Ontario book news, interviews and more

Read an Excerpt from South by Babak Lakghomi, a Disorienting, Dazzling Tale of Totalitarianism & Truth

Babak Lakghomi's new novel South (Rare Machines/Dundurn Press) is set against a bleak totalitarian landscape, following B, a journalist on a search for truth. A dazzling, disorienting addition to Dundurn's ...

How Much Do Book Tropes and Aesthetics Matter?

If you’ve spent time on Twitter or Instagram recently, you may have noticed authors and readers sharing graphics that outline a book’s major tropes, or the aesthetics of a book through mood boards.I’ll ...

Book Launch Season, Part One: Being an Author

In the book world, the arrival of fall usually means the arrival of a whole host of new books to look forward to. And with new books comes book launches, tours, and celebrations—and sometimes it can ...

Eugenie Fernandes on Breaking Down the Extrovert/Introvert Dichotomy in Her Lovable New Picture Book

In recent years, the idea of introverts (those who may enjoy social interactions but find them draining) and extroverts (those who gain energy from social interactions) has been everywhere, from online ...

Trashpanda Futures in Quality Time and The Marigold

Suzannah Showler & Andrew F. Sullivan on the Raccoons of TorontoToronto has one true mascot, a creature with a deeper understanding of the city than any human. The raccoon makes a significant appearance ...

Trashpanda Futures in Quality Time and The Marigold

Suzannah Showler & Andrew F. Sullivan on the Raccoons of TorontoToronto has one true mascot, a creature with a deeper understanding of the city than any human. The raccoon makes a significant appearance ...

Don Gillmor on Families, Secrets, & the Lockpicking Mom in His Brilliant New Novel

In Don Gillmor's new novel, Breaking and Entering (Biblioasis), Beatrice Billings is stuck in the middle-est of middles. At 49, she's dealing with a stagnant marriage, an ailing mother, and a son who ...

Marie-Louise Gay on Getting Personal about Tough Childhood Moments in Her Magical New Picture Book

For a kid, moving to a new house and finding friends in a new school can be extremely tough. In iconic KidLit creator Marie-Louise Gay's new picture book, Hopscotch (Groundwood Books), Ophelia uses ...

Picture Book Trends

Picture books, like all art forms, are subject to trends and shifts in theme, style and format. I don’t necessarily recommend writing to trend, but it’s always good to be familiar with what’s working ...

Read an Excerpt from Lawrencia's Last Parang, a Memoir of Grief & Racism Alongside Family, Love, & Success

Writer and cross-cultural expert Dr. Anita Jack-Davies was raised by her grandmother Lawrencia, a charismatic, wise, and loving woman who influenced Jack-Davies' open-hearted and curious approach to ...