Hullo,
just wanted to mention that after hearing of you for the first time at a reading you did this fall for The Antagonist in Brandon, I crawled out of my dimly lit cave of Stephen King novels, purchased Strange Heaven and read it faster than I've read any book in a very long time. I was not disappointed.

Hello Lynn,

I heard your name on This American Life podcast. My neice just finished her first book and is learning how to use squarespace to promote her book. She is 15 and I am a very proud unk. I hope you don't mind that I sent her your link. Hopefully she will check it out.

Scott

Lynn,

I am putting together an application for the Banff Centre Writing Studio for this April-May. One of the requirements is getting "names, addresses, and telephone numbers of two persons willing to provide a recommendation;" and I was wondering if I could include you as a recommendation?

To jog your memory, I workshopped a couple of pieces with you at the U of A while you were the Writer In Residence, "Swimming with Nile Perch" (published in paperplates 2010) and "The Adoption."

This past year I was a finalist for the Howard O'Hagan Literary Award for Short Story. And I wanted to dedicate myself to a short story collection, which is almost complete, and the Banff Centre would be a perfect setting to get the collection done.

Thank you for your time,

Gregory Koop

RR2 Box9 Site194
Tofield, AB
T0B 4J0
gcoop76@telus.net
780-662-0078

Dear Lynn,

My name is Aaron, and I'm a fan down here in scorching, cactus-clad Arizona. (Yes, land of bad immigration law and life-altering refried beans.) I want to ask you for suggestions on Canadian books to read. I've read various Canadian literary journals for years (because I'm a huge, proud dork that way), and I'm familiar with the big name exports such as Munro, Shields, MacLeod, etc; yet even after six years working at Powell's Books in Portland, Oregon, I know more about poutine than I do CanLit. As evidenced by my use of the term CanLit, I've been doing some research to remedy this. Could you suggest a short list of modern Canadian story collections and novels that you think are must-reads? A desert island selection, even? I'm going to designate my last term as an MFA student as the "read CanLit" term, and I've asked a couple other people for reqs. So far I have some Journey Prize Stories anthos, have Terry Griggs' "Quickening: Stories," Guy Vanderhaeghe's collection "Things As They Are," and I've heard good things about Bokyo's "Blackouts." Caroline Adderson's "Pleased to Meet You: Stories," and Lisa Moore. And of course, I own "Play the Monster Blind" and "Mean Boy."

Sorry to hit you with this since I'm sure you're busy, but I figure when in doubt, ask a professional. Since literature is your passion and bizness, I would love to hear your suggestions. Thanks so much!

Yours from the CactusBelt,
aaron
prowlinggilamonster@gmail

Who would i speak to about volunteering for the literary saloons?

Okay, look: I loved Mean Boy. It's hilarious, and it's drop-dead accurate. With all the fuss about whether a male writer can write a female viewpoint character, we ignore the opposite problem, and one of this novel's real achievements is its pitch-perfect entry into the world of that ambitious male student. I laughed so hard, in part, because I recognized myself, Lynn.

That said, why on earth are you writing a frigging relationship column for the Grope & Flail? Seriously, this makes me want to put a bullet through my cerebral cortex. Is this now the only way a Canadian novelist can make a living? By becoming Dear Frigging Abby?

Say it ain't so.