Word on the Street

Word on the Street is on this weekend and I know what I want to see: Paul Quarrington talking about Writing Across Genres. Also, Russell Smith. I loved Muriella Pent. And Gil Adamson, who wrote the fabulous The Outlander.
And lots more, as long as the kids stay happy in the kids' tent....

Michael Redhill and Winston Churchill

You may wonder, looking at the title of this post, what Michael Redhill and Winston Churchill have in common. Well, I've been thinking about things lately, specifically, about how terrifically tough it is out there for writers of literary fiction.
Which made me think of Michael Redhill. Now, he is a real talent, but he is also modest and seems to be a genuinely nice person. I remember reading an interview in the newspaper in which he admitted quite frankly that the reviews for his latest book Consolation were not particularly glowing, that the book "tanked" in Canada and the U.S, and that it had sold 75 copies in the U.K. And then it made the Booker long list. Since then, Consolation won the Toronto Book Award, and will get new life from that.
Which brings me to Winston Churchill. Churchill gave a famous speech, I don't remember where or to whom, but presumably to the British people during the blitz, although it would work just as well for a room full of writers, which went as follows:

Never give up. Never give up. Never give up.

Brindle & Glass and the Giller long list

A Brindle & Glass novel, The Reckoning of Boston Jim, by Claire Mulligan, just made the Giller long list! Very exciting! Kind of makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for Claire.

Here's the link for Claire's book: http://www.brindleandglass.com/fiction.htm

Also, I just noticed that they've got some info about Things Go Flying on the website too!

For the full Giller long list, go to Quillblog at http://www.quillandquire.com/blog/index.php/2007/09/17/the-scotiabank-giller-prize-longlist-unveiled/

new fave site

I really like this new literary site, Open Book Toronto. http://www.openbooktoronto.com/

Lot's of good stuff on it, even a writer-in-residence.

Eden Mills

It's that time of year again--the Eden Mills Writers' Festival is coming up this weekend. I read there at the fringe a couple of years ago, with my friend Dave Whitton. He has gone on to be published in The Journey Prize Stories and Best Canadian Stories etc. etc. and is receiving gobs of grant money. He will be famous one day.

Eden Mills was a wonderful experience, very validating. Check out the line up: http://www.edenmillswritersfestival.ca/

We will soon have a cover for Things Go Flying! And a website! Both of which are going to be very exciting developments. For me, anyway.

More on Writer's Gym...

Check out the interview with Eliza Clark about Writer's Gym posted today on CBC.ca, Words at Large.

http://www.cbc.ca/wordsatlarge/features/feature.php?storyId=506

Also, see the review in NOW magazine.

>http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-07-19/books_reviews.php

summer

If you've got kids, summer is brutal for a writer!
Maybe several weeks' forced break from writing is a good thing. Maybe I'll have fresh eyes in September. Or maybe I can get some reading done!
On my list:
Saturday, by Ian McEwan
The Outlander, by Gil Adamson
A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby
The Birth House, by Ami McKay
Maybe I'll revisit some Trollope, too, as we're going to London on vacation. I do miss reading the classics. Would love to lie on my chaise reading novels and eating bon bons all day...

Have just finished Writer's Gym and was very impressed! I immediately sat down and wrote a long page of ideas from it to apply to the next rewrite of Poets'. Also, it's always entertaining to read what other writers have to say about the writing life, and the writing process.