Susan Swan's Blog, page 10

The Fantastic, Fearless and Furious World of Gabrielle de Montmollin

This winter I wrote about Gabrielle de Montmollin, a Toronto woman artist and her show Stephen Harper Hates Me. Her show opens this April at the Redhead Gallery. I hope everybody will find Gabrielle’s show timely. It’s about writers and artists trying to understand why their prime minister hates them. The Fantastic, Fearless and Furious [...]

The Circle Women’s Centre presents: Heroines of the Sexual Gothic

Two book club offers you don’t want to miss this spring.

A Book Club Valentine (CLICK TO ENLARGE)                             Spring Delirium (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Here’s My Scoop on Literary Fathers and Daughters–For the LRC

MEETING YOUR FATHER ON THE PAGE: Gardiner Museum talk about Literary Fathers and Daughters, for the Literary Review of Canada, Jan 25, 2013: Athena emerging from the head of Zeus   My novel The Western Light started with a family letter sent over one hundred and fifty years ago. It was sent by a distant [...]

Here’s My Scoop on Literary Fathers and Daughters–As Far as I Got–For the LRC

MEETING YOUR FATHER ON THE PAGE: Gardiner Museum talk about Literary Fathers and Daughters, for the Literary Review of Canada, Jan 25, 2013:   My novel The Western Light started with a family letter sent over one hundred and fifty years ago. It was sent by a distant relative, an illegitimate boy, who left Scotland [...]

So You Want to be a Famous Writer

One of Susan’s students talks about the creative writing biz: So You Want to be a Famous Writer By: Cheryl Runke When Susan asked me to write a guest blog for her blog site I panicked because I still have so much work to do on my novel.  And I have a very short time [...]

A Girl Making Herself Up

Here’s a 53 second video of my granddaughter Jane making herself up. Telling stories about ourselves begins in childhood and you can see her imagination in full flight here. What will my granddaughter be? A movie actor? A director? A writer? An investment banker or maybe a politician? Or a vet–the vocation she has chosen [...]

Help choose the paperback cover for The Western Light

It will soon be time for the paperback release of The Western Light, and we need your help. Should The Western Light stick with the original cover or go with a new image like one of the samples below? Send us your comments and feedback on which cover is your favourite. The Original Hardcover: Compare [...]

The Sunday Morning Writer’s Blog is Back

OK, the Sunday morning writer’s blog is back. Why? So I can put down thoughts about writing for my creative writing students without having to repeat the same things to each of them. Last winter for instance,  I wrote about what James Wood calls ‘the free, indirect style.’  And it’s time to have another look [...]

My Fun Trumps Fussy Family Christmas in Globe and Mail (plus recipes)

Why a fun holiday trumps a fussy one In the 1980s, Susan Swan’s uncle John (at the head of the table) started displaying his Christmas trees in unusual ways. (Photo courtesy of Susan Swan)   Special to The Globe and Mail Published Saturday, Dec. 22 2012 By Susan Swan   From the moment I sat [...]