Longtime writer John Gardiner is receiving national attention for his latest collection, Life in the Deep End – Stories from the Soul, which has been released in multiple formats by Manor House Publishing. The book has been nominated for both a Giller Prize and a Trillium Book Award, marking the first time the Wallaceburg author has been recognized at that level.
The collection features 19 short stories that Gardiner describes as “emotional thoughtscapes,” pieces he hopes will push readers to reflect more deeply on the people in their lives. His work has drawn comparisons to writers such as Margaret Atwood, Amy Tan, D.H. Lawrence, Alice Munro, Charles Bukowski and Ernest Hemingway.
Gardiner, a cancer survivor, has spent decades writing largely on his own, determined to develop a voice he felt was distinct. When I sat down with him for an interview, he spoke candidly about the long road to publication and recognition.
“I’ve mostly laboured in the dark,” he said. “I’d searched for a publisher for 40 years before Manor House finally found me.”
Listen to the full interview with Gardiner, below:
Born in 1952, Gardiner grew up in Hanover, Ont., during a period of significant cultural change. Music was an early passion, and he played in bands as a teenager, a tradition he has continued into his seventies.
Gardiner spent nearly four decades working in community newspapers as an editor and publisher, a career he credits with shaping his writing style. His interest in storytelling began early; he launched an underground newspaper while still in high school and later turned to fiction, poetry and short stories in his early thirties. His work has appeared internationally in literary magazines, major newspapers and books over the past 40 years.
With Life in the Deep End now reaching a wider audience, Gardiner says he is grateful for the recognition but remains focused on the work itself – the stories he has been compelled to tell for most of his life.
Life in the Deep End can be purchased Amazon or at www.manor-house-publish.com.
For a signed copy email Gardiner directly at gardiner@kent.net.
