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September 23, 2016For All the Men...A Playlist
Hi Open Book Readers,Music has always been a huge part of my writing process.It helps me tremendously when it comes to entering the mind of a character, or an experience, and staying there for as long ...
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January 10, 2019Daylighting Chedoke Author John Terpstra on Scattering Seeds for a Great Title
Hamilton is well known for its natural beauty, from waterfalls to parks. However, one natural feature in the city is more hidden than the rest: Chedoke Creek runs through Hamilton but is mostly covered ...
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October 20, 2022Gary Barwin on Form, Social Media, and the "Epistemological Hijinks of Poems"
Known for his humour, creativity, and general up-ending of the peskily staid CanLit stereotype, poet and fiction writer Gary Barwin shows no signs of slowing down with 26 books to his name. His newest, ...
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July 08, 2020EMWF: Souvankham Thammavongsa on What Makes for a Great Event
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 ...
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November 02, 2021"It Was Time to Say It" The 2021 Weston Prize Finalists on Why and How They Wrote Their Acclaimed Books
Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 3, the Writers' Trust Awards will take place via livestream, with six of Canada's biggest and most prestigious literary awards announced. One of the most hotly anticipated ...
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April 08, 2020Stratford for All Seasons Authors Phyllis Hinz and Lamont Mackay Talk Promotion, Marketing, and Hitting the Road
While it may have received a moment of international media interest for being the birthplace of pop star Justin Bieber, the small southern Ontario town of Stratford has been a legendary hub of top-tier ...
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October 18, 2022"But I Don’t Sing for Them. Best Believe that, Junie." Read a Gripping Excerpt from Junie by Chelene Knight
In 1930s Vancouver, Junie and Maddie move into Hogan's Alley, a vibrant Black and immigrant community in the East End. Things look hopeful: jazz singer Maddie has talent and ambition and her young daughter ...
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January 12, 2024Read an Excerpt from Secret Sex, an Anthology of R-Rated Fiction Written Anonymously by CanLit's Finest
24 stories, all of them firmly NSFW, make up the cheeky new collection Secret Sex, edited by Russell Smith (Dundurn Press/Rare Machines). Smith gathered 24 of the most acclaimed authors in the country, ...
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March 16, 2021"Our Shared Past and Future" James Gladstone's Halley's Comet Picture Book Offers Historical Perspective
Halley's Comet, possibly the most famous celestial event in existence, and one which happens just once every 75 years, is a unique phenomenon. It has been dazzling onlookers for centuries, and its story ...
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March 28, 2022What's Beyond: Writing as an Actor, Part 2
One of the important exercises we do in theatre is called “What’s Beyond.” It’s a Viola Spolin exercise to help actors understand the full, inner life of their characters. Viola Spolin is credited ...