IFOA Ontario Interview Series: Russell Smith

The 36th Annual IFOA Festival is now underway, with authors and readers meeting in Toronto and across the province for readings and literary discussions. In 2006, IFOA introduced its travelling programme, IFOA Ontario, which brings IFOA literary events to numerous cities throughout Ontario, presented by a consortium of organizations across the province known collectively as Lit on Tour. In celebration of the festival, Open Book has been speaking with some of the participating authors.

Russell Smith is a journalist and former radio host, and the author of seven works of fiction. His latest book, longlisted for the 2015 Giller Prize, is Confidence, a collection of darkly brilliant short stories. In Confidence, every character has a secret, whether it's the ecstasy-taking PhD students or the wives who blog insults directed at their husbands.

Russell will be reading from Confidence and discussing his work on November 7, 2015 at IFOA London, presented in partnership with the London Public Library and WordsFest London.

Today Russell speaks to us about giving interviewers a hard time, showing off at public readings and the luxury of hotel rooms.

Open Book:

Tell us about what you’ll be reading at this year’s festival.

Russell Smith:

I’m reading from my new book of short stories, Confidence. It’s about city-dwellers and their secrets.

OB:

Have you attended IFOA in the past? If so, what is your favourite memory? If not, what are you most looking forward to?

RS:

I have never been invited as an author, but I have participated as an interviewer. I have fond memories of interviewing on stage Barbara Gowdy, who was scintillating, and Tama Janowitz, who took offence to some of my questions and gave me a hard time. Maybe I’ll give an interviewer a hard time this time.

OB:

Tell us about a favourite spot or area in Ontario.

RS:

My favourite spot in Ontario is the strip of Queen Street West between Bathurst and Dufferin. It is a playground of boutiques and restaurants and everybody looks as though they are working on the most interesting website.

OB:

How do you manage the shift between being a solitary writer and a public reader? Is there a learning curve?

RS:

I have always very much enjoyed giving public readings—I am a bit of a showoff and so like to perform. My work has a lot of dialogue in it and I like to do the voices. Perhaps I am a failed actor.

OB:

What is your favourite part about going on tour with a book?

RS:

Without question, it is the pleasure of a hotel or a motel room, on one’s own. I have a small child at home, so solitude is a great luxury. Eating alone in a restaurant while reading a book, then watching BBC World all night, perhaps with a small bottle of whiskey, is bliss for me. Even the solitary breakfast with a newspaper is my year’s greatest luxury.

OB:

What are you reading right now?

RS:

I am about to begin Purity by Jonathan Franzen. I have very much enjoyed all his previous work.