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May 05, 2022
"Our World is an Amazing Place" Laura Alary on Her New Kids' Book Exploring Photosynthesis, Food, & Connection
It's easy to forget how fascinating the idea that plants can "eat" sunlight and use it to grow and thrive actually is, but in Laura Alary's Sun in My Tummy (Pajama Press, with artwork by Andrea Blinick) ...
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May 06, 2021
"Poetry Changes the Way I Think" Sarah Burgoyne on Exit Poems, Trashing Drafts, & Why Humour Belongs in Poetry
Sometimes an unexpected combination can create a perfect, alchemical kind of reaction. Sarah Burgoyne, whose out-of-the-box literary creativity was beautifully displayed in her acclaimed debut collection Saint ...
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March 22, 2023
"Raw and Real and Blunt" Hannah Green on Getting Sober & Her Semi-Autobiographical Long Poem, Xanax Cowboy
The long poem that is Hannah Green's electric Xanax Cowboy (forthcoming from House of Anansi Press in April) is like nothing most poetry readers have encountered. When an early version of the poem was ...
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July 07, 2023
"Reality is Messier...It’s Vital that Books Reflect That" Kate Blair on Crafting Honest Young Adult Literature
It's often been said that every good story opens in the same way: when something changes. And one of the most enduring and universal story structures is that of "a stranger arrived".Kate Blair puts her ...
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October 26, 2020
"Say what?"
“All the information you need can be given in dialogue.” — Elmore LeonardAnytime dialogue carries the story it’s pure joy. Sometimes it’s straight up, other times it’s slippery with manipulation. ...
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February 28, 2022
"She Saved Our Lives, But it Cost Her a Great Deal" March Writer-in-Residence Amanda West Lewis on the Story Behind Her New YA Novel
It's a daunting task to take on capturing New York City in the 60s, but Amanda West Lewis is more than up to the job in her tough, compelling, autobiographically inspired young adult novel These Are ...
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July 25, 2019
"Something in That Moment Inspired Me" Writer & Artist Scot Ritchie on Finding His Newest Story in a Beloved Berlin Park
Vancouver-based author and illustrator Scot Ritchie has published a staggering 60-plus books for young readers, many of which are beloved titles in households across Canada, including favourites like Let's ...
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February 17, 2022
"Sometimes People Think Children Just Bounce Back" Sarah Howden on Her Thoughtful New Picture Book Helping Kids Navigate Loss
Talking to kids about tough subjects, including grief and loss, is one of the most disorienting parts of being a parent or caregiver. Children need a way to navigate sadness, but the language and concepts ...
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October 01, 2019
"Sometimes, the Story Isn't Finished Being Told" Drew Hayden Taylor on Spending 20 Years with the Story That Inspired His Newest Novel
In playwright, novelist, and screenwriter Drew Hayden Taylor's new book, Chasing Painted Horses (Cormorant Books), an innocent act of encouragement from a parent has far-reaching consequences. When ...
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September 03, 2019
"Story is Story, No Matter the Medium" Playwright & Writing Teacher Diane Flacks on Finding "the Why" of Your Writing
Diane Flacks is no stranger to posing provocative questions in her work as a playwright. Her newest play, Unholy (Playwrights Canada Press), delves into a big one: Should women abandon religion? In ...