New Canadian Authors to Discover

My recent trip to the Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story in Bayfield and Wingham Ontario earlier this month was a treat.  Although I was only able to attend the sessions on Saturday I was not disappointed.  I heard one of my favourite Canadian voices as Ami McKay took the stage and delighted the audience with her process and a short selection from The Witches of New York.  McKay is fast becoming one of my favourite authors as I have been a fan since her debut novel The Birth House.  Her writing process and her interest in historical events, people and places gives her stories life and the connections to her own relatives is fascinating.  If you have not read McKay’s work yet, please do so because she is one of the best.

Further I was introduced to new voices including Sarah Meehan Sirk and her debut of short stories called The Dead Husband Project.  Please read my review of this brilliant new Canadian voice in the link.

In addition to Meehan Sirk, I was introduced to my first transgendered writer Casey Plett.  Plett is a new voice in Canadian literature and her novel, Little Fish tells the tale of a Wendy, who is transgendered coming back home only to learn that her grandfather may have also been transgendered.  Shockingly, the grandfather was from a devout Mennonite background at a time when transgendered would not have been discussed.  Plett offered the audience a little glimpse of her story (see picture above) and I was so intrigued as she started to tell Wendy’s story.  She writes with vivid candour and develops each character’s voice in a unique way.  I look forward to reading more of her work.  Casey was exceptionally gracious and kind as she signed books at the end of the panel.  Always a thrill for a bibliophile like me!

Lastly during the festival I was so fortunate to hear from established Canadian-Irish writer Emma Donoghue who was so funny and intriguing to listen to.  She had the audience captivated from her first word.  Although slated to read from The Wonder, her latest novel, she opted to instead read to us a hilarious story she had written for radio called The Road Taken (a nod to Robert Frost).  She did not fail in her delivery as the audience laughed out loud at the absurd tale of a mother harshly criticized on social media.  I will never hear the word (#) hashtag the same way again.  Donoghue’s commentary on social media and her insight into writing in general was refreshing and very inspiring.

Overall I am so happy that I took the solo road trip to the festival.  It was well worth my time and what I learned from each author was incredibly invaluable as not just a reader and writer, but as a teacher too.  I look forward to going to the Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story in 2019.

The Short Story and my love affair with famed Canadian author Alice Munro

I vividly remember my first look into the literary world of Alice Munro. I was in my first year of university at Brescia College in London, Ontario and my thoughtful professor had enough foresight to include The Lives of Girls and Women on the syllabus. That book was a wonder and changed how I read short stories forever.

For those who do not know about Alice Munro, you should. Most recently I introduced her flavourful writing style to my book club when we read Dear Life published in 2012. I have to admit, I was shocked many of these women who I admire greatly had never read anything by one of my favourite writers. How could this be? The average age of book club members is 65 and I was astonished she had been missed by these well-read women.

Munro is the kind of writer that has a unique voice. Her characters come alive in their simplicity and complicated lives. She writes equally in a woman’s voice or a man’s or a child’s for that matter. Not all writers can successfully pull that off. When I read stories by Munro I am transported to that place and time easily. She writes paying special attention to local colour, dialogue and setting as she tells each story. The details are memorable long after the book closes.

“His tan looked like pancake makeup, though it was probably all real. There was something theatrical about him altogether, tight and glittery and taunting. Something obscene about his skinniness and sweet, hard smile.”
-from the story Mischief from Who Do You Think You Are? (1978)

Munro is an author I have come to greatly admire as each of her books gets better and better with time. I have always appreciated the characters she creates in her stories. From my first meeting with Munro through her character Del in The Lives of Girls and Women to other characters like Flo and Rose who grappled with the realities and hardships of growing up. Munro was not afraid to write female characters who were challenging sexual stereotypes, engaging in risk-taking behaviour and really, enjoying an odyssey of self-discovery. This is most likely why her stories resonated with me in that first year English class.

