Amid the rolling fields, red sands, and sea-kissed air of Cavendish, stories have always taken root. This is the very land that sparked the imagination of L.M. Montgomery—and now, it’s your turn to be inspired.
Readers, writers, and storytellers are invited to join us for the first-ever Cavendish Literary Festival.
The festival features three delightful days of intimate events, including workshops, author talks, and wellness retreats, all set within Cavendish’s charming countryside, with venues no more than ten minutes apart.
In this inaugural year, we are proud to celebrate local, regional, and national voices who shaped our cultural identity and inspire and support new writers just beginning their journey.
Come find kindred spirits, feed your creativity, and celebrate the transformative power of literature.
Voices of 2025
Donna Jones Alward
Donna Jones Alward has enchanted readers with stories of happy endings and homecomings since 2006. Her historical fiction tales blend her love of history with characters who step beyond their biggest fears to claim the lives they desire. Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada. Find her online at donnajonesalward.com.
Linden MacIntyre
Linden MacIntyre is a bestselling novelist and award-winning journalist. His novel The Bishop’s Man won the Giller Prize. A former fifth estate co-host, he has authored acclaimed fiction and nonfiction, including The Wake. He lives in Toronto and summers in Cape Breton with his wife, Carol Off.
Ashley Anne Clark
Ashley Anne Clark, a PEI visual artist with a BFA from Concordia, creates art using local materials to highlight animal intelligence and biodiversity. Her work appears internationally in galleries, murals, and album covers.
Susan Christensen
Susan Christensen is a PEI artist whose work celebrates the beauty of her island home. Her art has appeared locally and abroad, including at the 2010 Olympics and the Marilyn Denis Show, reflecting her deep bond with nature and place.
Mo Duffy
Mo Duffy is Co-Founder and Editorial Director of Pownal Street Press. An MFA graduate and author of several books, her work appears in major publications. She lives in Charlottetown and is working on her next nonfiction collection.
Sarah Emsley
Sarah Emsley is the author of Jane Austen’s Philosophy of the Virtues and The Austens, her first novel. She holds a PhD from Dalhousie and has taught at Harvard. Her work explores Austen, L.M. Montgomery, and Atlantic history.
Sheree Fitch
Sheree Fitch is an award-winning poet and author whose work began with Toes in My Nose in 1987. A lifelong literacy advocate, she co-founded Mabel Murple’s Book Shoppe in Nova Scotia and is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Lori Gard
Lori Gard, M.Sc, M.Ed, is a certified counselor and Solution-Focused Therapist who works as a K–6 school counselor. Author of the Tales for Big Feelings series, she writes for various publications and lives in PEI with her family.
Stuart Hickox
Stuart Hickox is the author of the best-selling Canada’s Food Island Cookbook, a celebration of PEI cuisine. A longtime writer and social entrepreneur, he lives in a hand-built cabin in Hartsville.
Deirdre Kessler
Deirdre Kessler is a poet and former PEI Poet Laureate, author of over two dozen books including Adventures of an Island Cat Named Brupp. She teaches creative writing at UPEI and practices Iyengar yoga.
Genevieve Loughlin
Genevieve Loughlin is Co-Founder and Publisher of Pownal Street Press. With over 20 years in publishing, she’s worked in marketing and sales for major Canadian publishers. She now lives in Charlottetown and loves creating beautiful books.
Keir Lowther
Keir Lowther is the author of Dirty Bird, winner of the 2013 Margaret and John Savage First Novel Award. A former ranked junior tennis player, he lives in PEI with his wife, children, and dog.
Carrie Lundy
Carrie Lundy is an author, teacher, and yoga instructor who leads with an open heart. Her book, So Hum, is a poetry collection exploring love and loss through the lens of yoga, a practice she has taught for 16 years.
Doug MacLean
Doug MacLean is a former NHL coach, GM, and team president turned Sportsnet broadcaster. Known for his bold personality, he cohosted Hockey Central at Noon. He lives in PEI and shares insider stories from hockey’s biggest moments.
Sandra McIntyre
Sandra McIntyre is a writer and editor with over twenty-five years of experience, she specializes in fiction editing and publishing support through her company, Parlay Manuscript Services.
Caitlyn Paxson
Caitlyn Paxson is a writer and former storyteller, harpist, and book reviewer. She lives on PEI with her husband and three cats. Her debut novel, A Widow’s Charm, is coming from Doubleday Canada in 2026.
Theresa Redmond
Theresa Redmond is a former senior government executive and writer on Indigenous rights. Her debut novel, Bound, won multiple awards. She lives in eastern PEI and will soon release her second novel, The Governor’s Granddaughter.
Elizabeth Retter
Elizabeth Retter, an elementary teacher for 25 years, is author of The Adventures of Easton the Rescue Pet. She uses theater and voice to create engaging read-alouds and is a certified dog handler passionate about rescue animals.
Laura Robinson
Laura Robinson is an English and Women’s Studies professor at Acadia University and Chair of the L.M. Montgomery Institute’s Management Committee. She has published widely on Montgomery and served as consultant on related projects.
Tom Ryan
Tom Ryan is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author of young adult mysteries like Keep This to Yourself and I Hope You’re Listening, as well as the adult mystery The Treasure Hunters Club.
JoDee Samuelson
JoDee Samuelson, a filmmaker and artist from the Canadian prairies, has lived on PEI’s south shore for 40 years. Her animated films have won awards worldwide, and she writes The Cove Journal column and book.
Kate Scarth
Kate Scarth is Chair of L.M. Montgomery Studies and associate professor at UPEI. She presents an Audible Original course on Montgomery, edits the Journal of L.M. Montgomery Studies, and co-coordinates Your L.M. Montgomery Story.
Katie Stetson
Katherine, a Registered Emergency Nurse turned mental health nurse, specializes in therapies like CBT and trauma-informed care. A yoga teacher and Reiki Master, she is passionate about improving patients’ lives.
Sarah Visser
Sara Visser, a rural K–9 teacher with a Master’s in inclusive education, is passionate about helping students and creating positive learning environments. This is her first children’s book. She lives in Orwell, PEI, with her family.
Thomas Wharton
Thomas Wharton, published internationally, won the 1996 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Icefields. His works have earned multiple award nominations. He lives near Edmonton and looks forward to sharing dog stories.
Your Moderators
Laura Chapin
Laura Chapin is an award-winning journalist who spent 30 years with CBC before retiring. A published playwright with several projects underway, she’s excited to be part of the first Cavendish Literary Festival.
Jessica Doria-Brown
Jessica Doria-Brown is a multi-platform journalist with CBC PEI. Before moving to PEI in 2014, she worked with CBC in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, and Ontario. She lives in Charlottetown with her partner and four children.
Events
For authors, writers, and readers alike
Authors
Share your work, connect with fellow storytellers, and celebrate the power of words in a community that loves literature as much as you do.
Writers
Spark your creativity with seaside workshops, intimate panels, and inspiration around every corner.
Readers
Get lost in stories, meet your favourite authors, and discover new reads in the place that inspired Anne of Green Gables.
Cavendish Literary Festival: For the Dreamers of Dreams and the Tellers of Tales
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