s books have been optioned for film and television. 

Jane Corry 

Sunday Times and Washington Post bestseller who has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide and is a former writer-in-residence at high security male prison. 

Sue Hincenbergs 

Toronto-based debut novelist (The Retirement Plan), Sue, is a former television producer that  spent her career working on award-winning programming ranging from sitcoms, sports, game  shows, music specials, award shows and morning television. 

Gregg Hurwitz 

New York Times #1 internationally bestselling author of 26 thrillers including the Orphan X series. His novels have won numerous literary awards and Hurwitz has written screenplays and television scripts for many of the major studios and networks, and comics for AWA, DC, and Marvel. 

Uzma Jalaluddin 

Wildly popular romance writer who has made her first transition to cozy crime with her latest novel (Detective Aunty). Previous work includes Much Ado About Nada (2023) and Three Holidays and a Wedding (2023) which was a Good Morning America Buzz Pick. 
Denise Mina 

Scottish writer specializing in detective fiction including recently rebooting Raymond Chandler’s  iconic detective series featuring Philip Marlowe. Mina was inducted into the Crime Writers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2014. 

Shari Lapena 

#1 internationally bestselling author and former lawyer and English teacher, Lapena has written  eight suspense novels from her Ontario farm, including The Couple Next Door, which was a runaway global bestseller, selling 4 million copies worldwide.  

Eliza Reid 

Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, cofounder of the  acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat and former First Lady of Iceland. Reid was born and raised in  Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years. Her first novel, an Iceland-set mystery called Death of a Diplomat was published earlier this year. 

Lisa Unger 

New York Times and internationally bestselling author of twenty-two novels, including Close Your Eyes and Count to 10. With books published in thirty-three languages and millions of copies sold worldwide, she is regarded as a master of suspense. 

Liann Zhang 

Liann Zhang is a first-time novelist and second-generation Chinese Canadian who splits her  time between Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto. Zhang graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in psychology and criminology. 

The post MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival to Bring New and Acclaimed Authors to Toronto appeared first on TIFA.

The International Visitors (IV) Programme 2025 committee, in association with the Toronto International Festival of Authors, is pleased to announce that the application period is now open for the 2025 IV Programme fellowships. Now entering its 18^th iteration, the 2025 IV Programme will host fellows from across Canada and the world from October 28–November 1, as part of the Toronto International Festival of Authors (October 29–November 2, 2025).

The programme is open to Canadian and international mid-level publishing professionals who work with, or are interested in working with, Canadian authors and publishers. This includes editors who acquire Canadian titles for their territory (as opposed to editors wishing to sell rights into the Canadian market), literary agents who represent Canadian authors in their territory and scouts who cover Canada as part of their role.

Learn More

The IV Programme is gratefully supported by:

The post Now Accepting Fellowship Applications for the 2025 IV Programme appeared first on TIFA.

The Spring season will take place between April 2025 and September 2025, and features new works for adults and young people from debut and established Toronto authors. Each author has a different story to tell and a different way to tell it, from a photography book by a former astronaut to the history of all your favourite Canadian punk bands. Discover the stories that capture the iconic character of Toronto’s neighbourhoods and the wealth of cultures that meet on our streets. From bookstores to bars, clubs to coffee shops, Toronto Lit Up has a book launch for everyone’s TBR needs. 

The following new books will be featured: 

● Matt Bobkin & Adam Feibel – In Too Deep: When Canadian Punks Took Over the World (House of Anansi) 

● Dr. Roberta L. Bondar – Space for Birds: Patterns and Parallels of Beauty and Flight (Figure1Publishing) 

● Matteo L. Cerilli – Bad in the Blood (Tundra Books) 

● Catherine Bush – Skin (Goose Lane Editions) 

● Antonio Michael Downing – Black Cherokee (Simon & Schuster) 

● Alice Fitzpatrick – A Dark Death (Stonehouse Publishing) 

● Farah Ghafoor – Shadow Price: Poems (House of Anansi) 

● Kid Haile – Sometimes I Eat with My Hands (Groundwood Books) 

● Maika Harper, illustrated by Kaja Kajfež – The First Peoples (Inhabit Media) 

● Maggie Helwig – Encampment: Resistance, Grace, and an Unhoused Community (Coach House Books) 

