Get Lit: Recent Episodes
Jamie Tennant
A show about books and literature. Every week we interview authors, booksellers, publishers, bloggers, and more. Based in Canada.
My dear friend and fellow author Sherri Vanderveen (look her up, read her books!) has many friends in the Canadian publishing business. Through her contacts, Get Lit was able to set up a round-table discussion between myself and three fantastic individuals – Alana Wilcox from Coach House, Jennifer Lambert from HarperCollins, and Barbara Berson from the Helen Heller Agency.
photo by Sherri Vanderveen Though dated - this took place in 2017 - the conversation is enlightening. These are people in different positions in the business – an indie publisher, an international publisher, and a literary agent/freelance editor. They each have different yet dovetailing perspectives on the state of publishing in Canada, on what they're looking for in a book, and on what writers should and should not do when trying to get published.
OLD SHOW ALERT! This episode features some Hamilton lit news and an interview with poet Julie Cameron Gray, whose latest collection is the fabulous Lady Crawford, out with Palimpsest Press. Hope you dig it.
Old episode alert!
This week's episode of Get Lit features an interview with Scott Dagostino, (former) manager at Glad Day Bookstore in Toronto. Glad Day is the world's oldest LGBT bookstore. Scott's a thoughtful and well-spoken fellow, and I really enjoyed this interview.
And here we are.
There's not much I can write here that I don't say somewhere on this sprawling live episode of GET LIT. A few things I might have left out include:
- the fabulous Jessica Rose, GritLit Artistic Director, is the introductory voice and kind soul who agreed to let me do a final episode live
- the excellent George Elchuk, CFMU staffer and member of Rexford Drive, did a great job mixing and mastering the live session to be more pleasant on your ears
- the award presenter is Silhouette newspaper editor, pal and musician Andrew Mrozowski
- I'm unclear who all the audience member questions were from so I'll identify none of them (sorry…but if you know, you'll definitely know)
- this took a few takes, because I welled up
So listen in! We have wonderful guests including guest host Gary Barwin (I mean, I'm hosting too…it's hard to explain) and the Triple A team, as I was annoyingly calling them – Amy Jones, Amanda Leduc, and Anuja Varghese. It's a fun conversation. I'm proud to leave GET LIT on a note like this. Thanks for all the kind words, all the conversations, and all the ears.
GET LIT will continue to post the podcasts missing from platforms (about E10 - E150) so though the show is over, there's still content to come.
Until the next project…thanks for listening!
-Jamie
Here it is, our final "regular" show.
This week we talk to GG award-winner Anuja Varghese. A Kiss of Crimson Ash might seem like a hard pivot after Chrysalis, and it is, but it isnt'? We talk about these things. Listen in if you can.
Next week, E500 will air. I'll probably have some sappy stuff to say at that time.
Hey folks! Over the years I've had the pleasure of doing a lot work with author Brent Van Staalduinen, visiting his creative writing class and assisting in book launches. Happy to have him as my second-to-last regular guest! We talk about his latest, and imho best, The Peace Thieves.
We're getting so close to the end! I have spent plenty of time discussing ideas for whatever new show will appear in 2027. So far, nothing! There will be something…but in the meantime…
Today's guest is Selin Kahramanoglu, here to talk about her debut, Lokum. Enjoy!
Thrilled to welcome graphic novelist Joe Ollmann back to the show. We talk about his latest collection, The Woodchipper. Enjoy!
Hey folks! Back to talk with Leslie Shimotakahara once again! This will be her fourth appearance on the show (her first was way back on E24), and I'm thrilled to have her as one of my final guests. We talk about her latest, The Breakwater.
Hey folks! Today's guest is David Ly, who I got to know a little in autumn '22 when he joined John Wall Barger, Kim Conklin and I at my launch party for River, Diverted. He read from his collection Dream of Me As Water. Today he's here to talk about his new novel, Not All Dragons. Dig it!
Hey folks! This week Margaret Sweatman is back on the program, this time to talk about her new novel, Night Birds. Hope you enjoy!
This week's show features a chat with author Angélique Lalonde! Make sure you listen in as we talk about her latest, Variations on a Dream.
Last week we recorded E50 of GET LIT, live at the GritLit festival, and what a delight. I'm humbled and touched by the whole thing. It'll air as the final episode on June 18, so don't miss it! It's kind of hosted by Gary Barwin, though it's kind of hosted by me, yes it all gets very meta. It also features some exciting guests.
But, you know, in the meantime here's another great episode!
Hi folks! Today we talk with my friend K.R. Wilson about his second Stan novel, Stan On Guard!
Make sure you listen in. And remember I'm recording my FINAL GET LIT show tomorrow (April 17) at 7 pm at GritLit. More info here.
Hey folks! A preview of exciting GritLit events with Jessica Rose, and Loch Baillie joins to talk about (and read from) River Running. Tune in!
Also a reminder: the live recording of GET LIT E500 – aka The Final Episode – happens on April 17. Get tickets here.
Hey folks! This week we're talking to author Ailsa Ross about her debut novel, Hovel.
A reminder to check out gritlit.ca for details about the LIVE RECORDING of the final GET LIT episode! April 17th at 7 pm.
Hey everyone! Today we talk with author Matthew J. Trafford about his collection, Runs in the Blood.
On the personal front, I've submitted a manuscript which is exciting. Details to come. I'm also going to appear live on the CBC this weekend! If you're up early on Saturday, March 28, tune in to 99.1 FM or online to hear Fresh Air with Ismaila Alfa. At about 7:18 am (oh, so specifically-timed) I'll be on talking about community radio, Hamilton music, and the JUNOs. Also, it's a live event, with performers and other interviews, and the public is welcome. It's at Merit Brewing on James St. N., 6 – 9 am.
FInally…as you may already know, GET LIT is winding down. E500 will be my final episode (somethin else book-related will return in 2027 but it hasn't taken form yet). If you're in the Hamilton area, you can be part of E500! We'll be recording the last show live at the GritLit Festival. Which is exciting! Details here.
(Yes, recorded in April to air in June. Welcome to my life hahahaha)
Hey folks! This week we're joined by Michelle Stark, to talk about life, dogs, and her book, Broken. Listen in!
Hey folks! Back in January I had the pleasure of interviewing author Brad Smith live on stage at the Sharp Words book fair. Today we continue our conversation about his novel, Billy Crawford's Double Play. Hope you enjoy it.
This week's guest is Lucy E.M. Black, talking about her work, A Quilting of Scars.
A quick pitch to all of you, though…
CFMU is the station of origin for this podcast. Even if you've never actually listened to 93.3 FM or cfmu.ca the importance of local and independent media continues to expand. Here in Hamilton, local media has been hit so badly that, technically, CFMU/The Silhouette is the largest newsroom in Hamilton. I'm being serious. We do the best we can with our amazing student staff and community/campus volunteers.
We are NOT owned by a hedge fund company that'll cut us for lack of profit. We are NOT a talented, well-meaning blogger who simply can't keep up the pace or afford to quit the day job. We have resources. We can do more. BUT NOT WITHOUT YOUR HELP.
PLEASE consider donating to 93.3 CFMU. We need the community to step up more than we ever have. $5. $10. $20. $30 gets you a Friends of CFMU card. Every bit helps.
cfmu.ca/fundraising
Thanks friends
Hello everyone! Today's show is admittedly one of the most local show I've done on Get Lit. It features my friend Jason Allen, talking all things to do in Hamilton. Quite literally, actually; we talk about his book, 52 Things To Do In Hamilton: The Insider's Guide to Fun in the Hammer. Before you tell me you don't live here or never plan to visit here, there's still stuff to be learned. Every city has its treasures. Pointing out ours might help you find the treasures in your own town!
Hey everyone! Last time we talked to Barbara Sibbald, it was over four hundred episodes ago. Can I say, that's totally bananas? She's back again to talk about her novel Almost English.
Hey folks! Great chat with author PP Wong about her latest novel, Slice the Water (was longlisted for Canada Reads this year). Check out the book, check out the show!
Hi folks! This week's show features poet Anna-Lee Popham, talking about her last collection, Empires of the Everyday. We're also joined by Noelle Allen to talk about Sharp Words 2026!
Hey all! Great conversation with author Su Chang about her excellent novel, The Immortal Woman. Listen if you can!
Back in 2017 I met a lovely group of writers on Pelee Island (I'll include Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson in that group). I also did a book swap with Janet Turpin Myers, but haven't been able to have her on the show until this week. We discuss her latest, Love Watching Madness. Listen in!
Hey folks! I've known author and broadcaster Scott Neigh for a while, originally from my day job at 93.3 CFMU FM. Today he joins me (and comes back on the CFMU airwaves) to talk about his book, Listen! Knowing The World And Fighting To Change It. So like the title says…
Hey folks. Happy New Year! Show's up a day early. Today we talk with Rob McLennan about his latest, The Book of Sentences. Check it out.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Releasing the show a day early so I can devote tomorrow to family. This week we talk to David Bergen. Always great to have him on the show. We're discussing his latest, Days of Feasting and Rejoicing. Enjoy and have a great holiday!
Hey folks! Just fresh back off Toronto Island, now hoping to maintain some of the forward momentum. In the meanwhile, had a great talk with Sadiqa de Meijer about her collection of essays, In The Field. Hope you enjoy.
By the way yes there will be a show "Christmas Day" though I'll probably get it out a touch early!
Hey folks! I'm currently sitting at a desk overlooking the frozen road (and, if I squint through the trees, the Toronto skyline) in front of the Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts. I'm half-way through a seven-day retreat, working on my current MS.
Still, the show goes on! This week we talk with Sean Minogue about his novel, Terminal Solstice. Listen in.
Hey folks! Lots of folks on the show today, all for the same project – Muttertongue: What Is A Word In Utter Space, both a collaborative collection and also a sound recording of the same name. Great conversation with Lillian Allen, Gregory Betts and Gary Barwin. Enjoy!
Hey all! Today's guest is Hamilton resident and author Sky Gilbert who has, you know, done a thing or two (check out his Wiki page). He joins me to talk about his recent novel, The Blue House. Dig!
Hey folks! Double shot of poetry this week with Rebecca Salazar (antibody: poems) and Aisha Sasha John (total). Hope you enjoy the show.
