ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Marilyn Bowering. Marilyn's book, More Richly in Earth: A Poet's Search for Mary MacLeod, was a finalist for the 2025 Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize. In their conversation, Marilyn talks about the nearly serendipitous events that led her to the work of Mary MacLeod. She also talks about the magic that came when blending her research about Mary with her own. For more about More Richly in Earth: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/more-richly-in-earth-a-poets-search-for-mary-macleod/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT MARILYN BOWERING: Marilyn Bowering is a novelist, poet, and librettist; she is the author of four novels and numerous books of poetry. She is the winner of the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize, the Gwen MacEwen Poetry Prize, the Pat Lowther Prize, and the Dorothy Livesay Prize. She has been shortlisted for the Orange Prize, the Prix Italia, and the Sony Award. Her work has been translated into numerous languages including Spanish, Finnish, German, Romanian, Russian, Greek, and Punjabi. In a review of her novel What it Takes to Be Human the Globe and Mail said of her “[Bowering] does not seek moments to be brilliant: those moments just arrive.” Marilyn Bowering lives in Victoria, BC. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole is the Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this holiday episode we return to our only holiday episode with Bill Richardson. BIll talks about his book I Saw Three Ships, which was a finalist for the 2020 Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Awards. In his conversation with host Megan Cole, Bill reflects on the plagues he's witnessed while living in Vancouver and on the neighbourhood, Vancouver's West End, which is the setting for many of the stories in I Saw Three Ships. ABOUT BILL RICHARDSON: Bill Richardson, winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour and former CBC Radio personality, is the author of numerous books for both adults and children, including plays, poetry, and fiction. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Director of Audience Development for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based in Powell River, British Columbia. She also works at the Powell River Public Library as the teen services coordinator where she gets to combine her love for books and writing with a love for her community. Megan has worked as a freelance journalist and is working on a memoir which tackles themes of gender and mental health. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Jenny Manzer. Jenny's book, Picture a Girl, was a finalist for the 2025 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. In their conversation, Jenny talks about how the book The Glass Castle inspire her middle grade novel, Picture a Girl. She also talks about the research she did on surfing so that she could confidently write about surfing in the novel. For more about Picture a Girl: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/picture-a-girl/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT JENNY MANZER: Jenny Manzer is the author of Save Me, Kurt Cobain and My Life as a Diamond, which was shortlisted for numerous awards, including the Diamond Willow Award, Chocolate Lily Award, Victoria Children’s Book Prize and the Silver Birch Award. She has a degree in creative writing and was a finalist for the 2013 CBC Creative Nonfiction Prize, one of Canada’s most prestigious literary competitions. She lives with her family in Victoria, British Columbia. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: This week we return to an episode with Michelle Cyca. Michelle is a journalist and book critic. In their conversation, Michelle talks about how she can't get enough of the Gilmore Girls, and what she's excited about when it comes to BC books. ABOUT MICHELLE CYCA: Michelle Cyca is a writer, editor and book enthusiast living on unceded territories of the Musqueam Band, and the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Her writing has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, Chatelaine, SAD Mag and more. Find her on Twitter @michellecyca. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Director of Programming and Communications for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Christopher Cheung. Chris' book, Under the White Gaze: Solving the Problem of Race and Representation in Canadian Journalism, was a finalist for the 2025 Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes. In their conversation, Chris talks about the way that representation and diversity in Canadian media have shaped the story of Canada, he also talks about why we need to be talking about race in media literacy. For more about Under the White Gaze: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/under-the-white-gaze/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG: Christopher Cheung was a staff reporter at one of Canada’s earliest online news sources, the Tyee. Previously at Metro and the Vancouver Courier, he is highly acclaimed for his reporting on urban culture, inequality, and life in Metro Vancouver’s diasporas. Among his many honours are two Jack Websters, BC’s top journalism awards. He holds a Master of Journalism from UBC. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Rina Hadziev. Rina is the executive director of the BC Library Association. In their conversation, Rina talks about how she began working in libraries, and the role that libraries play in promoting BC and Yukon books. ABOUT RINA HADZIEV: Rina is an experienced librarian, drawing from public library leadership roles and a passion for accessible library services, collaboration, inclusion, and collections. She's worked atthe Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) and the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA). In her role with the GVPL, Rina led the indigenization of the library catalogue and integration of new technologies, e-resources, and digital collections. Recently with CELA she advanced partnerships and programming integral to facilitating equitable access for patrons with print disabilities. Rina holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria and a Master of Library and Information Studies from the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies at the University of British Columbia. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Director of Programming and Communications for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, The Puritan, Untethered, Invisible publishing's invisiblog, This Magazine and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book titled Head Over Feet: The Lasting Heartache of First Loves. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Danny Ramadan. Danny's memoir, Crooked Teeth: A Queer Syrian Refugee Memoir, was a finalist for the 2025 Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize. In their conversation, Danny talks about truth in memoir. He also talks about writing memoir as art and writing yourself as a character in your own memoir. For more about Crooked Teeth: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/crooked-teeth/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT DANNY RAMADAN: Danny Ramadan (he/him) is a Syrian-Canadian author, public speaker, and advocate for LGBTQ+ refugees. His debut novel, The Clothesline Swing, was longlisted for Canada Reads and named a Best Book of the Year by The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. His second novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won a Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and was shortlisted for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and the Vancouver Book Award. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC and currently lives in Vancouver with his husband. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Bill Arnott. Bill's book, A Perfect Day for a Walk: The History, Cultures, and Communities of Vancouver, on Foot, a finalist for the 2025 Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award. In this conversation, Bill talks about what first drew him to travel writing, and how mixed media helped him add new layers to how he saw Vancouver. For more about A Perfect Day for a Walk: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/a-perfect-day-for-a-walk/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT Bill Arnott: Bill Arnott (he/him) is the bestselling author of A Perfect Day for a Walk (Arsenal Pulp Press), A Season in the Okanagan (Rocky Mountain Books), and the Gone Viking travelogues (Rocky Mountain Books). A fellow of London’s Royal Geographical Society, he’s a frequent presenter and guest on podcasts, TV, and radio. When not roaming the globe, Bill can be found on Canada’s West Coast. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are suppor

This, after a few weeks of colds, flus, and food poisoning, host Megan Cole revisits a favourite episode with Jazmin Welch. Jaz Welch is the founder and book designer of fleck creative studio. In her conversation with host Megan Cole, Jaz talks about how she got into book design, what she thinks about the trends in book covers, and answers the age-old question, "should we judge a book by its cover?" Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: http://www.bcyukonbookprizes.com/ About fleck creative studio: https://fleckcreativestudio.com/ About Luke Bird: https://www.lukebird.co.uk/ About Holly Ovenden: https://www.hollyovenden.com/ ABOUT JAZ: Fleck is owned by creative director Jazmin Welch (call her Jaz). She has a love for the details and revels in the problem solving challenge that each new book poses. Her goal is always to create a compelling and page-turning design that stands out on the bookshelf, suits the target audience and respects each author’s own unique desires. She loves creating artful and meaningful solutions while fostering strong connections with authors. Jaz is a book lover who is here to advocate for your story and impress your readers! She holds an Honours Bachelor of Design (Ryerson University) and Master of Publishing (Simon Fraser University). Jaz is a dog mom with a love of fresh ocean air. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Director of Programming and Communications for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Shashi Bhat. Shashi's short story collection, Death by a Thousand Cuts, won the 2025 Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. In her conversation, Shashi and Megan talk about their mutual dislike for the term "women's fiction," and Shashi talks about why she loves writing short fiction. For more about Death by a Thousand Cuts: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/death-by-a-thousand-cuts-stories/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT SHASHI BHAT: Shashi Bhat is the author of the story collection Death by a Thousand Cuts, and the novels The Most Precious Substance on Earth, a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for fiction, and The Family Took Shape, a finalist for the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award. Her fiction has won the Writers’ Trust/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize and been shortlisted for a National Magazine Award and the RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers, and appeared in such publications as The Fiddlehead, The Malahat Review, Best Canadian Stories, and The Journey Prize Stories. Shashi holds an MFA from the Johns Hopkins University and a BA from Cornell University. She lives in New Westminster, B.C., where she is the editor-in-chief of EVENT magazine and teaches creative writing at Douglas College. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Scott Alexander Howard. Scott's book The Other Valley is a finalist for the 2025 Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. On the episode Scott talks about why we're so drawn to the idea of time travel. He also talks about the real life experiences that inspired his take on time travel For more about The Other Valley: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/the-other-valley/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT SCOTT ALEXANDER HOWARD: Scott Alexander Howard lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has a PhD in philosophy from the University of Toronto and was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard, where his work focused on the relationship between memory, emotion, and literature. The Other Valley is his first novel. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Zehra Naqvi. Zehra's book The Knot of my Tongue is a finalist for the 2025 Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. On the episode Zehra how listening helps learn language. She talks about capturing silence in poetry. For more about The Knot of my Tongue: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/the-knot-of-my-tongue/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT ZEHRA NAQVI: Zehra Naqvi is a Karachi-born writer raised on unceded Coast Salish Territories (Vancouver, BC). She is a winner of the 2021 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers awarded by the Writers’ Trust of Canada. Her poem “forgetting urdu” was the winner of Room’s 2016 Poetry Contest. Zehra has written and edited for various publications internationally. She holds two MSc degrees in migration studies and social anthropology from Oxford University where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar. The Knot of My Tongue is her debut poetry collection. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Shari Green. Shari is the author of Song of Freedom Song of Dreams, which is a finalist for the 2025 Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize. On the episode Shari talks about why she loves writing novels-in-verse. She also talks about the way protest music inspired her book. To find out more about Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/song-of-freedom-song-of-dreams/ Find the classical playlist to pair with Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams here: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://sharigreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/playlist-1.pdf Find the modern playlist to pair with Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams here: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://sharigreen.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/playlist-2.pdf To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT SHARI GREEN: Shari Green is the author of several novels in verse, including the ALA Schneider Family Book Award winner, Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess. Her books have been included on international “best of” lists and nominated for multiple state and provincial readers’-choice programs. Shari is also a poet, musician, and former nurse. She can often be found wandering the beaches or forest trails near her home on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Li Charmaine Anne. Charmaine is the author of Crash landing, which is a finalist for the 2025 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. On the episode, Charmaine talks about how a late bloomers skate club helped inspire parts of the book, and how she approached writing about Vancouver. To find out more about Crash Landing: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/crash-landing/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT LI CHARMAINE ANNE: Li Charmaine Anne (she/they) grew up in the unceded Coast Salish territories (a.k.a. Vancouver, British Columbia), where she skates, writes, and makes music. Crash Landing is her first novel. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Anthony Nerada. Anthony is the author of Skater Boy, which is a finalist for the 2025 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. On the episode, Anthony talks about how his own experiences as a teen inspired his main character Wes, he also talks the evolution of queer romance, and why we should all be reading queer romances. To find out more about Skater Boy: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/skater-boy/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT ANTHONY NERADA: Anthony Nerada became a writer after his fifth-grade teacher told him it was his destiny. Since then, he’s read too many books (if there is such a thing) and explored worlds far outside the reaches of his own. Anthony holds a BA in psychology and two diplomas (one in public relations, the other in publishing), which allow him to write the day away while simultaneously psychoanalyzing his friends. Anthony lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands of the Coast Salish Peoples. Skater Boy is his debut novel. