Acknowledging our African Canadian Authors
- Blog Updates, Hear 2 Help You, Standard Blog
- african canadian, authors, fantasy, girl power, sci-fi, Scotia Bank Giller Prize
- September 19, 2018
Acknowledging our African Canadian Authors
READ THE NORTH!
For anyone sleeping on Canadian talent, we implore you to view the list of great Canadian authors and their respective titles we highlighted on our show.
In no particular order…
André Alexis
André Alexis was born in Trinidad and grew up in Canada. His most recent novel, Fifteen Dogs, won the 2015 Scotia Bank Giller Prize and the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
The novel gives us an insight to what happens when, the gods Hermes and Apollo place a wager over pints in Toronto’s Wheat Sheaf Tavern and 15 dogs are given the “gift” of human intelligence.
You could purchase the book here.
Nicole Blades
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, by Caribbean parents, Nicole Blades is a novelist, speaker, and journalist who has been putting her stories on paper since the third grade.
In her sophomore novel Have You Met Nora?, a Black woman “passing” as a white woman encounters someone who knows her secret and threatens to ruin the high society life she’s established.
Find out more about Nicole Blades here.
Minister Faust
In Alchemists of Kush, the Edmonton-based author’s book explores the lives of Somali and Sudanese youth in North America.
Minister Faust refers to his sub-genre of writing as Imhotep-Hop, an Africentric literature that draws from myriad ancient African civilisations, explores present realities, and imagines a future in which people struggle not only for justice, but for the stars.
Read more about Minister Faust here.
We also had a conversation with one in particular; Ms. Sarah Raughley, a brilliant mind and creative talent.
The Young Adult author of the Effigy series, shares a gripping story about four girls with the power to control the elements, come together to save the world from a terrible evil.
Find out more about Sarah Raughley here.
Catch our weekly show which includes our interview with Sarah Raughley below.
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There were a few other authors we didn’t get to mention on the show, but should be highlighted.
Claire Harris
Claire Harris, poet (born 13 June 1937 in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad). Harris has written numerous collections of poetry since her first volume, Fables from the Women’s Quarters, was published in 1984.
Drawing Down a Daughter by Calgary-based writer and poet Claire Harris, functions as a book-length poem, merging post-modernist influences with narrative. Creative and resourceful, Claire uses journals, letters, stories and eloquent imaginings to follow a woman about to give birth.
Find more about Claire Harris here.
Nalo Hopkinson
In Nalo Hopkinson’s enthralling debut novel, set in 2049 Toronto, Ti-Jeanne survives in a post-apocalyptic urban wasteland where survivors are left to fend for themselves — re-learning how to harvest, barter and forage. And when the wealthy are in need of organs they turn to the poor, who do whatever it takes to stay alive.
Find out more about Nalo Hopkinson here.
Jelani “J-Wyze” Nias
In his debut novel, the Toronto based author Jelani asks “Can a bad man go good?”
An exciting body of work, Where Eagles Crawl and Men Fly is a blend of Fantasy and Action that follows the life of Badroy Anthony Taylor, a career criminal looking to reinvent himself in a new place.
It’s even being turned into a 12 part sci-fi series.
Purchase Where Eagles Crawl & Men Fly here.
David Chariandy
With shimmering prose and mesmerizing precision, the Vancouver based, David Chariandy takes us inside the lives of Michael and Francis. They are the sons of Trinidadian immigrants, their father has disappeared and their mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home.
David’s debut novel Soucouyant was nominated for ten literary prizes and awards, including the 2009 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (longlisted), the 2007 Scotiabank Giller Prize (longlisted).
You could purchase the book here.
We hope you enjoyed our eclectic selection of African Canadian authors and their works.
Please feel free to share some of your favorite authors as well.
Until next week.
