A Battle as Old as the Keyboard

Photo by Evan J

By Evan J

Begin with conflict and your reader will be hooked. I believe in this writing concept and therefore, to begin my blogging residency for Cloud Lake Literary, I begin with a fight. It’s a battle as old as the keyboard. It’s the question of a writer’s preference: handwriting or typing?

This debate contains some science. The act of handwriting, of using a pen to place text on a page, requires multiple brain functions. The brain must manage grip, align your body, and respond to the texture of pen and paper. It must remember how to create letters and then, as with typing, it must translate ideas into lines of readable language. While these layers of mental multi-tasking might feel like unneeded extra stress and you might be already be shuffling towards Team Keyboard just wait a sec. It’s not stress. It’s brain exercise. And like the body, exercise makes the brain stronger. It makes the brain more nimble and therefore more fit to access memories, facts, and skills.

In fact, science goes a step further. Many studies have shown how any exercise (of the body or brain) improves the brain’s creative capacity. The brain’s creative functioning peaks during and immediately after physical exercise. So take your hand for a walk across the page whenever possible. Better yet, take your legs for a walk and then put pen to paper. I promise that your sacrifice of time will be rewarded with better writing quality. Ondaatje still handwrites his novels three times before they ever meet a keyboard (I’ve regrettably never asked him how often he takes a stroll).

However, as much as science backs the connection between creativity and the pen, many of us just don’t have enough time in a day to be adding any extra steps. If your work is for public readership, you will always (eventually) have to type it up. There is not a publisher, a magazine, or a journal alive today that will accept your handwritten submission (unless you are a calligraphy poet like H. Masud Taj, in which case the keyboard is replaced by nib and ink). So when you already have a nine-to-five job, a family to care for, and/or more looming writing deadlines than you can shake a stick at it’s understandable to place handwritten first drafts on the chopping block. 

Furthermore, computers offer editing abilities that handwriting just can’t mimic. As a poet, my creations are always evolving. Like a de Kooning painting, my poems are often reworked until they no longer resemble the original poem in any way - and I love this process. I love how quickly I can make a monstrous change and then dislike the change and revert back. In every version, the poem on the screen looks finished and I can assess it without the editing marks of past versions. It’s a process only possible with a keyboard and computer.

So which is it for you? Handwriting or typing?

Book Review: Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe

By Rebekah Dolmat

Published on September 8, 2020, Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe is an authentic young adult contemporary novel that portrays a realistic account of a teenager as he is about to embark on the next stage of his life.  

Charming as a Verb follows Haitian-American protagonist Henri Haltiwanger as he tries to navigate his life through his final year of high school at FATE Academy (an elite private arts school located in Manhattan), while juggling his own dog-walking business, applying to colleges, complicated romantic relationships, and parents who expect too much from him.  At first, it seems as if Henri is on top of it all—but the reader soon realizes that Henri is juggling too much.  Without spoiling the major plot twists of the book, I will say that as a result of Henri’s overzealousness, his extracurricular school activities fall to the side, he gets caught in lies related to his business, his interview with his dream university does not go as expected, and he makes decisions that put both his romantic and familial relationships in jeopardy.

In short, Henri is a complex character and the way that he navigates through these various challenges is what makes the overall novel, Charming as a Verb, so realistic.  Philippe has successfully created a charming, witty, and likeable character in Henri, as well as a character who is flawed and makes real mistakes that have lasting consequences on the trajectory of his life.  Although readers discover that Henri is flawed fairly quickly, it is important to note that by the end of the book Henri realizes this as well, as his character develops and he grapples with the consequences of what he has done and tries to make amends with the people he cares about.  

Philippe has created a novel that other teenagers and young adults in a position similar to Henri’s (those leaving high school and going off to college) will be able to connect and identify with.  Henri’s internal struggles with this time in his life come across the page so vividly that it feels so realistic and just pulls on your heart strings.  Readers will want Henri to get everything that he wants, and so much more. 

Readers who enjoy realistic and complex young adult novels with a hint of contemporary romance, will definitely enjoy this book.

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada and Edelweiss for the gifted e-ARC!

Book Review: Teaching at the Top of the World by Odette Barr

By Kaylie Seed

The Canadian Arctic is a place that not a lot of people get to visit in their lifetime. Teacher Odette Barr had the amazing opportunity to live in Canada’s farthest Inuit communities (Pangnirtung, Hall Beach, and Grise Fiord) and teach alongside her partner YoAnne Beauchamp. In these communities, Odette and YoAnne were given the opportunity to learn things themselves especially when it came to Inuit culture and thus broadening their own horizons. This work of nonfiction was written by a non-Inuit woman who has complete love and respect for the Inuit culture and a desire to share these not so well-known places, cultures, and traditions with the rest of Canada.

Barr, who has conducted significant research, presents the most respectful approach when discussing her time with Inuit Peoples. Barr goes into detail with what happens in the school and the community and gives readers a look into what life is like in the most northern and isolated parts of Canada. She outlines what life is like on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis. Barr breaks down the school year and shows readers how she and her partner had to immerse themselves in Inuit culture to better understand where it was that they were teaching. Barr always reminded herself to be open to learning as much of the culture as possible, in the same way the children were expected to learn from her. Barr goes into detail about how the school is centered around Inuit traditions and culture and whenever there was a learning opportunity around those topics the rest of the learning could wait. Barr discusses how community is absolutely essential in the North. Much of the school calendar is based around community events and children were encouraged to partake in these events outside of school.

Barr does an excellent job drawing the reader in and engaging them on a topic that they may not have thought about before. The reader has a unique opportunity to learn from someone who has spent years in northern Canada and to gain insight into what life is like in a different part of Canada than they may be familiar with. The picture Barr paints is one of serenity, collectivism, and love and it really shows that Barr holds a special place in her heart for these most northern communities. Barr’s autobiography is highly recommended to Canadian readers so that they can learn more about people and cultures of Canada.

In Conversation with Candace Bushnell author of Rules for Being a Girl

With Jodene Wylie

 

Photo by Wendy Carlson

 

 

 

Rules for Girls was co-authored by Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno. We are thrilled that Candace was able to chat with us about their new release!

Rules for Being a Girl has been published at such an important time in our history. What drew you to tell this young adult story and why now? Was there a triggering event or specific moment of inspiration that started the wheels for this book in motion? 

Candace Bushnell: For me, it was definitely inspired by me-too and so many women speaking out. These kinds of encounters have been going on forever. I’ve had them. And so have so many other women I know. Not exactly like this one, but similar. 

You have an established career in bringing women’s voices and women’s stories to the forefront – and not always in society’s perfectly shaped packages. Is it your goal to create community for women via your books and to help women find their so-called imperfect selves within their pages? Why is it important that we keep creating and telling these stories?

CB: The world is still a very patriarchal place. There are some realities of being human that are universal. This kind of abuse towards women begins young, and follows a pattern. You see this pattern in men like Harvey Weinstein. It is important to speak about it because abusers get their power by keeping their victims silent.  

How did you come to write Rules for Being a Girl as a co-authorship and what was the writing process like? Did you write a chapter and then review with each other afterwards or did you each have areas that you took care of independently? 

CB: We worked very closely with our mutual editor, who put us together on the project. I’d long been an admirer of Katie’s work. I’d never collaborated on a book before, so for me, it was a bit more like working on a script, which is also a collaborative effort. That being said, I think the brilliance of the book is due to Katie!

Interspersed throughout Rules for Being a Girl are what appears to be “recommended additional reading” of short stories and books with core feminist narratives. Was this a deliberate supplement to the novel and how did you select which stories to include? 

CB:  It was a deliberate supplement and we all worked together to suggest books. 

As she is about to embark on adulthood, Marin is put through a series of significant trials. Not only is she tasked to step out of her comfort zone to better discover who she is (leaving the safety net and security of her original friend-group behind) but she is also ushered to discover a strong voice from within.  How was Marin’s character developed? How did you strategically decide the trials she would face, when she would face them, and in what areas of her life? And how did you know that you had successfully helped her find her voice?  

CB: It started with a very general idea of wanting to work in this area and then it’s a question of putting down the beats (again, in this case, in an outline). Once you start putting things down, it’s easy to see the areas that aren’t working, that don’t “feel” right. So it’s instinct mixed with rewriting. And then there are polishes and it suddenly, somehow, magically works. (Or not. Sometimes books are like souffles.)

