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November 01, 2021'Write when the baby sleeps' and other impossible writing rules
Years ago, long before I had any kids, I read that Alice Munro wrote when her baby napped, so when I was pregnant with my first kid, I told myself I’d do the same. It was 2015, six years before my first ...
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January 31, 2014
On Writing, with Dane Swan
By Open Book and Dane SwanDane Swan is Open Book's February 2014 Writer in Residence. In his On Writing interview, he tells us about his latest book, Bending the Continuum, his next project and his ideal ...
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February 27, 2018"This Story Has Lessons for all Canadians" The 2018 Kobzar Literary Award Finalists on Ukrainian Canadian Writing & Culture
A unique award in the Canadian literary landscape, The Kobzar Literary Award recognizes outstanding writing by authors who develop a Ukrainian Canadian theme in their work. Ukrainian Canadians are estimated ...
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July 02, 2019Read an Excerpt from Hassan Ghedi Santur's Powerful Second Novel, The Youth of God
Journalist and author Hassan Ghedi Santur's second novel, The Youth of God (Mawenzi House), is a moving portrait of a young man caught between two worlds. Nuur is 17-years old, whip-smart, and at a ...
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August 25, 2021Read an Excerpt from Mark Frutkin's The Artist and the Assassin, A Retelling of Revolutionary Artist Caravaggio's Life and Death
Italian artist Caravaggio revolutionized painting in the 17th century with his dramatic use of light and shadow (a technique known as chiaroscuro). During his life though, his tumultuous personal affairs ...
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May 05, 2025The Pros and Cons of Beta Readers
I just finished an early draft of a new middle grade novel and realized as pressed “save” that even though it was nowhere near done, I’d taken it as far as I could.It was officially time for a beta ...
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September 29, 2016Interview With Martha Sharpe and Michelle Berry
Hi Open Book Readers,I’ve always had a fantasy about opening a bookstore. Aside from writing, it seems like the most perfect job in the world. Two amazing new bookstores have opened recently, Flying ...
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November 21, 2012The Dirty Dozen, with Safia Fazlul
The Harem (TSAR Publications) is Safia Fazlul's literary debut. The book tells the story of Farina, a young woman who, in her desperation to escape her strict household, finds herself caught up in a confusing ...
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December 16, 2020Soundwalking Through the Pandemic
Every year, there are a few times I think I’m free from the grip of depression. And every year, there are a few times I realize that I’m not. Years ago when I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, ...
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October 11, 2023Scotiabank Giller Prize Reveals Shortlist of Heavy Hitters for 30th Anniversary
This morning the Scotiabank Giller Prize announced their five book 2023 shortlist via Facebook livestream. Whittled down from the 12-title longlist, the shortlist is packed with highly decorated writers, ...
