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March 21, 2018On writing politically, or how not to make your fiction sound like a lecture
When I started writing my most recent novel, The Conjoined, I began with the idea of subverting classic crime fiction, something that I thought would be a fun bookish game. What if I could write a literary ...
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April 17, 2019Creative Life
I was asked to give a keynote address at the launch of the student literary journal, Scarborough Fair at the University of Toronto Scarborough. The theme was “The Creative Life”. As their Writer in ...
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October 02, 2025The Music in SOUNDTRACK Chronicles the True Joys and Looming Dangers of an Important Cultural Era
Michael V. Smith has long been celebrated for his fearless and generous writing, and his newest work, Soundtrack (Book*hug Press), is no exception. This poetic memoir captures the spirit of an era when ...
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June 26, 2018
Mentors & Allies 4: Hazel Millar
I cannot tell you how many times I have emailed Hazel Millar at Book*hug. Whether it was a question about my contract, a reminder about an event, festival, or reading, or just me blathering on about something, ...
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June 19, 2019What Kdramas Taught Me About Storytelling
OK so first I feel like I should explain that literature and TV/film motivate me in different ways. I like to see it as craft vs. content. Books I love or respect teach me about word choice and pacing, ...
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April 24, 2018FOLD Authors Kusow, Maynard & Robertson on Diversity in CanLit, Festival Life & Recommended Reads
The Festival of Literary Diversity (aka the FOLD) is nearly here! The fastest-growing literary festival in the country is back for a third year, running from May 3 to May 6, 2018 with an incredible line ...
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May 16, 2016#WritingTips Mondays: Kurt Vonnegut on the Importance of Being Sadistic
Kurt Vonnegut was one of the best loved writers of the twentieth century, known for his wit and playfulness, as well as the strong socio-political undercurrent in much of his writing.Before his death ...
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June 06, 2018Kim Moritsugu on the Writing Life, Her Best and Worst Events, & Guidance from Nora Ephron
Kim Moritsugu's smart, tight, witty, and character-driven novels have earned her tons of fans. Her brand new, seventh novel, The Showrunner (Dundurn Press), shows that there is just as much drama and ...
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March 24, 2017How to Feel, What to Eat
I just got a latte at Starbucks. My drink took a long time. While I waited I eavesdropped on a good chunk of a date, between a man and a woman, taking place at a table near the pick-up station. I believe ...
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August 25, 20176 Marketing Tips for Debut Authors
Publishers are great partners, but they don’t usually do the heavy lifting in terms of marketing—especially for debut authors. In a partnership both parties have to pull their weight, which requires ...