● Joelle Kidd – Jesusland: Stories from the Upside Down World of Christian Pop Culture (ECW Press) 

● Hajer Mirwali – Revolutions (Talonbooks) 

● Jacob McArthur Mooney – The Northern (ECW Press) 

● Vinh Nguyen – The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse (HarperCollins Canada) 

● Charlie Petch – Infinite Audition (Brick Books) 

● Miranda Schreiber – Iris and the Dead (Book*hug Press) 

● Teri Vlassopoulos – Living Expenses (Invisible Publishing) 

● Tamla T. Young, illustrated by Raz Latif – Ready, Set, Mango! (Owlkids) 

Events to launch and celebrate these titles will take place in person across Toronto from April to September. All events will be free to attend and open to the public. Stay tuned for dates and details to come at FestivalofAuthors.ca. 

Between April 2016 and March 2024, Toronto Lit Up has presented over 200 events featuring over 250 Toronto authors and illustrators. 

The Committee 

Each submission is reviewed by the Toronto Lit Up Committee, composed of Ian Keteku (Creative Writing Instructor, OCAD U), Samia Madwar (Senior Editor, The Walrus), Hazel Millar (Co-Publisher, Book*hug) and Roland Gulliver (Director, Toronto International Festival of Authors). 

The post Toronto Lit Up Announces Spring 2025 Season appeared first on TIFA.

Today TIFA announced a strategic evolution that will see the festival become a fully independent organisation. Effective April 1, TIFA will leave its Harbourfront Centre festival location to host authors at new venues across Toronto, including a new partnership with Victoria University in the University of Toronto.

The 2025 Season will include a new 5-day format for its 45-year flagship Festival, October 29-November 2, 2025 as well as a new mini-Festival celebrating romance fiction November 21-23, 2025, plus the 4^th annual edition of its popular MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival, June 27-29, 2025.

Since its inception in 1974 as International Readings at Harbourfront, TIFA has established Toronto as a global leader in uniting authors and audiences.

The changes announced today represent the next chapter in TIFA’s storied history of championing literary excellence in a city that has produced so many world-renowned writers.

“The new TIFA is a 50-year-old start-up. Founded at the Harbourfront Centre, it has all the experience of a legacy arts organisation, with the energy, optimism and freshness of a newcomer. And to start now, when the world and Canada are in extreme turmoil, well, that just signals there is no better time to show the power of stories, ideas and conversation to make a better world. Toronto is a city of passionate and engaged readers. It is TIFA’s job to create new ways to find them.” – TIFA Director Roland Gulliver

A Vision for the Future

“We’re listening to the needs of our stakeholders. We understand the changes in reading trends and audience behaviour. So now we are poised to redefine Canada’s literary landscape by opening access to new and growing audiences, prominent cultural venues, and a roster of world-class authors and rising stars.”

“This transition will enable us to offer high quality events, greater access for audiences, and new education and outreach opportunities – both live and online.

Our vision and commitment will deepen our relations with publishers, partners, creative institutions, authors and artists to cultivate an ecosystem of constant storytelling innovation.”

Said Dr. Rhonda N. McEwen, president and vice-chancellor. “We have a long history of championing and developing creativity at Victoria University. Our faculty and students, including Norman Jewison, Margaret Atwood, Northrop Frye, Arthur Schalow and Zalika Reid-Benta, exemplify our belief that creativity thrives at the intersection of ideas, disciplines and unique voices.”

“We founded our new Centre for Creativity to foster collaboration across sectors, and we see TIFA as an ideal new partner in this vision. By bringing together world-class authors, innovative thinkers, and passionate readers, this partnership will not only enrich Toronto’s literary landscape but also create new opportunities for experiential learning, engagement, and storytelling innovation for our students and community.”

A Transformative Year for TIFA

2025 will see an ambitious expansion of TIFA’s programming, reinforcing its commitment to literary excellence across genres and forms. The 2025 season will feature:

MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival (June 27-29, 2025)

Now in its 4th year, Canada’s premier crime and mystery festival will bring together masters of the genre for criminally good conversations, book signings, workshops, and more.

Presented in partnership with the Centre for Creativity at Victoria University.

