Can't Lit

Welcome to the chaos of a book launch! Are all book launches like this? I hope so! The Triple Treat Book Launch took place on Sunday April 28th at beloved R&B Brewing. Jen Sookfong Lee was the host and books by Dina Del Bucchia (You're Gonna Love This), Daniel Zomparelli (Jump Scare) and Andrea Warner (The Time of My Life) were launched and feted and were sold by the amazing Iron Dog Books!  Listen to Cynara Geissler read from Andrea's book while she recovers from surgery. Dina and Daniel read from their new books and also host three rounds of trivia: Generally Vaguely Dirty Dancing, Horror Movie Trivia, and TV Trivia. And Dina reads a poem from her book that tells you which SNL cast member you are! And that's not all, A Giant Woman (Cynara Geissler and Hannah McGregor) performs with The Jewel Tones (Martin Austwick and Helen Zaltzman). And we are treated to a performance by The Established, Shanda Leer! A wonderful night. A fun time. All of this was recorded by our wonderful sound tech, Sean Cranbury.

Spring has sprung! And we have Tania De Rozario on the podcast to talk about her new collection of essays, Dinner on Monster Island as well as talking about horror as a conduit for feelings, loving ghosts, demons and phantoms and eating the rich. We also marvel at Rosie the wonderful podcast dog, and we promise to stop referencing (and trashing) Oppenheimer. Listen now! Transcript here.

Hello listeners! Dina & Jen are chatting about stuff. Again! This time they're in conversation about the point. What is it? Like, really, what's the point? From writing in general, to specific projects to what they think the point of their own work might be they get down and dirty in the bog of self-doubt and self-loathing, confusion, and some ways they get out of it. So get a tall glass of bog water by your side and listen to this episode! Transcript available here.

Welcome to 2024! WOW! Can you believe it? Feels like the future. Sort of. I don't even know. DIna and Jen catch up and talk about raccoons and aquatic mammals and dog poop! Then they get into the books and stuff by telling tales and discussing lies they've been told by other writers. The untruths, the blanket statements, the one and only way to write. Listen in to hear our iles! We're sure you've heard your own lies too.

Yes, it's true. We've been on an unplanned hiatus. But we're back and this episode is (basically) the chaos episode. We have no theme and we're talking about whatever we want! Britney, protests, IBS. This episode has it all! Listen now, if you dare!    

Hello! If you love summer, like Dina, you're probably sad it's coming to a close sooner rather than later. If you hate summer, like Jen, you're probably relieved! But no matter what the season, Can't Lit is here for you. And this month we talk to the one and only, author and podcaster (authors and podcasters, they're just like us because they are us!), Nathan Whitlock! We talk about his new novel, Lump (out now with Dundurn Press), guerrilla book marketing, dark humour and writing, the process of working with a sensitivity reader, and Jen compares Nathan to Jane Austen (sort of), and somehow that turns into Nathan being the Beer Goggles Jane Austen (copyright pending)! Also, one of the most controversial "What Can't You With" ever?! You be the judge! Listen for a good time!!

Summer is here and so are we! Dina and Jen get together IN PERSON! To catch up and chat about some of their favourite "books and stuff" things. Rosie is excited. They also talk about their health issues, the Barbie movie, Joyride, and why there should be pockets just for olives!

Hello listeners! We are here again with incredible guest, Andrew F. Sullivan! We love him, (and his dog and his wife) and his new novel, The Marigold. We talk about real estate monsters, writing horror, and so much more! We have a delightful time! And of course, your favourite Dina & Jen segments are here to make you feel and rage! Iggy wants you to listen to this episode.

Hello! This month we finally got to live our dream and talk to the multi-talented and oh so wonderful, Catherine Hernandez! We talk about her new book, The Story of Us, writing with energy, untraditional families and narrators, talking like we're in a 1930s movie, style, and so much more! This episode is so fun we didn't want it to end!!

Hello! Spring is here, and so is a new episode with the wonderful Cody Caetano! We talk about his book, Half Bads in White Regalia, voice, structure and memoir, and some of the ways readers respond to memoir. We of course talk about Rosie, and Cody's beautiful cats! And there are emotions and rage. Join us, and definitely read Cody's book!!

