Marjorie Doyle in conversation with Michelle Porter and Clayton Smith

MICHELLE PORTER is the descendent of Métis musicians from the prairies. Her first novel, A Grandmother Begins the Story (2023), was shortlisted for the Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. She’s the author of two nonfiction books, Approaching Fire and Scratching River, and one book of poetry, Inquiries. Currently, she lives in Newfoundland and Labrador where she teaches creative writing.

CLAYTON B. SMITH is a writer from outport Newfoundland, currently residing in St. John’s. He has a joint Honours degree in English and philosophy and a diploma in creative writing from Memorial University. His writing has appeared in various literary magazines, including Riddle Fence and Paragon. A Seal of Salvage is Clayton’s first novel, and he is currently in the process of writing his second book which is set to be published by Breakwater in 2026. 

MARJORIE DOYLE has published five books of non-fiction. Her columns and essays have appeared in the Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, National Post, Fiddlehead, Geist, Calgary Herald, Queen’s Quarterly, Antigonish Review. Her broadcast career included hosting the national CBC radio show That Time of the Night. Marjorie has been awarded a National Magazine Award, two CBC Radio Awards for Programming Excellence as well as a Golden Sheaf nomination for the documentary Regarding Our Father. As a musician, she was the first female member of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Band.  A former Chair of The Writers’ Union of Canada, she has read across Canada and was writer-in-residence at Haig Brown House on Vancouver Island.