Alice’s first novel
Life on the Refrigerator Door was published in Canada and the United States August 28th by
Harper Collins – talk about hot off the press.
It has sold at least three copies in Winnipeg – I know because I bought one and forced two of my friends to buy the others. Seriously though, it has sold in 21 countries. The book is written entirely in notes left between Claire and her mother, Elizabeth, during a difficult and ultimately tragic year.
Alice drove with her parrot, Fernando, into Winnipeg last evening, from her adopted hometown of Saskatoon. She described the drive “as thrilling as cleaning out the refrigerator.”
Not that she would know ANYTHING about refrigerators. On the way back she plans to visit Margaret Laurence’s home.
[This is fascinating stuff – Alice.]Last night we indulged in a bit of red red wine and engaged in some riveting discussion and research. We analyzed the Britney Spears
performance at the VMA’s concluding that we would have done a much better job and have far better bodies. We then proceeded to watch
Justin Timberlake’s Dick in a Box, twice, before heading off to bed.
Alice thinks that I should mention that we actually know each other and we met at The
Sage Hill Writing Experience last summer and she hasn’t just shown up at my house looking for booze. Both unpublished, unknown, lonely writers at the time – Alice’s book has gone on to sell in a trillion languages, my book will be printed in English – if the publisher doesn’t decide to dump me.
On with the interview…
Having written a book set on fridge what is your favourite appliance?I like blenders.
What do you like to blend?If I had a blender, I would like to blend things into soup. But I don’t want to “wash one up”
[Alice is British and talks funny sometimes] so I don’t have one.
What’s in your fridge right now?
A lot of YOP and not much else. There was a deal at SUPERSTORE. Actually the YOPS are now in your fridge, Daria.
Why do you have a parrot (that is sitting on my shoulder)?When I lived in Panama, the owner had a parrot and for a writer they are really good pets. And I’m not allergic to Fernando. He’s named after my diving instructor. I took diving in Spanish. God knows what I actually know about diving – especially in Spanish.
This bird on my shoulder is really starting to creep me out. Do you use post it notes?Yup. Doesn’t everyone. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t use them.
Why did you become a writer?I spend most days writing and have done since I was quite young. I’ve written lots of things;
LOTRD is not the first book I’ve written.
What happened to your first book?It lies unseen. It’s really awful. It was called
Repeat. And I wrote a book called
Aquaplane – also unpublished and I wrote a book called
Always Present is about incest and I think lots of first time writers have a book about incest in them.
I think because it’s taboo and taboo is interesting to write about.
Rose and the Defiant Imagination was the first book I wrote that I thought was a good book.
And I have two collections of short stories which are unpublished, both of which I like for different reasons.
I think emerging writers would find it interesting that you have five books plus two collections of short stories, all unpublished, and LOTRD sells in 21 countries.Do you have any more notes in you?The format of using only notes to tell a story was really interesting to me; could I describe a full relationship giving as little information as possible. The format fits the story; it’s about running out of the time. The format had to say something in itself or the novel wouldn’t have worked. I’m not interested in pursuing that idea in another book.
No, what I meant was do you have any more actual post-it notes to write?Thousands.
Favourite kind of pen?My computer.
What’s up with that fancy keyboard of yours?I have carpal tunnel in my right hand. Not ideal for a writer. People at
my
Saskatoon launch thought this wrist thing was a fashion accessory.
I think it looks a bit 80s and was wondering if you had a matching headband. I might get one. Great interview, Daria. Thanks.
But we’re not done yet?Yeah, I have to go do some blending.
I thought you didn’t have a blender? Never mind.
* * *
Daria Salamon’s first novel,
The Prairie Bridesmaid, will be published in fall 2008 by
Key Porter Books. Daria’s journalism has appeared in
The Globe and Mail,
Winnipeg Free Press, and
Uptown Magazine; one of her non-fiction pieces appears in
A/Cross Sections: New Manitoba Writing. She lives in Osborne Village with her son, Oskar, husband, Rob and cat, Dr. Puddles.
Kathleen Winter is a Holyrood writer who has written dramatic and documentary scripts for Sesame Street and CBC television and writes a weekly column for the St. John's Telegram. She has published a novella, Where Is Mario, and two books of creative non-fiction, The Road Along the Shore and The Necklace of Dreams. Click here for
Daria Salamon’s first novel, The Prairie Bridesmaid, will be published in fall 2008 by Key Porter Books. Daria’s journalism has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Winnipeg Free Press, and Uptown Magazine; one of her non-fiction pieces appears in A/Cross Sections: New Manitoba Writing. She lives in Osborne Village with her son, Oskar, husband, Rob and cat, Dr. Puddles.
Alison Calder's first poetry collection, Wolf Tree, was published by Coteau Books in 2007. A selection of poems from this manuscript received the Bronwen Wallace Memorial Award for writing excellence by a writer under the age of 35. Her poetry has been published in journals and anthologies, most notably Breathing Fire: Canada's New Poets and Exposed, and has twice circulated on Winnipeg city buses.
David Chariandy has explored ideas of dislocation and cultural memory as an academic at Simon Fraser University, but he now offers those ideas to a wider audience in his luminous first novel entitled Soucouyant (Arsenal Pulp). 
Frankly, I’m looking forward to hearing other writers read. I get inspired by that, the ebb and pitch of words in the air. And this particular festival has gathered together so many extraordinarily writers, both mature and new. Also, just about every writer I know tells me that the audiences in Winnipeg are the most lively and enthusiastic in the nation. I feel both thrilled and humbled to be able to participate in the groove.
Anita Daher was born in PEI and has spent much of her life moving, and she draws writing inspiration from the many places she’s been fortunate to spend time in – Summerside PEI, Yellowknife NT, Churchill MB, Baker Lake NU, and Sault Ste. Marie ON, among others. 
Toronto author Emily Pohl-Weary grew up and still lives in the city's west end. Parkdale, a formerly elegant but now down and out neighbourhood, seeps into everything she writes.
I love visiting the galleries like Plug In and Mondragon Bookstore, so hopefully I'll have time to just wander around a bit. I'm also looking forward to checking out some of the other readings and seeing friends.
Wife: Oh yeah, some here and there. Of course I'm reading Miriam Toews, in a certain way she's the best in Canada. Also because I'm of French Metis heritage I still always turn to Gabrielle Roy and lots of historical information on Louis Riel. I read some late French Symbolist poets, like Paul Valery.
J.S. is a propagandist and pamphleteer for over sixty-six Crown and Association publications. He has been both staff and contributing writer for weekly newspapers such as the Selkirk Journal, the Gimli Spectator, and the Midnight Sun, in Dawson City, Yukon. His poems and prose have appeared in the Golden Buzz (now the Force Gazette), Tart Magazine, and as low, low, low-run chapbooks. He is also founding member of the now defunct rap-futurist collective, Xenophane Six.
Gil Adamson has published two startling poetry collections, Primitive and Ashland, as well as an acclaimed collection of linked stories, Help Me, Jacques Cousteau. 
Lots. But maybe not so much. I'd have to really think about it.
