Susanna Clarke is Back!

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is one of my favourite books of all time; I was thrilled to hear she had a new book coming out this Fall: Piranesi and I can promise you it doesn't disappoint! She did a great interview with the New Yorker which you can read here...enjoy!

Paul Bae: CBC Interview

Paul Bae, the comedian-podcaster and author of You Suck, Sir: Chronicles of a High School English Teacher and the Smartass Students Who Schooled Him, published by Arsenal Pulp Press, was interviewed on CBC Radio's "The Next Chapter" with Shelagh Rogers, talking about how his years as an English high school teacher informed his career in comedy (May 15). 

You can find the interview here:

Paper Bag Princess Turns 40: A Podcast Primer

A classic of children's literature will be celebrating a big birthday in May 2020; its 40th, to be precise. And what a celebration it will be! Robert Munsch's seminal story, The Paper Bag Princess, has been adored by millions of children around the globe, and inspired countless artists over the last forty years to challenge the framework of 'normal' fairy-tales. The CBC recently published an illuminating interview (which you can check out here) on Munsch's creative process and various inspirations for PBP, along with the exclamation that Elizabeth's proud declaration of independence is indeed a happy ending; Munsch adds, "That's the ending it's supposed to have."

Stay tuned for more PBP news & updates - there's going to be plenty this year!

Ken Liu & Chinese Sci-Fi Translations!

Hello to all you lovely Sci-Fi fans. If you haven't yet had the opportunity to read Cixin Liu's SF-revelation The Three-Body Problem which was published by TOR (one of my favorite books in recent memory), please do yourself a favor: head to your nearest Indie Bookstore and buy a copy immediately. If you're like me, and you've read it already (and perhaps more of Liu's work, revolving in and around this series) there's a great article to check out that centers on the book's translator, Ken Liu.

Check out the full article here:

In The Kitchen with Antoni Porowski

Antoni Porowski, best known from the TV Series Queer Eye, has recently published an amazing cookbook called Antoni in the Kitchen. From the official blurb: "Some of the recipes in this book are weeknight healthyish meals, while others are perfect for off-the-cuff entertaining. Visual stunners, they're often composed of fewer than five ingredients. Whether Bastardized Easy Ramen; Malaysian Chili Shrimp; Roasted Carrots with Carrot-Top Pesto; or Salty Lemon Squares, all are visual stunners and can be carried off with panache, even by beginners."

Click here for an exclusive Antoni interview;

And click here for another one!

Infused: Adventures in Tea

2020 is off to a bit of a rough start, so we could all use a steaming cup of tea and a dip into the history and culture of this beloved beverage. Written by Henrietta Lovell, tea expert and founder of the Rare Tea Company, Infused is halfway between armchair travel and a loving ode to the perfect brew, complete with recipes!

Lovell made an appearance on CBC's The Current, which you can listen to or read here. Pour yourself a cuppa and dive in!

"Pumpkinheads" Graphic Novel Trailer!

A collaboration for the ages! Bringing together Rainbow Rowell - the author of Fangirl and Elanor & Park, among other celebrated YA novels - and the beautiful illustrations of Faith Erin Hicks, who won the Eisner award for her work on The Adventures of Superhero Girl, the new graphic novel Pumpkinheads is a perfect fit for the fall season. If you want to read a quick review, check out this article by the Hollywood Reporter; if you're more the visual type, click the link below for a trailer!

Hervé Tullet: Inside the Creative Process

Hervé Tullet is the wondrous mind behind the worldwide-acclaimed children's book Press Here, published by Chronicle Books, among another 80-odd titles he's put out. He recently sat down with the New York Times to discuss his studio work-space and the methods he utilizes in crafting his unique art, as well as moving his entire operation (and family) from Paris to Harlem. The extended interview can be found here

Mr. Tullet is currently engaged in a project he calls "The Ideal Exhibition", a multifaceted, hands-on workshop that allows all who visit to contribute to his art. You can check out the promotional vid here

Esme Weijun Wang: The Collected Schizophrenias

"In Wang's kaleidoscopic essays, memoir has been shattered into sliding and overlapping pieces...Her multifaceted arguments can be gratifyingly mind-expanding" - The New York Times

Esme Weijun Wang, author of The Collected Schizophrenias, which was published by Graywolf Press, was interviewed by Peter Armstrong on CBC The Sunday Edition on June 30. Wang's book presents a rare first-person account of someone suffering from schizophrenia, relating her terrifying involuntary hospitalizations and constant social alienation as she attempts to dissolve the stigma that surrounds the disorder. In her own words, Wang says "I haven't figured out what OK is, but I think the closest thing to OK is what is not actively suffering...being healthy is not having to think about how you feel all the time."

Link to the CBC interview:

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/writer-esm-

weijun-wang-on-life-with-the-collected-schizophrenias

Melinda Gates: The Moment of Lift on CBC

Melinda Gates, the wife of Microsoft's founder Bill Gates, is a force for change in her own right. Her book, The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World, was published in April 2019 by Flatiron Books to universal acclaim. Taking account of her vast travels across the globe over the past twenty years, Melinda relays both personal tales and universal anecdotes of the worldwide battle for feminine empowerment.