Toronto International Festival of Authors (October 29 – November 2, 2025)

A reimagined five-day format will heighten the festival’s impact, with exclusive opportunities to see Canadian and international literary voices, and fostering cross-genre collaborations from the grassroots to the global, with music, film, poetry slams, performances and free activities.

Presented in partnership with the Centre for Creativity at Victoria University.

TIFA’s Romance Festival, presented by Rakuten Kobo (November 21-23, 2025)

Love Stories for those who Love Stories.

TIFA’s latest addition to the festival portfolio celebrates the genre that has captured the hearts of readers worldwide and revolutionised the publishing industry. From Rom-com to Romantasy, sweeping historical romances to whirlwind fantasies, romance fans can discover the books and authors that will write their way into their hearts.

TIFA’s Year Round Programmes

TIFA’s year-round programmes will continue, including the International Visitor (IV) Programme, (supported by Ontario Creates and the Canada Book Fund) which offers Canadian publishers and agents an unprecedented opportunity to secure international rights and distribution deals; Toronto Lit Up (supported by the Toronto Arts Council) presenting book launches of Toronto authors across the city; and the TIFA Presents programme of year-round events bringing world-class authors to Toronto.

About Toronto International Festival of Authors

The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) inspires, empowers and connects through the art of stories, offering book lovers a breadth of bold, ambitious and accessible literary experiences. As Canada’s largest literary festival, the charitable organization provides engaging opportunities to meet, hear and learn from the world’s best contemporary writers and thinkers, and to celebrate the power of stories. Since 1974, TIFA has presented thousands of authors who represent diverse perspectives and a range of literary genres for all ages. TIFA’s creative programmes continue to adapt to changing times, capturing the most innovative and enlightening forms of storytelling, on stage and online. TIFA delivers a year-round programme of events and activities that reflect Toronto to its residents, its literature to the nation, and its creative ambition to the world.

TIFA is grateful for the support of the Government of Canada – Department of Canadian Heritage; the Canada Council for the Arts; Ontario Creates; the Ontario Arts Council; and Toronto Arts Council; as well as the generous support offered by our many Patrons, donors and supporters.

About Victoria University in The University of Toronto 

Victoria University, federated with The University of Toronto, was founded in 1836 and is one of the oldest universities in Canada. As a recognized leader in undergraduate education in the arts and sciences and in graduate education in theology, Victoria University creates an environment where students discover how to match their distinctive talents to some of the world’s most pressing issues. It is home to two outstanding colleges. Victoria College—with its small class sizes, its distinctive first-year programs, and its exceptional students—is recognized as one of the most rewarding places in Canada to pursue an undergraduate education. Emmanuel College prepares students from many faiths and backgrounds for leadership roles in religious contexts. The iconic campus is located on the east side of Queen’s Park, south of Bloor Street, in Toronto. 

The post TIFA Builds the Literary Festival of Tomorrow With Three Major Initiatives Today appeared first on TIFA.

The call for submissions closes at 5pm ET on Friday, February 28, 2025. 

Programme Benefits 

Toronto Lit Up participants will receive the following programme benefits:  

• Financial support for a public book launch celebration taking place in Toronto within the season dates.  
• Publicity support to promote the book launch celebration to the public. 
• An honorarium fee for the author and select additional artists (performers, interviewers, hosts, etc.) participating in the book launch event.  

Eligibility Requirements 

Books: 

• All genres may apply, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, prose, short story, graphic novels, literature for young people, cookbooks, gardening books, sports-related stories, satire and much more.  
• Books must be published within three (3) months of its anticipated launch event date. 

Authors: 

• Authors must have been a resident of the City of Toronto for at least one year prior to their book launch date, and also be a current resident (defined as living in Toronto for at least eight months of the year). 
• The City of Toronto is defined by its 1998 Amalgamation: Steeles Avenue to the north, Rouge River to the east, Lake Ontario to the south, and Etobicoke Creek/Highway 427 to the west. 
• As TLU is a Toronto Arts Council (TAC) partnership, the programme is designed to represent the residents of the City of Toronto and its equity priority groups, which include those who identify as persons of colour, deaf persons, persons with disabilities and persons living with mental illness, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIAP, as well as other historically underserved writers.
• Self-published authors who identify with one or more of TAC’s equity priority groups and are members of The Writers Union of Canada are also welcome to apply. 

