all about canadian books
on YouTube
If you LOVE books...I interview new & established authors to find out the
author's story (SO fun to get to know them) & the story behind their book.
Logan's Back!I had the privilege of interviewing Canadian author Logan Macnair back in September 2020. Logan was one of my very first guests--6th to be exact and we discussed his debut novel Panegyric. Now Logan is back to discuss his second novel Troll. Troll explores the nature of connection, alienation, and the occasional ugliness of the modern digital age. When aspiring actor Peter Riley is given the assignment in his drama class to perform in a YouTube-style video, he creates the character of ‘Petrol Riley,’ a satire of a politically extreme right-wing conspiracy theorist. Peter is soon surprised to learn that the video he has uploaded has gone unexpectedly viral, with thousands of viewers misinterpreting his satirical performance as genuine. Seeing this as his path toward fame, Peter commits to portraying the hatemongering character of Petrol full-time, building a devout and rabid fanbase of online supporters that only grow more loyal and extreme the more hateful Petrol’s rhetoric becomes. As his reach grows, Peter must reconcile with his notoriety and decide whether this newfound fame is worth the influence he is having on his legions of impressionable online admirers. Striking and timely, Troll offers a meditation and authentic critique on the unique conditions and occasional ugliness of modern online communication. Logan Macnair (PhD)is a college professor and novelist based out of Burnaby, BC. and his academic research is primarily focused on the online narrative, recruitment, and propaganda campaigns of various political extremist movements. I couldn't put Troll down. I feel like Logan introduced me to a world I know very little about but should know about. My heart goes out to all those online and off who feel disconnected.
A HUGE thank you to Logan. Thanks SO much for watching. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there.
0 Comments
Let's Celebrate Canadian PoetsApril is National Poetry Month and to celebrate all about canadian books is having its VERY first poetry reading. Yay! I'm thrilled to have three talented poets as guests: Jake Bryne is a writer based in Tka:ronto/Toronto. Their poem "Parallel Volumes" won CV2's Foster Prize for Poetry in 2019. Their debut book of poems, Celebrate Pride with Lockheed Martin, published by Wolsak & Wynn, is available now wherever books of Canadian poetry are sold. Their second book, DADDY, is forthcoming with Brick Books in 2024. Hollay Ghadery is a multi-genre writer living in rural Ontario on Anishinaabe land. Fuse, her memoir of mixed-race identity and mental illness, was published by Guernica Editions’ MiroLand imprint in 2021. Her debut collection of poetry, Rebellion Box, is due out with Radiant Press in April 2023. Hollay's short-fiction collection, Widow Fantasies, is scheduled for release with Gordon Hill Press in 2024. Melannie Monoceros is currently based in Treaty 1 Territory (Winnipeg, MB), m. patchwork monoceros is a poet and interdisciplinary artist exploring polysensory creation and somatic grief. Engaging poetry, memoir, textiles, and film, their work considers a collective qrip (queer+crip) consciousness by connecting to marvelous bodies living with complexity as sick or disabled. I am situated on the traditional land of the Anishnaabeg people. Jake Bryne read "The Sun Has Never Looked So Large," from Celebrate Pride with Lockheed Martin. You left me speechless, Jake! Hollay Ghadery read "Postcard, Santa Maria," from Rebellion Box. Oh my heart, I can so relate to this. You're gorgeous, Hollay! Melannie Monoceros read, "Routine" from Remedies for Chiron. OMG!!!!!! I was SO emotional. Melannie touched me deeply. Thanks SO much for watching. A HUGE thank you to Jake Bryne, Hollay Ghadery and Melannie Monoceros.
