A WRITER'S LIFE

I had such an enjoyable conversation with Gabriele Goldstone about her novel Waltraut.

We talked about Waltraut, a young girl growing up in Canada between two cultures, and what it means to want to fit in while still carrying the language, traditions, and history of your family. We also touched on immigration in the 1960s and today, the lingering effects of the Second World War on the next generation, and the stories our parents pass down—sometimes without even realizing it.

And, of course, we had a few laughs over some wonderfully funny German words.

Waltraut is a warm, honest story about identity, belonging, family, and a young girl figuring out where she fits in the world—with plenty of hope along the way. https://heritagehouse.ca/products/waltraut  https://a.co/d/02amJwys https://www.gabrielegoldstone.com/p/home-page.html https://www.instagram.com/gabrielegoldstone/

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How do addiction and memoir writing intersect? In this episode, we sit down with Erin Steele, author of Sunrise Over Half-Built Houses, as she shares how her eclectic upbringing, personal battles, and vivid memories shaped her writing journey.

Erin reflects on identity, compassion, and the stigma of addiction, offering a fresh perspective on trauma, vulnerability, and the cycles of life choices. She opens up about the delicate balance of honesty and privacy in memoir writing, revealing the cathartic power of storytelling to transform isolation into connection.

Erin Steele is a writer, low-key philosopher and insatiably curious explorer of life. She writes On Being Human on Substack, is a 2022 Writing by Writersfellow and has been published in Human Parts by Medium. She currently lives in Kelowna, BC, Canada, where she studies all limbs of yoga, runs long distances on trails and nerds out on nature—particularly when the arrowleaf balsamroot explodes the hills yellow. Sunrise over Half-Built Houses is her first book.

https://www.instagram.com/erinsteelewrites/

https://caitlinpress.com/Contributors/S/Steele-Erin

https://erinsteele.com

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Curious how family stories shape a writer's voice? Join us with  Linda Quennec as we explore her novel Fishing for Birds. Influenced by her grandmother’s life and British Columbia’s coast, Linda's work reflects her rich heritage. She shares her journey from student to writer, inspired by family tales and classic stories.

We'll discuss the highs and lows of writing, from rejection to creating memorable characters like Kate, Nora, and Rachel. Linda also talks about tackling themes of grief and how her academic background influences her writing. If you’re into writing or love a great story, this episode is packed with insights.

https://www.lindaquenneccounselling.com

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https://a.co/d/8gD2Dkw

https://www.inanna.ca/product/fishing-birds/

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Barbara Black’s newest book, Little Fortified Stories, published by Caitlin Press in 2024, is now available in stores. In this episode, Barbara delves into her creative process and shares how a literary workshop in Lisbon, complete with port wine and tiny notebooks, inspired this compelling collection of microfiction and flash fiction.

We explore how memory influences creativity, examining how experiences that feel like amnesia can play a crucial role in storytelling. Barbara, a versatile artist whose talents span writing, editing, and performance, has journeyed from North Vancouver’s natural beauty to the stages of classical and jazz music. Her work includes acclaimed poetry and fiction, alongside recent projects like a song cycle based on the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

Barbara’s artistic spirit extends to her garden, where she finds a blend of order and chaos that mirrors her writing. 

https://barbarablack.ca
https://www.facebook.com/barbarablackwriter
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https://www.instagram.com/bblackwrites/
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/barbara-black?list=about

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 Fantasy is fun to write and creating magic is so fabulous! Tara Gilboy is the author of Unwritten and the sequel Rewritten  published by Jolly Fish Press. Tara spills the beans about her writing journey and she has great tips on how to write fantasy.

https://taragilboy.com/for-kids/

https://a.co/d/1DwZMbz

https://www.facebook.com/taragilboy.Unwritten/

https://twitter.com/taramgilboy?

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17243098.Tara_Gilboy

https://darlingaxe.com/

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So much fun with Michelle Barker! We spoke about her life as a writer, and she has an incredible amount of insight about writing and editing. I loved reading her latest novel My Long List of Impossible Things  published by  Annick Press 2019. A brilliant historical YA that asks: how do you choose between survival and doing the right thing?

https://a.co/d/8gpdff7

https://michellebarker.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/MichelleBarkerAuthor/

https://www.annickpress.com/Contributors/B/Barker-Michelle

https://www.siwc.ca/presenters/barker-michelle/

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If you love BC history you'll love hearing this interview with Jennifer L.  Butler. Jennifer is the great-granddaughter of Mame and Duke Wastell, who bought and named Telegraph Cove in 1912. 

Butler's book Boom & Bust: The Resilient Women of Historic Telegraph Cove, published by TouchWood Edition truly is a treasure, and  a must  read. Jennifer and I spoke about some of her many fascinating jobs, life in Telegraph Cove, and so much more.   

https://www.touchwoodeditions.com/
https://jenniferlbutlerauthor.com/
https://www.amazon.ca/Boom-Bust-Resilient-Historic-Telegraph/dp/1771512989
https://www.amazon.ca/Boom-Bust-Resilient-Historic-Telegraph/dp/1771512989

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I loved talking with Barbara Black, author of Music from a Strange Planet, a striking and genre-bending short story collection published by Caitlin Press.

We talked about music, puppets, favourite books, creativity, and the unexpected places stories can come from. Barbara also reads from the collection and shares some of the ideas and influences behind her work. It’s a warm and thoughtful conversation about imagination, storytelling, and the curious things that find their way onto the page.

https://www.barbarablack.ca/
https://www.instagram.com/bblackwrites/
https://www.facebook.com/barbarablackwriter
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSf6wfF1zx0-GbnPcZSK8vQ
https://caitlin-press.com/our-books/music-from-a-strange-planet/

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Eufemia Fantetti,  was a delight to talk with, and what fun we had .
We spoke about life in Italy, cultural differences, and mental illness.  Eufemia talked about what it was like for her to write her  second book My Father, Fortune-tellers & Me: A Memoir  released by Mother Tongue Publishing, in 2019.   

https://www.eufemiafantetti.com

https://twitter.com/eufemiafantetti?lang=en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuSvRhwUS44&t=1s

http://www.mothertonguepublishing.com/page31/2019-new-books.html

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I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Holly Anna Rose.  We had a lovely conversation about writing,  she spoke about her writing process, and I was amazed at her story telling skill. I have a new favourite author! If you would like a copy of her story 'The Girl of Peace'  by donation, for the SPCA,  please email Holly's mom.  

[email protected]

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