Smaller Animals Book Launch

Join us for an evening of discussion on Smaller Animals, the debut novel by Canadian author Carter Vance, in conversation with Doug Vidal-Hernandez.

Adam Brinkert was raised a world apart from the lights of Ottawa and the din of politics, in a small city in Northern Ontario. Pursuing justice and a way to make things better for the people he grew up with, he became an assistant to a Member of Parliament, living his youth in the offices and hallways of power. But, as he grows towards his 30s, he begins to doubt what it was all for; were his experiences all merely for self-aggrandizement and not the greater good? Twists of fate and slights of political hand will test Adam’s belief in himself, and what he believes is right, while he navigates the landscape of a country, and a world, that is changing rapidly. All the while, he struggles to define his relationships with the people around him, including his erstwhile friend-cum-political rival Truss and his ex-girlfriend and co-worker Kathleen. Adam’s journey will take him across the county and back to his home, searching for a spark to guide him where he truly belongs. Smaller Animals is a story of living, loving and growing up on Parliament Hill that introduces a powerful new voice in Canadian literature.

Carter Vance is a writer and poet originally from Cobourg, Ontario, currently a resident in Gatineau, Quebec. His work has appeared in such publications as The Smart Set, Contemporary Verse 2 and A Midwestern Review, amongst others. Smaller Animals is his first novel, following two poetry collections. Carter has worked as a researcher and policy analyst with government and non-profit organizations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Dominica and Indonesia. He was a staffer for several members of Parliament, including the Opposition House Leader in 2014 and also worked in the Senate of Canada.

Doug Vidal-Hernández was a political staffer at the National Office of the Liberal Party of Canada and worked through the 2015 national campaign as part of a rapid response team providing local candidates with policy support. He then became part of the caucus services team at the Liberal Research Bureau, supporting parliamentarians and their political staff. Now, as a recovered staffer he works at Code for Canada, a national non profit focused on creating strong digital public services, accessible and inclusive design and responsible AI use.