For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know Author Jess KotzerIt's a VERY special all about canadian books episode because it's all about Barrie. Barrie is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg people. As a Barrie girl, I was thrilled to host an all about canadian books virtual event specially for Editors Barrie, featuring local author and collaboration specialist Jess Kotzer. In this episode, not only will you get to know Jess, I'll also share how this program began (hint pandemic project). Jess Kotzer is a writer whose experience with Lyme disease inspired her to publish It's Not Just Lyme (under the pen name Yessi Young). Her journey has taught her the importance of collaboration as a means for sustainable and enjoyable audience growth, and she's become an advocate for working with professionals like editors to create books that truly resonate with readers. The Story Behind The BookJess discusses her journey with Lyme disease, how It's Not Just Lyme: Understanding the Metabolism's Role in Fighting Chronic Infections came together, what she did to sell 5,000 copies and the POWER of collaborating with other authors. Thanks SO much for watching. A HUGE thank you to Jess. And a HUGE thank you to Editors Barrie. And a special thanks to JJ Wilson who was my editor for both Beauty Beneath the Banyan and Tears from the Sea.
Working with an editor is more than fixing your grammar. It also gives you the confidence to submit your work to publishers knowing that your manuscript is polished. Publishing is a VERY competitive industry working with an editor before you begin the query process isn't a bonus it's a MUST if you want to be published. Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get to Know Elaine KennedyHi! Today all about canadian books we’re going to get know Elaine Kennedy the translator for Under a Kabul Sky: Short Fiction by Afghan Women. A native of Toronto now living in Victoria, Elaine Kennedy studied English literature, French language and civilization, as well as translation in North America and Europe. She has worked as a translator and editor in numerous fields. Today, she focuses on literary translation. The Story Behind Under a Kabul SkyElaine discusses how she became involved in this unique project, her translation process for Under a Kabul Sky and how very special this project is as it brings the voices of women writers who are not often heard to readers. These twelve short stories dive deep into imaginary worlds where everyday life is marked and marred by war. They speak of wounded love, captured women, confinement, talismans, borders, wolves. They give expression to the voices of Afghan women who would like to change the fate of people like Nâzboo, Khorshid, Hamid and so many others. Originally published by Éditions Le Soupirail in 2019, this collection was the first volume of short stories by Afghan women to appear in France. This edition from Inanna Publications brings these stories—and their unique perspectives—to English-speaking readers for the first time. The collection includes stories by Wasima Badghisi, Batool Haidari, Alia Ataee, Sedighe Kazemi, Khaleda Khorsand, Masouma Kawsari, Mariam Mahboob, Toorpekai Qayum, Manizha Bakhtari, Homeira Qaderi, Parween Pazhwak and Homayra Rafat. Under a Kabul Sky was a Finalist, 2022 International Book Awards– Multicultural Fiction. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there.
Let's Get To Know...On today's episode of all about canadian books let's get to know Canadian author Dr. Anita Jack-Davies and learn the story behind her memoir Lawrencia’s Last Parang: A Memoir of Loss and Belonging as a Black Woman in Canada Dr. Anita was born in Toronto, Ontario, and spent her formative years on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, but returned to Canada at eleven years old. In 1998, she became a teacher and spent five years as an educator with the Toronto District School Board before returning to graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Education. She is currently Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Urban Planning at Queen’s University and is Director, Strategic Partnerships & Development at Ryerson University. She has taught courses in the areas of black feminisms, feminist pedagogies and race and racism. The Story Behind Lawrencia's Last ParangLawrencia’s Last Parang: A Memoir of Loss and Belonging as a Black Woman in Canada is a snapshot of Dr. Anita’s life after the grandmother who raised her passed away. Her book is a memoir, a eulogy, and an academic analysis, the book offers an insightful exploration of race in Canada. After listening to Dr. Anita speak about what it's like to be black and living in Canada I was speechless. It is having difficult conversations such as this and learning from them that we can aspire to make the world a better place for all. I am so very grateful for my time with this brave and inspiring woman. Lawrencia's Last Parang will be published by Inanna Publications on June 20, 2023! Thanks SO much for watching. A HUGE thank you to Anita .