On June 4th, Melinda Gates stopped by the CBC's The Current, and had a fascinating discussion with Anne Marie Tremontie. You can find the interview here (which starts around the 22:00 minute mark).

The Woes of the Comic Industry -- Interview with Faith Erin Hicks

Award-winning comics creator, Faith Erin Hicks, describes in her own words what it was like to write her first YA novel, Comics Will Break Your Heart, and her experience in the comic industry.

Hicks shares how as a comic creator, it was extremely difficult for her to read about how some comic creators don't retain ownership of the characters they create, or they lose copyright to their creations. This book was inspired by these issues, and to shed light on the struggle many comics face in this industry. 

Comics Will Break Your Heart is a sensitive and funny modern day romance, and shows what it takes to heal the past.  Click here to read more!

Human Rights, Crisis, and Writing

Immigration lawyer, magazine editor, a PhD in international human rights law - Oh, did we mention she's also a badass mystery fiction series writer? Ausma Zehanat Khan is a person of phenomenal talent, and yet stays incredibly down-to-earth. In this interview on Rungh.org, Zehanat Khan gets into the roots of her writing, what drives her, and how her real life research and experience has influenced her work. Her newest title, A Deadly Divide, hits shelves February 2019. Check out her past work here! 

Friday Black

Race, class, consumerism, and justice? Tackling some of the most relevant issues we face today, Nan Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's debut collection of short stories has it all. Friday Black has been described by Roxane Gay with three simple words: "read this book." Adjei-Brenyah recently joined CBC's Q with guest host Saroja Coelho to chat about his sudden rise and the themes he tackles in his fantastic authorial debut. Check out the interview here. 

A Message to Caregivers: You Are Not Alone

This is one of my favourite books of the year.
Seven years ago, accomplished poet and author Mike Barnes became his mothers caregiver. "I think I'm about where anyone would be seven years into caregiving, which is fairly embattled and somewhat ground down," Barnes told CBC's Tapestry host Mary Hynes. Along the way, Barnes began to write letters about the issues and emotions he lived day-to-day. Those letters now form his newest book, Be With: Letters to a Caregiver, a collection of letters and vignettes that share Barnes' experience, and let caregivers know that it is okay to feel overwhelmed. Barnes discussed his new book and his experience caring for his mother with CBC's Mary Hynes. Listen to the full interview here. 

Fighting for Israel, Searching for Peace

There are no easy solutions. This sentiment has echoed throughout the world as the conflict between Israel and Palestine has rumbled along generation through generation. In his new memoir, former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak recounts growing up in this reality, the first seven decades of his country's existence and, through candid assessment of his fellow Israeli politicians, its major successes and its biggest misjudgments. Barak recently joined CBC's The Current to discuss his memoir, as well as current Prime Minister Netanyahu and the future of Israel. My Country, My Life: Fighting for Israel, Searching for Peace is available now.

History, Family, Promises

Through touching narrative and surreal illustration, Margie Wolfe's The Promise tells the true story of two sisters, her Mother and her Aunt, forced into labour at Auschwitz during the holocaust. Before being stolen away, they received from their parents three gold coins and a promise to keep - stay together. Wolfe, co-founder of Second Story Press, recently joined CBC's The Next Chapter to discuss the story behind the story, her family's history, and the making of the book - Listen to the full discussion here. 

James Comey in Toronto

It’s been one year since former FBI director James Comey was fired. His recently-released book A Higher Loyalty discusses Comey’s career in the American government as well as ideas surrounding ethical leadership. In his interview with Piya Chattopadhyay on CBC’s The Current, Comey discusses the ways in which leadership should remain focused on truth, integrity and fairness; he also provides us with the one question we should ask before making a significant decision: "How would I explain this to my grandchildren?". 

Listen to the interview here.

Tomi Adeyemi

We’ve all agreed that Tomi Adeyemi is pretty much the greatest right? Her viral reaction to unboxing her first book sure isn’t the only reason! In her phenomenal interview with CBC’s Q with Tom Power she describes her personal relationship with character representation in fiction, and how her debut novel works to change that. In The Guardian she talks empowerment and inspiration from West Africa. And in this review from The Atlantic, her novel is explored for its incredible value in the Black Lives Matter Movement. We can't get enough!

Heather O'Neill's Kreisel Lecture

Heather O'Neill was the speaker at the 2017 CLC Kreisel Lecture. Wisdom in Nonsense, the book based on the series is one of the funniest books I have read this year. It is the life lessons her father gave her growing up and is some of the most unusual advice going!

Waiting for the Punch

Marc Maron hosts an awesome podcast: WTF. His book Waiting for the Punch goes on sale this week. It includes conversations with Amy Schumer, Mel Brooks, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Sir Ian McKellen, Lorne Michels, Judd Apatow, Lena Dunham, Jimmy Fallon, RuPaul, Louis CK, David Sedaris, Bruce Springsteen, and most famuosly, President Obama. He was interviewed on Q.