Marlon James (photo: Jeffrey Skemp)

The Vancouver Writers Fest wrapped up Oct. 25, with organizers reporting that more than 17,000 people attended the six-day event, breaking previous ticket-sale records.

Highlights included Booker Prize winner Marlon James; Scotiabank Giller Prize finalist Anakana Schofield; U.S. author Roxane Gay; freed journalist Mohammed Fahmy; and Ensaf Haidar, wife of imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi.