TUDY MORGAN COLE
Trudy is a writer and teacher in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Her historical novels include By the Rivers of Brooklyn, Most Anything You Please, as well as A Roll of the Bones and Such Miracles and Mischief, the first two volumes of the Cupids Trilogy. She is fascinated by the forgotten or ignored stories of women in history and loves to create fiction out of the gaps history leaves behind. Trudy is the mother of two young adults and lives in Rabbittown, in the heart of St. John’s, with her husband, Jason, and the world’s most beautiful rescue dog.
A COMPANY OF ROGUES
This dramatic conclusion to a trilogy foregrounds the experiences of women settlers in North America as they grapple with notions of homeland, colonization, and sense of belonging.
A Company of Rogues completes the Cupids trilogy, moving the action back to the New Found Land seven years after John Guy’s colonists first settled Cupids Cove. After their wanderings across the ocean, Ned and Nancy are united—but will the shores of New Found Land provide a permanent home? Kathryn and Nicholas Guy join the effort to found a second colony at Bristol’s Hope, but their work is threatened by a shadowy enemy who holds a dangerous power over Kathryn. And a newcomer to the colony, the Wampanoag traveller Tisquantum, settles among the English colonists, challenging their beliefs about the New World they have come to settle and the people who call it home.
ALLISON GRAVES
Allison Graves received her BA in English literature from Dalhousie University and her MA in creative writing from Memorial University, where she wrote this collection of short stories. Her fiction has won Room magazine’s annual fiction contest and the Newfoundland Arts and Letters Award. She is the current fiction editor of Riddle Fence. She is doing a PhD at Memorial and likes to play drums and climb Signal Hill.
SOFT SERVE
Allison Graves’ edgy debut collection of short fiction scrutinizes unconventional and confused attachments between people and the reasons they last. The extraordinary becomes the ordinary as people navigate the weird, the quirky, and the sad aspects of everyday life.
Through encounters in retail and fast-food chains, on highways and dating apps, the characters in this collection wander through the non-places of our modern lives. The stories connect readers to the spaces that ultimately make them feel lost—zones for reconsideration. Delving into the confusion and boredom of everyday life, Graves’ fiction documents the emotional experiences and disillusionment of middle-class millennials seeking a meaningful life in both the isolating and the ordinary.
CLAYTON B. SMITH
Clayton B. Smith is a writer from outport Newfoundland, currently residing in St. John’s. He has a joint honours degree in English and philosophy and a diploma in creative writing from Memorial University. His writing has appeared in various literary magazines, including Riddle Fence and Paragon. Clayton’s life revolves around people, pints, and prose, in no particular order.
A SEAL OF SALVAGE
Steeped in Newfoundland’s unique folklore and superstitions, A Seal of Salvage is a coming-of-age novel about unrequited love between adolescent boys that slips between history and mythology.
Set in 1950s rural outport Newfoundland and blending historical fiction with magic realism, A Seal of Salvage follows orphan Oliver Brown’s coming of age as a queer outsider. Oliver’s life in the small community of Salvage is overshadowed by lingering rumours about his mother, her mysterious past, and her untimely death.
But as Oliver grows up, he experiences a remarkable series of events of mythic proportions. Stories of Oliver’s mother become entangled with the folklore of the Selkie: people of the sea who live in the water as seals and come to land to find love as humans. While mostly unspoken, the speculations about Oliver’s bloodline become another excuse the town uses to marginalize him.
A Seal of Salvage explores the space where the natural and supernatural meet, as well as how the stories people tell can be fashioned to justify their own prejudice.
BETH RYAN
If We Caught Fire is Beth Ryan’s first novel. Her collection of short fiction, What Is Invisible, won the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award in 2004 and was shortlisted for the NL Book Award for Fiction and the APMA Best Atlantic-Published Book Award.
Her stories have appeared in TickleAce, the New Quarterly, the Newfoundland Quarterly, Hearts Larry Broke, The Cuffer Anthology, and Weather’s Edge, been broadcast on CBC Radio, and won awards from the NL Arts and Letters Competition, the Cuffer Prize, the Atlantic Writing Competition, and the Victoria School of Writing.
For twenty-four years, Ryan made her living as a writer and editor—first in journalism and later in communications and web content. After making a career change in 2011, she is now a counselling therapist in private practice in St. John’s, where she lives with her husband, Stephen Kiraly, in a house filled with books and cats.
IF WE CAUGHT FIRE
If We Caught Fire brings two families together for a wedding in St. John’s, an event that sets off a summer of fireworks in the lives of the people around them.
Edie’s calm and contained life is knocked awry when her mother decides to marry a man she met online after just a few months of dating. The groom’s son, Harlow, is a joyful adventurer who shows up for the wedding and quickly recruits Edie as his sidekick.
