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VPL’s new writer in residence Aren X. Tulchinsky to help marginalized writers share their stories

VANCOUVER, B.C. – Vancouver Public Library is pleased to announce its 2023 writer in residence is Vancouver author Aren X. Tulchinsky, the writer formerly known as Karen X. Tulchinsky.

Tulchinsky is a novelist, screenwriter, video editor, writing mentor, and an out and proud member of the LGBTQ2S+ community. He is the recipient of awards such as the One Book One Vancouver Prize and Vancity Book Prize for his written works, which include The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky, In Her Nature, Love Ruins Everything, and Love and Other Ruins.

He has also written for and edited on numerous television series, including The Nature of Things for CBC. His short film, Ms. Thing, has screened internationally in more than 50 film festivals and won the Audience Choice Award at the Queer Fruits Film Festival in Australia.

“My passion has always been to tell stories, especially stories set in communities that have been historically underrepresented in Canadian literature,” says Tulchinsky. “I am Jewish from a working-class background. I came out as a lesbian as a teenager, and now identify as a transgender man. As a member of several marginalized communities, I have always written from the heart and I welcome the opportunity to mentor emerging writers on their own journeys – especially those from underrepresented communities, such as BIPOC and LGBTQ2S+ writers.”

This fall, Tulchinsky will work directly with aspiring writers through a series of writing workshops, individual consults, and special events at the library. He’ll also be working on a new novel, Second Son, which follows a transgender man who is grieving the premature death of his father, coming to terms with the loss of his only brother ten years earlier, and learning to love himself in the process.

VPL’s Writer in Residence program was created in 2005 and is in its 19th year promoting Canadian writing and literature to Vancouver residents. The program is made possible with the generous support of the Friends of the Vancouver Public Library.

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Upcoming writer in residence events include: The Cure for Writer’s Block (Sept. 21), Creative Writing Workshop for LGBTQ2S+ Teens (Sept. 22), and a Writer in Residence Feature Event (Oct. 4). All events are free. Find out more at vpl.ca/writer.

About Vancouver Public Library

Vancouver Public Library (VPL) has been dedicated to meeting the lifelong learning, reading and information needs of Vancouver residents for more than 100 years. Our vision is an informed, engaged, and connected city. Our mission is a free place for everyone to discover, create and share ideas and information.