September 8, 2010
I Still Don't Even Know You by Michelle Berry
From my Quill & Quire review of Michelle Berry’s new short story collection I Still Don’t Even Know You:
“Though the best stories in Michelle Berry’s collection I Still Don’t Even Know You begin with predictable set-ups, they go well past the point of familiarity and push the boundaries of a reader’s comfort. Readers become privy to moments of improbable connection and agonizing intimacy. These captivating stories hinge on scenes that are painful to read, yet impossible to look away from.”
You can read the rest here.
August 22, 2010
Eden Mills Festival Fringe!
Today’s exciting news was that my story “You Can’t Run a Show on Stage Management Alone” was accepted as part of the Fringe Stage at the Eden Mills Writers Festival. This will be my third year attending the festival, and I was looking forward to it anyway, but that I’ll actually now be (a small) part of the event is overwhelming and really lovely. Hope some of you can make it out on Sunday September 19th, and we’ll start crossing our fingers for sunshine.
August 8, 2010
While I was gone…
- My Quill & Quire review of Alissa York’s Fauna is online here. It was such a pleasure to be able to write such an ecstatic review for this wonderful book (whose design is as gorgeous as the story). A celebration of bookishness, and of the animals that have populated our books, and those who hide in the secret corners of our cities. Her Toronto is also stunningly realized.
- And Finn Harvor has asked me to join his “Conversations in the Book Trade”, where I answered some of his questions about the current state of publishing and book culture.
June 9, 2010
Dear Carrie Bradshaw
My post “Dear Carrie Bradshaw” is up on the BlogHer site today. Head over and take a look if you haven’t read it yet.
May 16, 2010
The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton
To write about Eleanor Catton’s The Rehearsal in 350 words was one of the most demanding and complex writerly tasks I have ever undertaken, and my review of the novel appears on the April 2010 of Quill & Quire (available here online). The first novel by the precocious Catton, The Rehearsal is difficult, devourable, innovative, frustrating, and fascinating. I didn’t love it, but I don’t think it even wanted me to, and it’s a stunning novel in particular for being written in an time in which so many stories are the same. Truly, this is something different. And though the parallels are by no means straightforward, and I don’t think liking one is a recommendation for the other, The Rehearsal is more like The Westing Game than any other novel I’ve read as an adult. Trying to get it all straight, however– especially in 350 words– was completely exhausting, and my mind is shutting down now just considering it again.
So I’ll let others try. Stephany Aulenback recommends it at Crooked House. The Rehearsal is the May Book Club selection at Eye Weekly. And a rave review in The Toronto Star.
April 22, 2010
My story is online
My story “Anna Lambert Lived and Died” is now online as part of The New Quarterly 114, The “Lists” Issue. Hope you enjoy it!
April 13, 2010
Lists
1) The New Quarterly 114 has a stunningly gorgeous cover
2) Issue is guest-edited by Diane Schoemperlan
3) On the theme of lists
4) (like Amy Jones’ blog!)
5) TNQ Blog The Literary Type has been doing list-inspired blogging lately
6) The issue has overflowed out of its covers into some “online exclusives”
7) Including my short story “Anna Lambert Lived and Died” which will go online next week
8) I’ll keep you posted.
January 5, 2010
L.M. Montgomery and The Blythes are Quoted
My Quill & Quire review of Jane Urquhart’s Extraordinary Canadians: LM Montgomery and Montgomery’s The Blythes are Quoted (edited by Benjamin Lefebvre) is now posted online. I enjoyed both of these books immensely, and found The Blythes are Quoted fascinating to consider as a example of Montgomery’s work in progress, though perhaps not a typical one as this book has something of a peculiar genesis. And the Urquhart biography is wonderful– as enlightening as Mary Rubio’s but in an accessible package for a more casual read. There is so much about Montgomery her readers don’t know, and how much richer is her writing once they do.
Anyway, my review is here.
December 7, 2009
"Georgia Coffee Star"
My story “Georgia Coffee Star” has won first place in UofT Magazine‘s alumni short story contest. You can read it online here.
September 11, 2009
Readers' Choice
Oh, exciting! I’m one of five finalists in the University of Toronto Alumni Short Story Contest, whose judges will be choosing a winner in the next few weeks. In addition to the main contest, however, there is a Readers’ Choice Award, voted online. Click here to read the five stories (including mine, but I’ll play by the rules and not tell you which it is) and vote for your favourite.
