Ontario book news, interviews and more

David Goutor on Mining Family History to Write an Extraordinary Winnipeg Man's Fight Against Fascism

In 1936, a German man living in Winnipeg was following the inexorable march of Franco's armies towards Madrid. Hans Ibing recognized the significance of the Spanish Civil War in the struggle against ...

Beyond the Possible: On World Building

Sometimes, I think about what would have happened to Frodo and Sam if, during their journey across the land to Mordor, Frodo had fallen down a jagged slope of rocks and broken his leg.Would Frodo, delirious ...

December Spotlight on Excerpts: Read About the Maple Leaf from Symbols of Canada

Symbols of Canada, edited by Michael Dawson, Catherine Gidney and Donald Wright (Between the Lines Books), delves into the titular symbols, whether they're as storied as Indigenous carvings or as ...

"I Need to be Deep Inside Their Hearts and Minds" Fran Kimmel on Building the Fascinating Characters in No Good Asking

Moving with family to an idyllic farmhouse sounds like a charming idea, but in practice, behind the scenes, Ellie and Eric Nyland's family is unravelling.Fran Kimmel's No Good Asking (ECW Press) opens ...

D. Nandi Odhiambo on Writing Violence, Authentic Choices, & Radical Doubt in His New Novel

In D. Nandi Odhiambo's Smells Like Stars (Book*hug), a diverse and vibrant cast of characters struggles with change, each in their own way. Journalist Kerstin Ostheim and freelance photographer P.J. ...

Robin Blackburn McBride on the Child Protagonist of Her Novel: "He Said Take My Hand, Which I Did, and He Led Me"

Robin Blackburn McBride's debut novel The Shining Fragments (Guernica Editions) explores late 19th century and turn of the century Toronto through the eyes of Joseph Conlon, a young orphan abandoned ...

RBC Taylor Prize Reveals 10 Title 2019 Longlist

Earlier today, the 2019 RBC Taylor Prize jurors, Camilla Gibb, Roy MacGregor, and Beverley McLachlin, announced the longlist for the eighteenth edition of the venerable non-fiction prize. They jury ...

“I want my poem to embody this poem-like feeling.” - An Interview with Mark Truscott

For years Mark Truscott has digging out his own unique niche in Canadian poetry, one with intense focuses on language, minimalism, and abstract inquiry. Branches, his latest collection, is something of ...

Kicking off a December Spotlight on Excerpts: Read Three Poems from Adrian De Leon's Rouge

Whether you're looking for a creative and inspiring holiday gift, or just need a moment to yourself during the craziness of December, we've got you covered with our month-long spotlight on excerpts!Each ...

Cherie Dimaline's Blockbuster YA Novel The Marrow Thieves wins CODE Burt Award

Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves (Dancing Cat Books) has gained the author both devoted readers and a huge breadth of awards since its publication in 2017.The newest prize added to Dimaline's ...