Dear Seekers

I’m joined by two incredibly talented and funny writers, editors, novelists, mothers (in no particular order) - Jen sookfong Lee (also a celebrated poet) and Stacey May Fowles (also an award-winning sports journalist).After their first collaboration on Whatever Gets You Through: Twelve Survivors on Life After Sexual Assault, they joined forces again in 2020 to work on another anthology. Except this time, it was on a topic that they both found very close to home- literary life and motherhood. Published this May, Good Mom on Paper is a collection of twenty essays, exploring the fraught, beautiful, and complicated relationship between creativity and motherhood. Subscribe on Substack to gain early access to all of our podcast conversations, plus exclusive essays and letters.Leave us a review or comment on Spotify or Apple podcast.Connect with us on Instagram at Dear Seekers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today's episode is a Mother's Day special featuring an audio montage from Dear Seekers' past conversations with five writers who mother- Victoria Chang, Claudia Dey, Harriet Alida Lye, Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr and Heidi Sopinka.Subscribe on Substack to gain early access to all of our podcast conversations, plus exclusive essays and letters.Leave us a review or comment on Spotify or Apple podcast.Connect with us on Instagram at Dear Seekers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My second conversation from The Write Way to Mother series is with Ashley Audrain, author of one of the most celebrated debuts in 2021, The Push - a novel about motherhood (in a nutshell). It raises some very dark questions like: what if we don’t form a connection with our children? What happens if our children turn out to be someone we absolutely did not anticipate? The novel has been sold in over 20 countries and was on the New York Times best selling list for WEEKs. After many lined up to bid on the screen right, U.K. producer David Heyman eventually won the bid. He is known for his work on the Harry Potter films, A Marriage Story, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and many more. Ashley is such a warm and welcoming person and I enjoyed our conversation very much. We talked so much about motherhood and writing: how she managed to find stolen times to write during those early motherhood days; how motherhood was the catalyst for her to step out of the shadow and became a best-selling author; and how differen

Today, I’m joined by Germany-born, Toronto-based Jeanine Brito, who I first connected with through Instagram many years ago when she was still working on Sophomore, a magazine that she created in her early twenties with a group of good friends. Even though Jeanine had been working as a designer in a various of companies over the years- from an interactive designer in a tech start-up, to a graphic designer at Umbra, and eventually to the creative lead at Global Mail’s Content Studio, I always knew there was an artist in her. To be fair, I’m sure she knew that too. But it wasn’t until the pandemic that Jeanine finally re-connected with her inner artist and was able to put more attention on her artistic practice and pursuit. For many artists in any discipline, finding their voices and artistic vocabulary might take years. But for Jeanine, it took one pandemic. Being forced to stay in a confined space, in a way, has evoked an if-not-now-then-when moment. With some very clear sig

Marlowe Granados definitely knows how to tease, flirt and seduce, not people, but life. Growing up with a single mother and being close with her grandparents, Marlowe’s desire to play hide-and-seek with life and grab life by its tail was never lessoned, but rather, encouraged. She takes her pursuit of pleasure very seriously, especially during difficult times. Loosing her dear mom during her teen years left a significant mark in her personal life but yet she chose to not let it be the overcasting shadow. Marlowe started writing Happy Hour when she was 22, but it wasn’t until nearly 8 years later she got to taste the fruit of her labour. After many rejections over the years, Happy Hour was eventually picked up by Flying Books in Toronto in 2020 as their first in-house publication. Since then, it has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Another, and many more. The ripple effect has put Marlow and her debut novel right under the spotlight, which turned out to be

I recently met Dear Memory, a memoir that has essentially changed my life- not only because it forced some of my own uninvited, buried childhood memories to painfully resurface, but also has opened my imagination to what a memoir could look like. My conversation today is with its author Victoria Chang, and Claire Foster, who led me to this incredible book.Victoria is a prolific poet who has written many critically-claimed and commercially-celebrated poetry books- including Barbie Chang, The Boss, and Obit, which earned her many noble awards and the spotlight that (surprisingly) led her to a two-year long depression. Victoria is one of those very intriguingly contradictory people- dark and light, reserved yet extroverted, and someone who only looks towards the future while writes to dig through the past.Claire is a literary translator from French and a bookseller at Type Books in Toronto. For Small Press and The Review of the Center for the Study of A

In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Maira Kalman, the most senior guest I’ve had on the podcast so far- she is 73, yet she is one of the most playful and dreamy people I’ve ever met. She is an author, illustrator and artist based in New York. Maira has written and illustrated over 30 books, both for adults and children, and her works have appeared in a numerous of publications, such as the New Yorker, New York Times, and many more. One of her most provocative works was Sara Berman’s Closet, a memoir of her late mother Sara- who immigrated from Belarus to Tel Aviv in 1932, one day in her 60s, self edited, self reinvented and created a new identity, and since then, had never looked back and exclusively worn only white pieces. After her death, her personal garments and belongings were preserved by Maira, and eventually exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. During our conversation, Maira talks about the daily rituals she has been practising for over 25 years, the power of not knowing

