Join us for a seed swap and a conversation about caring for the Earth, ourselves, and others.
We'll be joined by Alice Irene Whittaker, author of the new book Homing: A Quest to Care for Myself and the Earth, which follows her journey of repairing her fractured relationship with both herself and the natural world. She interviews dozens of people who are building homes, growing food, making clothes, raising families, and living their lives in regenerative ways. Her work also reflects on mothering her children on a planet that is damaged and yet full of gifts.
Alice Irene will be joined by authors Joan Crate and Susan Ouriou, contributors to the recent book Many Mothers, Seven Skies and part of a collective of mothers and grandmothers hoping to make sense of this strange, changing world.
The evening will be hosted by Deborah Willis, author of Girlfriend on Mars, a satirical novel that explores income inequality and climate anxiety.
We will also be having a seed swap! Come with any extra or leftover seeds, and leave with something new to try to grow.
A portion of the book sale proceeds from this event will be donated to the Calgary Climate Hub.
Thank you to Pages for hosting this event!
About Homing
Overwhelmed by obsessive productivity and environmental anxiety, recovering perfectionist Alice Irene Whittaker and her family decide to retreat to a cabin in the woods, where she begins a lifelong journey of repairing her fractured relationship with both herself and the natural world. Searching for the spaces between the sorrow of wildfires and the beauty of wildflowers, Homing is a lyrical memoir about moving from a life of despair to a life of care.
About Alice Irene Whittaker
Alice Irene Whittaker is an author, mother, and environmental communications leader, and the creator and host of the Reseed podcast. With her husband, three children, brood of chickens, trio of cats, and a dog, Alice Irene lives in a cabin in the woods on unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe land in Quebec. Homing is her first book.
About Joan Crate
Joan Crate was born in the Northwest Territories on Chief Drygeese territory, traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. After finding homes in various places, she now lives in Calgary — Mohkinstsis — and the rural Okanagan on the unceded territory of sqilxw/syilx (Okanagan) peoples. She writes both poetry and fiction and has won several writing awards over the years, including the Writers' Guild of Alberta Golden Pen Award in 2023 and the W.O. Mitchell City of Calgary Book Award for Black Apple.
About Susan Ouriou
Susan Ouriou is an award-winning literary translator (French and Spanish to English) and fiction writer. She has been a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Translation on seven occasions, winning for her translation of Pieces of Me by Charlotte Gingras. She also translated Catherine Leroux’s The Future, winner of 2024 CBC Canada Reads.
About Deborah Willis
Deborah Willis’ novel, Girlfriend on Mars, was longlisted for the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize, the 2024 Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, and The Forest of Reading Evergreen Award. She is an editor at Freehand Books and lives in Calgary with her partner, Kris Demeanor, and daughter.