Search
-
February 02, 2024Facing (the Failure of) an Empty Event
There’s a particular kind of feeling to describe preparing and planning for a literary event, only to show up and find the room empty, or nearly empty. You keep looking at the door hoping the passers-by ...
-
September 01, 2022Debut Author Anouk Mahiout on the Importance of Talking, with Humour and Heart, About Tough Feelings in Kids' Books
Pretty much every kid has felt at some point that they don't quite fit in. For Pauline, the lovable protagonist of Anouk Mahiout's debut graphic novel, A Place for Pauline (Groundwood Books, illustrated ...
-
September 18, 2023Jessica Westhead on Balancing Absurdity, Sensitivity, & Insight in Her Exploration of White Privilege
Just last week saw the launch of Avalanche (Invisible Publishing), a new story collection from Jessica Westhead. One of Canada's most innovative short fiction writers, Westhead has long crafted memorable ...
-
October 19, 2020"It Means Going Back to Bronwen Wallace’s Work" RBC Bronwen Wallace Award Nominees on Writing, Genres, & Being Seen
The Writers' Trust's RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers is a closely-watched prize, with its knack for identifying interesting and innovative writers early in their careers. Founded by writer ...
-
May 10, 2023Eva Tihanyi's "3-Layer" Poetry Collection Cicle Tour is a Tour de Force
Eva Tihanyi's Circle Tour (Inanna Publications) has a simple but fascinating structure of three sections: the Outer Circle, Inner Circle, and the Centre. Each section has its own power – the outward-facing ...
-
July 06, 2016What is Literary Fiction? Ask a Romance Publisher
Years ago, I was the guest author at a summer camp for teen writers. The afternoon started well: I read a bit from my first novel, spoke in very general terms about how I became a writer, and outlined ...
-
May 27, 20175 Tips to Stand Out in the Slush Pile
You’ve finished your manuscript. It’s been edited by a critique partner. You’ve assembled a pitch. Now what? The next step is securing literary representation to pitch your project to prospective ...
-
July 23, 2020EMWF: Rob Shapiro on Seeing it Through and Sticking it Out
While this year's physical edition of the Eden Mills Writer's Festival may be cancelled, fans and creators alike were thrilled to hear that organizers had decided to make the experience virtual, presenting ...
-
September 02, 2018Show Me the (Writing-Grant) Money!
Hello, and Happy September! Thanks to the excellent folks at Open Book for inviting me here, and thanks to you for tuning in, lovely readers-who-I’m-guessing-are-mostly-also-writers.All right, let’s ...
-
December 01, 2015Eighty Feet Without a Net - Conversations with John Irving
About a year ago I got an email that I had to read about twelve times over before it really settled in. That email was from Janet Turnbull Irving, the wife and agent of one of the most famous literary ...
