FEATURING NEW WORKS FREE FROM ALBERTA, SASKATCHEWAN, #78 | Spring/Summer 2021 prairiebooksnow.ca AND MANITOBA

you’ll also find: inside Métis road trip tale shows snapshot Un recueil qui rétablit le rapport New books by of everyday life in late 1800s de force dans les discussions sur la richard nisha Short story collection picks up sexualité et les relations / Poetry van camp patel where Annie Muktuk left off collection aims to take back power in discussing sexuality, relationships Master’s thesis spins into 70 stories of Jewishness And more online exclusives on our new website, prairiebooksnow.ca! One-man drama brings ‘the singing miner’ through disaster to life Tale of a touching gift passed on Publications Mail Agreement Number 40023290 to a new refugee family turns into Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Association of Manitoba Book Publishers WILLIAM AU PHOTOGRAPHY MATTHEW JAMESWEIGEL picture book 404–100 Arthur Street, Winnipeg, MB R3B 1H3 Text and Context spring The Operative Word Richard Greenblatt 2021 An invaluable handbook for script work and directing in the theatre, based on REPRESENTED BY THE CANADIAN MANDA GROUP original techniques developed by actor/ DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS director/playwright Greenblatt. www.jgshillingford.com 978-1927922-73-6, $22.95 Our Ghosts The Society For The Destitute Sally Stubbs Presents Titus Bouffonius Inspired by the mysterious disappearance of the Colleen Murphy playwright’s pilot father, Our Ghosts is at once an investigative tale, a testament to the tenacity of a wife Five characters use bouffon clown technique determined to uncover the truth, and a daughter’s and Shakespeare’s bloodiest play to take an journey toward learning to live with her ghosts. unflinching look at war, rage and grief. 978-1927922-75-0, $15.95 978-1927922-77-4, $15.95 Two Indians Beneath Springhill Falen Johnson The Maurice Ruddick Story Cousins Win and Roe meet in a Toronto Beau Dixon alley to recreate a ceremony from their The incredible story of Maurice Ruddick, an African-Canadian who survived nine childhood… but first they’ll have to come days underground during the historic to terms with their past. Springhill mining disaster of 1958. 978-1927922-74-3, $15.95 978-1927922-76-7, $15.95

new titles for spring 2021

raye caroline lori James anderson Wong cayer scoles 978-1773240-88-6 978-1773240-06-2 978-1773240-91-6 978-1773240-87-9 $17.95 $17.95 $17.95 $17.95 78spring/ summer 2021

On the Cover: She Who Stands Tall by Christi Belcourt is on the cover of Mother Earth Plants for Health and Beauty: Indigenous Plants, Traditions, and Recipes by Carrie Armstrong (page 26)

You Look Good for Your Age 21

Handwringers11 Primal18 Sketches

PUBLISHER FEATURE POETRY 40 Turnstone Press turns 45, stays true to its roots: Focus on 14 Permanent Carnival Time by Colin Smith poetry, Prairie writers guides Manitoba publisher Playfulness and wit woven with self-deprecation, and a call to action: Colin Smith examines typos, chronic illness, FICTION and the Winnipeg General Strike 5 Jude and Diana by Sharon Robart-Johnson 15 Coconut by Nisha Patel Fiction draws from facts of slaves’ lives for sake of Collection marks moment poet moved hobby to centre accuracy: Sharon Robart-Johnson tells of sensational stage: Nisha Patel hopes to help South Asian writers speak murder trial in Nova Scotia their truths 6 Hour of the Crab by Patricia Robertson 18 Primal Sketches by Caroline Wong Short story collection challenges everyday reality, ‘Journeys are acts of expectation’ in Caroline Wong’s new comfort levels: Patricia Robertson’s stories have sharp collection: Wong reflects on echoes of Li Po and Li Qing Zhao political edges 9 Seasons Between Us: Tales of Identities and Memories DRAMA edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law 19 Beneath Springhill: The Maurice Ruddick Story What is a life well lived? Anthology seeks the answer: by Beau Dixon Speculative fiction stories and poems serve as a collection One-man drama brings ‘the singing miner’ through of moments disaster to life: Beau Dixon discovered common threads 11 Handwringers by Sarah Mintz between himself and historical figure Master’s thesis spins into 70 stories of Jewishness: Project FEATURE: FIRST NATIONS, INUIT, AND MÉTIS turned into outpouring of stories for Sarah Mintz 22 Gather: Richard Van Camp on Storytelling by ANTHOLOGY Richard Van Camp 21 You Look Good for Your Age: An Anthology edited Storytelling insights pair with tales from Elders in by Rona Altrows prolific writer’s first non-fiction book: ‘I promise they Collection springs from reflections on offhand remark: will swoon your spirit and heart,’ Van Camp says of Rona Altrows wanted to hear from women in their fifth stories he collected to tenth decades of life 23 awâsis – kinky and dishevelled by Louise B. Halfe – Sky Dancer Fifth poetry collection from Halfe is fresh, pure fun: New editions of two previous collections to be published this year as well

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 3 45 The Doll

Le dore de 34 Saint-Laurent Glass Bricks 49

24 Road to La Prairie Ronde by Cort Dogniez, illustrated YOUNG ADULT & CHILDREN by Jade McDougall 43 Anna Analyst by Patti Edgar Métis road trip tale shows snapshot of everyday life in late Tortoises support transition to middle school in tale about 1800s: Frederick, based on author’s grandfather, anchors maturity: Patti Edgar drew on old interest in handwriting coming-of-age story for character of Anna 25 Tainna (The Unseen Ones) by Norma Dunning 44 The Life and Deaths of Frankie D. and Teaching Mrs. Muddle Short story collection picks up where Annie Muktuk by Colleen Nelson left off: Dunning pokes at perceptions of Inuit who live Nelson stretches into two genres new to her with pair of outside the North releases: Dreams of carnival sideshow in YA fantasy novel, 26 Mother Earth Plants for Health and Beauty: Indigenous and children’s book about first day of school Plants, Traditions, and Recipes by Carrie Armstrong 45 The Doll by Nhung N. Tran-Davies Medicine Wheel teachings from workshops, business Tale of a touching gift passed on to a new refugee come together into a book: Full-colour photographs and family turns into picture book: Doll originally given to personal insights complement plant wisdom Tran-Davies became part of museum exhibit 27 Nîpin by Cam Robertson 46 Baba’s Babushka: Magical Ukrainian Adventures by Cree language book a resource for both teachers, parents Marion Mutala, illustrated by Amber Rees, Wendy to learn syllabics: Robertson focuses on memorable, simple Siemens, and Olha Tkachenko phrases that can be passed on to others Award-winning series comes together in one NON-FICTION adventuresome volume: Mutala draws inspiration from grandparents, who immigrated to Saskatchewan 33 Authorized Heritage: Place, Memory, and Historic Sites in 1911–12 in Prairie Canada by Robert Coutts Historian challenges the dominant settler-colonial EN FRANÇAIS narrative of heritage sites: Coutts calls for a progressive 49 Le dore de Saint-Laurent by Gisèle Reynolds approach to ‘replace rear-window nationalism with Reynolds represents Métis of Saint-Laurent in both folk art forward-looking narratives’ and story: The adventure of a city girl visiting her cousin's 34 Glass Bricks by Louella Lester pickerel-fishing community Trailblazer in male-dominated trades shares lessons 51 Boussole franche by Amber O’Reilly learned from working life: Louella Lester’s memoir is Poetry collection aims to take back power in discussing quirky, compact, and packs a punch sexuality, relationships: O’Reilly pulls from old journals 35 The Bridge by Keith Maillard with frank and candid collection Weaving together the threads of writing and gender: Second memoir follows the unfinished stories from DISPATCHES Fatherless 53 Insights from a literary festival director by Charlene Diehl 36 Finding Refuge in Canada: Narratives of Dislocation edited by George Melnyk and Christina Parker Refugees tell their own stories in collection edited for ‘depth, diversity, and drama’: Book offers critical perspective on bureaucratic barriers, policy failures

4 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 fiction

Fiction draws from facts of slaves’ lives for sake of accuracy Sharon Robart-Johnson tells of sensational murder trial in Nova Scotia by Margaret Anne Fehr

JUDE AND DIANA editorial process. The Sharon Robart-Johnson publisher notes that the Roseway-Fernwood Publishing novel contains references $30.95 pb, 316 pages and language – “the isbn: 978-1-77363-441-8 N-word and other racist language colloquial to the time” – that raises ethical anadian Confederation was scarcely a concept considerations. in the late 18th century when the effects of The publisher also C states, “we believe the the American Revolution triggered a migration of author has the right . . . Loyalists to Nova Scotia. With them, they brought to historical accuracy their families, their values, and their chattel – which – inasmuch as that is included Black slaves. possible, considering white colonizers deemed Before writing a fictional account of this era, Sharon Black lives unnecessary to document.” The explanation Robart-Johnson, a 13th-generation African Nova Scotian goes on to describe how the publisher and Robart- and researcher of slavery, had been working on her Johnson worked together to mitigate any harm such history book, Africa’s Children: A History of Blacks words might cause. in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Her meticulous research Robart-Johnson had already researched how slaves uncovered the story of a slave named Jude who died spoke when she first decided to write the novel, having at the hands of her owners and the come across 17 volumes of narratives of slaves from sensational trial that followed. Alabama to Virginia. “When I first discovered those court “Some of their narrative was extremely hard to read,” records and read every single word, I she says. “Therefore, I chose to use the words of some can’t begin to tell you how angry I of the slaves that anyone who read my book would be was,” Robart-Johnson says. “I was as able to read. My editor wanted to keep it as authentic as ignorant as the next person as to what possible.” The book includes reference information about went on in our little town.” where those slave narratives can be found. She knew then that she would Robart-Johnson wants people to read what happened to have to try to tell Jude’s story – what Jude and “to be as outraged as I was by the fact that her her life may have been like before killers got away with murder despite the overwhelming she became the property of Major Sharon Robart-Johnson evidence given in the testimonies of Yarmouth’s coroner, Andrews (Anderson in the novel) Nehemiah Porter, and Yarmouth’s surgeon, Dr. Joseph and his family. Because court records state that Diana Norman Bond.” was her sister, Robart-Johnson also needed to include Robart-Johnson wants readers to question how that what her life would have been like. Because there was no great injustice could have happened. information about Jude other than her death and the trial, “I also want them to feel compassion for these two another history book was out of the question. young women whose lives ended in such a heinous way,” “Therefore,” says Robart-Johnson, “I combined as she says. much fact as there was with fiction and wrote a novel.” “Jude and Diana may be gone, but their voices will ring Jude and Diana opens with a note from Roseway loud and clear with my book.” Publishing that highlights the collaborative nature of the

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 5 fiction

Short story collection challenges everyday reality, comfort levels Patricia Robertson’s stories have sharp political edges by Margaret Goldik

HOUR OF THE CRAB Patricia Robertson Goose Lane Editions $22.95 pb, 246 pages isbn: 978-1-77310-160-6 Available as an ebook

innipeg author Patricia Robertson’s third collection of short stories, Hour of the Crab, challenges readers to re-evaluate their A few of the protagonists in the W stories have visionary experiences. ideas of everyday reality. In “Hour of the Crab,” Kate, a In the story “Speaking in Tongues,” tries to make the world safe: “It was tourist in Spain, finds the body of a a grandmother and her grandson find safe, for now. Safe for as long as drowned migrant. The young man strange messages appearing written he and his kind did what they were haunts her, and she is compelled to into their skin. Then snail shells, trained to do – hold back the wall of find his family. Littorina obtusata, appear – Atlantic flame from the world.” In “The Oud-Maker’s Son,” shells on the Pacific coast. The Although the story is set a decade Nicolas is also haunted, experiencing children accept the strange portents in the future, Robertson sounds memories and voices from another and new reality with equanimity. an alarm for the present. She says, life as a North African or Middle Perhaps they have an “I’m not a climate scientist. Eastern migrant. Robertson remarks, insight into a different But based on everything “Both Kate and Nicolas are bearing a future, one which most of I’ve read and on reports burden, one the rest of the world has us cannot fathom? from friends in B.C., we’re for the most part refused.” “I’m pretty sure that Babs, going to see more of what These stories have sharp political the elderly protagonist we’re seeing now – fire edges: Robertson won’t let readers in that story, thinks so, seasons becoming ever look away. once she comes to terms longer and more intense, “I’m in a constant rage about our with what the children fire behaviour that’s global treatment of undocumented are experiencing, even increasingly unpredictable, migrants,” she says. “It’s

though she doesn’t really AITKENHEAD THOR firefighters with decades unconscionable. I ask my students understand it,” says Patricia Robertson of experience who are if they know what the global Robertson. “It’s an act of saying, with monotonous resettlement rate is for such people. faith on her part. She’s imprisoned, regularity, ‘I’ve never seen fires like It’s less than one percent. In 2018, as we all are, by consensual reality, this before.’ I don’t really think of according to the UN, Canada took in and is granted a glimpse of what the fires in the story as dystopian. more refugees than any other country might lie beyond it through her We’re already there.” – a grand total of 23,100 people. grandson and his friends.” Robertson’s prose is faultless, We’re one of the world’s wealthiest, Robertson also challenges our imbued with breathtaking imagery. safest countries. comfort level about climate change Many of the stories involve a sense “We ought to be ashamed.” in “Fire Breathing.” Ty, a firefighter of otherworldliness, capturing the in Burnaby, understands that fires wonder of the world beyond the are now different, out of control. He “consensual reality.”

6 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 Experience the love of Métis families in these GDI Press resources!

facebook.com/gabrieldumontinstitute Gabriel Dumont Institute Press Download a catalogue or order online! 917 22nd Street West, Saskatoon, SK, S7M 0R9 @gdins_org www.shopmetis.ca (T) 306.934.4941 / (F) 306.244.0252 pinterest.com/gabrieldumontin www.gdins.org / www.metismuseum.ca

fiction

What is a life well lived? Anthology seeks the answer Speculative fiction stories and poems serve as a collection of moments by Ian Goodwillie

SEASONS BETWEEN US: According to Law, the anthology went through some Tales of Identities and Memories growing pains of its own. This came into focus for both him and Forest as they considered Seasons Between Us Laksa Anthology Series: Speculative Fiction in the context of the series of Laksa Media anthologies, Edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law Laksa Media Group which includes Strangers Among Us, The Sum of Us, and $22.00 pb, 360 pages Shades Within Us – which also focus on themes around isbn: 978-1-988140-17-9 identity, such as migration and being an outsider. Available as an ebook “Originally, this anthology was supposed to deal with the pros and cons of growing old,” says Law. rom the moment you are born, you never stop “After much contemplation, Susan aging. But what does it mean to grow older? That and I realized this anthology is a F natural progression from our previous conversation is at the core of the new anthology anthologies; the migration, whether Seasons Between Us: Tales of Identities and Memories. physical, mental, emotional, or Edited by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law, the spiritual, is the key that connects collection attempts to answer the only question that really the series.”

matters: What is a life well lived? MEDIA LAKSA Included in this collection are This anthology is filled with stories (and a couple of Lucas K. Law stories of family relationships, love, poems) from 23 speculative fiction writers, exploring memory, and grief, with some magic, different ages and stages of life. According to Forest, hybrid beings, alternate worlds, and futuristic settings “The underpinning idea unifying the stories in Seasons in the mix. The complexity of aging was reflected in the Between Us is that the submissions. “We received a wonderful, very rich array journey of self-examination of stories we were pleased to include in the anthology,” and the redefinitions each says Forest. of us makes throughout Law further notes, “Aging may be a broad subject, but our lifetimes (‘aging,’ if all of us experience it every day. It is a process where you will) is a form of each of us has to manage our expectations, wants, needs, boundary-crossing.” ambitions, successes, failures, regrets, et cetera. It is what Each story is, in essence, makes us human.” a collection of moments. The tales in Seasons Between Us are relatable to Forest says about the virtually anyone, as everyone ages. Characters in different stories, “Sometimes these seasons of their life interact with other generations, boundaries are momentous, providing a variety of perspectives. and sometimes they may Forest expands on those ideas when talking about what seem inconsequential; but she thinks readers will get from this anthology. in each of the stories, the “I’m hopeful readers will see the nuances of diverse author found a moment in experience,” she says. a character’s life that was “Although speculative, all the stories are fully relatable defining.” to the human condition, and yet each finds that moment, Law echoes that sentiment when talking about the that small nub, that lens through which experience is inspiration for the anthology. “Anticipation, combining filtered in ways that illuminate both our uniquenesses and with fear and wonder, about the subject matter is the our commonalities.” inspiration behind this anthology. Growing older has been a fascinating subject since I was a little kid.”

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 9 Louise’s) in their small Alberta town, and more fiction investigates a possible murder in this short fiction & novellas quirky novella that explores grief and community. Signal Decay (University of Calgary Press, $19.99 pb, Keith Cadieux 96 pages, isbn: 978-1-77385-139-6, available Tim died, leaving Lori with a lot of expensive as ebook) recording equipment and huge debts. Lori New for can’t bring herself to sell the equipment and novels move on, not while she can hear Tim’s laugh Spring 2021 on the recordings. But then she begins to The Ancient Dead hear his laugh when it shouldn’t be there – Barbara Fradkin can love transcend death? Photographer Todd Ellison, during a shoot (At Bay Press, $6.95 pb, 48 pages, with 4 in Alberta’s dinosaur country, discovers half-tone plates, isbn: 978-1-988168-48-7, human bones buried in a remote coulee. available as ebook) Amanda Doucette connects her uncle’s disappearance 30 years ago to the bones, Status Update but someone is trying very hard to get her George Toles (text) and Cliff Eyland to abandon the investigation. (illustrations) (Dundurn, $19.99 pb, 344 pages, isbn: 978-1- Since 2009, Toles has been posting 4597-4381-6, available as ebook) a creative work of microfiction on Facebook. Eyland took up the challenge And Then Is Heard No More of illustrating over 1000 of these. Raye Anderson George Toles has selected 99 of these This second Roxanne Calloway Mystery pairings, demonstrating the range of sees Roxanne called in to investigate the their imaginations. These works explore murder of the Prairie Theatre Centre’s the humour, melancholy, spontaneity, artistic director, whose body was found empathy, messiness, and raunchiness of in the trunk of his car just outside of life, death, sex, loss, personal failure, and Winnipeg’s city limits. When a second human interaction. body is found in a city park, Roxanne (At Bay Press, $28.95 pb, 120 pages, full has to work with the cynical Detective colour throughout, isbn: 978-1-988168-37-1, Sergeant Cooper Jenkins of the Winnipeg available as ebook) police. Sorting out fact from fiction is not easy in the world of theatre and Unlocking convincing actors. Amy LeBlanc (Signature Editions, $17.95 pb, 256 pages, Louise Till, undergoing an adjustment isbn: 978-1-773240-88-6, available as ebook) to the single life after her divorce, is blackmailed by Euphemia Rosenbaum, who knows everyone’s secrets (including continued on page 12

AUTHORIZED HERITAGE • 978-0-88755-9266 Ride, Gabe, Ride DID YOU SEE US? • 978-0-88755-9075 Wilfred Burton & Lucille Scott THE POLITICS OF THE CANOE 978-0-88755-9099 Ride across the plains with GABRIEL DUMONT! DANIELS V. CANADA • 978-0-88755-9273 Based on historic events, Ride, Gabe, Ride! tells INDIGENOUS CELEBRITY • 978-0-88755-9068 the tale of a dangerous, exhilarating hunt led by famed Métis buffalo hunter, Gabriel Dumont. Contains glossary of Michif and English words. 978-1-988783-68-0 $14.95 | 11 x 8.5 | Soft Cover | 32 pp

1 • 306 • 564 • 4957 [email protected]

10 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 fiction

Master’s thesis spins into 70 stories of Jewishness Project turned into outpouring of stories for Sarah Mintz by Bev Sandell Greenberg

HANDWRINGERS faces in visuals. However, the results Sarah Mintz did not turn out as expected; in Radiant Press Glenn’s words, “a good deal of hand- $20.00 pb, 152 pages wringing ensued.” isbn: 978-1-98927-447-7 Mintz explains, “I suppose Available as an ebook the sort of anxiety generated by the study felt in line with the generalized anxiety of the collection “ love flash fiction!” says author Sarah Mintz about – an anxiety that circles the same the genre of her debut short fiction collection, Sarah Mintz material: Jewishness, assimilation, I identity, irresolvable questions, and handwringers. “In my mind, flash fiction operates like contradictory answers.” Hence the comic books or graffiti, sitcoms or pop songs – little indulgent pieces title handwringers. of pop culture, memes maybe.” Replete with nervous characters, who span multiple generations from Accordingly, the book consists Costanza, who is a prime example of children to the elderly, the stories of over 70 very short stories, the a schlemiel. capture the crescendo of tension in shortest one a mere few sentences, Initially, Mintz’s thesis project the rhythms of the narrators’ voices. the longest less than five pages. involved a lot of investigation. “Once “In fact,” states Mintz, “the stories A self-described “Canadian my proposal was written, I began weave in and out through time, nomad,” Mintz lived in Moose Jaw research for the project: schlemiel beginning with a grandmother and for five years before history and theory, ending with Internet technology.” moving to Regina Jewish folklore, Jewish Everything is fair game as a source where she recently stereotypes, and of inspiration. “Skinning the Cat” completed her master critical thought on is a retelling of the birth of Isaac. of arts degree. She short stories and flash “Whatever Larry’s Looking For” is now resides in fiction,” she says. based on a Hebrew National hot Victoria, British “The research gave dog commercial. Other tales revolve Columbia. me parameters within around Jewish holidays and the Most of the stories which I could wait for synagogue. in her collection began inspiration.” Readers who like the comedic as the substance of The result was an styles of Jerry Seinfeld, Woody Allen, her MA thesis. The outpouring of stories. and Larry David are likely to enjoy subject was “mediated “I wrote a hundred the humour and quirkiness of these Jewish identity,” that is, that didn’t make the stories. aspects of her culture collection, so it was Mintz claims that the stories are as depicted in popular a productive period,” largely not autobiographical, but are media, such as TV and she says. something between truth and fiction. film. The focus of the The research also “It’s the fiction that makes things project also encompassed “an ongoing provided the title for her collection, true,” she says. “Truth is never reference to the schlemiel,” a pejorative which comes from an essay by Susan believed anyway. You lie with enough Yiddish word that means “a loser.” A. Glenn about Jewish appearances. sparkle, you get it true.” In fact, the epigraph in Mintz’s Within the essay, Glenn referred to collection includes a line uttered by a 1946 study based on three groups the well-known TV character George of people asked to identify Jewish

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 11 continued from page 10

Bootleg Stardust The Detective and the Spy, The Good Son Glenn Dixon a Portia Adams Adventure Carolyn Huizinga Mills In the rock and roll world of 1974, Angela Misri This psychological thriller gets under inexperienced, talented, and ambitious Levi This fourth book in the series opens with a the reader’s skin, following Zoe and Jaxon joins the band Downtown Exit – who bang – at a crime scene in London in 1935, her relationship with her brother and are recording in London’s famous Abbey a bomb explodes, leaving Portia deafened significant others as she deals with the Road Studios – under unusual circumstances and able to speak only gibberish. This aftermath of witnessing the abduction that get more and more difficult (and even drastically affects her ability to investigate of her six-year-old neighbour. The secret dangerous) to navigate. Levi learns about the (in the tradition of her grandfathers, she has kept for 30 years may be revealed world and himself in this exhilarating debut Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson), and on when the murder case is reopened. novel about finding one’s voice. top of everything, a spymaster believes (Cormorant Books, $24.95 pb, 296 pages, (Simon & Schuster, $24.95 pb, 304 pages, she is involved in the bombing. isbn: 978-1-77086-592-1, available as ebook) isbn: 978-1-9821-4465-4, available as ebook) (Cormorant Books, $22.95 pb, 240 pages, isbn: 978-1-77086-580-8, available as ebook) Land Title: A Novel of the Prairies A Brief View from the Coastal Suite Terry Dann Karen Hofmann Dominion of Mercy This sprawling historical novel follows This sequel to What Is Going to Happen Danial Neil Harry and Violet who leave the East to Next sees the Lund siblings reunited in the Set in 1917, with the First World War in the establish a farm in Manitoba; Howahkan, economically turbulent Vancouver of 2008. background, this novel follows 18-year- a Dakota boy who moves from Minnesota Cleo, an architectural designer and mother; old Mary Stewart, who escapes a life of to a reserve in western Manitoba, and who Mandalay, an artist and single mother poverty and prostitution in Edinburgh to spends his youth in a residential school; of twins; and Cliff and Ben, who run a nurse injured soldiers in Anyox, British and Angus, a wealthy and spoiled young landscape company together, differ widely Columbia, hoping that her uncle will look man whose father sends him west with a in their values with respect to money, after her younger sister as he promised remittance. Their lives slowly converge as relationships, and the environment. to. She discovers that it is not so easy to they live through the Great War and the (NeWest Press, $21.95 pb, 336 pages, escape her past, however. Spanish flu epidemic. isbn: 978-1-77439-017-7, available as ebook) (NeWest Press, $20.95 pb, 248 pages, (Terry Dann, $21.95 pb, 400 pages, isbn: 978-1-77439-020-7, available as ebook) isbn: 979-8582453079, available as ebook) Burning the Night Glen Huser Fake It So Real Light on a Part of the Field Curtis, the narrator of this coming-of- Susan Sanford Blades Kevin Holowack age novel set largely in Alberta, tells how In raw and unafraid voices, this novel Set in British Columbia in the 1960s and he develops a bond with his blind Aunt tells the stories of Gwen, abandoned by ’70s, this debut novel introduces a family Harriet, as they share a passion for art and Damian, the leader of an ’80s punk band, trying to maintain artistic practices and literature and a belief in the power of love. and her two daughters, Sara and Meg, over loving connections despite profound rifts. Harriet’s influence stays with Curtis as he the course of almost four decades, as they At the centre is Ruth, a painter, whose poet becomes a teacher, practises his art, and attempt to find their ways through an husband disappeared, leaving her a farm. comes into his own as a gay man. inhospitable world. When her oldest daughter, Gayle, leaves to (NeWest Press, $19.95 pb, 234 pages, (Nightwood Editions, $21.95 pb, 240 pages, follow a young drifter to Edmonton, Ruth’s isbn: 978-1-77439-011-5, available as ebook) isbn: 978-0-88971-388-8, available as art may not be enough to keep her going. ebook) (NeWest Press, $21.95 pb, 344 pages, A Deadly Thaw: The York isbn: 978-1-77439-014-6, available as ebook) Factory Connection The Finder Frederick Ross Will Ferguson Omand’s Creek Inspired by his interest in infectious disease, This caper about the people, places, and Don Macdonald local history, and his work as a physician, Ross objects that are lost and found crosses This debut crime novel opens with a creates a chilling story about the unexpected continents from southern Japan to the young woman’s body found on the bank return of smallpox, which was presumed Australian Outback to Christchurch, New of Omand’s Creek in Winnipeg. While eradicated in 1977. Rachel Thompson and her Zealand, following Gaddy Rhodes, the Detective Michael Shelter looks for a research team discover a Hudson’s Bay blanket Interpol agent tracking The Finder, who is killer preying on Indigenous women, when they disinter a grave in York Factory collecting valuable lost objects. Their paths he uncovers a trail of corruption, racist and fall ill – could the melting permafrost be also cross those of Tom Rafferty, a jaded violence, and long-held secrets, all while releasing the deadly contagion? travel writer, and Tamsin Greene, a war struggling to raise his teenage daughter (FriesenPress, 288 pages, $24.99 hc, photographer. on his own. isbn: 978-1-5255-1825-7; $17.49 pb, isbn: 978- (Simon & Schuster, $24.99 pb, 400 pages, (Cordova Publishing, $21.99 pb, 270 pages, 1-5255-1826-3; available as ebook) isbn: 978-1-9821-3969-8, available as ebook) isbn: 978-1-7773629-0-4, available as ebook)

12 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 Raft Baby The Savage Instinct The Strangers of He is torn between finding Bonnie Dunlop M. M. DeLuca Braamfontein his way back to his world and Framed by the story of Lily in In this Victorian psychological Onyeka Nwelue staying in this one where he an Alberta nursing home in the thriller, Clara is released from Osas is a young and discovers the family and love mid-1990s, this historical novel an asylum for the insane to impressionable Nigerian he’d never had. tells of her beginnings, how as join her husband Henry in their painter who escapes poverty (DAW Books, $36.00 hc, 384 pages, a baby she was set to drift on new home in Durham, England. and hardship in Benin City by isbn: 978-0-7564-1637-9) a raft on the Peace River and On the way, they encounter relocating to Braamfontein, a rescued by Trapper Jackson John, Mary Ann Cotton, the woman suburb of Johannesburg, where, The Willow Wren husband to Annie and brother- accused of poisoning 20 people in order to survive, he must Philipp Schott in-law to Edward and Isabelle, all including many of her children, live a life of spontaneity and In this historical novel based of whom came west in the late and this chance meeting leads criminality among drug dealers, on the life of the author’s 1800s looking for opportunity in to a life-changing relationship. assassins, prostitutes, scammers, father and grandfather, young the land of fur and gold. (Inkshares, $22.99 pb, 380 pages, cultists, human traffickers, Ludwig is growing up in (Thistledown Press, $20.00 pb, isbn: 978-1-947848-67-2, forgers, gangs, and more. Hitler’s Germany. Ludwig’s 312 pages, isbn: 978-1-77187-202- available as ebook) (Griots Lounge, $ 26.69 pb, father is a senior Nazi and true 7, available as ebook) 220 pages, isbn: 978-1-7772756-5-5) believer, and Ludwig, after his So Many Windings father is presumed dead, must The Renter Catherine Macdonald Threader Origins, Book One rally his despondent mother Michael Tregebov The second novel in of the Quantum Empirica and his younger siblings This fourth instalment in Macdonald’s Charles Lauchlan Gerald Brandt to attempt an escape from Tregebov’s comédie humaine Mystery series, following This new science fiction series Russian occupation before it is Winnipeg-style tells the story her award-winning Put on opens with Darwin pulled into too late. of 20-year-old Bret Yeatman, the Armour of Light, is set in an alternate world, where he (ECW Press, $22.95 pb, 354 pages, who, in the summer of 1968, Scotland. Charles and his is a Threader, one of the few isbn: 978-1-77041-573-7, uses his earnings from selling fiancée, Maggie, while on a people who can see the Threads available as ebook) JB0056 FC FBD Prairie Now Ad r1.pdf 1 2019-06-19 3:00 PM pot to revisit the best time bicycle tour of the highlands, – quantum strings that can be of his childhood by renting a encounter not just bad weather manipulated to control reality. cottage at Winnipeg Beach, but near fatal accidents – and where he decides to “marry then they discover evidence of up” rather than rely on his a murder. drug sales to regain the social (At Bay Press, $28.95 hc, position his father lost. 324 pages, isbn: 978-1-988168- (New Star Books, $18.00 pb, 46-3, available as ebook and 176 pages, isbn: 978-1-55420-163-1) audio book)

Satellite Love Spectral Living Genki Ferguson Andrea King books Set in a desolate Japanese city Marion, devoted to her in 1999, this magical novel research of ghosts in Québécois matter. about alienation, faith, and literature, finds herself literally the need for connection is told haunted after she begins an from various perspectives: affair with her professor, Rémy. 16-year-old Anna, who prefers Rémy, realizing he is putting the company of an old blind his career and relationship military man in a seniors’ with his fiancée at risk, revives home and that of a satellite his dream of becoming a writer. to that of her classmates; Soki, This provocative and funny who is new to Anna’s class story explores the tensions and the city, bringing fresh between worlds: between possibilities; and Leo, the Low the academic and artistic, Earth Orbit satellite, who loves and between the living and Anna and contemplates the the dead. Donovan Bergman meaning of its existence. (University of Calgary Press, [email protected] (McClelland & Stewart, $24.95 $27.99 pb, 192 pages, isbn: 978- 204.319.8114 friesens.com pb, 280 pages, isbn: 978-0-7710- 1-77385-147-1, available as ebook) 4987-3, available as ebook) Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 13 poetry

Playfulness and wit woven with self- deprecation, and a call to action Colin Smith examines typos, chronic illness, and the Winnipeg General Strike by Steve Locke

PERMANENT CARNIVAL TIME rule and places his voice at the forefront, sharing actual Colin Smith MRI reports and disturbingly honest thoughts on living ARP Books with his degenerative spinal condition. $18.00 pb, 120 pages Despite the tone, Smith weaves in lines that are darkly isbn: 978-1-927886-45-8 funny and self-deprecating, if not Available as an ebook therapeutic. Smith says he puts a lot of stock into humour and truth, both of which reflect the homeopathic model “ e are made of language and we live in time, of “taking a distillation of something and time is nothing but flow,” says Colin that would otherwise make you sick, W to make you feel better.” Smith, the Winnipeg-based author of the new poetry He says, “If there are secrets to be collection Permanent Carnival Time. exposed, expose them. If there are A longtime card-carrying language poet, Smith revels in abusive systems of power to be called the freedom to play with form and constraint as he wrests out, call them out. Put it all on the individually permanent lines into text where, as he says, table. See what there is. Make fun of Colin Smith “the idea is key and the writing is all just raw potentiality what needs to be made fun of. Give it towards – crossed fingers – an engaging poem.” the abuse or the love that it so righteously deserves.” Infused throughout the collection is Smith’s This personal and artistic philosophy particularly characteristic playfulness and brilliant, resonates in “Necessities for the Whole wry wit, such as in the “Folly Suite,” Hog,” with the opening line “Because which contains poems structured around 100 years of capitalism is more than print media typos such as a correction in enough.” In this superimposed portrait a Vice Media article that originally stated, of Winnipeg between the General Strike “Pasolini was eaten to death.” Smith says of 1919 and the time of writing the this “accident as suite” commentary is poem in 2019, history remains relevant “intended to show off, in perverse ways, in the mind-shaking experience of the things that should be taken seriously but present day. aren’t, and things that shouldn’t, but are.” As the outcomes of the pandemic have In “Essaying Fun,” a name for a further revealed the brutal inequalities in perfume called Exquisite Corpse is our society, Smith calls on us to reflect pitched among a rapid-fire list of clever back to how labourers managed to shock one-liners and non-sequiturs. Smith says the government system despite the strike the poem’s title deconstructs the word being broken. essay to uncover a root meaning that “As a failed event [the General Strike] “speaks to a process of meandering, rather can and maybe should be seen as a partial than the programmatic way we’ve been success,” he says, “and its partiality is taught through numerous levels of our schooling.” something we need to go back to, to improve on, and It acts as a purposeful titular counterpoint to “Essaying repeat, repeat, repeat.” Pain,” the poem he describes as a “claustrophobic portrait of significant darkness.” In this portrayal of limitation and what it costs to suffer chronic and catastrophic pain, Smith breaks a personal

14 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 poetry

Collection marks moment poet moved hobby to centre stage Nisha Patel hopes to help South Asian writers speak their truths by Ariel Gordon

COCONUT means writing about love, nature, or politics, and how Nisha Patel doing so still makes our stories South Asian stories,” NeWest Press Patel says. $19.95 pb, 100 pages Working with Jenna Butler was a new experience for isbn: 978-1-77439-023-8 Patel, who’d never had concentrated, one-on-one time Available as an ebook with an editor before. “I’d always learned from many individuals in community, but having someone like Jenna look at my ife changed for Edmonton spoken word poet individual word choices, Nisha Patel when she quit her day job. and do line-by-line edits, L that was something I’ve “When I worked as a political advisor, I worked exactly been lacking in my entire 35 hours a week and did poetry on the side as a hobby,” time as a poet,” Patel says. says Patel. “And Jenna, because we “Now, as a performing artist, published author, come from communities publisher, and community organizer, I’m lucky to take that are diverse and an evening off a week. Balance is something I am trying marginalized, understood really hard to find, but my drive to create, perform, and all my words even when teach (and also keep the lights on they weren’t in English – in my house) has really motivated which is a huge gift for an me to push myself right now, at emerging writer, knowing this moment in my life.” that someone who needs to The poems that came out of hear you is listening.” the year after she quit became the Patel is currently backbone of her debut collection, Edmonton’s Poet Laureate Coconut. and the executive director of the Edmonton Poetry “I want Coconut to be a slice Festival, so launching Coconut is only one of the tasks on of my life, a marker in time, to her to-do list. measure how I grew as an artist “I think if I work hard enough while I’m emerging as a

from my start in the community MATTHEW JAMES WEIGEL writer I’ll eventually be able to take a step back and focus to this debut,” says Patel. Nisha Patel more intentionally on my work,” Patel says. “But it’s too “I don’t need it to impress, difficult to say no to the opportunities that come my way, but I do hope it has an impact on young and emerging so I just try to do everything at once. It’s chaos.” South Asian writers or writers speaking from places of Not saying no seems like a good plan, given that she’ll being oppressed and marginalized to help them realize be the Edmonton Public Library’s regional writer-in- their own capacity of speaking their truth in the face of residence for 2021. violence, power, and discrimination.” But Patel is looking forward to seeing the poems that As a queer Indo-Canadian writer, Patel hopes that her make up Coconut in print. debut holds other lessons for her peers and for the writers “Putting them out is a way for me to say goodbye coming up behind her. to them,” she says, “and now allows me to move into “I also want this book to teach writers that we can projects that will challenge me to continue to grow.” pursue the subjects most important to us, whether that

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 15 image and text that amplifies Black beauty more poetry and offers audible resistance. The Bad Wife (Roseway-Fernwood Publishing, $20.00 pb, Micheline Maylor 84 pages, isbn: 978-1-77363-295-7, available With wild wit and wisdom, these poems as ebook) tell the story of a marriage gone wrong – from “How to Become a Bad Wife,” The Cyborg Anthology detailing with sharp and disarming Lindsay B-e humour how sweetness can become dark, This inventive anthology of Cyborg poetry to the long poem “Omen: Calla Lilies,” from a future post-apocalyptic time is a which is heartbreaking in its honesty, playful and satirical debut collection. A exploring just what we are capable of. preface describing the history of Cyborg (University of Alberta Press, $19.99 pb, poetry together with samples of a range of 84 pages, isbn: 978-1-77212-548-1, available poems and biographies of the poets tell the as ebook) story of a complex culture, where Cyborgs struggle to gain liberation and a sense of Black Matters identity. Afua Cooper, photographs (Brick Books, $20.00 pb, 96 pages, isbn: 978- by Wilfried Raussert 1-77131-530-2, available as ebook) Cooper translates Raussert’s photographs focused on everyday Black experiences Ex Nihilo into poetry, creating an image of what E. D. Blodgett and J.R. Léveillé historical facts might look like when From the time of their meeting in 2016 embodied in contemporary characters – until Blodgett’s death in 2018, Blodgett the overall effect is of a dialogue between and Léveillé exchanged linked poems in the form of renga, with Blodgett writing in English and Léveillé in French. Playful,

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16 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 poignant, full of the lightness and gravity hexagrams of the I Ching, interrogates in flight follow – separation, alignment, of skies, stars, birdsong, and the poetic fluid and complex notions of identity. Each cohesion – these poems explore family, voice, these poems reveal the richness that fragment addresses a particular entity, love, loss, and art in spare and intimate two languages responding to each other from the concrete Chinese lady, Sister, words and spaces, interrupted by the can create. Achilles, or Hannah Arendt, to the abstract raucous commentary of a crow. (At Bay Press, $24.95 hc, 108 pages, Dialectic, Witness Protection, Silence, or (Thistledown Press, $20.00 pb, 96 pages, isbn: 978-1-988168-47-0, available as ebook) Revolution, and each closes with a haiku. isbn: 978-1-77187-197-6) (Arsenal Pulp Press, $19.95 pb, 192 pages, Gospel Drunk isbn: 978-1-55152-844-1, available as ebook) Nautilus and Bone Aidan Chafe Lisa Richter Without flinching, Chafe teases out the Let This Lake Remember This biography-in-poems captures the roles religion and substance abuse can play Joan Shillington brilliant and tragic spirit of Yiddish in childhood understanding, misdirected This lake is Alberta’s Lake Wabamun, and poet Anna Margolin in a rich new emotions, male violence, the politics of the memories are of fishing, trapping, voice, exploring major events and race, and a sense of identity. These poems – gathering wood, and driving with a places in Margolin’s life, putting her in in forms including the prose poem, sonnet, flawed but revered father, and of berry dialogue with other poets such as Yusef cento, ghazal, and found poem –examine picking, gardening, and hospital visits Komunyakaa, Mark Doty, William Blake, hockey culture, war, lust, and recovery. with a dear mother, of winter moons and and Charles Baudelaire, and using forms (University of Alberta Press, $19.99 pb, summer evenings, of a childhood that still like the glosa, the cento, and the Golden 90 pages, isbn: 978-1-77212-546-7, available haunts the speaker. Shovel to pay homage. as ebook) (Frontenac House Poetry, $19.95 pb, 72 pages, (Frontenac House Poetry, $19.95 pb, isbn: 978-1-989466-11-7, available as ebook) 112 pages, isbn: 978-1-989466-12-4, Iron Goddess of Mercy: A Poem available as ebook) Larissa Lai Murmuration This long poem, inspired by the A. B. Dillon tumultuous history of Hong Kong and Organized around the concept of bird written in 64 fragments to honour the migration and the three principles birds

NEW from PRAIRIE AUTHORS Living in Indigenous Stampede Sovereignty Misogyny, White Supremacy and by Elizabeth Settler Colonialism Carlson-Manathara by Kimberly A. Williams With Gladys Rowe Stampede examines the Living in Indigenous Sovereignty lifts settler colonial roots of the up the wisdom of Indigenous scholars, Calgary Stampede and uses activists and knowledge keepers who its centennial celebration speak pointedly to what they are asking in 2012 to explore how the of non-Indigenous people. It also shares event continues to influence the experiences of thirteen white settler life on the streets and in Canadians who are deeply engaged in the bars and boardrooms of solidarity work with Indigenous Peoples. Canada’s fourth-largest city. Together, these stories offer inspiration and guidance for settler Canadians who wish to live honourably in relationship with Indigenous Peoples, laws and lands.

