Writing the Coast: BC and Yukon Book Prizes Podcast

Writing the Coast: BC and Yukon Book Prizes Podcast

Welcome to Writing the Coast! This is the bi-weekly podcast where we chat with the authors and illustrators of the books who make up the shortlist of the annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. On the episodes you'll hear host and podcast coordinator Megan Cole chat with the folks who are creating some of BC and Yukon's best books. We'll also check in with the literary community in our region. For more information about the BC and Yukon Book Prizes visit: https://bcyukonbookprizes.com/

Episodes

S6 Episode 38: Leslie Gentile on how music helped her explore her characters

June 14, 2025 • 25 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Leslie Gentile. Leslie is the author of Elvis, Me and the Postcard Winter. Elvis, Me and the Postcard Winter is a finalist for the 2025 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. In this conversation, Leslie talks about the importance of representing the complexity and messiness of families in books for young readers. She also talks about how her music helped her write...
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S6 Episode 38: Marion McKinnon Crook on how mysteries helped her write memoir

June 7, 2025 • 31 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Marion McKinnon Crook. Marion is the author of Always On Call: Adventures in Nursing, Ranching, and Rural Living. Always on Call is a finalist for the 2025 Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award. In this conversation, Marion talks about why she chose to write memoir after a long career of nursing, teaching and writing over 25 books that include non-fiction for teens, myst...
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S6 Episode 38: Revisiting popular episodes: Roy Henry Vickers & Lucky Budd talk about oral history

March 12, 2025 • 51 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole revisits one of the most popular episodes of Writing the Coast. It features Roy Henry Vickers and Lucky Budd. The talked about their book Voices from the Skeena: An Illustrated Oral History, nominated for the Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award. In this conversation Roy and Lucky talked about how they began collaborating, the impact these stories had had on those around them an...
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S6 Episode 37: Popular past episodes: Michelle Good, author of Five Little Indians, talks about humor as a decolonizing tool

March 6, 2025 • 27 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole revisits one of the most popular episodes of Writing the Coast. It features Michelle Good, author of Five Little Indians which was a finalist for the 2021 Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and the 2021 Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes. Michelle talks about what it means to be an emerging writer and how she developed the characters in her novel. ABOUT MICHELLE GOOD: Michelle Goo...
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S6 Episode 36: Sam George and Jill Yonit Goldberg talk about why storytelling is important in learning and education

February 20, 2025 • 31 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Sam George and Jill Yonit Goldberg talk about the book The Fire Still Burns: Life In and After Residential School. The Fire Still Burns was a finalist for the 2024 Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award. In his conversation with host Megan Cole, Sam and Jill talk about how they started working together on the book, and Sam talks about the significance of telling his own story. Visit BC and Yukon...
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S6 Episode 35: Revisiting our episode with the Honourable Janet Austin on how reading helps understand community.

February 11, 2025 • 14 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole revisits a past episode featuring a conversation with the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. In their conversation, Her Honour talks about the Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence and its past recipients, as well as what excites her about books written and published in British Columbia. Wendy Cocchia, was recently sworn in as the 31st...
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Season 6 Episode 34: Maya McKibbin and Ellen Rooney on the magic of picture book illustration

February 5, 2025 • 22 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Maya McKibbin and Ellen Rooney share their thoughts and reflections the magic of illustration in picture books. Maya is the illustrator of The Song that Calls Them Home and Ellen Rooney is the illustrator of What to Bring, both were finalists for the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize. Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: bcyukonbookprizes.com/ To watch the full Storied video: ...
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Season 6 Episode 33: Ian Kennedy talks about why we should know the history of the Princess Maquinna

January 30, 2025 • 26 mins
In this episode, Ian Kennedy talks about his book The Best Loved Boat: The Princess Maquinna. The Best Loved Boat won the 2024 Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize. In his conversation with host Megan Cole, Ian talks about how he became interested in the Princess Maquinna and how it fits with British Columbia's complex maritime history. Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: www.bcyukonbookprizes.com/ About The Best Loved Boat: https://bc...
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Season 6 Episode 32: Jazmin Welch answers the question "should we judge a book by its cover?"