As a Canadian, I also have a deep appreciation for the settings that Munro chooses in her stories. Some are just SO Canadian that I can feel like I’ve been there before. Some are reflective of small town Ontario while others venture into bigger cities like Toronto and Vancouver.

“Now there was a village. Or suburb, perhaps you could call it, because she did not see any Post Office or even the most uncompromising convenience store. The settlement lay four or five streets deep along the lake, with small houses strung close together on small lots. Some of them were undoubtedly summer places
— the windows already boarded up, as was always done for
winter season.”
-From Runaway published in 2004.

As much as I admire all of Alice Munro’s books I probably liked Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage the best. Published in 2001, this collection of nine stories is a work of literary art. Each character so uniquely different telling a story that is their own. The dialogue is sharp and quick-witted when called for. Her characters are described in minute detail: “…a woman with a high, freckled forehead and a frizz of reddish hair came into the railway station and inquired about shipping furniture. …Her teeth were crowded to the front of her mouth as if they were ready for an argument.” Amazing. I can see her now. As a reader who readily enjoys descriptive writing, Munro is a marvel.

One summer my family and I accidentally came across The Alice Munro Literary Gardens in her hometown of Wingham, Ontario. For a bibliophile like me, this was like seeing a rock star. All of her works were there with a beautiful small garden to wander through. Munro has also received numerous awards for her body of work and many of the attributes were on hand to view. She is a much celebrated and admired writer of my country.

As I close this blog post I credit Alice Munro for cultivating my love of the short story. It is not an easy feat as a writer to achieve a successful short story that is engaging and entertaining. Because of her, I have sought out short stories and discovered new authors along the way which is one of the best things about reading. I urge you to find an Alice Munro collection and read it. She is engaging, witty and writes with considerable depth and consideration. I hope you enjoy her as much as I do.

The Reluctant Reader

As the new school year begins I find myself preparing to face three classes of reluctant readers.  I am sure many of them will be feeling some anxiety and pressure as they enter my class for the first time this coming Tuesday.  They won’t be alone.

After three years away from a traditional classroom, I will be returning to a regular timetable, predictable hours and a steady prescribed curriculum.  I am nervous and anxious too!  However that being said, I am looking forward to connecting with my grade 10s and 12s who will be motivating me each day to get up and help them to find their writing and reading groove.

In my seventeen years of experience as a classroom teacher I have seen many changes especially when it comes to Ministry expectations and trends in education.  One thing that has not changed is the emphasis on reading and writing strategies; only the strategies have gotten smarter and better considering the teenage brain.  Research tells us that teenagers need sleep and a lot of it (9-10 hours a night) to function and pay attention in class.  For a classroom teacher and their students, the struggle is real.  I have to motivate and encourage those sleepyheads to read and write as early as 8:30 a.m.!  I’m in for a challenge because the students are already coming into the class with some pre-existing issues.  From self-esteem, to functional literacy skills and learning disabilities I will have my hands full.

A few strategies that I have picked up along the way are from author Marilyn Reynolds.  Reynolds first came to my attention at the beginning of my career as I was pursuing additional qualifications in Reading and Library.  Her approach to education is very refreshing as she has over 30 years’ experience working with at-risk youth.  Her book I Won’t Read and you Can’t Make Me: Reaching Reluctant Teen Readers published in 2004 is still relevant today.  Reynolds has helped me tremendously when working with both at-risk students and those who are unmotivated.

Some strategies she uses with success (and that I have adapted myself) include:

• Respecting students including their experiences, attitudes and choices regarding what they choose to read
• Helping students become accountable for their actions
• Practicing reading and writing each day

I found that all the above strategies are incredibly helpful but the respect piece is most important for classroom success.  In my years as a teacher I have learned that all these young people come from all walks of life and each person has their own story to tell (or not).  This influences what is available to read in class.

One of the strategies that I have implemented is to visit the library on a scheduled and predictable basis to refresh the book collection and change up our day-to-day scenery.  I have students who only gravitate to graphic novels while others ask for specific authors that reflect a particular demographic like Sister Souljah’s Midnight series.  Other students have asked for only non-fiction books like the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Series or yearly National Geographic Almanacs.  I have also included Reynolds series of novels that she wrote that are geared towards young people including titles like Telling and Love Rules.