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Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 17 poetry

‘Journeys are acts of expectation’ in Caroline Wong’s new collection Wong reflects on echoes of Li Po and Li Qing Zhao by Kyla Neufeld

PRIMAL SKETCHES grandfather, to Cuba; my two uncles, too was forced into exile, often Caroline Wong to Annam, Vietnam; and my father separated from her husband. Themes Signature Editions and his father, to Canada,” she of loss, impermanence, loneliness, $17.95 pb, 96 pages says. “But my family story and longing permeate her isbn: 978-1-773240-86-2 is also one of uprooting, poetry. loss, hardships, suffering, “The sound of autumn loneliness, twinned with wind and rain, the sight of ourneys of all sorts fill the a story of human courage, wild geese returning, the pages of Burnaby-based resilience, and most anguish of parting, the J important, of love of family joy of reunion reverberate Caroline Wong’s new collection and the continuation of the throughout her elegant of poems, Primal Sketches. Wong family line.” lines. The depths of takes readers stumbling through Among her words, Wong emotion, the simplicity hiking paths in British Columbia, also makes space for two and honesty of her trudging along the Camino de ancient Chinese poets, Li Po Caroline Wong language captivate and and Li Qing Zhao, whose deeply move me every time Santiago, and fleeing down the works echo her own. I revisit her poetry.” Yangtze River. She takes readers “Li Po lived most of his life in exile. For Wong, the process of writing is on journeys through loss, death, I grew up with some of his poems. a journey in itself, an ongoing search diaspora, and finally, hope. Mostly written in five- or seven- for belonging. words-per-line quatrains in simple “The integrity, depth, and power “For me, journeys are acts of language, his poems are easy to of a poem depends on choosing the expectation, a move learn and memorize, precise words, line breaks, pauses; a toward possibilities their meanings easily fitting image, an apt metaphor. I find and discovery. Over comprehended. More the last line of a poem the hardest to the years, I have important, his feeling write. I want the poem to end in such taken many journeys, of isolation, loneliness, a way that it will hold the reader long most important his longing for home, after,” she says. of which is my conveyed through “I always feel I have never immigration from his economically, really left, or arrived. I am still in southern China to imagistically rendered translation, caught in the in-between, Canada when I was lines, resonated with poised at the edge of possibilities that young,” says Wong. me, even before I was hover just over the horizon, waiting Poems such as emotionally aware of to be discovered. In some ways, “What We Carry,” my own uprooting as the journeys, in real life and in my “Where We Land,” a child.” writing, are ongoing journeys inside and “Ancestor Wong came to me, conveying me toward some Worship” draw on the know Li Qing unknown, unexpected, yet surprising stories of her family Zhao’s poetry as an destinations.” and their many forced adult. “Her poetry is migrations and immigrations styled on the ci form, meant to be “My paternal great-grandfather sung, easy to commit to memory,” went to Malaysia; my maternal she explains. “As with Li Po, she

18 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 drama

One-man drama brings ‘the singing miner’ through disaster to life Beau Dixon discovered common threads between himself and historical figure by Luis Reis

BENEATH SPRINGHILL: “But,” he explains, The Maurice Ruddick Story “because of his heroic deeds, it was a reminder Beau Dixon that Maurice was the Music by Susan Newman and Lyrics by Rob Fortin Scirocco Drama-JGS Publishing same as all of the other $15.95 pb, 72 pages miners; he had a family isbn: 978-1-927922-76-7 to feed and he wanted to go home, just like the rest of them.” The “ ou ask me what kept me alive down there? miners experienced the Well, it was my faith. My music. My family.” same risky working Y conditions for the same So says the protagonist of Beneath Springhill: The low pay, “day in and Maurice Ruddick Story by Beau Dixon, a playwright, day out.” actor, and musician who divides his time between Dixon’s work as an Peterborough and Toronto. actor and a musician gave him insight into Maurice Ruddick, known as “the singing miner,” was the development of the an African Canadian man who survived nine days play’s language. “The rhythm of dialogue in a play is very underground during the 1958 Springhill, Nova Scotia, similar to the rhythm of verses in a song,” he says. mining disaster. Dixon performs this “I find walking around in my house and saying the text one-man “drama with music,” taking out loud helps to convince me whether a scene’s working on the roles of all 10 characters. or not. Sometimes, I’ll sing the text. See if it holds the The play, which features music by same meaning. Being a musician and actor are tools I can Susan Newman and lyrics by Rob use to expand my writing skills.” Fortin, follows Maurice through the While Dixon has written several plays, he connects to days of the disaster, and shows how this play on a particularly personal level, as he comes he kept his faith. It celebrates hope, from a background very similar to Maurice’s. Both of courage, and community. Dixon’s parents are from the East Coast; his father is “Maurice was a man of virtue,” Black and his mother white. Beau Dixon says Dixon. “And with that virtue “Maurice was a person of mixed race, like myself,” came the stubborn will to survive. says Dixon. “He was also a father who had 13 kids. He had no choice but to believe that he and his fellow My dad had 13 siblings. Maurice also frequented the miners would be rescued. He believed that if they just church and knew hundreds of hymns by memory. My stayed awake, kept breathing and laughing, they would dad was an Anglican minister and my mother a hospital be rescued. And when the other miners would lose chaplain. Maurice wrote his own songs and played guitar. hope, Maurice would keep their morale and spirits up I write my own songs and play guitar! The more research by entertaining them with song and humour. He would I did on Maurice, the more I realized we had so much distract them from losing hope.” in common. The play touches on the racism embedded within the “It quickly came to my attention that I was destined to working class, but also shows how it was – to some extent write this play.” – overcome. Dixon says Ruddick was always treated like an outsider until the earth tremor.

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 19 more drama Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and The Society For The Destitute Winter Willow oLittlef mixe Brothersd heritage, is consumed by the search –Presents feature c Titusharac tBouffoniusers who are schemers, Digital Performance in Canada: New Deborah-Anne Tunney tMakambeo find his r Kom Simambaantic ideal, a search that takes dColleenreame rMurphys, adventurers, lovers, detectives, Essays in Canadian Theatre, Volume 11 During a winter season in the mid-1970s, hSlimm,im bac ak 17-year-oldand forth b eBlacktwee nboy Re ginin aa and aFivend rcharactersogues. who shelter at the Society for Edited by David Owen Melanie, a young graduate student, Whoodie,innip esuddenlyg, and int ofinds the c himselfompany in of thecolo firstnial (theED GDestituteE Science decide Fictio nto a putnd Fonan Shakespeare’stasy This collection of essays, especially takes a position as a personal assistant to gmomentshosts, cos ofpl ahisy e nafterlife.thusiast sAs, a nhed ajourneys sweet TitusPubli Andronicusshing, $20.9 with5 pb, the236 grantpages money, important in a historical moment in which Stone, the owner of an old mansion in the pthroughotato ac thetivi sunknown,t, among o thehe rgrappless. with ithey’vesbn: (9 7received8-1-7705 3–- they201-4 choose) it because many theatre companies have been forced neighbourhood, moving in with him and (theTur truthnston eof P theress life, $19 he.0 0lived pb, 2 and00 p theage deaths, it has the most murders. The players turn to move their work online, shows the his housekeeper, Celeste. ihesb ndidn’t: 978- choose,0-88801 in-6 7this7-5) play that is a all the roles into clowns, and hilariously influence and ubiquity of digital technology Lost Boys (Enfield & Wizenty-Great Plains, $21.95 pb, protest, a prayer, and a promise. present human foibles in this satirical and on performance practices in Canada. Darci Bysouth 196 pages, isbn: 978-1-77337-025-5) (Playwrights Canada, $18.95 pb, 80 pages, Eunflinchingach of the 18 look stor atie swar, in t hrage,is de andbut cgrief.ollection (Playwrights Canada, $29.95 pb, 400 pages, short fiction isbn: 978-0-36910-242-3) d(Sciroccoepicts a wDrama-JGSorld in the Publishing, process of u $15.95nrave lpb,lin g, isbn: 978-0-36910-251-5) Even That Wildest Hope The Work a72s tpages,he cha isbn: racter978-1-927922-77-4)s – brothers and sisters, Seyward Goodhand Maria Meindl Our Ghosts fathers and daughters, widows and teenagers Long Live the New Flesh: Six Plays TSallyhis d Stubbsebut collection of “post-human” Text and Context: The Operative Word Afrom hist otheria nDigital is tryin Frontierg to write about the – face losing what they hold most dear. Ast ofighterries is ajet c hvanishesaotic but in sa 1956,tisfy iandng f afterabuli sat Richard Greenblatt 1Edited980s t byhe aDavidtre gr oOwenup SenseInSound, but (Thistledown Press, $20.00 pb, 328 pages, jbriefourn inquiryey in th eby b atheroq Royalue tra Canadiandition of A Airnge la This handbook for script work and directing hSixas works little tofo gdigitalo on, utheatrenless s –t aAvatarge ma byna Freyager isbn: 978-1-77187-175-4) CForce,arter it a nisd determined Carmen Ma thatria M theach planeado. and in the theatre offers theatre practitioners ROlafson,ebecca YouWei Arer an Veryd ac tStaror A bym aThend aElectric Garte n (itsIn vtwoisib pilotsle Pub lsankishin intog, $1 9the.95 Pacific pb, 224 Ocean. pages, – students, directors, actors, designers, and sCompany,peak up a Helenbout tLawrencehe chari sbym aChristic d iHaddockrector Travellers May Still Return iButsbn the: 97 8wife-1-9 8of8 7one8-4 3of6- the6) pilots refuses production personnel – sound methods of Mandar lStanin, w Douglas,ho has t Musehe sta bytu sBarbra of a g French,uru in t he Michael Kenyon to accept that her husband is dead. This text investigation and rehearsal processes. Towncomp Choirany, o byr i sTheatre it more Replacement, of a cult? and Comprising two novellas with a story Fplayant isas bothtic T ra atautins :investigative An Antholo gtaley and Greenblatt provides techniques for Alien(Ston eContagion:house Pub Riselish ofin theg, $ Zombie19.95 pb Syndrome, in between, this collection examines oa ftestament Phantasm toa thegor loveical andEng itenacitynes and of a communication and artistic collaboration, 2by60 Andy page Thompson,s, isbn: 978 Tyler-1-98 8Clarke,754-16 and-1) Finn Rail Riders what happens when diversity is lost to woman determined to uncover the truth. and tools to create healthy, productive, Ghosh-Luedke – illustrate how audiences Edited by Neil Enock homogeneity, when we do not accept (Scirocco Drama-JGS Publishing, $15.95 pb, and equitable processes, as he reimagines Yaream forceds Do N too tre-evaluate Exist definitions of These stories-on-a-train – spanning the parts of ourselves, when classification 72 pages, isbn: 978-1-927922-75-0) traditional hierarchical structures. Gperformativearry Thoma space,s Mors bodies,e and relationships. genres of literary fiction, steampunk, space engulfs freedom. (Scirocco Drama-JGS Publishing, $22.95 pb, I(Playwrightsn this surrea lCanada,istic disp $34.95lay of l ipb,ter a400ry pages, opera, futurism, tragedy, magical realism, (Thistledown Press, $20.00 pb, 344 pages, 150 pages, isbn: 978-1-927922-73-6) oisbn: pulen978-0-36910-250-8)ce and allusion, Farinata Feck, a poet horror, comedy, urban fantasy, and more isbn: 978-1-77187-187-7)

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20 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 Prairie books NOW | fall/winter 2019/20 13

35503-PbN-75-fall-winter19-20.indd 13 10/1/19 9:49 AM anthology

Collection springs from reflections on offhand remark Rona Altrows wanted to hear from women in their fifth to tenth decades of life by Margaret Anne Fehr

YOU LOOK GOOD FOR YOUR AGE: as it honoured and explored that theme, was entirely up An Anthology to them.” For this book to be true to the principles of equity Edited by Rona Altrows Altrows believes in, she approached University of Alberta Press $26.99 pb, 224 pages writers of various ethnicities, and isbn: 978-1-77212-532-0 also ensured she could feature the Available as an ebook voices of women in their fifth to tenth decades. “Because ageism starts being thrown women’s way when they are ou Look Good for Your Age: An Anthology, collected in their forties,” Altrows observes. by Calgary-based writer and editor Rona Altrows, Contributors include Sharon Butala, Y Joy Kogawa, Laurie MacFayden, takes on the subject of women, aging, and ageism Moni Brar, Joan Crate, Aritha van with vigour. Herk, and Madelaine Shaw-Wong. LUCYALTROWS The anthology includes the contributions of 29 women “For this anthology, I decided Rona Altrows ranging in age from their forties to nineties. The short to go with personal invitations to stories, essays, and submit. In most cases I invited writers – some well- poems run the gamut of known and others not yet well-known, but I hope they experiences from the subtle will be, starting now – whose work I knew and loved. to the blatant in framing Nobody had an automatic in, though. If a piece did not, perspectives around aging. in my opinion, resonate with the theme, I would have to For Altrows, her say no, and I did.” encounter with the titular The book’s section titles are Insight, Elders, Body, Love, phrase came while being Timelines, and Enough!, with pieces exploring meditation, fitted for a CPAP device caring for aging parents, the death of friends, medical after an apnea diagnosis. issues, and intimate body care rituals, among much more. The respiratory therapist “I found myself constantly surprised, not so much by when checking Altrows’s the themes, but by the multitude of inventive ways in birthdate on her medical which contributors expressed themselves,” says Altrows. chart remarked, “You look She anticipates a wide readership of people who like to good for your age.” read, think, and feel. “I do not say that facetiously. We “She meant it as are all aging, so why should the book be of interest to a compliment,” says only specific demographics, when it is full of moving, Altrows, “but inwardly, stimulating, thought-inspiring work? What reader wants I bristled. In the following to miss out on that?” days and weeks I couldn’t Altrows enjoyed working with the people at the stop thinking about it – what was stated and implied by University of Alberta Press. “They are professional and those words.” kind,” she says. Altrows continues, “Once the overthinking reached “And I want to thank my contributors, without whom the point that I would burst if I did not do something, there would be no book. They are very much my I wrote about it. And then I realized that I wanted to co-creators for this project.” hear the voices of other people who identified as female. That is how the idea for the anthology came up. When I approached prospective contributors, I would tell them the title and the theme, but what they wrote, as long

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 21 feature | first nations, métis, and inuit

Storytelling insights pair with tales from Elders in prolific writer’s first non-fiction book ‘I promise they will swoon your spirit and heart,’ Van Camp says of stories he collected by Paula E. Kirman

GATHER: about how we’re all craving Also recently published Richard Van Camp community, culture, and is a dual-language (English on Storytelling connection – especially these and Anishinaabemowin) past few years,” he explains. edition of Van Camp’s Writers on Writing Series Over four years, Van board book Little You. Richard Van Camp Camp has gone through “Right now, Indigenous University of Regina Press 40 or so stories that he creators are using baby $19.95 pb, 212 pages isbn: 978-0-889777-00-2 collected with permission WILLIAM AUPHOTOGRAPHY books, comics, graphic Available as an ebook to choose “the ones that Richard Van Camp novels, social media, have helped guide my life in movies, books, pop culture terms of having faith in the universe.” – you name it – to celebrate and torytelling has the power to These stories include several from secure our culture and languages,” bring people together – even Elders and Knowledge Keepers about says Van Camp. “So far, Little You S miracles they have experienced. “I is translated into Bush Cree, Dene, during a time of isolation. In Gather: promise they will swoon your spirit South Slavey, Spanish, Ojibwe, and Richard Van Camp on Storytelling, and heart,” says Van Camp. The French, and I am so thrilled and author Richard Van Camp shares audio from three of the storytellers is honoured to see this.” his vast knowledge – components available on SoundCloud so readers Always prolific, Van Camp is of a compelling story, storytelling can listen to the storytellers in their currently working on a variety of own voices. projects, including a book honouring techniques, and the Van Camp has high a Tłįchǫ story told by Joe Lazare impact storytelling hopes for this book. Zoe called “How Frog Saved Winter” can have in building “I hope Gather inspires (working title), which is translated community. readers to start digitizing into Tłįchǫ by Madelaine Pasquayak, their old cassette with illustrations by Carla Rae Van Camp, a member recordings of family Taylor. “It’s a teaching story about of the Tłįchǫ Dene First songs and stories, and how everyone has gifts, and I can’t Nation, also shares digitize their family wait for you to read it,” he says. some of his favourite pictures, movies, recipes, Van Camp also has two graphic stories from friends, gardening, looming, novels in the works, as well as an family, and Elders sewing, darning, cooking, animated short film. He’s working whose wisdom has and baking techniques. on short story and essay collections. influenced him. I hope families start And Enfield & Wizenty is turning his Gather is Van Camp’s documenting their short story collection Night Moves 25th book, and his first community calendar and into an audio book. “So I’m working book of non-fiction. start reclaiming their with our narrator, Marsha Knight, “I’ve been recording and transcribing seasonal knowledge (stars, land, on making sure she has everything and collecting miracle stories from moon, planets, etc.), and I hope for she needs to rock the classic northern Elders, Storytellers, and Knowledge future birthdays and for Christmas, accents of my characters,” he says. Keepers since 1991 when I was the it is recorded stories and videos and “Every day is a gift when you have so Handi-Bus driver in my gorgeous honourings and inheritances that many projects on the go because there hometown of Fort Smith, Northwest are passed along, instead of stuff we is so much to look forward to.” Territories, and I’ve been thinking don’t want or need.”

22 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 feature | first nations, métis, and inuit

Fifth poetry collection from Halfe is fresh, pure fun New editions of two previous collections to be published this year as well by Ariel Gordon

AWÂSIS – KINKY AND tribe – Cree from my home DISHEVELLED and heart base, the culture Louise B. Halfe – Sky Dancer and the people from which Brick Books I write.” $20.00 pb, 88 pages Also in 2021, new isbn: 978-1-77131-548-7 editions of Halfe’s previous Available as an ebook collections, Burning in This Midnight Dream (2016) and Blue Marrow (1998), will he year 2021 will be a momentous one for Cree be appearing with Brick poet Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky Dancer, raised Books and Kegedonce Press, T respectively. on Saddle Lake Reserve in Saskatchewan and based “I am ecstatic that these near Saskatoon. presses believe in the value of Halfe has a new collection, awâsis – kinky and the work of previous books,” says Halfe. “The voice of dishevelled, coming out this spring. the people continues to live and be heard.” “awâsis means more than ‘child.’ It translates to ‘being These titles were originally published by Regina’s lent a spiritual being’ – awâsis celebrates and Coteau Books, which closed its doors in helps us to laugh at ourselves and our follies,” February 2020 after 45 years. says Halfe, who notes that her friend and mentor “It is with sadness that I’ve accepted [Coteau’s] Jeff Wastesicoot provided this translation. departure as they were very, very good to me,” “These wawiyatâcimowinisa – funny little says Halfe. “They’ve been the vehicle to many stories – arrived through numerous tongues writers and people who’ve just begun their and many different communities. I am deeply journey with written publications.” grateful to all those nechi – friends – who While she’ll spend part of the year launching contributed to this text. They took delight in these three books, she will also be busy sorting celebrating awâsis, the adult child within. I through material for two pending manuscripts. won’t name them but they will find their stories.” “I don’t yet have any idea what they are awâsis – kinky and dishevelled includes a Louise B. Halfe – doing as it’s a collection of 30 years of work,” foreword in the form of a poem from Elder Sky Dancer Halfe says. Maria Campbell in which she says, And that’s not all: On February 3, 2021, Halfe was appointed Canada’s Parliamentary Poet Such power, Louise. I have never laughed so hard – and Laureate for a two-year term! all by myself. / You are a healing storyteller wandering in “There is a saying, ‘When you honour one, you honour from old kayâs long ago. This / is all about Indigenizing all; when you shame one, you shame all,’” says Halfe. and reconciliation among ourselves. It’s the / kind of funny, “I am deeply humbled that people/writers thought the shake-up, poking, smacking, and farting we all need while / writing that has surfaced from my heart, these hands, laughing our guts out. And it’s beautiful, gentle, and loving. and the written word has received such wonderful Though this is Halfe’s fifth collection, she has worked accolades.” hard to keep things fresh for herself as a writer and an Indigenous woman. Previous books, while sharp and witty, explored painful experiences like residential school life, but this one is pure fun. “I attempt to have a new process for every piece of work I’ve embarked on,” Halfe says. “I want to honour the

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 23 feature | first nations, métis, and inuit Métis road trip tale shows snapshot of everyday life in late 1800s Frederick, based on author’s grandfather, anchors coming-of-age story

by Shirley Byers

ROAD TO LA PRAIRIE RONDE “Chief Whitecap (Wapaha Ska) did help John Lake Cort Dogniez identify the location for the temperance colony that Illustrated by Jade McDougall became Saskatoon, which was already being shared with Gabriel Dumont Institute Press the Métis and First Nations Peoples who considered $15.00 pb, 464 pages it home. Whitecap Dakota First Nation, originally isbn: 978-1-926795-97-3 Moosewoods, was first surveyed in 1881.” These events are brought “ étis history, culture, and perspectives are to life by the elegant largely overlooked in schools, focusing on the illustrations of artist Jade M McDougall. This is her Resistances and Métis people as rebels,” says Cort first time illustrating a Dogniez, author of Road to La Prairie Ronde. book for young readers, “I wanted students to see Métis but she has created cover people in a realistic manner, and designs. celebrate their culture, ways of life, The illustrations were and how they shaped Saskatchewan.” drawn on her laptop, using Dogniez’s chapter book for early Photoshop and a digital readers is set in the spring of 1883. pen. “I wanted to play Young Frederick Dumont joins Métis around with brush strokes leader Gabriel Dumont, his wife, and textures here, and to Madeleine, and Gabriel’s brother go for more of a sketchy Isidore and his wife, Judith, (Frederick’s feel than I normally would with digital pieces,” she says. Cort Dogniez grandparents) on an imagined journey “It was challenging to work with a new style and subject by Red River cart and horseback from matter, not to mention trying to maintain consistency Batoche to the Métis settlement of La between chapters. But the biggest difficulty was drawing all Prairie Ronde to visit family. those Red River carts! Fortunately, I was able to find plenty Such trips were not uncommon nor of reference images to figure out how everything fit together.” were they easy by today’s standards. Frederick is also trying to figure things out as he comes “On a good day we can travel forty of age. Along the trail, he learns valuable life lessons miles, but that will be with good and aspects of Métis culture around hunting, family, weather and no accidents,” Frederick’s community, and the Creator – things as big as taking part mooshoom, Isidore, tells him. in the hunt with the men and as important as knowing “All the characters were real people,” when to laugh and when not to laugh. Jade McDougall says Dogniez. “Frederick Dumont Road to La Prairie Ronde is the first book in this was my great-grandfather, but he was historical fiction series. The second is already written, born around 1883, when this story happened. He would and Dogniez is currently at work on the third. have been a baby, but I thought it would be fun to share Dogniez says, “My intent with all my stories is to these events through his eyes as a young boy.” ensure that Métis cultural components are woven Other events were also plucked from real life. “Gabriel throughout the stories to encourage children to learn Dumont really did ride a buffalo in the place that became more about us, but also to think about their own cultural Saskatoon,” says Dogniez. traits and practices.”