There are a number of secondary characters that impact Marin’s journey of self-discovery including Gram, Chloe, and Gray. Why was it important for these characters, these crucial figures in her life, to be present and impactful throughout her journey? What role did they play in helping her find her way?

CB: That’s a very good question. To me, it’s the kind of question I’d like readers to answer. And to ask themselves who to they have in their lives who are similar. I’d love to hear the answers!

We are always interested in reading more books! Will you and Katie be collaborating on another upcoming novel? And do you either of you, independently, have any upcoming books we can look forward to?

CB: Yes, I do have upcoming books, but I haven’t written them yet! Katie has many as well—so hopefully we will collaborate again in the future.

Cloud Lake Literary is for writers as well as readers. You and Katie have successful publishing careers. What advice would you give to aspiring authors on writing and in sharing their work with a broader audience? 

Sharing one’s writing is probably one of the most vulnerable things a person can do. So you’ve got to have courage. And bravery. You have to be prepared for people who won’t like it, or simply aren’t interested. And when this happens, you have to know how to persevere. Press on, as the English used to say. 

What is your “must-read” book recommendations and which books have had the most impact and influence on your writing?

Books are such a personal and individual thing. That’s the beauty of them. I have my list of books that influenced me, but they’re probably irrelevant to a lot of other writers (and readers). I think everyone should read whatever makes them feel good and helps them make sense of the world!

Photo by Wendy Carlson

In Conversation with Thomas King author of Indians on Vacation

with Dahl Botterill - Interview Saturday, September 26th, 2020

 

Dahl Botterill: Let's start at the beginning. What was the seed of inspiration that you first realized was going to become the novel we have before us? What drew you to write this story?

Thomas King: Well, first off, there's never really a seed. My partner Helen and I had been doing quite a bit of travel - in spite of my best efforts - and I thought, "well, maybe I'll write a travel book of some sort," and she said "don't write a travel book, write a novel," and I thought, "ah, well, maybe." So that kicked around for a while and I began thinking about some of the places we'd been, and some of the things we did, and I began coming up with a set of characters and voices, and that's normally where I start... with characters and voices.

And then it just went from there. I just started writing the thing, I didn't have an idea of what I was going to do or where I was gonna go; I just kind of find my way through it and sometimes - much of the time - that works. Some of the times it doesn't.

DB: So more a process than a seed. Did writing Indians on Vacation provide any particular challenges?

TK: Well, the only challenge, really, was my memory, and that was trying to remember the places accurately. Normally when I write a novel I create everything, and so I'm in control of that world. With Indians on Vacation there was the expectation that if I talked about Prague, that I talked about Prague in an accurate way... or Budapest, or any of the other places Mimi and Bird go to. So, trying to remember those places, and remember them accurately - and remembering my reaction so that I could incorporate it into the piece - was a bit of a challenge.

Normally I don't do that when I'm writing fiction.

DB: The aspect of writing a travel book and a novel simultaneously and having it work in both ways...

TK: Yes, it's a novel first, and has travel elements to it, exactly.

DB: On the flip side, as opposed to challenges, what was your favourite thing to come out of that process? Were there any tidbits of revelation or research that you found especially rewarding?

TK: Well, I try to do as little research as possible. Like I said, I like to make things up, but I suppose the fun part of that novel, for me, was Eugene and the other demons. When I discovered that I could create them as characters within the piece and use them for all sorts of nefarious purposes. That was kind of a delight, and I was looking forward to the sections where Eugene, and Kitty, and the twins, and Chip, came into play.

DB: Bird's demons. They're obviously entertaining, and they serve brilliantly to illustrate how different Bird and Mimi are in their personalities, but they also provide both Bird and the reader with some insight into what makes him tick. Could you tell us a little more about them? I love hearing that they were one of your favourite aspects because I really enjoyed them myself; what led to their development, and how that decision influenced your portrayal of Bird's journey and travels?

TK: Well, I talked to my partner about what I wanted to do; I told her I wanted to create a character who was sort of haunted, by some of the things that he did do and didn't do, and she said, "Well, if you're going to do that you might as well deal with your demons," and I thought she said 'you're going to have to deal with Eugene.' I thought she was just being funny and so I said, "You mean Eugene and the other demons," and she said "Yeah."

And when I said 'Eugene and the other demons' out loud, I thought, 'you know, that's a good name for a rock group, but it's also a good name for the demons that all of us walk around with. Once that started, I had Eugene, so I looked around to see what other kinds of demons we live with, and *bang*, there was Kitty, and Desi, and Didi, and Chip, all ready and available for me to use within the novel.

DB: Very early in the story, while sitting down at a restaurant, Bird laments that he and Mimi have forgotten their novels; what do you picture the two of them reading?

TK: Oh, anything they can get their hands on. Whenever Helen and I travel, we always try to travel with books. She can read off of a pad; I cannot, I have to have a physical book in my hand. Whenever we go to eat dinner, we read. We don't talk to each other, we just read and eat our food. You may think we're weird, but actually we've see other people do the same thing. It doesn't matter what we read, there's no rhyme or reason to it. Sometimes, if we get into a country where english is not a predominant part of the language or culture, and we go into a bookstore that has one or two english novels, we have to just make do, and sometimes those things are awful... and sometimes they're okay. So we'll read anything from just literary fiction to mysteries... we don't read horror, we don't read sci-fi for the most part. I think if I had a choice between not reading and reading a horror book, I'd choose the not reading.

DB: Think about writing something else instead of reading that...

TK: Yeah, I can work on poetry, just get a napkin out and start scribbling away, or work on a piece of a novel, an idea for a novel.

DB: Prague. Much of the story takes place in Prague. Obviously some of that is related to your own personal knowledge of it; is there any other particular reason why it was chosen as the backdrop to Indians on Vacation? Was it mostly familiarity, or had it struck you in some way as an ideal setting for Bird and Mimi’s story?

TK: No, I don't know why; I could have chosen Amsterdam, I could have chosen Paris. Paris has been done to death by novelists, I don't know that Prague has, to that degree, I don't think it has. Prague just struck me as a good place to set it, in part because of the Charles bridge that kind of connects two sides of the city together. I was intrigued by the bridge with its statues of saints, that aren't the original statues anymore for the most part - many of those are reproductions, nobody seems to mind. It's just that mass of tours walking back and forth across the bridge every morning; I don't know what else would have drawn me to Prague. When we were in Prague, I would get up each morning and say to Helen, "So, we're in Prague," and it sort of became a little mantra I was able to use in the novel itself, and I kind of liked it, but no real good reason for setting it in Prague, to be honest with you.

DB: What aspect of the novel do you hope readers will take away with them after reading Indians on Vacation?

TK: No, readers will take away from novels what they will take away from novels, and whether I want them to do something or not doesn't matter. Once I turn a story loose in the world, it's loose; I've got no more control over that. I've had people come up to me and start talking to me about one of my books, and what I meant to do with it, and I'm just sort of banging my head against a wall, and saying, 'How could you possibly think that's what I had in mind?' So I've given up on trying to anticipate what people may or may not do.

I write primarily to please myself, and to please my partner, and if other people want to come along for the ride I'm more than happy to have them on the bus.

DB: I can totally understand that; I know I've many times been told, "You should send your thesis to the person who wrote the books," and I just exclaim, "No! It's completely my own reading of something!"

Okay, a few last questions, not directly related to the novel...

As someone with a prolific and established writing career, what advice would you give to aspiring writers on their own journeys?

TK: Well, first of all, unless you're really desperately drawn to writing literature, to where you just can't do anything else, find something else to do. It's a hard business - anything in the arts is a hard business - and there's no rhyme or reason for who's going to be successful in that and who is not. It can be very frustrating; I have people I know who desperately want to have some of their work published and they just can't seem to get any traction on that, and some are pretty decent writers. So it's a hard business to begin with, and it requires a fair amount of dedication because nobody writes those books but you. It's not as though you're building something, where you have ten other people that are helping you do it, and then you produce a product and the product is sold and you get your piece of the profit off it.

