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.
Kate Rogers is a Toronto-based poet, essayist, and reviewer, as well as co-director of Art Bar, Toronto’s oldest poetry reading series. Her new poetry collection, The Meaning of Leaving (AOS Publishing), takes as its subject the broad theme of leaving, examining its many facets and angles in precise, often painful detail.
Originally from Malta, John P. Portelli is a writer of poetry and fiction, as well as a professor emeritus in the Department of Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto. His remarkable poetry collection, Here Was, navigates the tensions and contradictions between closeness and distance, past and present, what unites us and what separates us from each other.
Jamaican-Canadian picture book author Sadé Smith discusses the power of food and story to bring people together and shares a bit about her writing process and journey to publication. She also touches on her love of tacos, the importance of following your own path, and her winning approach to social media promotion.
Three cheers for Jennifer D. Foster, and for copy editors everywhere! Their work ensures the finished book a reader picks up contains the clearest, cleanest, most consistent expression of its author’s words and ideas.
Jennifer Grimbleby, managing editor at Kids Can Press, shares her love of punctuation, Sweet Valley Twins, fake plants, and puppy cuddles.
The person an author works with most closely throughout the publishing process is their editor. My editor, Katie Scott, isn’t just any editor. She’s the best.
Zoe is a genre defying and imaginative singer/songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Known on the Toronto scene as a singing drummer and studio backup vocalist, she is now forging a solo path with fierce determination and a trunk full of creative ideas.
Brave, though provoking, often unsettling, Hollay’s work takes you deep inside singular moments and experiences, sometimes pushing at the edges of your expectations, and other times exploding them all together. Her debut poetry collection, Rebellion Box, is available now from Radiant Press.
Jennifer-Mook-Sang is the author of three fantastic books for young readers! Her latest, The Care and Keeping of Grandmas, is available now and would make a fantastic gift for kiddos and grandmas alike!