24 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 feature | first nations, métis, and inuit

Short story collection picks up where Annie Muktuk left off Dunning pokes at perceptions of Inuit who live outside the North by Margaret Goldik

TAINNA (THE that is out of context according to UNSEEN ONES) mainstream, meaning that Inuit are Norma Dunning not supposed to live in the southern Douglas & McIntyre areas of Canada, is something I love $19.95 pb, 160 pages to trouble,” she says. isbn: 978-1-77162-271-4 “Forty-eight per cent of Inuit Available as an ebook Canadians live outside of their land claim areas. Inuit live in places all around the world, but if we are not orma Dunning’s latest short in the North then – well, there has to story collection, Tainna be something wrong with us.” N Dunning revisits Annie Muktuk in (The Unseen Ones), continues the “These Old Bones.” powerful work she began with “I knew I was not finished with Annie Muktuk and Other Stories, for Annie after the first collection,” she which she won the Danuta Gleed says. “I knew she would come back Literary Award in 2018. The same to me because a character like Annie Stories like “Tainna (The Unseen is not going to live happily-ever- Ones)” and “Kunak” are raw and year she won the Writers’ Guild after with a Pentecostal preacher in emotive, with some haunting images, of Alberta’s Howard O’Hagan the North of Canada. What I had to such as the one in “Tainna” where Award for the short story “Elipsee,” think about was, what would have a groundskeeper on a golf course and was a finalist for the City of become of her and how is she as a comes across 60 geese sitting in woman heading off into what some a “bison” circle, with their heads Edmonton Book Award. people think of as ‘twilight years’?” pointing outwards. The guardian In 2020, she published a In “Eskimo Heaven,” geese were there for a reason, and collection of poetry entitled Ittura sets himself the task that reason was a tragic one. Eskimo Pie: A Poetics of of teaching Father Peter Does her intense writing take a lot Inuit Identity. some understanding of the out of Dunning? “I write about Inuit that flock he is shepherding. But “To me as a writer, if you don’t feel I see and some that I know when Dunning is asked it, then don’t write it,” she says. “A in the south and how they if it is possible for two great deal of what I write is very struggle, not because they such different cultures to difficult to put down, but I think it’s are incapable, but because completely understand each worth exposing that rawness and there is a lack of acceptance other, she is forceful in reality out and into the world. I don’t

from other Inuit and from EMILY WELZ STUDIO her reply: “No, and I hope write for shock value. I write what I the public overall. Inuit Norma Dunning not. If we understood each hold to be true.” remain exotic oddities in other through and through, Canada, when in truth we are mostly then we become the pan-Indigenous regular people who get up and go or the multicultural mosaic that to work and school and live normal Canada likes to say it already is. lives,” Dunning says. To me it’s not about gaining a full Dunning likes to play with the understanding; it’s about having expectations of others. “Inuit identity respect for one another.”

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 25 feature | first nations, métis, and inuit Medicine Wheel teachings from workshops, business come together into a book Full-colour photographs and personal insights complement plant wisdom

by Paula E. Kirman

MOTHER EARTH PLANTS Armstrong, a first-time author, found the writing and FOR HEALTH AND BEAUTY: editing process of the book to be long and daunting, but Indigenous Plants, Traditions, and Recipes worth the effort. “I found it extremely overwhelming at first,” she says. Carrie Armstrong “I talked to my computer, which transcribed what I was Eschia Books saying, to organize my thoughts into sections. I had to $24.95 hc, 144 pages do some research around the more isbn: 978-1-926696-64-5 Available as an ebook scientific parts of the plants, because I have more traditional knowledge of the teachings of my grandma. he Medicine Wheel is an integral part of Indigenous “Sometimes it was frustrating culture, representing balance and connection, and because I would think it was done, T and I would send it to the editor who its teachings comprise many layers of knowledge, would send me back things to fix. I including how plants promote health and healing. had to learn some patience.” In the Carrie Armstrong, a Cree entrepreneur and now author, end, she was satisfied with the extra presents her grandmother’s teachings related to the Medicine effort and the final result. Wheel in Mother Earth Plants for Health and Beauty: Carrie Armstrong The book is aimed at a broad Indigenous Plants, Traditions and Recipes. readership. “Anyone interested in The book features 26 edible and medicinal Indigenous culture, plant wisdom, plants – including tobacco, sweetgrass, sage, saving money, and making their own and cedar – that can be gathered in nature, products” is the targeted audience, noting the healing properties and identifying according to Armstrong. “It seems features for each. The book also provides like there is a real hunger for more recipes for beauty and health products, such information and more wisdom on as lotions, bath bombs, and healing teas. Indigenous teachings.” “I wanted to share the knowledge and Mother Earth Plants for Health showcase the beauty of the culture in a modern and Beauty is enhanced by full- way, so people can appreciate the contributions colour photographs throughout they may not be aware of that were made by and personal stories that emphasize Indigenous people,” says Armstrong, who the healing properties of the plants is based in Edmonton and is the founder of presented. Readers may also develop Mother Earth Essentials, a health and beauty an appreciation for the beauty of company that creates products using these Indigenous culture, as well as a natural plants and teachings. deeper awareness of certain issues. Armstrong had been doing many workshops about For example, the lasting effects of residential school are these Medicine Wheel teachings, imparting the addressed in the book, in both historical and personal terms. knowledge of her grandmother to eager students, both Armstrong’s wishes for the book are heartfelt. Indigenous and settler. Putting those teachings into a “Ultimately,” she says, “I would hope readers will take book made sense to her. Basically, she says, “it comes away some knowledge that will bring them some joy and back to the reason I started my business: honouring the appreciation and respect for the plants themselves and for teachings of my grandma.” Mother Earth.”

26 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 feature | first nations, métis, and inuit

Cree language book a resource for both teachers, parents to learn syllabics Robertson focuses on memorable, simple phrases that can be passed on to others by Paula E. Kirman

NÎPIN help their children learn Cree. “I Cam Robertson write simple phrases that people can Goldrock Press say or remember hearing as a child $14.95 pb, 24 pages and maybe teach someone else,” isbn: 978-1-927410-67-7 says Robertson, who is grateful to Goldrock Press for supporting the book. eaching a language to children is a way of Cam Robertson Robertson wants people to learn transmitting culture to the next generation. Cam not only to speak the language, but T also to use the syllabic system, which Robertson’s book Nîpin, which means “It is summer,” introduces Cree is new to a lot of people. “I am still phrases about summer to children from ages five to 10. remembering; I learned as a child The phrases are presented in amazing storytellers. They filled my 45 years ago, but forgot because it transliterated Cree, in Cree syllabics, head with so much into my already was so long ago, but each day I am and in English. Each phrase is overflowing mind.” remembering.” also accompanied by a colourful Robertson’s main home as a child Robertson is also working on a photograph that depicts what the was in a town known at the time as novel and a play. “I teamed up with phrase is intended to communicate. Warren’s Landing (Nîyawakahk), at actors from Manitoba Theatre for “Today I see my language in peril,” the north basin of Lake Winnipeg. Young People. We are doing a play says Robertson, who now lives in Though it was once a thriving town, that will be released shortly called Winnipeg and holds a Cree instructor in his childhood Frozen River. I am certificate from Red River College. “I there were abandoned teaching them Cree am hoping to give people their real buildings where and how to speak. I identity by teaching my language Robertson would find am hoping this is through the art of storytelling.” old books that his the beginning of a Robertson, who is also the Cree grandfather would beautiful friendship language lab tech at the University of read to him. with such amazing Winnipeg, credits his grandparents “He went to people,” he says. for inspiring him on his storytelling residential school, so “I have so many path. Born in Norway House, he knew how to read plays and dances and Manitoba, Robertson is Ininew and taught me what songs that need to be (Cree) and was raised around the he could. Today I heard.” area by his grandparents. The family have that style in my moved often. writing, old English “Each season we were in a different mixed with Cree spot within our amazing homeland thanks to Moby where we would sometimes have to Dick and Farley Mowat, along with share the campsite with someone else endless stories and knowledge about like a travelling relative,” he says. our ‘real’ Cree ways of life,” says “There they would always tell Robertson. stories and I would constantly listen Nîpin will be a valuable teaching with pointed ears and wide-opened tool to both teachers of the Cree eyes. Both my grandparents were language and parents who want to

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 27 British Columbia. Readers will On the Trapline Stand Like a Cedar more first learn about their life cycle and David A. Robertson, Nicola I. Campbell, illustrated nations, métis, how Nox Ga’naaw, the Frog illustrated by Julie Flett by Carrielynn Victor and inuit Mother, and her offspring are A grandson and his moshom In this stunningly illustrated picture books essential to the balance that travel to the northern and lyrical book, various is life. wilderness to the trapline that explorations – canoeing on the Asigibii’ganan (HighWater Press, $23.00 hc, his moshom has not visited water, running on a mountain Susan Johnston 32 pages, isbn: 978-1-55379-901- since he was a boy. In this very trail – lead to beautiful This book introduces children 6, available as ebook) special place, the boy learns discoveries in the wilderness, from ages three to five to about Moshom’s life as a child, and sustainable fishing, numbers 1 to 10 in Ojibwa and Little You/Gidagaashiinh as they fish, eat berries, walk, hunting, and gathering English. Vivid photographs Richard Van Camp, and talk, connecting with the practices demonstrate depict real objects for easy illustrated by Julie Flett, land and each other. connection with the land. identification. translated by Margaret (Tundra Books, $21.99 hc, (HighWater Press, $19.95 hc, (Goldrock Press, $14.95 pb, Noodin and Angela Mesic 48 pages, isbn: 978-0-7352- 40 pages, isbn: 978-1-55379-921- 24 pages, isbn: 978-1-927410-61-5) Van Camp’s tender board 6668-1, available as ebook) 4, available as ebook) book for babies and toddlers The Frog Mother, Book 4, that honours the child in Raven, Rabbit, Deer Treaty Words: For As Long Mothers of Xsan everyone is now available as Sue Farrell Holler, illustrated As the Rivers Flow Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett a dual-language (English and by Jennifer Faria Aimée Craft, illustrated D. Huson), illustrated by Anishinaabemowin) hardcover In this charming by Luke Swinson Natasha Donovan picture book. intergenerational winter story, This gentle and meditative This latest book in the award- (Orca Book Publishers, $19.95 a grandfather introduces book addresses the philosophy winning series showcases hc, 24 pages, isbn: 978-1- his grandson to all his of treaties in a story of a Columbia Spotted Frogs, 4598-2550-5, available as ebook) forest neighbours, naming granddaughter and her whose long tongues represent them in both English and Mishomis spending time on storytellers and translators to Ojibwemowin. Together they the banks of the river, learning the Gitxsan of northwestern study the different tracks, to hear the sounds and the and after their walk, they silences, and learning about If These Places enjoy cookies, a book, and a the bonds of reciprocity and Could Talk warm fire. renewal that are the treaties. Snapshots of Saskatchewan (Pajama Press, $19.95 hc, (Annick Press, $16.95 hc, Crista Bradley & Wendi Nordell 60 pages, with author’s If places could talk, what would they say? 32 pages, isbn: 978-1-77278- Every place in Saskatchewan has a story to 136-6) note, isbn: 978-1-77321-496-2, tell. Journey through time to explore some of them! Contains 100+ archival photos available as ebook) and images, map of Saskatchewan places, and link to free educator’s guide. Road Allowance Kitten: Broken Promises Wahogicobi: Kinship terms 978-1-988783-59-8 Wilfred Burton, illustrated to make relationship with $19.95 | 9 x 9 | Hard Cover | 48 pp by Christina John, Michif each other NEW PRAIRIE PICTURE BOOKS translation by Norman Fleury Nakota Sioux Language This sequel to Road Allowance Keepers, illustrated by peepeekisis Kitten follows Rosie, Madeline, Destry Love Roan ātayōhkēwina and their kitten as they and With this board book of kinship Sacred Stories of their family are forcibly terms, the Nakota Sioux people Peepeekisis Cree Nation hope that their babies and Eleanor Brass & Aleigha Agecoutay removed from their homes young children hear and learn These 25 stories of the Peepeekisis and relocated to unfamiliar Cree Nation tell of the Little People, these words that refer to family Wesuketchuk, and the Sky People, and Green Lake, Saskatchewan, share the Plains Cree worldview, values, where they find they are not members, and through them, and spiritual beliefs. Illustrated. Presented know that they are loved and in both English and Plains Cree (y-dialect); being provided with the land includes pronunciation guide. and schooling they had been cared for. 978-1-988783-63-5 promised. (Eschia Books, $7.95 board book, $19.95 | 11 x 8.5 | Soft Cover | 96 pp (Gabriel Dumont Institute Press, 24 pages, isbn: 978-1-926696- $15.00 pb, 48 pages, with CD, 86-7) [email protected] 1 • 306 • 564 • 4957 isbn: 978-1-926795-94-2)

continued on page 30

28 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 LA COLLECTION NOUVELLE ROUGE DISPONIBLE EN LIBRAIRIE ET EN LIGNE

INÉDIT BOUSSOLE FRANCHE Eric Plamondon Amber O’Reilly Théâtre, 2020 Poésie, 2020

Une exploration Le premier ouvrage linguistique, émotive de cet artiste et naturelle des lieux multidisciplinaire où l’autrice a transité présente le désordre au cours de sa vie. Une des émotions de ses rose des vents d’une personnages, et grande géographie de explore plus largement l’intime, du féminin et l’art queer. du social.

MON ÉCOLOGIE Alasdair Rees Poésie, printemps 2021

Dans cette rencontre Publier les jeunes talents émergents de la physique et de du Manitoba, de l’Ouest et du Nord la philosophie sont canadiens. Les œuvres présentées au décortiqués avec soin sein de cette nouvelle collection sont le processus de la parfois hybrides et multidisciplinaires nature tout comme et elles définissent dans leur forme, les objets anodins qui leur thème et leur sujet, cette nouvelle entourent le poète. génération d’auteur.e.s.

LES ÉDITIONS DU BLÉ (Saint-Boniface, Manitoba) - ble.refc.ca

Les Éditions du Blé remercient chaleureusement ses subventionnaires : le Conseil des arts du Canada, le Conseil des arts du Manitoba, la Direction des arts du Ministère du Sport, de la Culture et du Patrimoine de la Province du Manitoba et le Regroupement des éditeurs franco-canadiens. La maison remercie également ses précieux collaborateurs et collaboratrices, lectrices et lecteurs toujours fidèles au rendez-vous. continued from page 28 for young readers road allowances and railway land. Members its celebrated author, who is currently of her family make their way to Rooster Canada’s Parliamentary Poet Laureate The Case of the Burgled Bundle Town, on the southwest edges of Winnipeg. of Canada. Michael Hutchinson (HighWater Press, $19.95 pb, 48 pages, (Kegedonce Press, $16.50 pb, 128 pages, Book 3 of the Mighty Muskrats Mystery isbn: 978-1-55379-930-6, available as ebook) isbn: 978-1-928120-25-4) series sees the four cousins from Windy Lake First Nation – Chickadee, Atim, Otter, Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story Burning in This Midnight Dream and Sam – attempting to figure out who David Robertson, illustrated by Scott B. Louise B. Halfe – Sky Dancer took the treaty bundle that is key to Henderson, colour by Donovan Yaciuk Originally published to great acclaim in the four-day ceremony of the National This 10th anniversary edition presents 2016, this collection of powerful poems Assembly of Cree Peoples. The history the illustrations in full colour for the first recalls the pain and damage caused by and knowledge passed down to each time and includes a foreword by Senator the residential school experience. This generation through the bundle is at stake. Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and new edition includes an afterword by (Second Story Press, $10.95 pb, 208 pages, Reconciliation Commission of Canada, and the author. isbn: 978-1-77260-166-4, available as ebook) an afterword by Elder Betty Ross, whose (Brick Books, $20.00 pb, 104 pages, story is the basis of the book. isbn: 978-1-77131-551-7, available as ebook) Jaysen’s Story (HighWater Press, $21.95 hc, 48 pages, Jaysen Flett-Paul, illustrated by isbn: 978-1-55379-975-7, available as ebook) Creeland Chloe “Bluebird” Mustooch Dallas Hunt This book in the Finding Wakâ series of fiction This debut poetry collection is concerned narratives by Nakota Sioux teens tells with ideas of home, and the everyday Pick Up Sticks how 14-year-old Jaysen feels such anger attachments we feel to those ideas Maureen Flynn and grief after his mother’s murder that – how people can live and love and The third book in Flynn’s mystery series he doesn’t know how he can go on. But laugh, even in the midst of destructive featuring Penny and her partner, Steve, a his family and Elders guide him through resource extraction. By examining all the homicide detective, finds them involved ceremonies and support him as he finds relationships and meanings Cree words in a play about a famous acting couple his inner Spirit. can contain but not fully convey, Hunt who perished in the sinking of the Titanic (Eschia Books, $9.95 pb, 36 pages, isbn: 978- nurtures the Indigenous aesthetics and being put on for charity at the Burton 1-926696-82-9, available as ebook) futures that colonialism is trying to erase. Cummings Theatre. The ghost of Hazel has (Nightwood Editions, $18.95 pb, 128 pages, been haunting the theatre, and the off-stage Sunflower’s Story isbn: 978-0-88971-392-5) drama includes murder. Sunflower Paul, illustrated by (FriesenPress, $21.95 pb, 184 pages, Chloe “Bluebird” Mustooch Exhibitionist isbn: 978-1-7773300-0-2) This book in the Finding Wakâ series of Molly Cross-Blanchard narratives by Nakota Sioux teens tells how This perceptive debut collection explores Saltus Sunflower’s life as a spiritual person, a Tree the deep dark corners and wide open Tara Gereaux Girl at Sundance ceremonies, is disrupted spaces of young love and fierce sex in all The portrayal of small-town life is layered in Grade 8 when her mother marries their complexity, with frank confessions and profound in this novel set on the Clifford and she is part of a blended family, and disarming humour. Prairies in the ’90s. At the core is Aaron’s attending a city school. To deal with her (Coach House Books, $21.95 pb, 112 pages, desperate attempt to jumpstart her gender stress, her grandfather helps her to fast on isbn: 978-1-55245-422-0, available as ebook) transition, the effects of which spread the land and find her inner Spirit. to characters including Aaron’s mother, (Eschia Books, $10.95 pb, 52 pages, isbn: 978- Father, my Father: Selected Poems Nadine, Lenore and Trish who work at the 1-926696-84-3, available as ebook) and Stories Harvest Gold Inn & Restaurant, the local Brenda Fontaine graphic novels police officer Roger, and Trish’s son, Jase. Fontaine’s personal collection of poems (Nightwood Editions, $22.95 pb, 272 pages, and stories presents the teachings she Road Allowance Era, Vol. 4, isbn: 978-0-88971-400-7, available as ebook) would like to pass on to future generations. A Girl Called Echo Fontaine speaks out on a variety of current Katherena Vermette, illustrated by Scott poetry political, social, and spiritual issues, and B. Henderson, colour by Donovan Yaciuk includes accounts of personal experiences. In this fourth and final instalment of Blue Marrow, Third Edition (Goldrock Press, $14.95 pb, 88 pages, Echo’s time-travelling story of strength and Louise B. Halfe – Sky Dancer isbn: 978-1-927410-66-0) resilience, she witnesses many Métis people This redesigned edition of a classic poetry – cheated out of their right to land – settle on collection features artwork by Leah Marie Dorion and a new interview with