In writing, it's just you, and you have to be disciplined enough to stay at it. It doesn't mean you have to have a schedule, it doesn't mean you have to have a certain number of pages done every day; it just means that you have to be diligent, and you have to keep at it. So, I would say to would-be writers, that you need to consider that, to consider that kind of time, alone time... if you're a really gregarious person, writing might be a tough sell, because in order to get a book done, you have to spend a lot of time in a room with the door shut, you know? I like it, myself, but then, I'm weird. But, if it's something you're drawn to, then go for it; why not? My idea is that whatever you do in life, it should make you happy. If it doesn't make you happy, you shouldn't be doing it.

DB: Do you know yet, just what's next? We are always on the lookout for new books and stories. I know this one has just come out, but are you working on anything else?

TK: I've already finished something else; I've finished the next literary novel, it'll be out in May of 2021. So that's done, I just got a look at the cover copy the other day, as a matter of fact. And I'm working on a sixth Dreadfulwater - that's my mystery series.

DB: Yes, I'm familiar with it; I haven't read Obsidian yet, but I've read the first four and that one's next.

TK: Yeah, so there's number six; I'm about two thirds of the way through that, and then I've got another two projects that I'm tinkering with, to see if any of those interest me, if any of those have traction... they're both nonfiction pieces.

DB: So lots on the horizon, and I saw that the film documentary, Latimer's Inconvenient Indian, also just won a couple of awards, so that's exciting too!

TK: Yeah, Michelle's film did fairly well at TIFF, congratulations to her. I'm not a filmmaker; at one point in time I thought I was going to spend my life writing scripts. I thought that was pretty glamourous, getting to hang out with actors and what-not, being on film sets, maybe even do a bit of acting myself, perhaps. I discovered very quickly that it wasn't the kind of life that I wanted. Writing scripts meant that I had to work with a great many other people, many of whom were not writers in any way shape or form, and frankly I just don't play well with the rest of the children, it's always better for me to be on my own in the sandbox, as it were.

DB: Was that by any chance - just wondering - was that related to the Medicine River movie from years ago?

TK: Well, the Medicine River movie gave me a pretty good look at it, but no, Medicine River was pretty good. I had a good time on Medicine River. I wrote the script, I got to do a bit of acting - that was a mistake, I should never have done that, boy I was lousy - but I had a good time, got to hang out with the actors, made some good friends on set.

No, it was later one, I did some standalone film scripts. I would work up a film script that I thought was pretty good, and then between the director and the producers and whoever else, they would change it in ways that were horrifying to me, and made no sense as a story. So I saw that if you were a writer for film scripts you had very little control over what happened in the end, and I just didn't take kindly to that at all. On the one hand, you could say "Well Tom, you really didn't understand the business of writing scripts, you didn't understand how scripts had to be set up." Or you could say, "Well, you know, just grow up, that's what happens on all film scripts, writers get dumped as soon as a final copy of the script is turned in, and then they begin to change it around." But for me, if I'm going to take the time to write a story, I want that story to stay intact. I don't want it to be battered about through the boardrooms of Hollywood until it comes out the other end looking like... you know, if I put steak into the process and I get hamburger out the other side, I'm a little bit disappointed, let's say that.

When it comes to books-to-film, if somebody wants to make a movie out of one of my books, I say "fine," but I step away from the actual script-writing process. That way I don't get upset, my heart's not broken, I just stay out of the way; as they say, I just take the money and run...

DB: You get to see what somebody else got out of it without seeing your own efforts.

TK: That's right, that's right, you know? And frankly, films of my material are not my film. In some cases, they have little to do with the book. Sometimes they're just a springboard for the filmmaker, so that's their piece of creativity that they bring into the world; I brought my piece in, now you bring another piece in. The relationship? Well, they may be kissing cousins, they may not have seen each other in this world.

DB: Okay, one last question, then. What have you been reading yourself of late? And of course, is there any book has had a particular impact or influence on your writing? 

TK: Boy, that's a question I always try to avoid because it means I have to say that when I'm writing, I don't read much. If I do read, it's normally junk literature. I read over breakfast so I just want something that's easy to read; it doesn't have to have any great literary merit to it, I don't have to hunker down and pay attention. And most of the time, I'm writing, so my reading is pretty sketchy. Helen reads a lot more than I do these days. As far as books that have influenced me greatly, I don't know that it's books, but it's pieces of books sometimes, that come to mind.

DB: I know I can remember if I liked something, and snippets that stuck in my head, but I seldom remember the details of the plot.

TK: Yeah, it's just sort of a feeling I get from certain books. I seldom read a book again. People always ask me, "What book would you reread?" and I don't know that I would reread a book. Maybe I would, but I certainly don't reread myself ever. Once a book is published I don't even crack the cover unless I've got to do a reading from it.

DB: Well, thank you very much for speaking to me; I for one will be looking forward to all of these upcoming works. Have a great day!

Book Review: Jo by Kathleen Gros

By Jodene Wylie

Jo: an adaptation of Little Women (sort of) was written and illustrated by cartoonist Kathleen Gros and published on September 22, 2020. This retelling (sort of) of Little Women brings Jo March straight into the modern age and plops her into eighth grade as an aspiring journalist with her band of sisters.

When done right, a retelling breathes new life into familiar stories and Kathleen Gros’ story does just that. Little Women has had a small resurgence lately (thinking of the recent movie starring Saoirse Ronan) and Gros’ novel, aimed at the middle grade reader, re-envisions this narrative for an audience that may otherwise not be that interested in a story first publish in 1868 featuring their older character counterparts and a society starkly different than our own. Part of her success is the form in which this story is published: a graphic novel. This style of book is a known and useful platform to engage new readers as a transitionary text between the younger picture books and the more adult texts. While aimed at the pre-teen reader, the bones of Jo will be familiar to those that have read the original tale and will be pleasantly reminded of the beautiful relationship between the March sisters. For those new to the story, they will enjoy the interactions between family, the stories of early love and lack-of-love, and of following a passion and growing into it. Gros has done an excellent job translating the bones of Little Women into a set of circumstances and characters more appropriate for 2020.

It’s necessary to point out that Gros has made some strong points of turn in the story - and for the better. The story moves characters through a discussion of preferred pronouns which is becoming more common in our current society: she/her, they, he/him, and so forth. Additionally, Gros underpins complete acceptance and love from family and friends towards one’s sexual orientation which is both beautiful to read and positive to imbue into our society via middle grade stories.

Gros, a cartoonist by trade, is also the illustrator behind Jo making her twice as busy in the development of this book. Her design aesthetic is playful in colour with soft lines and a clear distinction between text and image making it easy to follow. The language is simple and perfect for readers who are becoming comfortable to read on their own.

This story is a delight: both for its nod to the original story and for the modernization of characters, setting, and plot. Pick this up for the young reader in your life and if you’re a fan of the original - be sure to read it yourself.

In Conversation with Hailey Rodgers author of See Me

With Kaylie Seed

 

 

I must say, I think it is so important to constantly be learning and becoming more of ourselves especially in a world that wants you to conform to the “norm”. Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write See Me which is a guide to living your authentic life?

“Be fearlessly authentic.” These were three words I began to live by in my second year of university. The result? Happiness and success. 

In January 2019, which was during my second year in university, I was approached by one of my best friends, Julia Sun. She told me she was offered to write a book through an organization called, Creator Institute, who was looking for additional passionate writers to embark on this (crazy, insane, unimaginable) journey. She asked me if I wanted to hop on board and write a book in less than a year. At first I was perplexed at the thought of writing a book while in school, working part-time, participating in various extracurricular activities, and overall, being only 19 years old. Instead of succumbing to self-doubt and being intimidated by this daunting endeavour, I thought to myself, “Why the hell not?”

I began to think about a question I had asked myself earlier in university, “Why can’t we be authentic now at this young age?” I decided I would create a self-help (rather, self-discovery) book for young adults and provide my insights for how they can live an authentic life. I decided to incorporate my own experiences and twenty other individuals’ stories to explain how every person is both capable and deserving to live an authentic life.  My goal with my book was to inspire authentic living in young adults because we all deserve to feel confident in who we truly are.

Regardless of whether you read my book or not, you deserve to live an authentic life. One of my favourite quotes is: “Be fearlessly authentic.” I think the fearless element is a significant component of authentic living. To be authentic, is to feel confident in who you are as a whole, and to be able to express that in all facets of life. It’s one’s uncanny ability to go against the norm and to remain true to who they are. It’s one’s ability to love who they are, flaws and all. It’s one’s ability to pursue their values, goals, and dreams regardless of what anyone else tells them. Ultimately, being authentic is to be unapologetically yourself.

