In the new issue of 807: A Northwestern Ontario Literary Review, you’ll find a conversation about the relationship between writers and geography.
Thunder Bay writer Mary Frost, in her initial salvo, admits that she might be “representative of the local writing community” in that she is ”interested in writing, in writing as well as we can, but unenterprising about feeding into the Canadian literary grid.”
Charlie Wilkins, also a Thunder Bay resident (at least part-time), sees “a reluctance up here [in northwestern Ontario] that prevents a more confident stake in the broader creation of literature. Or is it plain old fear of rejection?”
And Joe Fiorito, transplanted from Westfort to greater Toronto, mentions a “sense of inferiority–nothing good ever happened here, and I’m not good enough to be anywhere else,” while saying that writers, of necessity, remain detached observers.
What do you think?
If you live in Northwestern Ontario, how do you think that choice influences your writing? If you once lived here and have left, why did you leave and what changes did that bring?
If a fairy godparent could wave a magic wand and remove all obstacles to your ideal writing life, what would disappear? And what would your ideal life look like?
What else do you want to say about writers and where they live–or have lived?
Note that the writers’ quotes above are just a few tidbits from a greater, wide-ranging conversation. For the whole pork chop, buy an 807 online (below) or from one of these fine Thunder Bay retailers: Northern Woman’s Bookstore, the Finnish Bookstore, the International House of Tea, Kelly’s Nutrition, Villedge Art, or Chapters.