30 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 Grey Owl: The Mystery drama for future generations, will captivate a of Archie Belaney readership far beyond the world of hockey. Armand Garnet Ruffo Two Indians (Viking-Penguin Random House, $32.00 Twenty-five years after this poetry Falen Johnson hc, 288 pages, isbn: 978-0-7352-4001-8, collection – a fascinating mixture of voices Two cousins reunite in a Toronto alley, years available as ebook) in poetry, fiction, letters, and news – was after Roe left their community, fleeing the first released, a new edition is available, emotional aftermath of a tragic incident. Daughters of Aataentsic: Life Stories with an introduction by the author Win has come to visit, really to convince Roe from Seven Generations that delves into his family’s personal to come home. While waiting to view the Kathryn Magee Labelle connection with Archie Belaney, and into supermoon, the two dig deeply into their own This groundbreaking project tells the life questions of voice and appropriation. truth and attempt a sort of reconciliation. stories of seven significant Wendat/Wandat (Wolsak and Wynn, $20.00 pb, 218 pages, (Scirocco Drama-JGS Publishing, $15.95 pb, women across North America, showing isbn: 978-1-989496-34-3) 72 pages, isbn: 978-1-927922-74-3) how Wendat people and place came together in Ontario, Quebec, Michigan, Kitotam (He Speaks to It) biography/memoir Ohio, Kansas, and Oklahoma, and how John McDonald generations of activism became tied to These poems speak to the places (a Beyond the Sixties Scoop notions of family, community, motherwork, garbage pit, graveyards, arcades), people Deborah Ironstand and legacy from the 17th to the 21st century. (grandfather, community nurturers), During the ’60s Scoop, Indigenous children (McGill-Queen’s University Press, $34.95 hc, objects (a car, a guitar), and rituals were forcibly removed from their families 240 pages, with photos, diagrams, notes, (smoking, driving) of a youth in Prince and communities and relocated into non- index, isbn: 978-0-228005-29-2) Albert in the first section. In the second Indigenous families and communities. In her life story Beyond the Sixties Scoop, Deborah part, McDonald explores the creative life I Have Lived Four Lives . . . Ironstand from Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty – performances, travels, influences and Wilfred Buck Reserve shares the long-term effects of the muses, and the acts of writing and painting. This collection of writings from Ininew ’60s Scoop and her journey to healing. (Radiant Press, $20.00 pb, 104 pages, Dream Keeper (Pawami niki titi cikiw) isbn: 978-1-98927-450-7, available as ebook) (Goldrock Press, $14.95 pb, 122 pages, Wilfred Buck portrays four separate stages isbn: 978-1-927410-70-7) of personal experience. The stories are nedí nezų (Good Medicine) designed as aids to assist in discovery Tenille K. Campbell Broken Circle: The Life Story and healing for Indigenous youth, but of James M. Peters No one captures the humour, diversity, instead of being didactic, they encompass James M. Peters sensuality, and scandal of decolonized a range of hilarious and vivid recollections James Peters, originally from the Caldwell desire quite like Campbell does. These wise that revolve around visions and dreams, Band of Pelee Island, was taken away from and joyful poems tell of heartbreak and and that ultimately trace Buck’s path his family and community when he was growth with sly honesty, and they resist to becoming a teacher in Indigenous four and placed in a series of foster homes the idea that a solo life is somehow lacking cosmology and astronomy. until he was 16 and released from foster in love and lust. (ARP Books, $22.00 pb, 200 pages, isbn: 978- care onto the streets of Toronto. In his book (Arsenal Pulp Press, $17.95 pb, 124 pages, 1-927886-49-6, available as ebook) The Broken Circle, Peters shares his lifelong isbn: 978-1-55152-846-5, available as ebook) search for the lost connections to his Mitoni niya nêhiya – nêhiya-iskwêw family and home community. Scofflaw mitoni niya / Cree Is Who I Truly (Goldrock Press, $14.95 pb, 120 pages, Garry Thomas Morse Am – Me, I Am Truly a Cree Woman isbn: 978-1-927410-71-4) This long poem playfully explores Sarah Whitecalf, edited and translated Indigenous-settler relations in quick- by H. C. Wolfart and Freda Ahenakew Call Me Indian: From the Trauma of witted and allusive ways. A shadowy Sarah Whitecalf spoke Cree exclusively, Residential School to Becoming the and lived much of her life at Nakiwacîhk/ figure named Scofflaw spars with an NHL’s First Treaty Indigenous Player Sweetgrass Reserve on the North enigmatic “we” to comment on such topics Fred Sasakamoose with Meg Masters Saskatchewan River. Her thoughts and as sacred remains under the Canadian Sasakamoose is a storyteller, and this feelings as she copes with the impact of Museum for Human Rights, the effects of story, not just about his NHL career, but colonialism are printed in Cree exactly as pesticides on Manitoba butterflies, and also about his extraordinary work as she recorded them, with a close English who gets to decide which words live or die. a band councillor and chief and as an translation on facing pages. (Anvil Press, $18.00 pb, 96 pages, isbn: 978- inspirational speaker and role model 1-77214-172-6) (University of Manitoba Press, $29.95 pb, 364 pages, isbn: 978-0-88755-942-6, available as ebook) continued on page 32

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 31 continued from page 31

Peyakow: Reclaiming Cree Dignity, students of the Cree language includes Indigenous Celebrity: A Memoir revisions and new information, and links Entanglements with Fame Darrel J. McLeod to an online language workbook and Edited by Jennifer Adese and This sequel to McLeod’s Governor General’s audio language labs that are also available Robert Alexander Innes Award–winning memoir, Mamaskatch, as podcasts. The wide-ranging essays in this book tells the story of how he builds a career (University of Regina Press, $34.95 pb, critically explore the theoretical, material, in the area of Indigenous education and 392 pages, isbn: 978-0-88977-767-5, social, cultural, and political impacts of then in federal treaty translations and available as ebook) celebrity on and for Indigenous people. negotiations, making profound differences Readers will understand how Indigenous in the lives of others, all the while hiding Did You See Us? Reunion, Remembrance, people draw on nation-specific processes of his personal life and dealing with one and Reclamation at an Urban respect and recognition while at the same family tragedy after another, always Indian Residential School time navigating external assumptions and feeling like an imposter. Survivors of the Assiniboia expectations. (Douglas & McIntyre, $29.95 hc, 264 pages, Indian Residential School (University of Manitoba Press, $27.95 isbn: 978-1-77162-231-8) Put together from memories of former pb, 312 pages, isbn: 978-0-88755-906-8, students with a socio-historical available as ebook) Run as One: My Story reconstruction of the Assiniboia school Errol Ranville and its position in Winnipeg and the larger A Short History of the Blockade: Facing barriers of racism, poverty, Indian residential school system, this book Giant Beavers, Diplomacy, and addiction, and the tragedy of losing his illustrates the complexity of a specific Regeneration in Nishnaabewin beloved wife, Ranville overcame them school where forced assimilation and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson to become a trailblazer in the Canadian Indigenous resilience co-existed. Originally presented as the 2020 CLC music scene, releasing several hit songs (University of Manitoba Press, $24.95 Kreisel Lecture at the University of Alberta, with his C-Weed Band and receiving pb, 264 pages, isbn: 978-0-88755-907-5, this text reframes and re-envisions the the Lifetime Achievement Award at the available as ebook) concept and meaning of the blockade Indigenous Music Awards in 2011. He tells to deepen understanding of Indigenous his story from the earliest beginnings First Nations Wildfire Evacuations: resistance, looking at blockades through playing with his brothers to his place as a A Guide for Communities and the brilliance of beavers, or amikwag, who External Agencies role model for Indigenous musicians that embody the practice of wisdom, and who Tara K. McGee, Amy Cardinal follow him. build shared worlds with their dams. Christianson, and First Nations (Great Plains Publications, $24.95 pb, (University of Alberta Press, $12.99 pb, Wildfire Evacuation Partnership 160 pages, isbn: 978-1-77337-060-6) 88 pages, isbn: 978-1-77212-538-2, available This evacuation guide is based on as ebook) general non-fiction interviews with over 200 wildfire evacuees from seven First Nations. Real- We Had a Little Real Estate Carrying the Burden of Peace: life stories, checklists, and guiding Problem: The Unheralded Story Reimagining Indigenous questions give an overview of what to of Native Americans & Comedy Masculinities Through Story expect and how to plan for different stages Kliph Nesteroff Sam McKegney of an evacuation. Despite having been denied representation Seeking to celebrate the diversity and (Purich-UBC Press, $25.00 pb, 172 pages, in the entertainment industry, Native strength of Indigenous masculinities, with photos, maps, isbn: 978-0-77488- American comedians have influenced and McKegney explores Indigenous literature 066-4) advanced the art form of stand-up comedy. – the work of Billy-Ray Belcourt, Gregory Beginning with the wild west shows of the Scofield, Eden Robinson, Richard Van Regime of Obstruction: How Corporate 1880s, Nesteroff takes a detailed look at the Camp, and others – for understandings Power Blocks Energy Democracy Indigenous comedy tradition, including of masculinity that go beyond the toxic Edited by William K. Carroll profiles of Canadian performers Don inheritance of colonialism. Anchored in sociological and political Burnstick, Ryan McMahon, and Dakota (University of Regina Press, $34.95 pb, theory, this book provides hard data and Ray Herbert, among many others. 288 pages, isbn: 978-0-88977-793-4, empirical research to make visible the (Simon & Schuster, $36.00 hc, 336 pages, available as ebook) complex connections between corporate isbn: 978-1-9821-0303-3) power and the extraction and use of Cree: Language of the Plains / carbon energy. nĒhiyawĒwin: paskwĀwi-pĪkiskwĒ (AU Press, $39.99 pb, 576 pages, with b/w ā Jean L. Okim sis figures, isbn: 978-1-77199-289-3, available This newly designed edition of a as ebook) comprehensive educational resource for

32 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 non-fiction

Historian challenges the dominant settler-colonial narrative of heritage sites Coutts calls for a progressive approach to ‘replace rear-window nationalism with forward-looking narratives’ by Paula E. Kirman

AUTHORIZED HERITAGE: changing historiographies impact the way we look at Place, Memory, and Historic historic places? These are all questions that informed my Sites in Prairie Canada conception of what this book could be.” Coutts hopes that readers will gain “a better Robert Coutts understanding of how the places we consider to be of University of Manitoba Press heritage value are commemorated, and just as importantly, $27.95 pb, 264 pages how certain stories, narratives, and memories of our with map, photographs Robert Coutts isbn: 978-0-88755-926-6 collective pasts are forgotten, or at least downplayed. Available as ebook “As well,” he says, “I hope readers will have a better understanding of how certain versions of the past – especially in regard to place – are resisted and how competing stories eritage sites across the country are often and competing versions of the past have survived, especially commemorated in a way that reflects within Indigenous communities in the West.” H In researching Authorized Heritage, Coutts spent the dominant social and cultural narrative: time accessing various archives and government records, conventional, conservative, and colonial. including unofficial Parks Canada materials. That was In Authorized Heritage: Place, Memory, not his main focus, though. and Historic Sites in Prairie Canada, “My research focused to a large degree on my Winnipeg-based Robert Coutts presents a own experiences, spending considerable time at detailed examination of Prairie heritage sites most of the sites I discuss. In fact, I use Simon and how governments are the mediators and Schama’s phrase ‘the archive of the feet’ to arbitrators of what is – and isn’t – considered describe much of my research process,” he says. heritage. The book also discusses how class, In the process, Coutts “learned more about gender, and sexuality are distanced from the how the past is often embroidered to present heritage discourse. certain narratives and certain perspectives, Coutts’s career as a historian with Parks how these stories and histories can often be Canada for over 30 years was the impetus for one-dimensional, conventional, and reflective the creation of Authorized Heritage. of traditional settler-colonial perceptions.” “Early on I became interested in questions In Authorized Heritage, Coutts also discusses around how heritage becomes official or the “tourist gaze” and, as he says, “how ‘authorized,’ how memory functions in regard to those historic sites often reflect back to visitors their expectations histories we choose to remember and those we forget, and and knowledge while authenticating what the visitor wants how critical the concept of place is to the way memories to see in the often imagined past of heritage.” are evoked,” he explains. “I also became interested in Coutts advocates a more constructive way of looking at how different historic places function in the way they historic sites. communicate their narratives and their stories to the public.” “By viewing heritage as less a depiction of the past He notes that the interpretation of history is often in the present but rather the persistence of the past in revisionist. “How does this translate to historic sites, or the present, the language of place can be confident and does it at all? Does interpretation of the past change over progressive,” he says, “and with new commemorations time or is an authorized heritage resistant to dissimilarity and new stories, we can replace rear-window nationalism and new ways of looking at the past? More directly, do with forward-looking narratives.”

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 33 non-fiction

Trailblazer in male-dominated trades shares lessons learned from working life Louella Lester’s memoir is quirky, compact, and packs a punch by Prairie books NOW staff writer Marjorie Poor

GLASS BRICKS you might feel that you don’t measure “whether it was paid work or the Louella Lester up or things go wrong or you are work they did around our house and At Bay Books tired or get hurt or you quit.” yard, building or fixing the house, or $21.95 pb, 104 pages Not everyone has had working a huge garden to with black & white photos enough jobs to fill a book, feed their children.” isbn: 978-1-988168-42-5 especially ones so different Now Lester is passing on Available as an ebook from each other. Lester what she has learned from worked conventional jobs – a life of hard and varied such as serving customers work. innipeg author Louella in doughnut shops and “It’s hard, and sometimes Lester has been working completing tax forms – but deflating, to work at W she was also a trailblazer, something you might think since she was five years old. From working in male-dominated is menial or uninteresting selling onions door to door, to environments like diesel Louella Lester for low wages,” she says. “But cleaning pianos, to busy days mechanics shops and pulp- every job teaches writing and taking photographs and-paper mills. you skills that after she retired from her teaching “My parents had only you can use to daughters, so we did it all: get where you career, she has always worked at cutting grass, cutting wood, want to go. Once something. “I don’t feel right if I’m doing housework, cooking, on your resumé, not learning or doing,” she says. helping build things, fixing these skills show vehicles,” she explains. “I who you are One of the fruits of Lester’s post- helped my dad a lot and and what you’re “retirement” labour is her new book, never felt there were jobs a capable of doing. Glass Bricks, which is a memoir of woman couldn’t do. So, it Every job I had her working life – the jobs and the wasn’t until I went to Red taught me skills I lessons learned – told with humour River College and saw so used later, when and grit and “the odd flight of fancy” few women in the trades it really mattered. in short/flash creative non-fiction courses that I really realized And it taught me pieces and a selection of her black it was a bit different to be a to respect and and white photographs. woman in the diesel shop. appreciate people The compact length combined with “Sometimes, when I was working working in all fields, at all levels. spot-on, often quirky, details and in non-traditional jobs, I did feel “All work matters.” clear-eyed insights ensures that each some pressure – pressure that I was piece packs a punch. representing all women, and if I With files from Michelle Bailey The title image is an apt metaphor didn’t succeed it would negatively for the working life. “Glass bricks impact all who followed.” are strong enough to hold up walls, Lester dedicates the book to her the way you must be when you parents, both of whom died in 2020, are working complicated or hard saying they modelled a strong work jobs,” Lester says. “But they are ethic and taught her to take pride also fragile and can be easily broken, in her work. “My parents worked representing the times at work that so hard all their lives,” she says,

34 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 non-fiction

Weaving together the threads of writing and gender Second memoir follows the unfinished stories from Fatherless by Margaret Goldik

THE BRIDGE: under the sun was labelled ‘for boys’ or ‘for girls’ and Writing Across the Binary then dealt out into two neat, mutually exclusive blue and pink piles.” Keith Maillard Maillard didn’t clearly identify as either a boy or a girl, Freehand Books $22.95 pb, 272 pages which left him baffled. As a child he had panic attacks isbn: 978-1-988298-78-8 and night terrors, but he also knew he was loved. His cousin Billy was his closest eith Maillard grew up knowing nothing about friend, and Maillard’s his father. On his father’s death, Maillard mother and grandmother K were supportive. “The was given his scrapbooks, and set out to capture sense I always got from my everything he remembered or knew about him, grandmother,” says Maillard, writing a first memoir, Fatherless, published in 2019. “is that I was just fine however Maillard had generated a lot of text, not all about the I was.” senior Maillard. In the ’60s Maillard was in Boston, writing for “About each piece of writing I had to ask myself, ‘Is this underground newspapers, about my father, is it absolutely focused on my father?’ and in 1970, burnt out and If it was,” he explains, “then it went into the Fatherless disillusioned with his country, file, and if it wasn’t, it went into the file I called The he came to Canada. In the Second Book.” years since, Maillard has The Second Book became Vancouver-based Maillard’s been a creative writing teacher, journalist, poet, musician, new memoir, The Bridge: Writing Across the Binary. He essayist, and novelist: his first novel, Two Strand River, recounts with impressive honesty not only his writing published in 1976, featured two genderfluid characters journey, but also his journey toward and became a cult classic. understanding his gender dysphoria. By 2006, 11 of his 14 novels had been nominated for “It would take me over 60 years to or winners of literary awards. His most recent novel was arrive at a clear understanding of my Twin Studies, published in 2018. problem – I was trapped inside what But he had to come to terms with being non-binary. we now would call ‘the gender binary,’ Growing up, Maillard had no role models. the notion that there are only two “So years later when I was writing Two Strand River,” choices,” he says. he says, “I was fully aware that I was writing the kind of The two threads of The Bridge book I would have liked to read when I was a kid.” – writing and gender – begin in And will there be more acceptance of non-binary

his home town of Wheeling, West MAILLARD MARY genders? “There’s a massive anti-trans campaign at the Virginia. The 1940s and 1950s are Keith Maillard moment. It’s been quite successful in the United Kingdom; beautifully evoked, with both the below the border it’s very much a part of the Trumpian freedom and the rigidity of the times. worldview, and it’s certainly alive and well in Canada,” “That era we call ‘the ’50s’ was more complex and says Maillard. nuanced than it is often portrayed, but the gender split “There’s a lot of work for us still to do.” was just as bad as anyone remembers, and down at the kid level it was bad indeed,” says Maillard. “Everything

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 35 non-fiction

Refugees tell their own stories in collection edited for ‘depth, diversity, and drama’ Book offers critical perspective on bureaucratic barriers, policy failures by Paula E. Kirman

FINDING REFUGE IN CANADA: process ensured that the book had Narratives of Dislocation “depth, diversity, and drama,” says George Melnyk Melnyk, who is professor emeritus of Edited by George Melnyk and Christina Parker Communications, Media, and Film AU Press $27.99 pb, 200 pages at the University of Calgary and has isbn: 978-1-77199-301-2 written and edited over 25 books. Available as an ebook “Refugee stories can be spine-tingling because of the threats and danger refugees face regularly.” anada, both now and throughout history, has The book’s extensive introduction usually been regarded as a welcoming country describes how the law operates, the C challenges refugees face psychologically, Christina Parker to refugees fleeing war, persecution, and famine. socially, and economically, and what But what kinds of reception have refugees really can be done to make the system fairer. encountered here? But the personal narratives are the core. “The stories by refugees and those that help them provide a window on Finding Refuge in Canada: Narratives of Dislocation, the real problems of integration each refugee faces. These edited by George Melnyk and Christina Parker, provides stories allow us to walk in their shoes,” says Melnyk. personal narratives about the refugee experience in “We want readers to appreciate that the reputation that Canada, sharing the perspectives of writers from diverse Canada has developed of being a welcoming country is backgrounds, including refugees, front-line workers, not always true and that bureaucratic barriers and policy private sponsors, and civil servants. failures can mean that some legitimate Melnyk, who came to Canada as a refugee refugee claimants may not be treated fairly.” at the age of three, got the idea for the book Parker notes, “The global refugee crisis after working on magazine articles about persists today, but people’s perceptions refugees. “Having a focus on refugees telling of refugees are constantly fluctuating. their own stories seemed like the right way to Perspectives are shaped by social media, stories, go if Canadians were to get first-hand insight and firsthand experiences and encounters.” into the traumas and struggles of those who They paid close attention to shifting seek refuge in Canada,” he says. perspectives as they edited. “As we close the He felt he needed a co-editor from central book,” says Parker, “our afterword continued Canada, where many refugees settle, so to evolve as we reflected on the implications of he invited Parker, an assistant professor in COVID-19 and the refugee processing system Social Development Studies at the University in Canada, which severely impacted the of Waterloo, to collaborate on the project. protection and welfare of those in most need “As an educator and researcher who has of shelter and protection.” worked in diverse communities, I often found myself Parker hopes this book will “offer a critical perspective witnessing the experiences of refugee children firsthand on what it means to be a refugee in Canada and what – and wanted to do something to be able to share their it means to be someone who supports refugees. Many experiences with Canadians,” Parker says. dominant narratives about refugees are challenged in this Melnyk and Parker sought submissions from a book – readers get glimpses into people’s lives, emotions, range of people, both refugees and people who help and the pangs of guilt that one feels when they have to refugees and who create new policies. The editing leave their life and loved ones behind.”

