Bookends with Mattea Roach

In the new novel Pick a Colour, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. The debut novel from Souvankham Thammavongsa centres on Ning, the owner of a nail salon. Before she was a nail technician, Ning was a boxer … and she hasn’t completely shrugged off those instincts from the ring. Souvankham won the Giller Prize in 2020 for her story collection How to Pronounce Knife, and her new novel is shortlisted for this year’s prize. She joins Mattea Roach to talk about her fondness for nail salons, the weight of names and what being in the boxing ring taught her about herself.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Ocean Vuong finds beauty in a fast food shift For Indigenous players, ice hockey is a ceremony of its own

A century from now, how will historians look back on your life? In his latest novel, What We Can Know, Ian McEwan imagines the future in 100 years. In a world altered by climate change and nuclear war, human beings are looking back at our current age with a mix of nostalgia, envy and contempt … which is why a scholar becomes fixated on finding a lost poem from 2014. You might know Ian from his breakout hit Atonement, which was made into an Oscar-winning film. This week, he joins Mattea Roach to talk about crafting his own dystopia, his concerns about AI and why we just might be living in a golden age.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Jeff VanderMeer: How his blockbuster Southern Reach series reflects our own fight against climate change What if your dreams could land you in jail?

The bunnies are back … and they’re bloodier than ever. In We Love You, Bunny, Mona Awad returns to the surreal world of her best selling novel Bunny. A deliciously deranged mix of fairy tale, satire and horror, Bunny was loved by critics and readers alike. But what do the villains of that story — a clique of mean girls called the Bunnies — have to say about it? We Love You, Bunny provides a dark, hilarious answer. Mona joins Mattea Roach to talk about expanding the Bunny universe, getting into the heads of her characters and taking inspiration from drag queens. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Why Heather O’Neill believes in magic Pitbull, Scarface and a whale walk into a book

Soju, kimchi, gun fights, car chases … and profound reflections on the Korean diaspora. Whether you’re hungry for food or for action, Jinwoo Park’s debut novel has it all. Oxford Soju Club is about a group of Korean spies carrying out their missions in Oxford. At the centre of it all is The Soju Club, the only Korean restaurant in town. Like any good spy novel, the book delivers on secrets and intrigue … but it’s also a story about what it means to be Korean, no matter how far away from home you are. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Reimagining the lost stories of Chinese Canadians during WWII In Booker Prize finalist Creation Lake, an agent provocateur faces deep questions about how to live

Ken Follett is one of the most successful authors alive today. He’s sold almost 200 million books, and readers have devoured his stories about the Black Plague, German spies and nuclear war. His next challenge? The great mystery of Stonehenge. Ken’s latest novel, Circle of Days, imagines the story behind that monument and wonder of ancient life. Ken joins Mattea Roach to talk about what makes Stonehenge so special, writing between history and imagination and why his books resonate around the world.  Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Emma Donoghue boards a train destined for disasterGetting to know Canada’s king of suspense

The winner of the 2025 CBC Nonfiction Prize is The Invisible Woman by Laura MacGregor. It's a deeply personal and heartfelt story Laura wrote about her son Matthew, who lived with profound disabilities and required around-the-clock care. Laura wrote The Invisible Woman as a way of dealing with her grief after Matthew's passing, and to reckon with how extreme caregiving had shaped her life. Laura joins Mattea to talk about the joy and dignity of Matthew’s life and the responsibilities she shouldered in silence for many years.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Kate Gies: Reclaiming her body after years of medical trauma Meet the winner of the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize

After massive hits like The Poppy War, Babel and Yellowface, R.F. Kuang’s new novel takes readers to hell — quite literally. Katabasis follows two grad students who venture through the underworld to save their professor’s soul, and R.F. Kuang’s own experience as a PhD student, high school debater and talented chef all factor into the book. At a special live event presented by the Toronto International Festival of Authors, R.F. told Mattea Roach all about Katabasis … and dove into her own life and inspirations along the way.  Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Nalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart Man Ocean Vuong finds beauty in a fast food shift

Statistically, your odds of becoming an astronaut are close to zero. You have to make some pretty extreme sacrifices to reach the stars, and that’s the thrust of a new novel about the first Cherokee astronaut. To the Moon and Back is Eliana Ramage’s debut novel and the September pick for Reese Witherspoon’s book club. It’s a book about ambition and astronauts, but it’s also about what it means to be Indigenous … in the past, present, and future. This week, Eliana tells Mattea about loving the story of science, writing frustrating characters and why she’s taking Cherokee identity to Mars. Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Taylor Jenkins Reid is among the stars — on and off the page For Indigenous players, ice hockey is a ceremony of its own

A snail scientist takes part in a kidnapping scheme to protest the Ukrainian romance industry. That's the story Maria Reva was writing in her debut novel, Endling. But then Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leaving Maria to question whether fiction had a place in the devastating new reality. The result is an innovative and darkly humorous book in which Maria blends her novel with her own experiences grappling with the war. Endling is longlisted for the Booker and is a finalist for the Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. Maria joins Mattea Roach to talk about her interest in snails, the evolution of her novel and having loved ones on the frontlines in Ukraine.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Nnedi Okorafor: Bringing a writer to life in Death of the Author Writing about catastrophe gives Madeleine Thien courage

Growing up in rural Ontario, Jeff Lemire bought superhero comics at the local minimart. Years later, he’s one of the biggest comic book creators in Canada … and he’s the one bringing those superheroes to life. Jeff’s new memoir, 10,000 Ink Stains, tells his story. The book looks back on his 25-year career, diving into notable works like Essex County and Sweet Tooth — both of which were recently adapted for television. Jeff tells Mattea about his early days as an indie comics artist, stepping into the worlds of iconic heroes and why his career is only just beginning.Liked this conversation? Keep listening:Chris Ware: Inside the sketchbooks of a comics masterAdrian Tomine: Answering his readers' burning questions