Anomia by Jade Wallace

The Temz Review Issue 28

I am ever so pleased that my review of Jade Wallace’s debut novel, Anomia (Palimpsest Press, 2024) has been published in the latest issue of the Temz Review. You can read the review here. This is one of my favourite reads of 2024 and a novel I will recommend to everyone, but especially to my kindred misfit pals.

The Temz Review is an online literary journal based in London, Ontario. It’s co-founding editors are Aaron Schneider and Amy Mitchell. Thanks to Aaron and Amy for publishing my review, and paying for it!

You can read my reviews of poetry and prose in Arc Poetry Magazine, Canthius, The Humber Literary Review, and forthcoming in Event Magazine and the Malahat Review.

I have 20 books (fiction, non-fiction, poetry) , I would like to place in literary journals. I have started to do reviews here on my Substack as well, beginning with To Feel the Earth As One’s Skin, the new Indigenous visual poetry anthology published by UK’s Poem Atlas.

I do reviews for a few reasons:

1. It’s an opportunity to apply my literary experience and knowledge to something I can be paid for. I have received between $20 and $140 for reviews so far. Every amount is helpful and necessary in this new frugal and joyous life that Charles and I are leading. $20 pays for two to three meals.

2. It is a way of centering and promoting voices that are continuing to be systematically excluded from literary and arts canons, which has been part of my practice as a writer, editor and publisher for many years.

3. It is a way of championing and supporting small press publishers. We need these publishers and I take every opportunity to promote the great work that they do.

4. It is a way to show my support and love for literary magazines, which are a necessity for emerging and established writers, not only because they offer them opportunities to share their work, and hopefully honoraria, but also because literary magazines are evidence of a writing and reading public, people who think and engage with ideas. In this shitebox of a world where we hear all the lies and propaganda from far-right extremists, we need art, which provides both a voice of reason and a reason to hope.

5. I love working with editors. I have rarely had an opportunity to have my work engaged with by someone who does a thorough engagement, and when it happens, especially if they can fix my various leaps in logic and typos, it’s wonderful and satisfying.

6. I fucking love books. Writing reviews is a way to engage with them in an active way.

Thank you to those who have supported my efforts via a paid or free subscription or by buying me a coffee.