Time to talk with another rock journo compatriot of mine, Jason Schneider. You might know him as co-author of the legendary rock epic Have Not Been The Same (with Ian A.D. Jack and Michael Barclay). He's here to talk about his latest, That Gun in Your Hand: The Strange Saga of 'Hey Joe' and Popular Music's History of Violence.
Hey everyone! Paige from Grit Lit pop in to tell us about what the Hamilton readers & writers festival is up to. After that, we talk once again with Jarrett Mazza, this time about his new Custodian series. Tune in!
In keeping with the spooky season, we're gonna talk about vampires! Emily A. Weedon is on to discuss her novel, Hemosapiens. Happy Hallowe'en (I really do prefer that spookier old-school spelling.
This week on GET LIT we talk with author Kasia Jaronczyk about her novel, Voices in the Air. Check it out!
Hey folks! Today we chat with author Danila Botha about her novel, A Place For People Like Us. Hope you dig. I'm sick so I'm gonna go lie down now.
Today on the show we’re joined by Jim Johnstone! He was last on the show several years ago to talk about the collection he edited, The New Wave. Today he talks about his own work, mainly the latest collection of poetry criticism, Bait & Switch: Essays, Reviews, Conversations, and Views on Canadian Poetry.
Joining Jim on the episode is Dorianne Emmerton, here to talk about the Brockton Writers Series. They, like everyone else, are facing funding issues, and you can help out at the link above.
Hey folks! Got to drive right into my wheelhouse (wait, is that how the idiom works?) and talk to some fellow music journalists again. Today we feature Matt Bobkin and Adam Feibel, discussing their book In Too Deep: When Canadian Punks Took Over The World. It features everyone from Avril to Alexisonfire (and other non-A-related artists). Enjoy!
Hey all! This week we talk to my pal (and friend of the show) Mark Sampson, who surprised me with the cosmic horror darkness of Lowfield. Check it out, and listen to our conversation on GET LIT!
Hey folks! This week we speak to author Danny Jacobs about his novel The Ignis Psalter. I called it “horror-adjacent” but it’s also been called “part lyric fairy tale, part small town gothic.” Listen in.
Hey folks! I first read Russel Smith back in the '90s when he released How Insensitive. Now he joins GET LIT to talk about his latest novel, Self Care. Listen in!
Hey folks! Double shot of interviews today with PEI poet Steven Mayoff (Swinging Between Water and Stone) and Alberta-by-way-of-Tokyo artist Laurier Tiernan (Fifty-Five Ways To Survive). Enjoy the show!
Hey folks! Today’s show features author Karen Smythe who was last here waaay back on E49. We chat about her newest novel, A Town With No Noise.
Hey folks! Today’s program features author Heather Ramsay. We talk about her novel, A Room In The Forest. Enjoy.
Hey folks! I’m back in town and diving into interviews once again. First up, the poet known as MA|DE. It’s a collaborative voice, created by poets Mark Laliberte and Jade Wallace. We talk about a bunch of things (it was supposed to be half a show, but it wound up a full one) including their latest collection, ZZOO.
Hey folks! I’m still hiding out in Toronto. Well, that’s not true. I’m cat-sitting for a friend (who’s been on the show, but that’s the only clue I’ll give) and visiting with folks I haven’t seen in a long while. In the days, though, I’m writing, working on turning a manuscript from junk into gold. So far we’re at bronze, which ain’t such bad progress.
Today’s show is with author Giles Blunt, who many know from his John Cardinal crime series. We discuss his latest book, Bad Juliet.
Hey folks! Today we’re joined by author Blaine Newton as we discuss his collection of short stories, Rag Pickers. Good stuff. Enjoy!
Hey everyone! Had a great conversation with author Noël Stark about her new romance novel, Love Camera Action. Listen in!
Hey folks! Grandfather of the Treaties: Finding Our Future Through the Wampum Covenant is a fascinating and important book. To be honest, it feels like information we could all use for living in this part of the world and existing alongside the original peoples of this land. I chat with author Daniel Coleman and illustrator Rick Hill about it. Enjoy the show!
Hey folks! This week we're joined by best-selling thriller author Robert Rotenberg. Listen in as we talk about the latest Ari Greene novel, One Minute More.
Hey folks! We are joined once again by mystery author (amongst other things) Melodie Campbell. We talk about her latest, The Silent Film Star Murders. Check it out.
Hey all! The name Max Kerman might be familiar to you from other artistic endeavours. Max is the front man for Arkells, the immensely popular rock band from Hamilton. They’re set to perform another enormously successful Rally show here in town soon.
Max and I go back a ways and it’s always great to chat with him. We talk about the band a tiny bit, but mostly about his #1 non-fiction bestseller, Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress. Listen in!
Doubling up today! First we’ll chat with Dave Pomfret about his novel Lilly, and then we are joined by Keith Hazzard to talk about his newest, Brief Lives.
Hey folks! Catherine Bush returns to the program to talk about her collection of short stories, Skin.
Catch her at The City & The City Books (181 Ottawa St. N., Hamilton) on June 17th at 7 pm.
Hey folks! This week I spoke with Jeff Apter, Australian music journalist and author. Probably could have talked for hours, given my history (and semi-current status) as a rock write. We discuss his recent book, Carl Perkins – The King of Rockabilly. Enjoy!
Hey all! Just got back from an incredible trip to Europe. I’m lucky to be able to do these things, lucky to have friends to draw us there (us being my family), and lucky that I could still continue to GET LIT while I was away.
This week we chat with Hamilton-based author Maxie Dara about her novel, the first “S.C.Y.T.H.E. Mystery,” A Grim Reaper’s Guide To Catching A Killer. Enjoy!
Hey all! Greg Rhyno‘s back on the show this week to talk about the second Dame Polara mystery, Who By Water. Enjoy!
Hey folks! Greetings from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. This week we talk to Sara Flemington about her novel, R.I.P. Scoot. Check out the show (and the book)!
Hey folks! I’m headed off on some adventures soon so I’ll keep it brief. Today’s show features author Tim Welsh, talking about his cool and fairly wild novel Ley Lines. Check it out!
Hey folks! Poets in the house today. My pal Chris Bailey joins us to talk about Forecast: Pretty Bleak, followed by the excellent Tolu Oloruntoba, discussing his latest, Unravel. Listen in.
Great conversation with my friend Jess Rose, Artistic Director for the super GritLit festival coming up this month in Hamilton. Lots happening this year, it promises to be a blast. Also, come see me and some great local authors!
This week! We talk to author Julie Salverson about her new book A Necessary Distance: Confessions of a Scriptwriter’s Daughter. It’s a blend of memoir, confessional, investigative journalism, biography, and more. Enjoy the show.
A pleasure to see fellow Hamiltonian and friend Amanda Leduc back in the studios. She joins us to talk about her newest novel, Wild Life. Please ignore the shoddy sound at the very start, it improves!
Hey folks! Double shot today. We speak with Kelly Watt about her collection The Weeping Degree, and then with Grant Douglas Linney about Outdoor Magic. Enjoy the show.
Hey everyone. Who’d have thought this would be an issue in 2025? Well. Ira Wells joins me to talk about his latest in the Biblioasis Field Notes series, On Book Banning: Or, How the New Censorship Consensus Trivializes Art and Undermines Democracy. Read it and listen in! But not necessarily in that order.
This week we have a great conversation with author Peter Darbyshire, about his reissued (and ongoing) Book of Cross series, especially the first one, The Mona Lisa Sacrifice since that’s the one I read hahaha. Tune in! And also read on…
Even if you’ve never actually listened to 93.3 FM or cfmu.ca the importance of local and independent media continues to expand. Here in Hamilton, local media has been hit so badly that, technically, CFMU/The Silhouette is the largest newsroom in Hamilton. I’m being serious. In a better world we’d have trained journalists and do more hard news (look for more of that, though, come September). In the meantime, we do the best we can with our amazing student staff and community/campus volunteers.
We are NOT owned by a hedge fund company that’ll cut us for lack of profit. We are NOT a talented, well-meaning blogger who simply can’t keep up the pace or afford to quit the day job. We have resources. We can do more. BUT NOT WITHOUT YOUR HELP.
PLEASE consider donating to 93.3 CFMU. We’re not doing as well as we usually do because a few major donors had to scale back. We need the community to step up more than we ever have. $5. $10. $20. $30 gets you a Friends of CFMU card. Every bit helps.
cfmu.ca/fundraising
Thanks friends
This week we welcome J.R. McConvey back to the program to talk about his new sea monster/cosmic horror series-bound novel False Bodies. Thanks again for your support on last week’s show with Jason Pargin, too!
would check out cracked.com, largely for the work of David Wong. His essays were hilarious, human, and insightful; he had a rational way of looking at the world that resonated deeply.
Fast forward: cracked.com is not the same. The current top story is “29 Inopportune Times People Farted” (okay, the title did make me laugh, but it still suggests a downward slide). On the other hand, Wong – aka author Jason Pargin – has gone on to much success. He has written the John Dies At The End series, the first book of which as famously released for free on his blog (and made into a film by legend Don Coscarelli). Then came the successful Zoey Ashe series. Now he has published a stand-alone novel called I’m Starting To Worry About This Black Box of Doom. It is one of my favourite books of 2024, if not the favourite. And I read about sixty books last year.
It was strange to see Jason in horizontal format (I follow him on Tik Tok, what can I say) but a true pleasure to talk to him about this book. Which you should read. Now.
Listen in!
Hey folks! It's been a long time since I last talked to author Zoe Whittall. Listen in to the great conversation with her about her latest, No Credit River.
Hey folks! This week we speak with author Jules Delorme about his latest, I Heard A Crow Before I Was Born. Hope you enjoy the show.
As I type this it’s a brisk -17 degrees here in Hamilton, so stay warm and GET LIT with author Andrew Boden! We talk about his novel When We Were Ashes.
This week our guest is Renée D. Bondy, here to talk about her novel, [non]disclosure. Hope you enjoy!
Hey everyone! On this week's episode, Mark Kingwell returns. We talk about his latest, Question Authority: A polemic about trust in five meditations.
We kick off 2025 with Nina Berkhout, talking about her latest, This Bright Dust. Thanks for listening!
Hey folks. Hope you’re enjoying the season. If you’re off for a few days you’ve got some time to catch up on GET LIT! This week’s guest is the excellent Hollay Ghadery, talking about her collection, Widow Fantasies.
Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, etc! It fast approaches. Hope you’re all enjoying it.
Today’s guest is Rob McLennan, here to talk about his collection, On Beauty. Listen in.
He's baaaack! Gary Barwin joins us today for the (6th? 23rd?) time. We talk about his collection of short fiction, Scandal At The Alphorn Factory. Check it out!
Hey folks. Today we chat with the excellent Pasha Malla about All You Can Kill, a continuation of the story begun with his last novel, Kill the Mall. Hope you enjoy.
Hey folks! This week we talk with writer and author Jeffrey Round. His latest novel is The Sulphur Springs Cure (and for you Hamilton locals, it’s set in Ancaster!). Enjoy the program.
Hey folks! Two of my favourite people on the show today. First up is Liz Worth, talking about her newest poetry collection Inside Every Dream, A Raging Sea. Then we talk with fellow music critic Steacy Easton about their 33 1/3 entry, White Limozeen. Very different books, very excellent people. Listen in!
Hey all! I first met Jarrett Mazza at the GritLit fest years ago, and now here’s on the scene with not one but a whole series of books. Listen to our conversation here!
Hey folks! Great chat this with week Lynne Kutsukake about her novel The Art of Vanishing. Hope you enjoy!
What better day than Hallowe'en (yes, I like the apostrophe) to talk to Craig Davidson, aka Nick Cutter? The newest Cutter book, The Queen, hit in all the right spots for a horror fan like me. It's a heckuva ride. Highly recommended! Enjoy our conversation on Get Lit.
Hey all! Excellent double bill today with author Kit Dobson (author of We Are Already Ghosts) and my pal Ben Robinson (discussing his first collection of poetry, As Is). Tune in!
Also: tune in on Hallowe’en for spooky seasonal programming – we talk horror with Nick Cutter!
Hey folks! Today's guest is author Ai Jiang. She's a Nebula winner and a Hugo nominee, which is amazing, but she's also just a great storyteller and a cool, humble person. Check out both her recent works, Linghun and I am AI - and check out our show!
Today on the show, we chat with journalist/columnist/author Elizabeth Renzetti about her collection of essays, What She Said: Conversations About Equality. Listen in!
Hey all! Fun interview with author Ben German Ghan, talking about his wildly inventive spec fic novel (if we have to classify it) The Years Shall Run Like Rabbits. Listen in!
Hey folks! Had a great chat with Sarah Henstra, author of The Lost Tarot. Tune in!
Also: Oct 11 is my deadline for my novel’s first crappy draft to be completed. Wish me luck.
Today we talk with the Director of the Toronto International Festival of Authors, Roland Gulliver. The festival runs Sept 19 – 29. As an added bonus we chat with author Anuja Varghese about the LitLive reading series here in Hamilton. Enjoy the show.
Hey folks! This one's for the locals (or the folks willing to travel). Two great events coming up. This weekend, we have the Author's Tent at Supercrawl (Sept 13 - 15). Noelle Allen joins us to flesh out some of the details. Then we have Bailey Duff from the Telling Tales Festival, talking about their exciting event, focusing on lit for kids (Sept 21 & 22). Listen in! :D
Hey everyone, welcome to September! Today’s guest is David Weill, a former transplant surgeon and, now, author. His memoir Exhale: Hope, Healing, and a Life in Transplant was well-received and now he turns his hand to fiction with All That Really Matters. Enjoy!
Hey folks! Just back from adventures in Ontario's near north...September is upon us in mere days...things are bananas but there's still gonna be more Get Lit.
Today's guest is filmmaker and author Lulu Keating, talking about their collection of stories, Splinter & Shard. Listen if you can!
This week on GET LIT we talk with Jeff Rubin. He's an economist and author and his newest book is A Map of the New Normal: How Inflation, War, and Sanctions Will Change Your World Forever. An extremely interesting read. Listen in!
Don't confuse the episode number with an "Error 404" okay? You might miss my conversation with Leslie Shimotakahara, who is here to talk about her latest, Sisters of the Spruce!
This week we have my pal Margaret Nowaczyk back on the show, to talk about her collection Marrow Memory: Essays of Discovery. Enjoy!
Autokrator is one of the most original books I've read in a while (also: thought-provoking, exciting, horrifying). That's why I wasn't surprised by how much enjoyed this conversation with author Emily A. Weedon. Check it out!
Hey folks! Today's guest is Avik Jain Chatlani, here to talk about his amazing (and occasionally harrowing) novel, This Country Is No Longer Yours. Enjoy the show.
FOUR HUNDRED, PEOPLE
That’s wild.
As I mentioned on the show last week, I’m looking at winding the show down. The book-a-week reading pace has really interrupted my writing time. Then again, when I say “winding down” I mean…maybe episode 500? Which is about 100 books away?
I imagine after I do that, I’ll start up a new pod, likely about writing, but not likely on a weekly basis.
In the meantime to celebrate 400 we have Shashi Bhat, here to talk about her excellent collection of stories, Death by A Thousand Cuts. I hope you like!
Hey folks! Today we talk with author Nicola Winstanley about her collection of stories, Smoke, New Zealand, and other fun things. Listen in!
Hey folks! Recovering from COVID over here. Good times. I’m OK though.
Today we talk with Sheila James about her novel, Outcaste. Enjoy!
On today’s show we chat with Lynne Golodner about her novel, Woman of Valor. After that, we’re joined by Gerald Arthur Moore, to talk about his collection Flak Jacket. Enjoy the show!
Hey folks! Seems every time I read a Canadian horror book, I’m floored. Last time it was Andrew F. Sullivan‘s The Marigold. Now it’s A.G.A. Wilmot‘s Withered. Big ups to ECW Press, I guess! It hit all my horror sweet spots (creepy spots?). Listen in as we discuss Withered, mental health, and horror stuff.
Today's show is a double-header. We welcome back David Eisenstadt, to talk about his book, Under the Radar: 36 Notable Canadian Jewish Performers. We also talk with J Anderson about his debut collection of stories and poems, A Nasty Piece of Work Vol. 1. Hope you enjoy the show.
Welcome to this week’s show! We had a great conversation with author Frankie Barnet, talking about their latest, Mood Swings. Listen in.
I’ve probably taken the Bruce Trail for granted, growing up in Hamilton, on the Niagara Escarpment. That might be different now, thanks to Nicola Ross and her book, 40 Days & 40 Hikes. Listen to our conversation this week on the show!
This week we chat with author Gwen Tuinman! Had a great conversation about her book Unrest (highly recommend it btw). Hope you’re pre-summer is going well out there.
Hey folks! Had a nice chat with Myriam Lacroix (despite some tech glitches – sorry, Myriam!) about her novel How It Works Out. I mistook it for a short story collection even after I’d read it! Listen and find out why :D
Happy to have my pal Brent Van Staalduinen back on the show for a record sixth time (he’s now tied with Gary Barwin for number of appearances. Do I owe them, like a special jacket or something?). We talk about his latest novel, Unthinkable (which I blurbed!).
Also, we talk about LitLive’s fundraising initiative. Help ’em out right here!
Hey all! Still coming down from a remarkably busy couple of weeks. Hope you're enjoying your spring so far. Today we talk with Danila Botha about her new collection, Things That Cause Inappropriate Happiness. Enjoy!
Hey folks! Things were happening last week here in the Hammer. GritLit was huge! I got to run a fun event with fellow Program Advisory Committee member Ann Y.K. Choi, then introduce Elamin Abdelmahmoud and Peter Mansbridge. Friday/Sat/Sun were twice as busy with events, a few too many concerts (Cadence Weapon and Raven? I'm weird) and a birthday party to cap it all off (congrats Liz Worth!) Now I get to...breathe.
This week we speak with Greg Rhyno. His newest, Who By Fire, is the first in the Dame Polara mystery series. Tune in!
Hey all! My friend Jessica Rose joins us this week (check out her new book too by the way) to talk about the GritLit Festival. We're busy non-stop all weekend, so if you're in the area, we hope to see you!
Hey folks! Spent last week on a self-imposed retreat. That means I rented an Airbnb in the city and holed up to get two full days of writing done, a thing that absolutely does not happen if I’m left to my own devices at home. You know, day job, housework, etc…kind of gets in the way. Happy to say it was successful. Was the writing good? Lord, no. But it’s a first draft, so at this point, it doesn’t matter.
This week we talk to PEI resident Steven Mayoff about his novel, The Island Gospel According To Samson Grief. Hope you enjoy!
I had the unexpected pleasure of talking with Charles Azulay last week. I met Charles when I was about fourteen (and he was even younger), doing children’s theatre. We went on to do a production of Anything Goes and Hair at McMaster University. Pretty sure he sang “Three Five Zero Zero.” Yes, I was a pretty big musical theatre nerd! But not as much as Charles, who went on to do it professionally for decades. Anyway, I hadn’t seen Charles in over 30 years, so this reunion was an absolute delight.
Charles’ memoir Uncoloured tells some of those tales but also talks about his life growing up as a black child in a white family and the struggled he faced as a youth. Check it out!
Hey folks! This week we speak with author Emily Pohl-Weary about her novel How To Be Found. Had a great conversation and I hope you enjoy listening.
Hey folks!
Once again, I got to spend a little time with Tom Wilson is his Hamilton home. I’ve known Tom since around 1990, and have seen him (and written about him) plenty since then. It’s been fascinating to watch his artistic endeavors expand and to follow his story (as laid out in his bestseller, Beautiful Scars).
We talk about all kinds of things today but ostensibly this interview is about Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs: The Art of Tom Wilson. Tune in!
Hey folks! Today’s show features Chris Kuriata, fellow Palimpsest author. Sacrifice of the Sisters Lot is a weird, wild ride (meant as a compliment!). Hope you enjoy.
Hey folks! It’s fundraising time here at CFMU. So, just a quick note: I don’t get paid a dime to do any of this. Even if I tried to monetize it, let’s face it, this is pretty niche. So! If you appreciate the show, or want to support local radio / community broadcasting, please consider going to cfmu.ca/fundraising and helping out.
Today’s show features Raymond Beauchemin. I had the pleasure of chatting with him in the CFMU studios. We discuss his collection of novellas, The Emptiest Quarter. Check it out!