36 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 people. Kaleb Dahlgren is one of the 13 Pimicikamak Nation. In this memoir that more non-fiction people who survived. He tells his story, explores home, belonging, and identity, he art/photography from a childhood spent learning to live recounts his return to Pimicikamak as an with Type 1 diabetes to his remarkable adult, when he learns about the impact of Ben Woolfitt: Rhythms & Series recovery from severe brain trauma, and the dam, the effects of colonialism, and Ben Woolfitt he chronicles the time he spent with the the community’s initiatives to preserve The more than 65 reproductions of Broncos and the loving community of and strengthen their culture. drawings in this book – made with Humboldt, Saskatchewan. (Goose Lane Editions, $19.95 pb, 208 pages, graphite, silver and metal leaf, and selected (HarperCollins, $32.99 hc, 296 pages, isbn: 978-1-77310-198-9, available as ebook) objects for frottage – are charged with isbn: 978-1-4434-6287-7, available as ebook rich psychological meaning, plumbing the and audio book) This One Wild Life: A Mother- depths of Woolfitt’s subconscious. Also Daughter Wilderness Memoir included is an interview with the artist The Girl from Dream City: Angie Abdou by AGO curators Kenneth Brummel and A Literary Life Abdou is surprised to discover that her Alexa Greist. Linda Leith daughter is shy, and so she sets out to (Goose Lane Editions, $40.00 hc, 160 pages, Leith shares the story of how she was develop Katie’s self-confidence by hiking isbn: 978-1-77310-226-9) educated in various European cities, a peak a week together over the summer started writing in Budapest, and holidays. This funny and poignant memoir Grain Elevators: Beacons of eventually returned to Montreal where explores parenting, marriage, and mother- the Prairies she worked with a community of writers daughter bonding, while examining the Photography by Chris Attrell, and readers to transform the city’s literary effects of social media, the benefits of text by Christine Hanlon scene by founding the Blue Metropolis outdoor activity, and much more. At one time, almost 6,000 grain elevators International Literary festival and an (ECW Press, $21.95 pb, 248 pages, isbn: 978- defined the economy and skyline of eponymous publishing company. 1-77041-600-0, available as ebook) Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, (University of Regina Press, $21.95 pb, but every year, their numbers dwindle. 304 pages, isbn: 978-0-88977-785-9, The Scenic Geology of Alberta: In this stunning photo collection, Attrell available as ebook) A Roadside Touring and Hiking Guide captures the haunting presence of those Dale Leckie that remain to stand guard over an ever- Light the Road of Freedom, With eye-catching illustrations and changing agrarian lifestyle. Women’s Voices from Gaza photographs, geologist Dale Leckie blends (MacIntyre Purcell Publishing, $29.95 hc, Sahbaa Al-Barbari, edited by storytelling with science to guide readers, 128 pages, isbn: 978- 1-77276-159-7) Ghada Ageel and Barbara Bill cyclists, hikers, and campers through This second book in the series honouring Alberta’s landscape – from Waterton Lakes Sea Salt, Lizards and Clay: My Ceramics women’s perspectives on the social, National Park to Dinosaur Provincial Park, from the Mediterranean to the Rockies material, and political realities of into the prairies and across northern Santo Mignosa Palestinian life tells the story of Al-Barbari, Alberta. This book covers the expansive career of who began her career as a school teacher (Dale Leckie, $27.95 pb, 300 pages, renowned Italian Canadian ceramic artist and was an activist in her community. In isbn: 978-0-9959082-3-9) Santo Mignosa. The gifted Modernist 1967, she was exiled from Palestine and sculptor and rigorous technician brought continued her activism from Egypt, Syria, The Way of the Gardener: Lost in the formal art training – in anatomy, drawing, Lebanon, Cyprus, Kuwait, Tunis, Libya, and Weeds Along the Camino de Santiago representational and abstracted figurative Europe, until she returned to Gaza in 1996. Lyndon Penner art, ceramic murals, and hand-built large- (University of Alberta Press, $24.99 pb, Written by a gardening expert and scale clay sculpture – to western Canada. 152 pages, isbn: 978-1-77212-544-3, available environmentalist, this humorous take on (Granville Island Publishing, 118 pages, as ebook) the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage offers $45.95 hc, isbn: 978-1-989467-27-5; $25.95 pb, a new perspective, as seen through the isbn: 978-1-989467-32-9) Northern Light: Power, Land, trees, plants, and flowers along the way, and the Memory of Water which tell the history of the people and biography/memoir Kazim Ali ecology of northern Spain. Crossroads: My Story of Tragedy and Ali’s childhood memories of Jenpeg, a (University of Regina Press, $24.95 pb, Resilience as a Humboldt Bronco temporary town in the forests of Manitoba 180 pages, with plant glossary, map, Kaleb Dahlgren where his immigrant father worked illustrations, isbn: 978-0-88977-806-1, On April 6, 2018, the bus taking the building a hydroelectric dam, did not available as ebook) Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team include the knowledge that the dam to a playoff game crashed, killing 16 was located on the unceded lands of the continued on page 38

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 37 continued from page 37

We Are All Perfectly Fine: A Memoir Wreck: A Very Anxious Memoir Alberta: A Health System Profile of Love, Medicine and Healing Kelley Jo Burke John Church and Neale Smith Jillian Horton, M.D. This memoir by a self-confessed compulsive This book provides the first detailed Horton’s funny and fresh account of her liar centres on her grandparents’ cottage description of Alberta’s health care system time at a meditation retreat for burned- with a view of a lighthouse in Maine. She and the underpinning political and social out doctors reveals the flawed system explores issues of anxiety, alienation, forces that have shaped it. Despite having that shapes medical professionals – immigration, mental health, generational the financial resources to develop an training them to compartmentalize trauma, the nature of memory, and the extensive infrastructure and to attract their most difficult emotions – and how ethical and spiritual boundaries of memoir highly paid health professionals, Alberta’s unacknowledged stresses lead doctors work, all in the form of comedy. health care outcomes are mediocre to depression and suicide. Her book (Radiant Press, $22.00 pb, 232 pages, compared with other jurisdictions due emphasizes the crucial role of compassion isbn: 978-1-98927-444-6, available as ebook) to a unique interplay of economic and not only in treating others, but also in political forces. taking care of oneself. essays (University of Toronto Press, 304 pages, (HarperCollins, $23.99 pb, 304 pages, with figures, maps, tables, $85.00 Big Reader: Essays isbn: 978-1-4434-6164-1, available as ebook hc, isbn: 978-1-4875-0752-7; $36.95 pb, Susan Olding and audio book) isbn: 978-1-4875-2516-3; available as ebook) These exquisite essays weave personal experiences of change and loss – marital White Coal City: A Memoir of Place Being German Canadian: History, & Family breakdown, infertility, parental care Memories, Generations Robert Boschman – with equally personal experiences of Edited by Alexander Freund In this exploration of complex lives in reading the right book (say Anna Karenina) Senior and junior scholars from history industrial cities and what settlers inherit or author (perhaps Keats?) at the right time. and related disciplines explore how as families and as colonizers, Boschman (Freehand Books, $22.95 pb, 304 pages, multi-generational families and groups tells of his family’s life in Prince Albert, isbn: 978-1-988298-81-8) have interacted and shaped each other’s Saskatchewan, a hard, hockey-obsessed, integration and adaptation in Canadian white settler town on Treaty 6 Territory Wild Roses Are Worth It: Reimagining society, focusing on the experiences, the Alberta Advantage located geographically in what he calls “a histories, and memories of German Kevin Van Tighem circle of pain,” surrounded and intersected immigrants and their descendants. This selection of works by naturalist, by a federal penitentiary, two provincial (University of Manitoba Press, $31.95 hunter, conservation activist, and corrections facilities, a former tuberculosis pb, 248 pages, isbn: 978-0-88755-847-4, outdoors journalist Van Tighem offers an sanitarium, an old pulp-and-paper mill, available as ebook) and an ancient dam. unflinching challenge to cherished myths and conventional wisdom in a troubled (University of Regina Press, $21.95 pb, Border and Rule: Global Migration, 328 pages, isbn: 978-0-88977-796-5, province beset with profound questions Capitalism, and the Rise of available as ebook) about its future. Even so, the love he feels Racist Nationalism for this place and the respect for these Harsha Walia The Wig-Maker people resonates and inspires. This unflinching examination of Janet Gallant and Sharon Thesen (Rocky Mountain Books, $22.00 pb, migration as a pillar of global governance In the voice of wig-maker Gallant, 288 pages, isbn: 978-1-77160-485-7, and gendered racial class formation shows transcribed and lineated by Thesen into available as ebook) that migrant and refugee crises are the the form of a long poem, this powerful inevitable outcomes of conquest, capitalist memoir covers a lot of ground. From a general non-fiction globalization, and climate change, generating mass dispossession worldwide. childhood spent moving from one military Academic Well-Being of Racialized base to another, wondering why her Students (Fernwood Publishing, $27.00 pb, 320 pages, mother left the family, to the revelation Edited by Benita Bunjun isbn: 978-1-77363-452-4, available as ebook) of her racial background, the early death Through the genres of essay, art, poetry, of loved ones, and finally to a diagnosis and photography, this book examines the Chocolate: How a New World Commodity Conquered Spanish of alopecia that led to her current work experiences of and effects on racialized Literature crafting wigs, Gallant’s story of violence, students in the Canadian academy, while Erin Alice Cowling grief, resilience, and transformation is like exposing academy’s lack of capacity to This book traces representations of no other. promote students’ academic well-being chocolate in Spanish literature and (New Star Books, $18.00 pb, 104 pages, and emphasizing the crucial connections historical documents, including 17th- and isbn: 978-1-55420-171-6) that these students forge. 18th-century letters, testimonies, and (Fernwood Publishing, $25.00 pb, 250 pages, ship registers, contemporary chronicles, isbn: 978-1-77363-437-1, available as ebook)

38 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 and cookbooks, providing a fascinating scholars and activists, and underlining the and failure but also of the Manitobans narrative about one of the most beloved importance of working-class history. who kept the dream of a provincial foods of all time. (AU Press, $37.99 pb, 360 pages, isbn: 978-1- museum alive. (University of Toronto Press, 200 pages, 77199-311-1, available as ebook) (Woolly Mammoth Publishing, $28.00 pb, $70.00 hc, isbn: 978-1-4875-0329-1; $27.95 pb, 188 pages, with b/w photos, isbn: 978-0- isbn: 978-1-4875-2720-4; available as ebook) Extractivisms: Politics, Economy 9867377-0-1) and Ecology COVID-19 and the Future of Capitalism: Eduardo Gudynas For the Temporary Accommodation of Postcapitalist Horizons Beyond Extractivisms include open-pit mining, oil Settlers: Architecture and Immigrant Neo-Liberalism extraction, the spread of monocultures, Reception in Canada, 1870–1930 Efe Can Gürcan, Ömer Ersin and other natural resource appropriation. David Monteyne Kahraman and Selen Yanmaz This book explores negative local impacts This architectural history of the buildings This book formulates a tentative such as ecological and health degradation that welcomed, directed, controlled, and revolutionary program that could take and violence in a comprehensive overview rejected immigrants reconstructs the advantage of the COVID-19 environment to of the theoretical innovations being experiences of people in these spaces defeat and transcend capitalism. discussed in Latin America. – both immigrants and government (Fernwood Publishing, $20.00 pb, 140 pages, (Fernwood Publishing, $20.00 pb, 150 pages, agents – offering new ways of seeing isbn: 978-1-77363-257-5) isbn: 978-1-77363-176-9) and thinking about the historical processes of immigration. Creative Clinical Teaching in False Summit: Gender in (McGill-Queen’s University Press, $75.00 hc, the Health Professions Mountaineering Nonfiction 456 pages, with photos, isbn: 978-0-22800- Sherri Melrose, Caroline Par, and Beth Perry Julie Rak 638-1, available as ebook) This indispensable guide for educators Rak explores the role of gender politics in health professions gives them sound in narratives about high-altitude Social Service, Private Gain: The pedagogical theory interspersed with mountaineering in the Himalayas and Political Economy of Social Impact Bonds creative strategies and notes from the field the Kakakoram to find that mountain­ Jesse Hajer and John Loxley by clinical teachers who offer practical eering as a metaphor is still the preserve Drawing on mainstream and suggestions. of traditional white male heroism, and unconventional economic theory, practical (AU Press, $27.99 pb, 250 pages, isbn: 978-1- in practice, is not ready to welcome case studies, and empirical data, this 77199-331-9, available as ebook) other ways of climbing or other kinds book examines the evolution of social of climbers. impact bonds and critically assesses their Creative Tourism in Smaller (McGill-Queen’s University Press, $34.95 pb, potential to contribute to solving the Communities: Place, Culture, 272 pages, with photos, map, isbn: 978-0- multi-faceted social challenges emerging and Local Representation 22800-627-5, available as ebook) from a context of entrenched and growing Edited by Kathleen Scherf inequality. Tourism has raised issues of social and Finding Our Niche: Toward a (University of Toronto Press, 384 pages, cultural sustainability in the world’s Restorative Human Ecology $85.00 hc, isbn: 978-1-4875-0328-4; $39.95 pb, global cities. This book examines the Philip A. Loring isbn: 978-1-4875-2691-7; available as ebook) processes, policies, and methodologies Loring imagines a world where people and of creative tourism, paying attention to nature thrive together. He explores the Still Living the Edges: A Disabled the ways place-based tourism can aid tragedies of Western society and offers Women’s Reader sustainable cultural development. examples and analyses that can guide Edited by Diane Driedger (University of Calgary Press, $39.99 pb, readers in reconciling damaging settler- This follow-up to Driedger’s 2010 anthology 216 pages, with illustrations, isbn: 978-1- colonial histories and environmental is an international reader that features 77385-188-4, available as ebook) missteps in favour of a more sustainable articles, poetry, essays, and visual art from and just vision for the future. women with various disabilities, from Dissenting Traditions: Essays on Brian (Fernwood Publishing, $27.00 pb, 192 pages, nations such as Canada, the United States, D. Palmer, Marxism, and History isbn: 978-1-77363-287-2, available as ebook) Australia, Russia, and Zimbabwe. Disabled Edited by Sean Carleton, Ted McCoy, women discuss inaccessible environments, and Julia Smith Fire, Folly and Fiasco: Why it took 100 explore their identity, and challenge the This book gathers Palmer’s contemporaries, years to build The Manitoba Museum physical and attitudinal barriers that students, and sometimes critics to James A. Burns exclude them from society. examine and expand on the topics and Veteran museum curator Burns tells the (Inanna, $29.95 pb, 260 pages, with artwork, themes that have defined his career, from 100-year story of building The Manitoba isbn: 978-1-77133-833-2) labour history to Marxism and communist Museum, a story not only of frustration politics, offering a useful roadmap for

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 39 publisher feature | turnstone press Turnstone Press focus on turns , poetry, 45 prairie writers stays true guides manitoba to its roots publisher by Luis Reis he year 2021 marks the 45th anniversary of Turnstone Press. As the story goes, Turnstone sprang from a get- T Michael Van Rooy, Catherine Hunter, together at a local Winnipeg pub. There, Robert Enright, David Annandale, Chadwick Ginther, Dennis Cooley, John Beaver, David Arnason, Wayne Tefs, and Karen Dudley. and Daniel Lenoski discussed creating a collection of poetry According to Turnstone publisher books to bring light to a huge wellspring of Manitoba writing Jamis Paulson, the company “continues to draw our direction from that was being overlooked by the mainstream. our early vision. We are driven to find new creative voices that might Around that time, the desire to The first book of poetry was In the not otherwise find a home in the give the Prairies a voice within Gutting Shed by W. D. Valgardson, mainstream, and that means poetry the flourishing field of Canadian which, as legend has it, sold so many is still a strong part of our publishing literature was high, and was spurred copies that it was difficult to keep program, as are a large number of on by the Manitoba Arts Council, them in stock. Manitoban and Prairie writers.” which encouraged Turnstone’s early In those first years, Turnstone Over the years, Turnstone books founders to dream bigger and to start published the early works of Patrick have won many awards such as the a publishing firm. Friesen, Lorna Crozier, Fred Wah, Governor General’s Literary Award In 1976, a literary publishing Di Brandt, and many others, for Waiting for Saskatchewan and program named after the hearty receiving numerous awards and Touch the Dragon and a ReLit Award shorebirds that search for morsels accolades along the way. In less than for Fear Not. Turnstone authors in the rocks and driftwood began. 10 years, they expanded beyond have been honoured with numerous poetry to include fiction and regional awards and the publishing non-fiction works by artists company is very proud to have won “We are driven such as Armin Wiebe, Sandra the McNally Robinson Book of the to find new Birdsell, Karen Connelly, and Year Award and the Mary Scorer Lawrence Hill. Award for Best Book by a Manitoba creative voices Turnstone added its Publisher several times. that might not Ravenstone imprint in In fact, two award categories in the the late 1990s, which Manitoba Book Awards have strong otherwise find features mysteries and Turnstone connections: the Manuela a home in the thrillers, and which later Dias Book Design and Illustration included speculative fiction. Awards are named after a former mainstream...” Ravenstone books include managing editor of the press, and the jamis paulson ones by authors such as Michael Van Rooy Award for Genre

40 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 NEW BOOKS FROM ACHIEVE PUBLISHING Fiction is named after one of Turnstone’s prominent Ravenstone authors. Turnstone uses innovative strategies to promote its Counselling in Relationships books and authors, co-operating with writers and community partners, and looking for creative ways to Insights for Helping Families engage readers either in person or virtually. Develop Healthy Connections “We have active presences on most major social media Edited by Vicki Enns platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest, while also developing and sharing work A Little Book About through our website, turnstonepress.com,” Paulson says. Trauma-Informed “Through these channels, we share audio recordings Workplaces and videos, contests, and feature content such as My We Envision a World Where Studio, Quatrain Questions, Behind the Page, and Everyone Is Trauma-Informed UnderCover that give readers a peek into the creative By Nathan Gerbrandt, process that brings our books into the world. We Randy Grieser, Vicki Enns distribute three different newsletters to readers, bookstores, and librarians, and regularly hold book club Once a Wizard draws for our new books.” A children’s story about Turnstone’s list of upcoming titles includes five books finding a way through loss. of poetry – from Diane Tucker, Joanne Epp, Walter By Curtis L. Wiebe Hildebrandt, Kristen Wittman, and Kristian Enright – and the long-awaited Sergeant Neumann mystery, Dishonour Order them from achieve-publishing.com in Camp 133 by Wayne Arthurson. Also, there is Monumental Manitoba, a colourful book about Manitoba’s kooky roadside monuments, from Tommy the Turtle in Boissevain to Flin Flon’s Flintabbatey Flonatin. SMALL CITIES, BIG IDEAS

“Monumental Manitoba is CREATIVE TOURISM IN sure to be a great road trip SMALLER COMMUNITIES: companion for anyone wanting Place, Culture, and Local to explore the faces and places Representation of Manitoba,” says Paulson. Edited By Kathleen Scherf The publisher is particularly excited to promote 978-1-77385-188-4 PB 215 pages, 20 illustrations, 6 x 9 inches the press’s 45th anniversary celebrations. One $39.99 CAD of the anniversary projects currently running is As more people travel the 2Poem2 Tuesday, a reading series honouring the world than ever before, smaller company’s roots in poetry. communities have a unique opportunity to develop creative, Turnstone poets are paired with other poetry culturally sustainable tourist supporters/champions, and their poetry is shared in mini- industries that provide unparalleled experiences for visitors. Discover the celebrations on Turnstone’s YouTube poetry channel ways communities across Canada every week. On its social media platforms, Turnstone and across the world are innovating creative tourism in this fascinating is also featuring a retrospective of its books as part of collection. Throwback Thursdays. “The nature of our upcoming celebrations will be shaped, in part, by the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Paulson, “but rest assured we will continue to find even more creative ways to bring our community together to @ UCalgaryPress press.ucalgary.ca celebrate 45 years of incredible literary collaborations.”

