U of A Reads: Stories Behind the Stories – Details, episodes & analysis

In this special episode of U of A Reads, we sit down with award-winning Métis writer Conor Kerr, '12 BA to explore the stories, history, and fierce heart behind his latest novel, Prairie Edge.

Conor is a national award winning Metis/Ukrainian writer and bird hunter living in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton). Born in Saskatoon, raised in Buffalo Pound Lake and Drayton Valley. He is a member of the Metis Nation of Alberta. His Ukrainian family are Settlers on Treaty 4 Territory. Conor is passionate about crafting narratives that focus on the relationship to the landscapes around us.

Recorded as part of the Beyond the Pages webinar series, this conversation takes listeners deeper into Kerr’s creative practice—his approach to storytelling, his reflections on Métis identity and community, and the ways the Prairies shape his characters, their choices, and their futures.

You can find Conor's book at your favourite local bookstore.

This podcast is brought to you by the University of Alberta Alumni Association.  

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This episode features Lauren Seal, ’13 BA — writer, book lover, and former Poet Laureate of St. Albert. Lauren is deeply involved in building Alberta’s poetry community, mentoring young writers through SWYC, the Spoken Word Youth Choir, and performing with the adult group. Her debut novel-in-verse, Light Enough to Float, was recognized with the Schneider Family Honor Book Award for excellence in artistic expression of the disability experience.

In this conversation, Lauren shares how poetry continues to shape her creative journey, why mentoring young writers matters to her, and how she finds meaning in the connections that words can create.

You can find Lauren's award-winning novel-in-verse, Light Enough to Float, at Audreys Books in Edmonton and at other local and online bookstores.

Trigger Warning
This episode delves into sensitive themes explored in Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal. Our conversation includes discussions of disordered eating, anorexia, and self-harm, as well as the emotional impacts surrounding these experiences. These topics may be distressing for some listeners.

Please take care while listening, and feel free to step away at any time. If you or someone you know is struggling, consider reaching out to local mental health resources or crisis support services for help.

This podcast is brought to you by the University of Alberta Alumni Association.  

Follow @UAlbertaAlumni on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

This podcast is brought to you by the University of Alberta Alumni Association.  

Follow @UAlbertaAlumni on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

In this episode of U of A Reads, we’re thrilled to welcome Carissa Halton, ’03 BA —  the author of Little Yellow House: Finding Community in a Changing Neighbourhood and an award‑winning writer whose creative nonfiction has appeared in outlets like The Globe & Mail, Alberta Views, and Today’s Parent. 

Her stunning debut novel, Revolution Songs, pulls us into a 1930s Rocky Mountain town: Annie Jalmer finds herself torn between opposing forces — a communist union, the rise of the Canadian Ku Klux Klan, family loyalties, and a world on the brink of upheaval. 

In this conversation, we dive into Carissa’s journey from nonfiction to fiction, how she blends historical research with compelling storytelling, and the ways that place, politics, and community shape her work. Fans of historical fiction and rich, character-driven stories will find plenty to enjoy in this episode.

You can learn more about Carissa and Revolution Songs at carissahalton.com. 

This podcast is brought to you by the University of Alberta Alumni Association.  

Follow @UAlbertaAlumni on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

This episode features Gavin Bradley, ’15 MSc — an Irish writer, musician and palaeontologist from Belfast, living as a permanent resident in Edmonton, on Treaty 6 Territory. His debut poetry collection, Separation Anxiety, won the UNESCO Bridges of Struga International Poetry Award 2023, and was reprinted with an English/Macedonian translation. His play, Seanchaí, won Best Overall Production and Best New Work at both the Edmonton Stage Struck! Festival and Alberta Provincial One Act Play Festival. Recently, he received the University of Alberta Alumni Horizon Award recognizing the outstanding professional achievements and contributions to the community of University of Alberta graduates. You can follow him at: gavinbradleywrites.ca or on Instagram @gavinbradleywrites 

In this episode, we’ll talk about Separation Anxiety, how science shapes his creative voice, and about the connections between place, time, and identity that run through his writing.

This podcast is brought to you by the University of Alberta Alumni Association.  

Follow @UAlbertaAlumni on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

In this episode of U of A Reads, we sit down with Alexis Marie Chute, ’07 BFA, an award-winning visual artist, filmmaker, art gallery curator, and bestselling author of 7 books, including the fantasy trilogy Above the Star, Below the Moon, Inside the Sun, and memoir Expecting Sunshine. Her latest non-fiction books include Prairie Spirits, The Eternal Summer of Alberta’s Herbarium, Memorable Murals, and Moments in Focus. Her artwork is represented at the Art Gallery of Alberta and her documentary films have screened worldwide. She is the curator of Wild Skies Art Gallery, the Red Brick Common Public Art Gallery, and is co-founder of InFocus Photo Exhibit. Her most recent venture is Wild Skies Press, a hybrid-Canadian book publisher that produces beautiful art books, poetry collections, fiction and non-fiction titles. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Design and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and is passionate about creativity, healing, resiliency, and wellbeing on the “joy journey.”

We talk with Alexis  about her creative process, how she develops immersive fantasy worlds, and the themes that run through her trilogy, from courage and friendship to the power of storytelling itself. She shares insights into what inspired the series, the challenges of bringing an entire fantasy world to life on the page, and the ways her artistic practice informs her writing.

Whether you’re a fan of epic fantasy or curious about the craft behind building a trilogy, this episode offers a fascinating look at how imagination, discipline, and storytelling intersect in Alexis  Marie Chute’s work.

This podcast is brought to you by the University of Alberta Alumni Association.  

Follow @UAlbertaAlumni on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

This episode features Jordan Abel, ’08 BA, a queer Nisga’a writer from Vancouver. He is the author of The Place of Scraps (winner of the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize), Un/inhabited, and Injun (winner of the Griffin Poetry Prize). NISHGA won both the Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize and the VMI Betsy Warland Between Genres award, and was a finalist for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, the Wilfrid Eggleston Award for Nonfiction, and the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize. Abel’s work has been published in numerous journals and magazines—including Canadian Literature, The Capilano Review, and The Fiddlehead—and his work has been anthologized widely, including The Broadview Introduction to Literature. 

Abel completed a Ph.D. at Simon Fraser University in 2019, and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of English and Film Studies at the University of Alberta where he teaches Indigenous Literatures, Research-Creation, and Creative Writing.

In this episode, we talk about his groundbreaking book, NISHGA, how important self-care is when writing difficult material (and why Jordan didn’t follow his own advice) and the importance of mentorship as an author.

This podcast is brought to you by the University of Alberta Alumni Association.  

Follow @UAlbertaAlumni on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.