NORTH BATTLEFORD — The Saskbooks Book Week Tour arrived in the Battlefords last week with a reading and Q&A from local author Miguel A. Fenrich, author of Blue: a novel. Fenrich read the first chapter of his book and answered questions from the crowd.
The North Battleford Public Library hosted the event on September 28, with Saskbook Finance Officer Daniel Parr and Book Week Intern Logan McKay in attendance.
McKay spoke before the event, welcoming the crowd and Fenrich before thanking the funders, including the Government of Canada and Creative Saskatchewan. McKay thanked the North Battleford Public Library and acknowledged traditional Cree and Métis lands.
Blue: a novel takes place in a future society where people with blue eyes are discriminated against and used for their cheap labor in slave camps, farms and factories. The main character, Wolfe, attempts to overthrow the system and free the oppressed millions of blue-eyed people while the oppressive forces work against him.
Miguel A. Fenrich is the local author of Blue: One Novel and owner of Battleford’s Supernova Press which is currently open for submissions. According to the Supernova Press website, Fenrich wrote his first novel during the COVID-19 pandemic and said he was inspired to write the book to encourage critical thinking and start conversations about relationships. races in Canada. As POC himself, he says he felt compelled to speak up.
“I think … people need to start having conversations again. We need to do something about real-life issues like poverty, racism, classism, inequality and violence against women, and we need to talk about it. By not talking about it, we let it continue,” Fenrich said.
Asked about the sometimes intense subject matter and political nature of his book, Fenrich offered a few comments.
“It’s a dystopian novel…it’s darker in nature. books like Blue aren’t going to be easy to read, but they make you think about the world differently. books like Blue make you look directly at the reality of a situation and face it head-on instead of ignoring it.
“Dystopian novels are also warnings. Blue warns people against apathy, quick hatred of “others” and ignoring something as stupid as skin color, sex organs, what gender you are attracted to, who you pray to , etc. … That’s why I created Blue.”
Fenrich is currently working on two more books and says a sequel isn’t currently in the works, “If there’s a sequel to Blue, it’s still many years away. I am now focusing on two completely separate universes.
According to the SaskBooks website, the Regina-based organization represents the best interests of Saskatchewan book publishers. When the Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport declared Book Week in 2016 to celebrate books published in Saskatchewan, Saskbooks partnered with local libraries, schools and community centers to feature some of the books that Saskatchewan has to offer.
You can browse a list of Saskatchewan publishers online at skbooks.com or browse a list of past Book Week events at bookweek.skbooks.com.
