Sunday March 4, 2018 Block C: An audience of English language students attended a talk from best selling Canadian author Shari Lapena, who spoke about her books and her writing style.
Shari writes thrillers with unexpected plot twists that keep the reader turning the page until the end. She is best known for her 2016 thriller The Couple Next Door, which was a bestseller both in Canada and internationally. Her first novel, Things Go Flying, was published in 2008 and was shortlisted as a Sunburst Award finalist in 2009 and her second novel, Happiness Economics, was shortlisted for the Stephen Leacock Award in 2012.
Her fourth novel, A Stranger in the House, was published in 2017 and Shari spoke about the plot of the book and how she formed the characters and background. Signed copies were distributed to the participants.
She emphasized the importance of engaging the reader’s senses and described the art of painting pictures with words and how these mental images complement the story. She said that an author must give themselves permission to write. The key is to just write and then review and revise as often as necessary. This, she said, is how to avoid writer’s block.
Shari is visiting Dubai to take part in the annual Emirates Festival of Literature, which organizes author visits to schools and universities. The festival arranges over 200 sessions and features 180 bestselling authors, holding numerous panel discussions and workshops for adults and children.
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