Be Curious #15 - 23 September 2025
Greetings from Atlantic Canada!
Welcome to Be Curious #15, written from the traditional lands of the Mi’kmaw people, Epekwitk, now known as Prince Edward Island. I am here for my tenth visit and spending time with extended family and friends here, and it is my second home!
I don’t have a lot to report - mainly just a reminder that I am reviewing books and posting those and enjoying the last of summer as the Great White North commences the beautiful fall season. I went to the Sommo Festival recently which would have been vastly improved had the skies not opened! My favourite was Hollow Coves, a great band from Brisbane who I finally got to see live on the other side of the world! I missed seeing Hozier unfortunately (I’ve seen him before - he’s great) as it was just too wet and cold to stay once we were drenched. All reports say he was excellent, as was Alanis Morrisette the night before.
This weekend I am headed to the Cavendish Literary Festival which I am looking forward to!
I’m also looking forward to seeing Miriam Toews receive the Symons Medal on 3 October, and Lesley Crewe on October 16 (I’m currently reading her novel The Spoon Stealer).
Since I last wrote, I’ve posted reviews of these books:
TABLE FOR ONE by Emma Gannon
Until I joined Substack and started following writers, I did not know who Emma Gannon was. However, I quickly came to like her newsletter, The Hyphen, and I picked up her new novel, Table For One, re…
WEYWARD by Emilia Hart
I don’t know when this happened, exactly, but somewhere along the way in the last year or so, I’ve become a little fascinated by novels about witchcraft. Not the broomstick variety, the burned at the…
THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES by Alix E. Harrow
Last weekend, I was sitting in a cafe in Melbourne and reading my book when the young woman serving me asked what I was reading. I was reading Weyward and she said “oh I love stories about witches!” …
I WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN MEN by Jaqueline Harpman
I had recently seen (on Substack) a lot of recommendations of I Who Have Never Known Men by Bengian author Jacqueline Harpman, and when I saw it last week at Bookmark in Charlottetown, I thought it w…
It’s actually been a great reading month - I also read My Brother Jaz by Gideon Haigh which was incredibly moving (it’s really short and talks about the death of Haigh’s brother in a traffic accident, aged 17).
Only one DNF - All The Murmering Bones by A.G. Slattery - I wanted to like it but at 24% though, gave up. It’s a book that will have its audience, which I am happy about - it just wasn’t for me.
I have also reactivated my Bookstagram - mainly to link back to this website, but I have missed the book community it generated for me. I am still not engaged with my personal accounts and don’t see a time I’ll do so again - who knows?
I’m also doing some fiction writing. Who knows if I will ever let anyone read it or if the story will ever be finished but it’s been sitting in my mind for a while. I am trying to be disciplined about writing but failing miserably, but the story remains and I am sure I’ll feel a surge. I’ve planned it a bit - I’d love to say I’m a pantser but who am I kidding? I am a planner in every single aspect of my life; writing be no different!
I also am still really loving witchy stories and since being here have picked up some novels unknown to me, and two magazines - one from National Geographic and another special edition mag! I don’t know what’s driving this hyperfixation on witchy historic fiction but I am here for it! Being in North America ahead of Halloween has been a boon of fun stuff too.
My priority for this trip is to relax, give myself space for clear thinking and reconnection, and to enjoy the last months before life gets hectic again, either through work or study.
I’m glad you’re here with me.
Until next time,
