“The Life of a Writer” – A Conversation with UBC Library’s Writer-in-Residence Evelyn Lau

Join us for a special literary Q&A session featuring acclaimed poet and memoirist Evelyn Lau, in conversation with Bonnie Nish, Executive Director of Word Vancouver Festival. This engaging dialogue offers audiences a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of Canada’s most influential literary voices as she reflects on her decades-long writing journey—from her groundbreaking debut Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid to her most recent poetry collections.

This intimate conversation will delve into Evelyn Lau’s creative process, her thoughts on the evolving literary landscape, and the personal themes that have shaped her body of work. Whether you’re a long-time reader or new to her writing, this session invites you into the mind and heart of a poet whose work continues to challenge, illuminate, and resonate.

Evelyn is a lifelong Vancouverite who has authored 15 books. Her memoir, Runaway, was made into a CBC movie starring Sandra Oh. Evelyn’s collections of poetry have received national awards and her prose has been translated into a dozen languages. From 2011 to 2014, she served as Vancouver’s Poet Laureate.

Dr. Bonnie Nish is Executive Director of Word Vancouver and Pandora’s Collective Outreach Society. She holds a Master’s in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a PhD in Language and Literacy Education from the University of British Columbia, where she currently teaches. A certified Expressive Arts Therapist and faculty member at the Vancouver Expressive Arts Therapy School, Bonnie has led workshops across North America for over 20 years. She is the author of Love and Bones, co-editor of Concussion and Mild TBI: Not Just Another Headline, and co-author of Cantata in Two Voices with Jude Neale. Bonnie lives in Vancouver and is working on a new book.

Location: Peña Room (Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, Level 3)

Date & Time: Thursday, October 16 – 3.00-4.00PM PT