By Thandiwe McCarthy, Frye Correspondant
The person I’m checking in with today is Emma Donoghue who is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter and playwright. Her novel Room has sold almost three million copies, and the film adaptation was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture. Her historical fiction novels The Wonder and The Pull of the Stars were both nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. She’ll be in Moncton at the Frye Festival 2025 sharing her book The Paris Express. We shared a quick phone chat about the joy of community in playwriting.
- What story had the greatest impact on you?
I’ve always been fascinated by the Little Mermaid story. You know? What would you give up for love? Would you transform yourself for love? And would it be worth it? I find that fairy tale, you know, endlessly interesting.
2. Let’s hear about the writing practice and why it works for you?
My writing practice could be described as non monogamy, meaning I’ll be officially working on one book, and then I get an idea for something else, and I just sneak off and write to something else. I can write in the afternoons into evenings, but because I have a family, I’m kind of forced to make mornings and afternoons my writing time.
3. What part of your writing career brings you the most joy?
You know, I think my very favorite time is when I’m in a rehearsal room working on a new play. I’ve got a new play coming up at the Blyth festival this summer, and I’m just looking forward to that like nothing else. My first musical, it’s about Irish immigrants settling in Ontario in the 1840s during the Great Famine. And it’ll be a play with traditional Irish songs. So the thought of days in the rehearsal room, starting the process off with these multi-talented actors, singers, musicians, and I’m just all of a tingle. It’s so collaborative and so social. Lovely, lovely contrast with fiction.
4. Frye festival, what are you looking forward to?
I’m particularly happy to be bringing this novel in English set in France to a bilingual festival. I think it’ll be the perfect context.
I had a fun time checking in with Emma and I hope everyone supports her book, available at your local bookstore and online (already got my copy…that my visiting mother immediately stole to read ahaha). And if you want to run into Emma Donoghue and other authors come to the 2025 Frye Festival April 24 – May 4 in Moncton, New Brunswick. Hope to see you all there,
With love and Respect
Œuvres mentionnées
- Donoghue, Emma. The Paris Express. HarperCollins, 2025. (see on Tidewater Books)
Citer cet article : McCarthy, Thandiwe. « The Frye Festival Check In: Emma Donoghue ». Discours/e: Digital Catalogue for Atlantic Literatures and Cultures, 18 avril 2025. <https://discours-e.ca/2025/04/18/the-frye-festival-check-in-emma-donoghue-2/>
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Cite this document:
Emma Donoghue
Emma Donoghue est une romancière, scénariste et dramaturge primée. Son roman Room s’est vendu à près de trois millions d’exemplaires et son adaptation cinématographique a été nominée pour quatre Oscars, dont celui du meilleur film. Ses romans historiques The Wonder et The Pull of the Stars ont été nominés pour le Scotiabank Giller Prize.
Thandiwe McCarthy
Thandiwe McCarthy is a 7th generation African Canadian spoken word poet, writer, public speaker, and the culture correspondent for Maritime EDIT magazine, where he highlights Black community leaders and artists. Known for his unique "Vibe Harvesting" performances, he creates poetry spontaneously at events across the Maritimes.
Thandiwe has co-founded the New Brunswick Black Artists Alliance and organized the provincial event Emancipation Celebration. He played a key role in having August 1st recognized as Emancipation Day in New Brunswick. Though he has stepped back from volunteer work, his contributions have left a lasting impact on the community.
The "Still Here Initiative," celebrating fifteen generational Black New Brunswick families, is gearing up for a national art exhibition at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery and a globally distributed book published by Goose Lane Editions, both launching in July 2025.
Thandiwe's memoir, "Social Oblivion: Raised Black in New Brunswick," is available now.
