Books and community are two of my very favorite things. Add in a quaint island in the fall, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for joy. So when my good friend Terri invited me to get involved and join the board of the Paper Covers Rock Readers and Writers Festival, it was an instant yes.
This year’s festival takes place on Salt Spring Island, October 3-4, and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of it. I’ll be leading a workshop on PR for authors—sharing strategies to help writers amplify their stories and connect with readers in meaningful ways.
The blood, sweat, tears (and funds!) that Terri has poured into this festival are nothing short of admirable. Year after year, she’s managed to create a special kind of magic that blends creativity, connection, and community in a way that sets Paper Covers Rock Readers and Writers Festival apart.
Here’s what Terri had to share about the spirit of creativity and community that make this festival unlike any other.
Why bringing people together around words, creativity, and community matters more than ever.
As a lifelong learner at heart, I’ve always loved the buzz that comes from gathering around ideas — whether at a conference, a keynote, or a small workshop. When I moved to Salt Spring Island from Vancouver in 2018, I was struck not only by its natural beauty and slower pace, but also by the fact that there wasn’t a festival for readers or writers here. It felt like the perfect place to escape to for a writing retreat, so I decided to start one.
My own background is pretty eclectic: I’ve worked in film, television, event production, news media, magazines, and content strategy. Again and again, I’ve seen how unexpected collisions of ideas spark the best outcomes. Some of the most memorable conference sessions I ever attended were with speakers I knew nothing about. I’d walk in blind, and suddenly an idea would click with something seemingly unrelated in my life — sparking a new path I couldn’t have predicted. That’s the magic of human connection, and it’s what I wanted Paper Covers Rock to capture. I wanted to create a space where writers, readers, creatives, and curious minds could come together, no experience necessary. You take home what resonates with you, and it’s almost guaranteed to inspire in ways you couldn’t plan.
Over the years, our lineup has been as diverse as our audience. We’ve welcomed celebrated memoirists, poets, and novelists like Cecily Nicholson, Sonja Larsen, Joseph Dandurand, Lee Henderson, Michael Christie, Aislinn Hunter, Cedar Bowers, and the late great Darrel McLeod. But we’ve also invited less expected voices: chef Gracie Gardner explored food as a catalyst for creative momentum, filmmaker Liz Cairns spoke about her immersive process for screenwriting, and comedy writer Thomas John made us laugh while teaching joke-writing — and even shared his meticulous note cataloging system. We’ve made chapbooks with Kevin Spenst, and listened as Jen Currin used sound and lyricism to help us elevate our prose.
Producing this festival has not been without its challenges. It’s small, it’s personal, and it’s been entirely bootstrapped since day one. But every year, we come out rich in ideas, full of connection, and more eager than ever to write with meaning. One of my favourite moments came after a particularly emotional workshop where the group laughed and cried together as we shared our work. A first-time attendee leaned over to me and asked, referencing the impact of the workshop that had just concluded: “Are they always like this?”
As we step into our fifth year, I can honestly say: yes, they almost always are.
Paper Covers Rock was born out of curiosity and the belief that when people gather in person to share stories, something powerful always happens.
Paper Covers Rock 2025 – Salt Spring Island’s Readers and Writers Festival
📅 October 3-4, 2025
📍 Salt Spring Island, BC
🎟️ Get your tickets here: Paper Covers Rock 2025 Tickets
