Getting Lit with Linda - The Canadian Literature Podcast Linda Morra

Indigenous mothers, Indigenous children, Indigenous parents – Willie Poll sees you – and she wants you to know that you’re enough.
In this episode of Getting Lit With Linda, Willie Poll (Metis Nation of Ontario) discusses with Linda why she wrote this children’s book, titled My Little Ogichidaa, and the source of inspiration for its creation – in large part, the Moose Hide Campaign (2:00).
The Moose Hide Campaign, which began as a BC-born Indigenous-led grassroots movement to engage men and boys in ending violence towards women and children, has since grown into a nationwide movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians from local communities, First Nations, governments, schools, colleges/universities, police forces and many other organizations – all committed to taking action to end this violence.
Willie and Linda also discuss Willie's collaboration with illustrator, Hawlii Pichette, a Mushkego Cree (Treaty 9) urban mixed ancestry artist and illustrator who currently resides in London, Ontario. Linda asks her to explain the title for her book, which means "my little warrior" -- and how being a warrior is not necessarily incompatible with being loving.

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Linda begins this episode with a brief acknowledgement of the passing of Nobel Prize winner for the short story, Alice Munro – who died a couple of days before this episode was aired. It's a pertinent moment to take pause when the subject of this episode is, in part, about anniversaries - which often include remembering when a beloved person dies or, as was the case only a few days ago, honouring a special person - like mothers on Mothers' Day. Who we choose to so honour and how we do so says a great deal about us, not just the persons we are honouring.
In this episode, Linda interview author Christopher DiRaddo about anniversaries, particularly the 10th one for his first novel, The Geography of Pluto, and his reading series (in Montreal), called The Violet Hour. Among other topics, they also discuss the following:

family, role of and shape (11.40)Bronski Beat (16.50)His other book, The Family Wayauthor Licia Canton (19.10; 21.45) and her support for ChristopherMarisa Portolese's Goose Village (exhibit, 22.32)the titles and epigraphs of his novels (25.00), one from Le Petit Prince (27.30) and the other from a Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five.
And there is a Takeaway in this episode - appropriately (in view of our discussion about anniversaries and commemoration) referencing the Canada Post stamps that honour graphic novelists in Canada.

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In this -- the second live episode of Getting Lit With Linda held at the Blue Metropolis Literary Festival and co-sponsored by the Quebec Writers' Federation -- Linda speaks with Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashi, Beaver Clan, of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation) about their book, Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, A White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation. The book has been receiving all manner of recognition. Here are some examples of the awards it has garnered:

Winner – 2023 Stubbendieck Great Plains Distinguished Book Prize Winner – 2023 John W. Dafoe Book PrizeWinner – 2023 High Plains Book Award for Indigenous WriterWinner – 2022 Manitoba Historical Society Margaret McWilliams Book Award for Local HistoryWinner – 2023 Quebec Writers’ Federation Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-Fiction and Concordia University First Book Prize.
And deservedly so. In this interview, Douglas and Andrew explain how and why we have arrived at the present moment and how there is hope for finding the pathway toward meaningful reconciliation.

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What does the work of painter Renoir and his paintings of full-bodied women (2.15; 12.34), and tanning beds (2:30) have to do with the Quebecois author Marie Claire Blais (3:15) and La Belle Bette/Mad Shadows (3:20)? Have a listen to today’s episode to find out …
In this episode, Linda looks at Blais’s Mad Shadows and its historical importance to Quebec. Among other subjects, she also references:
Value Village, Holt Renfrew 1:3; 11:58 )
Sheila Fischman (3:45)
New Yorker (4:47; 16:11)
Margaret Atwood (4:58; 16:24 )
Andre Gide, Andre Breton (5:22; 17:04 )
Karen Kain, Veronica Tennant (6:08; 18:02)
Elle magazine (11:43)
Fluevog Shoes (11:48)

Quel est le rapport entre l'œuvre du peintre Renoir et ses tableaux de femmes épanouies (2.15 ; 12.34), et les lits de bronzage (2:30), et l'auteure québécoise Marie Claire Blais (3:15) et La Belle Bette/Mad Shadows ( 3:20) ? Écoutez l'épisode d'aujourd'hui pour le découvrir...
Dans cet épisode, Linda se penche sur La Belle Bette et son importance historique pour le Québec. Parmi d'autres sujets, elle fait également référence à :
Value Village, Holt Renfrew (1:3 ; 11:58)
Sheila Fischman (3:45)
New Yorker (4:47 ; 16:11)
Margaret Atwood (4:58 ; 16:24 )
André Gide, André Breton (5:22 ; 17:04 )
Karen Kain, Veronica Tennant (6:08 ; 18:02)
Elle magazine (11:43)
Chaussures Fluevog (11:48)

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In this episode, Linda and Bryn Turnbull discuss her new historical novel, The Paris Deception - and what it means to represent women's lives historically when there has been inadequate records or representation for them.
Linda considers the Indigo Girls and their song about Virginia Woolf - and listening attentively to the voices of women through time. Turnbull alludes to The Monuments Men (both the movie and the book) and her novel as an equivalent for women to such a story. Among other topics, we address
necessary deceptions (18.56)significant visual art work still missing since the Second World War (21.30)women are scapegoats during Second World War (27)

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Michael V. Smith is a deeply loving, insightful poet and performer – who uses intimacy and humour as tools to explore pain. In this interview, Linda chats with him about power dynamics and bullying, as they address his poetry collection, Queers Like Me (published by Book*hug in 2023)
Here are some of the subjects we covered:  

on the nature of creative writing and genre (6.15)poetic technique, poetic devices, and poetic voice (verbatim poems: 6.45, 8.00, 42.43)Facebook poem and writing about his father (9.35, 10.48, 27.50, 32.20)depictions of masculinity  (21.40 mistake with bike/book; 12.05, 21.25)The Floating Man (13.03, 27.10)Agnes Varda (12.12)Eloise Marseille (4.18)working across genres (16.25)Michael reads from “Grandma Cooper’s Corpse” (20.25)humour and contrast (22.42, 24.25)poetry and knowledge - the function of poetry (37.00)his chapbook (23.45)dynamics of power and bullying (32, 32.40, 33.40)the importance of nuance (34.50)gay marriage (36.08)Bronwen Wallace (38.30)Lorna Crozier (39.20)His memoir, My Body is Yours (40.38, published by Arsenal Pulp Press)radical inclusion (46.54)


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