Home. The word conjures up vivid images and, oftentimes, conflicting emotions. We may be anxious to leave home or long to return. It might be a particular house, neighbourhood or town. It could evoke memories of boisterous family gatherings or of a quiet, cosy place to find peace and solitude. Home means different things to different people while still being a concept that resonates in some way with everyone.
“You should write a book!” How often have you said or heard that?
Everyone has a story to tell, and everyone seems to know a master storyteller, especially on the East Coast. But spinning a yarn is more akin to threading a needle, compared to the long, dedicated work of weaving an intricate tapestry that is an actual book. Getting published is another mystery to navigate and daunting enough that most don’t dare even try.
Linden MacIntrye shared with ABT’s editor his thoughts on Atlantic Canada’s storytelling, and writing about home.
The Atlantic Region is well known for telling stories in various art forms. Today, one of the outputs of that creative culture is an explosion of books and authors, with more titles being published in the region than ever before. Atlantic publishers explore the whys and hows behind the creative inspirations unique to the East Coast.
More indigenous stories are being published Rebecca Thomas, an award-winning spoken-word artist and Mi’kmaw activist, is publishing her first book called I’m Finding My Talk (Nimbus Publishing). A response to Rita Joe’s iconic poem “I Lost My Talk,” (Joe is often referred to as the poet laureate of the Mi’kmaq people), Thomas’ poem comes in the form of a children’s picture book illustrated by Mi’kmaw artist…
George Elliott Clarke, in his unique brand of spoken word, Africadian poetry, explores a personal subject, his great-aunt Portia White, an internationally celebrated opera contralto. His lyrical ode to her life and work is a celebration of love. He shared with ABT editor, Karalee Clerk, thoughts about his great-aunt, Portia White, and his family’s incredible creative DNA.
