Member event

Join us for the book launch of We Walked Him to the Door by Lori Weber, published by Pottersfield Press.

A MAID death is like no other — it is deliberate, legal, and comes at an appointed time. Through the eyes of his widow, this memoir tells the story of Ron’s MAID journey and of its effects on his family. Ron suffered for years with chronic pain, slowly losing his quality of life. When finding relief from the health system failed, he made a bold decision — to access medical assistance in dying (MAID). He was able to so because of Bill C-7, which received royal assent in Canada in March of 2021. Replacing the original MAID law (Bill C-14), the new law allowed people whose deaths were not reasonably foreseeable to end their lives.

Accessing MAID was not easy. First, Ron had to find support for his application since none of his doctors backed his decision. Next, he had to prove that his physical suffering was unbearable and that he had tried every remedy possible. For his family, learning of this decision was devastating. However, watching his decline and suffering had been equally difficult. Even his three beloved grandchildren were aware that he was not the grandpa they once knew.

The memoir is also the story of a relationship, from Ron and Lori’s first meeting at university to their last day. Both Anglo-Quebecers with a long family history in the province, the two built a life together. Early days, bonding with Ron’s two young daughters, moves to other parts of Canada, and trips abroad provide memories that Lori rakes over as she awaits the day chosen for MAID — all to the backdrop of that ticking clock. She and the three daughters formed a team, providing love and support, and working together to make Ron’s last months as fun-filled and easy as possible. The book examines the courage it takes to stand by someone facing MAID.

Finally, the memoir is about the aftermath of a death, and the huge void that is created when one loses a partner of thirty-five years. Building a new life in Nova Scotia, with grief as a constant companion, created its own challenges.

(Helen Creighton Room)

Public launch, reading and author signing of Allan’s new novel of historical fiction, Aideen’s Promise.

Come join our Sunday Signing series and have a coffee with Lesley Crewe.

While you’re here, grab a personally autographed copy of one of Crewe’s many books (including her newest book, The Spirit of Scatarie).

This workshop is open to emerging and established writers. Discussions on finding the heart of personal stories, and why telling the truth, writing into the emotional centre of things, will make your memoir a stand-out. The venue is a gracious Edwardian mansion in the South End. For more details: mls@marjoriesimmins.ca

Meet donalee Moulton and learn about her latest book, Melt. Buy a copy and get it signed!

Melt is a mystery. A story about friendship. A story about three yogis turned amateur sleuths who are asked to help a 17-year-old boy facing life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. They must each use their unique skills and connections to help. It takes more than a downward dog.

Refreshments will be served!

Donna Jones Alward will be at the Charlottetown Indigo signing copies of her latest novel, Ship of Dreams.

Please join us for an afternoon of readings and discussion with the Evergreen Writers Group:

• Cathy MacKenzie
• Frances Nobles
• Claudette Bouman
• Kim Williamson
• Sarah Curry
• Georgina Godfrey

Books will be available for purchase, and a book prize draw will happen at the end of the event!

Join Sarah Emsley as she reads from her debut novel, The Austens, and shares the true story behind Jane Austen’s connections to Nova Scotia. Discover how Sarah brought to life the complex friendship between Jane and her sister-in-law Fanny Austen, set against a world where art, love, and women’s choices were challenged. The presentation includes a slide show of historical places in England and Nova Scotia tied to the Austen family.

Complimentary coffee and treats will be available for all guests during the event.

Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
Time: 8:45 am – 9:45 am
Location: Turkey Tavern, Avonlea Village
Ticket Price: $25.00
Voices: Sarah Emsley

Join moderator Jessica Doria-Brown and New York Times Bestselling Author Donna Alward Jones for a lively discussion about Donna’s historical fiction works, including her new novel Ship of Dreams.

The evening opens with a discussion with Caitlyn Paxson, writer, performer, and historical interpreter, talking about her new book: A Widow’s Charm is a Comedy of Errors fantasy romance in which a clever widow blackmails her rakish necromancer neighbour to bring her husband back to life and save her home. The evening wraps up with a musical performance from 2024 Music PEI Entertainer of the Year, Lawrence Maxwell.

Books available for purchase, with signing by author during the entertainment.

Join us for the launch of A Sense of Things Beyond, a gorgeous work of literary historical fiction exploring what is commemorated and what is forgotten in times of war, from the ReLit-nominated author of The Sound of Fire.

In the aftermath of the First World War, two souls struggle to find their place in a world they no longer recognize. Rose, a nurse who tended to the wounded near the frontlines, has returned to her quiet life in Toronto to find that her family home no longer offers any comfort. Only a few years earlier, she reached France brimming with eagerness to contribute, but as she found herself healing soldiers only to send them back to the trenches, the senseless brutality of war became clear?especially once her nephew Leo enlisted.

Meanwhile, Frederick is trying to reclaim the thread of his life interrupted by war. On the verge of completing his PhD when Germany declared him an enemy alien, he spent the next four years languishing in an internment camp, where thousands of men from the British Empire crowded into unheated horse stables. But now he wonders if his anger at his unjust treatment was misdirected.

Their paths cross as each is trying to bridge the chasm between who they once were and who they have become. As Rose and Frederick navigate the fragile promises of a new world, their shared sense of disillusionment becomes a language of its own. Might they find solace in each other?

Past and present intertwine in A Sense of Things Beyond, revealing how each shapes the other. It is a gorgeously written examination of what comes after war, and how we hold remembrance.