Billy-Ray Belcourt and Thomas King are both set to appear this year’s Ottawa International Writers Festival. The festival is heading online this year, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  

The festival launched Tuesday with a mix of live events, pre-recorded videos and podcasts.  

“We have transformed part of our Festival office into a recording studio and are looking forward to reconnecting with Festival Members and meeting new audiences,” says Sean Wilson, the festival’s artistic director.  

Billy-Ray Belcourt, who is the youngest person to win the Griffin Prize, will be featured in a pre-taped conversation on August 23. Belcourt will be talking about his latest book The History of My Brief Body, which compares the world as is to what it could become.  

Thomas King will appear in a pre-taped conversation August 30, talking about his latest novel Indians on Vacation. 

You can find out more about the Ottawa International Writer Festival here.