I recently had the opportunity to read
Guy Gavriel Kay’s latest book, Written on the Dark. As always with Kay’s
books, I found it intriguing. Written on the Dark is set on the same
fantasy world as some of Kay’s previous works, including All the Seas of the World and A Brightness Long Ago.
As Kay notes in the acknowledgements
section, this novel was inspired by Earth’s Renaissance era (particularly
France in this case), though it clearly takes place in a different, imaginary
locale, a world with two moons and unique geography, religion, and customs. The
book also includes the presence of a Joan of Arc figure, albeit with a happier
ending. Those who enjoyed Kay’s other books with similar settings should enjoy
this one.
Also, many
thanks to Nina Munteanu for her review of my speculative poetry collection, Cats and Dogs in Space. Nina’s review was posted on Goodreads May 4,
and can be accessed at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7543301522
Recent Publications
Nonfiction:
“Spring
wildflowers abound in Backus Woods,” Simcoe Advocate, May 22,
2025.
Poetry:
“Earth Mother,” Forgotten Ground Regained:
A Quarterly Journal of Alliterative Verse, Issue 6, Spring 2025, https://alliteration.net/poetry/earth-mother/
Reviews:
Corporate Control, by Nora Loreto, The Seaboard Review,
posted May 19, 2025, https://www.theseaboardreview.ca/p/corporate-control-by-nora-loreto
Homing: A Quest to Care for Myself and
the Earth, by Alice
Irene Whittaker, The Seaboard Review, Posted May 5, 2025, https://www.theseaboardreview.ca/p/homing-by-alice-irene-whittaker
Indigenous Rights in One Minute: What You Need to Know to
Talk Reconciliation, Bruce McIvor, The Seaboard Review, Posted May
26, 2025, https://www.theseaboardreview.ca/p/indigenous-rights-in-one-minute-bruce-mcivor
A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Great
Lakes Region, by
Philippa Joly, The Seaboard Review, Posted May 19, 2025, https://www.theseaboardreview.ca/p/a-kids-guide-to-plants-of-the-great-lakes-region-philippa-joly
We, the Others, by Toula Drimonis, posted on The
Seaboard Review, May 8, 2024, https://www.theseaboardreview.ca/p/we-the-others-by-toula-drimonis
What I’m
Working On
I have a
couple of book proposals I’m working on. I can credit a Zoom call I had
recently with a former colleague for getting me thinking along these lines
again!
