All Lit Up

@alllitupcanada

An independent online bookstore and blog showcasing and selling Canada's best in indie books. Visit us at

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All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 10d

Jaime Forsythe captures the uncertainty and darker undercurrents of new motherhood in her long poem YIELD (@wolsakandwynn.bsky.social). Enjoy a reading from the book here: alllitup.ca/poetry-in-mo...

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 11d

For August's #ALUBookClub pick, we sat down with @renegadeartsent.bsky.social publisher Alexander Finbow to talk about the process of developing @richardvancamp.bsky.social's terrifying graphic novel, ROTH. Read the full interview & watch a trailer for the novel at: alllitup.ca/alu-summer-b...

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 16d

DESCÂNTEC FOR MY SPLIT TONGUE (@palimpsestpress.bsky.social) is the first poetry book from multilingual writer Adriana Oniță. The collection travels through time, space, & generations to question what is lost when language is forgotten. Read two poems from the book at: alllitup.ca/two-poems-de...

This graphic features the cover of "Descântec For My Split Tongue" by Adriana Oniță. Behind the cover is a peach quilt textured background.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 18d

Finished Lynn Hutchinson Lee's NIGHTSHADE and wondering what to read next? We've rounded up four follow-up books that you might also like: alllitup.ca/alu-summer-b...

A promotional graphic labelled All Lit Up Summer Book Club, the Summer of Strange. What to Read Next?" The cover of Nightshade by Lynn Hutchinson Lee is prominently displayed beside four smaller covers: The Longest Night by Lauren Carter, Precarious by Marcello Di Cintio, The Unravelling of Ou by Hollay Ghadery, and Origins of Desire in Orchid Fens by Lynn Hutchinson Lee.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 22d

@alexboydwriter.bsky.social's TAKE THIS FOR THE PAIN (@palimpsestpress.bsky.social) pulls from twenty-five years of essays, articles, and reviews to explore how art and culture can reinforce ideas of identity and promote social change. Read an excerpt from the book at alllitup.ca/excerpted-ta...

A graphic featuring the cover of Alex Boyd's TAKE THIS FOR THE PAIN (Palimpsest Press) against a static background of dark teal. The cover of the book is a tan colour with the title and author name left-aligned from top to bottom in a sans-serif font. The title is black and the author name is teal. On the right upper portion over the cover is an illustration of a prescription pad. Written in place of the prescription is the book's subtitle "Essays on Writing and Life." Below this in the lower right of the cover is an illustration in dark brown of a human brain.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 23d

This year, radically optimistic indie publisher @bookhugpress.bsky.social welcomed new books from several returning authors, so we're taking a look back at the titles that first introduced these writers to the press. Read more about each (and their new titles) here: alllitup.ca/press-playba...

A graphic with text that reads Press Playbacks with Book*hug Press. There are five book covers featured including Smells Like Stars by D. Nandi Odhiambo; The Singularity by Balsam Karam, translated from the Swedish by Saskia Vogel; Phantompains by Therese Estacion; In Memory of Memory by Maria Stepanova, translated from the Russian by Sacha Dugdale; and Beautiful Children With Pet Foxes by Jennifer LoveGrove.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 24d

I USED TO BE A PISCES (@bookhugpress.bsky.social) is the first book of poetry from award-winning author Camilla Gibb. Using poetry in tandem with collage, the collection examines our relationships to the earth & to one another. Watch Camilla read from the collection: alllitup.ca/poetry-in-mo...

This graphic features the cover of I USED TO BE A PISCES by Camilla Gibb over a transparent background of crystal-clear water.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 25d

"If you were a fan of the mother-daughter dynamic in Greta Gerwig's LADY BIRD, this read is for you." We chatted about Lynn Hutchinson Lee's novel NIGHTSHADE (@pressassembly.bsky.social), which we all agreed we couldn't put down. Read our team discussion here: alllitup.ca/alu-summer-b...

A collage of five All Lit Up staff members on a video call discussing Nightshade by Lynn Hutchinson Lee, with several holding up copies of the book. A central graphic reads "All Lit Up Summer Book Club staff chat."

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· 29d

WE GLADLY FEAST ON THOSE WHO WOULD SUBDUE US (Gordon Hill Press) is the latest collection from Trillium Award-winning poet Roxanna Bennett exploring disability politics & inaccessible environments. Read two poems from the collection at: alllitup.ca/two-poems-we...

This graphic features a mildly transparent navy blue background over the cover image collage of Roxanna Bennett's WE GLADLY FEAST ON THOSE WHO WOULD SUBDUE US poetry collection. The cover of the collection is centred in the middle.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 16

Ahead of the 50th annual Powell Street Festival, we talked to Emiko Morita, who served as its executive director, about her book Return to Paueru Gai: Fifty Years of Vancouver’s Powell Street Festival (@arsenalpulp.bsky.social) and the history of the beloved celebration. alllitup.ca/interview-wi...

Photo of Emiko Morita by Henry Tsang. Shown in the bottom left-hand corner is an inset photo of her book Return to Paueru Gai.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 15

For Writer’s Block, award-winning journalist & author Christine Fischer Guy chats about the inspiration behind THE INSTRUMENT MUST NOT MATTER (@wolsakandwynn.bsky.social), her writing process, & the power of a well-read poem. Read the full interview at: alllitup.ca/writers-bloc...