Harlow runs toward risk and adventure with arms wide open, unconcerned about what other people expect from him. Edie plans every step carefully and keeps her dreams small and attainable, even when others encourage her to want more. Over a few months, they develop a connection that defies definition, a situation that leaves Edie queasy with fear and tingly with possibility.
Edie and Harlow (and the rest of their new unwieldy family) do an elaborate dance, trying to discover just what they are to one another. When Edie thinks she’s figured him out, Harlow reveals a depth and darkness she didn’t see coming. By Labour Day, they’ve created connections, tested boundaries, and found they've come together and apart in unexpected ways.
SUSIE TAYLOR
Susie Taylor (she/her) is a queer writer living in rural Newfoundland. Her first novel, Even Weirder Than Before, was published in 2019 by Breakwater Books. Taylor’s short stories have appeared in Geist, Prism International, The Fiddlehead, Room Magazine, Riddle Fence and elsewhere. Taylor lives in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador, with her partner, dog and four cats. When she isn’t writing, she is out running.
VIGIL
The interconnected stories of Vigil are packed with uncomfortable characters caught in situations of complex morality, with each piece both a chapter in the overall story and also a stand-alone investigation of the concepts of addiction, crime, redemption, and complicity.
Vigil is a collection of interconnected short stories set in the fictional, ex-urban community of Bay Mal Verde, a town that rests between the ocean and the wilderness. A beautiful but harsh environment with few employers and even fewer social resources, residents of Bay Mal Verde must make difficult choices to survive, and these decisions set the characters swinging between self-serving greed and selfless bravery. In Bay Mal Verde, every action has a ripple effect that spreads through the community, making everyone complicit in the lives and deaths of their neighbours.
RUTH LAWRENCE
Ruth Lawrence is a nationally recognized director, writer, and actor in film and theatre. In 2020, her debut narrative film, Little Orphans, won the Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature at the Whistler Film Festival. In 2019, she directed the documentary Circus by Komatik. Her writing for theatre includes the children’s folktale adaptation of Kate Crackerberry. She is the artistic director of White Rooster Theatre. Her plays and poetry have been published in anthologies by Breakwater Books, Signature Editions, the Waterford Institute, and Playwrights Canada Press.
IsThisAnOlogy?
IsThisAnOlogy? is a journey of discovery! Andie interviews different “ologists” and learns all about different types of science.
IsThisAnOlogy? explores big jobs, big science, and the biggest questions. Learn about fossils, bird migration, beekeeping, the science behind making food delicious, and the chemistry involved in cheese making.... IsThisAnOlogy? features illustrations, interviews, comics, photographs, charts, recipes, and experiments you can try at home. Science can be a fun hands-on activity!
SAQAMAW MI’SEL JOE & SHEILA O’NEILL
Sheila O’Neill is from Kippens, NL, and is a member of Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation. Sheila is a mother and grandmother and has a solid background in Indigenous issues and post-secondary education. Sheila is a Drum Carrier and carries many teachings passed down by respected Elders. As a founding member and past President of the Newfoundland Aboriginal Women’s Network (NAWN), she has been part of a grassroots movement of empowerment of Indigenous women within the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador. An experienced educator, Sheila has worked as a communications instructor with College of the North Atlantic (CNA) in both Newfoundland and Labrador and Doha, Qatar. Sheila holds a BA and BEd, both from Memorial University. She lives in St. John’s.
Saqamaw Mi’sel Joe, LLD, CM, is the author of Muinji’j Becomes a Man and My Indian. He has been the District Traditional Chief of Miawpukek First Nation since 1983, appointed by the late Grand Chief Donald Marshall. Mi’sel Joe is considered the Spiritual Chief of the Mi’kmaq of Newfoundland and Labrador.
SULIEWAY: THE SEQUEL TO MY INDIAN
Suliewey: The Sequel to My Indian continues the story of Mi’kmaw guide Sylvester Joe, whose traditional name is Suliewey, as he seeks out the last remaining Beothuk community. In My Indian, Sylvester was hired by William Cormack in 1822 to guide him across Newfoundland in search of Beothuk encampments. In fact, he followed the advice of his Elders and guided Cormack away from the Beothuk. In this sequel, having parted ways with Cormack at St. George’s Bay, Sylvester decides to go out on his own, in search of the winter camp of the last of the remaining Beothuk.
