Name: Charlottetown Book Launch: Nowhere
Start: 2026-04-11T17:00:00-03:00
Location: Back Alley Music

Jon Claytor, Ian Roy, and Julie Doiron have been friends and collaborators since the 90s on music, art, and more. Now on tour together, they invite you to come celebrate the release of Jon’s debut graphic novel, Nowhere (Goose Lane Editions), and Ian’s new short story collection, Astrid, Aghast (Gaspereau Press).
Join us in Charlottetown for an evening of readings, live music, and great conversation. Books, albums, and Nowhere stickers will be available for purchase.
About the artists:
JJON CLAYTOR is a graphic novelist, painter, and writer. Born in San Francisco, he lived and worked in several Canadian cities, including Halifax, Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, before settling in Sackville, New Brunswick.
Claytor’s work ranges from oil painting and watercolour to comics. He has had solo exhibitions at galleries in Montreal, Toronto, Los Angeles, and throughout the Maritimes. He has also written and illustrated stories for CBC Radio, the Frye Festival, and the website ruralharmreduction.com.
Claytor co-founded SappyFest independent music and arts festival in 2006 and opened Thunder & Lightning Ideas Ltd. in 2013. He holds an MFA from York University and a BFA from Mount Allison University. He was nominated for a Juno Award for the cover of Gord Downie’s Battle of the Nudes in 2004. His graphic memoir, Take the Long Way Home, was published by Conundrum in 2022.
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IAN ROY is a writer, screen printer, and educator. His work has appeared in numerous magazines and journals, including The Antigonish Review, Arc, Geist, Long Con Magazine, Maisonneuve, and The New Quarterly. His essay, "Have a Good Life, originally published in The New Quarterly, was included in The Best Canadian Essays 2026 anthology. Ian is the author of six books, including the short story collection, People Leaving, which was short-listed for both the City of Ottawa Book Award and the Upper Canada Writers’ Craft Award. His other books include a collaborative art-book (The Longest Winter), a poetry collection (Red Bird), another story collection (Meticulous, Sad and Lonely), and a novel for children called The Girl Who Could Fly. Astrid, Aghast, Ian's most recent book, is a collection of stories published by Gaspereau Press in 2026.
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JULIE DOIRON is a celebrated Canadian indie-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist of Acadian heritage, known for her intimate, emotive songwriting and foundational role in the 1990s East Coast music scene. Formerly of the Sub Pop-signed band Eric’s Trip, she has released numerous critically acclaimed solo albums, won a Juno Award, and collaborated with artists like Mount Eerie and Gord Downie.