“A woman learns to swim. A girl falls in love with her teacher. A man hires a humanoid nanny. A woman is abducted by her trash collector. A dying mother recycles time.” The interconnected stories in Alison Gadsby’s debut collection, Breathing is How Some People Stay Alive evoke an unsettling world that mirrors our own.
Ottawa-based author and editor Margo Lapierre’s lyrical and unflinching new poetry collection, Ajar, chronicles experiences of mental illness and gendered violence through a startling perceptual framework which asks the reader to rethink their understandings of time and self.
Kerry Clare joins me again, this time to talk about her charming new novel, Definitely Thriving. If, like me, you are a fan of unlikely romance, church jumble sales, used bookstores, decaying attic rooms with beautiful light, and (of course) tinned fish, than this is the book for you!
Tamla T. Young (she/her) is a mom, educator and writer whose journey blends education, creativity, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge. Raised in North America as a child of the Caribbean diaspora, her stories draw from family, culture, and lived experience, enriched by her love of languages, travel, and the arts.
As a senior editor at Kids Can Press, Katie Scott has worked on countless books for young readers, including Beatrice and Barb and A Summer without Anna. She also has impeccable taste in everything from lipstick to podcasts to pastries.
With the launch of A Summer without Anna just over a week away, I’m so excited to share this conversation with my brilliant co-creator, illustrator Risa Hugo.
Brooklin Stormie is an artist and illustrator based in Peterborough, Ontario. She is a grad of OCADU’s illustration program, a Pisces, and a believer in dragons.
Lindsay Zier-Vogel is many things. She’s the author of books for adults and children, a grant writer, a poet, a dancer, a columnist, a swimmer, a mom, and the creator of the acclaimed The Love Lettering Project. Her new novel, The Fun Times Brigade, examines the enduring challenges of reconciling being an artist with being a mother. It also has the cutest cover I’ve ever seen.
Alison McGauley is the author of Kenzie’s Little Tree, a cozy and comforting story about a young girl’s determination to care for a fragile sapling while also grappling with her mother’s illness.
Jess Hannigan’s debut picture book The Spider in the Well has got it all: gold coins? Check! An entrepreneurial spider? Check! Morally dubious townsfolk? Check, check, check! Join me as I ask Jess just one question about this neon-orange marvel of a book!
In Jennifer Whiteford's debut romance novel, a guarded punk-rocker-turned-barista meets a big-hearted sound tech who charms his way into her life and helps her revisit her musical past. If you're in the market for a smart, cozy, romantic fall read, this one's for you!
Celebrated Quebec novelist, playwright, and translator Fanny Britt on her fantastically unsetting book Sugaring Off, her writing life, and the satisfaction of baking elaborate cakes and watching them be devoured.
Novelist, editor, and translator Susan Ouriou has had quite the career. Among her many accomplishments, she's written two novels and been a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award for Translation seven times, winning for her translation of Pieces of Me by Charlotte Gingras. She's also served as an interpreter for both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. I had the pleasure of talking to Susan about her path to becoming a translator, her approach to her work, and her recent collaboration with author Quebec author Fanny Britt on Fanny's novel Sugaring Off , out this week from Book * Hug Press.
Anita Yasuda is the author of Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei A Life In The Mountains, Diwali: A Festival Of Joy, Bollywood Beat, and many other books for young readers. She lives in the rolling hills of Ontario.
Kidlit superstar Debbie Ohi is the author and illustrator of so many incredible books for young readers, including her newest gem, I Want to Read ALL the Books!
Rosena Fung is a cartoonist and illustrator based in Toronto, Canada. She is the creator of the graphic novels Living With Viola and Age 16, both from Annick Press.
Katherine Battersby is the author and illustrator of several books for young readers, including her hilarious Cranky Chicken chapter book series, which chronicles the unlikely friendship between a charmingly curmudgeon-y chicken and a delightfully cheerful worm. Katherine herself is every bit as fun and delightful as her work, and I’m so excited to introduce you to the wonders of her world.
In her new collection Fungal, Ariel Gordon “takes the reader through ditches and puddles in search of morels, through the hallways of a mushroom factory, down city sidewalks and beside riverbanks as she considers things found and fungal.” Slipping and sliding effortlessly between natural, domestic, and commercial spaces, Ariel’s work is a joy.
Amanda Orlando is many things: a blogger, a cookbook author, the creator of the Free To Be Me food allergy wellness retreat, and a mom. As a leader within the food allergy community, she uses her platform to share important and inspiring content and resources reflecting her personal experience.
I recently had the honour of speaking with Governor General award-winning author Jack Wong about our experiences writing plant-focused books picture books. We also dove deep into the value of being a beginner, how to choose the right medium and style for each book, and the process of putting together a school visit that feels authentic and compelling.
