Veena Gokhale, Curator

Veena Gokhale, a former Bombay journalist, is a writer who wears many hats. She is based in Montreal. Her short story collection, Bombay Wali and other stories, was published by Guernica Editions in 2013. A novel, Land for Fatimah, followed in 2018. She has published in literary magazines and anthologies and received writing grants. Her current writing projects include two manuscripts: The Artichoke, Sensuous Stories and Annapurna’s Bounty, Indian Food Legends Retold, and Recipes.

Vishesh Abeyratne, Author

Vishesh Abeyratne will read from White Lion, Brown Tiger. In a thrift shop, a heated exchange between two Sri Lankan employees breaks out into a fight, unleashing intercultural tensions and charged racial politics, possibly driven by hidden agendas. Born and raised in Montreal, Vishesh currently lives in Ottawa, where he was playwright-in-residence at the Great Canadian Theatre Company, 2020-21.

Bindu Suresh, Author

Bindu Suresh will read from her first novel, 26 Knots (Invisible Publishing, 2019). It “starts with a fire and never stops smouldering. Grand in scope, spare in execution, and lush in language, 26 Knots is a fable-like tale of love, obsession, and everything in between.” Having spent equal parts of her life in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, Bindu now lives in Montreal where she works as a pediatrician.

Shashi Bhat, Author

Shashi Bhat will read from her hot-off-the press novel, The Most Precious Substance on Earth (McClelland & Stewart, 2021). “Rich with wry humour and sharp-edged insight, The Most Precious Substance on Earth is an unforgettable portrait of how silence can shape a life.” She will join us online from Vancouver where she teaches creative writing. Her critically acclaimed first novel, The Family Took Shape, was published by Cormorant Books in 2013.