Hello! This month we have the incredible writer, artist and library professional Emily Riddle! We talk about her wonderful poetry collection The Big Melt, tattoos, the importance of friendships, her luring people to Edmonton, and a lot of talk of snacks. As usual! There are some big laughs, and Emily saying some very insightful things, of course, Jen being very real in her emotion corner and  Dina hates the horrible Spence Diamond ads on the radio. 

Hello listeners! And Happy New Year! This month we present a special treat: a recording of Jen's Vancouver launch of Superfan, at The Refinery on January 29th, 2023. Dina hosts, Jen reads, then Dina asks Jen some real hard hitting questions! And there are multiple special guests! Andrea Warner and Shawn Hitchins tell Jen their pop culture nightmares, and she does some pop culture therapy with them. David Ly and Doretta Lau are subjected to Dina's Superfan Quiz Show! And finally, out musical guests, A Giant Woman (Cynara Geissler and Hannah McGregor) treat everyone to the Gwyneth/Huey ukulele cover of all our dreams. It'll be like you were there in the room! Happy listening!

Happy Holidays! We talk to friend of the podcast, Hannah McGregor about her new book, A Sentimental Education, and so much more! INCLUDING: Jen tells us her perfect lipstick application process Cocktail, weed and mushroom delivery  The White Lotus (Jen's favourite characters might surprise you) Dina wants you to watch Enlightened! Hannah has some Emily of New Moon feelings Our highs and lows of 2022 And Dina makes Hannah and Jen play a Cozy Christmas Mystery Quiz Someone burps really loud! It was Dina Dina talks a lot about Jennifer Coolidge Hannah's perfect "What Can't You With" Appearances by cute pets! Thanks for listening to us in 2022 and we'll see you in 2023!

Hello friends! Happy Halloween! As a treat we talk to the amazing Billy-Ray Belcourt about his new novel, A Minor Chorus, writing outside genre, the era of the slim volume and more! I don't know if there are any literary tricks up our sleeves, but it's a great talk! And there are mentions of spooky uses of cutlery and pet Halloween costumes. 

Hello! We are here for the last episode of summer! Dina and Jen go sans-guest, not sans-fards, and talk to each other about literally whatever they feel like! Both prepared questions the other had no idea about. Topics include: writing stuff, emotion stuff and fashion trend stuff!  But what stuff? Better listen to find out!

Wlecome to summer! We have a glorious guest to cool things down with  sparkling conversation, Emma Healey! We talk about her new memoir Best Young Woman Job Book, prose and prose poetry, writing about life and money, and bringing pugilism back to the literary. Also, bringing farm animals to the literary world. We have fun!  This episode pairs well with an icy beverage!

Hello! It's short story month and we talk to the multi-talented poet, writer and all around lovely person, Francine Cunnnigham about her new short story collection, God Isn't Here Today (Invisible Publishing 2022), how she writes character, how darkness and humour work together and what she's got coming up next. Jen gives some emotionally astute advice/thoughts and Dina talks about HEMORRHOIDS! Find out more about Francine at https://www.francinecunningham.ca/.

Happy Poetry Month! Sure, we waited until the end of the month to record out latest episode, but it's a pure poetry delight with three absolute superstar poets: Jason Purcell, Jónína Kirton and Tolu Oloruntoba. We talk about their new books, Purcell's Swollening (Arsenal Pulp Press), Kirton's Standing in a River of Time (Talonbooks) and Oloruntoba's Each One a Furnace. In addition to three stellar interviews Dina gets Jen, Jason, Tolu and Jónína to play a game of Name that Celebrity Poetry Book!  Who will win?!

Hello listeners! This month we talk to the Artistic and Executive Director of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, Jane Davidson! We chat about planning a literary festival, pitches, amazing events and what it's been like running the festival for fifteen years. And as always, tangents, Rosie barks, rage and emotions.   

Hello! This month we talk to the incredible writer and lovely person, Naben Ruthnum! In this episode we talk about his new novel, A Hero of Our Time, writing compelling dialogue, writing with humour,  lies as storytelling, and so much more, including a tangent on Naben's cat and there are some important Rosie interjections. Rage and emotions and so much more! It's a fantastic conversation and very fun.