Ontario book news, interviews and more

Cover Reveal for SECRETS OF THE SANDS!

How fun is this, that I get to reveal my cover on Open Book! Let’s face it, we all judge books by their covers. That’s why I’m so lucky that the first cover of my middle-grade adventure series ...

"Something Intimate, Honest, and Very Politically Feminist" Alexandra Kimball on Exploring Feminism's Failures with Infertility

A lifelong feminist, journalist Alexandra Kimball found herself shocked by how isolated her struggles with infertility left her. In a movement that is meant to support all women, she found herself, ...

Writers' Trust Announces Finalists for 2019 Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ Emerging Writers!

2019 Dayne Ogilvie nominees Joelle Barron, Lindsay Nixon, & Casey PlettIt's one of the only Canadian prizes celebrating LGBTQ writing, and it's honoured some of the most acclaimed writers in the ...

C'mon Baby Girl, Back that Mac Up...

The first time it happened was a regular Saturday morning. I was sitting down to write at my kitchen table in the middle of chaos. The baby had been up three times that night (and would continue this ...

Contest! Enter to Win Sinister Stories from Porcupine's Quill

If you're feeling sinister (shout out to our readers who are Belle & Sebastian fans), have we got the contest for you! The good people at Porcupine's Quill are greeting our long-awaited spring by ...

Moving On and Holding On: Writing Picture Books as Therapy

Is it just me or is closure overrated and nearly impossible to achieve? It sometimes feels like the more you try to shut out painful experiences, the more they wave their hands around and yell, “Look ...

Getting to Know Coconut Dreams Author Derek Mascarenhas: Bloody Noses, Scars & Cozy Sweaters

Aiden and Ally Pinto, the brother and sister duo of the Pinto family, are at the heart of Derek Mascarenhas' linked story collection Coconut Dreams (Book*hug). Moving from Goa, India to suburban Canada, ...

Facing the Double-Headed Dragon: Perfectionism and Fear

Guys. My last few weeks have been bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, so I hope you will all bear with me this month. There may be some punctuation errors here and there. Even a typo ...

"Perspective is Everything!" Fran L. Porter on Crafting Characters, Writing Effective Dialogue & More

Fran L. Porter's second book and first novel, The Wrong Brother (Crossfield Publishing), tells the story of Marigold Iona Anderson, who comes under the charismatic sway of neurologist Dr. Damien Sparks. ...

On Perfectionism: Stop it Right Now Thank You Very Much*

“Once you have realized what you need to improve in your piece—either from a writing partner's helpful responses or your own insights—you're ready to begin revising, a process you would be well ...