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know...Let's get to know the fabulous Canadian women behind the fiction novel A Knife in the Skye. To honour and to celebrate Black History Month it was such an honour to speak with the lovely and inspiring prize-winning Haitian-Québécoise author, Marie-Célie Agnant and translator Katia Grubisic, who is also an award-winning writer and editor. Marie-Célie Agnant BackgroundMarie-Célie Agnant is a poet, short story writer, young adult fiction writer, storyteller, and novelist, Marie-Célie Agnant was born in Haiti and has lived in Québec since 1970. Many of her books evoke the hardships endured by women in the West Indies and the difficulty of legitimizing this part of history even today. Her work has been published in Québec, France, and Haiti, and translated into several languages. Her novel Le dot de Sara (Remue-Ménage, 1995) was a finalist for the Desjardins prize, her collection of short stories Le silence comme le sang (Remue-Ménage, 1997) was a finalist for the Governor General’s prize for fiction, and she has won the Prix Gros Sel for her children’s book La légende du poisson amoureux (Mémoire d’encrier, 2003), the prose creation prize awarded by the SODEP for “Sofialorène, si loin de la délivrance,” and the prestigious Prix Alain-Grandbois for her third collection of poems Femmes des terres brûlées (Éditions de la Pleine Lune, 2016). Katia Grubisic Background Katia Grubisic's work has appeared in various Canadian and international publications including The Walrus, The Fiddlehead, The Globe and Mail, Grain, The Spoon River Poetry Review, and Prairie Fire. Her collection What if red ran out (Goose Lane Editions, 2008) was shortlisted for the A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry and won the 2009 Gerald Lampert award for best first book. Her book translations include Louis Patrick Leroux’s play False Starts: A Subterfuge of Excellent Wit (with Alexandre St-Laurent; Talonbooks, 2016), Martine Delvaux’s White Out (LLP, 2018), Jeanne Painchaud’s ABCMTL (ruelle, 2019), Stéphane Martelly’s Little Girl Gazelle (ruelle, 2020), Ioana Georgescu’s Daughterof Here (LLP, 2020), and Marie-Claire Blais’s Songs for Angel (House of Anansi, 2021). Her translations of David Clerson’s first novel, Brothers (QC Fiction, 2016), and of Alina Dumitrescu’s A Cemetery for Bees (LLP, 2021) were shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for translation. The Story Behind A Knife in the SkyIn A Knife in the Sky, a journalist’s decision to talk and a student’s desire to know puts them in the crosshairs of a murderous dictatorship. As the novel opens, Mika is dangerously engaged in the pursuit of truth during Haiti’s first Duvalier regime. Nearly thirty years later, her granddaughter Junon witnesses the repressive dynasty’s unravelling. Brutal, terrifying, and hopeful, A Knife in the Sky is an homage to those who have survived tyranny. Originally published by Éditions du Remue-ménage in 2015 as Femmes au temps des carnassiers, this book, like most of the author’s oeuvre, is preoccupied with colonial imposition. Marie-Célie Agnant writes on the ruthlessness of a dictatorship, on humanity, and locates the strength and power of resistance in women. Don't miss Marie-Célie share how real life Haitian journalist Yvonne Hakim Rimpel was the inspiration behind this novel. Thanks SO much for watching. A BIG merci beaucoup to Marie-Célie Agnant and Katia Grubisic .
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know...Today all about canadian books we’re going to get to know Nancy Lam, the author of The Loyal Daughter, which was published by At Bay Press. Nancy Lam is a Toronto author. As a child and teenager, she lost herself in stories by Canadian writers, in university she majored in Canadian History to earn a Bachelor of Arts before acquiring her law degree. As an immigration lawyer she now helps prospective Canadians write and present their life stories to government officials. The Story Behind...The Loyal Daughter is Nancy's first novel and it is based on her mother’s immigration story to Canada. It's a fictional memoir told from the perspective of mother, daughter, and granddaughter. From 1940’s communist China, Hong Kong to the present day and it's a beautiful tribute to Nancy's mother and her life. Happy New Year! Wishing all a prosperous and joyous year of the rabbit. This episode is in loving memory and dedicated to Nancy's Mom. Thanks SO much for watching. A BIG thanks to Nancy.
