Under The Covers | The Mosaic Project

In this episode, Marty Gervais, aka poet, publisher, and a central figure in Canadian literary life, joins us for a conversation that covers more than 50 years of writing, editing, and building literary community. From the handmade days of independent presses to today’s tumultuous digital landscape, Marty reflects on what’s changed (and what hasn’t). We also talk about his new book, The Shape of D...

What’s publishing like when AI is everywhere, Amazon decides what people see, and attention spans are… oh, shall we say…microscopic? Howard Aster, publisher of Mosaic Press, shares his take after trips to the Frankfurt and Guadalajara book fairs. From AI panic to poetry, small markets to formula-driven books, he gives a candid, globe-trotting look at where publishing is headed…and almost lets slip...

In this episode of Under the Covers , we sit down with award-winning author, poet, and former Ottawa Poet Laureate Cyril Dabydeen , whose new collection Forgotten Exiles just won third prize in the prestigious Guyana Prize for Literature. We explore the enduring power of the short story and why it continues to challenge and captivate writers around the world. Cyril shares his three pillars of stro...

Poetry used to shake the heavens. Now it sometimes comes glued with macaroni—or worse, dripping with self-pity. In this special Poetry Month edition of Under the Covers , Howard dives deep (and sometimes sideways) into the state of poetry today. From the poetic outpouring of pandemic isolation to Mosaic Press's half-century of publishing verses from prisons, war zones, and everywhere in betwe...

In this episode, Howard Aster reflects on the wild journey of publishing The Song of Leonard Cohen by Harry Rasky. From Harry's unique documentary filmmaking style to the deep, honest interviews that allowed Leonard Cohen's true self to emerge, this conversation dives into the complexities of capturing the enigmatic artist. Howard also shares the fascinating backstory of the book's...

🎙️ Under the Covers is back with an extraordinary deep dive into the life and legacy of one of Canada’s most iconic artists. In this episode, Unveiling Leonard Cohen: The Poet, The Persona (Part 1) , Publisher Howard Aster explores Cohen’s mysterious character, his role in Canadian poetry, and his ties to Mosaic Press. From literary groupies to Cohen’s friendship with poet Henry Moscovitch, join u...

In this episode, we dive into the unexpected and often chaotic journey of manuscripts from creation to publication. Explore the serendipitous discovery of a poet who became one of Mosaic Press’s most extraordinary talents, the near-disaster of a lost Samuel Beckett manuscript that almost ended up lost to the ages, and the unique ways authors like Irving Layton made their mark—literally. Plus, hear...

Join us for a captivating conversation with renowned cartoonist and academic, Mira Falardeau. She shares insights from her forthcoming book, What's So Funny? A New Road Map to Humour in Dangerous Times, exploring the intricate processes that make us laugh, the impact of humour on freedom of speech, and why humour is so important to democracy.

Join Jaquelin as she speaks to Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews. 

David Unger bridges the world of English & Spanish creative writing with his many works of fiction, short stories, articles, translations, & many more. Join Jaq as she discusses with him his new novel, In My Eyes, You Are Beautiful. 

Jaquelin speaks to Rosalind Gill, Author of Face Into The Wind.  Rosalind Gill’s literary output is most impressive, with many short stories and literary translations published in  Antigonish Review, Queen’s Quarterly, Prism and other journals. For many years, she was on faculty at the School of Translation/Études françaises, Glendon College, York University, Toronto, ON.

Jaquelin speaks with TP Wood to discuss his new novel 77 North. 

Jaquelin speaks with Daniel Soha, Author of Vignettes. Daniel Soha lived and studied in France until his mid-twenties, holds two Master’s degrees in Anglo-American studies and a Masters of Education from the University of Aix-en-Province. He has had an international career as a diplomat, a director of cultural organizations, a translator, has worked for the Alliance Francaise, the French governmen...

Peters Sellers joins Jaquelin at Mosaic Press to discuss his upcoming book "The Last Martini".