Local author Aric McBay to launch debut work of fiction at KFPL event
Local author, farmer, and organizer Aric McBay’s will present his debut work of fiction, Kraken Calling, at Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) later this summer. The book explores the question of “What could happen in one generation to a society already on the brink of collapse?” by shifting the narrative from 2028 to 2051.
“In 2028, activists are fighting an increasingly desperate battle against the climate emergency and capitalism, while a radical movement named Kraken grows in the shadows,” KFPL said of the book in a media release. “By 2051, an oppressive regime has taken over and the population suffers while revolutionaries struggle for survival and support.”
On Saturday, Jul. 9, 2022, McBay is showcasing Kraken Calling at KFPL’s Central Branch from 2 to 3:30 p.m. with a reading, multimedia presentation, and Q&A session, the library stated. Interested participants can register at https://calendar.kfpl.ca/event/6730531.
“Having Aric return to the library to promote his debut work of fiction is something special! We’ve hosted Aric before and he packed the room,” said Jake Miller, Librarian, Adult Programming. “Shared community interest in environmental activism has only grown since then, and having a local author at the library is an opportunity for the community to reconnect over this topic after a challenging time.”
According to the release, McBay writes and speaks about social movements, and has organized campaigns around climate justice, prisoner justice, Indigenous solidarity, pipelines, unionization, and other causes. His other writing includes Full Spectrum Resistance Volumes 1 and 2, Peak Oil Survival, What We Leave Behind, and Deep Green Resistance.
To learn more about the climate emergency that features in McBay’s works, the library suggests watching Mobilizing Kingston for the Climate Emergency with Seth Klein on KFPL’s YouTube channel. In this hour-long presentation, Klein discusses how Canada can respond to the climate emergency and how employment concerns and climate change can be aligned.