How did you choose the diverse array of people to interview for See Me?

The most interesting thing about my journey with my book was that as soon as I set my intention to write my book, I believe the Universe conspired to help me publish it. As soon as this opportunity presented itself, I had full belief that I was going to do this. As a result, people and events were placed in my life in a way that allowed me to share what I shared. I didn’t have a plan for my book whatsoever. Rather these individuals came into my life over the course of writing it which made the process so beautiful and enriching. Each individual was authentic but had an incredibly unique lesson to provide. They taught me so much and everything they shared was so invaluable that I had to put it in my book. 

What is the number one piece of advice you would give our readers on their journey to become their most authentic selves?

This is a challenging question as there are so many elements that go into living an authentic life (heck, I’m still learning!). However, if someone were to take that first initial step to living an authentic life, I would tell them to face their fears of being seen for who they truly are which then leads them to overcoming the fear of judgment. As soon as you let go of this whole idea of being judged (because judgment is inevitable), your life becomes a whole lot more liberating and meaningful. I recently discussed this in an Instagram post... 

One of the biggest challenges I faced while writing my book, See Me, was the fear of being judged. Sometimes when I was writing I would limit myself because I was afraid of what my readers would think of me. This was something I had experienced for the first few months of my writing journey. However, near the end of finalizing my manuscript I realized that if I did not share everything that makes me who I am, then I would be contradicting the main message of my book: be fearlessly authentic. Talking about authenticity and actually being authentic are two different things. As such, I realized that I needed to overcome this fear and to be authentic in all aspects of my writing (and of course, my life as well).

With any personal pursuit, when this sense of fear of being judged begins impacting your goal, think about how many people would miss out on the value of your work if it was never shared with the world. Think about how many people need your help and that your actions can positively impact many. You will have substantially more supporters and people benefited than those who do not support you. Remind yourself that any personal pursuit is a brave endeavour and that you should be proud of your accomplishment. 

Criticism and judgment is inevitable (yes, I have gotten some critical reviews) but at the end of the day you must ask yourself? “𝐈𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧’𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 

𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞?” It’s up to you to answer this question.

Something else I did not add is that judgment is based on someone else’s perspective. Emphasizing SOMEONE ELSE’S. So at the end of the day, if someone is judging you in a negative light, that is a THEM problem, not a you problem. You know who you are at the end of the day, so stop trying to appease their perspective of you. It’s unfortunate because I sometimes get wrapped up in trying to be perfect and please just to prevent judgment but that judgment still happens anyways! As soon as you recognize that judgment is a THEM problem and not a YOU problem, your life is so much more liberating.

What was the most surprising thing that you learned while going through the process of creating and writing See Me?

As someone who was previously so shy and afraid of the world, I was surprised I developed this new philosophy: “Why not now?” 

I always used to think that we had to reach certain milestones in our lives to achieve audacious goals...I never thought that a young person could write a book. However, when I was presented the opportunity, it was like my fears were lifted and I said to myself “Why not now?” I realized that no matter what age you are, you can do whatever you want and make a positive impact. 

As I continue to tell myself “Why not now?” I continue to achieve great things. I think a lot of us develop timelines in our heads for achievement but as soon as you let go of those timelines and go for it, MAGIC HAPPENS! 

With such a great debut novel, I have to ask, will there be another book from you soon?

I am hoping to publish another book in December 2021. Details will probably come out about this next year as I’m writing it slower this time around. 

Now that you’ve finished the process of publishing your first novel, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Read: The BEST way to learn how to write is to READ! Choose topics that intrigue you and read about them. 

Just Start: The best way to start writing is to START. It does not matter if you write the best introduction of all time right at the very beginning. Honestly, whenever I start writing, usually the first thing I put down on paper does not get included in the final piece. Starting is simply a way for you to generate ideas. 

Do Not Force It: The time allocated to researching, brainstorming, drafting, and editing varies with every piece. Sometimes it takes me 20 minutes and sometimes it takes me over a week. I think it is important to recognize that creativity comes in bursts. Do not waste your time overthinking your idea. 

Be Consistent: Although this may appear to contradict tip #3, it is important to note that writing (particularly a book) takes a lot of time and work. The word “consistency” is a little bit different for me. When I wrote my book, I had to consistently show up every single day to work on my book. Now, whether that be 20 minutes or 12 hours, it always varied. It is showing up to your work consistently that will allow you to thrive. 

Understand that the more you write, the better you will be at it: I often laugh when I read my first article I ever published online (for a platform called Her Campus) and compare it to pieces I recently wrote. My writing has improved drastically over the past two years and it was all mostly self-taught. The more your practice writing the better you will get at it. I think that the most beautiful thing about craft is that you will constantly grow and improve with it. 

Embrace Peer Editing: I truly believe that an ingenious piece of work doesn’t come through writing a story, rather it’s through the constant editing and revising that makes a writer’s work flourish. Peer editing can be daunting for some, however the more criticism you get, the better. You need to find someone who you are acquainted with who will give you honest feedback. 

You must have a passion for writing and what you are writing about!: This is the number one tip I can give you. Passion is the secret ingredient to thrive in the world of craft. Do not force yourself to do something you do not want to do. Do it because you love writing and what you are writing about.  

What is your “must-read” book recommendation and what book has had the most impact and influence on your writing?

This is such a hard question because I find every book is unique in its own way and I think that’s what makes craft so beautiful! However, I got into the self-help genre when I read Sarah Knight’s, You Do You. I also enjoy memoirs like Chanel Miller’s, Know My Name. I love reading about stories of people who have overcome adversities and have used those hardships to enact positive change. 

Book Review: If Tenderness Be Gold by Eleanor Albanese

by Jodene Wylie

Opening Line:

“When I first saw her, though she was across a field and barely a speck on the horizon, sure I knew she was one of my kind.”

~ Mary

So begins this historical fiction tale set in Northern Ontario and Manitoba at the turn of the 20th century. If Tenderness Be Gold, written by Eleanor Albanese and published by Latitude 46 Publishing, is a compelling story of Mary’s pregnancy and birth with her friend Fiorella and midwife Mrs. Watts at her side. The story journeys into the future to her grown son’s life, the Great War, his marriage, and his own family with reflections, memories, and discoveries of how his world is forever connected back to that time, that birth, all those years before.

If Tenderness Be Gold is complete with nods to poetry and at time makes reference to myth and superstitions as was more commonly accepted at this time. The story itself is unravelled through the perspectives of multiple characters shaping and reshaping the perceptions of time and experience. With slow, deliberate, moves into the future the truth of that birth scene and the ripple effects it has on the lives of Mary’s family becomes known and ends in a surprising and unexpected connection.

Strong description of setting, place, and time make the story feel almost tactile - as though your own hands could reach out and feel the surfaces of tables, cloth, and grass. This is paired with the spoken language of characters reflecting broken English or phrases, terminology, and sentences in Italian, Scottish, and Irish.

This story is as much a reflection on family as it is on the process of grieving. Some characters are weighed down in their heart break, others seek answers in a bottle, others are desperate for understanding and information to explain why life has gone the route it has. This story pulls at your emotions urging you to find your own understanding in it’s pages.

Eleanor Albanese has displayed a special story of family and the generations that follow alongside a time and setting more raw and rugged as is best for a story such as this.

Visit Latitude 46 Publishing to learn how to acquire a copy of this book!

Book Review: A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow

By Kaylie Seed

Bethany C. Morrow’s debut novel, A Song Below Water made a huge splash when it was released in June of this year. This Young Adult novel is a fantasy lover’s dream that was published at the precipice of the Black Lives Matter movement. Morrow has written about the lives of Tavia and Effie as they navigate womanhood, racism, friendships, and family troubles all while being mythical creatures that live in Portland, Oregon amongst everyday people. It’s already difficult enough for Tavia and Effie to make their way through high school trying to be normal teenagers when they are thrown into the mythical world that despises sirens causing Tavia to take special precautions to hide her true self.

Morrow has created two likeable main characters who rely heavily on each other for character development throughout A Song Below Water. Tavia and Effie are not biological sisters but they consider one another sisters since Tavia’s family took Effie in as their own daughter when her mother passed away. The two of them share an incredible bond and that bond becomes the focal point for the entire story.