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. The Story Behind...Behind every book is a great story. So let's find out the story behind author Janet Trull's short story collection Something’s Burning. Janet Trull has won several writing awards, including a CBC Canada Writes challenge, a Western Magazine Award nomination and a Commonwealth Fiction prize. Hot Town and Other Stories, her debut collection of short fiction, was published by At Bay Press. Trull’s new book, Something’s Burning, was a CBC Recommended Read for Fall 2022 and was also published by At Bay Press. Something’s Burning is an examination of relationships within communities. The twenty-first century speeds ahead with fast-changing ideas about culture and identity, and a new choir of voices are telling their long-suppressed stories. Outdated belief systems are challenged. Society norms and hierarchies crumble. But fresh ideas cause tension between generations, sexes, races and neighbours. The population is at odds about the revised script. Is it the end of misogyny, or the end of men? Is it the end of social injustice or the end of loyalty? Is it the end of discrimination or the end of common sense? Some characters in these stories are oblivious to social change. Some are committed to stopping it. Some are invested in promoting their agendas at all cost. The bumper stickers on pick up trucks in the Foodland parking lot warn you that conflict awaits in the cereal aisle. The spacious landscapes where these stories take place are big enough for many opinions, but small enough to fall back on nostalgic principles. They represent the spectrum of joy and loss, and the author’s enduring love for those who can find a balance between them. For Backroad Stories and Conversations from Canada's Rural Roots I LOVE the cover of this book! It was nice to meet you, Charlie.
For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know...Behind every book is a talented writer—when it comes to the thriller Stealing John Hancock we’ve got two. Let’s get to know…the dynamic mother-daughter writing duo Alie and Hejsa Christensen. Alie and Hejsa Christensen discovered their affinity for working together when they were in-house writers for a film production company. They have now made the leap from silver screen to printed page. Stealing John Hancock, is their first novel. It was published by Ravenstone, an imprint of Turnstone. The Story Behind SJH...In this segment, we’ll find out the story behind Stealing John Hancock, Alie and Hejsa's creative process, (I bet you're wondering...do the mother daughter writing team have creative differences? I did and how do they resolve them), but before we do, Hejsa will explain the plot of this gripping thriller. Thanks SO much for watching. A BIG thanks to Alie & Hejsa.
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. Let's Get To Know...Behind every book is a talented writer and a great story and that’s what we’re here to discover. First-off, let’s get to know the author of the bestselling novel, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, Bianca Marais. Then, we’ll follow it up with, the story behind her book. Bianca Marais is a bestselling author, award-winning teacher, experienced guest speaker and cohost of the popular podcast The Shit No One Tells You About Writing, which is aimed at helping emerging writers get published. OMG! Not only was The Witches of Moonshyne Manor a FUN read, Bianca's website offers a whole lot of fun too. There's a Witches of Moonshyne Manor Wordle and you can do a Which Witch are you quiz. The Story BehindIn this segment, we’ll find out the story behind Bianca’s third novel The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, but before we do Bianca's going to tell us what this fantastic novel ( I LOVED it) is about. Thanks SO much for watching. A HUGE thanks to Bianca and wishing all a festive holiday season.
Stay tuned for new episodes, they're posted on Tuesday's and Thursday's, the 2nd and 4th week of every month. We'll be kicking the new year off with the fabulous mother daughter writing duo Alie and Hejsa Christensen the authors of STEALING JOHN HANCOCK on January 10th. For more fabulous author interviews, you can find all about canadian books on YouTube. And don't forget to subscribe (PLEASE). Click on that great big button below and it'll take you there. |
Blog Archives
June 2024
Categories
All
|