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Hey now.

I’ve been slow to report a few things on this site, mainly as I’ve been at people everyday on the social media and they may want to punch me. Either way, here are a few things of note…

An issue after my book got a starred review in Quill and Quire, by Robert J. Wiersema, there is another surprise bit of magic in this current “Best of the year” issue of Quill and Quire. The cover of the book, created by Kate Hargreaves, was called one of the best of the year by fellow book designer Michel Vrana. Since the first time I saw the mockups, I knew that was the best thing that I could’ve ever hoped for as far as covers go. All thanks possible to Kate for that one, and congratulations on being recognized for the Debris cover, and for her work on Arms by A.J. Somerset, and Arvida by Samuel Archibald, both listed as two of the best covers of the year by CBC books.

The writing that is between those covers was said to be some of the best of the year also, along with other Biblioasis authors that I’ve been lucky enough to share a list with. That was the work of Steven W. Beattie, who previously gave a very good review of Debris in The Globe and Mail. In talking about this Best Of Quartet for the Quill, Beattie says:

“Toronto writer Hardcastle’s debut was not shortlisted for any awards…”

That is very accurate (other than perhaps the entire Toronto part). But there is also some non-prize good things he said and you can find them out by getting the latest Quill and Quire. I appreciate…

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Elsewise, I was invited to be on a panel at the Wild Writers Festival (easily the most significant WWF), by Pamela Mulloy and the incredible humans at The New Quarterly. Three of the stories in my book were originally published in TNQ, and they will always be champions to me. In any case, the panel was about Pushing Boundaries, and I certainly pushed the boundaries as to whether I should be allowed on a panel.

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That is a face I made up there while answering a question (though I think the answer was just). Taken by the writer Sarah Henstra, as was the picture above that. No matter. It was a good time all weekend and heartening to see so many rooms full and books sold out and meals of just meat and bread prepared for a weirdo from Midland. It was my first go at any kind of real festival or panel, and, when I got over the nerves, it was fine. Thanks to everyone who organized and participated in and sat in the audience at the Wild Writers Festival. I hope to come back someday and make an even more hilarious face to a whole other set of people…

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That’s the best I got at the moment. But I do have more for you, and it will show up later. Until then, goodnight. See you around. KH

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If you take a look at Echolocation‘s site this month, you’ll see an interview between me and everything-award winning poet Michael Prior, who made the hilarious error of buying me beer and hitting record while I ranted at him and answered very few of his questions right (fixed in post).

It’s titled: On Calling Your Shot, and in it we talk about many, many things, including: my real life writing influences and background, what is interesting about the lesser known towns between the city and nowheresville, horror fiction and films that inspire me, writing tricks that I don’t give a shit about, my awesome book I wrote when I was 10 (CAMP FEAR), and my reading some of it with Caitlin from Degrassi. And so on…

Echolocation is the literary journal run by graduate students in the University of Toronto English Department, many of whom are part of the MA in Creative Writing, and many of whom are pretty goddamn good at it. As a U of T graduate (undergrad, as I would not have been smart enough for the MA), I am happy to get this in there, and see how things have been going since I fled the country for more book learnin’.

Read the whole thing by clicking this line, and listen to nothing that is said about my “huggability” or the opportunity for a “hug.” You will be straightarmed just like Prior.

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I have also been posting more stuff as Writer-In-Residence for Open Book Toronto, so you can check out my profile and take a gander if you like. The direct links to the most recent of them are listed below:

– Taking Your Medicine in the Editing Room

– Navigating the Literary Landscape – Part One/Part Two

– At the end of the Debris tour – Notes on my first rodeo

– On Writing Violence

– Hello Open Book readers… (first official post, about all kinds) 

– The Lucky Seven Interview – with Grace O’Connell (introductory post before my term as WIR)

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More to come soon. Talk to you later.

Cheers,
Hardcastle

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(UPDATED: with Quill and Quire Review, now online)

Hi. How are you?

I’ve got a few things to talk about in this post, some of it is catch-up from what has been happening over the last month or so with my new book, Debris. The first is that this thing finally started getting some reviews, and, most of those reviews have been pretty strong. Below you can find the links to all of those…

(NEW) Quill and Quire – Debris Review – By Robert J. Wiersema

The Globe and Mail – New Fiction Review – Debris – By Steven W. Beattie

National Post – Jacked up myths for working stiffs – Review by Alix Hawley

The Winnipeg Review – Debris Review – By Andrew Woodrow-Butcher

PRISM international – Debris Review – Adrick Brock

There is also a great review in the November issue of Quill & Quire for anybody who subscribes or has picked up that issue. It isn’t online yet, but I’ll post the link when it is. Debris was reviewed in those pages by Robert J. Weirsema. (Now exists online, as mentioned above)

Thanks to everybody who had a hand in these: the reviewers, senior/books editors, and the publicists and staff at Biblioasis who told people about this book, and did their damnedest to make sure it didn’t get buried in the middle of “prize season.”

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The next bit of news is that I’m the Writer-in-Residence for Open Book Toronto, for the month of November. This is all thanks to Grace O’Connell and Holly Kent, and they are champions. I’ll be posting about a number of things on there. Please check it out.

I’ve got two posts up already. The one is an introductory interview from Grace, and that went up about a week ago. The Lucky Seven Interview. Click anywhere here to read that.

The other one is my first actual post as WIR, where I go on about a number of things regarding how I got to where I am, and what still matters to me in writing, why I think good writers need to keep driving forward. Click this bit for that first post.

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That’ll do it for now. If anything cool happens in life I’ll let you know. Oh yeah, and for those of you who might be interesting in attending the Wild Writers Festival in Waterloo (November 6th to 8th), I will be there as part of a panel called Fiction: Pushing Boundaries. With Rhonda Douglas, Russell Smith, and Kathleen Winter, and moderated by K.D. Miller. That one takes place on the Saturday at 1:30pm. Please come by and watch me yammer on. Should be good times.

Cheers. Hardcastle