On Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8, at the Comédie de Montréal (on de Maisonneuve Est), this 3rd edition of the Queer Book Fair will be held, organized by Fierté littéraire. Under the theme “Read yourself, one letter at a time”, this Salon is co-chaired by indigenous author Moira-Uashteskun Bacon and author and sociologist Michel Dorais. Around thirty writers will be on hand to sign their works and meet the public.
“We are organizing a queer-themed book fair because in other fairs, queer literature is more diluted, whereas here, we bring together people of great diversity: men, women, trans and non-trans people. binary, racialized and indigenous people, etc. And above all, so that everyone feels good and accepted here,” explains Denis Martin Chabot, artistic director of Fierté littéraire which was founded in 2012.
Moira-Uashteskun Bacon is part of Pekuakamiulnuatsh, the Innu nation of Mashteuiatsh in Lac-Saint-Jean. They are a finalist for the Governor General's Awards in the children's literature category for their first novel Envole-toi, Mikun (published by Hannenorak). “We are very proud to say that we are offering her a caring space where Moira feels very comfortable,” noted Denis-Martin Chabot. We thus join other communities within our queer community and this is, precisely, part of diversity and inclusion. As for Michel Dorais, as co-president of this Salon, we couldn't pass up, he has done a lot for our communities for years.
Michel Dorais, who just a few months ago gave us his brand new book entitled The Revolution of Gender Identities Finally Explained (Éditions du Trécarré), will also be on site. Two discussions are planned on themes often found in queer literature. The first, on the theme of defectors or moving up the ranks, is hosted by Sayaka Araniva-Yanez (I watch porn when I'm sad, Tryptique editions). Benoît Jodoin (Why I don't write, Editions Tryptique) and Dalie Giroux (L'oeil du maître, Editions memoire d'encrier) are his guests. The other theme deals with autofiction and is hosted by Denis-Martin Chabot (Escales parisiennes, Editions Crescendo!). Gabriel Cholette (Le Straight Park, Triptyque editions) and Alexis Viens (Les pénitences, Le Cheval d'August) are the guests. “These are broad and fairly universal themes in queer literature,” continues Denis-Martin Chabot. Defector and moving up the classes are often associated with coming out, when we leave our environment which is less open and we keep more of the connection from which we came. Personally, I come from a background that had no education, I looked at where I came from, but I was ashamed. This is my experience, but it happens to many people in our communities. We are talking here about this phenomenon of class ascension and movement which is so widespread in our literature. We leave a social class in which we grew up for another that accepts us more.”
“As for the round table on autofiction, yes, often first novels are inspired by true events, it's something that is very important in the queer community. It's almost an 'initiatory' novel, it's very interesting. So these are two very broad discussions, but it is often inspired by what happens in our lives,” he continues.
Story time returns
For “queer” families, we have not neglected the children. We have planned a morning program, with story time (from 10:30 a.m.), on Saturday with the incomparable Barbada de Barbades and, on Sunday, with Fabien L'Humour who is the drag king alter ego of Félicia Latour, a queer journalist and educator. Obviously, so that the children can have fun and have a little fun. “We know everything that happened around story times and drag, but we have to look at it with a child's heart, drag is characters,” emphasizes Denis-Martin Chabot. We would have liked to do more, but we are already scraping the bottom line given that we don’t have a lot of subsidies.”
Saturday at 4 p.m., we will be able to attend the launch of Élise Martin's brand new book, J'avale ton absence (published by Éditions TNT). “Élise won the “Queer Académie” prize, in 2022, at Fierté Littéraire,” adds the artistic director of this Salon. Among the authors present to sign their books and their works we will find, on December 7, the very nice Dominick Trudeau who will present his new work When I think of my Christmases! (Éditions TNT). Sunday at the end of the day, the poet Pascale Cormier will present a public reading with her guests. Details will be known later. Entrance is free, however a voluntary contribution will be greatly appreciated by the organizers. “We are doing this show without a lot of money, especially to support people in the queer community, but if the public can donate a few dollars at the entrance, it will help us greatly. Especially three weeks before Christmas, people can come and buy books to give as gifts and this encourages authors,” says Denis-Martin Chabot.
INFO | From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Théâtre La Comédie de Montréal, 1113, boul. From Maisonneuve East, at the corner of Wolfe. Info: fiertelitteraire.ca
The on-stage events will be broadcast on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fiertelitteraire8239
