Canada’s only literary current affairs program returns for its seventh season, its shelves overflowing with tales of horror, desertion, and redemption. The new season of “The Word This Week” begins October 28th on BookTelevision. Rachel Harry takes on full-time hosting duties and Lars-Peter Bjornson is joined by fellow videographer Elizabeth Mitkos. Tune in for another exciting year full of news, views, and interviews coloured by the word – written, spoken, and wired.

Episode highlights for the first three episodes of “The Word This Week” include:

Sunday, October 28th at 9:00pm ET / 7:00pm MT

Army deserters and bounty hunters headline as “The Word This Week” talks with Joshua Keys, author of The Deserter’s Tale, the vivid story of Keys’ experience as a member of the American Army fighting in war-torn Iraq, the events that led to his doubts about the mission, and his decision to seek asylum in Canada. Also: in his autobiography You Can Run But You Can’t Hide, celebrity bounty hunter Duane Chapman, a.k.a. “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” lays it all on the line in a frank discussion about his time in jail, his struggle with addiction, and how he found Christ.

Sunday, November 4th at 9:00pm ET / 7:00pm MT
In a world where religious and secular ideologies seem to collide on a daily basis, “The Word This Week” discusses the concept of God with three pivotal authors: Christopher Hitchens (God Is Not Great), Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion), and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (Shalom in the Home). On a lighter note, DJ Kid Koala puts his love of music and his fear of mosquitoes to good use in his upcoming graphic novel recounting the adventures of a mosquito who travels to the big city with dreams of becoming a jazz star.

Sunday, November 11th at 9:00pm ET / 7:00pm MT

On the eve of his acceptance of the Canadian Booksellers Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, master of the macabre Stephen King discusses horror writing as a craft, his lengthy career, and the impending end that a lifetime achievement award implies. Later, Rick Mercer, famed for taking jabs at surprisingly accommodating politicians, has compiled his rants into a new book named for his hit program, The Rick Mercer Report. Mercer sits down with “The Word This Week” to tell us why he finds politics so satisfying.