author

Through her storytelling and activism, the CanLit giant has always found ways to respond to and reflect the times.

Actor-turned-novelist Sarah Winman takes time out to talk to Chatelaine about her debut novel, her inspiration and the importance of seeing the funny side of life.

Writers are inspired by many things, but for Sarah Winman, much of the influence for her bestselling debut novel, When God Was a Rabbit, came from the places where she had spent her childhood and those where she now hangs out. She shares with Chatelaine pictures of those special settings and tells us how each one played a part in the book.

Debut author Grace McCleen drew on her background to tell the captivating but ultimately harrowing tale of Judith MacPherson, a 10-year-old growing up in a strict religious household with her father.

Mystery readers and television fans alike will be familiar with Scottish crime writer Ian Rankin. He’s best known for his series of novels featuring the hard-drinking, music-loving Detective Inspector John Rebus, which were adapted for television in the early 2000s, starring first John Hannah and then Ken Stott.