Search
-
December 17, 2018"I Learned That Writing Could Be Hilarious" Naseem Hrab on the Books that Shaped Her Writing Life
Acclaimed picture book author (and beloved Open Book columnist!) Naseem Hrab knows a thing or two about friendship, and she captures that magic in her Ira Crumb series, the newest instalment of which ...
-
December 14, 2018Earthrise Author James Gladstone on The Good, Bad, & Surprising Moments in Writing Picture Books
December 21, 2018 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission, the first manned mission to fully orbit the moon and return safely. During the mission, on Christmas Eve, astronaut William Anders ...
-
December 13, 2018David Goutor on Mining Family History to Write an Extraordinary Winnipeg Man's Fight Against Fascism
In 1936, a German man living in Winnipeg was following the inexorable march of Franco's armies towards Madrid. Hans Ibing recognized the significance of the Spanish Civil War in the struggle against ...
-
December 12, 2018Beyond the Possible: On World Building
Sometimes, I think about what would have happened to Frodo and Sam if, during their journey across the land to Mordor, Frodo had fallen down a jagged slope of rocks and broken his leg.Would Frodo, delirious ...
-
December 11, 2018December Spotlight on Excerpts: Read About the Maple Leaf from Symbols of Canada
Symbols of Canada, edited by Michael Dawson, Catherine Gidney and Donald Wright (Between the Lines Books), delves into the titular symbols, whether they're as storied as Indigenous carvings or as ...
-
December 10, 2018"I Need to be Deep Inside Their Hearts and Minds" Fran Kimmel on Building the Fascinating Characters in No Good Asking
Moving with family to an idyllic farmhouse sounds like a charming idea, but in practice, behind the scenes, Ellie and Eric Nyland's family is unravelling.Fran Kimmel's No Good Asking (ECW Press) opens ...
-
December 06, 2018D. Nandi Odhiambo on Writing Violence, Authentic Choices, & Radical Doubt in His New Novel
In D. Nandi Odhiambo's Smells Like Stars (Book*hug), a diverse and vibrant cast of characters struggles with change, each in their own way. Journalist Kerstin Ostheim and freelance photographer P.J. ...
-
December 05, 2018Robin Blackburn McBride on the Child Protagonist of Her Novel: "He Said Take My Hand, Which I Did, and He Led Me"
Robin Blackburn McBride's debut novel The Shining Fragments (Guernica Editions) explores late 19th century and turn of the century Toronto through the eyes of Joseph Conlon, a young orphan abandoned ...
-
December 04, 2018“I want my poem to embody this poem-like feeling.” - An Interview with Mark Truscott
For years Mark Truscott has digging out his own unique niche in Canadian poetry, one with intense focuses on language, minimalism, and abstract inquiry. Branches, his latest collection, is something of ...
-
December 03, 2018Kicking off a December Spotlight on Excerpts: Read Three Poems from Adrian De Leon's Rouge
Whether you're looking for a creative and inspiring holiday gift, or just need a moment to yourself during the craziness of December, we've got you covered with our month-long spotlight on excerpts!Each ...