The second novel from award-winning local director, playwright and actor Rod Carley is now available.
‘Kinmount’ is described as a hilarious romp behind the theatre curtain, a showdown between artistic freedom and censorship in rural Ontario.
“I sort of process through a comic filter, it’s kind of how I cope with life on a day-to-day basis. There are some serious themes in the book but they’re all delivered with humour because I think you can attract more shadflies, if they had mouths, with sugar,” Carley says.
He also says his work in the theatre heavily influences his work writing fiction.
“My books are all heavily dialogue based fiction which borrows from my theatre craft. Whether I’m directing a show or writing a novel you still ask the same questions: What does the character want as their objective? What are the obstacles that get in the way of achieving that objective? And what do they do to overcome those obstacles and how have they changed by the end of the play, the end of the book?” he says. “They’re very similar worlds and for me I find it a really rewarding cross-pollination.”
Carley says he wrote the book as a tattered, comic love letter to Canadian theatre and the importance of art to a community.
He says it should help people who are missing theatre, because of the pandemic, to feel a little less alone.
“I think the book is a really good, feel-good read for people who are missing that experience because it reminds of why it’s so important and it’s an enjoyable romp, they’ll have a good laugh,” Carley says.
The book is available locally at Allison the Bookman and Coles at Northgate, and online from Indigo, Amazon and his Sudbury publisher Latitude 46 Publishing.

(photo submitted by author)

Filed under: Kinmount, Rod Carley