This double-header will be on Thursday, Oct. 30, when Bergen will present his Giller Prize winning The Time In Between, as well as his just-published The Retreat.

A novelist, with five highly acclaimed books to his credit, Bergen, originally from Port Edward, B.C., now lives in Winnipeg. His writing has also earned him the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award, Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award, he was a finalist for the Governor General's Award for Fiction, and the Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction. His most recent book has been nominated for a Giller Award. With a Bachelor of Education degree, he has worked as a teacher, a brick-layer's helper, a carpenter and an orderly.

The Time In Between is set in Vietnam, a story of a veteran, Charles Boatman, trying to get in touch with his past and come to terms with the lingering guilt from having shot and killed an innocent boy in that war-torn country. When he disappears, two of his children, Ada and Jon, travel there to find him. During their search they seem always to be a few steps behind him, but in the process through meeting people, they begin to understand him and his story.

The 7 p.m. reception includes a wine tasting featuring the Diamond Estates Group and gentle music by Soundscape. David Bergen appears on stage at 8 p.m. Signed copies of his books may be purchased at Crew's Quarters, 192 West Street, Port Colborne.