The Beijing Bookworm Literary Festival launches today, March 11 and continues until March 27. I’m especially excited because an anthology that features one of my pieces will be featured at the event. This marks my second official Literary Festival and feels like another brick in the pathway I’ve been slowly paving towards a professional writing career. Hurray!
On Sunday March 13 at 6pm, the anthology Knocked Up Abroad will be the focus at iQiyi Café. I am the only contributing writer who will be on the panel, but I have assembled three other expat moms who write on the topic of pregnancy, childbirth or parenting abroad. They are Charlotte Edwards-Zhang, Vanessa Jencks, Ruth Silbermayr-Song, and me; The event will be moderated by Theresa Ahdieh. We will each read an excerpt of our writing and then open up the conversation to the audience. (Get tickets here!)
Last year, How Does One Dress to Buy Dragonfruit: True Stories of Expat Women in Asia was featured. This book also featured one of my stories and so 2015’s panel included two other contributing writers based in China and we all had a marvelous time. It was truly a highlight of my spring.
When I look at the line-up this year of authors who will be presenting at The Beijing Bookworm Literary Festival, I am especially excited about long-time poet from Toronto (my hometown), Dionne Brand, whose work is exceptional; and Roxane Gay, a writer whose work I have only just encountered this year. Gay’s feminist clarity brings me words of support much needed since relocating to this persistently sexist culture. I still love you, China, but regarding feminism: catch up already!
Hope to see you all there!
Photos: Courtesy of Ember Swift
