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The playwright and novelist John MacLachlan Gray discusses his new novel Mr. Good-Evening (Douglas & McIntyre, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Mr. Good-Evening by John MacLachlan Gray (Douglas & McIntyre, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Mr. Good-Evening Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. John MacLachlan Gray joins me again. The distinguished playwright and novelist joins me to talk about the latest in Raincoast Noir series of books set in Vancouver in the 1920s. Mr. Good-Evening begins with a gruesome murder. Dora Decker is accused of stabbing her stockbroker employer to death twenty-five times with a high-heeled shoe. The book evokes the press of the day so well as newspapers shape and influence public opinion as the sensational murder case makes the news. Decker is arrested, and details of her, her employer, the murder itself are plastered on the newspapers not just here but around the world. The media itself is evolving as the book begins, as the advent of radio ushers in a new way to communicate, not to mention capture the public’s imagination. Ed McCurdy, a former muckraking journalist, is lured to the airwaves becoming one of the first radio personalities, not just in Vancouver but across the country. His nightly broadcasts make him a draw for audiences, and possibly a target of murder. Inspector Calvin Hook is another character, who pieces together the mystery of the murder at the start of the book, to the wet, boozy streets of 1920s Vancouver being somehow connected to Al Capone, Churchill, and a mystical cult on De Courcy Island. And it’s not stretch, considering the there was a cult at that time, on that island. I’ll get Mr. Gray, who joined me earlier this month, to tell us as much as he’d like about this book, the characters, and the Vancouver that all of this is set in. It’s such an eventful period in Vancouver’s history, and great inspiration for this book and the previous two, 2021’s Vile Sprits, and 2017’s The White Angel, which he first appeared on the program with. John MacLachlan Gray is a writer-composer-performer for stage, film, television, radio, and print. He is best known for his stage musicals, including the phenomenon Billy Bishop Goes to War. He is the recipient of the Governor General’s Medal, and is an Officer of the Order of Canada. This new book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, John MacLachlan Gray; Mr. Gray, good morning. The post John MacLachlan Gray first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The award-winning poet and educator Matt Rader discusses his new collection of poetry Fine (Nightwood Editions, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Fine by Matt Rader (Nightwood Editions, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Fine Text of introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. Matt Rader joins me again. The award-winning poet and educator has a new collection out, Fine. It’s a collection that is largely set in the Kelowna area of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. And it’s set in recent times, over the summer of 2021 to June of 2022. It’s a time of the ongoing pandemic, there was the heat dome of June 2021, the atmospheric river of November 2021, the announcement of hundreds of unmarked residential school graves across Canada, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and more. I’ll ask Matt about the existential dread that seems to follow poems in this collection. I’ll ask about what the future might look like, and whether there might be hope for us, the planet, and even within Matt’s own sense of the present. There are poems in this collection that grapple with questions of disability, illness, trans identity, and healing, as well as Matt’s remarkable gift at looking closely at the world just outside our door. As he evokes the Okanagan Valley in poems in this collection, you feel as though you’re there even if you’ve never been there with the attentive wonderment that Matt displays in his work and life. Matt Rader is the author of six volumes of poetry, a collection of short stories, and a book of nonfiction. His previous book Ghosthawk was shortlisted for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. He teaches creative writing at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, where he joined me from three weeks ago. This new collection is from Nightwood Editions. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Matt Rader; Professor Rader, good morning. The post Matt Rader first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and poet Shō Yamagushiku discusses his debut poetry collection shima (McClelland & Stewart, 2024), with Joseph Planta. shima by Shō Yamagushiku (McClelland & Stewart, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: shima Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. In the midst of Poetry Month, I’m joined now by Shō Yamagushiku. He’s just published a new collection of poetry, shima. I’ll ask him about what the word shima means, and how the poems in this book relate to that idea of community, and where one comes from and how one belongs, despite the distance between generations. We’ll talk about his poetry, and how the idea of home, whether his own, or his ancestors is reachable or even understood. We’ll also talk about the idea of roots, dreaming, and how he writes. Shō Yamagushiku is an independent writer and researcher. He joined me from Victoria, BC last month. This is his first poetry collection, and it’s published by McClelland & Stewart. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Shō Yamagushiku; Mr. Yamagushiku, good morning. The post Shō Yamagushiku first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The advocate and educator Rita Miceli discusses her new memoir Giaci and Me: A Mother’s Journey of Loving and Raising an Autistic Child (Pownal Street Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Giaci and Me: A Mother’s Journey of Loving and Raising an Autistic Child by Rita Miceli (Pownal Street Press, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Giaci and Me Text of introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. In a new memoir, advocate and mother Rita Miceli shares the story of her son Giaci’s autism diagnosis in early childhood through to his teen years and now into adulthood. In the book, Ms. Miceli, who joins me now, offers her innermost thoughts, fears, and narrates the challenges and victories she’s experienced raising her son, as well as advocating for other children with autism, and their parents. Her advocacy and lobbying of government officials for funding and support is also talked about in the book that Temple Grandin has praised because of the author’s practice of tolerance and procedural routine. I’ll ask Rita about what life was like for her family, and what the system in Ontario, then as now, is like for families with an autistic child. I’ll also ask her about what she’d like readers to get out of this book. Rita Miceli is an educator and an advocate for autism awareness. She teaches in the Autism and Behavioural Science Graduate Program at St. Clair College. She joined me late last month from her home in Windsor, Ontario. The book is called Giaci and Me: A Mother’s Journey of Loving and Raising an Autistic Child. It’s published by Pownal Street Press. Visit www.giaciandme,com for more. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Rita Miceli; Ms. Miceli, good morning. The post Rita Miceli first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The author and journalist Ron Base discusses the latest installment of the successful series of novels he’s written with Prudence Emery, Princess of the Savoy: A Priscilla Tempest Mystery, Book 3 (Douglas & McIntyre, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Princess of the Savoy: A Priscilla Tempest Mystery, Book 3 by Ron Base and Prudence Emery (Douglas & McIntyre, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Princess of the Savoy Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. One of the more popular mystery series is out with their third book. Princess of the Savoy: A Priscilla Tempest Mystery, Book 3 is the latest installment from authors Ron Base and Prudence Emery. Ron Base joins me now. Set in the swinging Sixties, we’re back at London’s Savoy Hotel, as Priscilla Tempest, the hotel’s publicist turned amateur sleuth finds herself in the heart of another thriller. And if you’re like me, and haven’t read the first two, you need not have, because as I’ve started it, they’re easy to get into engaging, fun and gripping. There’s glamour, danger, as well as international intrigue. I’ve haven’t quite finished the book, but it promises a lot of excitement, a murder or two, a fascist plot, threats from an American gangster, and a lot of old time Hollywood. I’ll ask Mr. Base about this new book, this series, and working with Miss Emery, who was the press and public relations officer at the Savoy Hotel. Ron Base is a former newspaper and magazine journalist and movie critic. His works include twenty novels, two novellas, and four non-fiction books. Visit www.ronbase.com for more. He lives in Milton, Ontario, but he joined me whilst on vacation in the South of France last month. This new book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Ron Base; Mr. Base, good morning. The post Ron Base first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and performer Sabrina Reeves discusses her debut novel Little Crosses (House of Anansi Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Little Crosses by Sabrina Reeves (House of Anansi Press, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Little Crosses Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. There’s a new novel out now, Little Crosses. Its author Sabrina Reeves joins me to talk about the relationship of a daughter to her complicated, narcissistic mother, who now lives with alcohol-related dementia. I’ll ask Sabrina about Cassie Wolfe, and her mother Nina, and about the struggles Cassie has in reconciling the mother she knew before dementia, and the woman that is now an alcoholic. She wasn’t always like this of course, she was an architect and builder, somebody with incredible charisma. We get a sense of who Nina was, as Cassie sits down prior to her mother’s intake at a detox facility, as she  write down a sketch of who her mother was. The book touches on the relationship between parents and children, addiction, as well as grief. I’ll ask Sabrina to tell us as much as she’d like about this book and what from her personal experience might have inspired some of the novel that is Little Crosses. Sabrina Reeves is a writer, performer, and co-founder of the inter-disciplinary performance collective bluemouth inc. This new book is published by House of Anansi Press. For more visit www.sabrinareeves.com. We spoke about three and a half weeks ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Sabrina Reeves; Ms. Reeves, good morning. The post Sabrina Reeves first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The bestselling author and journalist Elizabeth Renzetti discusses the new novel she’s co-written with Kate Hilton, Bury the Lead (House of Anansi Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Bury the Lead by Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti (House of Anansi, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Bury the Lead Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. Elizabeth Renzetti joins me now. She’s the co-author of one of the season’s best novels, Bury the Lead. We’ll talk about the book, which is a great homage to the murder mystery genre, as well as the setting of the small-town newspaper, which in this book is the professional home of our lead character, Cat Conway. Conway, who grew up in the cottage country town of Port Ellis, finds herself back there working on the local paper, the Quill & Packet. I’ll ask Ms. Renzetti about this character of Conway, why we’re drawn to her and what she represents with her professional experience, and the middle of life that she finds herself in with all its complexities. As the star of local theatre’s play, Eliot Fraser is murdered on opening night, Conway sets out to find out how, why, and importantly who did the deed, as well as whether Fraser had it coming. I’ll also ask Elizabeth about working with Kate Hilton, who was on this program earlier, and