Ontario book news, interviews and more

Check out This Special Dirty Dozen Interview with Y.S. Lee, Author of the Spectacular New Picture Book, Mrs. Nobody

It's always impressive when writers are able to pivot deftly between forms and genres, and Y.S. Lee has proven to be one of those prolific, acclaimed artists who can do exactly that. Her previous work ...

Acclaimed Author Andrew Forbes Explores the Many Interesting Lives that are Made Around Baseball in Field Work

The work of Andrew Forbes has featured on Open Book a number of times in recents years, and the versatility of the author's work is plain to see. From novels to novellas to short fiction, he has won ...

A Thousand Tiny Awakenings is an Anthology That Carries the Hope and Resilence of a New Generation

Independent Ontario publishers continue to amplify the voices of young and marginalized writers, and one of our most interesting new publishing houses, out of mighty Sudbury, has played a significant ...

Danny Jacob's Debut Novel is a Genre-Bending Gothic Fairy Tale

Poet and essayist Danny Jacobs is featured on Open Book today, and this time for his exciting debut novel, The Ignis Psalter (Gordon Hill Press/The Porcupine's Quill). In a multigenerational tale about ...

A Working Actor Feels Destined to Be a Star At Any Cost in Meredith Hambrock's Darkly Comic Novel

Meredith Hambrock's debut novel received acclaim from some lofty heights in the literary world, including The New York Times, and the author is back again to go from strength to strength in yet another ...

Dorian McNamara Wins the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize!

Congratulations to Halifax writer Dorian McNamara, who has won the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize for his story You (Streetcar at Night). You (Streetcar at Night) tells the story of the before and after ...

The 2025 CBC Short Story Prize Names This Year's Finalists

With an impressive track-record of kickstarting or boosting the careers of dozens of exciting authors, the CBC Short Story Prize is back at it again in 2025 with some riveting selections. Canada's might ...

Every Ingredient in Our Ancestors' Kitchen by Willie Poll Thrums With Meaning and Tradition

Métis activist and storyteller Willie Poll has deep connections to her community and traditions, all of which is on full display in a beautiful new picture book from the author. Poll's poetic voice ...

Amy LeBlanc Explores What Happens When a Body No Longer Feels Like a Home in Her New Poetry Collection

There are many works of art about illness and disability, but the language and metaphors used to explore such conditions can often be infused with negative, even violent terms that do not truly represent ...

How to Avoid Blank Page Syndrome: The Jar Method

When I’m editing, there are specific problems to tackle, and I find I have a clear to-do list. Even if there’s a lot to do, I have a road map, but at the beginning of a project, I get so easily daunted ...