Hey all! This week’s show features an interview with Roland Gulliver, the new Director at the Toronto International Festival of Authors. The festival starts today! There’s all kinds of really interesting things happening – online, of course, but the spirit remains the same. Gulliver discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by putting together a festival in such unusual circumstances. Tune in!
McMaster
E197 with ROSS BELOT
Happy Thursday! Today’s episode of Get Lit features an interview with poet Ross Belot. Another great experience for me – I learn a lot when I interview poets (well, when I interview anyone, really). Ross’ new collection is called Moving to Climate Change Hours and its’ available through Wolsak & Wynn.
As an added bonus, since I had an extra five minutes, I added some readings from another local poet, Jaclyn Desforges, from episode 152!
E157 with REBECCA FISSEHA
I’m on vacation this week…so I’ll keep it short! Today we talk to Rebecca Fisseha about her excellent novel, Daughters of Silence. Tune in!
E124 with JENNIFER GILLIES from GRIT LIT
Hey! It’s that time of year again. For those of us in the Hamilton area, GRIT LIT is upon us!
We bring back our most frequent guest, the most excellent Jennfer Gillies, to talk about all that’s happening with this year’s fest. I will be hosting an event too, which I’ll detail for you next week.
Also, if you’re in Hamilton and want to come see some folks read their work, come on out Friday April 5, 7 pm, to King West Books. I’ll be reading, along with Chris Bailey and Owain Nicholson, to support the book launch of Mooncalves by Victoria Hetherington. Dig this show!
E106 with BARBARA LANGHORST
Hey all!
After six weeks I’m still battling some kind of cold/flu/evil spirit invasion, so I’m going to get right to the point. Today we chat with Barbara Langhorst about her new novel, Want. Met Barbara a couple weeks ago as I joined her for a couple of dates on her book tour. It was a blast, and I hope you enjoy our conversation!
E88 with John Flieger and Dawn Kresan
Hey folks!
The blog section of this site is becoming a bit unwieldy. I’m looking into a simple table of contents plug-in that will allow you to browse past episodes of the show by guest, so look out for that.
I’m also about to launch the show, in edited forms (with time-sensitive information removed) as a podcast. It will likely be available in all the usual places – iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, etc.
I’m also working on some exciting things that I cannot currently reveal. I’ll keep you in the loop! Otherwise, it’s business as usual – writing, writing, and more writing.
And reading! Books like You Are Among Monsters, by Jon R. Flieger, who is our feature guest this week. We’ll also talk to Dawn Kresan about the Pelee Island Book House. Check it out.
E87 with Klara du Plessis and Linda Frank
Hey folks! I’m off on another run down to Windsor doing a reading for the ChiZine folks at Phog Lounge. By the time this posts, I’m probably on a via train on the way home. Maybe I saw you?
Today’s program features two interviews with fabulous poets. Klara du Plessis joins us to talk about her collection Ekke. After that, we chat with Linda Frank about her newest collection, Divided.
Hope you enjoy….!
E86 with CLAIRE TACON
I haven’t made as many personal blogs as I originally intended to, but hopefully no one minds (or cares!). It seems that whenever the time comes to post the new show, I’m just too busy or exhausted to bother saying much. As such, I’ll keep it to interesting news and self-serving information.
Work continues on the new novel. I’ve been struggling with it. Writers, has this ever happened to you? You’ve really, really needed an opinion on a draft…but the draft is so unfinished that there’s no one anyone should read it (let alone form an opinion based on it). What do you do? Personally, I’m doing two things. The first is doing the work. No matter how long it will take, it’s important to just do it, to rewrite and touch up no matter how long it takes. Eventually, there will be a readable draft.
The second is learning to trust yourself. When that little voices pipes up to tell you that you have no idea what you’re doing and you need a second opinion…you learn to ignore it, trust your talents, and keep going.
There will be plenty of time for second opinions.
Speaking of opinions, my opinion on today’s guest is that she seems super cool and has written a wonderful book. In Search of the Perfect Singing Flamingo is a very enjoyable read and I hope you enjoy the conversation with author Claire Tacon. Dig.
E85 with RON SEXSMITH
Ron Sexsmith is one of those cats who flies under the radar. He’s never had a radio hit that I know of, but he’s still known around the world. His songwriting has been praised by the likes of Elvis Costello and Sir Paul McCartney – with whom he’s dined, at Sir Paul’s house, I believe…there are some pretty great stories there.
Ron didn’t join me to talk about brunch with famous musicians, though. He’s on Get Lit to talk about a dream he had – the dream that became the fairytale Deer Life, published by Dundurn Press. Ron’s a pretty swell fellow, and I hope you dig this conversation.
Also, it’s hot out, but if you live around here, you knew that.
E82 with MICHELLE BROWN and DAVID JAMES BROCK
Hey all!
I’m away on Pelee Island on a writing retreat (no Margaret Atwood this year, just a buncha writers doing their thing). Gonna keep it short.
Two great guests on the the show this week – great folks, great poets, and hopefully you’ll agree, great conversation. Michelle Brown is here to talk about her collection Safe Words (Palimpsest Press) and David James Brock joins us to talk about his own collection Ten-Headed Alien (Wolsak & Wynn). Hope you enjoy!