Brian Francis
Brian Francis's non-fiction book, Missed Connections: A Memoir in Letters Never Sent, was a finalist for the 2022 Trillium Book Award. The Toronto Star called it “thoughtful, funny, poignant, insightful and honest.”
His previous novel, Break in Case of Emergency, was a finalist for the 2019 Governor General’s Literary Awards. Apple Books called it a “knockout” and The Globe and Mail said it “beautifully explores issues around mental health and suicide.”
His second novel, Natural Order, was selected by the Toronto Star, Kobo and Georgia Straight as a Best Book of 2011.
His first novel, Fruit, was a 2009 Canada Reads finalist and is an Amazon and 49th Shelf “100 Canadian Books to Read in a Lifetime” title.
He writes a monthly writing advice column, Ask the Agony Editor, for Quill & Quire magazine and is a regular contributor to CBC Radio's The Next Chapter.
“It's weird when you hear teachers call each other by their first names. It's like they're friends or something.”
“I can't believe she's lived this long. God must be avoiding her.”
“On the drive up here, I saw a goose," he says. "A Canada goose. Fred told me they shit something horrible. They migrate between the north and the south, don't they? Like seniors.”
“They're horrible little creatures. All snot and smelly feet and pestering questions.""Then why did you go into teaching?""It was either that or sit at home with Mother all day. I picked the lesser of two evils.”