Hey everyone! Back once again with David Neil Lee, to talk about the third in his creepy Lovecraftian YA trilogy! Thoroughly enjoyed The Great Outer Dark. If any of those previously-applied adjectives interest you (or if you read the first two) you won’t be disappointed.
Hey all! The universe is a mean-spirited little kid right now, throwing fistfuls of gravel (it doesn’t hurt, but it’s just the sheer volume that’s troublesome). A few minor health things, a bit of work stress, etc., etc. Hope your lives are going well and that, when the little jerk starts throwing gravel, you can brush it off and keep moving forward .
Today we talk to Michelle Syba. It was great to meet her and talk about her collection, End Times. Hope you like our conversation.
Hey folks. Today we speak with Emmett Grogan about his novel Twelve Stories. We had an interesting conversation, and I hope you enjoy it!
Hey folks! Had the pleasure of meeting Paige Maylott in the 93.3 CFMU studios this past week. We discuss her excellent memoir, My Body is Distant. Check it out.
Hey folks! This week we talk to two different poets and writers. First up is Domenico Capilongo, here to talk about 1972. After that, Roshan James is here to discuss her collection Pink Moon. Enjoy!
Hey everyone. Hope your January has been excellent. Today’s guest is Tiffany Morris, joining me to talk about her book Green Fuse Burning. Enjoy!
Thrilled to have Kliph Nesteroff back on the show this week. I’ve known Kliph for about fifteen years (not well; we just barely meet the requirements to be called “acquaintances”) and I’ve followed his writing career with enthusiasm. Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars is another winner. He’s a fun interview and has plenty to say.
Hi folks! Today we’re back with author and critic Jeff Bursey. We talk about a few things including his most recent books of criticism and fiction. Tune in!
Hey all! Welcome to the new year. I hope 2024 is amazing for each of you (whatever that means for you!). I have a few plans and hopes over here myself...
As for today's show, forward we go! Today's guest is my friend Steacy Easton, a critic, author, visual artist, academic and all-around fascinating person. We talk about two of their books, which are wildly different from one another. First, Why Tammy Wynette Matters, which is about exactly that. Then, Daddy Lessons, which is about many, many things (imo no one quote sums it up so check all the quotes out here).
Enjoy!
One of our favourite return guests, uh, returns again! The excellent Gary Barwin is with us as the last interview of 2023. We talk about all kinds of things, but mostly his latest collection Imagining Imagining: Essays on Language, Identity and Infinity. Enjoy, and Happy New Year!
GET LIT today with Hamilton poet and author Ben Robinson! We talk about his new work, The Book of Benjamin.
Hey folks! A special show for me today. My publisher passed along a submission a couple years back, asking if I was interested in editing the work. Over time, the book became known as The Blood of Five Rivers, and I can't recommend it enough. How do I end up working with such great authors?
Anyhow, Arjun Bedi joins to me to talk about the book, "an intergenerational tale of fathers and sons, migration and integration, and the lasting impacts of legacy." It's also emotional, experimental and sometimes funny as hell. Listen in, then go read the book :D
Hey all! Happy to welcome David Bergen back to the program again. We talk about his great novel, Away From The Dead. Now I’m off to celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary in Cuba. Be back next week!
Hey all! Keeping it in the mystery/crime vein for a second week in a row. We talk with Melodie Campbell about her novel, The Merry Widow Murders. Make sure you tune in.
Hey folks! Got to speak to Scott Thornley during Supercrawl this year, and here we get to go a bit more in-depth about his recent novel, Middlemen. Check it out if ya can.
If you’re a fan of my book (or not!) River, Diverted, follow me on Instagram and check out my saved stories – the “River” tour of Nagano, Japan. It was a lotta fun. Now I’m almost over jet lag and ready with a new show!
G.A. (Gord) Grisenthwaite and I have been friends since 2016 and I’ve been lucky to work with him not once, but twice. Last time, we talked about the novel Home Waltz, which I edited. Same goes for his new collection of short stories, Tales For Late Night Bonfires. It’s pretty amazing. Check it out.
Waubgeshig Rice is back on the show! We talk about Moon of the Turning Leaves, the sequel to his successful Moon of the Crusted Snow. Was a fun conversation, hope you enjoy!
The last time I spoke with Canadian poetry legend Lorna Crozier, it was the middle of the pandemic. She was mourning the loss of her husband Patrick Lane, and I had some things going on as well; needless to say it got a bit emotional (though I didn't air that part). It was amazing to get to talk to her again, especially because this time it was about poetry: her new collection After That. Listen in if you can.
I first met Sean Michaels as a member of the grand jury for the Polaris Music Prize. He very modestly told me he was "working on a book." That book, of course, was the Giller-winning Us Conductors. I got to speak to him about that book, and again when he released The Wagers (we did an event together and it recorded it to be two episodes). Sean's newest, Do You Remember Being Born, is fantastic. Hope you enjoy our conversation.
Hope you’re all doing well out there. Had a blast putting together today’s show, which features author Alicia Elliott. Her debut novel, And Then She Fell: A Novel is amazing and occasionally horrifying. Highly recommended. If you enjoy, you can hear her talk about her collection of essays, A Mind Spread Out On The Ground, over here on E127.
Hey folks! In order to get as many folks on as I can I’ve done another double episode. Two great books of poetry this week. We speak with Emily Osborne (Safety Razor) and Jake Byrne (Celebrate Pride With Lockheed Martin). Hope you enjoy ’em both.
Hey all! On today's show we talk with Eden Boudreau about her powerful memoir, Crying Wolf. Content warning for sexual violence, just so you know.
Hey everyone. This week, we chat with Janika Oza. Her novel, A History of Burning, is remarkable. Listen in to find out what it’s all about.
This week! We chat with author Curtis LeBlanc about his latest novel, Sunsetter.
I'd write more but I'm exhausted due to...many things. Hope you're all well!
Hey all! Wild weekend coming up at Supercrawl, the weekend music & art fest in Hamilton Sept 8 – 10. I’ll be spending most of my time at the Author Tent. Come by and say hi!
Friday 7:00 pm – Meet the Authors, buy a book, hang around. Saturday 7:30 pm – Late Night Reads! I’ll be moderating a conversation with Andrew F. Sullivan, Liz Worth and Anuja Varghese. Sunday 1:30 pm – Afternoon Mysteries! I’ll be moderating a chat with Scott Thornley and Melodie Campbell.
On to GET LIT! Today’s guest is Marta Balcewicz, and we’ll be discussing her novel Big Shadow. Listen in!
Hey folks! Excited to bring you another episode. Had a wonderful, interesting chat with author Corinna Chong about her work and short stories as a form. Her newest collection is The Whole Animal, available through Arsenal Pulp Press. Check out the show!
This week on the show! My conversation with Violet Browne about her novel, This Is The House That Luke Built. Listen in if you can.
This fall, if all goes well, ours guests will include Lorna Crozier, Sean Michaels, Karma Brown, Waubgeshig Rice, Alicia Elliott and others. An exciting line-up!
Also: if you’re in Hamilton, make sure you drop by the author tent at Supercrawl, there’s a lot happening. Details to come.
Hey folks! Finally re-entering real life after recovering…though the shows never stop
This week we speak with author Kathryn Kuitenbrouwerabout her novel Wait Softly Brother. Enjoy!
Hey all! Got to have an in-studio chat with author Nathan Whitlock. We discuss his newest, Lump.
(Oh and his band The Approximators do the live karaoke thing at The Casbah too so if you live near Hamilton and wanna hear a bunch of people who've been on Get Lit sing songs...or sing 'em yourself...)
Hey folks! Mostly back from the land of COVID (i.e. testing negative but body’s still doing weird-ass things). Today we talk with my pal Rebecca Rosenblum, who was on the show way back on E25. We talk about her new book, These Day Are Numbered: Diary of a High-Rise Lockdown. Enjoy!
Hey folks. 3 and a half years in and I finally got taken down by the cov last week. Not a great time. Trying to rest, even though I feel fine now, because there’s too many stories about people getting cocky with this damn virus...
Just before, however, I got to talk to Keziah Weir, author and senior editor at Vanity Fair. Had a good time discussing her novel The Mythmakers. Give it a listen!
Hey everyone! Been a busy few weeks around here. My pile of books is still far too big, so if you're wondering why I'm still doing Spring releases as we approach the fall (shhhhhh I know, I know) that's why.
Today we speak with author Erum Shazia Hasan. Had a great conversation about her novel, We Meant Well. Hope you enjoy.
Today’s guest is Hamilton poet and author Chris Pannell! He joins me in the studio to talk about his latest collection, Adventurize Your Summer. Hope you enjoy.
Hi folks! Today’s show features poet, author, Gordon Hill Press editor, physician etc. etc. Shane Neilson. He’s here to talk about both the poetry collab The Suspect We (with Roxanna Bennett) and his new memoir, Saving. Check it out.
Hey all! Today’s guest is Daniel Gawthrop, talking about his newest novel, Double Karma. Check it out!
Full disclosure: I think Amy Jones is great. We've gotten to know each other a bit since she and her husband Andrew F. Sullivan moved to Hamilton, and she's always a pleasure (and fun at karaoke). That aside - meaning, as objectively as I can be about it - Pebble & Dove is a delight. Join us as we talk about it on Get Lit!
Hey folks! This week we’re talking to JD Derbyshire about their book, Mercy Gene. It’s a really interesting work of autofiction, listen to the show to learn more
I’ve met Anuja Varghese many times, but always in the middle of busy events, so we’d never had the time to sit and chat. Very glad she was able to do that with me, in studio, and glad we could talk about her collection, Chrysalis. Enjoy the show!
Hey all! Doubled up today with poets Kate Cayley (Lent) and Eva H.D. (The Natural Hustle). Of the two, the second is a bit unusual – there’s audio issues, and Eva’s reluctant to talk about certain things, which I didn’t know, so the whole thing is kind of an awkward, glorious mess. Yet somehow good! Enjoy.
Hey folks! I’m out of town so I’ll get straight to it: Hamilton’s own Nichole Fanara is with us to talk about her collection In The Moment. Hope you enjoy!
Hey folks! Andrew F. Sullivan and his partner (author Amy Jones) moved to Hamilton a few years ago, and I've had the pleasure of getting to know them a little in recent months. I was even lucky enough to have him come on by the studio in-person.
