Press Page

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ottawa Author Launches Free National Online Book Festival to Celebrate Canadian Fiction

Canada Fiction Fest brings together 121 authors from 11 provinces and territories for a two-week virtual celebration of Canadian storytelling

OTTAWA, ON — [June 6, 2026] — Ottawa author N.P. Thompson has launched Canada Fiction Fest, a free national online book festival created to showcase Canadian fiction writers and help readers discover new voices from across the country.

Running June 21 to July 4, Canada Fiction Fest brings together 121 authors from 11 provinces and territories and features a virtual author showcase along with 36 live online events, including readings, panel discussions, author conversations, and genre-focused sessions.

The festival is free and open to the public.

At a time when many writers are expected to do far more than write — often acting as their own marketers, event organizers, web designers, and audience builders — Thompson saw an opportunity to create something larger than a platform for her own work.

“Canadian fiction deserves more visibility,” said Thompson. “There are extraordinary writers working all across this country, but readers don’t always have an easy way to discover them. Canada Fiction Fest was created to help make those connections.”

Thompson is the Ottawa-based author of The Arcanium Saga, an award-winning fantasy series for middle-grade readers. Her professional background includes degrees in cognitive science, education, and interactive media design, previous jobs in technical support positions in both the federal government and the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, and current work as a web designer and UX/UI specialist.

That blend of creative, technical, and organizational experience helped make Canada Fiction Fest possible.

Rather than waiting for a national platform to appear, Thompson built one herself. She coded the website, organized the digital showcase, and coordinated dozens of writers across six time zones. The result is a grassroots literary event with national reach — one designed to give indie, traditionally published, and hybrid authors a shared stage.

Canada Fiction Fest arrives at a critical moment for Canadian writers. While the publishing landscape continues to evolve, many authors — particularly debut, independent, and mid-list writers — must find creative ways to build readership and reach new audiences. Thompson’s response was to create a practical, inclusive, and accessible solution.

The festival is also proudly Canadian in focus. Its purpose is to highlight the depth and range of fiction being written in Canada, especially in a market often overshadowed by the larger American publishing industry.

“Readers are hungry for great stories,” Thompson said. “We want to help them find Canadian books they may never otherwise have discovered.”

By making the festival free, Thompson has removed a major barrier for both readers and participating authors. By bringing together writers from across regions, genres, and publishing paths, Canada Fiction Fest offers a collaborative model for literary promotion in Canada.

The festival reflects the best of Canadian literary culture: creativity, accessibility, generosity, and entrepreneurial grit.

For Thompson, the project has been both a labour of love and a proof point. It demonstrates what can happen when one determined author combines passion, skill, and community-building to solve a real problem.

Readers are invited to attend live events, browse the virtual showcase, meet Canadian writers, and discover their next great read.

In a publishing world where visibility can be difficult, Canada Fiction Fest offers something hopeful: a national platform built by an author, for authors, and open to every Canadian reader.

Event Details

What: Canada Fiction Fest
When: June 21 to July 4
Where: Online
Cost: Free
Featuring: 121 Canadian fiction authors from 11 provinces and territories, plus 36 live online events
Website: https://FictionFest.ca

About Canada Fiction Fest

Canada Fiction Fest is a free national online book festival created to showcase Canadian fiction writers and connect readers with new books and authors from across the country. The festival features a virtual author showcase, live online events, readings, panel discussions, and author conversations representing a wide range of genres and publishing paths.

About N.P. Thompson

N.P. Thompson is an Ottawa-based author and the creator of The Arcanium Saga, an award-winning fantasy series for middle-grade readers. Her background spans cognitive science, education, interactive media design, federal government, school board, web design, and UX/UI experience. She created Canada Fiction Fest to help Canadian fiction writers gain visibility and connect with readers nationwide.

Media Contact

N.P. Thompson
Founder, Canada Fiction Fest
Email: hello (at) fictionfest (dot) ca | CanadaFictionFest (at) gmail (dot) com
Website: FictionFest.ca
Social:
https://bsky.app/profile/canadafictionfest.bsky.social
https://www.youtube.com/@CanadaFictionFest