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 41 uap.ualberta.ca more from turnstone press Orders: 1-800-565-9523 Cattail Skyline Postmodern Weather Report: Information: Joanne Epp A Myth of Space Set [email protected] In these mindful poems, quiet in Predominantly on The Prairie 4 Kristian Enright their precision, the speaker revisits childhood haunts, makes monthly As the title indicates, Enright employs observations of the urban Omand’s all the elements of postmodernism, Creek, absorbs cultural moments in such as metanarrative, collage of Cambodia, watches the landscape various forms, and intertextuality, to roll by from train windows, and playfully reflect on science, semantics, summers on a lake, finding the light pop culture, and philosophy within and enlightenment in nature. the psychic space of the Prairie (Turnstone Press, $17.00 pb, landscape. 120 pages, isbn: 978-0-88801-723-9, (Turnstone Press, $21.95 pb, 252 pages, available as ebook) isbn: 978-0-88801-697-3, available as ebook) Death Becomes Us Kristen Wittman Dishonour in Camp 133 These poems chronicle the love, Wayne Arthurson illness, and death of a husband, In this follow-up to The Traitors of following the seasons of nature Camp 133, Captain Mueller is dead, and life, in images that move from apparently by his own hand, but birdsong and leafy trees to ice Sergeant Neumann isn’t convinced, You Look Good for Your Age and tornadoes and back again, in and so searches for the truth among An Anthology forms ranging from the sonnet to treacherous cliques of blackshirts, Rona a ltRows, Editor the villanelle to the found poem. legionnaires, and communist Women writers challenge ageism through Personal challenges are juxtaposed sympathizers. (Ravenstone Books, $16.95 pb, essays, short stories, and poetry. with global events, but the joys of 328 pages, isbn: 978-0-88801-621-8) 978-1-77212-532-0 | 26.99 (t) travel, physical activity, and quiet meditation are never overlooked. Monumental Manitoba (Turnstone Press, $17.00 pb, Meghan Kjartanson 164 pages, isbn: 978-0-88801-732-1, Kjartanson tells the stories of the available as ebook) often wacky monuments of over Nostalgia for Moving Parts 60 sites of interest throughout Diane Tucker Manitoba – from the giant Van Childhood and adolescent Gogh sunflowers of Altona to the experiences are evoked through Happy Rock of Gladstone, from Sara the clothing styles and pop music the camel in Glenboro to Bruce the of the ’70s; reflections on adult life mosasaur in Morden – in this guide and relationships turn into odes to to diverse communities. wine and pay phones; the gentle (Turnstone Press, $27.50 pb, memories of summers at the lake 200 pages, with colour photos suggest contentment, yet winter throughout, isbn: 978-0- meditations draw out a sense of 88801-665-2) The Bad Wife melancholy. These poems examine Micheline MayloR the life cycles of emotions in ways An intimate, first-hand account of how both humorous and profound. to ruin a marriage. (Turnstone Press, $17.00 pb, 90 pages, isbn: 978-0-88801-727-7, available 978-1-77212-548-1 | $19.99 (t) as ebook)

42 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 young adult & children

Tortoises support transition to middle school in tale about maturity Patti Edgar drew on old interest in handwriting for character of Anna by Amanda Sanders

ANNA ANALYST Salsa and Nachos, Anna’s tortoises Patti Edgar that her family inherited from her Yellow Dog-Great Plains father’s college roommate. While $14.95 pb, 112 pages Edgar doesn’t have experience with isbn: 978-1-77337-056-9 owning tortoises herself, after all her research, she believes they are a good choice. algary-based author Patti Edgar “wanted to She says, “Tortoises are perfect for write a novel about a close childhood friendship Patti Edgar Anna because, like her, they prefer C the comforts of a cozy shell and may at a crossroads.” The result is Anna Analyst, which follows Anna, who take a little while longer to get to narrates and is always open about her foibles, and her best friend, Lana, their destination.” as they make the transition from elementary to middle school. Animal-related conflict arises when Lana gets a job looking after Charlie, Each has different ideas of what “Luckily,” says Edgar, “they have a rescue dog. Anna sees dogs as a the change will bring, and the two a whole summer to figure it out and threat to her tortoises, and it doesn’t are at odds as a result. supportive people in their lives who help that Anna’s mother takes a “Leaving behind the comforts of help them.” special liking to Charlie. elementary school can be exciting Inspired by a childhood interest Edgar describes Anna as a “quirky, and intimidating; in graphology, which self-assured character” who pushed some kids feel ready is the study of the author to tell her story. and some don’t,” says handwriting, Edgar Even so, Anna is young, and slow Edgar. “Anna and dug out her old book to accept change, wanting her life Lana are approaching on handwriting to remain the same comfortable one this impending change analysis as research. she’s always had. Edgar says, “Anna differently and that’s She explains the is not very self-aware, which is fun put a wedge in their appeal: “The idea that for the reader who may recognize her friendship.” handwriting could missteps before she does.” Lana wants to help me understand my Throughout the events of the book, mature – earn place in the world was Anna is forced to mature, despite her some money, wear really intriguing.” resistance to the idea. When she has sophisticated clothing, Like Edgar as a child, to deal with a bad decision she’s made, hang out with boys. Anna has a “childhood she also has to realize that change is Anna doesn’t see why fascination with inevitable. The author wanted her to everything has to this fading idea that grow over the summer without losing change, just because handwriting provides a what makes her unique. they’re changing window into someone’s “Change,” says Edgar, “while it schools – she wants to true self.” While can be difficult, can also make life spend summer days as usual at the analyzing handwriting over the summer, richer.” mini golf course. The girls have a few Anna learns that “graphology’s best use heated conversations, and it seems is for spotting forgeries.” as if Lana may be moving on with a The animals in Anna Analyst new friend. almost steal the story, especially

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 43 young adult & children

Nelson stretches into two genres new to her with pair of releases Dreams of carnival sideshow in YA fantasy novel, and children’s book about first day of school

by Ian Goodwillie

THE LIFE AND DEATHS abandoned in an alley as a OF FRANKIE D. child and has no memory Colleen Nelson about her past. The only Dundurn Press clue to her identity lies in $14.99 pb, 264 pages a rare skin condition called lamellar I realized how difficult it is to write isbn: 978-1-4597-4758-6 ichythosis, which gives her dry, flaky a good one and switched to young Available as an ebook skin that looks reptilian.” adult and middle grade.” Things start to get really interesting She worked on Teaching Mrs. TEACHING MRS. MUDDLE for Frankie when she starts dreaming of Muddle for a while and learned a 100-year-old carnival sideshow and a lot about the process of writing Colleen Nelson a performer known as Alligator Girl. children’s books. “It’s a totally Illustrated by Alice Carter Pajama Press The dreams start to interfere with real different type of storytelling $19.95 hc, 32 pages life and, while Frankie is pretty tough, compared to novels,” she says. isbn: 978-1-77278-131-1 she has to deal with circumstances far Naturally, a major difference between beyond her comfort level. working on a YA novel and a picture One might ask what led Nelson book would be the artwork. That is he best writers are always to bring such an interesting setting where Alice Carter joins the story. stretching themselves, into the story. As it turned An experienced and seasoned T out, she was inspired by children’s book artist, Carter enjoys looking for challenges. a Winnipeg institution. working in the medium. “I love the Some do this by trying Nelson describes being at a limitless possibilities of illustrating different genres. After historic theatre in Winnipeg picture books,” she says. “There nine books of realistic called the Metropolitan. are so many ways to tell a story fiction (and two of “It’s a gorgeous building, within a book’s pages; use of colour, completely refurbished, interesting compositions, secondary futuristic sci-fi) for but with all the original stories happening in the background, middle years and YA character.” It was there that and on and on.” readers, Winnipeg-based Colleen Nelson her mind started wandering, And the first time she read the Colleen Nelson has, and she began building this manuscript for Teaching Mrs. unique, engaging story. Muddle, she knew this was the within a year, published books in But Nelson then had to switch gears story for her. “I also love filling my two genres new to her – a picture for Teaching Mrs. Muddle, a story illustrations with lots of amusing book, Teaching Mrs. Muddle, and about Kayla’s first day of kindergarten. details, and having a story set in a a YA fantasy novel, The Life and It is certainly a far cry from dreaming school allowed me to have a lot of Deaths of Frankie D. about carnival sideshows. fun with that,” she says. Apparently, working on a children’s For Nelson, working on two books The Life and Deaths of Frankie book had been in the back of that are so dissimilar from each D. follows a 17-year-old girl who Nelson’s mind for a long time. other was an interesting experience. is dealing with serious problems. “When I first started writing “Honestly, every book is different,” Nelson describes her as “a girl 16 years ago, I wanted to write she says. “They all have their battling a lot of demons. She was children’s books,” she says. “Then challenges.”

44 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 young adult & children

Tale of a touching gift passed on to a new refugee family turns into picture book Doll originally given to Tran-Davies became part of museum exhibit by Laura McKay

THE DOLL saw the illustrations.” The artist Nhung N. Tran-Davies even captured the original doll’s Illustrated by Ravy Puth cinnamon-coloured hair. Second Story Press Tran-Davies’s doll has become a $19.95 hc, 24 pages traveller, too. In 2018, it was part of isbn: 978-1-77260-165-7 a temporary exhibit called Refuge Canada at the Canadian Museum of Immigration. This exhibit is now or Nhung N. Tran-Davies, her travelling across the country until autobiographical picture book 2024. F “I find it funny that while most of The Doll, illustrated by Ravy Puth, isn’t us are stuck at home with the 2020 just personal – it’s a book four decades COVID upheaval, she continues to in the making. travel across the country,” says Tran- Davies. “In fact, I’m a little envious.” When her family first arrived in “Seeing the thousands of desperate Having one of her personal Canada as refugees from the Vietnam refugees, the crammed boats, the possessions in a nationwide exhibit War, their sponsors’ daughter, reports of many perishing at sea has been humbling for Tran-Davies. Adrienne, gave her the eponymous doll. brought back memories of our own “It moves me to know that the “Having come from war and journey,” says Tran-Davies. She doll is there,” she says, and that it poverty, that doll came to gathered her friends to sponsor two “could possibly change the course of symbolize for me the refugee families. Then “it someone else’s life. kindness, generosity, and was my turn to stand at “It warms my heart to know our compassion of so many the airport gates to give a story is recognized as an important Canadians,” Tran-Davies doll to little Alma, a child part of Canadian history.” explains. In particular, the refugee from Syria.” Tran-Davies hopes her book can doll reminds her of the That moment was provide similar insights to readers. people who sponsored her caught on camera by CBC “Most of all,” she says, “I’d like family to come to Canada, broadcasters and, through readers to be empowered with the particularly Adrienne, to social media, captured the knowledge that they can positively whom the book is dedicated. hearts of people around change the course of someone else’s As her family settled into the world. Knowing that life. That is, for them to appreciate life in Canada and Tran- Nhung N. Tran-Davies her story had had such that a seemingly small act of Davies grew older, she kept an impact on so many kindness in a moment of time can the doll on her shelf as a treasured people inspired Tran-Davies to write ripple forth beyond our doors and reminder of the kindness of strangers. the book. neighbourhoods, across the world, “Knowing that all that I have and all The publication process was full and through the generations.” that I’ve become are because of them, of surprises, but of the best kind. I live to honour their kindness and to “What I didn’t expect was Ravy pay [it] forward,” she says. reaching out from Montreal to talk A few years ago, Tran-Davies felt to me, to get to know me, to get a compelled to act when she heard sense of my vision for the story,” about the war in Syria. she explains. “I cried when I first

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 45 young adult & children Award-winning series comes together in one adventuresome volume Mutala draws inspiration from grandparents, who immigrated to Saskatchewan in 1911–12 by Shirley Byers

BABA’S BABUSHKA: Oleg Lipchenko, is Magical Ukrainian Adventures an award-winning illustrator. “He Marion Mutala taught me drawing Illustrated by Amber Rees, Wendy Siemens, and Olha Tkachenko Marion Mutala Amber Rees Wendy Siemens Olha Tkachenko and painting when Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing I was small,” she $39.95 hc, 184 pages and 1912 settled on a farm in that says. “He also inspired me to try the isbn: 978-1-988783-61-1 area. “My grandparents were my career of illustrator.” inspiration,” she says. “I always Now Tkachenko lives in Toronto wondered what life was like for them where she runs a successful illustrator’s arion Mutala’s Baba’s as new immigrants.” business. She’s illustrated more than Babushka: Magical Mutala recalls a family photo: “My 30 books, including her own series of M baba was wearing a babushka like books based on Ukrainian folk tales, Ukrainian Adventures is an all- all married women at the time – so in the past four years. in-one gathering of the three I created a magic babushka, which “I’ve worked on a few of Marion’s books in her award-winning solves my problem of time travelling.” books before,” says Tkachenko, “and Baba’s Babushka series: A Magical The illustrations in the book are I really love to cooperate with her. Ukrainian Christmas, A Magical based on people in Mutala’s family. I’ve been working on this project at “I am the little girl, Natalia, and my the time of the pandemic, and it was Ukrainian Easter, and A Magical dad, August Mutala, is the dido,” a gift for me; I felt like I got a trip to Ukrainian Wedding – along she says. Her baba and dido appear my homeland I’m missing so much.” with the brand new A Magical in a photograph on the wall in each Amber Rees, illustrator of A Ukrainian Journey. book, and her mom, Sophie Dubyk, Magical Ukrainian Wedding, is newer is in the sky lovingly to book illustration, having worked The stories feature watching over Natalia mainly as an animator, sculptor, and Natalia, a blonde- in each story. puppet fabricator in film and TV in braided little girl who Saskatoon-based Saskatoon. is missing her recently Wendy Siemens, the “The wonderful story and Marion’s deceased baba. With illustrator for the lovely warmth and enthusiasm made the help of a magical Christmas and Easter it really easy to want to participate,” babushka, Natalia books, grew up in a she says about taking on this project. travels back in time family of artists. “I “Illustrating a book had been one of my to Ukraine where have been an artist life goals, so it was a welcome challenge.” she experiences all my life, as is my Mutala fans can expect more Christmas, Easter, a brother Grant,” she books soon. Watch for a murder wedding, and a visit to Kyiv that her says. “We both were inspired by mystery, The Mechanic’s Wife, and grandparents took just before she our mother who painted large and Live Well, a book of short stories, was born. difficult works constantly when we coming out this year. The stories all start in Hafford, were children.” “I get ideas all the time,” Mutala Saskatchewan, says Mutala, because Olha Tkachenko, illustrator for A says. “It seems the more I write, the her own Dido and Baba who Magical Ukrainian Journey, is also more the ideas flow.” immigrated from Ukraine in 1911 from a family of artists – her father,

46 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 Prairie ABCs Hare B&B more young adult Jocey Asnong Bill Richardson, illustrated by Bill Pechet & children titles This early concept board book showcases After Harriet/Harry’s parents are tricked picture books the diversity, habitats, native animals, and killed by a coyote in disguise, Harry and outdoor activities enjoyed across and her seven siblings are left to fend Bubbles Took a Trip: A Mostly True the Prairie provinces of Manitoba, for themselves. They turn their parents’ Tale about an Adventurous Dog from the Canadian Prairies Saskatchewan, and Alberta, while empty bedroom into a successful hare bed Billi J. Miller, with the guidance of teaching young readers the alphabet and breakfast, but when a particularly her daughters Madeline & Kate and letter recognition. repulsive-looking rabbit requests a room, Bubbles, a Bernese Mountain Dog who (Rocky Mountain Books, 32 pages, $12.00 Harry is suspicious, and she and her lives with the Miller family on their farm board book, isbn: 978-1-77160-497-0; $10.00 siblings put a clever plan into action. in Alberta, decides to go for a walk and pb, isbn: 978-1-77160-498-7; available as (Running the Goat, $22.95 hc, 64 pages, gets picked up on the highway by a nice ebook) isbn: 978-1-927917-38-1) woman who takes him home to play with her other dogs. The Rubber Boot Thief middle years fiction (Billi J. Miller, $20.00 pb, 52 pages, Amy Doerksen Birdspell isbn: 978-1-7774186-0-1, available as ebook) On a grey day, Joe puts on his blue rubber Valerie Sherrard boots and goes out to splash and play in Corbin has spent his life keeping people at a The Children’s Moon the puddles and mud, only to find himself distance – his mother’s mental illness means Judy Cook, illustrated by Sonia Nadeau in a tricky and sticky situation! Charming he’ll be moving and changing schools soon Sunny and his grandmother celebrate the illustrations were coloured (mostly) by the anyway. But a parakeet named Sitta, a girl Children’s Moon, that special time when author’s son, Coulter Doerksen Sokolosky. named Izelle, a toddler named Molly, and the the moon is bright in the sky along with (FriesenPress, 36 pages, $19.49 hc, isbn: 978- older neighbour Mr. Zinbendal start to break the sun during the day. They dance and 1-5255-8698-9; $9.99 pb, isbn: 978-1-5255- through all his defences. explore together, cherishing precious 8697-2; available as ebook) (DCB-Cormorant Books, $13.95 pb, 198 pages, moments with each other. Also included in isbn: 978-1-77086-613-3, available as ebook) this learning resource are scientific facts Time to Fly! continued on page 48 about astronauts and the history of moon Valerie Wiebe and space exploration. Gorgeous impressionistic paintings (FriesenPress, 52 pages, $22.99 (USD) hc, portray bird’s-eye views of rural Prairie Powerful Voices isbn: 978-1-5255-7804-5; $10.99 (USD) pb, landscapes in this call to explore the world isbn: 978-1-5255-7805-2; available as ebook) and to find one’s place in it. The art and Unforgettable Stories verse provoke questions like “How does it I Will Always Love You . . . feel to be so small in such a big world?” NEW! No Matter What! (Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, $24.95 hc, Lee Murry and Kori Upshall, 48 pages, isbn: 978-1-988783-64-2) illustrated by Emily Johnson This charming picture book explores the early years fiction unconditional love a grandmother has for Every Home Needs an Elephant her granddaughter, as she responds to a Jane Heinrichs variety of scenarios beginning with “What When nine-year-old Sarah comes home if I . . . ?” with a pet elephant named Mr. Smith, at (Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, $14.95 pb, first, things look difficult. Mr. Smith has 32 pages, isbn: 978-1-988783-65-9) a hard time making it up the apartment stairs and squeezing through doors, Molly’s Magic Door and he doesn’t fit into her mom’s busy Kirsten Link, illustrated by Jason Doll schedule very well. But Mr. Smith is good Uncle Jake has come from Ireland, and at arranging flowers, and many other he brought Molly a gift – a magic door happy things occur as a result of Mr. Smith that allows leprechauns to travel through, joining the family! but only on St. Patrick’s Day. If she can (Orca Book Publishers, $10.95 pb, 160 pages, catch the magical fellow, he will grant isbn: 978-1-4598-2430-0, available as her a wish! ebook) (Peanut Butter Press, $19.95 hc, 24 pages, highwaterpress.com isbn: 978-1-927735-67-1)

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 47 continued from page 47

Finders Keepers Time Travel Adventure series Melanie McFarlane has shorter chapters, black-and- Macy is an amateur treasure white illustrations, historical hunter along the shores notes, an author Q & A, and of Buffalo Pound Lake in discussion questions. It tells Saskatchewan. She finds a the story of 13-year-old Andrea mermaid who was kidnapped who, while in Moose Jaw to by “the Beast” and has escaped, be in her cousin’s wedding, but who needs a missing magic falls into one of the famous shell to reconnect with her secret tunnels and is pulled family. Macy needs to find the into the 1920s. shell before the Beast does! (DriverWorks Ink, $15.95 pb, (Orca Book Publishers, $10.95 224 pages, isbn: 978-1-927570- pb, 128 pages, isbn: 978-1-4598- 57-9) 2769-1, available as ebook) middle years Lost on the Prairie non-fiction MaryLou Driedger Proud to Play: Canadian Set between Kansas and LGBTQ+ Athletes Who Saskatchewan in 1907, this Made History coming-of-age novel follows Erin Silver 12-year-old Peter who gets This book tells the stories of 12 separated from his family on Canadian athletes – including the way to set up a homestead. speed skater Anastasia Bucsis, Travelling on his own, he faces volleyball players Betty Baxter dangers and meets all kinds and Chris Voth, swimmer Mark of people, and becomes more Tewksbury, and pair skater resourceful, courageous, and Eric Radford – describing the self-reliant. challenges they faced when (Wandering Fox-Heritage they came out and how they House, $14.95 pb, 224 pages, used their platforms to push isbn: 978-1-77203-368-7, for LGBTQ+ rights. available as ebook) (Lorimer, $24.95 pb, 112 pages, with full-colour photos, Trip of the Dead isbn: 978-1-4594-1512-6, Angela Misri available as ebook) Trip is a raccoon who has survived the zombie ya fiction apocalypse with the help of a kind group of cats, a hamster, Mr. Universe an owl, and a few humans, but Arthur Slade he seems to be the only raccoon In this high-interest novel, left. Then he hears about a Michael, while visiting his group of raccoons being kept scientist uncle, accidentally captive by some humans, and gets sent to an alternate he, with a few of his loyal universe where he meets Emily. friends, sets off to help them. For some reason, grey lizard- (DCB-Cormorant Books, $13.95 eyed men are trying to erase pb, 174 pages, isbn: 978-1-77086- them, so they need to find 596-9, available as ebook) a way back to Michael’s original world. Tunnels of Time (Orca Book Publishers, $10.95 Mary Harelkin Bishop pb, 128 pages, isbn: 978-1-4598- This updated edition of Bishop’s 2688-5, available as ebook) first book in the Moose Jaw

48 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 en français

Les Métis de Saint-Laurent Reynolds represents Métis of en histoire et en images selon Saint-Laurent in both folk art Gisèle Reynolds and story

L’aventure d’une fille de la ville qui The adventure of a city girl visite sa cousine d’une communauté visiting her cousin's pickerel-fishing de pêcheurs de doré jaune community

par Lucien Chaput by Lucien Chaput

LE DORÉ DE SAINT-LAURENT LE DORÉ DE SAINT-LAURENT Gisèle Reynolds Gisèle Reynolds Éditions des Plaines Éditions des Plaines 11,95 $ papier, 36 pages $11.95 pb, 36 pages isbn : 978-2-89611-824-3 isbn: 978-2-89611-824-3 Disponible en livre numérique Available as an ebook

