Dave Bidini brings two memoirs to WordFest: his second book for young adults, For Those About to Write, a quirky account of his path to becoming a writer, and the autobiographical, Around the World in 57 1/2 Gigs, recounting what it is like to travel to unlikely places in search of rock ‘n’ roll. He is the author of five previous novels, including the critically acclaimed On a Cold Road and Tropic of Hockey, the latter of which was made into the Gemini Award–winning film The Hockey Nomad. Bidini was the rhythm guitarist for the iconic Canadian indie rock band the Rheostatics, which released eleven albums during its influential twenty-year reign.