Launch Celebration Event: 

• Events must take place between April 1 and September 30, 2025. Exceptions may be granted in the case of extenuating circumstances. 
• Events may take place anywhere within the City of Toronto. 
• Must be open to the public and free to attend.     
• Event formats may include panel discussions, readings, one-on-one interviews, and/or interdisciplinary presentations held on-location or virtually. 

Publishers: 

• Publishers may submit more than one author per programme season. 
• Publishers can be based anywhere as long as the author lives in Toronto. 

Eligible submissions will be reviewed and adjudicated by the Toronto Lit Up selection committee, composed of Ian Keteku (OCAD University), Samia Madwar (The Walrus) and Hazel Millar (Book*hug Press). 

HOW TO APPLY

1. Review the eligibility requirements
2. Respond to the call for submissions by completing an online proposal on or before Friday, February 28, 2025 at 5pm ET.
3. Submit your proposal by completing the following Jotform link:  https://form.jotform.com/250354135832250   

CONTACT: 

Email: TorontoLitUp@festivalofauthors.ca 

Follow along on social media at @festofauthors and through #TorontoLitUp  

About Toronto Lit Up 

Meet local authors and join them in celebrating the launch of new books! The Toronto International Festival of Authors has partnered with the Toronto Arts Council (TAC) on Toronto Lit Up: a multi-year initiative designed to spotlight local writers and empower them with career-building opportunities. Between April 2016 and March 2025, Toronto Lit Up has presented over 230 events featuring more than 300 Toronto authors and illustrators. 

Toronto Lit Up book launches are open to the public and free to attend. This season of Toronto Lit Up will take place between April and September 2025, and feature new works of fiction and non-fiction for adults and young people, poetry, memoir and drama, by debut and established Toronto authors. 

The post Toronto Lit Up Call for Submissions Spring 2025 appeared first on TIFA.

It’s a new year, and with that comes a new selection of exciting novels, memoirs, poetry and short stories. From favourite authors to new debut writers, this reading list highlights the exceptional work of Black writers based in Canada, offering diverse and powerful narratives filled with love, humour, resilience, revenge and self-exploration.

Whether it’s a historical thriller or a new picture book for the young reader in your life, check out these eight books on our TBR pile this year.

Other Worlds: Stories by André Alexis (McClelland & Stewart – May 6, 2025)

André Alexis‘s Other Worlds is a captivating collection of stories that traverse real and imagined realms, offering readers a profound exploration of human experience. From a Trinidadian Obeah man’s rebirth in a Canadian child’s body to a writer’s peculiar job as a caretaker of mysterious sacks in a small town, Alexis blends genres like gothic horror and isekai, drawing inspiration from literary greats around the world. If you are seeking inventive storytelling that challenges perceptions and explores the uncanny, Other Worlds is a must-read this year.

Alphabet Soup: A Memoir in Letters by A. Gregory Frankson (Dundurn Press – January 2025)

A. Gregory Frankson‘s Alphabet Soup: A Memoir in Letters offers a unique and poetic exploration of personal experiences, with each of the 26 letters addressed to a different letter of the alphabet. Through themes such as love, death, joy, sorrow, victory and devastation, Frankson explores the depths of memory, providing introspective narratives that are startling, revelatory, humorous, sorrowful and triumphant. A former Canadian national poetry slam champion and an inductee to the VERSe Ottawa Hall of Honour, Frankson creatively invites readers into the continuous journey of confronting the past in the present, with the hope of shaping a more fulfilling future.

total: poems by Aisha Sasha John (McClelland & Stewart – March 25, 2025)

total: poems is the highly anticipated new collection from performer, choreographer and poet Aisha Sasha John. She gained widespread recognition with her 2018 Griffin Poetry Prize-shortlisted collection I have to live., which explores the physicality of existence and self-belief. Mixed with humour, honesty and compassion, her evocative and experimental writing invites you into a space where thought, feeling and movement merge. If you appreciate poetry that challenges conventions while remaining deeply personal, add total to your TBR list.

The World So Wide by Zilla Jones (Cormorant Books – April 26, 2025)

Zilla Jones‘ debut novel, The World So Wide, offers a compelling narrative that intertwines personal ambition with historical upheaval. Following Felicity Alexander, a mixed-race opera singer from Winnipeg, the story examines her rise to international stardom against the backdrop of the Grenada Revolution. Jones explores themes of identity, belonging and the enduring impact of colonialism, providing a nuanced portrayal of the Caribbean diasporic experience. This richly layered tale promises to be a captivating and thought-provoking read.

