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Evidence
The very human story of a young refugee striving to improve his life in a world that seems at every turn to conspire against him. He is not always likeable, but his struggles have a universal quality that readers can recognize.
- GenresShort Stories
192 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2008
About the author
Ian Colford
15 books40 followersIan Colford is a fiction writer who lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Educated primarily in Halifax, he has a bachelor's degree in mathematics, a master's in English and a master's in library science. His first short story was published in 1983. An early novel, "The Confessions of Joseph Blanchard," won the 2001 H.R. (Bill) Percy Prize for unpublished novel from the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia. His short story "The Reason for the Dream" appeared in the 1998 Journey Prize Anthology and was one of three from that volume shortlisted for the prize.
Ian's stories, reviews, and commentary have appeared in numerous literary publications, in print and online. From 1995 to 1998 he was editor of the literary publication Pottersfield Portfolio, and from 1994 to 2000 served on the executive board of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia. In 1998 he selected and edited a collection of stories by Maritime writers, called Water Studies, for Pottersfield Press.
Evidence, his first collection of short fiction, was published by Porcupine's Quill in 2008. In 2009 Evidence was shortlisted for the Thomas Head Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize, the ReLit Awards, and the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, and won the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award. Evidence was described by the Globe & Mail as "a a rich, shadowed, mind-tweaking puzzle of a book.”
A novel, The Crimes of Hector Tomás appeared in 2012. Published by Freehand Books of Calgary, The Crimes of Hector Tomás is a tragic tale of disappearance and deception set in an unnamed South American country in the middle of the previous century. Critics have described the book as "disturbing" and "remarkable." In 2013 it won Trade Book of the Year at the Alberta Book Awards.
A novella, Perfect World was published in May 2016 by Freehand, and in 2019 his collection of short fiction, A Dark House and Other Stories, was published by Nimbus Publishing under their Vagrant Press imprint. A Dark House was shortlisted for the Alistair MacLeod Prize in Short Fiction and the Relit Awards.
His most recently completed manuscripts are "A Momentary Lapse," a novel of contemporary Halifax, and a second collection of short fiction featuring Evidence protagonist Kostantin Bitri.
Ian's stories, reviews, and commentary have appeared in numerous literary publications, in print and online. From 1995 to 1998 he was editor of the literary publication Pottersfield Portfolio, and from 1994 to 2000 served on the executive board of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia. In 1998 he selected and edited a collection of stories by Maritime writers, called Water Studies, for Pottersfield Press.
Evidence, his first collection of short fiction, was published by Porcupine's Quill in 2008. In 2009 Evidence was shortlisted for the Thomas Head Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize, the ReLit Awards, and the Danuta Gleed Literary Award, and won the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award. Evidence was described by the Globe & Mail as "a a rich, shadowed, mind-tweaking puzzle of a book.”
A novel, The Crimes of Hector Tomás appeared in 2012. Published by Freehand Books of Calgary, The Crimes of Hector Tomás is a tragic tale of disappearance and deception set in an unnamed South American country in the middle of the previous century. Critics have described the book as "disturbing" and "remarkable." In 2013 it won Trade Book of the Year at the Alberta Book Awards.
A novella, Perfect World was published in May 2016 by Freehand, and in 2019 his collection of short fiction, A Dark House and Other Stories, was published by Nimbus Publishing under their Vagrant Press imprint. A Dark House was shortlisted for the Alistair MacLeod Prize in Short Fiction and the Relit Awards.
His most recently completed manuscripts are "A Momentary Lapse," a novel of contemporary Halifax, and a second collection of short fiction featuring Evidence protagonist Kostantin Bitri.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 9, 2026
I always enjoy Ian's writing whether in short or long form. Evidence is a collection of - for the most part - unrelated short stories centered around the experiences of Kostandin Bitri, a modern day type of Odysseus in his lonely travels, and Ian tells his stories with total believability in a mature, straightforward way, reminiscent of Maugham. Each story also has the type of ending that will leave you wondering what happened next.
February 25, 2021
Very interesting stories about humanity following a wanderer who never finds a place to settle for too long. I wish it was longer, it feels real and raw. Portrays well how we are victim and abuser throughout the many lives we live in a lifetime.
July 13, 2014
Globe and Mail: 'a rich, shadowed, mind-tweaking puzzle of a book'; Christmas gift 2010; A collection of related short stories... time well spent
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews