Get Lit (Jamie Tennant)

Hi folks! Today we’re back with author and critic Jeff Bursey. We talk about a few things including his most recent books of criticism and fiction. Tune in!

Hey folks! Today's guest is Avik Jain Chatlani, here to talk about his amazing (and occasionally harrowing) novel, This Country Is No Longer Yours. Enjoy the show.

GET LIT today with Hamilton poet and author Ben Robinson! We talk about his new work, The Book of Benjamin.

Today we talk with the Director of the Toronto International Festival of Authors, Roland Gulliver. The festival runs Sept 19 – 29. As an added bonus we chat with author Anuja Varghese about the LitLive reading series here in Hamilton. Enjoy the show.

Hey folks! Doubling up on the poetry today. Check out my chat with Aaron Boothby (about his collection, Continent) and Britta Badour (about hers, Wires That Sputter). Thanks!

Thrilled to have Kliph Nesteroff back on the show this week. I’ve known Kliph for about fifteen years (not well; we just barely meet the requirements to be called “acquaintances”) and I’ve followed his writing career with enthusiasm. Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars is another winner. He’s a fun interview and has plenty to say. 

Hey folks! Things were happening last week here in the Hammer. GritLit was huge! I got to run a fun event with fellow Program Advisory Committee member Ann Y.K. Choi, then introduce Elamin Abdelmahmoud and Peter Mansbridge. Friday/Sat/Sun were twice as busy with events, a few too many concerts (Cadence Weapon and Raven? I'm weird) and a birthday party to cap it all off (congrats Liz Worth!) Now I get to...breathe.

This week we speak with Greg Rhyno. His newest, Who By Fire, is the first in the Dame Polara mystery series. Tune in!

Happy holidays everyone! If you're looking for something to do (like we're not all busy enough?) check out this week's episode featuring an interview with Pamela Mulloy, author of As Little As Nothing. Cheers!

Hey folks! It’s fundraising time here at CFMU. So, just a quick note: I don’t get paid a dime to do any of this. Even if I tried to monetize it, let’s face it, this is pretty niche. So! If you appreciate the show, or want to support local radio / community broadcasting, please consider going to cfmu.ca/fundraising and helping out.

Today’s show features Raymond Beauchemin. I had the pleasure of chatting with him in the CFMU studios. We discuss his collection of novellas, The Emptiest Quarter. Check it out!

Hey folks! Had the pleasure of meeting Paige Maylott in the 93.3 CFMU studios this past week. We discuss her excellent memoir, My Body is Distant. Check it out.

Hey folks. 3 and a half years in and I finally got taken down by the cov last week. Not a great time. Trying to rest, even though I feel fine now, because there’s too many stories about people getting cocky with this damn virus...

Just before, however, I got to talk to Keziah Weir, author and senior editor at Vanity Fair. Had a good time discussing her novel The Mythmakers. Give it a listen!

Hey folks! Had a nice chat with Myriam Lacroix (despite some tech glitches – sorry, Myriam!) about her novel How It Works Out. I mistook it for a short story collection even after I’d read it! Listen and find out why :D

Hey folks! In order to get as many folks on as I can I’ve done another double episode. Two great books of poetry this week. We speak with Emily Osborne (Safety Razor) and Jake Byrne (Celebrate Pride With Lockheed Martin). Hope you enjoy ’em both.

Hey folks! Had a great chat with Sarah Henstra, author of The Lost Tarot. Tune in!

Also: Oct 11 is my deadline for my novel’s first crappy draft to be completed. Wish me luck.

Today's show is a double-header. We welcome back David Eisenstadt, to talk about his book, Under the Radar: 36 Notable Canadian Jewish Performers. We also talk with J Andersen about his debut collection of stories and poems,  A Nasty Piece of Work Vol. 1. Hope you enjoy the show.

Hey folks! Had a great chat with Emily Urquhart about her collection of essays, Ordinary Wonder Tales. A little more of me in here, at the end, than usual - I had a story to tell...

