Electric Mermaid Live Reads Featuring: Atma Frans + David Kipling + Kathleen Vance @Char's

Wednesday April 29th 2026 doors 5:30pm open mic 6-8pm

Atma Frans, David Kipling and Kathleen Vance are the featured readers on Electric Mermaid on April 29. What do these writers of poetry, fiction and memoir from Gibsons, B.C. have in common? They are united in their growing love of the Alberni Valley and its writers through the Electric Mermaid and are very happy to be appearing live at Electric Mermaid Reads.

A wild swimmer, Atma Frans writes poetry and short fiction that explores joy, resilience and love in the face of trauma and loss. Her work is published widely in literary magazines in Canada, the UK, the US, and Europe, has been awarded first prizes in contests and is nominated for Best of the Net 2026.

The announcer for the Sunshine Coast Drag Races, David Kipling recreates the characters he encountered growing up on a farm in England and working various jobs from installing railway signals in France to carpet cleaning and teaching in Canada. David first published in the British national magazine Autocar in 1965. His short story "Now is the Time" was published in the online magazine Entropy.

Kathleen Vance writes memoirs that expose her checkered childhood, such as "Still Life" in Don't Tell: Family Secrets, edited by Sharkey and Paré, as well as fictional adventure stories that feature kids with freer and more promising childhoods.

David's and Kathleen's stories are published in Alberniology:The Alberni Anthology, edited by Jacqueline Carmichael and Derek Hanebury, who is also the MC for Electric Mermaid Live Reads.

What to Expect: Whether you join the Electric Mermaid in person at Char’s Landing or via Zoom, expect to enjoy an eclectic array of open mic readers sharing brief (5 minute max) samples from their literary, and sometimes musical, works, along with a longer reading from one or more featured reader(s) sharing published, or soon to be published, work. Come engage with a dynamic and inspiring literary event that welcomes and encourages writers at all levels of development.

The Electric Mermaid is a hybrid literary event that began over 20 years ago under the banner of Words on Fire. First organized by North Island College creative writing students Fran Thiessen, Vicki Drybrough, and Libbie Morin, monthly meetings took place in Smitty’s Restaurant on 3rd Avenue in Port Alberni with reader’s voices competing with the clatter of dishes emanating from the kitchen. After a brief stint in another café, Words on Fire graduated to Char’s Landing where it persisted for a few years before its resurrection into its current iteration as Electric Mermaid, named in honour of Luma, a mermaid sculpture that illuminates the hall at Char’s. Covid pushed the event onto Zoom, and it continues to thrive as a hybrid event enjoyed by audiences live at Char’s and across Canada and beyond on Zoom.

Electric Mermaid: Live Reads from Char's Landing, Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada and via ZOOM !

Spoken Word Open Mic, last Wednesday of each month, Char's physical doors open 5:30pm Pacific Time, Live Reads 6-8pm

Emcee: Derek Hanebury Moderator: Karl Korven ZOOM Producer: Charlene Patterson

We also welcome you to join us via ZOOM and click this automatic ZOOM link below:

https://zoom.us/j/93236999892?pwd=N2FLZkxGMUhyTk5ySGVOenhuZFcxdz09

PRE-REGISTER and sign up for a 5-minute spot at the open mic by emailing ElectricMermaidReads@gmail.com

PayWhatYouCan cover in lieu of rental to help Char's Landing support the live arts gratefully accepted with our thanks.

OR eTransfer to electricmermaidreads@gmail.com please include the event date and your email address

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Char's Landing Hall & Hostel

4815 Argyle @5th, Port Alberni, BC

all ages listening venue Kids<=6 FREE

www.charslanding.com/events

call/whatsapp/text +1 (250) 730-1636

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Contact the host of Electric Mermaid Live Reads Featuring: Frans+Kipling+Vance @Char's