Written as fiction by two Mi’kmaw authors, Suliewey supports Mi’kmaw oral history of friendly relationships with the Beothuk. The novel reclaims the settler narrative that the Beothuk and the Mi’kmaq of Newfoundland were enemies and represents an existing kinship between the Mi’kmaq and the Beothuk. Rich in oral history, the descriptions of traditional ceremonies and sacred medicines, the use of Mi’kmaw language, and the teachings of two-spirit place readers on the land and embed them in the strong relationships described throughout the book.
CARA KANSALA
Born in Northern Ontario, Cara Kansala now calls Newfoundland home. A full-time folk artist and children’s book author, she is known for her whimsical depictions of familiar Newfoundland sights. Cara draws constant inspiration from the rugged landscape and energetic spirit of the people she encounters. Her colourful Newfoundland scenes and playful style are recognized throughout the province and beyond. Cara spends her time between Upper Island Cove and St. John’s, where she lives with her wife, Ailsa, two children, a Foof, and a fluff-muppet called Beatrice.
THE EWE WHO KNEW WHO KNIT YOU
This magically illustrated story celebrates the power of friendship and kindness and teaches us to be proud of the things that make us unique.
When the warm winds summon the woollies of the world to the land of ice and fire, Lämmin the lamb sets out on an adventure to find out who she is and where she came from. “Who Knit You” is a common question in Newfoundland and Labrador. It means “where do you come from and who do you belong to?” On her around-the-world adventure to find out “who knit her,” Lämmin meets friends everywhere she goes, realizing that your family can be whoever you choose. “We all belong together, and we’re knit by who we love.”
MICHAEL CRUMMY
MICHAEL CRUMMEY is the author of seven books of poetry, most recently Little Dogs: New and Selected Poems and Passengers, and the short fiction collection Flesh and Blood. His first novel, River Thieves, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and his second novel, The Wreckage, was a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. His third novel, Galore, won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (Canada and the Caribbean) and was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award. His fourth novel, Sweetland, was also a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award. His most recent novel, The Innocents, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award. Michael Crummey lives in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
THE ADVERSARY
In an isolated outport on Newfoundland's northern coastline, Abe Strapp is about to marry the daughter of a rival merchant to cement his hold on the shore when the Widow Caines arrives to throw the wedding and Abe's plans into chaos.
XAVIER MICHAEL CAMPBELL
Xaiver Campbell is a Jamaican-born writer who has been living in Newfoundland and Labrador for over a decade. These islands are quite different, but Xaiver feels that living in Jamaica, prepared him for life on the Rock. Minus the snow, sleet and lack of sun – the people are equally warm and friendly. When not writing, doing childcare, baking, playing or watching basketball, Xaiver loves the outdoors and can be found swimming in the ponds all across the Newfoundland in the summer, camping and hiking the East Coast Trail.
His fiction has been published in The Malahat Review, Riddle Fence, and several anthologies. His second play, “One Name” is currently being workshopped by Halifax Theatre for Young People. Xaiver’s non-fiction work concerns the lives of enslaved and freed Black people in early Newfoundland settlements.
Heather Barrett was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, where she still lives with her family. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a Master of Arts in Journalism from Western University in London, Ontario. Heather is a journalist and storyteller, and an international award winning radio documentary producer. She is also a long-time producer and host with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, based in St. John’s. When she’s not telling stories, Heather is an avid knitter and an avid runner, but not at the same time.
BLACK HARBOUR
It has been largely assumed that Black people are only recently settlers in Newfoundland and Labrador. In fact, the sordid history of Black slavery within the British colony—and the role of Newfoundland merchant families in promoting the trade in human beings—has been denied, obscured and forgotten. With contributions from historians, folklorists and other experts, Xaiver Campbell and Heather Barrett discover a Black population was present in early Newfoundland and Labrador, and that some of this history is rooted in the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade.
Part personal commentary, part documentary, Black Harbour is an illuminating, important, and sometimes uncomfortable exploration of Newfoundland and Labrador’s colonial history—and what it means to those who live here today.
RICK MERCER
Rick Mercer first came to fame with Show Me the Button I’ll Push It, or Charles Lynch Must Die, a one-man show that toured across Canada. He co-created and was a resident performer on CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and was the host of The Rick Mercer Report, the Corporation’s highest-rated comedy show, for fifteen seasons. Rick is co-chair of the Spread the Net campaign, dedicated to preventing the spread of Malaria in Africa, and has also campaigned for the Canadian AIDS Society’s The Walk for Life project. His many honours include 21 Geminis and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award. He is from St. John’s and currently resides in Toronto.
THE ROAD YEARS
Rick Mercer is back—again!—with the eagerly awaited sequel to his bestselling memoir
At the end of his memoir Talking to Canadians, Rick Mercer was poised to make the biggest leap yet in his extraordinary career. Having overcome a serious lack of promise as a schoolboy and risen through the showbiz ranks—as an aspiring actor, star of a surprisingly successful one-man show about the Meech Lake Accord, co-founder of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, creator and star of the dark-comedy sitcom Made in Canada—he was about to tackle his biggest opportunity yet.