what to expect with this character in subsequent books. Elizabeth Renzetti is a bestselling author and journalist. Many will remember her for her many years as a reporter and columnist at the Globe and Mail. She is the author of the essay collection Shrewed: A Wry and Closely Observed Look at the Lives of Women and Girls, and the novel Based on a True Story. She’s got another book out later this year, What She Said: Conversations About Equality. Visit www.elizabethrenzetti.com for more. Bury the Lead is published by House of Anansi Press. We spoke about three weeks ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Elizabeth Renzetti; Ms. Renzetti, good morning. The post Elizabeth Renzetti first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and poet Judith Pond discusses her debut novel The Signs of No (University of Calgary Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. The Signs of No by Judith Pond (University of Calgary Press, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Signs of No Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. Judith Pond is the author of the new novel The Signs of No. She joins me now to talk about the characters in the book, and the themes she tackles in the novel. The first character we meet as the story begins is Rose, a divorced, fifty-year-old, who we later find out is estranged from her daughter. I’ll ask her about Rose, this fascinating character who as our hero is relatable for the reader. I’ll also ask about other characters in the book, like Morrison, and Abbey, and what these characters go through. The book contends with guilt and grief, as the characters deal or don’t deal with loss in their lives. They also deal with parenthood, motherhood in particular. I’ll ask Judith about these themes that she explores and the characters that she spent a lot of time with as she wrote this book. Judith Pond has published fiction and poetry in a wide variety of literary journals. She is the author of four poetry collections, including A Shape of Breath. Visit www.judithpond.ca for more. The Signs of No is published by University of Calgary Press, as part of their Brave and Brilliant Series. We spoke about two and a half weeks ago, with Judith joining me from Calgary. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Judith Pond; Ms. Pond, good morning. The post Judith Pond first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and poet Katherine Leyton discusses her new memoir Motherlike (Second Story Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Motherlike by Katherine Leyton (Second Story Press, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Motherlike Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. In a deeply personal memoir, Katherine Leyton tells her story as a woman, a feminist, and mother. Her personal experiences and her evolving perspective shine a light on the universal experience that mothers encounter. The book is called Motherlike and it’s honest, raw and candid. It illuminates for a lot of us what it’s like to bring life into the world, and all the changes that ensue. I’ll talk to Katherine now about the book, about the experiences she writes about. They start off as addressed to her child, her son. She talks about how her life has changed over the course of being pregnant, and not just her life but her outlook on life itself. She talks about what she’s lost and gained as a result of becoming a mother, and the changes emotional and physical. Men come into focus too, and not just her relationship with her son’s father, but through negative experiences from men Katherine has encountered; how that shapes her own thinking, affecting it negatively as well. She also does something in the book, that as a male, I’ve had no comprehension of heretofore, the sleeplessness as a result of giving birth, and the postpartum depression and how it manifests itself. Katherine Leyton is a poet, screenwriter, and nonfiction writer from Toronto. Her first book of poems, All the Gold Hurts My Mouth, received the ReLit Award. Her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, Hazlitt, and Bitch. She lives in Ottawa, but joined me earlier this month from Florida where she was visiting with relatives. This new book is published by Second Story Press. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Katherine Leyton; Ms. Leyton, good morning. The post Katherine Leyton first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The acclaimed vocalist Natalie Douglas discusses her new album Back to the Garden (Club44, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. Natalie Douglas joins me now. The acclaimed chanteuse has just released a new album, Back to the Garden. It’s a collection of golden age standards, pop gems from the Woodstock generation, with surprises along the way; all songs that demonstrate the vast range of Douglas’s talents as a singer, performer, and interpreter of song. There are new big band arrangements of Cole Porter’s “Begin the Beguine,” a tender version of the ballad “You’ll Never Know,” as well as a new take on the song “Who?” A rare song, “He Lives in a World of His Own,” written for Shirley Bassey by Lionel Bart, is on the album, and it’s just delightful to hear it for once, but also to wonder what might have been.  There’s also a rock-inspired interpretation of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” as well as a soaring anthem written just for Natalie by the founders of the Club44 label, who release this album, Wayne Haun and Joel Lindsay, “Love is the Power that Heals Me.” I’ll ask Ms. Douglas about this album, the songs therein, and the craft of performing before a live audience as she does. We’ll also talk about the incredible research Natalie does for her popular shows, which she performs around the world, and at her home base, New York City’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club. She is an expert instructor at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, the Sullivan Foundation, and the Mabel Mercer Foundation. Visit www.NatalieDouglas.com for more. We spoke nearly one month ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Natalie Douglas; Ms. Douglas, good morning. The post Natalie Douglas first appeared on thecommentary.ca.