Happy to have my pal Brent Van Staalduinen back on the show for a record sixth time (he’s now tied with Gary Barwin for number of appearances. Do I owe them, like a special jacket or something?). We talk about his latest novel, Unthinkable (which I blurbed!).

Also, we talk about LitLive’s fundraising initiative. Help ’em out right here!

Hey all! Double shot of talent today. First up is poet Sophie Crocker, here to talk about her collection Brat. Next up is writer, journalist and instructor Anya Wassenberg. Tune in for both!

Hey folks! I had a super conversation with Molly Peacock about her latest, A Friend Sails In On A Poem. Make sure you check it out!

This week we chat with author Gwen Tuinman! Had a great conversation about her book Unrest (highly recommend it btw). Hope you’re pre-summer is going well out there.

Autokrator is one of the most original books I've read in a while (also: thought-provoking, exciting, horrifying). That's why I wasn't surprised by how much enjoyed this conversation with author Emily A. Weedon. Check it out!

Hey folks! Spent last week on a self-imposed retreat. That means I rented an Airbnb in the city and holed up to get two full days of writing done, a thing that absolutely does not happen if I’m left to my own devices at home. You know, day job, housework, etc…kind of gets in the way. Happy to say it was successful. Was the writing good? Lord, no. But it’s a first draft, so at this point, it doesn’t matter.

This week we talk to PEI resident Steven Mayoff about his novel, The Island Gospel According To Samson Grief. Hope you enjoy!

Hey everyone. Hope your January has been excellent. Today’s guest is Tiffany Morris, joining me to talk about her book Green Fuse Burning. Enjoy!

I first met Sean Michaels as a member of the grand jury for the Polaris Music Prize. He very modestly told me he was "working on a book." That book, of course, was the Giller-winning Us Conductors. I got to speak to him about that book, and again when he released The Wagers (we did an event together and it recorded it to be two episodes). Sean's newest, Do You Remember Being Born, is fantastic. Hope you enjoy our conversation.

Hey everyone. This week, we chat with Janika Oza. Her novel, A History of Burning, is remarkable. Listen in to find out what it’s all about.

Hey folks! I’m out of town so I’ll get straight to it: Hamilton’s own Nichole Fanara is with us to talk about her collection In The Moment. Hope you enjoy!

Hey everyone! Back once again with David Neil Lee, to talk about the third in his creepy Lovecraftian YA trilogy! Thoroughly enjoyed The Great Outer Dark. If any of those previously-applied adjectives interest you (or if you read the first two) you won’t be disappointed.

Hey folks! This week we speak with author Emily Pohl-Weary about her novel How To Be Found. Had a great conversation and I hope you enjoy listening.

Hey all! Still coming down from a remarkably busy couple of weeks. Hope you're enjoying your spring so far. Today we talk with Danila Botha about her new collection, Things That Cause Inappropriate Happiness. Enjoy!

Hey all! Got to have an in-studio chat with author Nathan Whitlock. We discuss his newest, Lump.

(Oh and his band The Approximators do the live karaoke thing at The Casbah too so if you live near Hamilton and wanna hear a bunch of people who've been on Get Lit sing songs...or sing 'em yourself...)

Hey folks! Mostly back from the land of COVID (i.e. testing negative but body’s still doing weird-ass things). Today we talk with my pal Rebecca Rosenblum, who was on the show way back on E25. We talk about her new book, These Day Are Numbered: Diary of a High-Rise Lockdown. Enjoy!

Hey folks! Today’s show features Chris Kuriata, fellow Palimpsest author. Sacrifice of the Sisters Lot is a weird, wild ride (meant as a compliment!). Hope you enjoy.

Hey folks! Today's guest is author Ai Jiang. She's a Nebula winner and a Hugo nominee, which is amazing, but she's also just a great storyteller and a cool, humble person. Check out both her recent works, Linghun and I am AI - and check out our show!

Hey folks! Recovering from COVID over here. Good times. I’m OK though.

Today we talk with Sheila James about her novel, Outcaste. Enjoy!

This week on the show! My conversation with Violet Browne about her novel, This Is The House That Luke Built. Listen in if you can.

