For readers, debut books offer a chance to discover new writers whose stories are unique to this province and whose voices have the power to shape the literary landscape for years to come. Whether you’re a fan of literary fiction, poetry, or genre-based storytelling, BC’s debut authors are crafting works that are bound to leave a lasting impact. These books explore themes of identity, migration, family, environmental change, and the complexities of modern life, all while offering fresh takes on familiar genres.
Zia’s Story by Shahnaz Qayumi, Illustrated by Nahid Kazemi (Tradewind Books)
“Take care of your mother,” twelve-year-old Zia’s father whispers to him just as he is arrested—never to be seen again. Soon afterward, the Russian army pulls out of Afghanistan, and the country falls into a devastating civil war.
The Taliban takes over, establishing a regime of great brutality and creating an atmosphere of fear—women are not allowed to work, nor can girls go to school. Many thousands join the perilous journey to neighbouring Pakistan seeking refuge—Zia and his mother among them.
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The Pain Project: A Couple’s Story of Confronting Chronic Pain by Kara Stanley and Simon Paradis (Greystone Books)
Ten years after her husband Simon’s life-changing injury, Kara Stanley embarks on a year-long experiment to explore new pain relief strategies and alternatives to opioids. With Simon’s chronic pain affecting his sense of self, the couple dives deep into research and expert interviews to find hope and healing. The Pain Project is an honest, insightful journey into the nature of suffering, pain, and the potential for joy—and relief.
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Boxing the Compass: A Life of Seafaring, Music, and Pilgrimage by Michael L. Hadley (Heritage House Publishing)
In Michael L. Hadley’s debut memoir, Boxing the Compass, he shares his diverse life as a musician, naval officer, academic, world traveler and growing up in wartime Vancouver in the 1940s. From his Depression-era childhood in Vancouver to naval service and his work in restorative justice, Hadley reflects on personal experiences and historical events. His journey explores universal human experiences, from war to reconciliation, in settings across the globe. A poignant, thought-provoking look at a remarkable life and the larger forces that shape us.
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Queenie Jean Is in Trouble Again by Christine Read (Heritage House Publishing)
When 10-year-old Queenie and her family move from small-town Ontario to a glitzy suburb of Vancouver, she is desperate to fit in and make a best friend for the first time in her life. With her creativity and bubbly personality, Queenie arrives at Western Canada Preparatory School ready to win over her classmates and conquer the world. But even before the first bell rings, she finds herself in trouble.
From always being late to talking out of turn to never being able to focus, Queenie stands out like a sore thumb, especially among the cool girls she wants to impress. Hardest of all, she has a secret. She’s been diagnosed with ADHD, and she hates how different it makes her feel. After struggling to navigate her new world, and dreaming up ill-advised schemes to make the other kids like her, she must face her greatest fear of all: making a speech in front of the whole school that will show everyone her true self.
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we the same by Sangeeta Wylie (Talonbooks)
Inspired by a true story, we the same opens in 1979 Vietnam, where six children and a mother become separated from their father and husband as they flee their homeland by boat. Against all odds, they survive pirate attacks, typhoons, and starvation, ending up shipwrecked on a desert island. Thirty five years pass, and the mother at last shares heartfelt secrets and an unbelievable story with her daughter, allowing the past to be escorted into the present.
Alternating between humour, romance, and devastation, this powerful debut play explores the aftermath of the Vietnam War from a Vietnamese perspective. Its central threads tell of intergenerational healing, alienation, and estrangement from peers, family relationships, and hope overcoming adversity.
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A Family of Dreamers by Samantha Nock (Talonbooks)
In this debut poetry collection, writer Samantha Nock redefines where and what “home” is. A Family of Dreamers delves into the complexities of growing up in rural northeast British Columbia and the love and grief that blooms there. Nock weaves together threads of fat liberation, desirability politics, and heartbreak while working through her existence as a young Indigenous woman coming of age in the city. The result is a love song to northern cousins, dive bars, and growing up.
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A Reluctant Mother by Deirdre Simon Dore (Ronsdale Press)
In A Reluctant Mother, Frida and her husband Blake have chosen not to have children. Concentrating on her artistic career instead, Frida has mostly managed to accept this difficult decision while putting her own traumatic childhood behind her. That is, until a stranger knocks on their door with a child she insists is Blake’s daughter. From that moment on, their fragile marriage and their lives are devastatingly changed forever.
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Under the White Gaze by Christopher Cheung (UBC Press)
Journalist Christopher Cheung challenges newsrooms to rethink representation, urging them to move beyond token diversity and critically assess how race is covered in his debut book, Under the White Gaze.
This book explores how Canadian media, despite efforts to diversify, often presents people of colour through stereotypes—reducing them to clichés instead of reflecting their complexity. Cheung underscores the media’s vital role in shaping societal perceptions, exploring why race reporting is essential and how language and intersectionality are evolving in this area.
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The Coincidence Problem: Selected Dispatches 1999-2022 by Stephen Osborne (Arsenal Pulp Press)
In 1990, writer Stephen Osborne and his partner, Mary Schendlinger, began publishing Geist, a literary quarterly based in Vancouver, BC. From the beginning, the magazine established a reputation for observant photography, thoughtful essays, and off-the-wall humour, not least because of Osborne’s regular contributions. The Coincidence Problem brings together Osborne’s personal dispatches covering a wide range of subjects, from civic monuments to family history to global terrorism, the lynching of Indigenous youth Louie Sam, end times in the Arctic, and yes, even cats.
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Alha Disnii – My Truth by Corinne George (Medicine Wheel Publishing)
In this searing debut, Corinne George shares her experiences growing up as a Wet’suwet’en woman on what is now known as the ‘Highway of Tears’ and how she has come to find healing:
“My name is Corinne George. I am Wet’suwet’en with Gitksan lineage from the Gidimt’en (Bear) Clan. This is my truth, and through sharing my truth, I strive for ongoing healing and to continue the journey of reconciliation… Despite the historical impacts of colonization and trauma, my connections to my ancestral ways and my identity have been critical. This is how I survived and how I strive to thrive.“
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Bruise by Adrian Markle (TouchWood Editions)
Arriving six months late for his father’s funeral, MMA fighter Jamie Stuart returns to his coastal hometown, injured and unwilling to retire. Without the structure of his training schedule, Jamie falls into a routine of drinking with Sid and arguing at a bar owned by his high school crush. Just when he’s at his lowest, a risky opportunity offers the money and security he needs, but it comes with the danger of trapping him in his past. Set against the backdrop of a small town filled with childhood memories, Bruise is a quiet yet powerful novel about family, sports, homecoming, and personal growth.
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The Forgotten: A Novel of the Korean War by Robert W. Mackay (Now Or Never Publishing)
The Forgotten tells the story of 19-year-old Charlie Black, who joins the Canadian Army’s Special Forces in 1950 to prove himself. After intense training, he is sent to Korea, where the war becomes far more brutal than expected. As Charlie faces the harsh realities of battle, he grapples with survival, loss, and the shifting nature of the conflict. This harrowing tale highlights the sacrifices of those involved in the Korean War and the bravery of those who fought.
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