Don't Bang the Barista! by Leigh Matthews

The novel that emerged from NaNoWriMo 2011 became The Old Arbutus Tree, my first full novel, published in 2012. It took a while to clear out the creative pipes, and I found the challenge and boundaries of National Novel Writing Month very helpful in rediscovering the joy of writing with my inner editor turned off. Then, when I moved to Canada in 2010 and started working as a freelancer, I made a commitment to myself to nurture that creativity and start writing fiction and poetry again. I would write stories about them, which then progressed into attempts at writing novels, peppered with a little poetry that was praised far too highly!Īfter being involved in a youth writing initiative in the UK in my late teens, I stopped writing for a little while, for a variety of reasons, including devaluing my creative nature. I used to make up character profiles for the people who populated the childhood games I played with my brother.

She had loads of interesting things to say, so here’s the interview!Ĭan you tell us a bit about yourself and your career as a writer?Īside from brief periods when I wanted to be a professional soccer player and a forensic pathologist, I always wanted to be a writer. I’ve reviewed her (awesome) books on my blog, if you want to check that out too. Check out her website if you want to more information about her books and all the other cool stuff she does, including freelance medical writing and website development. A big thank you to both Casey and Leigh!Ī little while ago I talked with my friend and Vancouver-based author Leigh Matthews about her journey as a queer writer, her contemporary lesbian pulp series set in Vancouver, her must-have LGBTQ+ books, and what an LGBTQ+-friendly library looks like to her.

BCLA LGBTQ member Casey Stepaniuk brings us this great interview with Vancouver-based author Leigh Matthews.

Don't Bang the Barista! by Leigh Matthews