My first guest for this series is Rachel Yoder, author of Nightbitch- a novel published last year in 2021. Although it’s categorized as novel, I would argue it’s more a cross-genre piece that is part auto-fiction, part science-fiction, part memoir and part novel. The protagonist in the book is an artist and stay-at-home mom who turns into a dog (yes, you read it right). This is one of the most bizarre and imaginative books I’ve read in a long time. It’s dark, funny, weird and wild. It’s magical. It’s provocative. It’s an easy read to devour yet a difficult read to digest. This is a very special episode- not only because it’s the first of this series, but also because I’m joined by a co-host for the first time. Her name is Elizabeth Polanco, a writer, editor based in Toronto. When Elizabeth isn’t writing or editing, she works at one of the most beloved vintage shops- Mama Loves You. Elizabeth was the one introduced me to Nightbitch. So I thought it would be interesting to invite h

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Jackie Kai Ellis, a multi-hyphenate who splits her time between Paris and Vancouver. Jackie has started many creative and artistic endeavors in her life. Big and Small. After pursuing her passion for pastry in Paris, Jackie opened an award winning bakery and cafe Bouquet in Vancouver, which she has since then sold to two of her original teams. She wrote a memoir - The Measure of My Powers which later became a national best seller. She created The Paris Tour that hosts pastry tours in Paris, and now she writes an advice column- Ask Jackie for Vitruvi’s Natural Habitat magazine and is the head of Product development for Flax Home.In this conversation, we talk about memory, its fluidity, movement and how it influences the way we see ourselves. We talk about Jackie’s creative process of writing her memoir and what it has helped her discover. We also touch upon digital footprint and exchange thoughts. We caught Jackie in a very transit

I’m very excited to bring you the first episode of 2022. Today’s conversation is with Chidiogo Akunyili-Parr, a writer, teacher, and daughter of Dorothy Akunyili, a Pan-African hero who battled corruption and faced down misogyny in Nigeria.In this conversation, Chidiogo shares her experience writing this part-autobiography, part memoir; she touches upon language and how each language we speak evokes different parts of our personalities and memories, and we also exchange thoughts on motherhood and healing, and how these two intersect and interwind.This is a very rich conversation. I really hope you can join me to the end.Our Substack subscribers have early access to each episode and exclusive personal letters.Fancy to subscribe? You can head to our Substack here.Connect on Instagram at @DearSeekers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This conversation is with Lee Dekel, owner of 100 percent Silk, a shop and gallery space located on Queen st. West in Toronto. Lee also designs their in-house label 100 percent silk. Yes, same name. Same philosophy. The idea is to bring hard to find independent labels that champion the artisanal techniques and craftsmanship, which sadly are dying. Lee has created a universe that is very unique and distinctive. This free-flowing conversation touched upon a wide span of topics, including new motherhood, social media, being a creative during the pandemic, creative collaborations and more. Dear Seekers is now a bi-weekly newsletter sent out on every other Sunday morning with podcast conversations like this one, column and diary style essays like this one, and sometimes internet rabbit hole finds. As a newsletter subscriber, you have early access to a more raw and less edited episode. Photography: Vai Yu LawListen and leave us a review on Apple Podcast.  Also available on Spotify, St

Today’s conversation is with Nike Onile, an interior and spatial designer based in Toronto. Back in 2017, we connected through Instagram. During that time, Nike was running her design agency 800 square feet, and The apartment, which allowed customers to shop every single thing in that apartment. From the bed linens to the clothes hanging in the closet. It was a big hit. Nike not only gained tons of press, but also lots of industry recognition. But the thing is the business was running faster than she could keep up with. And behind all the glamour and rainbow, Nike felt incredibly unfulfilled. In the end, she decided to let it go and went into a long period of what she called it “creative hibernation”. And Nike is now back on the grid. Just rebranded her business to a brand new concept, ODE studio, which allows her to sink her teeth into multi-disciplinary design. She is a regular design expert on CityLine, and has been featured by House and Home, NUVO magazine and most recently, Refinery 29. In this conv

Hi hi, I'm (sort of) back. In this episode, I'm sharing some important updates about Dear Seekers and where we are heading. First and foremost, we're now on Substack! If you're a Dear Seekers subscriber, you should have received two letters from me already. If you missed it, you can still head to our Substack to read the past letters. For those of you who don't want to read the second letter but prefer to listen to it, I've recorded an audio version that you can listen to...in this episode (Starting at 8'30).Some house keeping things if you're new there:Get in touch on Instagram at @DearSeekersSign up to our newsletter here.Read about the NEW Dear Seekers here.For he past home-visit photos, you can still visit our website here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Despite of being an award-winning dancer and having worked with some big names like Rihanna, Drake, and Backstreet Boys, when it comes to accepting her own achievements, Esie Mensah has come a long way. Throughout her career years, Esie has been constantly exploring internally as an artist. And by doing that, her voice has been getting stronger and stronger. As the creator of the beautiful theatre show Shades, which re-examines the wound caused by prejudice against a person based on the darkness of their skin colour, Esie hopes to provides a healing opportunity for its audiences while challenging them to confront themselves and to shift their defaults. She recently appeared on Ted Talks  to continually exploring shadeism, not through dance- the art form she is familiar with, but with speaking words instead. By knowing that she has a message to give, Esie delivered it with a standing ovation. Photography: Vai Yu LawListen and leave us a review on Apple Podcast.  Also available on Spoti

