Now that InRetro has officially entered its 21st year, it feels only fitting to turn the page and embrace something new. Thanks to the encouragement of a few good friends, I am now recording episodes of Late Talks on Air—an InRetro Studios production—not just as an audio podcast, but also on video.
I was honoured to have award-winning Canadian author Terry Fallis as my first guest in this new format.
The lighting, admittedly, left much to be desired—though it suited the comedic spirit of the evening. Terry and I needed a few takes to get everything delightfully imperfect, embracing the fun of letting go of perfection. And even though a few moments made me wince (all my own doing), the experience proved both enlightening and endearing.
Our conversation ranged from what drew me to his debut novel, Best Laid Plans, and his Canada Reads win, to the creation of characters who leap from story to story—and, naturally, to the subject of humour:
“I think writers should write with their full arsenal… humour has just been such a part of my life that I couldn’t possibly write a novel without there being at least something that approaches humor – because it’s such a part of me.”
Terry Fallis
Humour should come with a Superman cape and a warning label. It has the power to lower our guard, soften our edges, and endear us to others. It keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously, and maybe not seriously enough.
Here’s a link to our episode on Late Talks on Air and YouTube.
And so, for today at least, I am all smiles as year 21 officially begins. We’re off to a good start!
Thank you for coming along.