’album jeunesse Le doré de Saint-Laurent he picture book Le doré de Saint-Laurent L est un beau petit récit ancré dans ce qui T is a wonderful little story rooted in donne à ce village métis du Lac Manitoba what gives a certain Lake Manitoba Métis son caractère : la pêche commerciale sur community its character: commercial ice glace pour le doré, une tradition et un fishing for pickerel, a tradition and a way mode de vie aussi vieux que la province elle- of life as old as the province itself. It’s an même. Une aventure que raconte Lucille, adventure told by Lucille, a young girl from une jeune fille de la grande ville qui visite the big city who visits her Métis cousin

sa cousine métisse Jocelyne à Saint-Laurent Gisèle Reynolds Jocelyne in Saint-Laurent, Manitoba. au Manitoba. Lucille’s adventure is also author and illustrator Gisèle Reynolds’s adventure. “I’ve been L’aventure de Lucille, c’est un peu celle de l’auteure coming to this part of the province since I was 13,” et illustratrice Gisèle Reynolds. « Ça fait depuis que j’ai says Reynolds. “My father had a cottage in St. Laurent. 13 ans que je fréquente cet endroit-là », dit Reynolds. From our backyard we would watch the people who « Mon père avait un chalet à Saint-Laurent. On regardait went ice fishing. toujours de notre arrière-cour les gens qui allaient faire la “But I had my first ride in a Bombardier when I was pêche sur glace. in my 50s. Wow, it really opened my eyes! This is what « Mais je suis montée en Bombardier pour la première inspired me to tell this story.” fois lorsque j’étais dans ma cinquantaine. Et puis, wow, Back in Manitoba after having worked in the three ça m’a ouvert les yeux! C’est ça qui m’a inspirée à other western provinces, the mother of two decided a raconter cette histoire-là. » dozen years ago, after a life-changing accident, to nurture De retour au Manitoba après avoir travaillé dans les her passion for fine arts. trois autres provinces de l’Ouest, la mère de deux enfants “I make paper sculptures and paintings. I have a style décide, suite à un accident il y a une douzaine d’années, that is more comical than realistic,” says the self-trained de consacrer plus de temps à sa passion pour les arts artist born in St. Boniface. “It’s in the folk art tradition, plastiques. which is my preferred style.” « Je fais de la sculpture en papier et des peintures. J’ai Reynolds has given workshops in schools, several of un style plus comique que réaliste », explique l’artiste them at École Aurèle-Lemoine in St. Laurent. “I would autodidacte originaire de Saint-Boniface. « C’est un style bring my paper, my glue, and my paints. For one full suite page 50 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 49 suite de la page 49 folklorique, qu’on appelle parfois art naïf. C’est mon hour, we would have fun,” she says. “The students would style préféré. » sculpt and paint. Together, we undertook some small Reynolds a donné des ateliers scolaires à l’École Aurèle- projects. One time, we made some fish for the ice fishing Lemoine de Saint-Laurent. « J’amenais mon papier, ma festival called the Manipogo Festival.” colle, mes peintures. Pendant une Reynolds retired about a year ago. heure de temps on s’amusait », dit- She says, “I assembled all my paintings, elle. « Les enfants sculptaient et I painted some others to cover all the peinturaient. Je réalisais de petits bases, as we say, and I wrote the story. projets avec eux. Une fois, on a fait des And presto! It had become a book.” poissons pour le festival de la pêche sur Although most of her professional glace, le festival Manipogo. » life was in English, Reynolds née Reynolds a pris sa retraite il y a un Rougeau chose to write the book in an. Dit-elle, « J’ai rassemblé toutes ces French. An English version of the book, illustrations, j’en ai fait d’autres pour Ice Fishing in St. Laurent, will be remplir le cap comme on dit et j’ai écrit published this fall. un texte. Et voilà! C’était devenu un “During my career, English was petit livre. » always the language of work. I was Malgré ses antécédents professionnels, a journalist in Saint-Paul-des-Métis Reynolds, née Rougeau, a choisi in Alberta, at the St. Paul Journal. d’écrire le livre en français. Une édition de langue I would write exclusively in English. This was at the time anglaise, Ice Fishing in St. Laurent, paraîtra cet automne. when the Franco-Albertans wanted their own schools. « Durant ma carrière, l’anglais, ça a toujours été I would talk to the parents in French and then write the ma langue de travail. J’ai été journaliste à Saint-Paul- articles in English,” says Reynolds. des-Métis en Alberta, au St. Paul Journal. J’écrivais “But this book, I had to write it in French. It’s the uniquement en anglais. C’était du temps où les Franco- language of the community, of the Métis of Saint-Laurent. Albertains voulaient leurs propres écoles. Je parlais aux And also, it seemed to flow better in French.” parents en français et puis je rédigeais les articles en anglais », dit Reynolds. « Mais pour ce livre, il fallait que je l’écrive en français. C’est la langue de la région, de la communauté des Métis de Saint-Laurent. Et puis, il me semble que ça coulait mieux en français. »

Le Manitoba, terre de l’inattendu Manitobaines engagées viennent de Texte et photographies de Dirigé par Lise Gaboury-Diallo paraître en français Michel Grandmaison et Michelle Smith Les aurores boréales – Le grand Ce beau livre de l’auteur et photographe Cet ouvrage regroupe plus d’une centaine spectacle de Corbeau réputé Mike Grandmaison célèbre la beauté de profils de femmes engagées au parcours David Bouchard, illustrations naturelle et la nature indomptable de cette unique du Manitoba, la première province à de Jasyn Lucas magnifique province située au plein cœur leur accorder le droit de vote. This anthology Corbeau, le Joueur de tours, déploie ses du continent. This coffee table book by the includes over 100 profiles of remarkable talents légendaires et transforme le ciel renowned author and photographer Mike women from Manitoba, the first Canadian de la nuit en tableau. Un ouvrage pour les Grandmaison is a celebration of the natural province to grant them the right to vote. jeunes à partir de douze ans. In this book beauty and the untameable nature of this (Éditions du Blé, essaie/anthologie, 29,95 $ for young readers 12 years old and older, magnificent province located at the heart papier, 368 pages, isbn : 978-2-924915-30-1, Corbeau, the mythical trickster Raven of of the continent. disponible en livre numérique) many First Nations oral histories, deploys (Vidacom, beau livre, 29,95 $ couverture his legendary talent to transform the rigide, 128 pages, isbn : 978-1-77461-000-8) Mon écologie evening sky into a work of art. Alasdair Rees (Vidacom,conte jeunesse, 22,95 $ Dans cette recontre de la physique et de la couverture rigide, 32 pages, couleur, philosophie sont décortiqueés avec soin isbn : 978-1-989282-88-5) le processus de la nature tout comme les suite page 52 50 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 en français Un recueil qui rétablit le rapport Poetry collection aims to take de force dans les discussions back power in discussing sur la sexualité et les relations sexuality, relationships De ses anciens journaux intimes, O’Reilly O’Reilly pulls from old journals with puise une poésie franche et candide frank and candid collection par Liz Katynski by Liz Katynski

BOUSSOLE FRANCHE BOUSSOLE FRANCHE Amber O’Reilly Amber O’Reilly Les Éditions du Blé Les Éditions du Blé 15,00 $ papier, 100 pages $15.00 pb, 100 pages isbn : 978-2-924915-27-1 isbn: 978-2-924915-27-1 Disponible en livre numérique Available as an ebook

oète francophone Amber O’Reilly s’est replonger rancophone poet Amber O’Reilly dove into old Pdans ses vieux journaux qu’elle a écrits comme Fjournals that she wrote as an adolescent to write adolescente, pour écrire son premier livre, un recueil her first book, a collection of poetry. de poésie. “The poems that came from them, I hold onto,” says « Les poèmes qui ressortent de là, je les retiens », the author of Boussole franche. “Today, I am no longer dit l’auteure de Boussole franche. « Maintenant, je ne suis the same person. There is a plus la même personne. Il y a une distance. J’avais besoin distance. I needed that in order de ça pour guérir. Ces expériences to heal. These experiences really m’ont vraiment formé. » made me who I am today.” Née à Yellowknife, où ses parents Born in Yellowknife, where ont déménagé de l’Ontario pour le her parents moved from travail, elle a aussi passé un bout de Ontario for work, she has also temps en Colombie-Britannique, à spent time in British Columbia, Montréal, et en Amérique latine. De Montreal, and Latin America. Yellowknife et le Nord, dit-elle, « J’ai Of Yellowknife and the North, besoin de cette place. Il y a un rythme she says, “I need this place. de vie différent là-bas, avec plus The rhythm of life is different d’activités hors du professionnel. » Amber O’Reilly there, with more to do outside Mais elle a aussi un beau réseau à of work.” Winnipeg, où elle réside présentement. Avec un lancement But she also has a great virtuel, un projet avec la radio communautaire Envol 91 network in Winnipeg, where FM pour enregistrer ses poèmes, et son livre intégré à un she now lives. With a virtual programme d’études à l’Université de Saint-Boniface ou elle launch for her book, a project with community radio a complété son baccalauréat en arts avec une concentration station Envol 91 FM recording her poems, and her book en études internationales, elle est très reconnaissante, included in a program of study at Université de Saint- disant, « La communauté me donne tellement d’appui. » Boniface where she earned her bachelor of arts with a Elle explique le titre de son livre. « La poésie est un major in international studies, she is very appreciative, peu la boussole de toutes mes expériences de vie, qui saying, “The community gives me so much support.” m’a guidée. C’est une oeuvre très franche. J’ai regardé She explains the title of her book, which means frank les saisons de ma vie, quelques exemples de l’enfance, de or candid compass. “Poetry is a bit like the compass for mon adolescence, de ma vingtaine, et les lieux qui m’ont all of my life experiences, guiding me. It’s a very honest vraiment marquée. » work. I looked at the seasons of my life, with some suite page 52 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 51 suite de la page 51

Dans sa poésie, elle écrit l’histoire de la rupture de examples from childhood, adolescence, my 20s, and the couples et de son rapport avec son corps. places that really influenced my life.” « Je parle beaucoup de la sexualité, des relations intimes In her poetry, she writes about the breakup of couples avec des partenaires », dit O’Reilly. and about her relationship with her body. « J’ai cherché à parler de ça, de ces choses qu’on “I talk a lot about sexuality, intimate relationships with n’entend pas assez. Au Manitoba, dans la francophonie, partners,” says O’Reilly. c’est souvent absent. J’encourage d’autres femmes à “I wanted to speak about this, the things we don’t hear reprendre leur vécu et à oser en parler. La sexualité des enough about. In Franco-Manitoba, this is often absent. femmes est interprétée souvent par des hommes. Ça a été I encourage other women to claim their experiences and une expérience de prise de pouvoir, de raconter certains to think about sharing them. Female sexuality is often aspects. On peut jamais trop en faire. Ça va normaliser interpreted by men. This is a chance to take back your l’affaire. » power in sharing certain aspects. We can never do this L’adolescence n’est pas facile et ça prend l’exemple de enough. This normalizes things.” d’autres, des confidences, pour que les femmes puissent Adolescence is not easy and it takes the examples of apprendre et grandir. « Ces confidences nous influencent others, and people to confide in, so women can learn and et nous habitent aussi. On apporte un peu de l’univers en grow. “These confidences influence us and stay with us. nous », O’Reilly dit. We carry a bit of the universe within,” O’Reilly says. « La poésie, c’est très thérapeutique. J’écris pour moi- “Poetry is very therapeutic. I write for myself. If my même. Si mes textes trouvent un écho chez d’autres, writing resonates with others, it’s even better. I have taken tant mieux. J’ai pris le contrôle de ma vie. Si les jeunes control of my life. If young people find inspiration and trouvent de l’inspiration, de la force dans ça – je ne veux strength in that – I don’t want to put any expectations on pas placer d’attentes là-dessus, mais si j’y arrive, je serai it, but if they do, I will be very happy.” très heureuse. »

suite de la page 50 Les papillons du Québec fictionalized account of the true story of the objets anodins qui entourent le poète, leurs Simone Hébert Allard, illustrations connection between Dr. Alfred Shadd – one transformations et leurs déplacements. In de Janet La France of the first African Canadian pioneers – and this meeting of physics and philosophy, Ce deuxième guide régionale de la the First Nations community is based on the process of nature is analyzed with collection Nature jeunesse présente aux the diary of Reginald Beatty. care, just like the insignificant objects that jeunes les principales espèces de papillons (Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, album surround the poet, their transformations que l’on retrouve au Québec. Agrémenté jeunesse, 12,95 $ papier, 24 pages, and movements. de photographies et d’illustrations isbn : 978-1-988783-62-8) (Éditions du Blé, poésie, 15,00 $ papier, humoristiques en pleine couleur, l’ouvrage 58 pages, isbn : 978-2-924915-39-4) témoigne d’une grande sensibilité envers la Trois plumes fragilité et l’importance des papillons. This Richard Van Camp, illustrations de Mont Blanc – Winnipeg Express second regional butterfly guide introduces K. Mateus, traduit par Raoul Granger Seream young and old to the principal species of Comme punition, trois jeunes hommes Un poète immigrant, explorateur des butterflies found in Québec. Full-colour doivent vivre de la terre dans une champs poétiques, découvre Winnipeg et photographs and humorous illustrations communauté qu’ils ont vandalisée. Trois le Manitoba, parie toujours sur la poésie accompany the text, conveying the plumes, un BD roman de la série Debwe en multipliant les collaborations avec fragility and the importance of butterflies. (dire la vérité), explore le pouvoir et la grâce d’autres artistes et en misant sur l’invention (Vidacom, guide nature, 15,95 $ papier, de la justice réparatrice et sa contribution de nouvelles formes orales et écrites. An 64 pages, isbn : 978-1-989282-97-7) à la responsabilisation des prochaines immigrant poet, explorer of poetic fields, générations. The French translation of discovers Winnipeg and Manitoba, always Ti-Shadd : L’Ujima au quotidien Richard Van Camp’s graphic novel Three willing to collaborate with other artists Miriam Körner and Alix Lwanga, Feathers, Trois plumes explores the power and to create new oral and written forms of illustrations de Miriam Körner grace of restorative justice and the cultural expression. Basé sur le journal de Reginald Beatty, legacy that can empower future generations. (Éditions du Blé, poésie, 17,95 $ papier, Ti-Shadd raconte un récit fictive de l’histoire (Éditions de la nouvelle plume, BD roman, 100 pages, isbn : 978-2-924915-33-2, vraie du lien entre le Dr. Alfred Shadd – un 18,95 $ papier, 48 pages, isbn : 978-2- disponible en livre numérique) des premiers pionniers afro-canadiens – et 924237-48-9) la communauté des Première Nations. This 52 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 Dispatches

Insights from a literary festival director by Charlene Diehl

ver the years, I’ve said Leading the THIN AIR festival – and move toward deeper insight and to anybody who will and now THIN AIR KIDS festival, truer vision is to really listen to the listen that being the too – I have the privilege of gathering stories of others. O together an annual feast of new Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a director of a literary festival books, new voices, new brilliant Nigerian writer, is the best job on the planet – stories. has framed a challenge we and even COVID chaos hasn’t Over the past 18 years, face on our beloved Prairies. shaken that conviction. To I have been witness to “Many stories matter,” she spend days and months the remarkable vitality writes. “Stories have been of Prairie writing and used to dispossess and to and years poring over new publishing, but also what I malign. But stories can also books, talking with writers think is our coming of age. be used to empower, and to and publishers across the Our psyche is maturing, humanize. Stories can break country, exploring ways to moving from being the dignity of a people. But connect readers and writers – informed by intense stories Charlene Diehl stories can also repair that of survival, grit, and pride broken dignity.” it never gets old. of place to a wild array of Many of the In my small-town childhood, I books, from realistic to “Our stories of writers rooted in this read everything I could get my magical, gentle to enraged, arrival are now place are using their hands on, but writing books seemed predictable to shocking. stories to empower, somewhere the other side of unlikely. The voice of the Prairies more likely to humanize, and When I ended up in grad school at has become the many be connected repair broken dignity. the University of Manitoba several voices of the Prairies. Our to newcomers Finding and creating decades ago, my world exploded with stories of arrival are now than to pioneers, resonating spaces writers and writing. more likely to be connected for those stories sits I found myself going to readings to newcomers than to and our stories at the core of what and book launches, I read work pioneers, and our stories of origin finally I do as a curator that was still in development, I even of origin finally reach back reach back to and presenter. Now started exploring my own writing to Indigenous communities it’s up to all of us voice. Those were heady times, and that far preceded the early Indigenous to make time and for me they were transformative. traders. We are becoming communities space to encounter I was understanding that writing the home of free-range that far and treasure those is an active practice, and it roots books, tracking through preceded the stories. into the soil where it’s planted. The other times and places, Prairies – not just my Winnipeg both real and imaginary. early traders.“ Charlene Diehl has community, but the whole broad We are rooted, but we are been at the helm of sweep of our region – was alive with not restricted. the Winnipeg International Writers stories, voices, makers. This is a time of reckoning in this Festival since 2003. country – and in all the countries of To find out more about their many the world that have evolved under featured events, writers, and books, “The voice of the Prairies colonial structure. One of the most visit thinairwinnipeg.ca. has become the many important ways to take stock of what we know and believe is to really voices of the Prairies.” listen to our own stories, and one of the best ways to reorient our thinking

Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021 53 credits about our contributors managing editor Anastasia Chipelski Writer, editor, and long-time Prairie Paula E. Kirman is a writer, editor, books NOW contributor, Shirley Byers photographer, and filmmaker. She editor Marjorie Poor is based in rural Saskatchewan. lives in Edmonton where she edits ambp executive director Michelle Peters A former journalist for the Franco- community publications and is a singer/ songwriter. She is also a community copy editing Heidi Harms, Lucien Chaput, Manitoban weekly La Liberté, Lucien organizer and has been known to and Liz Katynski Chaput is a freelance writer and editor drink too much coffee. Her website is graphic design Relish New Brand based in Bélair, Manitoba. www.wordspicturesmusic.com. Experience Inc. Ancien journaliste à l’hebdomadaire advertising sales Michael Wile, franco-manitobain La Liberté, Lucien Steve Locke is a writer living in [email protected] Chaput est un pigiste en rédaction et en Winnipeg, in Treaty 1 Territory. His édition établi à Bélair (Manitoba). poetry has recently appeared in Prairie The views expressed in Prairie books NOW Fire and reverie review. do not necessarily reflect the views of Margaret Anne Fehr is a freelance the Association of Manitoba Book writer and editor who moved from Laura McKay (she/her/hers) is a Publishers, the Managing Editor, or the Winnipeg to Milton, Ontario, where she speculative fiction writer who creates Editor of Prairie books NOW. operates her writing practice, Effective worlds that might make you think a bit Prairie books NOW is made possible with Eloquence. Besides contributing to differently about this one. Her current the financial support of The Canada Prairie books NOW, Margaret Anne has work-in-progress brings fast-paced, Council for the Arts, the Government written for Yellow Pages, NextHome thought-provoking mystery and magic of Canada, the Manitoba Arts Council, publications, the Winnipeg Free Press, to the streets of Winnipeg. Laura is also Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage, Toronto Home, and a variety of trade managing editor at Portage & Main and the Winnipeg Arts Council. and membership magazines. Press, and she freelances on a variety of writing and editing projects. Advertising rates are available upon Now retired from the Quebec Library request; email [email protected]. Association, Margaret Goldik still Kyla Neufeld is a poet, writer, and Discounts are available for contract works occasionally as an editor but editor who lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, advertisers. finally has time to finish working on Treaty 1 Territory. some ghost stories. We welcome all letters to the editor and Luis Reis is 30-year veteran with other submissions on matters of interest Ian Goodwillie is a freelance writer Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre. Some of to readers of Prairie books NOW. We reserve based out of Saskatoon. He writes his directing credits include An Enemy the right to select and edit submissions. regularly for Comic Book Resources, of the People (Arthur Miller), And Then Prairie books NOW is published by the The Sportster, and ScreenRant, in There Were None (Agatha Christie), and Association of Manitoba Book Publishers. addition to Prairie books NOW. Tempest-Tost (Robertson Davies). It is published two times per year for latest book is the public lives in Edmonton, distribution free of charge in selected Ariel Gordon’s Amanda Sanders poetry project TreeTalk (At Bay Press, Alberta, where she is a stay-at-home Canadian locations. Bulk rates to 2020). mom to her three-year-old son and five- institutions are available upon request. year-old German Shepherd. issn 1201-5962. Bev Sandell Greenberg is a Winnipeg Subscriptions are available for $12.75 writer and editor. per year. Send cheques payable to the Liz Katynski is a Winnipeg writer. Association of Manitoba Book Publishers. Liz Katynski est une écrivaine de Printed in Manitoba, Canada by Winnipeg. The Prolific Group. Prairie books NOW 100 Arthur Street, Suite 404, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada r3b 1h3 tel (204) 947-3335 [email protected] Wondering how to order? prairiebooksnow.ca bookends While we wish we could pass on your Prairie books NOW values your feedback. orders to bookstores or wholesalers in your Please send your comments to region, it is best for you to direct order any [email protected]. In order to or all of the books in Prairie books NOW reach Prairie books NOW via phone, please through the trade bookstore or wholesaler call the Association of Manitoba Book you normally deal with. The information Publishers at (204) 947-3335. provided with every article is there On the Cover: She Who Stands Tall, artwork to make ordering from a bookstore or by Christi Belcourt. wholesaler as easy as possible.

54 Prairie books NOW | spring/summer 2021

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NEW BOOKS BY PRAIRIE AUTHORS

Anna, Analyst Run as One Thinking Big A Novel My Story A History of the Winnipeg Business Community to the Second World War Patti Edgar Errol Ranville Jim Blanchard On the last day of elementary school, Though Errol Ranville has faced eleven-year-old Anna finds a seemingly insurmountable barriers as From pre-contact Indigenous trading leather-bound book about handwriting an Indigenous performer in a through 1939, Thinking Big examines analysis. Anna could use help predominately white music business, the history of businesses, business deciphering people. Her best friend has his band C-Weed & the Weeds released leaders, and organizations in Winnipeg. started wearing mascara and her parents several #1 songs and went on to score Discover how the Winnipeg business threaten to give away her tortoises just JUNO nominations. In his memoir, community dealt with challenges such because she’s a little forgetful about Errol embraces the role of trailblazer as the Great Depression and the taking care of the sick one. But a for the countless musicians that post-World War I depression, and mysterious note forces Anna to make a follow his path. organized itself to take advantage of choice between her graphology periods of growth and prosperity. obsession and the people — and “This is the story of how C-Weed tortoises — she cares about the most. became a legendary name in “Jim Blanchard has produced yet Indigenous music.” another great read about the “A droll, deftly executed debut.” history of Manitoba” – Wab Kinew, author of – Kirkus Reviews The Reason You Walk – Sandy Riley, Canadian lawyer and business leader

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