Saturday, May 30, 2026 — 2:00 to 5:00 PM

CW Cowork, 6512 Wellington Rd 7, Unit B, Elora, ON

PWYC @ the venue

The Weird Girls Book Tour is coming to Elora and we'd love to see you there!

We'll begin the afternoon with readings from Weird Babies by Jaclyn Desforges and Gold Star by Emma McKenna, as well as from guest reader Colleen Fisher of Elora Writing Workshops. We’ll enjoy a delightful grazing table from Elora Luxury Picnics. And then we'll move into a workshop called Writing Weird: Vulnerability as Superpower.

The premise of the workshop: in a literary landscape increasingly hungry for authenticity, your oddities and obsessions are your greatest assets. Through generative exercises and craft discussion, we'll practice turning our vulnerabilities into vivid, surprising work that only we could write. Emma will bring the poetry side of things and Colleen will offer prompts. You'll leave with a renewed commitment to your own weirdness and a few short pieces that feel bracingly, unapologetically you.

The whole afternoon is pay what you can. Suggested $20, but pay zero, pay forty, pay whatever feels right.

About the venue

CW Cowork is a cozy, cabin-inspired shared workspace in Elora. In creator Sara Hipson's words: "We built CW Co-Work to bring people together to do their best work. While the flexibility of remote work and entrepreneurship is something many of us value, it can also feel incredibly isolating. Our space is here to offer connection, support, and a sense of belonging, so you can stay focused and build something meaningful without having to do it all alone."

A perfect home for this event!

About Our Guest Reader

Colleen Fisher is a corporate copywriter, former magazine editor and a member of the Writers’ Union of Canada. In 2023, Colleen completed the Humber Creative Writing graduate program where she received the Harlequin Diverse Voices Scholarship.

In 2024, she finished her leadership training with Amherst Writers & Artists and became a certified creative writing workshop facilitator. Before she could overthink it, Colleen launched Elora Writing Workshops in April, 2024. In 2025, she completed her MA in Creative & Critical Writing with the University of Gloucestershire, UK.

Colleen grew up wandering Elora, muttering stories to the family dog. After 20 years away she’s happily back home, wandering town with the family dog. She does her best to mutter quietly.

Accessibility

CW Cowork has an accessible entrance (no step, though there isn't an automatic door opener) and one accessible washroom on site. If there's anything we can do to support your access, please reach out

Details at a glance

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026
Time: 2:00 to 5:00 PM
Venue: CW Cowork, 6512 Wellington Rd 7, Unit B, Elora, ON
Cost: Pay what you can, suggested $25.
Capacity: 20 spots, advance registration required
Includes: Readings, a workshop with writing prompts, and a grazing table from Elora Luxury Picnics
With: Jaclyn Desforges (Weird Babies, The Porcupine's Quill), Emma McKenna (Gold Star, Book*hug Press), and Colleen Fisher (Elora Writing Workshops).

Books will be available for sale. Come hang out. Bring a friend!

SAVE YOUR SEAT

The Books

Gold Star by Emma McKenna (Book*hug Press, 2026) — poetry collection.

Weird Babies by Jaclyn Desforges (The Porcupine's Quill, 2026) — short story collection.

Books will be available for purchase at the event.

More Tour Stops

This is one stop on the Weird Girls Book Tour, a Southwestern Ontario tour celebrating Gold Star and Weird Babies. Find the full tour schedule at jaclyn.ink/wgbt.