In a partnership between the AfterWords Literary Festival and the Atlantic Book Awards, authors Stephanie Domet (co-executive and co-artistic director of AfterWords) and K.R. Byggdin (Raddall winner for Wonder World) will be reading a nominated book along with us and leading the conversation series. 

Non-fiction writing prioritizes facts over the imagined, but stories based in the real world can be as fast-paced and fascinating as fantasy! Join Nova Scotia Book Award nominees in an evening of reading and conversation on writing non-fiction. 

Hosted by Atlantic Book Awards nominees Jacqueline Halsey, Joe and the Wreck of the Tribune, Melanie Mosher, Bertie Stewart is Perfectly Imperfect. This writer’s circle is open to anyone (emerging to established) of any genre!

Fantastic Fiction brings together readers and Atlantic Canadian authors to celebrate the nominees of the Nova Scotia Book Awards fiction prizes. 

The Nova Scotia Book Awards will be presented on Monday, June 1, at Brightwood Golf & Country Club in Dartmouth in a ceremony hosted by Juanita Peters that will also be live-streamed. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

The Cabot Trail Writers Festival is delighted to host a reading, conversation and audience Q&A with the three authors nominated for the 2026 Alistair MacLeod Prize for Short Fiction: Geoff Butler (We, the Ancestors), Shelley Thompson(Winter Sky: Stories for the Season) and Heidi Wicks (Here). 

The Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association’s Best Atlantic-Published Book Award is presented annually to the Atlantic Canadian publisher whose book, published in the preceding year, best exemplifies excellence and achievement in all aspects and phases of the publishing process. Join us for readings, mingling, and celebrating these beautiful books! Cinq à sept (readings at 6pm) at Trident Bookseller and Cafe. Free!

Don’t miss the chance to meet the 2026 J. M. Abraham Atlantic Poetry Award nominees at The Carleton at 7 pm, Wednesday, June 3rd. Poets will be reading from their nominated books! Bookmark will sell the nominated titles, and authors will be available for book signings. Tickets for this very special event are only $13.16 + HST = $15.00 all in.

Join us for Fiction Fête! as we celebrate Atlantic fiction authors with a showcase of readings from the Atlantic Book Awards nominees! Five Atlantic Canadian authors are nominated for the highly coveted Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, a book prize valued at $30,000.

The Atlantic Book Awards Gala celebrates authors and books from the four Atlantic provinces with the presentation of a number of awards, including The Ann Connor Brimer Award for Atlantic Canadian Children’s Literature, APMA Best-Published Book Award, J.M. Abraham Atlantic Poetry Award, and the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award.