Ontario book news, interviews and more
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September 26, 2023Elizabeth Ruth on Exploring Coincidences in Her Mesmerizing, Icy New Novel
Anyone who lived in Toronto in 2013 remembers the ice storm of that winter, which brought the city to its knees. It's against this dramatic backdrop that celebrated writer Elizabeth Ruth's new novel Semi-Detached ...
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September 23, 2023The Strangest Places I've Sold Books
As a niche (I use the word niche here as a stand-in for what others have described as feminist or bad) Canadian novelist, I try not to have high (or any) expectations for the success of my books. Sales ...
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September 21, 2023I’ve been invited to present at a literary festival, now what?
From the Brigadoon-esque setting of The Eden Mills Writer Festival to the hustle and bustle of TIFA Kids, it’s literary festival season. Everyone loves an invite to a party, but make sure you have all ...
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September 21, 2023"Memory is a Slippery and Selective Thing" Paige Maylott on Gaming, Writing, & Finding Herself
What is a body in a virtual world? As we move more and more of our socializing, working, and identities online, where does that leave our understanding of our physical selves, in terms of gender, sexuality, ...
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September 20, 2023Emily Urquhart and John Vaillant Amongst 2023 Finalists for Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction
This morning, the Writers’ Trust of Canada announced five finalists for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, the biggest nonfiction literary award in Canada. The prize has become ...
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September 19, 2023TIFA's Roland Gulliver on Genre Evolution, Programming Pair-Ups, & Some Really Big Swings
The Toronto International Festival of Authors kicks off this year on September 21, with a packed calendar of author talks, readings, workshops, and more at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre. Featuring acclaimed ...
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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 ...
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September 18, 2023The Places I Write, Rated
I’ll write anywhere but not all writeable spaces are equal. My latest novel was written all over the place (see: How to Write a Novel in a Month) and if I learned anything from that experience it’s ...
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September 15, 2023"Part of This is a Reclamation" Poet D. A. Lockhart on Crafting New Myths to Explore Land & Identity
Just south of Pelee Island is Middle Island, a small island that is part of Point Pelee National Park. It is home to no permanent settlements, with a ruined 19th century lighthouse as one of the only ...
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September 14, 2023The Pull of Two Needles
My first version of this essay was about how my two obsessions, knitting and writing, don’t compete with each other. I wrote at length about how they spin together in my brain in complicated steps, ...