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September 07, 2016Interview with Amy Jones: Ideas, Characters and the Importance of Representing Northern Ontario in Literature
Amy Jones’ We’re All In This Together (M&S, 2016) is a remarkable debut novel. Featuring an idiosyncratic family of characters who are vulnerable, at times hilarious, and always completely believable, ...
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January 22, 2019"Something Deep in Me Was Watchful" Poet Agnes Walsh in conversation with Beth Follett
Agnes Walsh's Oderin (Pedlar Press) is the first collection in over ten years from the Newfoundland poet. It's writing that is worth the wait - the collection is a set of powerful, beautiful poems steeped ...
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April 24, 2017
Lisa Richter on Poetry Exercises
Today I feature Lisa Richter in my series on poets and writing exercises. Lisa Richter's first full-length collection of poetry, Closer to Where We Began, was recently published by Tightrope Books. Her ...
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April 04, 2017
A How-To Guide for Your Poetry Reading
There are a lot of poetry readings across Canada in April, National Poetry Month. I myself have a new book out, and therefore have a lot of poetry readings. All of which has gotten me thinking about poetry ...
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September 23, 2016For All the Men...A Playlist
Hi Open Book Readers,Music has always been a huge part of my writing process.It helps me tremendously when it comes to entering the mind of a character, or an experience, and staying there for as long ...
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April 15, 2017
Kathryn Mockler on Poetry Exercises
Today in my series on poetry prompts and exercises, I'm featuring writer Kathryn Mockler. She teaches creative writing, poetry, and screenwriting at Western University, and runs private workshops through ...
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January 19, 2017On Writing, with Johanna Skibsrud
Poet, short fiction writer, and novelist Johanna Skibsrud's timely and fascinating new collection The Description of the World (Wolsak & Wynn) delves into the documentarian's dilemma: in witnessing ...
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February 24, 2019Poetry School: Getting specific with Amiri Baraka
Writing is reading, teaching is learning. As I said in my invitation for readers to join me this month-long online Poetry School, I expected to benefit the most from these researches into the craft and ...
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May 31, 2016Writing What’s Closest to Home
Last year, when I turned in the first draft of a memoir on rape trauma, my editor had a pretty reasonable observation. Despite divulging various details of violation, illness, and the path to getting ...
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September 16, 2016Interview with Zoe Whittall: a Conversation About Writing, Characterization and Empathy with One of My Literary Heroes
Zoe Whittall is one of my literary heroes. I remember the day that I discovered her first book, the feeling of relief and excitement as I read each page. I was studying Creative Writing, and feeling depressed ...
