I decided to put a hold on this book after my interview with Chris Benjamin; Doing Time is one of the books he had recently read and recommended. (He had also spoke highly of Carol Bruneau's Brighten the Corner Where You Are, and that turned out well!) I was surprised by how invested in this … Continue reading Doing Time: Writing Workshops in Prison by Carole Glasser Langille
I have discovered that reading poetry is a good way to add even more local books and authors to my stacks. Some writers I would miss entirely otherwise. Even better, I enjoy reading the poetry (even if some of it goes right over my head). All three of these volumes are written by Indigenous women … Continue reading Poetry: Arielle Twist, shalan joudry, and Rebecca Thomas
(The highlighted titles will take you to reviews written by myself or the folks at the Miramichi Reader who are way ahead of me!) Alistair MacLeod Prize for Short FictionBoy with a Problem by Chris Benjamin (Pottersfield Press)Winter Road by Wayne Curtis (Pottersfield Press)The Appendage Formerly Known as Your Left Arm by Julie Curwin (Boularderie Island Press) Ann … Continue reading Atlantic Book Awards Shortlist 2021
Crow Gulch by Douglas Walbourne-Gough This book was brought to my attention during a Zoom event hosted by the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia: a Writers' Panel on Indigenous Writers to Read Right Now. So many great books and writers were discussed, including long-loved writers like Rita Joe and Thomas King to up-and-comers like Billy-Ray … Continue reading From the Library: Crow Gulch, Electric Fences, and Blanket Toss Under Midnight Sun
The first thing I have to say about these books is that each one deserves it's own post. So very good in their own unique ways. Three from Atlantic Canada, one from Quebec. Are You Kidding Me?! by Lesley Crewe, Nimbus Publishing Lesley Crewe is wildly popular here in Nova Scotia. Her books at the … Continue reading From the Library: some laughs, some crime, a coma, and a narrative meditation
During my visit to Mabel Murple's Book Shoppe and Dreamery last summer, Sheree Fitch spoke about her upcoming poetry book. She hasn't written one for adults since In This House Are Many Women (1994). People have asked her why, and she's said that it's because she didn't feel like she had anything more to say. … Continue reading You Won’t Always Be This Sad by Sheree Fitch
These three books couldn't be more different. There is one thing they have in common, though - they are all written by Nova Scotians. Portia White: A Portrait in Words by George Elliott Clarke I have written about George Elliott Clarke before - sometimes I love his words, sometimes I don't understand them, and … Continue reading An Opera Singer, A Coffee Franchise Contest, and OCD
Five years ago, when my blog was still a baby, I read (and loved) Swarm, Lauren Carter's debut novel, and interviewed her about it. (Lauren's answers were fantastic and I'd love to bring this interview to fresh eyes, so please have a look.) In my last question, I asked her about other projects she was … Continue reading Poetry: Following Sea by Lauren Carter
Coincidentally, I had been reading one of Margaret Atwood's poetry books when we decided to go ahead with #MARM. I'm not a big poetry reader, but I was really taken with the poems in Morning in the Burned House (1995). Particularly the ones about a woman's ageing father, and memories of their time together. From … Continue reading Margaret Atwood Reading Month: Poetry and Food #MARM
Let me start off by saying that I'm not generally a poetry person. But I have been learning to appreciate it more, as well as figuring out what kind of poetry works best for me (which I'm beginning to think is the secret). Last year, I read poetry by Rita Joe and George Elliott Clarke, and what … Continue reading Poetry Month 2017: Budge Wilson, Michael Crummey, and Book Spine Poetry #3