Further I found that timely feedback is so important to a reluctant reader and writer.  Whether they have just finished their first journal entry or written a paragraph, my feedback is key.  Students also like to be read to no matter how old they are.  I will often choose a novel or non-fiction piece that we can read a little each day.

I had tremendous success several years ago when I chose to read the story of Steven Truscott to my class.  At the time we were studying In the Heat of the Night by John Ball and I wanted the students to see that injustice can happen at any time and to any person.  Real Justice: Fourteen and Sentenced to Death by Bill Swan was the perfect pick for that class at that time.  Because I was working with so many students who had experienced troubled times like an arrest, they could relate to story.  They were particularly outraged at the sentence Truscott received because of his age.  I heard many of them exclaim, “That’s my brother’s age!” or “I was fourteen when I was accused of…”  We followed up the unit with some media footage of Truscott who was acquitted 48 years later.

As I get ready to merge back into the classroom I hope to implement some if not all of these strategies with my three classes.  The appeal to make it through the doors each morning with acceptance, respect and a treasure trove of reading materials that they may learn to love.

 

Some have Disney World. I have The Library Hotel.

Customs officer:  “Anything to declare Miss?”  Me:  “Just books.  Mountains and mountains of books.”

“Book lovers never go to bed alone…” is the tag line for the amazing Library Hotel.  I had the thrill of visiting their NYC location in March.  I wanted to do something spectacular and memorable for my milestone birthday.  And what better way to celebrate (for me!) than to visit this beautiful boutique hotel in Midtown Manhattan.  From the planning stages to the booking stage, I was pumped.  This small hotel boasted rooms organized by the Dewey Decimal system along with many other perks like a 24/7 Reading Room and fresh continental breakfasts served each morning.  The staff was delightful and so helpful as my husband and I organized our few days away.  We wanted to make the most of NYC while we were there.

Although both of us had previously visited NYC, it had been a while.  The hotel was thoughtful providing weather forecasts each evening for the next day, turn-down service and little touches like a card for my birthday with truffles.  Another perk of the hotel was the offer of FREE BOOKS in the lobby while we were guests there.  Although the copies were advanced editions, it was a unique perk of the hotel.

We were close to many places and favoured to walk as the weather had yet to turn to the nasty snow storm.  As we explored the city we found little book shops tucked away, the New York Public Library, The Strand Bookstore and Grand Central Station.  The streets were clean and the people friendly as I had remembered.  It wasn’t Las Vegas or any other spectacular holiday destination like Disney World but as a book lover, it was incredible!

We stayed in the Communication Room which housed its own library of books to read.  In my feature photo for this post, many of those books are photographed.  The rooms are small but cosy and we would read in our room or move into the Reading Room just to relax and unwind after a day exploring this iconic city.

Now let’s get to the books!  At the time of our trip I was reading Opening Heaven’s Door: What the Dying May Be Trying to Tell Us About Where They’re Going by Patricia Pearson. Certainly a heavy subject on a birthday holiday but it happened to be my book club’s pick for the month.  I found snippets of time to squeeze in chapters here and there.  I did like the book as it was well researched while connecting it to the author’s own personal experiences with death.  I certainly feel more educated about near-death-experiences (NDE) and how both secular and religious people can open their minds to experience what happens after we die.  From a personal perspective I witnessed much of what the author was exploring as my own father faced his final days in hospice three years ago.  The book offered me some comfort as I looked back on that sorrowful time yet I imagine this book is not for everyone as some of the nonagenarians in my book club opted; understandably; not to read the book.

As we prepared to leave my idea of paradise on a snowy March morning, I left without regret.  The Hotel Library was one of the most inviting hotels I have ever stayed in.  For all you book lovers like me, it is a must-see.  I look forward to visiting again or exploring one of their other locations around the globe.