EVELYN LAU
UBC Library Writer-in-Residence 2025/2026
Evelyn Lau is a lifelong Vancouverite who has authored 15 books. Her memoir, Runaway, was made into a CBC movie starring Sandra Oh; Evelyn’s collections of poetry have received national awards and her prose has been translated into a dozen languages. From 2011 to 2014, she served as Vancouver’s Poet Laureate. Her new book, Parade Of Storms, is available for purchase at the UBC Bookstore.
Q: What have been your biggest professional challenges?
The biggest challenge throughout my career has been simply trying to keep a roof over my head—not so easy as a poet with a grade-nine education. Needless to say, life in Vancouver is expensive, but solitude has always been critical to my writing practice (and sanity), so I’ve lived alone since the age of sixteen. Like most writers, I find it challenging to balance work obligations with creative output, the requirement to exist in the world with the need for reflection and contemplation.
Writers who mostly draw from personal experience face the challenge of having their work dismissed as self-involved or, worse, malicious (when it comes to describing the people in their lives), and I wrestled with those responses during the years I wrote fiction and non-fiction. Poetry is subject to much less public scrutiny—both a blessing and a curse—and its readers are interested in craft, not sensationalism.
Q: What has been the highlight of the last year for you professionally?
The highlight of the past year was the publication of my tenth collection of poetry, Parade of Storms (Anvil Press, 2025).
Q: Why did you want to participate in the Writer-in-Residence at UBC Library?
Last year, I had the pleasure of interviewing the first UBC Library Writer-in-Residence, Tsering Yangzom Lama, at WORD Vancouver. It was that moment I became aware of the program’s existence. Allan Cho at the Library has long been a genuine supporter of Asian-Canadian writers in the community, so the prospect of working with him was appealing too.
Back in the 90s, I was fortunate to be given a residency at the UBC Creative Writing Department, and still remember the talented students there; many of them went on to publish books that have been recognized nationally and internationally. I thought it would be intriguing to return to UBC nearly three decades later.
Q: In your consultation sessions with UBC faculty, staff or students, what topics would you love to discuss or what questions would you love to get?
It’s always exciting to discuss craft with writers, especially poets who are accustomed to scrutinizing every word, line break, punctuation. During a consult, it’s very satisfying to engage with writers over their manuscripts – to hear the stories behind their work, their hopes and vulnerabilities, to puzzle through their words with them and give feedback on their ideas and images. I’m receptive to all questions, whether they are specific to the written work, or personal writing struggles, or about editing and publishing.
“It’s always exciting to discuss craft with writers, especially poets who are accustomed to scrutinizing every word, line break, punctuation.”
Q: Are there any resources at the library that you’re hoping to access while you’re here?
I look forward to spending time in the Library, and on campus! Who knows what effect the space will have on my thought process as I work on my next poetry collection?
The UBC Library Writer-in-Residence Program promotes Canadian writing and literature to UBC’s Vancouver campus community. During the 8-month, part-time, residency which runs from September to April, the Writer will spend their time working on their own project, mentoring emerging writers through one-on-one consultation sessions and group workshops, and sharing their experience with the UBC community. This program is made possible with support from the Peña Fund.