Page Fright: A Poetry Podcast

Elizabeth Bachinsky is here to talk about her new poetry collection, REAL GROWNUP . Andrew is once again asking about the poetic obsession with birds. It's a fun one! -- Order Andrew's new chapbook, ⁠ Fists You've Called Home ⁠ ! -- Elizabeth Bachinsky is the author of six books of poetry, including Home of Sudden Service, which was nominated for a Governor General's Award, and God...

Pujita Verma pops by the virtual studio to discuss her debut poetry collection, precedence . Andrew talks form and tough topics. It's a fluid convo! -- Pre-order Andrew's new chapbook, Fists You've Called Home ! -- Pujita Verma is a poet and illustrator currently living in London, Ontario. Her work has appeared across the Toronto Transit Commission Network and CBC’s  The National . She...

Mallory Tater joins Page Fright to talk about her new poetry collection, Lockers are for Bearcats Only . Andrew's stoked about National Poetry Month. It's a great conversation! -- Mallory Tater is the author of four books, two collections of poetry and two novels:  This Will Be Good ,  Lockers are for Bearcats Only, The Birth Yard , &  Soft Tissue  (forthcoming, 2028). She was the publ...

Christina Shah is here to discuss her debut full-length poetry collection, if: prey, then: huntress . Andrew's wondering about how to stop yapping on and on in their poems. It's a fun one! -- Christina Shah lives in New Westminster and works in heavy industry, where she drinks from the firehose of knowledge. Her poetry has appeared in numerous Canadian literary journals, including  The Fid...

Kashayar "Kess" Mohammadi drops by to talk their latest poetry collection, The Book of Interruptions. Andrew asks about bringing new life to old poems. It's a blast! -- Khashayar “Kess” Mohammadi (They/Them) is a queer, Iranian born, Toronto-based Poet, Writer and Translator. They  are the winner of the 2021 Vallum Poetry Prize and the author of  “Book of Interruptions”, out with Wol...

Joanna Streetly joins Andrew to talk her new poetry collection, All of Us Hidden ⁠ . Andrew asks about staying curious in your poetry. It's a great time! -- Joanna Streetly is the author of five books. Her work is published in  The Best Canadian Essays 2017  (Tightrope Books, 2017) and  Best Canadian Poetry 2024  (Biblioasis, 2024). She is the winner of the 2023 FBCW Literary Contest Poetry Aw...

Mary Dalton joins Andrew to chat about editing this year's edition of Biblioasis' Best Canadian Poetry series . Andrew listens in to three readings from featured poets Erin Moure, Kevin Irie, and Sue Sinclair while chatting with Mary along the way. It's a fun one to start the year! -- Mary Dalton is the author of six books of poetry, among them Merrybegot, Red Ledger, Hooking, and Inte...

Brian Bartlett joins the podcast LIVE at the Fraser Valley Writers' Festival in Abbotsford, BC, to chat about his new book, The Astonishing Room . Andrew asks what's up with everyone writing bird poems lately. We're back in-person! -- Brian Bartlett has published sixteen collections and chapbooks of poetry, three volumes of nature writing, and a gathering of his prose on poetry. His mo...

Nick Thran joins the podcast LIVE at the Fraser Valley Writers' Festival in Abbotsford, BC, to chat about his new book Existing Music. Andrew wonders about time in music and the passage of time. It's a joyous return to in-person Page Fright! -- Nick Thran ’s newest collection of poems is  Existing Music . His previous books include the mixed-genre collection  If It Gets Quiet Later On, I Will Make...

Daniel Cowper returns to talk about his new novel in verse, Kingdom of the Clock. Andrew asks about writing long poems. It's a poetic chat! Daniel Cowper is a poet and writer from Bowen Island, BC. His poetry has appeared in publications in Canada, the USA, and Ireland, including Arc Poetry, Vallum, Southword, and Barren, and has been long-listed for the CBC Poetry Prize. A chapbook of his poe...

Arleen Paré stops by to chat about her latest poetry collection, encrypted . Andrew asks about Coleridge and video games. It's a fun time! Arleen Paré is a writer with ten collections of poetry, based in Victoria, BC. She has been short-listed for the BC Dorothy Livesay Award for Poetry and has won the American Golden Crown Award for Poetry, the Victoria Butler Book Prize, a CBC Bookie Award,...

Estlin McPhee returns to the podcast to chat about their debut collection, In Your Nature. Andrew asks about werewolves and community. It's a good listen! -- Estlin McPhee is a writer and librarian who lives on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. They hold an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and are the author of the...

Natalie Lim is back with her debut poetry collection, Elegy for Opportunity ! Andrew talks about capturing connection in poems. It's a great reunion! -- Natalie Lim (she/her) is a Chinese-Canadian poet living on the unceded, traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples (Vancouver, BC). She is the author of a full-length book of poetry,  Elegy for Opportunity  (W...

