Editor’s Letter
The best stories often come about by serendipity. That’s the only way to explain how writer Justin Kingsley came to find himself on a whirlwind four-day jaunt to the Cayman Islands to profile world-class freediver Matt Charlton, a man who thrives on an extreme sport whose devotees dive to unheard-of depths with just the air in their lungs.
I got interested in the sport a year ago. Flipping channels on a rainy weekend afternoon, I got sucked into a gripping—and, at times, gut-wrenching—documentary on the freediving community. There was bravery, intensity, comradery, drama and, in one extreme dive gone wrong, death. I got on the computer and began reading. Up popped the name Matt Charlton, local postal worker by day and, in his spare time, president of the Canadian Association of Freediving and Apnea and a member of Canada’s national freediving team.
When I contacted him in late March to see whether he would be up for a profile and when the local outdoor free-diving season got underway, Charlton responded that he would love to participate—right after he got back from an upcoming three-week trip to the Cayman Islands for a big international competition. I fired off an e-mail to Kingsley under the subject line “Wanna go to the Cayman Islands?” Not surprisingly, it was an easy sell. The result—thanks to Charlton’s accommodating nature and Kingsley’s willingness to jump onto a plane on a few weeks’ notice—is “Depth Charge” (page 26), a truly riveting read.
This issue also marks Ottawa Magazine’s third annual short-fiction edition. I am thrilled to present new works by local literary heavyweights Elizabeth Hay and Frances Itani, a piece by Scott Randall, whose short story in last year’s edition garnered much praise, and a reprint of “Ragtime” from Cobalt Blue, Mary Borsky’s second collection of short stories. Given their hectic touring and writing schedules, I am honoured that everyone found time to write! Elizabeth Hay, winner of the Giller Prize for last year’s Late Nights on Air, is already hard at work on a new novel, and travel plans include a trip to the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts in Sechelt, B.C., as well as the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Frances Itani, who was made a member of the Order of Canada last fall, is working on two novels. Catch her reading at the Bonnechere Authors Festival in Arnprior in July. (After that, it’s off to Australia in the fall for the Brisbane Writers Festival.) Scott Randall’s new collection of stories, Character Actor, is scheduled to be released this summer, so look for it at local bookstores, and Mary Borsky is hard at work on a new novel called Osvaldo’s Chicken. The photographs that accompany the works were conceived of by Sarah Fisher, Joseph Jeremie Roy, Sarah Schorlemer, and Sarai Strikefoot—four extremely talented students from the School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa. Sit back and enjoy.
COMING UP: Ottawa Magazine’s connoisseurs of all that is fine in food and drink tour the city, nibbling, sipping, and taking notes—it’s a tough gig!—to tell you all you need to know to make your next party the talk of the town. Melanie Scott scores a rare interview with Pinchas Zukerman, and Michael Prentice tours the CBC.
Sarah Brown
Editor
Columns
DRINK: Natalie MacLean demystifies the
world of wine and spirits with keen wit and sharp insight
FOOD: The controversial Chris Knight, a meat-and-potatoes
gourmet, takes his highly trained palate to town
RESTAURANTS: Our restaurant critic travels incognito
to bring back the honest-to-a-fault goods on the city's latest
dining establishments
ENTERTAINMENT LISTINGS: A comprehensive guide to the
best activities, shows and exhibitions in the region
Special Editions
|
Back to Top 