Short Story Showcase

Three masterful storytellers take the festival stage to show exactly how much narrative power, depth, and precision can be packed into the short story form. This marquee event brings together distinct literary voices to explore the sharp edges of human relationships, hidden histories, and the art of the literary remix. Jess Gibson introduces The Good Eye, a mesmerizing debut collection where everyday moments subtly tilt into uncanny mystery and quiet subversion—praised by novelist André Alexis as "the best first collection of stories I've read in years." Montreal’s Chanel Sutherland shares Layaway Child, offering a lyrical, deeply moving look at girlhood, displacement, and the complexities of the Caribbean immigrant experience. Rounding out the trio, long-time friend of the festival Wayne Grady presents The Cartel and Other Cover Stories, an ingenious collection that treats classic literary masterpieces like musical cover songs, remixed with sharp, modern twists.

This event is made possible by Chris James.

Jess Gibson is the author of The Good Eye, her debut collection of short stories. An art historian and critic, she studied at McGill, the University of Toronto, and Yale, where she earned a PhD. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Wayne Grady is the author of more than a dozen works of nonfiction and three novels, including Emancipation Day, which won the Amazon First Novel Award and was longlisted for the Giller Prize. Wayne is also an award-winning literary translator. He divides his time between Kingston and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Chanel Sutherland is a Vincentian Canadian writer of fiction and creative nonfiction. She won the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, which she was also longlisted for in 2022. Chanel is also the winner of the 2021 CBC Nonfiction Prize and the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize and was named one of CBC Books 30 Writers to Watch in 2022. She lives in Montreal.