Recent Events & Book Love
Dear Fellow Dreamer,
I hope your summer has been wonderful. Today, I’m sending you an old-fashioned newsletter—simply sharing highlights from a month when I often unplugged, wrote and edited poetry, and spent hours in a little garden. Recently, I’ve been carving out time for emerging fiction: a new long-haul project that will keep me busy for a while. I also took part in local literary events and read a few books, which I’ll tell you about…
One of the things I’ve been reflecting on lately is how many writers I know who work as helpers—educators, mentors, coaches, healers, editors, promoters, caregivers, and so on. And why not? We are multi-dimensional beings. Why should any of us be limited to just one role? Part of the wonder of living a fulfilled life is learning to honour the wishes of the soul, one’s creative calling, while also making use of a broader set of gifts and skills that likewise enrich the lives of others. It’s a dance. Learning this dance—a lifelong evolution—is an art in itself.
Indie Bookstores & Authors Make a Difference
Early in the month, at Ottawa’s Perfect Books, I got to attend a triple launch with readings by three fiction writers: Hollay Ghadery (Widow Fantasies, Gordon Hill Press), Christy Climenhage (The Midnight Project, Wolsak and Wynn), and Caitlin Galway (A Song for Wildcats, Dundurn Press). This cozy shop is famous for its intimate literary gatherings. At the launch, all the books and their authors sounded great. For me, one of the high points of the evening was meeting Hollay in person. I’d spoken with her on the phone before, and I’d read her powerful short story collection, Widow Fantasies, but not her book of poetry. So, I picked up a copy of Rebellion Box (Radiant Press)—in my queue for September. In addition to being a writer, Hollay is a prominent Canadian publicist and podcaster. You can find her on Substack at CanLit FanGirl. She’s also the mother of four growing children. Now that’s a dance.
Ottawa Chapbook Launch
Last week, upstairs at the Great Canadian Theatre Company, I had the honour of reading several of my poems at the launch of Laurie Koensgen’s new chapbook, this clingstone love (Pinhole Poetry). The whole evening was about making room for women’s voices. From a feminist perspective, Laurie’s latest collection explores life inside a long-term relationship. The poems are daring. Tender. Unsettling. Gorgeous. I’ve read the work more than once, and each time her writing leaves me astonished. One of the things that came home to me during the event was the importance of service and connection. We are relational beings. In addition to being an exquisite writer, through Laurie’s work as an arts educator and advocate, for many years, she has also been an active contributor to the Ottawa arts scene. The full house reflected not only the audience’s love of her poetry, which is estimable, but the fullness of Laurie’s character. During the presentations, I was also moved by the work of another poet, Nancy Huggett, whose writing earned the 2024 RBC PEN Canada New Voices Award. In her poems, Nancy often focuses on the complex journey of being a caregiver. A decade ago, when her intellectually disabled adult daughter survived a stroke, for Nancy’s family, life changed forever. Beyond conveying layers of a mother’s grief in her writing, Nancy also manages to delight in irony and find humour. Her nuanced observations point to life’s greater mysteries.
August Reading: A Few Novels by Friends Who—Yes—Do More than Write
1. The Body in the Reef (Kingsley Publishers)
I had fun picking up the latest book by author C. Fitton. Years ago, in a previous life, Fitton and I taught English together. Our friendship took off the day we realized that, as tweens and teens, we’d both been devoted Daphne du Maurier fans. Now, in addition to being a Ph.D.-track Shakespeare scholar, as well as a book reviewer on Instagram, an active parent, and the caregiving daughter of a nonagenarian, Fitton writes thrillers. She’s an expert at creating tension. Her novel, The Body in the Reef, kept me entertained and quickly turning pages. The premise: Four people go out on a boat, but only three come back. Was it a tragic accident or something more sinister? This book takes readers to a doomed cabin cruiser in the Florida Keys where the passengers all have secrets. I recommend it to anyone seeking a fast-paced, twisty escape. In the tradition of suspense genre fiction, you’re not meant to fall in love with the characters; but if you’re like me, you’ll be hooked by their disturbing circumstances and fascinated to see how things unravel. One aspect of Fitton’s writing that I especially enjoy is her dark sense of humour, peeking out along the bloodied edges. If you’re looking for a straight-up page-turner, order your copy here, just in time for the book’s August 30th release.
2. Chaos Magic (Kallisto Gaia Press)
This edgy (though light-enough-to-be-fun) feminist novel brought me a lot of pleasure. It’s by Jen Knox, whose Substack, The Resilient Creative, I recommend. When she’s not drafting fiction and essays, Jen works as a college teacher specializing in leadership studies and creative writing. She also teaches meditation. I first met her a couple of years ago when we did a reading together at the San Miguel Writers’ Conference in Mexico. Chaos Magic tells the story of Lissa, a domestic abuse survivor who is beaten so severely by her husband that she ends up in the hospital and later at an alternative retreat complex, and he ends up in jail. While ensconced at the controversial Lavender Center (“TLC,” with mixed reviews for its off-road therapies), Lissa begins her trauma-recovery journey by engaging in an array of holistic-healing modalities. Ultimately, she finds friendship and self-empowerment through the practice of witchcraft. With a new business partner, Lissa goes on to open a metaphysical shop called The Spirit House. As her story unfolds, she reconnects with the magic of who she really is. And was—before marriage to a bully took her down. The novel is filled with affirming messages and delightfully quirky characters, including Lissa’s rationally minded, psychologist mother who has her own way of solving problems. Yet when Lissa’s raging husband gets out of prison, things take a dark turn. The story is suspenseful, and it’s not without surprises. If you’re a fan of Alice Hoffman’s novels, I think you’ll enjoy Chaos Magic as much as I did.
3. The Hungry Sea (Out in the Barn Press)
Just this week I finished reading Jane Burns’s new novel, The Hungry Sea. I know Jane as a teacher of Celtic shamanism, and in fact, I’m about to embark on a year-long study with her. When we were discussing the training, she mentioned she’s a writer, too, and that her latest book had just launched. Right away, I had to read it. The novel tells the story of Tess Lynch, a woman devoted to shamanism and to illuminating the wisdom in Celtic mythology. Throughout her life, Tess has been content to stand apart and walk an unconventional path. But when she loses her ten-year-old son Declan in a tragic accident, she finds herself alone and in despair. Driven to seek a new community in a seaside town, Tess attempts to reach the spirit of her boy. Yet she can’t. Along the way, as the grief-stricken mother remains blocked in her efforts to find Declan and her own answers, ironically—when it comes to helping others—Tess’s powers of perception grow stronger . By means of her shamanic practice, she provides comfort and healing to those seeking guidance. New relationships unfold. And new discoveries. While reading The Hungry Sea, I found myself rooting for Tess, but also for the other characters who emerge with heart-rending struggles of their own. This gem of a story moved me deeply.
What’s one book you couldn’t put down this summer? Any genre. I’d love to hear from you.
What’s Ahead
A long weekend! I hope you have a great one.
Look for a September letter from me soon, when I’ll have new things to tell you about Awakening Wonder.
As always, I’m grateful for you. Thank you for being here.
Warmly,
Robin
