On Creative Writing

In this episode of the On Creative Writing podcast , host Sheelagh Caygill sits down with author Holly Gutwillinger to discuss her debut novel, North of Broken and Furever Home . Released in February 2026 as a heartfelt love letter to her dogs, Holly’s story was born from a profound moment of connection with her anxious rescue dog, Sully. Holly shares her unexpected transition from writing persona...

In this episode, new On Creative Writing host Su Chang, author of The Immortal Woman , sits down with acclaimed novelist Joseph Kertes to discuss his latest book, Sirens . Set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Greece, the novel follows Gabriel, a 16-year-old Roma boy hiding in a cemetery coffin, and Phoebe, the Greek girl who helps him survive. Su and Joe dive into the intricate craft behind t...

In this episode of On Creative Writing, award-winning author and University of Regina professor Melanie Schnell presents a detailed and impressive audio essay on finding deeper, capital T truths, in fiction. Melanie also discusses the inspiration, research for, and writing of her second novel, The Chorus Beneath our Feet , (Radiant Press, 2025), which won the City of Regina Award and was shortlist...

Writer, publisher, and digital media artist Kyle Flemmer takes the mike to interview acclaimed poet and essayist Alice Major about her new book, Triangularity: Essays on Poetry, Science and Spirit , recently published by the University of Alberta Press . Alice, known for her thoughtful explorations at the intersection of art and science, delves into the central metaphor of her new collection: the...

To celebrate Women in Translation Month, On Creative Writing speaks with Montreal-based author Marie-Josée Poisson to discuss the translation of her historical mystery novel, Blood Bound: Unleashing Secret Ties , by translator Flora-Lee Bendit, and published Guernica Editions . Originally published in French in 2014, the novel centers on a determined woman who embarks on a journey to trace her gen...

In this episode of On Creative Writing, host Sheelagh Caygill sits down with Chinese Canadian author Su Chang to discuss her acclaimed debut novel, The Immortal Woman . Su takes listeners on a compelling journey from her childhood in Shanghai to her life in North America, revealing how her experiences as an immigrant have profoundly shaped her voice as a writer. Sheelagh and Su look at the challen...

In this episode of On Creative Writing, host Sheelagh Caygill sits down with Canadian poet Kim Mannix to discuss Kim's debut poetry collection, Confirm Humanity , published in October 2025 by Wild Skies Press . Kim shares insights into her journey as a writer, beginning with her background in journalism and how it has influenced her approach to poetry. Kim talks about the ways in which her exp...

In this episode of On Creative Writing, guest host and poet Marco Melfi sits down with talented poet Stephanie Bolster to discuss her latest collection, Long Exposure (Palimpsest Press, 2025). The conversation examines the book’s remarkable 15-year creation process, revealing how time, patience, and evolving perspectives shaped the final work. Stephanie, who is a creative writing professor at Conc...

On Creative Writing host Sheelagh Caygill welcomes essayist and poet Sadiqa de Meijer , based in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Sadiqa provides a thoughtful meditation on what it means to belong, to create, and to live attentively in a fast-paced world, and also reads the poem 'Living Rooms of Qaf' from her new collection, Qaf's People . To prepare for this interview, Sheelagh read Sadiqa&...

On Hollay Ghadery's The Unravelling of Ou, “Wildly original and captivating. A phenomenal examination of female shame, sexuality, queerness, motherhood, and intimacy, Hollay Ghadery writes with sensitivity and resonating beauty through an unconventional narrator: a sock puppet, Ecology Paul, who delivers the emotional coming-of-age tale of young Minoo with whimsy and emotional depth" - Li...

In this episode of On Creative Writing, guest host Su Chan sits down with debut novelist Ann Cavlovic to discuss her powerful and timely novel, Count On Me , published by Guernica Editions in 2025. Su is also an author and her debut novel The Immortal Woman was published in 2025 by House of Anansi. Count on Me centers on Tia Pysar, a mother who finds herself at the crossroads of caregiving, financ...

In this episode of the On Creative Writing podcast, debut novelist Emma Marnes joins host Sheelagh Caygill for an detailed discussion about book publicity and self-promotion on a minimal budget. Emma’s novel, The Walk , began as a spark of inspiration while she was studying in Dublin, and she takes listeners through the experience of that initial idea to seeing her book in print. She shares the pr...

