Acclaimed author Madeleine Thien to speak at the College

Okanagan College Media Release

UPDATE: Please note that this event has been cancelled due to illness.

Inspiring students and the public about the art of writing, Okanagan College’s Department of English is bringing one of B.C.’s prized authors to the Kelowna campus on Thursday, Feb. 4.

Award-winning author Madeleine Thien, of famed novels Dogs at the Perimeter and Certainty and the short stories collection Simple Recipes, is recognized as an outspoken advocate for women and ethnic writers and for integrity in literary criticism and publishing. She also writes essays on diverse topics including female beauty, state surveillance, visual art, race, and literary politics.

“Thien is a master of the short story form and has gained national and international acclaim for the clarity, precision, and emotional depth of her writing,” said College English Professor Corinna Chong. “We are thrilled to be able to give students, aspiring writers, and lovers of literature the opportunity to meet her and to hear about her writing process.”

In addition to reading from her works, Thien will provide insights into her writing career followed by a question period and book signing. The College’s bookstore will be on hand for those wishing to purchase Thien’s works.

The long list of accolades Thien has received boasts the City of Vancouver Book Award, the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, and the Amazon.ca First Novel Award. Most recently, her short story The Wedding Cake was shortlisted for England’s Sunday Time EFG Private Bank Short Story Award, recognized as the richest prize in the world for a single short story.

Thien will be releasing a highly anticipated new novel in May, Do Not Say We Have Nothing, about musicians studying Western classical music at the Shanghai Conservatory during the 1960s.

The free public event will be held this Thursday in room B112 at the College’s Kelowna campus from 7 to 9 p.m.

For more information about the author, visit www.madeleinethien.com.