Nothing is real and- pace John Lennon-everything to get hung about. Maria Callas? Elvis Presley? Freddie Mercury? Vera Lynn? Vera Imago? Straight up? With a twist? Genetically enhanced? Coming right up. What can we not do? Tell Sophocles (“What a wonder is man”) the news. Why, it’s almost as if we were alive to see them do it. Of all the MPs in the House of Commons, not a single one wanted to put their name to that bill.We can change a face, change a gender, change a race, change a voice produce the true illusion of someone speaking words they never spoke sell tickets for events at which dead people will sing and dance for our delectation. It was due to be debated in the House of Commons less than two weeks ago but, having failed to find a sponsor, it got dumped.
Unfortunately, I can’t say writers feel much love back from those who could help make their financial situation better with public support.īill S-208, the Declaration on the Essential Role of Artists and Creative Expression in Canada Act, passed the Senate in October.
It’s an incredibly beautiful and giving art form. Some writers are able to cobble together a decent enough income but very few people earn good money reliably just from writing books. That explains why so many of us only write books part-time. In 2015 the Writers’ Union of Canada, of which I am a member, did a comprehensive study of writers’ income and found that on average it was just under $13,000. Reading is something many of us love doing. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Books really bring the best out of people. Since my last book came out, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in three similar events, in Gatineau, Sudbury and Montreal. I’m working to fix this, by reading and learning from Indigenous storytellers.īook fairs and festivals are always great fun, and this one will be no exception. My failing, and I know I’m not alone here so let me be as honest as I can be, is that I have for too long neglected Indigenous writers. I have access to an incredibly rich reservoir of stories, learnings and wisdom from so many parts of this country. Like many of you in the Ottawa area, I am privileged to enjoy writing and reading both in French and English. That’s why I continue to devote a lot of time and energy to books and the people who write them. Maybe, if you’re really lucky, you’ll have more than one book falling into that category.
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