Care Of

In the early days of the coronavirus lockdown, like every artist and creator, writer and storyteller Ivan Coyote was faced with a calendar full of cancelled shows and a heart full of questions that all rhymed with what now? To keep busy while figuring out what to write about next, Ivan began to answer the backlog of mail and correspondences that had come in while they were on the pre-pandemic road: emails, letters, direct messages on social media, soggy handwritten notes found tucked under the windshield wiper of their car after a gig, all of it.

InCare Of, Coyote combines themost moving and powerful of these letters with the responses they've sent in the months since the lockdown. Taken together, they become an affirming and joyous reflection on many of the themes and ideas central to Coyote's beloved work as an author and storyteller a giant love letter to the idea of human connection and the power of truly listening to each other. (From McClelland & Stewart)

Care Ofis onthe shortlist for the 2021 Governor General's Literary Award for nonfiction. The winners will be announced on Nov. 17, 2021.

IvanCoyote is a writer, storyteller and performer from Yukon. They havewritten more than a dozen books, created four short films and released three albums combining storytelling with music, and are known for exploring gender identity and queer liberation in their writing. Their other books includeTomboy Survival Guide,Rebent Sinner,Gender Failure,One in Every Crowdand the novelBow Grip.Coyote won the 2020 Freedom to Read Award, in recognition of their body of work that examines class, gender identity and social justice.

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Why Ivan Coyote wrote Care Of

"I wasn't envisioning it as a manuscript when I first started writing it. I was literally just answering letters.I would just go to the next letter that called to me. Eventually I was working on a book, officially. Itshifted then.

"But I kept that random selection, letting my intuition tell me one was the next part of the conversation. If you sit down to read it from back to back, you notice how much magic and coincidence is in there.

If you sit down to read it from back to back, you notice how much magic and coincidence is in there.

"Both the live school shows and publishing books are an act of healing my own self, to some degree.I do what I can doto make sure that everybody gets to be a hero of astory at some point. What a fundamentally beautifulgift that is to be able togive to someone else."

Read more in their interview with The Next Chapter.

Interviews with Ivan Coyote

17:12Ivan Coyote on Care Of

Ivan Coyote talks to Shelagh Rogers about Care Of: Letters, Connections and Cures.

A mantra for the misgendered: Storyteller Ivan Coyote offers some 'armour' for trans kids

4 years ago

Duration 5:11

Watch the prolific Coyote's moving performance from our virtual special Queer Pride Inside.