Morrow has written a coming-of-age story that has some twists especially relating characters that are unknowingly mythological creatures forced to hide who they truly are from everyday people. The writing is easy to read and easy to follow, making this an excellent read for younger readers. At times A Song Below Water circles the same topics more than once so readers will find it familiar and at times may want to jump forward in the story. Morrow uses A Song Below Water to bring up important topics surrounding racism and sexism which brings an educational element to her work.

Book Review: Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club by Megan Gail Coles

By Kaylie Seed

Megan Gail Coles’ debut novel Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club (Small Game Hunting) was first published in February of 2019. This piece of literary fiction takes place in Newfoundland, Canada during a winter storm on Valentine’s Day from morning until night while also peppering in each of the character’s past so that the reader can have a deeper understanding of them. Coles touches on a lot of heavy topics throughout Small Game Hunting including infidelity, sexual assault, homelessness, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, and racism. At the beginning of Small Game Hunting, the publisher, House of Anansi, has a disclaimer to let readers know about potentially triggering themes, something that all books with potential triggers should include.

Small Game Hunting is extremely character driven and because of that the reader needs to be focused on what they’re reading or they will miss what is happening in the story. Coles doesn’t use quotation marks to show when a character is speaking yet still manages to have the reader understand when someone is talking and still gives each of the characters a distinct voice. Coles also goes back and forth between characters using an omniscient narration style so that the reader always knows what is going on even if focused on a new character. In Small Game Hunting, Coles moves from a character in the present to something that has happened in that character’s past. What is interesting about this is that Coles manages to tie all of the characters together – those that had never met before may still have been impacted by one another prior to this stormy February night.  

Coles included some graphic scenes, something that readers should be aware of before diving into Small Game Hunting. There are times when the reader may need to put the book down so that they can collect themselves before continuing on because Coles does go into specific detail and does not shy away from these heavy topics. Coles has written a story that embodies the culture and diction of Newfoundland while also bringing up difficult-to-discuss topics. Small Game Hunting has amazing prose and Coles’ effortless writing style is bound to impress readers who enjoy literary fiction. While slow in the beginning, Small Game Hunting picks up and ends on a climactic note while also leaving readers with some unanswered questions; however this makes sense as Small Game Hunting only follows these characters for a single day and only so much can be known in that time. I am interested to see what Coles writes next as this stunningly written piece of literary fiction was a fantastic debut novel.

Readers who enjoy the works of Margaret Atwood would enjoy Megan Gail Coles writing.

Book Review: Indians on Vacation by Thomas King

By Dahl Botterill

"If you had more friends, maybe you wouldn't spend so much time with your demons."

Thomas Blackbird Mavrias is a Greek-Cherokee former writer that feels long past making a difference with his words. Finding himself retired and in middling health, the one-time activist is vacationing with his long-time partner Mimi Bull Shield, with the shared goal of tracking down a long-lost Crow bundle. The bundle - taken to Europe by Mimi's Uncle Leroy when he fled to Europe a century earlier - provides the impetus behind their regular international travels while a collection of Uncle Leroy's postcards provides direction.

Thomas King's latest novel, Indians on Vacation, follows Bird and Mimi to Prague. Bird, in turn, is followed by his various demons: Eugene (self-loathing), Cat/Kitty (pessimism), Didi (depression), Desi (despair), and Chip (of the 'on the shoulder' variety). Bird's personal demons are fully fleshed out characters with thoughts and opinions that they aren't afraid to share, and their dialogue provides a peek into those aspects of his personality that he tries to keep tucked away and out of sight. It's Mimi that named them, that brought them out in to the open, just as she tries to bring Bird out of his shell. The two are very different people, and their differences provide no shortage of gentle conflict in the close proximity that travel forces upon them.

King's characters are complicated individuals and the relationship they share is not always simple or smooth. The primary framework of the story takes place in Prague, but there are many digressions and remembrances scattered throughout, where the reader is provided the opportunity to see the man Bird has been, both at other stages in his life and in other stages of his relationship with (and without) Mimi. There is a lot of love between Bird and Mimi, but there are also silences and frustrations and pain, all of which come alive in clever heartfelt dialogue and illuminating prose.

Indians on Vacation is a novel woven from many stories, and those stories are full of the nudges and winks that Thomas King excels at. It's filled with love and humour, but is also steeped in hard realities and sad truths that, along with Bird's demons, shape a narrative that's both a pleasure to read and a rough reminder that the world could use a lot of work.

Book Review: Dune by Frank Herbert

by Dahl Botterill

I was traveling with my family when I was first introduced to Frank Herbert's Dune. I had already read all of the books I'd brought with me and there were a couple weeks of touring left to occur, so we stopped at a used bookstore alongside a highway, somewhere long past remembering at this point.

I suspect most people learn of Dune when they are told that Dune is a must-read, that it's among the greatest science fiction novels ever written, that they can't truly claim to be a fan of science fiction while leaving that stone unturned. A close friend or fellow fan, perhaps a favourite critic, sharing their love of this incredible tome. Myself? I was browsing this long low building in the general vicinity of nothing, independently scanning shelves filled with books while my family did the same, when my mother stepped up behind me and drew Dune from the shelf in front of me. "You might like this," she said, handing it to me, and that was that.

It wasn't the gushing praise I've heard from others when talking about Dune, but it nonetheless joined the other novels in my growing pile of reading material. It was that fat Berkley paperback edition that came out alongside the David Lynch film, the front cover consisting of two oddly coloured moons hanging over a desert while the back cover is filled with tiny hard-to-decipher stills from the film. In many ways it's a pretty terrible edition; it says little about the novel beyond its bestseller status, spending most of its energy trying to sell you the movie. That said, even at thirteen I knew a few things about my mother; one of these was that she didn't have it in her to recommend a bad book.

When I finally took the book in hand a few days later, I devoured it. Dune is a tremendous book, not just in terms of quality but also scale.

Dune is gloriously huge. It's obviously not a short book, but it's also a work of epic scope, an exercise in world-building that puts many others to shame. It was probably among the first books I read that really gave me the impression that the story was occurring in a fully realized universe. The desert planet of Arrakis is more than just a handful of locations and characters, and is itself shaped by - and reflects - an entire universe of intertwined power structures, political machinations, and religious influences. This is a world with rich and oft-misunderstood history that shapes its present; the background information is never just filler in Dune.

I don't know that Dune is for everybody, but for anybody even remotely interested in reading it I'd unreservedly suggest they do so. It is something to be experienced. 

Book Review: Obliteration by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

By Kaylie Seed

The third book in the Awakened series, Obliteration was published on June 23, 2020. Author James S. Murray and Canadian author Darren Wearmouth co-write this series and is it ever a wild ride! Murray and Wearmouth have created a science-fiction thriller that is bound to keep readers on the edge of their seat and reading past their bedtimes to find out what is going to happen next. With an omniscient viewpoint, readers have the chance to learn about various character’s thoughts and feelings including the novel’s civilians as well as characters who are trying to save the world! The world is being attacked by terrifying creatures that live under the Earth’s surface and their sole mission is to obliterate the human race. Tom Cafferty is not planning on letting that happen. Along with his most trusted allies, Tom also has to put his trust into his nemesis Albert Van Ness who claims that he can stop the monsters from completely taking out the human race.

Murray and Wearmouth have written unique characters that all have voices that can be distinguished from one another as the story plays out. The characters in Obliteration are entertaining and keep the reader engaged throughout the story which helps build on the overall plot of the novel. Obliteration is for pure enjoyment and is meant to entertain and boy does it not disappoint. Murray and Wearmouth have written this novel in a way that plays out like an action movie before the reader’s eyes. The two authors balance action with downtime perfectly so that the entire book isn’t action packed and gives the reader some breathing room so that they are ready for the next action-packed scene.

Obliteration is the perfect book for readers looking for entertainment and escape while not having to worry about heavy themes. While it is a story that is filled with monsters and death, it is an incredibly engaging read that is bound to keep the attention of readers from the first page until the very end. There are currently three books in the Awakened Series but the end of Obliteration leaves the reader thinking that there may be another book joining this action-packed series of novels. One thing is for certain, Murray and Wearmouth make an awesome writing duo and it will be interesting to see what they come up with next.