Sullivan's newest is The Marigold, which has been getting a ton of press - positive press - since its release. For good reason. It's probably my favourite book of the year so far. Of course, it's right in my wheelhouse: horror, satire, humour, etc. Listen in to hear all about it!
Hey folks,
Lauren Carter's on the show this week, talking about her collection, Places Like These. Give it a listen!
Also, if you're in Toronto, come see me read! And not just me - also Kim Conklin, Matt Cahill and A.G. Pasquella. It's a heckuva line-up and I'm lucky to be part of it!
It'll be at Flying Books, on College near Ossington, on June 7. More details to come.
Hey folks! Doubling up on the poetry today. Check out my chat with Aaron Boothby (about his collection, Continent) and Britta Badour (about hers, Wires That Sputter). Thanks!
Hey all! Today’s show is two interviews. First we speak with Stephen Marche about his entry into Biblioasis‘ Field Notes series – On Writing and Failure. A little close to the bone, that title. Our other guest is Emily Riddle who is here to talk about poetry and The Big Melt. Enjoy!
Hey folks! On social media I’ve been pushing a few events, so if you don’t follow me on IG, Twitter or Facebook, hop on it!
Today we talk with the wonderful Kelly S. Thompson. Always enjoyable to chat, even when the book isn’t necessarily cheer-filled. We discuss her newest memoir, Still, I Cannot Save You.
Late post today! I'm in sunny Kitchener, ON, in a rented condo, on a self-imposed retreat. A lot of pacing and talking to myself plus 3,000 words of notes. It's a good thing.
GRIT LIT returns once again! Listen to hear all the details from Artistic Director Jennifer Gillies!
Hey folks! I had the chance to speak to P.E.I. author Nicholas Herring over ZOOM. I sound awful but he’s clear as a bell! Listen as we talk about his novel Some Hellish!
If you’re an up and coming author, or someone who wants to brush up on their writing skills, or someone who wants to know more about the publishing industry in Canada, you’ll want to check out today’s show. We speak with Patricia Westerhof, author of The Canadian Guide to Creative Writing & Publishing.
Hey all! Double shot of talent today. First up is poet Sophie Crocker, here to talk about her collection Brat. Next up is writer, journalist and instructor Anya Wassenberg. Tune in for both!
Hey folks! Today we talk with John Brady McDonald, author of Carrying It Forward: Essays from Kistahpinânihk. Hope you enjoy the conversation.
Folks, if you enjoy GET LIT and want to support it…well, you kind of can’t, because I don’t get paid. BUT you can support the station of origin, 93.3 CFMU in Hamilton! For more information, go here. It would mean a lot if you can help us!
This week I am excited to welcome Liz Harmer back to the show! We talk about her latest, Strange Loops.
Benjamin Lefebvre joins us to talk about In The Key of Dale, which is truly enjoyed. Give it a listen if you can.
Hey all! Today’s show features Simon Choa-Johnston. Born in Hong Kong and educated at McMaster, Choa-Johnston now lives in B.C. The first novel in this series, House of Wives, was a Globe & Mail bestseller. Today we talk about House of Daughters. Enjoy!
Hey all! Noelle Allen has been on the show several times. She’s the owner & operator of Wolsak and Wynn, a publishing house here in my hometown of Hamilton. However, today she’s here to talk about the Sharp Words Winter Book Fair! Even if you’re from elsewhere, it’s worth you time – Noelle discusses the pros of book fairs in general. You’ll find yourself wanting to go to one!
Hey folks! I had a super conversation with Molly Peacock about her latest, A Friend Sails In On A Poem. Make sure you check it out!
Hey all! Had a great talk with designer and author C.S. Richardson about his new novel, All The Colour In The World. Hope you enjoy.
Hey folks! This week we talk with Hamilton-based author Liz Worth. Music fans might have read her book Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History of Punk In Toronto and Beyond 1977 - 1981. Fun fact, the title is from an old Simply Saucer song, and if you don't know Simply Saucer, well, read my National Magazine Award-nominated article! (for a defunct magazine...but the text lives on here).
But back to Liz! Her new book is a literary horror novel called The Mouth Is A Coven and it's excellent. Check it out if you can.
Hey all! Today’s show requires a tiny bit more attention as most of what I say is kind of quiet. That’s the downfall of doing an interview in an uncontrolled environment (in this case, The Cannon on Ottawa Street).
The interview is great, though, because it’s one of those where I get to combine Get Lit with a lifetime of music journalism. I chat with Rollie Pemberton – aka musician Cadence Weapon – about his book, Bedroom Rapper. Check it out.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone out there. Hope the holidays were good to you.
Quick book news: My novel, River, Diverted, is now available where fine ebooks are sold!
The first GET LIT of 2023 features author (and Ween fan) A.G. Pasquella. We discuss his latest, Welcome to the Weird America. Hope you enjoy.
Happy holidays everyone! If you're looking for something to do (like we're not all busy enough?) check out this week's episode featuring an interview with Pamela Mulloy, author of As Little As Nothing. Cheers!
Hey folks! Had a great chat with Emily Urquhart about her collection of essays, Ordinary Wonder Tales. A little more of me in here, at the end, than usual - I had a story to tell...
Hi folks! Join us on GET LIT today for an interview with author Paul Sunga! His latest, Because Of Nothing At All, is fantastic. Hope you enjoy our conversation.
Hi folks! This week we speak with author Rebecca Campbell about her book Arboreality. Check it out!
GET LIT first aired exactly 6 years ago! Nov 24, 2016. My 47th birthday!
We celebrate this week talking to two great poets – John Wall Barger and David Ly. When I launched River, Diverted, both came to read at the event and it was wonderful. Check out their latest releases – John’s Smog Mother and David’s Dream of Me As Water
Kim Conklin was a guest at my Oct 12 book launch for River, Diverted and I went down to Windsor to read with her at Biblioasis last week. Love meeting and getting to know new authors in person! On today’s show we discuss her debut novel, King of Hope.
Super excited about this week's show! First, I had the privilege of meeting Hamilton-based author Sheila Murray, and she was wonderful. Second, her debut novel Finding Edward is up for the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction (announced Nov 16) which is exciting. Third, it was that rare in-studio conversation which always feels good. Hope you enjoy!
Hey friends! This week we talk with Emily Saso about her excellent bookNine Dash Line. The first reading I ever did from a novel was in Midland, ON with Emily. Our second novels also came out at the same time. It’s been fun having semi-parallel careers with a cool individual like Emily. Tune in!
Hey everyone. Today we talk with the poet Fareh Malik. We discuss his work and specifically his collection Streams That Lead Somewhere. Keep your eye out for him; Fareh won the RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award this year. Really enjoyed our conversation (and we got a couple readings here too). Hope you enjoy!
Hey everyone. Today we talk with the poet Fareh Malik. We discuss his work and specifically his collection Streams That Lead Somewhere. Keep your eye out for him; Fareh won the RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award this year. Really enjoyed our conversation (and we got a couple readings here too). Hope you enjoy!
Hey all! Today Hamiltonian Carl Watts joins us to talk about his book, I Just Wrote This Five Minutes Ago: Essays on Contemporary Poetry. I feel like I’ve just begun to grasp my own understanding of poetry and was concerned that discussing poetry criticismwould be way over my head. Maybe it was? Ha! It was a great conversation anyway. Check it out.
Also: River, Diverted somehow ended up in the top ten! Even adjusting for scope (it’s indie bookstores only, it’s Canadian indie publishers only) I’m still flabbergasted and thrilled. Thanks, book-buyers!
Hey all! Today Hamiltonian Carl Watts joins us to talk about his book, I Just Wrote This Five Minutes Ago: Essays on Contemporary Poetry. I feel like I’ve just begun to grasp my own understanding of poetry and was concerned that discussing poetry criticismwould be way over my head. Maybe it was? Ha! It was a great conversation anyway. Check it out.
Also: River, Diverted somehow ended up in the top ten! Even adjusting for scope (it’s indie bookstores only, it’s Canadian indie publishers only) I’m still flabbergasted and thrilled. Thanks, book-buyers!
Hey folks! I wanna take a second to say thanks to everyone who came to my book launch and who has supported me through this second novel experience.
One of those folks is this guy right here - the inestimable Gary Barwin, who joins me to talk about his latest collection of new poetry, The Most Charming Creatures. Enjoy the show!
Hey folks! I wanna take a second to say thanks to everyone who came to my book launch and who has supported me through this second novel experience.
One of those folks is this guy right here - the inestimable Gary Barwin, who joins me to talk about his latest collection of new poetry, The Most Charming Creatures. Enjoy the show!
Yes, today the guest is…me.
Self-serving? Maybe. Sometimes you gotta do it. A while back, author and excellent fellow Mark Sampson approached me to suggest he interview me when River, Diverted was released. The result was very kind, thoughtful, illuminating and entertaining – for me, at least! I hope you think so too.
River, Diverted was released Oct 1st!
If you’re in the Hamilton area, you can come on along to my launch party on Oct 12. It's at Mills Hardware (not a hardware store, despite the name!) 95 King St. E. at 7pm. I'll be joined by fellow Palimpsest authors David Ly, John Wall Barger, and Kim Conklin!
Yes, today the guest is…me.
Self-serving? Maybe. Sometimes you gotta do it. A while back, author and excellent fellow Mark Sampson approached me to suggest he interview me when River, Diverted was released. The result was very kind, thoughtful, illuminating and entertaining – for me, at least! I hope you think so too.
River, Diverted was released Oct 1st!
If you’re in the Hamilton area, you can come on along to my launch party on Oct 12. It's at Mills Hardware (not a hardware store, despite the name!) 95 King St. E. at 7pm. I'll be joined by fellow Palimpsest authors David Ly, John Wall Barger, and Kim Conklin!
Hey folks! Today's show features an interview with the excellent Margaret Sweatman. Her newest book, The Gunsmith's Daughter, has been a top seller in our local indie shops here in Hamilton. Hope you enjoy the conversation!
Also: something a little different on deck for next week...
Hey folks! Today's show features an interview with the excellent Margaret Sweatman. Her newest book, The Gunsmith's Daughter, has been a top seller in our local indie shops here in Hamilton. Hope you enjoy the conversation!
