Three women, three men. Three reds, three whites. Three fiction, three non-fiction.
That, says Jerry Auld, organizer of the third annual En Vino Novellus evening, taking place at the Canmore Rose & Crown on Thursday (March 22), is the absolutely perfect lineup.
“I look at this slate of books and writers and it’s as diverse as a wine shop, " Auld said. “People can come in and sample what they feel like tasting. "
The lineup is varied, rich and full-bodied. Rockies’ ice climber Margo Talbot will read from All That Glitters, her intensely personal story of rising to the heights of climbing on the international stage while overcoming the challenges of depression and drug abuse.
Canmore author Tom Omstead will share passages from The Red Wing Sings, a fictional account of an invasion of Canada by U.S. Armed Forces that masterfully ties in the lost diary of Sir Isaac Brock, strategist for the War of 1812.
Calgary’s Susan Toy, a dedicated participant in the Bow Valley’s literary scene, will read from her first novel, Islands in the Clouds, a murder mystery set in the Caribbean. Canmore’s Michael Vlessides will share pages from The Ice Pilots, based on the popular TV show which follows a group of gritty pilots flying for renegade arctic airline Buffalo Airways. Canmore’s Peter Learn, a former school principal, will read from his novel, Surrender, a clever tale of how a defunct school mascot returns to haunt the principal responsible for his demise.
“It’s probably the funniest book I’ve read all year, " Auld said. “It’s phenomenally good! "
Rounding out the lineup, long-time Banff resident and former director of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Bernadette McDonald, will read from her newest book, Freedom Climbers. Grand Prize winner for the 2011 Banff Mountain Book Festival and the 2011 Boardman Tasker Prize, it celebrates the lives of Polish climbers who emerged from post Second World War oppression to dominate Himalayan climbing as the most determined and toughest cadre of climbers ever known.
“I think this year has a perfect balance and range of really different writers and books, " Auld said.
Hosted by the Rose & Crown, Auld said he felt the venue would serve attendees well as they would have the option of ordering a meal, stepping into the adjacent pub or out onto the patio between readings and wine tastings.
Backed wholly by Auld and sponsors Café Books, Canmore Wine Merchants and the Rose & Crown, Auld said the event is meant as a community celebration of wine, writers and books.
“There are no tickets and donations are not accepted, but please, buy a book! " Auld said. “Or buy a bottle of wine. That’s the flow-through that will make this event sustainable. "
En Vino Novellus begins at 7 p.m. on March 22. The event is free and open to all.
