Michael Redhill (born 12 June 1966) is an American-born Canadian poet, playwright and novelist.[ Michael Redhill at The Canadian Encyclopedia] He also writes under the pseudonym Inger Ash Wolfe.[ "Michael Redhill Wins 2017 Giller Prize". Canadian Press, 11/20/2017. Victoria Ahearn]
Early life and education
Redhill was born in
Baltimore,
Maryland, United States, and was raised in the metropolitan area of
Toronto,
Ontario, Canada.
[ "Giller Prize winner Michael Redhill on literature and living in Toronto". The Globe and Mail, December 3, 2017] He pursued one year of study at Indiana University, and then returned to Canada, completing his education at
York University and the University of Toronto.
Career
Redhill worked on the editorial board of Coach House Press from 1993 to 1996, and was the publisher of the Canadian literary magazine
Brick from 2000 to 2009. In 2001, his novel
Martin Sloane was shortlisted for the
Giller Prize.
[ "Giller prize will help author Michael Redhill make ends meet". Toronto Star, Deborah Dundas, November 20, 2017] He won the Giller Prize in 2017 for his novel
Bellevue Square.
His newest poetry book, Twitch Force, was published in 2019.[ "20 works of Canadian poetry to check out in spring 2019". CBC Books, January 25, 2019.][ "Twitch Force by Michael Redhill". Quill & Quire, April, 2019.]
Work as Inger Ash Wolfe
In 2012, Redhill revealed that he is also the author of novels published under the
pen name Inger Ash Wolfe,
[Michael Redhill, "The real Inger Ash Wolfe stands up". The Globe and Mail, July 27, 2012.] described by the publishers of Wolfe's 2008 mystery as a
pseudonym for a "well-known and well-regarded North American literary novelist". The pseudonym was originally to be Inger Wolf until it was recognized that a Danish crime writer already uses that
Inger Wolf.
[Sarah Weinman, "Inger Ash Wolfe Responds", February 6, 2008]
As Wolfe, Redhill published his first mystery novel The Calling in 2008, released simultaneously in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. While the book received good reviews, speculation as to the author's real identity played a large role in many of them. Canadian reviewers suggested Linda Spalding, Michael Redhill, Jane Urquhart and David Adams Richards, among others.[This list comes from a review by Mary Jo Anderson in The Nova Scotian: "Who is Mystery Writer: Speculation Abounds on ID of 'Inger Ash Wolfe", May 25, 2008. See also: Vit Wagner, "Book mystery: Who is Inger Ash Wolfe?: Speculation about identity of crime novel's pseudonymous author creates buzz for forthcoming book", February 17, 2008, Toronto Star.] American reviewers suggested Margaret Atwood, and Farley Mowat.[Michael Sims, "'The Calling' by Inger Ash Wolfe: A woman detective must unmask and stop a vicious serial killer in rural Canada", LA Times Book Review, May 5, 2008.] The second novel by Wolfe, The Taken, was published in 2010. The third, A Door in the River, was published in 2012. Each of the books features series detective Hazel Micallef. The fourth novel in the series, The Night Bell, was published in 2015. In August 2014, a film version of The Calling was released, starring Susan Sarandon as Hazel Micallef.
Publications
Poetry
-
Music for Silence (self-published, 1985)
-
Temporary Captives (privately published, 1989)
-
Impromptu Feats of Balance (Don Mills, ON: Wolsak and Wynn, 1990)
-
Lake Nora Arms (Toronto: Coach House, 1993; reissued by House of Anansi, 2001)
-
Asphodel (Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1997)
-
Light-Crossing (Toronto: House of Anansi, 2001)
-
Twitch Force (Toronto: House of Anansi, 2019)
Fiction
Fiction as Inger Ash Wolfe
-
The Calling (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2008)
-
The Taken (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2010)
-
A Door in the River (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2012)
-
The Night Bell (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2015)
Drama
-
Heretics (privately published, 1993)
-
Building Jerusalem (Toronto: Playwrights Union Canada, 2001)
-
Goodness (Toronto: Coach House, 2005)
Anthologies
-
Discord of Flags (privately published, 1992) (co-editor)
-
Blues and True Conclusions (Toronto: House of Anansi, 1996)
-
Lost Classics (Toronto: Knopf Canada, 2000) (edited with Esta Spalding, Michael Ondaatje and Linda Spalding)
Awards
Building Jerusalem
-
Winner of the Dora Award, Best New Play, 2000
-
Winner of the Chalmers Award, 2001
-
Nominated for the Governor General's Award for Drama, 2001
Martin Sloane
-
Winner of the Books in Canada First Novel Award, 2001
-
Winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Canadian-Caribbean Region), 2002
-
Nominated for the Giller Prize, 2001
-
Nominated for the City of Toronto Book Award, 2002
-
Nominated for the Trillium Book Award, 2002
-
Nominated for the Torgi/CNIB Award, 2002
Consolation
-
Winner of the City of Toronto Book Award, 2007
-
Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, 2007
Bellevue Square
-
Won the Scotiabank Giller Prize, 2017
Other awards
-
The League of Canadian Poets National Poetry Contest, first prize, 1988
-
Norma Epstein Award for poetry (University of Toronto), 1990
-
The E.J. Pratt Prize for poetry (University of Toronto), 1991
-
The Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award, for Goodness, 2006
-
Scotsman Fringe First Award, (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), 2006
Personal life
Redhill has two sons and lives in Toronto.
He had left in his bank account when he cashed the Giller Prize cheque for Bellevue Square.
External links
