News, essays and notes on writing
The Owen Sound Art Banner Project is an annual street art exhibition showcasing the works of local artists on street banners displayed along Owen Sound’s harbour walkway. Artists from Grey and Bruce Counties are invited to submit their work each year.
I came to C.J. Lavigne’s debut novel through the recommendation of a friend, with expectations I would find this tale one into which I could immerse and engage. But, alas, it was not to be.
The great folks at Pulp Literature have released their Spring Issue No. 34.
Written with Michael Crummey’s highly readable wit and insight, Galore is a rethinking of the story of Jonah and the whale, albeit without the Biblical admonition about destiny. In fact, one might say Crummey refutes the concept of preordination in this family saga rife with pig-headed vengeance, of conversations never opened, of secrets and shames.
Once again I find myself flying in the face of popular sentiment. Somehow I feel I should have gone with public acceptance of Bourdain’s very raw, even visceral, autobiographical journey as a chef, and as an individual.
During a recent discussion with colleagues, a rating for a recent review I’d done was met with surprise. How could I not have given five stars to a novel I had, in fact, very much enjoyed?
The Kite Runner is my introduction to Khaled Hosseini, and it’s a good one.
If nothing else, Gunnar Karlsson’s title for his history of Iceland is accurate. It is definitely a brief history. Something like an amuse-bouche.
For some number of years it has been well-known among indie presses who use Ingram to set up their print-on-demand titles that Amazon, that retailing mammoth, would never play fair. Fair isn’t how you amass billions of dollars in wealth.
If you’re looking for a post-apocalyptic, nature-takes-revenge on humans, with a fantasy overlay novel which represents disability rights, then The Centaur’s Wife is your ticket.
Apparently. Throughout my life I’ve thought: am I capable of doing that? Usually, after much research, the answer comes back: Not sure, but why not?
Stefan Brink’s book about slavery in the Viking Age is a dense, academically focused tome, and also a fascinating read if this is a subject you find of interest. Certainly I do, mostly because of research with which I’m involved.
Very pleased to announce I have a short story coming out in the next issue of Polar Borealis, Issue 20, which Graeme Cameron is hoping to have out this month. The story, The Intersection, is a reprint. It first appeared in Strangers Among Us: Underdogs and Outcasts, published by Laksa Media, and edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K.