This fall, if all goes well, ours guests will include Lorna Crozier, Sean Michaels, Karma Brown, Waubgeshig Rice, Alicia Elliott and others. An exciting line-up!

Also: if you’re in Hamilton, make sure you drop by the author tent at Supercrawl, there’s a lot happening. Details to come.

Benjamin Lefebvre joins us to talk about In The Key of Dale, which is truly enjoyed. Give it a listen if you can.

Hey folks! I had the chance to speak to P.E.I. author Nicholas Herring over ZOOM. I sound awful but he’s clear as a bell! Listen as we talk about his novel Some Hellish!

Hi folks! Join us on GET LIT today for an interview with author Paul Sunga! His latest, Because Of Nothing At All, is fantastic. Hope you enjoy our conversation.

I’ve probably taken the Bruce Trail for granted, growing up in Hamilton, on the Niagara Escarpment. That might be different now, thanks to Nicola Ross and her book, 40 Days & 40 Hikes. Listen to our conversation this week on the show!

Hey all! Noelle Allen has been on the show several times. She’s the owner & operator of Wolsak and Wynn, a publishing house here in my hometown of Hamilton. However, today she’s here to talk about the Sharp Words Winter Book Fair! Even if you’re from elsewhere, it’s worth you time – Noelle discusses the pros of book fairs in general. You’ll find yourself wanting to go to one!

If you’re an up and coming author, or someone who wants to brush up on their writing skills, or someone who wants to know more about the publishing industry in Canada, you’ll want to check out today’s show. We speak with Patricia Westerhof, author of The Canadian Guide to Creative Writing & Publishing.

Hey folks! Andrew F. Sullivan and his partner (author Amy Jones) moved to Hamilton a few years ago, and I've had the pleasure of getting to know them a little in recent months. I was even lucky enough to have him come on by the studio in-person.

Sullivan's newest is The Marigold, which has been getting a ton of press - positive press - since its release. For good reason. It's probably my favourite book of the year so far. Of course, it's right in my wheelhouse: horror, satire, humour, etc. Listen in to hear all about it!

FOUR HUNDRED, PEOPLE

That’s wild.

As I mentioned on the show last week, I’m looking at winding the show down. The book-a-week reading pace has really interrupted my writing time. Then again, when I say “winding down” I mean…maybe episode 500? Which is about 100 books away?

I imagine after I do that, I’ll start up a new pod, likely about writing, but not likely on a weekly basis.

In the meantime to celebrate 400 we have Shashi Bhat, here to talk about her excellent collection of stories, Death by A Thousand Cuts. I hope you like!

Hey folks! This week we’re talking to JD Derbyshire about their book, Mercy Gene. It’s a really interesting work of autofiction, listen to the show to learn more 

Hey all! Happy to welcome David Bergen back to the program again. We talk about his great novel, Away From The Dead. Now I’m off to celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary in Cuba. Be back next week!

Hey all! Welcome to the new year. I hope 2024 is amazing for each of you (whatever that means for you!). I have a few plans and hopes over here myself...

As for today's show, forward we go! Today's guest is my friend Steacy Easton, a critic, author, visual artist, academic and all-around fascinating person. We talk about two of their books, which are wildly different from one another. First, Why Tammy Wynette Matters, which is about exactly that. Then, Daddy Lessons, which is about many, many things (imo no one quote sums it up so check all the quotes out here).

Enjoy!

If you’re a fan of my book (or not!) River, Diverted, follow me on Instagram and check out my saved stories – the “River” tour of Nagano, Japan. It was a lotta fun. Now I’m almost over jet lag and ready with a new show!

G.A. (Gord) Grisenthwaite and I have been friends since 2016 and I’ve been lucky to work with him not once, but twice. Last time, we talked about the novel Home Waltz, which I edited. Same goes for his new collection of short stories, Tales For Late Night Bonfires. It’s pretty amazing. Check it out.

This week on GET LIT we talk with Jeff Rubin. He's an economist and author and his newest book is A Map of the New Normal: How Inflation, War, and Sanctions Will Change Your World Forever. An extremely interesting read. Listen in!