Also: something a little different on deck for next week...
Hey folks! Mix of stuff today, starting with poet Nancy Jo Cullen. Her collection, Nothing Will Save Your Life, is excellent! After that, David Eisenstadtjoins us to talk about Under the Radar: 30 Notable Canadian Jewish Musicians.
Hey folks! Mix of stuff today, starting with poet Nancy Jo Cullen. Her collection, Nothing Will Save Your Life, is excellent! After that, David Eisenstadtjoins us to talk about Under the Radar: 30 Notable Canadian Jewish Musicians.
Hey folks! Exciting weekend this week. As I mentioned earlier, I was involved with two different events at the Supercrawl festival in Hamilton. My book was available for sale for the first time (in person, that is) and I was able to read from River, Diverted in front of live humans for the first time. It was fantastic overall.
One of the people I worked with this weekend was Sifton Tracey Anipare. Her book Yumeis phenomenal, though I admit to a bias (I met her, she’s cool, she lived in Japan like I did, she wrote a book about it like I did, etc lol). I hope you enjoy our conversation today.
Hey folks! Exciting weekend this week. As I mentioned earlier, I was involved with two different events at the Supercrawl festival in Hamilton. My book was available for sale for the first time (in person, that is) and I was able to read from River, Diverted in front of live humans for the first time. It was fantastic overall.
One of the people I worked with this weekend was Sifton Tracey Anipare. Her book Yumeis phenomenal, though I admit to a bias (I met her, she’s cool, she lived in Japan like I did, she wrote a book about it like I did, etc lol). I hope you enjoy our conversation today.
This week we welcome Kit Dobson back to the program. We’ll talk about his latest, Field Notes on Listening.
This week we welcome Kit Dobson back to the program. We’ll talk about his latest, Field Notes on Listening.
I was able to chat with Elaine McCluskey about her collection of stories, Rafael Has Pretty Eyes. Truly enjoyed it, you should listen if you can!
I was able to chat with Elaine McCluskey about her collection of stories, Rafael Has Pretty Eyes. Truly enjoyed it, you should listen if you can!
Great chat with author Merilyn Simonds on this week’s show. We discuss her latest, Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay. You don’t have to be a birder to find this one fascinating. Check it out!
Great chat with author Merilyn Simonds on this week’s show. We discuss her latest, Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay. You don’t have to be a birder to find this one fascinating. Check it out!
This week we talk with Alex Pugsley, author of the short story collection Shimmer. Fun conversation and a really enjoyable book. Find out why by listening in!
This week we talk with Alex Pugsley, author of the short story collection Shimmer. Fun conversation and a really enjoyable book. Find out why by listening in!
Hey folks! Finally get to speak with someone published by Gordon Hill. Really enjoyed this conversation with Ayaz Pirani, and ditto his poetry collection How Beautiful People Are. Was supposed to be 15 minutes, went for 30. Enjoy!
DAN K. WOO is an amazing writer that I’ve discovered thanks to the good folks at Wolsak and Wynn. His collection of stories is called Taobao. I hope you enjoy the conversation!
Hey folks! I’m wiped…I’ve been working on four or five projects for days and the big one, proofing the final text layout for River, Diverted, has taken some time. But here’s a show! Carrie Snyder joins us to talk about her latest novel, Francie’s Got A Gun. Hope you enjoy the conversation.
Hey all! I’m back in real time – sort of. Spent a couple weeks in Italy and Switzerland visiting family and friends. Life is good and I didn’t get COVID. Reality smacked me hard though, as I’m swamped with freelance work, not to mention going through the (final?) proof of River, Divertedwhich comes out in October!
This week’s show features author Anna Maxymiw. We talk about her latest, Minique, which I thought was pretty fascinating. Enjoyed the conversation as well – hope you do, too!
Today we're joined by author Tanis MacDonald to discuss her collection of essays, Straggle: Adventures in Walking While Female.
Brent Vans is back! It's his fourth time on the show. This time here's here to talk about his new collection, Cut Road.
Hey all! Today we chat with local publisher Michelle River about her company Eerie River!
Hey folks! Today we chat with amazing Terri Favro about her newest, The Sisters Sputnik!
Hey folks! I got to speak to the excellent Gurjinder Basran (it’s been a while!) about her latest “cheery” novel, Help! I’m Alive. We had a good time, the book is great, you should listen!
Hey folks! The world is…well…things have been better. For some folks, the reality of climate change alone has made it difficult to deal. If that sounds like you (or even if it doesn’t) you should listen in to hear author/blogger Britt Wray talk about her new book Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis.
Welcome back to another poetry show! This week it's Phoebe Wang (Waking Occupations) and Madhur Anand (Parasitic Oscillations). Hey, those two titles rhyme. Neat.
Great books and great conversations, listen in!
This week another double shot of poetry! (Sorry. I think that “double shot” thing stuck in my head from too much classic rock radio in my youth). We’re joined by Laurie D. Graham (Fast Commute) and Tolu Oloruntoba (Each One A Furnace). Oloruntoba’s last collection, The Junta of Happenstance, won the Governor General’s award for poetry which was exciting because we shared a publisher in Palimpsest Press! Enjoy the show.
Hey all! Today’s guest is novelist and critic Martha Schabas(author of Various Positions). She joins me to talk about her latest novel, My Face In The Light. Check it out.
Hey everyone! Back into the poetry this week (with more to come!). Today we talk with both Ellie Sawatzky (about None Of This Belongs toMe) and Isabella Wang (about Pebble Swing).
Michael Barclay and I came up in music journalism around the same time. He started with ID Magazine in Guelph, while I was writing a Spectator column and just beginning with View Weekly. Given our ages and interests, it was pretty clear I’d love his books, and so far, I absolutely have – from Have Not Been The Same to The Never-Ending Present(for which I got to interview him) to the newest, Hearts on Fire. This one hits me right in the musical feels, focusing on the first five years of the new millennium, which happen to coincide with my first five years working at 93.3 CFMU FM.
Barclay’s book is great and he’s a good dude. Tune in.
Hey folks! Had a great time last weekend with the return of live GritLit events. I was able to attend two of them, and everything felt all weirdly familiar and wonderful (and fairly anxiety-free...unlike the Judas Priest show I attended two weeks ago, but that's another story). For me though, the highlight was probably hanging with the cool GritLit folks afterward, fine people I haven't seen in a while. Oh, and demonstrating ska dancing for the table. I suppose, if nothing else, it will be easy to remind Heather O'Neill where she met me before.
ALSO
I have seen cover concepts for River, Diverted. I have my first blurb for it, too (holy hell is it a good one - but it's too early to share). October 2022!
Today's show features the remarkable Stuart Ross. His newest is The Book Of Grief And Hamburgers, and it's excellent. Tune in!
Hey all! Great show today with award-winning author David Bergen. Check out our chat as we discuss his latest novel, Out of Mind.
It's that time of year again. I got to goof around with the inestimable (is that the right word?) Jennifer Gillies, Artistic Director for the GritLit Readers and Writers Festival.
Yes, it's in Hamilton, but don't fear, listeners - a lot of it's online and you can join the fun.
Very excited to have Martha Wainwright on the show this week. She's known as a musician and for her musical family (her mother Kate McGarrigle, her father Loudon Wainwright III, and of course her brother Rufus). Her memoir, Stories I Might Regret Telling You, is a excellent read. Check out our conversation.
Back on the show for a third time is Dorothy Ellen Palmer. She’s here to talk about her new book Kerfuffle. Check it out!
Hey folks! Today we chat with author Kate Cayley. Her collection Householdersis available through Biblioasis. Check it out and give the show a listen.
Hey folks! Another week of excellent poets on deck. This time it's Tara Borin (The Pit) and Matt Rader (Ghosthawk).
Keep your eyes on our social media for a Nightwood / Moorehype giveaway of poetry including the four guests we've spoken with in the last two weeks (and more upcoming).
Hey all! In an attempt to catch up (haha, adorable, Jamie) I am stacking a couple of shows with poets. Each of them deserves a whole show, but this will have to do for now! We start with Selina Boan (Undoing Hours) and Dallas Hunt (Creeland). Both collections are fantastic and both interviews were a blast, so check out the show.
NEXT WEEK: We'll be doing a POETRY GIVEAWAY in conjunction with Nightwood and moorehype so check in with us!
Hey folks! Today's show features an interview with Kevin "K.R." Wilson. His recent novel, Call Me Stan, is historical fiction...except very different. Tune in and find out why. Locals take note, the book is available via Hamilton-based publisher Guernica Editions.
Hey folks! Had the pleasure of doing this interview with author and poet Amber McMillan. Her collection of short stories is called The Running Trees. Check it out!
Hey all! Things sound a little different today because cell reception was spotty and we switched to Zoom. I could see going that way permanently if I can afford a decent microphone…
It was nice to see my guest for a change, though! I had a great conversation with Daniel Scott Tysdal about his collection of short stories, Wave Forms and Doom Scrolls. Was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy.
Hey folks! Today’s guest is author and founder of the Zero Waste Collective, Tara McKenna. If you’re looking for ways to reduce the amount of waste in your life – or even if you’re just curious about it – tune in and pick up a copy of her book Don’t Be Trashy: A Practical Guide To Living With Less Waste and More Joy.
Today's show features poet Chris Banks. We discuss his collection Deepfake Serenade, which I enjoyed immensely. Hope you like the show
Hey all! As you probably know, a large portion of my guests are Canadian, with the occasional Canadian-adjacent author (with a Canadian publisher, formerly lived in Oshawa, whatever the case may be). Thanks to a keen publicist though, Mark Scarbrough‘s memoir, Bookmarked: How The Great Works of Western Literature F*cked Up My Life came my way. An interesting and entertaining read despite occasionally serious subject matter. Really had fun in this conversation. Hope you enjoy the show.
Hey everyone! Happy to say today’s guest is Margaret Nowaczyk. Margaret is a geneticist and writer in Hamilton. I first met her at the Pelee Island Book House retreat back in 2017. The workshops were with Margaret Atwood, so we took to calling Dr. Nowaczyk “Our Margaret” to differentiate…
Chasing Zebras: A Memoir of Genetics, Mental Health and Writing is excellent and available through Wolsak & Wynn.
