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September 04, 2016Interview with Chad Pelley
Chad Pelley is one of my favourite writers. We first met at Word on the Street in Halifax, in 2010, when he was touring for his impressive debut novel, Away From Everywhere (Breakwater Books, 2009) and ...
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July 31, 2016Service Industry Hell (Part 6): Service Industry Heaven!
A lot of the inspiration for my new book, Congratulations On Everything, came from the things I saw while working in bars, restaurants, and hotels, and from the experiences of friends who did the same. ...
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September 01, 2016Hello Open Book Readers!
I’m incredibly happy to be this month’s Writer in Residence.I’m so honoured to join the list of writers whose work I love, who’ve been writers in residence in the past.The timing is perfect because ...
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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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September 28, 2016Most Anticipated Books of 2017, Part 2
Hi Open Book Readers,Following on from Part 1 of this series, I’m also incredibly excited about new books by Richard Rosenbaum (he has two coming out in 2017) and Chris Benjamin. I had a chance to interview ...
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September 07, 2016Interview with Amy Jones: Ideas, Characters and the Importance of Representing Northern Ontario in Literature
Amy Jones’ We’re All In This Together (M&S, 2016) is a remarkable debut novel. Featuring an idiosyncratic family of characters who are vulnerable, at times hilarious, and always completely believable, ...
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November 01, 2016The 2016 Weston Prize Finalists on Inspiration & Non-fiction: "Your Books Choose You"
From life as an Israeli soldier to the surprising story behind one of the world's most famous paintings, the fascinating books on this year's Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction shortlist ...
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June 14, 2021Character Development Tips from Dungeons & Dragons
Full disclosure: I don't play Dungeons & Dragons, much as I'd like to. However, I've read a few D&D-based novels and enjoy watching others play the game, so I was pleased to stumble upon a fun ...
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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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September 15, 2016Interview with Jowita Bydlowska on Writing Fiction, Her Literary Inspirations and Her New Novel, Guy
Jowita Bydlowska is one of the most exciting writers in Canada. Her first book, Drunk Mom (Penguin, 2012)is a beautifully written, fearless and deeply introspective memoir about motherhood and overcoming ...