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May 17, 2018
In Praise of … Writing Manuals
Writing cannot be taught. It’s a phrase I hear a lot, and I totally get the sentiment. Writers sometimes want to believe that what they do on the page is pure magic, and some people have the gift and ...
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August 28, 2018
Back to School: Authors on Their Favourite School-Centric Stories & Books
It sneaks up on us every year, but it's nearly that time - back to school time. Even if you've been out of the hallowed halls of learning for many years, you can't help but notice it every September.To ...
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August 20, 2018
Contest! Celebrate the History of Labour Day with a Prize Pack of Pro-Labour Books from Between the Lines
We can't believe it's nearly Labour Day. As much as we don't want to see summer end, that final holiday of the season got us thinking - because Labour Day isn't just a long weekend; it acknowledges the ...
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May 17, 2018
"They Like to Wander at Night": Valerie Mills-Milde on Crafting Unforgettable Characters
For the women and children at home during the First World War, life was an unpredictable, anxious, and terrifying existence, as they waited for news of their sons, fathers, and husbands and worked to ...
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August 21, 2018
"The Words Felt Right and Honest" Deep Underwater author Irene Luxbacher on Finding Her Way Through Tough Times with Writing
Irene Luxbacher's Deep Underwater (Groundwood Books) calls out to the wild imagination of young readers, those years when we were sure we could find mermaids, adventures, and secrets, if we could just ...
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May 17, 2018
Writers' Trust Announces Finalists for 2018 Dayne Ogilvie Prize LGBTQ Emerging Writers Award
Today the Writers’ Trust of Canada announced the three finalists for the 2018 Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ Emerging Writers. The $4,000 prize is presented annually to an emerging writer from the lesbian, ...
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May 17, 2018
"I Give Myself Over to the Process" Catherine Hernandez Shares Advice & Inspiration on the Ups & Downs of the Writing Life
Catherine Hernandez's writing is both unforgettable and unmistakable. The strength of her voice, her candid and raw vulnerability, and her empathetic storytelling show up in whatever format she is writing, ...
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August 27, 2018
An Open Letter to the Stranger Who Asked Me, “How Did You Write That Book for Children If You Don't Have Children?”
Dear Stranger,I realize that writing a book is kind of a self-important undertaking. When I write, I sometimes imagine that there are people out there who might actually enjoy reading my words and letting ...
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May 21, 2018
On racialized motherhood, writing, and sleep deprivation
The day before my son’s due date, I sent what I thought was the final draft of The Better Mother to my editor. The baby’s bedroom was finished: yellow walls, penguin stencil, gingham curtains. My ...
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August 31, 2018
On the future of Canlit
You guys, this is my last Open Book column.I have been writing this column for a year now and I’ll admit I didn’t know what I was going to write about when Holly Kent and Kevin Hardcastle asked me ...