Writers Talking

Thomas M.F. Gerry is chair of the English Department at Laurentian
University and the editor of Arachne, Laurentian University’s
bilingual interdisciplinary journal of language and literature.

As stated in the book’s foreword, the purpose of Writers Talking is to
focus attention on eight “very talented writers” who are
“curiously invisible” on the Canadian writing scene. The editors
interviewed the profiled writers by mail: Wilkshire handled the sections
on Mary Borsky (Benny Bensky children’s books), Elise Levine (Driving
Men Mad, Requests and Dedications), Lisa Moore (Open, Degrees of
Nakedness, Alligator), and Michael Winter (This All Happened, The Big
Why), while Metcalf took on the interviews with Terry Griggs (The Lusty
Man, Rogues’ Wedding), Steven Heighton (The Shadow Boxer, Flight Paths
of the Emperor), K.D. Miller (Holy Writ, Give Me Your Answer), and
Annabel Lyon (Oxygen, The Best Thing For You).

The interviews provide a vivid impression of the writers’ influences,
techniques, and ambitions. Each interview is followed by a previously
published story by the author and his or her brief commentary on the
story. A source of inspiration for creative-writing students, Writers
Talking also sheds light on the contributions of editors—specifically
John Metcalf.