*Thank you to Wunderkind PR for the gifted eARC

In Conversation with Mallory Tater author of The Birth Yard

With Kaylie Seed

 

Photo by Rossanne Clamp

 

While I know that you have previously written a poetry collection (a book I cannot wait to get my hands on, by the way!), I just want to say congratulations on the publishing of your debut novel The Birth Yard! I thoroughly enjoyed The Birth Yard and I’m so excited to have the chance to interview a fellow Canadian. If you wouldn’t mind, I have some questions to ask you about The Birth Yard as well as your writing process.

Before women are sent to the Birth Yards they live with their families in The Den. What inspired the idea of The Den and the cult-like following that resides there?

As someone who grew up in a very traditional Catholic family, the idea this powerful institution and faith carrying on a perpetuation of heteronormativity, homophobia and othering with the protected term of “religion” has always fascinated me, especially when I pivoted away from faith and became an atheist. Sable, once she has more growth and understanding of her own maturation, sort of gets her own bird’s eye view of her world, her culture. I think maybe the same thing happened to me with Catholicism. 

But  I think the very first time I was captivated by extremist cults was during an Oprah episode I watched after school covering when the FLDS compound led by Warren Jeffs was raided. Many girls who had been sexually abused were rescued and put on live television to tell their stories. I thought of those girls as I was writing The BY. 

There are so many different rituals and rules in The Den; can you tell our readers what kind of research you had to do for The Birth Yard?

I think we’re really fortunate to live in a time where so much media and narrative on topics of our choice are very much at our fingertips. It doesn’t take much to get a top ten list of infamous cults such as the FLDS, People’s Temple, the Westboro Baptist Church, Children of God, The Source Family, and so on. There is a scene in The BY where the girls are forced to drink Feles’ hair and blood steeped into tea. I based this from the Aum Supreme Truth Cult in Japan who drank their leader’s blood as an initiation ritual. What I also think is really interesting is how much cults have in common no matter what their mission statements are, who their leaders are or what their numbers are. The main goal is control of its participants, the washing away of individuality and encouraging ultimate devotion. This control is achieved through labour (the members of the Source Family cult in California actually sold their houses and moved to work in the cult’s vegan restaurant and gave all of their earnings to the leader), through control of fertility and the female body (FLDS child-brides were and still are forced into polygamy at tragically young ages), and through chemical indoctrination through the use of drugs (Israel’s Lev Tahor cult forced its members to take psychotropic drugs). The examples of control tactics are endless once you really go down the rabbit hole. I actually had challenges picking and choosing how The Den would enforce its rules and what kind of rituals they would abhold. They’re less of a spiritual/propaganda group and more drug-oriented than anything else. And while the “cult rabbit hole” I went down was fascinating, it’s not dissimilar from True Crime narratives—they’re heavy. They’re pain-filled. They’re unkind. It wasn’t always easy to research if I’m honest. 

As a follow-up to the question above, what was the most challenging theme to write about in The Birth Yard and why was it an important theme to portray and work through?

The sexual assault and abuse brought into the lives of characters I’d grown to love. The silencing of their voices. Their hurt and fearfulness. But without emulating the pain of young women who currently live in cults, or those who have lost their lives in cults or who survived their experiences and escaped, the book would feel inauthentic, too sanitized. Sable’s resilience through her pain is what makes the novel move and find a sense of light in the dark. So yes, writing about Mamie’s molestation at the hands of Isaac or how Lion hurts the girls at the yard made me bitterly uncomfortable and sad but I think it was important because there is truth and gravity to that pain. And there is strength within the women of The Den to hold love for themselves and one another as a result of shared trauma and experiences. 

Sable goes from a timid, conforming girl to a boisterous, freethinking woman. Where did your inspiration for Sable come from? We’d also like to know more about creating her unique voice!

Thank you for saying her voice was unique. I haven’t been eighteen for a decade now (haha) so I tried to develop the youth in her voice—the curiosity, the naivety and then this anti-authoritarian underbelly that seems to storm out of her by the time she is at the Ceres yard. I have three sisters and we were all born within six years of each other. I think seeing how different we are, how close yet independent we are while having the same childhood fascinates me. When did we all of the sudden question our own faith-filled home lives, our own rules and rituals, our own losses, achievements and failures and make sense of them independent from our parents and one another? I am not sure. It just happened. It just happens to young people. This slow sense of reaching toward your own autonomy and your own sense of self once you’re almost into adulthood is so vulnerable and beautiful. I think it happens to Sable in the same way it happens to all young people. Except for her, it happens once she becomes pregnant and her innocence is truly fading. It’s the same way any teenager may ask themselves what do I believe in? Who do I want to surround myself with? Who do I want to be? But the situation for Sable is more dire and extreme because The Den is such a harsh, controlling environment.  

What was the most surprising thing that you learned while going through the process of creating and writing The Birth Yard?

 I learned I struggle with spatial descriptions—A lot of going up and down stairs in those Den bungalows early on! 

On a more serious note, I honestly learned more about the female body and pregnancy. I am not a mother and have never been pregnant. So I had to have a lot of dialogues with women I knew who had had those experiences as well as did some research into a more specific anatomical look at what happens to the body and the mind in each trimester. It’s not always a dramatic water break in a taxi on the way to the hospital like on television. And it’s not just always having to pee and craving dill pickles and being cranky. Pregnancy is so slow and delicate and terrifying and full of so much anticipation physically and emotionally. I had to work harder to understand what that might feel like and unlearn stereotypes and preconceptions of what pregnancy is. 

With such a fantastic debut novel, I have to ask, will there be another book from you soon? 

Thank you! I am currently working on a novel about reality television. That’s all I’ll say because it’s still marinating with possibility and plot. But it will be funny/satirical. Unlike The BY. 

As someone who also works in the publishing field and who has founded a publishing house, how different is the process of publishing your own novel through a publisher compared to being a publisher yourself? 

 I’ve never been asked this question before! So I am the publisher of Rahila’s Ghost Press. We publish limited edition poetry chapbooks. I think there are similarities in that, as a publisher, I feel a responsibility to care for our author’s work, wishes and sentiments. At HarperCollins, they did the same for me.  It’s also really nice to get a sense of what the experience is like on the publishing side of things to have a fuller understanding of the process, the labour and the love that goes into bringing a book into the world. 

As a follow-up question to the one above, what advice would you give to aspiring authors who are trying to navigate the publishing world

Read work by the publishers you admire. Volunteer at literary festivals and get to know local published authors in your community. Build up literary journal publications to help with being eligible for grants that can help fund your larger writing projects. Listen to the editorial boards and readers who may say no to your work—don’t see it as a personal insult and be open-minded to modifying and shifting the work to hold more clarity, relevance or timeliness. Rejection 100% stings but without it, you can’t improve and make alterations to your art. It’s an opportunity to reset and try a new approach until you work toward making a piece tonally intriguing, mechanically sound, socially conscious and uniquely your own voice. 

What is your “must-read” book recommendation and what book has had the most impact and influence on your writing?

My must-read right now is How A Woman Becomes a Lake by Marjorie Celona. Stunning, muscular, highly narrative book with a good edge of mystery. It’s one I couldn’t put down. And the dialogue is exquisite. 

 I always come back to Jeffrey Eugenide’s The Virgin Suicides as one of my all-time favourites. It’s lush, chorally narrated, atmospherically mesmerizing and I have still yet to read anything else quite like it.

Book Review: Rules for Girls by Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno

By Jodene Wylie

I had been eager to read this book long before it was set for release in April of this year. A combined effort from Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno (Fireworks, Top Ten and a host of other great young adult lit) comes this wonderful exploration and awakening of youthful feminism.

If you were to glance at the back of the book you would have a clear grasp on the topics to be covered: 

Remember, Girls: Put a little colour on your face. Shave your legs. Don’t wear too much makeup…..Don’t be a doormat, but God, don’t be bossy. Be chill. Be easygoing. Act like one of the guys. Don’t actually act like one of the guys. Be a feminist. Support the sisterhood. Don’t be easy…..But calm down! Don’t worry so much. You can do anything! You can be whatever you want to be! Just don’t forget to smile!”

