Wild Prose
A prose-based reading series in Victoria, BC
Don’t miss any readings!
May 29th, 2025
Please join us on Thursday, May 29th for Death Becomes Her, with Erica McKeen, Umar Turaki, and Alli Vail. They’ll all read to us from their new books that deal with grief, murder, and/or the living dead. Erica McKeen will read from her second novel, the Carol Shields Prize longlisted Cicada Summer, Umar Turaki will read from his second novel, Every Drop of Blood is Red, and Alli Vail will read from her debut novel, Brooklyn Thomas Isn’t Here.
Doors: 6:30 p.m. Open mic: 7:00 p.m. Featured readers: 7:30 p.m.
at Paul Phillips Hall, 1923 Fernwood Road
$5 CASH admission
Authors’ books will be for sale at the event
Please bring CASH for admission and books
The evening will begin with an open mic at 7:00 p.m. Bring some writing of any genre to share (poetry is very welcome): 1 page of prose or 1 poem.
Erica McKeen is the author of two novels, Tear (Invisible Publishing, 2022) and Cicada Summer (W. W. Norton & Co., 2024). Her work has won the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, been chosen as a finalist for the ReLit Awards, and been selected as a Globe and Mail best book. Her stories have been published in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including PRISM international, The Dalhousie Review, and What Draws Us Near. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Umar Turaki is the author of the literary speculative novel Such a Beautiful Thing to Behold (Little A, 2022), which was named a best book of the year by the Boston Globe, Brittle Paper, and Open Country Magazine. His writing has been nominated for the Miles Morland Writing Scholarship and the Short Story Day Africa Prize. His short films have screened at festivals around the world, notably, the New York African Film Festival, the Pan African Film Festival, and the Durban International Film Festival. His second novel, Every Drop of Blood Is Red (Little A), was released in November, 2024. He lives in Kelowna with his wife and two children and teaches creative writing at UBC Okanagan.
Alli Vail is a former journalist for national and provincial award-winning community newspapers. She is a content writer and marketer for literary festivals and nonprofits, and has worked in tech, video games, and politics. She’s happy she’s no longer the only woman in work meetings. She studied creative writing at Simon Fraser University. Alli lives in Vancouver, Canada with her anxious dog (who she wrote about for The Globe and Mail) and her partner. Brooklyn Thomas Isn’t Here is her debut novel.
Some steps toward reconciliation
We hold this reading series on the unceded territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, also known as the Xwsepsum and Songhees First Nations. Here is some more information about these nations and how to support local Indigenous peoples and artists:
Songhees Nation’s website
Esquimalt Nation’s website
Donate your money or time to the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.
Shop at the Aunty Collective in Rock Bay.
Read books by Indigenous authors!! Here’s a list of books by BC and West Coast Indigenous authors created by Massy Books.
RAVEN raises legal defence funds for Indigenous Peoples in Canada to defend rights and the integrity of lands and cultures.
Past Events
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March 13th, 2025: Launch for Soundin' Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry, Music, and Citizenship--Paul db Watkins in conversation with Wayde Compton
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March 13th, 2025: Aziza Moqia Sealey-Qaylow kicks off the open mic
Since January, 2023, Wild Prose is a reading series in Victoria primarily for prose authors that mixes touring authors with locals, and emerging authors with established authors. Every evening begins with an Open Mic opened by a local writer.
We meet three times per year, in the fall, in January, and in May, at 6:30 p.m. Open mic begins at 7:00 and featured readers at 7:30 p.m. All readings take place at Paul Phillps Hall (The Little Fernwood), 1923 Fernwood Rd in Victoria
2025 Schedule:
May 29th