Trunkey says that the festival will feature more than just authors reading their works.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe tried to have readings and panel discussions,\u201d says Trunkey, whose latest book is Double Dutch<\/i>, a collection of short stories. \u201cSome people really prefer to just hear the authors read their work, and that can introduce them to books that they maybe wouldn\u2019t have picked up otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n Writing is a solitary activity by nature; Trunkey says she enjoys the sense of community that arises at festivals like this. Along with Vanessa Herman, former event organizer at Russell Books, Trunkey founded the event after the Victoria Writers Festival folded.<\/p>\n \u201cWe decided to just revive it and try to bring it back,\u201d says Trunkey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Trunkey says that support from the community is key for festivals like this, and that the diverse lineup of writers should help to win that support.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first year we did it, we weren\u2019t even sure the festival would break even,\u201d she says. \u201cWe were really anxious when we were booking authors that we wouldn\u2019t have an audience, but the first year went really well, so we\u2019ve just been trying to slowly grow it ever since then.\u201d<\/p>\n Now in its third year, the festival will consist of live music and dance performances, author readings, and panel discussions where authors talk about their work; Trunkey says that she enjoys the panel discussions the most. There will also be a cocktail night at the Robert Bateman Centre, where three local authors will pick up their instruments and play some tunes. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey are all musicians who have put out a book within a year,\u201d says Trunkey. \u201cWe have dance this year, which is new.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The dancers are a flamenco group who will perform to poetry written by Victoria poet Garth Martens, says Trunkey.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the benefits of organizing the festival is we get a lot of say in who we\u2019re going to bring,\u201d says Trunkey. \u201cThere\u2019s some people that, I love their work, and it\u2019s nice to invite them and have them perform, and then also there\u2019s people who are new emerging writers that have a first book coming out, and it\u2019s great that we can invite them as well.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/IMG_0852-o.png\")
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