Oh, the never-ending, perpetuating, rules applied to the female gender. Bushnell and Cotugno really nailed it on the head with this one. Rules for Girls follows Marin throughout her last year of high school as she prepares to head off to college and start the next stage of her life. Her life looks a certain way, which is to say that she’s following all the implied rules with the right friends, the right boyfriend, the never-miss-a-class and strong academics, and so on. Needless to say, and without spoiling some major plot twists, life doesn’t stay this way for Marin. 

This book is an awakening for Marin who offers a fresh and relatable voice and conscience for teens to read. Her character, through a series of events, is shocked into the injustices that surround women, the difficulty in having your voice heard, and the challenges that must be faced to evoke change. 

A wonderful feature to this book is the in-school feminist book club that is formed. Bushnell and Cotugno waste no time in sharing a plenitude of books, articles, music, and films that have their roots (and message) in feminism. While they praise many of these texts, they don’t shy away from calling some of the pieces boring which adds a realness to this young adult fiction. Not every book is a winner for everyone, after all. It also offers readers the option to explore some of these other works which is a nice addition to this book.  

In truth, while this book opens up conversations on a number of topics, it is at its heart a great young adult novel: There are struggles with friends, various love interests, the fears of future education, and some sweet family dynamics particularly with Marin’s Gram. This book has it all.

I encourage you to dive in and read it. Read this book for yourself, send it to a teen in your life, and treasure it. It’s a good one!

*Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for this book

Book Review: She's No Longer Silent (Various Authors)

by Kaylie Seed

She’s No Longer Silent is being released into the world this Fall and is filled with powerful and empowering real-life vignettes told by women who are no longer staying silent about traumatic events in their lives. Golden Brick Road Publishing House brings women (from all over the world) together in She’s No Longer Silent and allows them to reclaim their truth and speak out against painful things that have happened in their lives that had forced them into silence. These women get real, raw, and emotional as they bravely tell their story in hopes of inspiring someone else to no longer be silent in their own life. Exploring topics such as domestic abuse, mental illness, sexual assault, and many other traumatic events, She’s No Longer Silent creates a safe space for women to speak up about things that were meant to keep them down while also uplifting others to do the same.

She’s No Longer Silent is broken down into three different sections which house stories with similar themes but each story is incredibly unique to each author. The women who have co-authored this book are all absolutely inspiring and remind the reader that while we all go through hardships in our lives there can be light at the end of the tunnel and that it is important that we speak up for our truths as it is the only way that we can truly set ourselves free from the burdens of our past.

The reader needs to be in the right mindset to read these powerful stories as the topics are heavy and can be triggering to those who have experienced similar events and circumstances.

While we all go through different experiences and traumas in our lives, the authors in She’s No Longer Silent suggest that in the end we want to silence our trauma instead of letting our trauma silence us. Sometimes, we need to take adversity head-on and speak up for ourselves.

*Thank you to Golden Brick Road Publishing House for the gifted E-ARC of this book

In Conversation with Waubgeshig Rice author of Moon of the Crusted Snow

With Kaylie Seed

 

 

Waub, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Moon of the Crusted Snow and I’m really looking forward to doing this interview with you about this haunting dystopian novel as well as your writing process!

I, personally, love a dystopian plot and Moon of the Crusted Snow knocked it out of the park! Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Moon of the Crusted Snow? 

Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ve been a big fan of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction since I was a teen, and when I started writing creatively, I made a goal of one day trying to write a story like that from an Indigenous perspective. The main influence, though, was the big blackout of August 2003 that impacted a big part of eastern North America. I was living in Toronto at the time, but that day I happened to be back in my home community of Wasauksing (which is about two hours north of Toronto) visiting family. When we learned it was a widespread and very serious outage, my two younger brothers and I started making survival plans. We thought about the people in our community we could partner with to make sure everyone was fed and safe. It seemed like a natural response for us, and it was actually very comforting to be there in a time of potential crisis. When I started dreaming up Moon of the Crusted Snow, I often recalled those days and how as Anishinaabeg, we had a very different response to a potentially world-ending moment compared to a lot of the dystopian books I’d read throughout my life. Also, I was very aware of the apocalypse my people already survived by being colonized and displaced. So all those factors came together quite organically for me.

The central setting for Moon of the Crusted Snow is a Northern Reserve in Canada. Can you tell our readers more about the setting and its importance in your novel?

It’s a fictional First Nation in far northern Ontario, about 300 km north of the northernmost fictional city. I wanted to make it more of a remote place to create space between the people who live there and those in the south to slowly build tension as the world-ending event - a power and communications blackout - unfolds. The people who live there were displaced from their original homelands closer to the Great Lakes by the federal government. They have a close connection to the land, and live mostly according to traditional land-based teachings. But it’s a community in transition because of new infrastructure like a road connection to the south, a hydroelectric dam, and more reliable cell and internet service. As a result, some residents are becoming a little detached from the land as this crisis strikes. The ones who cope best are those who can still find sustenance in the land. That’s one of the key themes in the story.

Evan Whitesky is incredibly smart and resourceful. Where did your inspiration for Evan come from?

Evan is based on the everyday people in reserves everywhere who are doing good things for their communities. I think the majority of people living in First Nations are like him. They’re resourceful, family-oriented, and dedicated to their nations. He’s a bit of an amalgam of some friends and relatives from Wasauksing. I’m inspired every day by the people back home who work hard to keep the community running in a good way. The pandemic has really brought those communal efforts into focus. A lot of people came together to ensure everyone stayed safe and healthy. I’m really inspired by them, and I’m proud of what they do for all of us. I often call Evan a “Rez everyman” because people like him help bust stereotypes about Indigenous people.

You incorporated Anishinaabe language and tradition into your novel. Was this something you learned as a child or was it something that you had to do some research on while writing Moon on the Crusted Snow? 

I was fortunate to grow up in my community during a time in the 1980s when a lot of people were reconnecting with Anishinaabe traditions. So I took part in ceremonies and customs from a very young age. I learned how to sing at the big drum and dance in powwows. What drew me most to my culture, though, were the stories. I was eager to learn about my heritage through the stories the elders told, whether they were about our history or fun trickster tales. I know some Anishinaabemowin (the language), but I’m nowhere close to being a fluent speaker. But the dialogue and words in the book are the extent of my knowledge. Fortunately one of my brothers is nearly fluent, so I consulted with him to ensure I had some phrases right. Otherwise I didn’t have to do too much research regarding the Anishinaabe cultural elements.

What was the most surprising thing that you learned while going through the process of creating and writing Moon of the Crusted Snow?

The most eyeopening part of the whole process was learning how to pace a story like this. I worked with a wonderful editor at ECW Press named Susan Renouf who really helped guide me through streamlining the narrative to make it develop in an effective and interesting way. It was the first time I really tried writing something in this genre, so I really appreciated Susan’s guidance. We ended up cutting a lot of excess from the front end of the story to better build the tension. She also really encouraged me to bolster the Anishinaabe elements, especially the language. You often hear horror stories of Indigenous authors having to scrub or whitewash culture in their stories to make them more palatable to non-Indigenous readers. By my experience with Susan was quite the opposite. She empowered me to highlight these elements proudly.

Do you currently have a new novel in the works? If so, can you tell us a little about it?

I’m writing a sequel to Moon of the Crusted Snow! I’ve been commissioned by Penguin Random House Canada to develop the next part of this story. I hope to have a first draft done in about a year. I can’t give too much away, but the novel will pick up about a decade after the end of the first one, and will follow the characters as they journey south to see what’s left of the world. I’m really excited to revisit these characters!

Since you’ve published a couple of books, what advice would you give to aspiring authors in regards to writing and publishing?

Write away! Get that story done and get it out into the world. Don’t be afraid to reach out to authors for advice on getting published, or writing tips. And read as much as you can. I went to school for journalism and didn’t have a whole lot of knowledge of the publishing industry when I decided I wanted to pursue a fiction career. But I knew I had to get a book-length project written before I started showing it around. So I put some short stories together that I’d written when I was younger, which eventually became my first book, Midnight Sweatlodge. I applied for an emerging writers grant through the Canada Council for the Arts to get that done. By then, I’d been able to make contact with other Indigenous writers who had great advice on how to get published. But getting back to my first point, keep writing!

What is your “must-read” book recommendation and what book has had the most impact and influence on your writing?