The Road Years picks up the story at that exciting point, with the greenlighting of what would become Rick Mercer Report. Plans for the show, of course, included political satire and Rick’s patented rants. But Rick and his partner, Gerald Lunz, were also determined to do something that comedy tends to avoid as too challenging: they would emphasize the positive. Rick would travel from coast to coast to coast in search of everything that’s best about Canada, especially its people. He found a lot to celebrate, naturally, and was rewarded with a huge audience and a run of 15 seasons.
The Road Years tells the inside story of that stupendous success. A time when Rick was heading to another town—or military base, sports centre, national park—to try dogsledding, chainsaw carving, and bear tagging; hang from a harness (a lot); ride the “Train of Death;” plus countless other joyous and/or reckless assignments.
Added to the mix were encounters with the country’s great. Every living prime minister. Rock and roll royalty from Rush to Randy Bachman. Olympians and Paralympians. A skinny-dipping Bob Rae. And Jann Arden, of course, who gets a chapter to herself. Along the way he even found the time to visit several countries in Africa and co-found and champion the charity Spread the Net, which has gone on to protect the lives of millions.
WILLOW KEAN
Willow Kean is an actor and writer originally from Labrador West. She’s co-written several children’s plays that have toured provincially, and her five-woman comedy Supper Club premiered at the LSPU Hall in 2021. She’s been shortlisted for the Cuffer Prize and longlisted for the NLCU Fresh Fish Award, and she’s won the Percy Janes First Novel Award in 2018. Willow lives in St. John’s with her partner, the filmmaker Justin Simms, and their son, Jude.
EYES IN FRONT WHEN RUNNING
Eyes in Front When Running is a quick-witted family drama that tells the story of Cleo Best, a former backpacker in her late thirties, and her decision to try for a baby with her partner, Jamie. Over the next few months, while Cleo wants to let nature take its course, and Jamie wants to give nature a nudge in the right direction, the relationship collapses under the strain of unsuccessful attempts at conceiving. When Cleo moves back in with her parents, a series of bad decisions turns her life upside-down, but somehow sets it right at the same time.
Cleo’s greatest fear is getting pregnant. Her resistance to being a mother, her obsession with food, and everything from her unapologetic regret to her sardonic take on the world around her make her an uncommon female protagonist. Cleo gets the fella in the end, but not the one you’re expecting. Eyes in Front When Running uses humour to tackle heavy topics; the crumbling of a relationship, miscarriage, abortion, infertility, and postpartum depression.
LORI DOODY
A printmaker by training, Lori Doody is the author/illustrator of several widely praised picture books that combine bright, simple illustrations with witty, spare stories, including Capelin Weather; The Puffin Problem; Mallard, Mallard, Moose; Paint the Town Pink; Catalina; and the Mr. Beagle series. Two have been included in the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids & Teens; one, named an Ontario Library Association “Top Ten Best Bet”; and two, short-listed for the NL Book Award for Children’s/Young Adult Literature.
THE ISLAND
An island off the coast of another island is home to a small community; life is rich with joy and challenges, and the people who live there love their island home. One day they learn that the government will move them off the island, to new homes with modern conveniences like electricity. Life will be simpler, but will it be better?
In gentle and spare prose, and with her unique folk-art illustrations, Lori Doody tells the story of resettlement in Newfoundland—it is a deeply personal tale, but it is also the story of anyone who must leave a loved home to start anew and who carries their old home still in their heart.
SARA POWER
Sara’s writing has appeared in literary journals across Canada, the US, and the UK, including the anthology Best Canadian Stories 2024. Her fiction has been awarded The Malahat Review Open Season Award, The Riddle Fence Fiction Prize, and been a finalist for The Toronto Star Short Story Contest, The New Quarterly Peter Hinchcliff Award, The Prairie Fire Fiction Award, The Bath Short Story Award, and the RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award.
Originally from Labrador, Sara now lives in Ottawa with her husband, three children, and coonhound.
ART OF CAMOUFLAGE
Female recruits weathering hyper-masculine environments. Military wives stretched across countless military moves, new cities, new selves. Military kids whose mercurial friendships flare and fade to the rhythm of the posting season. Throughout, this collection introduces us to characters who trespass beyond the boundaries of their own realities to discover who they are within someone else’s narrative.
Sara Power writes with insight and emotional precision about what it’s like to be unmoored. Art of Camouflage is memorable at every turn, full of characters whose deepest motivations we recognize intrinsically as our own.