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March 31, 2019
Writer at Work: Criticism is Care
When I began the “Writer at Work” series for Open Book, I wanted to explore what it means for me, a poet and a writer, to be at “work.” As a woman of colour and an emerging writer, I have many ...
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May 24, 2023
SJ Okemow on Her Heartwarming Debut Picture Book's Unconventional Path to Publication
The humble dandelion rarely gets much love, often cited as a nuisance weed that spreads easily and takes over. But the hardy little plant has many lessons to teach us, and in SJ Okemow's Âmî Osâwâpikones (Annick ...
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August 30, 2023
Michael Melgaard Delves into the Dark Side of True Crime in His Debut Novel
In many true crime tales, the focus shifts to the intrepid reporter, detective, or armchair expert who is intent on solving a mystery. Or, even more problematically, the story centres—sometimes with ...
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December 04, 2017
Talking to Picture Book Creators - Part Two
Welcome back! I hope you enjoy part 2 of my Q and A with the creators of four super picture books—Nicola Winstanley, author of A Bedtime Yarn, Shauntay Grant, author of The Walking Bathroom, Scot ...
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February 29, 2024
Brian Dedora Navigates the Truths and Half-Truths of a Traveller in The Apple in the Orchard
The wanderings of a lone traveller through the wilderness, rural and urban, can be harrowing and fraught. But what if the most dangerous journey that traveller must take is a journey into memory?Experimental ...
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December 01, 2020
"All of the Pieces are Aware of and Concerned With the Unknowable": Paige Cooper on Taking Up the Best Canadian Stories Mantle
Every year, one editor is tasked with finding the very best short stories from Canadian writers. It's a daunting challenge, given the wealth of great short fiction in Canada, but one that has turned out ...
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December 24, 2016
17 for 2017: Sarah Joynt recommends The Hour of the Star
10. The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector recommended by Sarah JoyntThroughout my tenure as the December Writer-In-Residence, I will be assembling a list of 17 must-read-books for 2017. To accomplish ...
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November 22, 2018
Inspiration is Inconvenient
I’ve been talking about writing, publishing, YA, comics, and all of these other aspects of being involved in the writing world. Now I’m going to interrupt all of this to talk about inspiration. It’s ...
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July 13, 2022
"An Act of Freedom and a Precarious Practice" Tanis MacDonald on the Politics and Culture of Taking a Walk
Taking a walk is a deceptively simple thing. To walk around outside can do wonders for our mental and physical health, sense of community, and stress levels. And yet "taking a walk" also exists at a fascinating ...
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May 30, 2015
The Lucky Seven Interview, with Irina Kovalyova
Irina Kovalyova is an Ivy League-educated scientist, a debut author and, we are very excited to say, our June 2015 writer-in-residence at Open Book!Irina's collection of short stories, Specimen combines ...