A graphic featuring an author photo of Christine Fischer Guy. She is sitting on a low brick wall beside a river and leaning back on one hand. She is smiling and looking directly at the camera. In the bottom left corner of the graphic is the cover of her book, THE INSTRUMENT MUST NOT MATTER. The cover is orange with white, weathered piano keys positioned vertically along the bottom of the page; the book's title is aligned in black lettering horizontally between the keys.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 14

"The veil between the worlds is thin when supernatural beliefs are involved." We spoke with Lynn Hutchinson Lee about the folklore, family stories, and writing behind NIGHTSHADE (@pressassembly.bsky.social) for our #ALUBookClub interview. alllitup.ca/alu-summer-b...

Author photo of Lynn Hutchinson Lee by Ingrid Mayrhofer. Lynn is a light-skin-toned woman with short grey hair. The photo is taken from slightly above. There is an inset photo of Lynn's novel Nightshade with text beside it reading All Lit Up Summer Book Club.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 10

Janet Torge’s latest book, I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M OLD (Linda Leith Publishing), brings her renowned comic voice to the discussion of how today’s senior citizens—herself included—are handling the transition into life's upper reaches. Read an excerpt from the book at: alllitup.ca/excerpted-i-...

This graphic features the cover of Janet Torge's I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M OLD (Linda Leith Publishing). The cover features a gradient background transitioning from blue to pink. Janet is on the cover, looking at the camera. Her eyes are smiling, but her face from the nose down is covered by two photographs of her younger self that she is holding up. The title of the book is centred and runs down the cover in a white serif font.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 9

We've rounded up six standout backlist titles from @ecwpress.bsky.social that deserve another look. Find them all here! alllitup.ca/press-playba...

A graphic with text that reads Press Playbacks with ECW Press. There are six book covers featured including The Conjoined by Jen Sookfong Lee, Misconduct of the Heart by Cordelia Strube, Shepherd's Sight by Barbara McLean, The Winter Knight by Jes Battis, Shared Universe by Paul Vermeersch, and The Time of My Life: Dirty Dancing by Andrea Warner.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 8

If you were a fan of the Icelandic TV series TRAPPED, you may love the isolated northern setting & compelling murder mystery in @jkdegen.bsky.social's SELDOM SEEN ROAD (@latitude46pub.bsky.social). Learn more about this 1st installment of the Burnt River series at: alllitup.ca/if-you-liked...

Along the left side, this graphic reads "if you liked" with an arrow pointing to a poster for the Icelandic television series "Trapped." Along the right side the graphic reads "read this!" with an arrow pointing to John Degen's "Seldom Seen Road" (Latitude 46 Publishing). The background of the graphic is a snowy winter scene in blue tones featuring a tree line and mountains.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 7

It's the first day of #ALUBookClub, and we're reading Lynn Hutchinson Lee's NIGHTSHADE. We spoke with @pressassembly.bsky.social publisher Leigh Nash about discovering this gem in the slush pile and why she knew she had to publish it. alllitup.ca/alu-summer-b...

A photo of a hand holding a copy of Nightshade by Lynn Hutchinson Lee against a forested area. Text on top reads "All Lit Up Summer Book Club, the Summer of Strange."

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 3

In August we're reading ROTH by Richard Van Camp & Christopher Shy (@renegadeartsent.bsky.social), a graphic novel that is part survival thriller, part Indigenous horror set in a northern Alberta overrun by the terrifying Wheetago.

This graphic includes a yellow background with a forest silhouette along the bottom, with the cover of ROTH by Richard Van Camp & Christopher Shy on the right side and a blurb reviewing the book on the left side.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 3

July's pick is NIGHTSHADE by Lynn Hutchinson Lee (@pressassembly.bsky.social), a Gothic, Romany coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the 1980s Southern Ontario tobacco belt—with a dash of magic realism.

This graphic includes a yellow background with a forest silhouette along the bottom, with the cover of NIGHTSHADE by Lynn Hutchinson Lee on the right side and a blurb reviewing the book on the left side.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 3

Summer reading, but make it campfire-lit. #ALUBookClub is back with the Summer of Strange, where we're reading & talking about two hauntingly good books from @pressassembly.bsky.social and @renegadeartsent.bsky.social. Follow along with us here: alllitup.ca/summer-book-...

This graphic reads "All Lit Up Summer Book Club: The Summer of Strange" against a yellow-tinged background with a forest silhouette along the bottom.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jul 2

In WHERE THE EFF IS MY RED TENT (@caitlinpress.bsky.social), Heather Hendrie blends memoir & cultural critique to explore life with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Read our chat with Heather where she shares a bit about her journey and the role of writing in her life: alllitup.ca/writers-bloc...

This graphic features an author photo of Heather Hendrie. The photo is taken from the shoulders up. She is looking directly at the camera and smiling, wearing a light red polo shirt. Her curly red hair is pulled back. The cover of "Where the Eff is My Red Tent" (Caitlin Press) is in the bottom right corner.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jun 30

@talonbooks.bsky.social is one of Canada's first literary publishers and is dedicated to publishing works of the highest literary quality by diverse Canadian and Indigenous authors. Check out 6 must-read titles from their backlist: alllitup.ca/press-playba...

The graphic reads "Press Playbacks with Talonbooks" and features the covers of six titles from their backlist. From left to right, covers include GRAZIE, JUMP SCARE, THE CITY THAT IS LEAVING FOREVER, WITHROW PARK, BEHIND THE MOON, and THE DIARY OF DUKESANG WONG.

All Lit Up@alllitupcanada· Jun 26

We're featuring an excerpt from Bridget Canning's new book TAKING DOWN NAMES (@breakwaterbooksltd.bsky.social), a darkly funny literary thriller about grief, vengeance, and a journalist drawn into a mystery of vigilante justice. Click to read a passage: alllitup.ca/excerpted-ta...