Hey folks! Got to speak to Scott Thornley during Supercrawl this year, and here we get to go a bit more in-depth about his recent novel, Middlemen. Check it out if ya can.

I’ve met Anuja Varghese many times, but always in the middle of busy events, so we’d never had the time to sit and chat. Very glad she was able to do that with me, in studio, and glad we could talk about her collection, Chrysalis. Enjoy the show!

Hey folks! 

Once again, I got to spend a little time with Tom Wilson is his Hamilton home. I’ve known Tom since around 1990, and have seen him (and written about him) plenty since then. It’s been fascinating to watch his artistic endeavors expand and to follow his story (as laid out in his bestseller, Beautiful Scars).

We talk about all kinds of things today but ostensibly this interview is about Mohawk Warriors, Hunters and Chiefs: The Art of Tom Wilson. Tune in!

Hey everyone! Been a busy few weeks around here. My pile of books is still far too big, so if you're wondering why I'm still doing Spring releases as we approach the fall (shhhhhh I know, I know) that's why.

Today we speak with author Erum Shazia Hasan. Had a great conversation about her novel, We Meant Well. Hope you enjoy.

Hi folks! Today’s show features poet, author, Gordon Hill Press editor, physician etc. etc. Shane Neilson. He’s here to talk about both the poetry collab The Suspect We (with Roxanna Bennett) and his new memoir, Saving. Check it out.

Waubgeshig Rice is back on the show! We talk about Moon of the Turning Leaves, the sequel to his successful Moon of the Crusted Snow. Was a fun conversation, hope you enjoy!

Hey all! My friend Jessica Rose joins us this week (check out her new book too by the way) to talk about the GritLit Festival. We're busy non-stop all weekend, so if you're in the area, we hope to see you!

Today on the show, we chat with journalist/columnist/author Elizabeth Renzetti about her collection of essays, What She Said: Conversations About Equality. Listen in!

Hey folks! Today we talk with author Nicola Winstanley about her collection of stories, Smoke, New Zealand, and other fun things. Listen in!

GET LIT first aired exactly 6 years ago! Nov 24, 2016. My 47th birthday!

We celebrate this week talking to two great poets – John Wall Barger and David Ly. When I launched River, Diverted, both came to read at the event and it was wonderful. Check out their latest releases – John’s Smog Mother and David’s Dream of Me As Water

One of our favourite return guests, uh, returns again! The excellent Gary Barwin is with us as the last interview of 2023. We talk about all kinds of things, but mostly his latest collection Imagining Imagining: Essays on Language, Identity and Infinity. Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

Folks, if you enjoy GET LIT and want to support it…well, you kind of can’t, because I don’t get paid. BUT you can support the station of origin, 93.3 CFMU in Hamilton! For more information, go here. It would mean a lot if you can help us!

This week I am excited to welcome Liz Harmer back to the show! We talk about her latest, Strange Loops.

The last time I spoke with Canadian poetry legend Lorna Crozier, it was the middle of the pandemic. She was mourning the loss of her husband Patrick Lane, and I had some things going on as well; needless to say it got a bit emotional (though I didn't air that part). It was amazing to get to talk to her again, especially because this time it was about poetry: her new collection After That. Listen in if you can.

Hey all! Keeping it in the mystery/crime vein for a second week in a row. We talk with Melodie Campbell about her novel, The Merry Widow Murders. Make sure you tune in.

Hey all! Today’s guest is Daniel Gawthrop, talking about his newest novel, Double Karma. Check it out!

Hey all! Today’s show is two interviews. First we speak with Stephen Marche about his entry into Biblioasis‘ Field Notes series – On Writing and Failure. A little close to the bone, that title. Our other guest is Emily Riddle who is here to talk about poetry and The Big Melt. Enjoy!

Hey folks,

Lauren Carter's on the show this week, talking about her collection, Places Like These. Give it a listen!

Also, if you're in Toronto, come see me read! And not just me - also Kim Conklin, Matt Cahill and A.G. Pasquella. It's a heckuva line-up and I'm lucky to be part of it!

It'll be at Flying Books, on College near Ossington, on June 7. More details to come.

Hey folks! On social media I’ve been pushing a few events, so if you don’t follow me on IG, Twitter or Facebook, hop on it!

Today we talk with the wonderful Kelly S. Thompson. Always enjoyable to chat, even when the book isn’t necessarily cheer-filled. We discuss her newest memoir, Still, I Cannot Save You.

This week we have my pal Margaret Nowaczyk back on the show, to talk about her collection Marrow Memory: Essays of Discovery. Enjoy!

Hey all! Today’s show requires a tiny bit more attention as most of what I say is kind of quiet. That’s the downfall of doing an interview in an uncontrolled environment (in this case, The Cannon on Ottawa Street).

The interview is great, though, because it’s one of those where I get to combine Get Lit with a lifetime of music journalism. I chat with Rollie Pemberton – aka musician Cadence Weapon – about his book, Bedroom Rapper. Check it out.

This week! We chat with author Curtis LeBlanc about his latest novel, Sunsetter.

I'd write more but I'm exhausted due to...many things. Hope you're all well!

Hey all! The universe is a mean-spirited little kid right now, throwing fistfuls of gravel (it doesn’t hurt, but it’s just the sheer volume that’s troublesome). A few minor health things, a bit of work stress, etc., etc. Hope your lives are going well and that, when the little jerk starts throwing gravel, you can brush it off and keep moving forward .

Today we talk to Michelle Syba. It was great to meet her and talk about her collection, End Times. Hope you like our conversation.

Hey folks! A special show for me today. My publisher passed along a submission a couple years back, asking if I was interested in editing the work. Over time, the book became known as The Blood of Five Rivers, and I can't recommend it enough. How do I end up working with such great authors?

Anyhow, Arjun Bedi joins to me to talk about the book, "an intergenerational tale of fathers and sons, migration and integration, and the lasting impacts of legacy." It's also emotional, experimental and sometimes funny as hell. Listen in, then go read the book :D

I had the unexpected pleasure of talking with Charles Azulay last week. I met Charles when I was about fourteen (and he was even younger), doing children’s theatre. We went on to do a production of Anything Goes and Hair at McMaster University. Pretty sure he sang “Three Five Zero Zero.” Yes, I was a pretty big musical theatre nerd! But not as much as Charles, who went on to do it professionally for decades. Anyway, I hadn’t seen Charles in over 30 years, so this reunion was an absolute delight.

Charles’ memoir Uncoloured tells some of those tales but also talks about his life growing up as a black child in a white family and the struggled he faced as a youth. Check it out!

Full disclosure: I think Amy Jones is great. We've gotten to know each other a bit since she and her husband Andrew F. Sullivan moved to Hamilton, and she's always a pleasure (and fun at karaoke). That aside - meaning, as objectively as I can be about it - Pebble & Dove is a delight. Join us as we talk about it on Get Lit!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone out there. Hope the holidays were good to you.

Quick book news: My novel, River, Diverted, is now available where fine ebooks are sold!

The first GET LIT of 2023 features author (and Ween fan) A.G. Pasquella. We discuss his latest, Welcome to the Weird America. Hope you enjoy.

Hey all! Had a great talk with designer and author C.S. Richardson about his new novel, All The Colour In The World. Hope you enjoy.

Hope you’re all doing well out there. Had a blast putting together today’s show, which features author Alicia Elliott. Her debut novel, And Then She Fell: A Novel is amazing and occasionally horrifying. Highly recommended. If you enjoy, you can hear her talk about her collection of essays, A Mind Spread Out On The Ground, over here on E127.

Hey folks! This one's for the locals (or the folks willing to travel). Two great events coming up. This weekend, we have the Author's Tent at Supercrawl (Sept 13 - 15). Noelle Allen joins us to flesh out some of the details. Then we have Bailey Duff from the Telling Tales Festival, talking about their exciting event, focusing on lit for kids (Sept 21 & 22). Listen in! :D

Hey folks! Excited to bring you another episode. Had a wonderful, interesting chat with author Corinna Chong about her work and short stories as a form. Her newest collection is The Whole Animal, available through Arsenal Pulp Press. Check out the show!

