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August 04, 2020My Attraction to Gritty Stories
Not all stories are romantic or are tied up neatly at the end. Sometimes characters do not have a redeeming quality, and sometimes their experiences have made them hard and difficult to “save.” Gritty ...
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March 13, 2017My final two columns: Part One
After nearly a decade, my time as a columnist for Open Book comes to a close. According to my email folder, it was May 2009 when Amy Logan Holmes first approached me with the idea of submitting pieces ...
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April 09, 2017My final two columns: Part Two
As rob has mentioned, this is the second part of his final column for Open Book. The staff at Open Book would like to share our appreciation for a decade of columns, and for rob's contributions to the ...
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October 18, 2018
My friend Richard
In my last post I talked about some of the influential writers and books that inspired me to seriously pursue my own creative writing. My list is much longer than that, and there are many more storytellers ...
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July 21, 2020My Story: Naseem Hrab on Divorce, Vulnerability, and Trading a Pencil for a Croissant
Divorce can be a big adjustment for a child, bringing up many different feelings that are tough to make sense of. Settling comfortably into a new weekly routine, with two places to call home, takes a ...
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October 25, 2023Naben Ruthnum on His Delightfully Creepy YA Horror Debut, a Spooky Love Letter to the 90s
Behind the facade of small towns lurk many things – something high schooler Vish knows all too well in acclaimed author Naben Ruthnum's first foray into young adult fiction, The Grimmer (ECW Press).Vish's ...
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August 15, 2017Naben Ruthnum on Titles, Curry, and What's Next
Coach House Books' unique Exploded Views series publishes short and sweet non-fiction books that offer fresh perspectives on complex issues. Their newest offering is Journey Prize winner Naben Ruthnum's ...
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July 11, 2019Nadja Lubiw-Hazard on Creating her Scarborough Novel, The Nap-Away Motel, as "Grounded in a Sense of Place"
In a unique hotel in Scarborough, three strangers are trying to rebuild what's broken in their lives and families. Suleiman, Tiffany, and Ori are all searching for something, and all finds themselves ...
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May 16, 2024Naseem Hrab and Kelly Collier Share a Conversation About Otis and Peanut Forever and Ever
Collaborating on a series of picture books or graphic novels is quite the task, but some of the finest KidLit out there comes from these fruitful partnerships between talented authors and illustrators.This ...
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September 08, 2022Naseem Hrab's Adorable Snail Party Picture Book is a Love Letter to Homebodies of All Ages
While everyone loves a special occasion, we all have different ideas about the perfect way to celebrate. Some people may love a big, boisterous party, but plenty of people find that all a bit overwhelming ...
