Let’s Chat: The word is

By Linda Tooth on September 24, 2025.

Have you heard of The Word on the Street Festival that takes place in Lethbridge? This annual event is a celebration of all things literature hosted by the Lethbridge Public Library. I was recently made aware of this event after I shared my article on Maggie Helwig’s novel Encampment on Facebook.

Someone reached out to me letting me know Maggie was going to be at this event talking about her book. I checked the website for the event and found out Maggie was in fact going to be there. To say I was excited at the opportunity to meet a published author would be an understatement. I have dreams of writing a novel so this seemed like a great opportunity to experience an event hosting authors of many different genres.

I found an email address for Maggie and thought why not email her my article and let her know I would be in Lethbridge to hear her speak. Well, she emailed me back. It was like getting an email from Taylor Swift. I was so thrilled. Maggie thanked me for my article and confirmed she would be in Lethbridge.

It really was not that far from my glamping location and a fellow glamper said she would love to come with me, so off we went.

Lethbridge Public Library, More than 30 authors were scheduled to speak at various times throughout the day. Discussions with authors, musicians, food trucks, a book sale hosted by the library, free magazines, author signings and merchandise for sale was all taking place on the grounds of the library. It was a bit overwhelming trying to fit it all in within the few hours we gave ourselves, but we made it work.

We found the tent Maggie was going to be speaking at and guess what she was standing right beside me waiting to go in. I turned and said Hi Maggie, I’m Linda Tooth and we had a chat while she signed my copy of Encampment.

Hearing her speak before and during her session was inspiring. She is small in stature but her presence is immense. She is passionate about the unhoused community who are living on the church grounds and she and her team are working to ensure everyone is looked after.

Can you imagine someone so dedicated to the wellbeing of a community that they write a novel about them?

I ended my conversation with her by saying I was going to be in Toronto at the end of October for a work conference and we are going to try and meet up at St. Stephens-in-the-Fields Church in Kensington Market. I would love to meet the people Maggie works with and the unhoused community they look after.

Have a Meowtastic Day and keep reading!

Linda Tooth is a philanthropy and youth support worker, YMCA of Southeastern Alberta