We, the Kindling: A Novel by Otoniya J. Okot Bitek (Knopf Canada – February 4, 2025)

Otoniya J. Okot Bitek, an award-winning poet known for 100 Days and A is for Acholi, makes a stunning fiction debut with We, the Kindling. Born in Kenya to Ugandan parents and a longtime resident of Canada, Okot Bitek brings her lyrical power to this haunting novel about three Ugandan women – Miriam, Helen and Maggie – who, as schoolgirls, survived abduction by the Lord’s Resistance Army. Blending vivid folk tales with stark realism, she crafts a compelling meditation on trauma, resilience and memory. If you are drawn to powerful storytelling about the strength of the human spirit, We, the Kindling is one to check out.

The Queen’s Spade by Sarah Raughley (Harper Teen – January 2025)

Historical romance is having its moment in the bright lights of BookTok, and we can’t wait to open up Sarah Raughley’s latest YA novel, The Queen’s Spade. Inspired by the true story of Sarah Forbes Bonetta (Sally), Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, the riveting thriller features revenge, romance and twisted secrets as a vengeful game of cat and mouse turns deadly and Sally must decide if the cost of vengeance is worth sacrificing her heart. Raughley grew up in Southern Ontario and works in the community doing writing workshops for youth and adults.

A Single Dreadlock by Xaiver Michael Campbell, Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes (Groundwood Books – September 2, 2025)

Xaiver Michael Campbell‘s A Single Dreadlock is a heartfelt story about finding the courage to be yourself and expressing your difference. The narrative follows Lovie, a young boy who moves from Jamaica to Newfoundland and faces teasing at school due to his hairstyle. With guidance from his grandmother, Lovie learns to embrace his natural hair and cultural heritage, fostering self-acceptance and confidence. The vibrant illustrations by Eugenie Fernandes complement the story, making it perfect for young readers. Recommended for ages 3 to 6.

My Nova Scotia by Lindsay Ruck, Illustrated by Martyna Czub (Nimbus Publishing – June 10, 2025)

My Nova Scotia by Lindsay Ruck, illustrated by Martyna Czub, is a delightful children’s book that introduces young readers to the rich tapestry of Nova Scotia’s culture and landscapes. Through joyful rhymes and whimsical illustrations, the book celebrates the province’s diverse traditions, from Acadian hooked rugs to Cape Breton fiddle music. With Ruck’s deep love of the province showcased on each page, we can’t wait to dive into the charm and warmth of Nova Scotia’s people and places. Recommended for ages 3 to 7.

The post Books On TIFA’s 2025 TBR List appeared first on TIFA.

The Fall season will take place between October 2024 and March 2025, and features new works for adults and young people, by debut and established Toronto authors. Each author has a different story to tell and a different way to tell it, be it an Indigenous rom-com in the form of a play, a graphic novel about a boy’s fear of sharks after watching Jaws, or a book on the highs and lows of the Canadian cannabis industry. Discover the stories that capture the iconic character of Toronto’s neighbourhoods and the wealth of cultures that meet on our streets. From bookstores to bars, clubs to coffee shops, Toronto Lit Up has a book launch for everyone’s TBR needs.  

The following new books will be featured: 