In this episode of the On Creative Writing podcast, guest Marco Melfi discusses his debut poetry collection, Routine Maintenance , published by Gaspereau Press (2025 ) with guest host Alice Major . Marco is a graduate of Simon Fraser University’s The Writer’s Studio. His poems have appeared in The Antigonish Review, The New Quarterly, Prairie Fire, The Arc Award of Awesomeness, Funicular, FreeFall...

Guest host and poet Kim Mannix sits down with poet and digital media artist Kyle Flemmer for an in-depth conversation about his latest poetry collection, Supergiants , published by Wolsak and Wynn . In this engaging episode, Kim and Kyle delve into the unique intersections of poetry, science, and visual art that define Kyle’s work, offering listeners a glimpse into the mind of a writer who is cons...

Find the full transcript of Michael Mirolla's audio essay, 'Michael Mirolla on metafiction: Writing that reflects on its own creation' . In this episode of the On Creative Writing podcast, award winning author Michael Mirolla delivers an audio essay deep into the genre of metafiction, a literary mode that self-consciously highlights its own artifice and construction, inviting readers to reflect on...

On Creative Writing is grateful to author Sean Minogue for this engaging audio essay about writing his speculative fiction time-travel thriller, Terminal Solstice ! Sean takes listeners through the decade-long period during which he was (mostly) writing Terminal Solstice ( Ravenstone, an imprint of Turnstone Press, 2025 ). Sean describes the novel’s central concept: a world where time literally fr...

In this episode of the On Creative Writing podcast, host Sheelagh Caygill sits down with novelist and poet Kim Farner to discuss her latest poetry collection, The Pollination Field, published by Turnstone Press of Winnipeg, Manitoba. This engaging conversation delves into the book’s rich tapestry of themes, including the vital role of pollinators in our ecosystems, the enduring power of myth, the...

In this episode of On Creative Writing , author Emma Woodhouse sits down with Canadian author Lucy E. M. Black to discuss her latest novel, A Quilting of Scars . Lucy discusses her fulfilling career in education and how her background as an educator has influenced her storytelling, particularly her sensitivity to the complexities of human experience and her deep appreciation for history. Lucy and...

In his audio essay for On Creative Writing, Ken Wilson , author of Walking the Bypass: Notes on Place from the Side of the Road , explores the transformative power of walking as both a reflective and creative practice. Ken shares how his regular walks along Regina’s controversial bypass—a space often dismissed as a “non-place”—became a catalyst for personal insight, creative inspiration, and a dee...

Host Sheelagh Caygill sits down with James Cairns , an author and professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, to discuss publicizing his essay collection, In Crisis, On Crisis: Essays in Troubled Times, published by Wolsak and Wynn . Until this book was released, James' books were mostly academic texts, and so this was the first time James was closely involved in a busy publicity campaig...

Guest host Kim Mannix , author of the new poetry collection Confirm Humanity, is excited to tell you all that the On Creative Writing Poetry Contest is officially OPEN! The Poetry Contest is giving $300 Canadian for the first prize, and $100 Canadian for the runner-up! Here’s what you need to know: ● Who can enter? Anyone, anywhere in the world. ● What are we looking for? Original poems in English...

By Sheelagh Caygill The Writer's Spark Coaching Competition is designed for creative writers who need that extra push, that spark to reignite their passion and move forward with their work. Have you ever felt stuck in your writing? Maybe you're wrestling with your first draft, or you've lost momentum on a project that once excited you. Maybe self-doubt has crept in, or life has simply...

In this episode of On Creative Writing , guest host and poet Kim Mannix sits down with acclaimed Canadian author C.J. Levigne to explore her post-apolyptic novella, The Drowned Man’s Daughter . C.J. shares the origins of the book, which came out of her experiences with climate grief and a sense of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes how these experiences, combined with her fascin...

Author Saad Omar Khan, a Pakistani Canadian writer and the author of the acclaimed debut novel Drinking the Ocean , joins host Sheelagh Caygill for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about his writing and his book. Saad was born in the United Arab Emirates to Pakistani parents and lived in the Philippines, Hong Kong, London, and South Korea before immigrating to Canada. He is a graduate of...

Guest host and poet Marco Melfi (author of Routine Maintenance ) joins poet and professor Chris Hutchinson to explore the intricacies of Chris’s latest poetry collection, Lost Signal . Marco and Chris have a thoughtful discussion about the intersections of creativity, technology, and culture in contemporary poetry. They reflect on the enduring power of poetry to connect people across differences,...