Late post today! I'm in sunny Kitchener, ON, in a rented condo, on a self-imposed retreat. A lot of pacing and talking to myself plus 3,000 words of notes. It's a good thing.

GRIT LIT returns once again! Listen to hear all the details from Artistic Director Jennifer Gillies!

Hey folks! This week we talk with Hamilton-based author Liz Worth. Music fans might have read her book Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History of Punk In Toronto and Beyond 1977 - 1981. Fun fact, the title is from an old Simply Saucer song, and if you don't know Simply Saucer, well, read my National Magazine Award-nominated article! (for a defunct magazine...but the text lives on here).

But back to Liz! Her new book is a literary horror novel called The Mouth Is A Coven and it's excellent. Check it out if you can.

Don't confuse the episode number with an "Error 404" okay? You might miss my conversation with Leslie Shimotakahara, who is here to talk about her latest, Sisters of the Spruce!

Hey all! Fun interview with author Ben German Ghan, talking about his wildly inventive spec fic novel (if we have to classify it) The Years Shall Run Like Rabbits. Listen in!

Hey folks! Just back from adventures in Ontario's near north...September is upon us in mere days...things are bananas but there's still gonna be more Get Lit.

Today's guest is filmmaker and author Lulu Keating, talking about their collection of stories, Splinter & Shard. Listen if you can!

Hi folks! This week we speak with author Rebecca Campbell about her book Arboreality. Check it out!

Hey folks! This week we talk to two different poets and writers. First up is Domenico Capilongo, here to talk about 1972. After that, Roshan James is here to discuss her collection Pink Moon. Enjoy!

Hey all! Today’s show features Simon Choa-Johnston. Born in Hong Kong and educated at McMaster, Choa-Johnston now lives in B.C. The first novel in this series, House of Wives, was a Globe & Mail bestseller. Today we talk about House of Daughters. Enjoy!

Hey folks! Finally re-entering real life after recovering…though the shows never stop 

This week we speak with author Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer about her novel Wait Softly Brother. Enjoy!

Hey all! Doubled up today with poets Kate Cayley (Lent) and Eva H.D. (The Natural Hustle). Of the two, the second is a bit unusual – there’s audio issues, and Eva’s reluctant to talk about certain things, which I didn’t know, so the whole thing is kind of an awkward, glorious mess. Yet somehow good! Enjoy.

Hey all! Wild weekend coming up at Supercrawl, the weekend music & art fest in Hamilton Sept 8 – 10. I’ll be spending most of my time at the Author Tent. Come by and say hi!

Friday 7:00 pm – Meet the Authors, buy a book, hang around.
Saturday 7:30 pm – Late Night Reads! I’ll be moderating a conversation with Andrew F. Sullivan, Liz Worth and Anuja Varghese.
Sunday 1:30 pm – Afternoon Mysteries! I’ll be moderating a chat with Scott Thornley and Melodie Campbell.

On to GET LIT! Today’s guest is Marta Balcewicz, and we’ll be discussing her novel Big Shadow. Listen in!

Hey folks! Today we talk with John Brady McDonald, author of Carrying It Forward: Essays from Kistahpinânihk. Hope you enjoy the conversation.

Hey all! On today's show we talk with Eden Boudreau about her powerful memoir, Crying Wolf. Content warning for sexual violence, just so you know.

Hey folks! Seems every time I read a Canadian horror book, I’m floored. Last time it was Andrew F. Sullivan‘s The Marigold. Now it’s A.G.A. Wilmot‘s Withered. Big ups to ECW Press, I guess! It hit all my horror sweet spots (creepy spots?). Listen in as we discuss Withered, mental health, and horror stuff.

Welcome to this week’s show! We had a great conversation with author Frankie Barnet, talking about their latest, Mood Swings. Listen in.

Today’s guest is Hamilton poet and author Chris Pannell! He joins me in the studio to talk about his latest collection, Adventurize Your Summer. Hope you enjoy.