• Lillian Allen, Gary Barwin & Gregory Betts, Muttertongue (Exile Editions)  
• Zehra Allibhai, Bismillah, Let’s Eat! Fresh and Vibrant Recipes from my Family to Yours (Hachette GO)
• Maya Ameyaw, Under All the Lights (Annick Press)  
• Jowita Bydlowska, Monster (Anvil Press)  
• Curtis Campbell & Daniel Krolik, Gay For Pay: The Blake & Clay Plays (J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing) 
• Michael DeForge, Holy Lacrimony (Drawn & Quarterly) 
• Farzana Doctor, The Beauty of Us (ECW Press) 
• Edwin Dumont, The Fabulous Edweena (Second Story Press) 
• Kate Gies, It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished (Scribner Canada) 
• Paul Gilligan, Boy vs. Shark (Tundra Books) 
• Suzanne Elki Yoko Hartmann, The Nail That Sticks Out (Dundurn Press)  
• Tristan Jones, The Forgotten Frontier (At Bay Press)  
• Ben Kaplan, Catch a Fire (Dundurn Press)  
• Qin Leng, Fantastic Lou (Tundra Books) 
• Matthew MacKenzie & Mariya Khomutova, First Métis Man of Odesa (Playwrights Canada Press) 
• Joelle Peters, Niizh (Playwrights Canada Press) 
• Natasha Ramoutar, Baby Cerberus (Wolsak & Wynn) 
• Priya Ramsingh, The Elevator (Palimpsest Press) 
• Elizabeth Ruth, This Report is Strictly Confidential (Caitlin Press) 
• Nazneen Sheikh, I Left You Behind (Mawenzi House Publishers)  
• Ardra Shephard, Fallosophy (Douglas & McIntyre) 
• Damian Tarnopolsky, Every Night I Dream I’m a Monk, Every Night I Dream I’m a Monster (Freehand Books)  
• Wanda Taylor, A Recipe for Rhyme and Rescue (HarperCollins) 
• Catherine Tsalikis, Chrystia: From Peace River to Parliament Hill (House of Anansi Press) 
• Allan Weiss, Bread and Stone (Black Rose Books)  
• Susan Yoon, Gwendolyn and the Light (Abrams Books for Young Readers)

Events to launch and celebrate these titles will take place in person across Toronto from October to March. All events will be free to attend and open to the public. Stay tuned for dates and details to come at FestivalofAuthors.ca. 

• From the Toronto Arts Council 

“Partnering with TIFA to amplify the work of Toronto authors and illustrators is something we are very proud to do. Toronto Lit Up not only generates excitement for published work, but it promotes and further strengthens our city’s rich literary community. Congratulations to the authors and illustrators who are taking part in this season of Toronto Lit Up!” – Kelly Langgard, Director & CEO, Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation. 

The Committee 

Each submission is reviewed by the Toronto Lit Up Committee, composed of Ayesha Chatterjee (past president, League of Canadian Poets), Ian Keteku (Creative Writing Instructor, OCAD U), Samia Madwar (Senior Editor, The Walrus), Hazel Millar (Co-Publisher, Book*hug) and Roland Gulliver (Director, Toronto International Festival of Authors). 

How to get involved: 

To keep up to date on announcements, upcoming events and submission periods, follow us on social media at @festofauthors and subscribe to our e-newsletter. 

About Toronto Arts Council (TAC)  

Toronto Arts Council (TAC) is the City of Toronto’s funding body for artists and arts organizations. Since 1974, TAC has offered innovative and responsive programs, enabling artists and arts organizations to explore, create and thrive. With funding of over $25 million annually, TAC grants lead to exhibitions, performances, readings and workshops seen each year by over five million people across the city. TAC is proud to play a leadership role in fostering Toronto’s dynamic and diverse arts scene. www.torontoartscouncil.org 

The post Announcing the Toronto Lit Up Fall 2024 Season appeared first on TIFA.

The 17^th edition of the International Visitors (IV) Programme, in association with the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA), today announced that Nicole Winstanley, will be the 13^th recipient of the Ivy Award, given annually to an individual who has made a substantial contribution to Canadian publishing. Winstanley will be honoured during the 2024 Ivy Award & Conversation taking place at Harbourfront Centre Theatre during TIFA on Tuesday September 24 at 2pm (ET). The event will also feature a conversation with Keynote Speaker Dawn Davis, Founder and Publisher of 37 INK and Senior Vice President & Publisher at Simon & Schuster USA. TIFA takes place from September 19 to 29, 2024.

“I’m stunned to have been chosen as the recipient of this award by my publishing peers, and also to have my name mentioned in the company of the previous winners whom I so greatly admire,” said Ivy Award recipient Nicole Winstanley.

“Nicole Winstanley is known to all who have had the privilege of working with her as a passionate and energetic champion for her authors and their books. She is known for her exceptional taste and her great enthusiasm. Her commitment to our industry – both at home here in Canada and internationally is unrivalled and we are so delighted to recognize her with the IVY Award and add her name to the prestigious list of recipients,” said Carolyn Forde co-chair of the IV Committee.

