The Great Genevieve Graham

I had the pleasure of moderating the Enemies, Allies and Antiquities: From Versailles to Acadia panel with historical fiction authors Roberta Rich, Sally Christie and Genevieve Graham at Toronto Public Library’s Appel Salon.  Genevieve was kind enough to provide responses to several questions I asked, and has given me permission to share them! Genevieve graduated from the University of Toronto in 1986 with a…

Blank Spaces – a new Canadian literary magazine

I met Michelle McLaughlin at Word On The Street in Toronto, and was delighted when she wrote to me. She and Alanna Rusnak had seen me speak at the Humber School for Writers Workshop: Overcoming the Odds: Long Journey to Publication. In turn, they introduced me to Blank Spaces, a new Canadian literary magazine, where Michelle is an assistant editor and Alanna is an…

Dark Side by John Choi

It’s kind of crazy that both my brother and I published our first books this year. Like me, John took Creative Writing classes at the University of Toronto’s School for Continuing Studies. We even studied with some of the same instructors like Dennis Bock. The networking opportunities that came with being in our classes eventually led us to get our books published. According to…

So you wanna learn Korean?

A few people have asked about Korean language resources. It always delights me to hear from non-Koreans interested in learning the language. I’m surprised at how popular Korean food has become and where I live – northern Toronto – there’s lots of Korean restaurants, including Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu, Joons, and The Owl of Minerva. K-pop and K-dramas have also become very popular….

“We Don’t Often Talk About Sensitive Issues!”

My interview with Fabricio Correa in The GNU Journal  includes questions about the writing process and authors who influenced me. I also share that I am hoping to use my novel, Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety, as a resource to talk about sensitive issues like domestic violence, negative mental health, and racial tension. Click here to read the full interview.        

MFA in Creative Writing

Choosing to complete my MFA studies in Creative Writing at National University in San Diego, California, was one of the best things I did to develop as an author. The following is an excerpt from a reflection paper I wrote for a course. A special thanks to Professor Bryan Hurt, my thesis adviser, and Professor Frank Montesonti, Academic Program Director, for their guidance and…

Ann Radcliffe and the female Gothic genre

One of the most challenging and rewarding courses I’ve taken is on Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823). Regarded as the principal creator of the female Gothic genre, Radcliffe is credited as establishing a standard and new formula for Gothic fiction which earned it great respect and a larger readership. Patriarchal authority and institutions were challenged and examined in the Female Gothic. Unlike male writers such as…

The art of bookbinding

I recently attended my first workshop on bookbinding. Today, I spent the afternoon picking up some supplies and tools to keep practising the art. One of the stores my instructor, Vanessa, recommended was The Paper Place. Located in downtown Toronto, it’s a great shop that carries a wide variety of decorative Japanese papers, as well as the book binding and paper crafting tools needed…

Editors and Writers

I was finally able to thank Allyson Latta in person when I met up with her last month. She was a guest speaker at a Markham high school where she spoke to students about her work as a freelance editor.  I was fortunate enough to work with Allyson on my first book which will be released early next year. Allyson has worked with many…

Paperbacks and fresh maple syrup

Local farmers were out selling fresh maple syrup at St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market. The place was packed with people, mostly families out enjoying a sunny March Break day. Located 1.5 hours west of Toronto, this is the largest year-round farmers’ market in Canada. Along with some wonderful ready-to-eat foods like perogies, souvlaki, and apple fritters, you can find everything from handmade quilts to used…