Family folklore & fantastic fiction: writing stories rooted in local history with Kim Bannerman
Dig into local history to uncover rich, surprising details that bring your writing to life.
Time & Location
Sep 13, 2025, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Evergreen Arts & Healing Centre, 464 Melmore Rd, Bowen Island, BC
About the Event
What unique stories from your own local history will add realism, intrigue, and flavour to your novel? What rabbit-holes will you tumble down while exploring your own backyard? Join author Kim Bannerman as she discusses how to find inspiration for your fiction in research papers, interviews, old newspaper articles, unconventional sources, and more. Starting with a brief presentation on circus history, Kim will engage participants in fun, creative, and supportive exercises while providing tips on research, building meaningful relationships with local knowledge holders, and finding tidbits that make your fiction pop!
Participants will engage in conversations, examine late-1800s newspaper pages, and write short fiction essays for discussion. Kim looks forward to sharing research techniques, historical anecdotes, and helpful writing habits that will inspire and delight participants.
About Kim Bannerman
Kim Bannerman’s strange and sinister stories have appeared in anthologies like She’s Shameless (Tightrope Books), Teen Angst Poetry (St. Martin’s Press), Wolf-Girls (Hic Dragones Press), and When Birds Are Near (Cornell University Press). She received a Canada Council Grant to complete her novel Bucket of Blood in 2008, and her novels include the Circus Salmagundi Mysteries series, beginning with Truly the Devil’s Work, and the modern fairy tale, The Tattooed Wolf. She lives in Cumberland, BC and can be found online at www.kbannerman.com.