This year’s Ivy Award jury is composed of Deborah Dundas, Opinion Editor, Toronto Star; Carolyn Forde co-chair IV Committee, Partner & Senior Literary Agent, Transatlantic Agency; Alana Wilcox, Editorial Director, Coach House Books; Kyle Wyatt, Editor Literary Review of Canada and TIFA Director Roland
Gulliver.

Past Ivy Award recipients include: Alana Wilcox (2023) Iris Tupholme (2022), Errol Sharpe (2021), Nurjehan Aziz (2020), Anne Collins (2019), Brian Lam (2018), Phyllis Bruce (2017), Linda McKnight (2016), David Kent (2015), Dean Cooke (2014), Louise Dennys (2013) and Scott McIntyre (2012).

The IV Programme is supported by:

The post Publisher Nicole Winstanley Named the 2024 Ivy Award Recipient appeared first on TIFA.

The 2024 Festival explores the concept of “writing home” – from books and stories about the places we all call home, to the ideas, cultures and conflicts that inform what home means to us. TIFA presents a dynamic lineup of conversations and readings with the best fiction and non-fiction writers, movie screenings, food tastings, kids’ activities, poetry slams, and writing masterclasses. Over 100 artists and authors from 11 countries will be featured.

TIFA presents three special events at Koerner Hall in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning with international superstars, Yuval Noah Harari, Liane Moriarty and The Moth. Popular programme streams return including POP Fiction celebrating romance, horror and all things genre; delicious food conversations are to be discovered with Bite the Book; Critical Conversations discuss our contemporary world; and TIFA Kids offers fun-filled weekends of activities and stories. The Festival is honoured to present a new programme stream celebrating Indigenous stories from across Canada including Murray Sinclair, Angela Sterritt and Amanda Peters. The city we all call home is celebrated with a night of readings, music and food as TIFA launches Write the Neighbourhood, a collection of specially commissioned stories published by Book*hug.

“For each one of us, ‘home’ means something a little different; somewhere we belong, somewhere we long for. In a city as multicultural as Toronto we wanted to delve into how our writers and artists explore this idea through stories, food, music, identity, language and illustration,” said Roland Gulliver, Toronto International Festival of Authors Director. “Each year, we imagine ways to bring guests from around the world to encounter fellow Canadian writers and audiences, to immerse themselves in storytelling of all forms, exciting book lovers and inspiring new readers through the power of stories.”

TIFA welcomes bestselling authors to share their captivating stories and unpack critical conversations sparked by current events. With some of the most inspiring writers in fiction, graphic novels, short stories, poetry, political science, and history.

POP FICTION
Spotlighting the best in genre fiction including fantasy, romance, science fiction, graphic novels and horror, POP Fiction invites readers to celebrate stories of sweeping sagas, heroes and villains, soulmates and whatever else makes story-loving hearts POP!

BITE THE BOOK
Exploring the connection between food and community, experts including authors, chefs, food critics and nutritional scientists participate in delicious conversations.

FESTIVAL OF INDIGENOUS STORIES
A special two-day mini-festival celebrating Indigenous authors, creators and thinkers, creating space for voices to be heard and important conversations to be shared.

TIFA KIDS
Featuring the Children’s Book Bank of Toronto, children and families can enjoy fun-filled weekends with free author readings, illustrator workshops and hands-on activities with a variety of storytellers including Lien-En Lin, Yolanda T. Marshall, Germany’s Efua Traore and Geraldo Valerio.

CREATIVE WRITING MASTERCLASSES
TIFA presents its popular series of daily professional writing masterclasses in partnership with The Humber School for Writers. Led by its renowned faculty members and acclaimed authors, each 90-minute class focuses on a specific aspect of writing craft. Masterclasses include: Antanas Sileika on Fact to Fiction; Adam Sol on Poetry; Shyam Selvadurai on Point of View; Nina Dunic on Writing with Instinct and Emotion; Alison Pick on Character Development; and David Bezmozgis on How Much Is Too Much: On The Power of Withholding and Restraint in Writing.

Box office opens Thursday, August 15 and donating TIFA Friends can book all tickets now.

Browse the schedule!

The post Toronto International Festival of Authors Creates A Home For Authors, Thinkers & Readers From Around The World appeared first on TIFA.