On Tuesday, October 18 at 6pm, join Massy Arts, Massy Books, and Ts’msyen novelist Kim Spencer for the launch of her new book Weird Rules to Follow (2022), a touching exploration of identity and culture through the life of two friends in the coastal fishing town of Prince Rupert.

At this in-person event, Spencer will share excerpts—humourous, vivid and challenging—from her new coming-of-age novel and offer intimate insight into living between two worlds and her world building process for this new novel through a Q&A. Following the launch, Spencer will also be available for a book signing.

Registration is free, open to all and mandatory for entrance.

Purchase Weird Rules to Follow by Kim Spencer at Massy Books.

Venue & Accessibility

The event will be hosted at the Massy Arts Gallery, at 23 East Pender Street in Chinatown, Vancouver.

Registration is free, open to all and mandatory for entrance. The gallery is wheelchair accessible and a gender-neutral washroom is on-site.

Covid Protocols: Attendees must provide proof of vaccination, wear a mask (N95 masks are encouraged and recommended as they offer the best protection), and consent to having their temperature checked at the front door. We ask if you are showing symptoms, that you stay home. Thank you kindly.

The Book

In the 1980s, the coastal fishing town of Prince Rupert is booming. There is plenty of sockeye salmon in the nearby ocean, which means the fishermen are happy and there is plenty of work at the cannery. Eleven-year-old Mia and her best friend, Lara, have known each other since kindergarten. Like most tweens, they like to hang out and compare notes on their crushes and dream about their futures. But even though they both live in the same cul-de-sac, Mia’s life is very different from her non-Indigenous, middle-class neighbor. Lara lives with her mom, her dad and her little brother in a big house, with two cars in the drive and a view of the ocean. Mia lives in a shabby wartime house that is full of relatives—her churchgoing grandmother, binge-drinking mother and a rotating number of aunts, uncles and cousins. Even though their differences never seemed to matter to the two friends, Mia begins to notice how adults treat her differently, just because she is Indigenous. Teachers, shopkeepers, even Lara’s parents—they all seem to have decided who Mia is without getting to know her first.

The Author

Kim Spencer is a graduate of the Writers Studio at Simon Fraser University, where she focused on creative nonfiction. Two of her short stories were published in an anthology released through SFU, and an experimental short story of hers appeared in Filling Station magazine, which became a finalist for the Alberta Magazine Awards. Kim was selected as a mentee by the Writers Union of Canada for BIPOC Writers Connect, as well as for ECW’s BIPOC Writers Mentorship Program. She is from the Ts’msyen Nation and currently lives in Vancouver, on the traditional territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

Donating to Massy Arts Society

Have you noticed our by donation ticket option? Massy Arts Society is 100% funded by Massy Books, an Indigenous woman-owned and operated bookstore on the unceded territories of XwMuthkwium (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. To date we haven’t received any operating funds from any grants and are now providing the option for folks to contribute to keeping our events accessible and doors open. All proceeds from your donation will go towards operation costs of our community hub while we focus on supporting the practices of Indigenous and over-excluded artists. Consider donating when you register for your next event.