Hey all! Today’s guest is Michael Harris. We discuss his fascinating new book All We Want: Building the Life We Cannot Buy. Apologies for the weird audio (well, weird compared to the usual) but we had to ad-lib after some tech problems! Enjoy the show.
Welcome to 2022. We’re kicking off the new year with Sabrina Benaim. Fun fact: she’s considered one of the “most viewed” poet-performers in the world (check out thisvideo…almost 10 million views!). Her new collection, I Love You, Call Me Back is out through Penguin Random House. It was a fun conversation and I hope you enjoy!
Hope you all had a great Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate!) and are looking forward to a good New Year. We can still have one, despite (gestures vaguely at the world), right?
This week's guest is Ceilidh Michelle. The Montreal-based author joins me to discuss Vagabond, a recollection of her time spent drifting and homeless in California. I am a big fan of the tone she strikes here; I feel as though I've tried to write similar things with much less success hahaha. It's a great book and I hope you enjoy our conversation!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone. If you’re looking for something to do, give today’s show a spin.
We talk with Amanda Deibert, a writer whose projects have included some really neat things (that's the literary term for it, you see). Her latest is a graphic novel adaptation of Eve Zaremba's novel Work For A Million. Check it out.
Hey all! Todays guest is author Mindi Hood, talking about her memoir Hear Me Roar: A Memoir. Tune in!
Hey folks! Today’s guest is broadcaster and author Ralph Benmergui. I first met Ralph in Hamilton’s Epic Books; when it came up that my novel was in stock, he bought it on the spot. So, I’m a fan. But I was already a fan, really; I can remember when he started up Friday night hosting duties on CBC TV. What a line-up of music that show had! The Look People were his house band for a time. That’s wild to me.
Anyway, the book is a spiritual memoir calledI Thought He Was Dead and it’s as inspiring as it is enlightening so check it out. Hope you enjoy the show.
Good day everyone! This week’s guest is author Judith McCormack. We talk about her latest novel, The Singing Forest.
Seriously, folks.
This episode marks the fifth anniversary of GET LIT.
I never thought when I started (first broadcast Nov 24 2016, with Gary Barwin) that I'd keeping doing it this long. Reading this much is a lot of work but it's work I've been happy to do. I appreciate everyone who's been along for this - listeners, authors, publicists, supporters. Another five? I don't know, but I also don't see an end in sight at this time.
Today's guest is Stephen Dale, here to talk about his latest non-fiction book Shift Change: Scenes from a Post-Industrial Revolution. Tune in!
Today’s guest is Sophie McCreesh! The Toronto author joins Get Lit to talk about her debut novel, Once More, With Feeling.
We also have a quick chat with long-time friend of the show Jennifer Gillies about the upcoming fall program for Hamilton’s GritLitReaders & Writers Festival (note: it’s all online so no matter where you are, if you like the program, you can be a part of it!)
Today we talk to Jaclyn Desforges about her new collection, Danger Flower. It’s great, by the way (the book not the show, though the show’s swell, too).
Also joining us is Kate DeJonge, here to talk about the upcoming Hamilton Book Crawl and more. Listen in!
Hey folks! Great show today, despite some Saskatchewan weather-related tech issues. Award-winning author Guy Vanderhaeghe joins me to talk about his newest, the best-selling August Into Winter. Make sure you check it out!
Hey folks! Today Michelle Berry‘s back on the show. We discuss her latest novel, Everything Turns Away. Visit her bookstore, too!
Hey folks! For much of the show’s run I’ve been corresponding with Nathaniel G Moore, who works in part as a literary publicist. Kinda cool, then, to have him on to talk about his writing – specifically the compilation Honorarium: Essays 2001 – 2021. Hope you enjoy the show.
Today we talk with former CFMU producer/host ("Soundtracks"), filmmaker ("Lucky Seven") and now author ("When The Luck Runs Dry") Stephen Hayes. I enjoyed this one not only because I know the guy, but because we were able to discuss the challenges, differences, and benefits of adapting your own screenplay into fiction. Maybe I can get Tarantino on the show next?
Hi folks, happy October! Today we talk with author and producer Catherine Fogarty about her book, Murder On The Inside: The True Story of the Deadly Riot at Kingston Penitentiary. Check out the show.
Hey all! This week we talk with David Giuliano. His novel is called The Undertaking of Billy Buffone. Recommended. Enjoy the chat!
Hey all! This week I had the pleasure of talking with Kathleen Winter once again. Her newest, Undersong, is available now!
Though I have no details yet, I’m scheduled to host an online event with Kathleen on Oct 18…stay tuned for details!
Hey everyone! Today's interview is with author and former Hamilton Spectator reporter Denise Davy. Her book Her Name Was Margaret is a look at the life of a houseless woman in Hamilton and a brief history of psychiatric care in Canada. A very compelling read. Tune in!
Hi folks! The excellent Dorothy Ellen Palmer is back this week. We’re discussing her new novel, an incredibly original take on Holmes – Wiggins: Son of Sherlock. Hope you enjoy.
Somehow it’s already September and fall book season is almost upon us. Make sure you check in with us every week! This week’s interview is with author Tara Gereaux, discussing her latest novel, Saltus.
Hey all! On vacation with with bad Wifi so quickly: Katherine Ashenburg! Talking about her latest, Her Turn. Tune in!
Hey folks! Had a great conversation with author Rachel Rose about her collection of short stories, The Octopus Has Three Hearts. I hope you enjoy the show.
Hey all! Earlier this week I posted an interview with Joe Ollmann to the pods, about his last graphic novel, the incredible Abominable Mr. Seabrook. Today we talk about his newest one, Fictional Father, which is extremely different but equally superb. Also, the file name spells his name wrong (it’s correct above). (I said that like the file name did the spelling. It did not. It was me. I goofed.)
Hope you enjoy!
Hey folks! Today’s guest is author Rahela Nayebzadah. We discuss her powerful novel Monster Child. Hope you enjoy!
Another archive, recorded some years ago. I spoke with Shanthi Sakaran about her novel, Lucky Boy.
Out of the archives! Former Hamiltonian Marnie Woodrow talks about her excellent book Heyday.
Hey folks! Today we’re talking with poet Terence Young about his collection Smithereens. Hope you enjoy!
Hi folks! Today’s episode features an interview with author Sofi Papamarko. Her collection Radium Girl is great, so check it out and give us a listen!
Hi everyone, hope you’re still having a great summer – and catching up on reading. Today’s guest is Michelle Butler Hallett. Her latest novel is Constant Nobody, one of my favourite reads so far this summer. Tune in to hear us talk all about it!
Hey all! This week we have a chat with Genevieve Graham, lover of historical fiction and author of Letters Across the Sea. Listen in!
Today we talk with bestselling author Craig Taylor. We’ll discuss what went into the creation of his newest book, New Yorkers: A City and Its People In Our Time. Tune in.
Hey everyone! My pal David Lee joins us today. Author, musician, Ornette Coleman biographer, chainsaw expert…fella wears many hats. Today we talk about the second book in his Midnight Games series, The Medusa Deep.
Today we talk to renaissance man Stacey Case about Who’s the Man? Billy Van! Stacey was the proprietor of Hamilton’s Billy Van museum, and worked with author Greg Oliver on this in-depth bio of the Canadian performer (and, of course, star of Hamilton’s legendary Hilarious House of Frightenstein).
Hey folks! Today we talk with author Glenn Dixon. I truly enjoyed Bootleg Stardust - especially for the musical elements, which is kind of right up my alley (I mean, Almost Famous is one of my favourite movies. And I've worked in the music biz / music biz-adjacent for, uh...a long time). Enjoy.
Hey everyone! Join us this week as we talk to Hamilton-based author Rufus Hickok. His book is The Paris Bureau: How a Brooklyn Journalist Survived Jazz Age Paris with Help from Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound and his Family, and that title explains it all. Very interesting stuff – enjoy!
Join us today for an interview with poet Rob Winger. We discuss his newest collection, It Doesn’t Matter What We Meant.
Hey all! Tune in for our conversation with Patricia Robertson. Her thought- provoking collection Hour of the Crab is also well worth your time. Enjoy!
What can I say about Gary Barwin? Amazing author and poet, entertaining reader, fellow Hamiltonian, and the first-ever guest on GET LIT! Gary’s newest novel, Nothing The Same, Everything Haunted: The Ballad of Motl the Cowboy, is something else (in the best possible way). Read it, and check out our conversation about it on today’s episode.
Hey all! We’re back to poetry today and chatting with Rebecca Salazar. Her new collection is sulphurtongue, and it’s superb. Was going to squeeze two interviews into one show, but once Rebecca and I got talking, it was too interesting to cut short. Check it out.
Just added! My first interview with Sean Michaels, before he'd even won the Giller, I believe. Us Conductors is still one of my favourite books of the last several years. Enjoy.
Alexandra Morton is a scientist, author and activist living on the coast of B.C. Not On My Watch is a disturbing look at salmon fisheries and what they do to the environment (and, by extension, it's about just how much our governments favor dollars over...I dunno, life, I guess). Angering, but in a good way? Hope you enjoy today's show.
Hey folks! Kliph Nesteroff is our guest this week. Kliph has done campus radio, worked for the CBC, been a stand-up comedian, and even published a remarkable blog about comedy history.
Kliph was born in B.C. (where I first met him) but now lives in L.A. His first book, The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels and the History of American Comedy, has done exceptionally well and is a fabulous read. So is his latest, We Had A Little Real Estate Problem: The Unheralded Story of Native Americans and Comedy.
As a white settler, Kliph isn't super keen on speaking for indigenous folks. In the book he handles this extremely well, but on the publicity circuit, he hasn't always been comfortable. To that end, I've included a second interview with comedian Jon Roberts, who appears in the book. We talk about his career, Kliph's book, and more. Hope you enjoy!
Hey all! So many reasons to listen to today’s show! The incredible Eden Robinson is here to talk about the final book in her Tricker trilogy, Return of the Trickster. I had a lot of fun the last time we spoke, and we laughed even more this time. Tune in!
So, first off, some news about me for a change. My novel RIVER, DIVERTED has been scheduled for fall 2022 thanks to the good peoples (read: Aimee) at Palimpsest Press! Super excited and can't wait to share more info as it comes.
