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November 29, 2021I am a celebrationist
I am a celebrationist.I celebrate big things and small things, all the things, really—kids getting their final molars, the anniversary of my fella and I meeting, the first day of summer (and fall and ...
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September 29, 2016Final Post
Hi Open Book Readers,I’ve had such a wonderful time being your Writer in Residence this month.It feels like perfect timing that I’m writing my last Writer in Residence post immediately after doing ...
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October 06, 2022"Write Whatever Weird Poems and Books You Think Should Exist" Cameron Anstee on Embracing the Strange in His Genre-Bending Minimalist Poems
Maybe it's a response to how chaotic and unpredictable the world feels at the moment, but there has been a notable increase in our cultural interest in minimalism – from home decor to tossing anything ...
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July 04, 2025A High-School Teacher Goes into Labour During a Fraught Lockdown in Heather Birrell's Debut Novel
Acclaimed short story author Heather Birrell has made a name for herself in the CanLit scene with a raft of short fiction published in journals far and wide, and her first two impressive collections ...
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August 17, 2023Maggie Knaus Shares 2 Strange & Happy Moments from the Long Journey to Creating Her Stunning Debut Picture Book
Eleanor was born under a spectacular harvest moon. As it hung low in the sky, her grandfather made a promise: that wherever they both were, and however far apart that may be, they would look up at the ...
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October 19, 2023Glimpse into the Wealth of Filipino-Canadian Writing Talent in this Excerpt from Magdaragat
Magdaragat: An Anthology of Filipino-Canadian Writing (Cormorant Books) opens with the line "Magdaragat is Filipino for 'seafarer' or 'mariner'". It's a first line that heralds the expansiveness of the ...
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April 30, 2017
Failed Dreams
In my new poetry book Beautiful Children with Pet Foxes, there’s a series of poems called “Dream Specimens,” based on actual dreams that I’ve had over the years. I had some fun with these poems, ...
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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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October 31, 2022
Beverly's Blessing
Meegwetch, maarsii, thank you for being a part of my circle for the month of October and for welcoming me into the Open Book circle. After my initial nervousness at clicking the ‘Send for publishing’ button, ...
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November 28, 2019"What's on the Page Is the Only Thing That Counts" Poet Bruce Meyer on Finding Inspiration and the Power of a Good Ending
For most of us, and especially in this day and age, life moves at a terrifyingly accelerated rate. We are permanently busy, focused on whatever is coming up next, unable (and, in some cases, unwilling) ...