Tolu Oloruntoba returns to chat about his third poetry collection, Unravel. Andrew asks about getting "good" feedback. It's a "good" one! -- Tolu Oloruntoba was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, where he studied and practiced medicine. He is the author of three collections of poetry,  The Junta of Happenstance , winner of the Canadian Griffin Poetry Prize and Governor General’s Lite...

Marc Perez comes on the show to talk about chapbooks, form, and his debut full-length poetry collection, Dayo . Andrew asks about finding the right form for your poem. It's a great time! -- Chapbook launch info: Featuring Marc Perez , Andrew French, and Kevin Spenst! See you on Saturday, April 19, 5pm at the Teck Gallery SFU Harbour Centre, Vancouver. --Marc Perez is the author of  Dayo  (Bric...

MA|DE (Mark Laliberte & Jade Wallace) pop by to talk about their debut collaborative full-length poetry collection, ZZOO . Andrew tries to wrap their head around writing with another person. It's a fun one! -- Subscribe to get Andrew's 3rd chapbook, Buoyhood , at this link and come to the launch alongside chapbooks from Marc Perez and Kevin Spenst! April 19, 5pm, Teck Gallery SFU Harbour Centr...

Annick MacAskill is back to talk compiling her latest collection, Votive (Gaspereau Press). Andrew asks about book length and queer poems. It's a good one! -- Annick MacAskill is the author of four full-length books of poetry, including Shadow Blight (Gaspereau Press, 2022), which won the Governor General's Award. Her most recent collection is Votive (Gaspereau Press, 2024). She is also th...

Aislinn Hunter joins Andrew to talk about editing Best Canadian Poetry 2025 . Four featured poets read their poems from the anthology. Andrew asks about the monumental task of editing BCP25 and poetry more generally. It’s a fun one! -- Aislinn Hunter is an award-winning novelist and poet and the author of eight highly acclaimed books including the novels ’The Certainties’ – a bestseller shortliste...

Rob Madden joins Andrew to discuss grief and masculinity, writing alongside photography, and his chapbook second hand smoke (Pinhole Poetry, 2024). It’s a rich discussion! -- Rob Madden is a writer living on the traditional and unceded territories of the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations in the City of North Vancouver, BC. His chapbook second hand smoke was published in 2024 by Pinhole Poetry, a...

Anita Lahey drops by to record an episode, live at the Fraser Valley Writer’s Festival ! Andrew asks about birds, finding anthology editors, and Anita’s latest poetry collection, While Supplies Last . It's a fun lil’ convo! -- Anita Lahey ’s latest poetry collection, While Supplies Last , was published by Véhicule Press in 2023. She’s also co-author, with Pauline Conley, of the 2023 graphic novel-...

The 100th episode(!) of Page Fright, in which Andrew hosts a live reading featuring four poets (Estlin McPhee, Kyle McKillop, Jane Shi, and Rob Taylor) at Massy Arts Society to celebrate 5 years and 100 episodes of poetry interviews! The poets share their writing with the audience, and Andrew gets overwhelmed! -- Estlin McPhee is a writer and librarian who lives on the traditional territories of t...

Lauren Peat comes onto the show to talk about her first poetry chapbook, Future Tense. Andrew asks about ending poems with questions. It's a curious chat! -- DETAILS: Lauren's Vancouver chapbook launch, hosted by Andrew! -- Lauren Peat  is a writer, translator, and teacher. Her poems and translations have appeared in journals such as  Arc Poetry Magazine ,  Asymptote ,  No Tokens ,  The Malahat Re...

Jim Johnstone joins the show to discuss his new poetry anthology celebrating 10 years of Anstruther Press, The Anstruther Reader. Andrew asks about chapbooks, full-lengths, and turning off "editor brain." It's an informative chat! -- REGISTER: PAGE FRIGHT LIVE! AT THE FRASER VALLEY WRITER'S FESTIVAL -- Jim Johnstone is a Toronto-based poet, editor, and critic. He is the author of seven collections...

Manahil Bandukwala pops into the Zoom studio to talk about her second poetry collection, Heliotropia . Andrew admits to never seeing Star Trek and plans to jump in midway through, just to understand a poem. It's an episode blooming with great poems! -- Manahil Bandukwala is a writer and visual artist based in Ottawa and Mississauga, Ontario. She is the author of Heliotropia (Brick Books, 2024) and...

Natasha Ramoutar is back to talk about her new poetry collection, Baby Cerberus . Andrew emphasizes the fun they've had writing lately. It's truly a fun one! -- Natasha Ramoutar  is a writer of Indo-Guyanese descent from Toronto. Her debut collection of poetry,  Bittersweet , published in 2020 by Mawenzi House, was shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. She was the co-editor of...