Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Intensities in 3 Cities


For a few days every year, I get to act like a capital-A Author. Those days are upon us.

On Tuesday, October 25, I will be reading and talking in Ottawa.

On Wednesday, October 26, I'll be talking in Toronto.

On Thursday, October 27, I'll be reading and talking in Hamilton.   NOPE




And then on Friday, October 28 I'll be... I don't know, probably watching Toy Story 2 for the thousandth time with a two-year-old.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Open Book

For the month of July, I am the writer in virtual residence at Open Book: Toronto.

So far, I've written about Donald Trump, plagiarism, work in literature, Alice Munro, my brilliant wife, waitresses being asked to dispose of vomit, and much more.

Read all the nonsense here.
http://www.openbooktoronto.com/nathan_whitlock/main_0

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Congratulations On Everything reviewed in The Globe & Mail

"These are believable creations. They speak and fail and contradict themselves with the regular inelegance of real people. The day-to-day pleasures and pains of the service industry are also rendered with fine-tuned realism, an ear for the strange within the mundane. Whitlock is a very smooth, competent stylist, in an understated way. There’s no flash or bang here: His characters propel the action, calling attention to narrative style only with metaphor and image – which are always arresting, always right."

The whole thing here.

Thursday, June 09, 2016

Service Industry Hell

Dear Former Bartenders, Waiters, and Cooks:

I am in need of funny, ridiculous, and/or disturbing true service industry stories for a thing I am doing next month for Open Book. Tales of bad bosses, "eccentric" customers, hellish shifts, exploding kegs, etc. What are some moments you'll never forget, no matter how hard you try?

They need to be short - 100 to 200 words, max. Just the gist. Unless you say otherwise, they'll be anonymous. Send as many as you like.

Please email them to [my first and last name, all one word] AT gmail dot com.

Saturday, May 21, 2016

"All Those Sexy Things"

I got interviewed by Canadian Notes & Queries:
Congratulations On Everything felt like a very different book while I was writing it, and I think it is, though now that I look at it as a finished thing, I can see a lot of similarities – people in bad relationships, people who mistake passivity for integrity, people who pursue dreams they are maybe not suited to achieve. All those sexy things.

 

    A very subtle and funny writer - one I've become obsessed with over the past year - in a decidedly Muriel Spark mood. Imagine The Pr...