January 22, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode, Jazmin Welch talks about book design. 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: http...
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Season 6 Episode 31: Cassie Smyth talks about how ECW began making audiobooks in Canada

January 15, 2025 • 32 mins
In this episode, Cassie Smyth talks audiobooks. Cassie Smyth is the audiobooks manager at ECW Press. In her conversation with host Megan Cole, Cassie talks about why she loves audiobooks, she talks about how they find narrators for their audiobooks, and corrects many of the misconceptions around audiobooks and audiobook production. Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: bcyukonbookprizes.com/ About ECW Press: https://ecwpress.com/pages/...
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Season 6 Episode 30: Christopher Patterson talks about Y-Dang Troeung's book Landbridge

January 9, 2025 • 30 mins
In this episode, Christopher Patterson. Christopher is an author and professor at the University of British Columbia, but for today’s episode he’ll be talking about his partner, Y-Dang Troeung’s book Landbridge. Landbridge was a finalist for the 2024 Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes. Christopher talks about Y-Dang’s approach to writing in fragments, and how she approached rejection. Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: https://...
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Season 6 Episode 29: Jennifer Bonnell talks about the changing perspectives around conservation in British Columbia

December 18, 2024 • 42 mins
In this episode, Jennifer Bonnell talks about her book Stewards of Splendour: A History of Wildlife and People in British Columbia. Stewards of Splendour was a finalist for the 2024 Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize. In her conversation, Jennifer talks about returning home through the research in the book, she also talks about the need to cultivate abundance. Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: bcyukonbookprizes.com/ About Stewards ...
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Season 6 Episode 28: Wanda John-Kehewin talks about books that build empathy in young readers

December 11, 2024 • 22 mins
In this episode, Wanda John-Kehewin talks about her book Hopeless in Hope. Hopeless in Hope won the 2024 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. In her conversation, Wanda talks about the real life experiences that inspired the book. She also talks about how the creative process for the novel differed from the work she's been doing on graphic novels. Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: bcyukonbookprizes.com/ About Hopeless in Ho...
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Season 6 Episode 27: Lindsay Wong talks about horror and subverting food tropes in BIPOC writing

December 4, 2024 • 26 mins
In this episode, Lindsay Wong talks about her book Tell Me Pleasant Things About Immortality. Tell Me Pleasant Things About Immortality was a finalists for the 2024 Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes. In her conversation, Lindsay talks about why BIPOC writers are using horror to writer their stories. She also talks about the need for well-timed comedy when writing horror. Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: bcyukonbookprizes.com...
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Season 6 Episode 26: Katherine Palmer Gordon, Geoffrey Morrison, and Jess Housty on Storytelling

November 26, 2024 • 44 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Katherine Palmer Gordon, Geoffrey Morrison, and Jess Housty share their thoughts and reflections about storytelling. Katherine Palmer Gordon is the author of This Place is Who We Are: Stories of Indigenous Leadership, Resilience, and Connection to Homelands, a finalist for the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize. Geoffrey Morrison is the author of Falling Hour, a finalist for the Ethel Wilson Fic...
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Season 6 Episode 25: Kirsten Pendreigh talks about writing about death in children's books

November 20, 2024 • 26 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Kirsten Pendreigh talks about her book Maybe A Whale. Maybe A Whale was a finalist for the 2024 Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize. In her conversation with host Megan Cole, Kirsten talks about how nature and the environment has inspired her work. She also talks about the importance of writing children's books that tackle topics like grief and death. Visit BC and Yukon Book...
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Season 6 Episode 24: Polly Horvath talks about developing characters for her middle grade novels

November 13, 2024 • 22 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Polly Horvath talks about her book Pine Island Visitors. Pine Island Visitors was a finalist for the 2024 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. In her conversation with host Megan Cole, Polly talks about relying on her voice as an author. She also talks about why she writes novels for young readers and how she develops her characters. Visit BC and Yukon Book Prizes: bcyukonbookprizes.com...
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Season 6 Episode 23: Recommended reads from Lindsay Wong, Lara Jean Okihiro, David Norwell, and Andrea Warner

November 6, 2024 • 15 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, Lindsay Wong (author of Tell Me Pleasant Things About My Immortality), David Norwell (author of A Complex Coast), Lara Jean Okihiro (co-author of Obaasan's Boots), and Andrea Warner (author of Rise Up and Sing!) to reflect on books that have influenced or inspired them. These amazing authors have been part of this years Storied video series. This episode is basically amazing authors recommending...
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Season 6 Episode 22: Janis Bridger & Lara Jean Okihiro on talking about Japanese Internment

November 2, 2024 • 35 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, host Megan Cole talks to Janis Bridger and Lara Jean Okihiro. Janis and Lara are the authors of Obaasan’s Boots, which was a finalist for the 2024 Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize. In their conversation, Lara and Janis talk about their relationship and how that evolved through the writing of the book. We also talked about why Canadians don’t talk about Japanese internment and the role...
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Season 6 Episode 21: Lara Jean Okihiro, Janis Bridger, Jordan Scott on writing about family

October 15, 2024 • 11 mins
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: In this episode, you’ll hear from three different authors: Lara Jean Okihiro, Janis Bridger, and Jordan Scott. Lara and Janis wrote the book Obaasan’s Boots, and Jordan wrote My Baba’s Garden. In the summer, these three authors participated in our Storied video On Writing About Family. These are their reflections on how writing about family can be one of the most complicated things, and how they each approached ...
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