Writer in ResidenceTag
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March 31, 2023
April Writer in Residence Manahil Bandukwala Explores the Woman Behind the Taj Mahal in Her Masterful Debut Poetry Collection
One of the most iconic landmarks in world history, the spectacular Taj Mahal, was famously built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife. A romantic story; a favourite tourist ...
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March 25, 2023
Was It Worth It?
Was it worth it? I get asked this a lot.I think they are asking if putting in all the time, effort and emotional labour to write a vulnerable and raw memoir about trauma, is worth it. Like, if I say yes, ...
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March 17, 2023
Procrastination Station
It’s just shy of midnight and I’m sitting here, writing this, thinking about how I should have started it sooner. But if I had started it sooner, would it have been finished before now?If this question ...
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March 14, 2023
Don't Bother Saving The Cat
When it comes to books about memoir writing, there are a select few that I would recommend an aspiring author read, including BIRD BY BIRD by Anne Lamott and THE ART OF MEMOIR by Mary Karr. But when I ...
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March 02, 2023
Safe Spaces Within The Margins
*Content Warning: brief mention of sexual assault, addiction and self harm*Nearly six months after I became the victim of a violent sexual assault in September 2017, I sat on the back porch of our rental ...
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February 28, 2023
March Writer in Residence Eden Boudreau Talks About Battling Rape Culture in Her Searing Memoir, Crying Wolf
It's a grim reality that women who experience sexual violence still face massive hurdles being believed and supported. When a woman deviates from the expectations of a "perfect victim"—whether in terms ...
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January 31, 2023
Read an Excerpt from February WIR Trynne Delaney's A House Unsettled, a Ghostly Story of Black Queer Love, Family, & Resistance
Trynne Delaney's debut novel, A House Unsettled (Annick Press) is a spectacular young adult tale from the Montreal-based writer; part character study and part haunted house story.When the novel opens, city ...
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October 31, 2022
November Writer in Residence Helen Walsh on Gardening, Edinburgh, & Eating Dinner with Hans Gruber
Helen Walsh's Pull Focus (ECW Press) has something for everyone: thrilling intrigue, social commentary, film industry glamour, and a tough protagonist facing crises both personal and professional. The ...
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September 29, 2022
On Listening to Music and Writing a Novel
Do you listen to music as you write? I often do, particularly when writing a short story, but it has been several months since I typed the night away with a melody playing in the background. At this moment, ...
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September 27, 2022
The Joy of Literary Festivals – And Dreams Coming True
It’s hard to believe we’ve come to the end of September and that the time I have been privileged to spend with you on this Open Book platform is almost over. Looking back at what I have shared with ...