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Minelle Mahtani. Minelle is the author of May it Have a Happy Ending, which is a finalist for the 2025 Hubert Evans Nonfiction Prize. On the episode, Minelle talks about how she found comfort in her non-linear story structure. And how she captured her mom's voice on the page. To find out more about May it Have a Happy Ending: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/may-it-have-a-happy-ending/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT MINELLE MAHTANI: Minelle Mahtani is an author, scholar who studies mixed race identity and a former radio host. She has won several prizes for her work, including a Digital Publishing Award for an essay in The Walrus that became the basis for May It Have a Happy Ending, her debut memoir. She is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia and lives in Vancouver. Publisher's Website ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Kayla Czaga. Kayal is the author of Midway. Midway is a finalist for the 2025 Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. In this epiosde, Kayla talks about the challenges of writing grief poems, and the squishiness of time. To find out more about Midway visit: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/midway/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT KAYLA CZAGA: Kayla Czaga is the author of two previous poetry collections—For Your Safety Please Hold On (Nightwood Editions, 2014), and Dunk Tank (House of Anansi, 2019). Her work has been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for poetry and the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. Frequently anthologized in the Best Canadian Poetry in English series, her writing also appears in The Walrus, Grain, Event, The Fiddlehead, and elsewhere. She lives with her wife on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen people, the Songhees and Esquimalt nations. Publisher's Website ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Loghan Paylor. Loghan is the author of The Cure for Drowning. The Cure for Drowning is a finalist for the 2025 Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes. In this epiosde, Loghan talks about how they approached the research for their book. They also talk about the folklore in the novel. To find out more about The Cure for Drowning visit: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/the-cure-for-drowning/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT LOGHAN PAYLOR: Loghan Paylor is a queer, trans author who lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Their short fiction and essays have previously appeared in Room and Prairie Fire, among others. Paylor has a Master’s in creative writing from the University of British Columbia, and a day job as a professional geek. The Cure for Drowning is their first novel. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Deirdre Simon Dore. Deirdre is the author of A Reluctant Mother. A Reluctant Mother is a finalist for the 2025 Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. In this epiosde, Deirdre how she came up with her protagonist, Frida. She also talks about why she wrote about memory and the perception of reality through Frida's story. To find out more about A Reluctant Mother visit: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/a-reluctant-mother/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT DEIRDRE SIMON DORE: Deirdre Simon Dore is a Canadian writer. Her short fiction has won, among other awards, The Journey Prize and has been published in numerous journals and translated into Italian. Her plays have been produced in Vancouver and Calgary. Originally from New York and a graduate of Boston University, she has an MFA in creative writing from UBC. After homesteading on a remote island in BC, she moved inland where she acquired a woodlot license on which she planted trees and learned to use a chainsaw. She lives near a large lake in the interior of British Columbia with her husband, black lab and assorted livestock. She has two children. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Mei Yu. Mei is the author of Lost & Found: Based on a True Story. Lost & Found is a finalist for the 2025 Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize. In this conversation, Mei talks about how art became a shared language when her family first immigrated to Canada. She talked about the important role libraries played in her art when she was growing up. To find out more about Lost & Foundvisit: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/project/lost-found/ To view the 2025 BC and Yukon Book Prizes shortlists: bcyukonbookprizes.com/2025/04/10/bc-…sts-announced/ ABOUT MEI YU: Mei Yu is a multitalented artist, working and living in Vancouver, British Columbia. Mei’s art channel on YouTube has 1.7 million subscribers, 900 videos, and 380 million views. Mei’s success stories have been featured in Vancouver’s major newspapers in English and Chinese, as well as on TV programs for CBC, Global News, and Breakfast Television, since 2004. With her positive attitude, strong work ethic, and unshakeable confidence, Mei continues to inform, entertain, and inspire millions with her art. Her creative artwork and cheerful personality are loved by kids and parents around the world. ABOUT MEGAN COLE: Megan Cole the Interim Executive Director for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes. She is also a writer based on the territory of the Tla'amin Nation. Megan writes creative nonfiction and has had essays published in Chatelaine, This Magazine, The Puritan, Untethered, and more. She has her MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of King's College and is working her first book. Find out more about Megan at megancolewriter.com ABOUT THE PODCAST: Writing the Coast is recorded and produced on the traditional territory of the Tla'amin Nation. As a settler on these lands, Megan Cole finds opportunities to learn and listen to the stories from those whose land was stolen. Writing the Coast is a recorded series of conversations, readings, and insights into the work of the writers, illustrators, and creators whose books are nominated for the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. We'll also check in on people in the writing community who are supporting books, writers and readers every day. The podcast is produced and hosted by Megan Cole.