Today we have our annual catch-up with Jennifer Gillies from the GritLit Readers & Writers' Festival. We talk about this year's fest, coming up April 15 - 18. Remember, it's all digital this year, so if something appeals to you, you don't have to be in the Hamilton area to get there :D
It was my great pleasure to have Krista Fosson the program this week. Krista’s a wonderful author and one of the first lovely folks I ever met on the Hamilton lit scene. Krista’s new novel Half Life is great. Hope you enjoy our conversation.
There are so many great books by Hamiltonians this spring. It’s kind of unbelievable (or should I say, I totallybelieve it? I don’t know). One of my favourites is Kill the Mall by Pasha Malla. It’s a very unique, highly unusual and even more highly entertaining work. Pasha joins me today to discuss!
A few weeks ago I got to chat with award-winning author Mary Lawson, on the phone from her home in the U.K. If you haven't read her newest, A Town Called Solace, I highly recommend you do! Check out today's show to learn more about her and the book. Be well, everyone :D
Hey folks! Today we talk with the incredible Amanda Leducabout her (also incredible) new novel The Centaur’s Wife. What we didn’t have time to talk about was the interesting information about the book's accessibility. For more on that, visit here.
It’s only been a few months since Hamilton author Brent Van Staalduinenwas on the show. His second novel in a row is already in the world.Nothing But Life is a really great YA novel that has the depth to appeal to everyone. Tune in!
Also: at his launch last week Brent asked attendees to support Kids Help Phone. If you want to help, or learn more, go here.
Dig!
Posting an archive! This show features my pal and fellow Hamilton music enthusiast Andrew Baulcomb, talking about his music history/memoir, Evenings and Weekends. Enjoy!
Today’s guest is Kelly S. Thompson. Her memoir Girls Need Not Apply is a compelling look at her years in the Canadian military. We had a great talk and I hope you enjoy both the book and the show!
Fun fact: if you’re checking it out on release day (Thursday, in this case the 25th of February) Kelly will be hosting the book launch for Hamilton’s Brent Van Staaduinen. Tonight!
Today’s show is a special one for me because G.A. Grisenthwaite (also known as Gord) is a friend. I first met him at the Pelee Island Book House retreat five years ago. Margaret Atwood gave the workshops, and I remember how enthusiastic she was about Gord’s work. Gord is Nłeʔkepmx, a member of the Lytton First Nation, and Home Waltz focuses on an extraordinary weekend in the life of a Nłeʔkepmx teenager in the 1970s.
Full disclosure: I was lucky enough to have done the substantive edit on this novel so I was extra excited to have Gord on the show. Enjoy!
Hey folks! Today’s guest is Susan Sanford Blades. We had a great chat about her novel, Fake It So Real. Hope you enjoy it too!
Today we speak with Dustin Cole about his debut novel, Notice, available via Nightwood Editions. Enjoy!
Hey all! Hope you’re all well and reading all the fantastic releases already trickling out this year. I am beyond excited to share conversations with some fantastic authors in the next few weeks.
This week we talk with poet (and former Poet Laureate) John Steffler. His latest collection is entitled And Yet. Enjoy.
Hey everyone! Today’s show features U of T professor and author Mark Kingwell. His book On Riskis unintentionally timely (despite the mask on the cover, it wasn’t started in relation to the pandemic) and an interesting meditation on the concept of risk and its distribution. Enjoy!
Hey folks! Today's show features poet and author Jenna Butler. Her book is the kind of book that makes doing Get Lit so enjoyable (oh who am I kidding, they all make it enjoyable) because it's the kind of book I might not pick up on my own. I didn't know I was interested in bees until I had to read a book about bees! That book, Revery: A Year Of Bees is an excellent, interesting read. Enjoy the program.
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you managed to eke out a satisfying holiday season.
Kicking off 2021 with a very special interview. I had the chance to talk to Lorna Crozier about her memoir Through The Garden: A Love Story (with Cats). Lorna is a remarkable poet and author, an Officer of the Order of Canada, and from my brief experience, a lovely human being. Through the Garden chronicles her life and life during her late husbandPatrick Lane‘s illness and tragic passing (I was lucky enough to speak with him before he passed, you can hear it here).
Wanted to say HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone out there. Thank you so much for listening. I hope 20201 brings you joy.
Today’s guest is my friend, writer Jessica Rose, here to discuss Reclaiming Hamilton: Essays From The New Ambitious City Check it out!
Merry Merry and Happy Happy to everyone out there in lit land. Our weekly show lands on Christmas Eve, so you might not get around to it quite yet, but if you’re looking for something to do between the holidays, we’ve got you covered.
Our guest to day is Catherine Bush, discussing her latest novel, Blaze Island. I hope you enjoy!
This week we talk with Jonas Hassen Khemiri, whose recent novel The Family Clause was nominated for the National Book Award in Sweden. He chats with us from his home in Stockholm. The book is available in English translation via House of Anansi. Enjoy!
Today’s guest is Kerry Clare, discussing her new novel Waiting For A Star To Fall. After the requisite jokes about the songof the same name being stuck in my head, we had a wonderful chat about the book. I hope you enjoy.
Hi everyone! Something a little different today. We chat with Kathryn Nicolai, writer and host of the Nothing Much Happens podcast, which has had about a squillion downloads (no, really, hundreds of millions). We discuss the idea of writing a story with very little story, word choices, mindfulness and more. Tune in!
It's official: as my first show aired Nov 24, 2016, today's show is officially Season Five, Episode One!
That's bananas, as far as I'm concerned.
We kick it off with poet and musician Rasiqra Revulva, talking about her collection Cephalopography 2.0. Hope you dig!
Today’s show sounds a little different. A while back I had the honor of hosting the book launch for Boy, by Hamilton author Brent van Staalduinen. It was, of course, online, so what you’re hearing is a reading, my questions, and some questions posed by people in the virtual audience.
You’ll notice that my voice is the one that sounds phoned-in for a change! Sadly we had to edit out some great performances by Elisa Arsenault, due to legal nonsense (i.e. Soundcloud would shut it down – but hey, check out her bandcamp page here!) Enjoy this week’s show.
Today’s guest is the excellent Anne Stone, talking about her exciting new novel Girl Minus X. Hope you enjoy!
I’m excited about today’s guest, Annabel Lyon, with whom I had a wonderful conversation a few weeks ago. Her latest, Consent, was long-listed for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Enjoy the show!
This week’s guest is poet Lauren Turner. We talk about her excellent collection The Only Card In A Deck Of Knives, out through Wolsak & Wynn! Hope you enjoy
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!
Hey all! Hope you had a good Thanksgiving if you celebrate such. I actually have a writerly announcement to make for once! I’ve been asked to participate in the Brockton Writers Series on Wednesday Nov. 11. Normally based out of Toronto’s Glad Day Book Shop, this one will obviously be online. I’ll get more information out as it approaches.
Today’s guest is Kristyn Dunnion, who joins us to talk about her great new collection of short stories, Stoop City. Hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Hey everyone! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving weekend. Be safe and be careful but enjoy it.
On today’s program we talk to Shaena Lambert about her new novel, Petra. I had a lot of fun in the conversation and I hope you have some listening to it!
Hey folks! Today’s show features poet James Lindsay. We talk about his latest collection, Double Self-Portrait.
Quite note, soon to be obsolete: if you’re interested in attending an online book launch for Brent Van Staalduinen’s BOY, it’s tonight, Oct 1, at 7 pm. Just visit www.brentvanstaalduinen.com for info! Hosted by me.
Hope everyone out there is doing well! Today’s show features author Dennis Bock. His new novel, The Good German, was released this month. Margaret Atwood described it as “A cunning, twisted, compelling tale of deeply unexpected consequences.” I can’t describe it better than that! Enjoy the show.
I’m not entirely sure how this happened, but we are on episode 200!
It’s fitting that we have something a little different this week. It’s not a novel or a non-fiction book or a chapbook or a poetry collection. It’s Forever Terry: A Legacy in Letters, a collection of letters celebrating the life, dedication and heroism of Terry Fox, on the 40th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope. I was privileged to speak with his brother, Darrell Fox, who acted as editor on this unique book. All proceeds from the book go to support the Terry Fox Foundation. This year’s Terry Fox Run is, like most things these days, virtual. If you’re listening on or before the 20th of September, 2020, you can go hereto support or find out more.
Welcome to the autumn, folks! Hope it hasn’t been too bad where you are (the week has been grey here, which…isn’t…helpful?)
Today’s guest is author Mark Sampson. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Mark (however slightly) and it was fun to talk to him again on Get Lit. His novel, All The Animals On Earth, is available now from the good folks at Wolsak & Wynn. Enjoy!
Today’s guest is Jeff Rubin, former economist and best-selling author. We talk about his latest, The Expendables: How The Middle Class Got Screwed By Globalization. Enjoy!
Jowita Bydlowska gained fame and a bit of notoriety with her memoir Drunk Mom. Her hilarious (yet also pointed and critical) novel, Guy, is available through Hamilton’s Wolsak and Wynn!
If you’re doing a Hamilton-based literary show/podcast, you have to talk to Noelle Allen. Wolsak and Wynn is the city’s premiere independent publisher and it was a pleasure to talk to Noelle about the house. There's also a reading from David Lee on this one. This show's from the early times back in Dec 2016!
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!
Hey folks! This week we talk with UK author Maggie O’Farrell. Her latest novel is Hamnet & Judith, and it’s a fictionalization of events in the life of William Shakespeare. Even those who don’t think they’d be interested should check it out, it’s likely different than you think! Cheers everyone, be well – jt
This week's show features author Aislinn Hunter. Great conversation - one of those sessions where after the mics were off, we just kept talking. Aislinn's superb novel The Certainties is available now. Enjoy!
Hey folks! Okay so here’s the thing: I’ve done 193 shows without missing a week. I’m proud of that (hey, I need something) but this summer has been difficult due to, well, 2020. So when I was not able to get an interview in time for this week’s show – despite having 3 or 4 books read in advance – I decided to fashion something different to fill the space.
Today’s show features a long reading from Brent van Staalduinen. He reads from his novel Saints, Unexpected, captured at a LitLive event in 2016. His next, Boy, comes out in a couple months so stay tuned for info!
Also on the show, previously aired readings from other good folks – David Baillie, Aleksandar Hemon and Chris Bailey. Also, sorry it’s all boys. Next time I’ll balance it out