MOOSEJAWEXPRESS.COM • Wednesday, August 15, 2018 • PAGE A15
Giller Winner Michael Redhill presents his Literary Thriller by Janet Kilgannon for Moose Jaw Express
That Giller Prize-winning author Michael Redhill happily accepted the invitation to appear at this summer’s Saskatchewan Festival of Words is testimony to the status this festival has on the Canadian literary scene. The Giller is the master of all awards and carries a purse of $100,000. His book, Bellevue Square is a testament to the brilliant writer that Redhill continues to exemplify. Redhill is a novelist, playwright, and poet. For a decade, he was the publisher of the Canadian literary magazine Brick. This may explain the way that he commands the
Authors David Chariandy and Michael Redhill prepare to sign books for their followers and fans.
stage when he is front and centre, but that he is also generous and supportive of other authors in all other circumstances. This reporter must declare a bias. When I read his recent novel, there were times that, after two or three pages, I had to stop and catch my breath. Not just that the story is deeply engaging, but the acumen with which Redhill writes, and his exquisite way with language, can take your breath away. The book shares some similarities with his other novels, as he often bases his books around riddles and life mysteries. He makes Toronto’s Bellevue Square a serious literary locale. It sits between the famous Kensington Market and the Art Gallery of Ontario. (Interesting fact, the City of Toronto just recently demolished the square to prepare a new building site.) The lead character, Jean has a doppelganger. She knows that they traditionally foretell imminent death, so she goes on a pursuit of this Ingrid Fox, who others regularly see in the neighbourhood. We fall into Jean’s identity problem, and we see her life on both sides of the mirror. Is she eccentric or mentally ill? The plot is dramatic and exciting. The literary allusions are vibrant - both Poe and Dostoevsky also write about having a ‘double’. Those who have followed Redhill’s career know that he writes crime fiction under the name of Inger Ash Wolfe. He knows first hand about the trials of having a pseud-
Michael Redhill reads from Bellevue Square. onym. He too has seen life from both sides of the glass. Art imitating life imitating art. Redhill’s story-telling dexterity is unparalleled.
Moose Jaw Express Sponsors the Final Event of the Festival of Words by Janet Kilgannon for Moose Jaw Express
Once again, the Moose Jaw Express was the sponsor for the final major event of the Saskatchewan Festival of Words. And since the topic of the first panel discussion was Newspapers and Beyond, it was only natural that Moose Jaw Express publisher Rob Ritchie, and his son Mark Ritchie of Press Reader, would have words of wisdom to share. It was a lively back and forth, hosted by Angie Abdou. Journalist and reviewer Mark Medley got the ball rolling. “The Toronto Star was my mentor while growing up. I learned about the world, sports, music, movies, books. I was schooled for Journalism. In 2007, the global recession crashed advertising revenues for papers. Smart people have put their heads together for a decade now and still don’t know what to do.” “I fortunately work for the Globe and Mail, the last stable newspaper in Canada. Major newspapers are in a death spiral. Small local newspapers are shuddering. They are late to the tech market. They need more diversity and have cut too many staff.” Author Monia Mahzigh responds as a consumer. She grew up in Tunisia where the media was all state controlled. “Here there is so much fake news - what we used to call rumour and propaganda. Fortunately, in Tunisia we had alternate voices creating underground media unions, and writers providing opposing political ideas.” She adds, “Media has stopped truth-seeking. Journalism is part of our democracy. We need to be informed in an ethical ob-
The second panel featured moderator Mark Medley, Sharon Bala, Kai Cheng Thom, Michael Redhill and Cherie Dimaline.
jective way”. Mark Ritchie, director of libraries for Press Reader, encouraged people to “buy a subscription, and you will have access to 7,500 newspapers from 120 countries. The demands of readers have changed. They want digestible formats. Journalists need more outlets and need to be better paid. They now have to be photographers and videographers, as well as writers. Publishers need to develop reputable brands. Newspapers are getting away from what they are good at - creating content that matters.” Rob Ritchie, publisher of the Moose Jaw Express, asked whether newspapers are dying or being killed. “Print media owners have put profit before product.
Opening panel featured Monia Mahzigh, Mark Ritchie, Rob Ritchie and moderator Angie Abdou.
There is a lack of respect for the reader, and they lose the trust of the people. Papers owned by big corporate groups can be mentally bankrupt. They forget who they were and who needs them.” He sees the value in owning local newspapers. “Don’t shut them down, franchise them. Our MJ Express is hyper-local. We do 40 to 60 local stories every week, covering every topic, and people read it. We support the community but do not answer to interest groups. Good journalism will bring people back. Put out a good product and people will read it.” The final panel, Recognition Matters asked what the proliferation of awards means for books. Kai Cheng Thom said “If you write a whole book you deserve an award. Writers in marginalized communities fear the process of send, send, reject, reject. You know that statistically you will die early, so you don’t have time for 50 letters to publishers and 50 rejections. Stories that are urgent need to be heard by as many people as possible.” Cherie Dimaline said “Festivals are important - being in front of large audiences
and meeting other authors. We reach up to be pulled up and reach down to help others up. Yet we are expected to compete in a difficult market. CanLit was a lovely colonial structure. But Indians are the people of story and have been for centuries. Now we inhabit a side structure, but soon we will rebuild something that fits us all.” Giller winner Michael Redhill knows the stress. “My new book has been in process for ten years. There is actually an emotional toll when awards lists are printed and you are not on a list. It is a terrible feeling and your book can sink out of view. However, those who achieve awards should be allowed to enjoy their success. You don’t have to feel bad when something good happens to you after such committed effort.” That brought the 2018 Festival of Words to a close. See you next July: FoW, July 18 - 21, 2019!
A delicious Saskatchewan breakfast began the morning.