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August 27, 2018An 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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March 17, 2023An Unconventional Interview: The Paintings of Jeffery Donaldson's Ode to Art Galleries, Momento, Speak Out
A plain white room with some squares hanging on the walls fills with people, many of whom stay and stare. Maybe some are even weeping, or laughing, or huddled in deep discussion about what they see. An ...
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September 06, 2018Anatomy of a Short Story, or Where I Get (Some of) My Ideas
I’m not one of those writers who makes everything up completely from scratch. And seriously, do those writers even exist? (If they do, I am jealous of them.)In my fiction, almost everything comes from ...
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November 29, 2017
And finally, nouveau noir...
My exploration of noir is coming to an end, with this last post. Thank you very much, Open Book Toronto, for having me as WIR, and a big thanks to all the writers who gave so generously of their time ...
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June 03, 2015And Then They Were upon Her...
If you’ve never heard of Shirley Jackson or read her sensational short story "The Lottery," you should stop doing whatever you’re doing and read it at once.When “The Lottery” was published on ...
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June 14, 2024Andrew Battershill is Ready for Round Two in His New Pugilist-Mystery Novel, Pet, Pet, Slap
Back for Round 2 in novel form, boxer ‘Pillow Fist’ Pete Wilson returns to the page for a big comeback fight in Pet, Pet, Slap (Coach House Books). But has he lost his edge? Will he find the motivation ...
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May 29, 2019Andrew Forbes on Titles Shaping Stories, Finding Ideas in Government Jargon, & His Musical Inspirations
Andrew Forbes' Lands and Forests (Invisible Publishing) is a gift to short fiction lovers - a spare, smart, thoughtful collection that feels like a gritty Alice Munro descendant peeling back the ordinary ...
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October 30, 2024Andrew Forbes' Debut Novel, The Diapause, is a Literary-Speculative Gem
Readers of Open Book may find our featured author of the day familiar, as the prolific Andrew Forbes has had an excerpt of his recent novella published on the site just this summer. Known for his stirring ...
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April 06, 2018Angela Ahn on Exploring Identity and Culture Through Food in Her Debut Middle Grade Novel
In Angela Ahn's Krista Kim-Bap (Second Story Press), Krista and Jason have been best friends since they were in diapers. Their differences never seemed like a big deal - but when their teacher asks ...
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July 06, 2017Anita Miettunen on Her Journey of Discovery with a Rare Blue Whale
When the remains of a blue whale were found on a remote PEI beach, environmentalists had a unique opportunity not only to learn more about the biggest animal in the world, but to share the whale that ...