I have two “must-read” recommendations: Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson and Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. Both were very influential on my writing. It’s hard to narrow down just one book that has had the most impact on me. But for Moon of the Crusted Snow, it was definitely The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

Book Review: The Birth Yard by Mallory Tater

By Kaylie Seed

Canadian author Mallory Tater had her debut novel The Birth Yard “birthed” into this world in March of this year and it is filled with so many important themes that we need to be discussing around women’s rights. This coming-of-age story follows eighteen-year-old Sable Ursu as she navigates her way through an intense patriarchal cult called The Den all while trying to make her family proud. Throughout the novel, Sable is left to struggle with the oppressive world she finds herself in. The Den believes that men are superior and that women need to be controlled. This includes who they marry, when they conceive, and The Den requires women to take pills to keep their hysteria at bay. This cult is extremely misogynistic and while The Den wants to take care of the women who live there they (the men of The Den) view women only as vessels who are meant to serve them and carry children.

            The Birth Yard is chock full of intense themes including women’s rights, reproductive rights, misogyny, birth control, and womanhood. All of these themes are mixed in with Sable’s narrative as she goes from timid, conforming girl to boisterous, freethinking woman. Sable begins to question the ways of The Den when she is in the Birth Yard preparing to give birth to her daughter and while she wants to make her family proud she also realizes that staying in The Den will put her daughter in harm’s way - something she does not want to do. Tater weaves all of these themes effortlessly through the plot and has created a distinct narrative that can take a bit of time for the reader to get used to. Visually, Tater takes all of the male words in The Birth Yard and capitalizes them so that it is reinforced to the reader that men are superior to the women in this world. The way Tater writes Sable’s narration also changes as Sable goes through her journey in the story. It is brilliant!

            It’s clear to the reader that Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale was an influence in Tater’s The Birth Yard but it should be made known that The Birth Yard is its own novel with so many different aspects including, and prominently, that it is not a totalitarian dystopia but rather The Den is a cult that exists in life as we know it. Tater deserves praise for creating this intense world that Sable has to navigate and there are a lot of parallels in The Birth Yard that ring true to the treatment of women in society today (even if it’s not as extreme in real life). Without giving anything away, the ending to The Birth Yard has the reader craving for more and leaves a lot of unanswered questions, so naturally the reader hopes that Sable’s story is not over yet. Tater has created a world that the reader wants to be both immersed in and free from and that shows just how well done this novel is. As a fellow Canadian, I cannot wait to see what Tater ends up writing next.

*Readers who enjoyed The Handmaid’s Tale would thoroughly enjoy The Birth Yard.

Book Review: Before the Usual Time: A Collection of Indigenous Stories and Poems (Various Authors)

By Kaylie Seed

Published in April of this year, Before the Usual Time (edited by Darlene Naponse) brings together an exceptional collection of stories and poems written by 17 Indigenous authors from all over the world, including writers from Northern Ontario. Each of the authors who have contributed to Before the Usual Time use their poems and stories to touch on topics such as colonialism, intergenerational trauma, culture, language, residential schools, and traditions. These topics and issues continue to be pervasive in our world and through story and poetry we can begin to learn and understand.

All of the pieces in this collection may share similar themes but they are all remarkably unique and powerful in their own right. At the beginning of each vignette each author is introduced as is the traditional land from which they are from along with a short blurb discussing the author’s other writing accomplishments. 

Ranging from small poems to short stories, each of these pieces of “written-art “in Before the Usual Time has stunning imagery and breathtaking prose that is sure to leave an impact on the reader. The writing in this collection needs to be celebrated and it is recommended that the reader look into each of the contributing authors for further readings.

Indigenous writers have incredible stories to share with the world that are meant to teach while also allows for the preserving of their own language, culture, and traditions. Before the Usual Time is an excellent stepping stone that allows readers to find some amazing Indigenous authors to add into their to-be-read lists.

*Thank you to Latitude 46 Publishing for the gifted copy of this book.

In Conversation with Tristan Marajh, Short Story Writer

With Jodene Wylie

Your short story, The lesser man, is set for publication in down river road, a literary journal in Kenya. What is this story about and why was down river road the perfect place to share this story?

In essence, The lesser man is about engaging spiritually with oneself and others in the everyday. Protagonist Akihito Nakamura’s terms of engagement are applicable to any human dynamic or worldly setting. The lesser man is set in a public library – I have witnessed the everyday of that.

The “Ritual”-themed issue of down river road was an apt place to share The lesser man since Akihito has an odd daily ritual: he embraces a tree. I was interested in down river road as I very much enjoyed studying literature out of Africa in university. Down river road is available at bookshops and holds readings and events in Kenya and I’m very pleased that (another version of) the story is a part of that.

*Update: The lesser man has since been republished by The Miramichi Reader and can be read here.

You recently won 2nd place in the Scugog Arts’ Literary Arts Competition. Can you tell us a bit about your story and why you were drawn to write it?  

The Nashwaak Review first published the original and longer version of “The Complete Works of Min-Ju Kim” in 2015; the version that was one of the winners in the Scugog Arts Council’s Ekphrastic Competition is less, shall we say, acute. On an overarching level, the story is about trial through and triumph over depression; topically it is also a commentary on multiculturalism in Toronto, being in the Present and the necessity of self-accountability.

You have participated in a number of writing competitions and you’ve had your work shared in a variety of literary magazines. Do you find writing for a contest versus a literary magazine different? Is one more challenging than the other? How do you seek out and find new writing opportunities?  

Mostly, I write a story first then concern myself about possible avenues to submit it after the tale is complete. Very rarely do I write specifically for a particular magazine or competition (not being solicited to do so either helps). The nice thing about that is that I’m able to prospect my piece to a wide range of compatible venues of varying missions and thematic calls. This is very much a grind and builds my overall awareness of the literary publishing world along the way. It takes meticulous online/bookstore research and once in a while, word-of-mouth assistance: a poet friend and fellow winner of the Scugog Arts Ekphrastic Competition, Eleni Gouliaras, informed me about that particular venue. I will make notes of compatible venues, record their deadline dates, thematic calls, word-count limits, and any other pertinent information. I also sign up for their newsletters.

What have you learned so far in your writing journey that surprised you? Where have you seen the most growth and change in your own writing? 

What has surprised me thus far is how the advice of “write every day and read a lot” have not been true for me. I certainly don’t write every day (though I would like to) and – this may seem bizarre to read as it does to say – I have not read very much in the past few years. And that’s exactly how I’ve noticed the most growth and change: when I don’t buy into the notion that I should be this adamant, constantly-reading-and-writing writer. I am not knocking the advice; it just shouldn’t be taken as dogmatic adage and definitely shouldn’t detract from the quality of other aspects of living, which is often a consequence of excessive adherence to any particular ambition.

What are you working on next? Are you focusing on a novel, another short story, or something new and different? 

More short stories, as well as creative nonfiction. I don’t detect a novel in me at this point.

What is your “must-read” book recommendation and what book has had the most impact and influence on your writing?

The “must-read” book I would recommend is the one that one writes for oneself. It may be a novel idea: what are your deepest Values and private Truths as a human being among others on the Earth? What are the fears you evade? Recognize the prescriptions, preconceptions and prejudices of your conditioned mind; examine how they have slyly embedded themselves within your impressionable and easily-impressed psyche from childhood. Write it all down; fill as many pages as you need to and don’t stop until you think you’re complete. And even then, still have more blank pages ready. Personal journaling often demands a truth-telling that you may not otherwise give yourself and others. One may discover one’s own writerly style doing this, but even better is when one discovers their life style. This is what Min-Ju does in The Complete Works and it’s nice that the story could be mentioned in answering this question.

Where can our readers learn more about you and your writing? Do you have a website or blog that they could check out?

I’ve been considering a website, but haven’t started work on that yet. Meanwhile, readers can peruse gracious literary publications such as Cloud Lake Literary who kindly interview me and link to or publish my work.

About Tristan

Tristan Marajh's work is published in the Canadian journals The New Quarterly, Existere: A Journal of Art & Literature, The Nashwaak Review, Ricepaper Magazine and upcoming in Blank Spaces Magazine. He is the recent winner of the 2020 Scugog Arts Council Ekphrastic Writing Competition for "The Complete Works of Min-Ju Kim", which also won 1st-Prize in The Free Association Books Short Fiction Competition. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, he now resides in Toronto.