Someone once said, "a rich life experience is what makes a good writer great." As it may not be true for many, it's certainly the case for Harriet Alida Lye. Just at 15 years old, Harriet was diagnosed with a form of Leukaemia called Natural Killer that the average survival time of patients is fifty-eight days. Another chilling fact: Harriet is the only known survivor. It’s almost like a given blessing to have this illness so that she could be the one to tell this uniquely important story. Years later after living in many cities in the world, Harriet is finally settled in Toronto with her partner, their son and two dogs. She currently lives in a "hipster mansion" as she refers to in her memoir Natural Killer. Before this book, Harriet debuted her misty and unsettling novel The Honey Farm, which was praised by a numerous of major publications. The New York Times called it "a buzzworthy debut". Her work has also been published in The Globe and Mail, The National Post, The Happy Reader and many more.Pre-ord

Just like the company she co-created, Nicole Campbell is whimsical, humorous, witty, and fun. Through Grape Witches, she intents to make nature wine approachable and available. They have a monthly nature wine delivery service, they host the most desirable and whimsical art parties, they consult at private events, like birthdays and wedding receptions, and they also host educational sessions spreading knowledge about nature wine.  Having worked in the wine and hospitality industry for years, Nicole has learnt a lot about what she loves, and what she doesn't about this industry. She loves nature wine, obviously, its producers around the world and the makers behind each bottle, but she gets quite turned off by how pretentious, exclusive, and male dominated this industry can be. So, she and her partner Krista Oben are here to change that. Photography: Vai Yu LawListen and leave us a review on Apple Podcast.  Also available on Spotify, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. Con

My conversation with Zai Rajkotwala , owner of two of the most beloved shops in Toronto, Easy Tiger and Ease, exchanged in the cutest, tiniest house in the west end. Her home is an extension of her shops- full of quirky, hand-made, colourful objects. The things she has been collecting, the things she adores, and the things that touch the deepest part of her sentimental self. They are everywhere, but all seem to be situated in the right place with the same amount of care and love. Photography: Vai Yu LawListen and leave us a review on Apple Podcast.  Also available on Spotify, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.Sign up to Seeker Supply, a monthly love letter for seekers by seekers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's quite difficult to define what Deborah Wang actually does.To introduce her as one, two, or even three professional titles would neglect her ability of spreading her wings further. She completed a Master of Architecture in University of Waterloo and Master of Fine Arts at OCAD; worked as a senior designer at Toronto's Architecture and Design firm Superkül; and beyond that, she has built DesignTO - an annual art and design festival, alongside a group of dedicated friends.Before interviewing Deborah, I was quite amazed and curious about how she makes all of these projects possible. After our conversation, it has become pretty clear. Her perspective on life and death has liberated her to be someone who takes on projects that interest her at the moment. She doesn't plan very ahead. Instead, she chooses to immerse herself into meaningful projects, one at a time.Deborah has lived a fulfilled and meaningful life, one that continues to evolve.Listen and leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Also available

Virginia Johnson is a Toronto-based textile designer, painter, illustrator, and is also the author of Travels Through the French Riviera, a beautiful coffee table book marrying dreamy watercolour illustrations with practical travel guides. Her clothing line has been picked up by major retailers like Barneys, Anthropologie, Holt Renfrew and her illustration has been commissioned by Vogue, New York Magazine, Flare and so on. During our conversation, Virginia shares the mistakes she made when starting a fashion label at the age of 23 and the lessons she carried with her; she talks about the advice she took, and the ones she chose to ignore; and she shares how her mom becoming a published writer in her 70s has inspired her to never let herself "age into irrelevance".Photography: Vai Yu LawListen and leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Also available on Spotify, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.Sign up to Seeker Supply, a monthly love letter

As soon as you enter Rachel Hale's apartment in Bloordale village, you can immediately sense a mix of slowness and vibrancy, just like herself. Rachel is a multi-faceted creative with an extensively diverse background. Her winding path has led her to where she is now - working as a community manager, creative producer and TV host, however, Rachel isn't putting herself in any category and is always seeking to expand personally, professionally and creatively. We chat about her experience and takes on being by-racial; her new moon and full moon rituals; and the power of trusting the process. Photography: Vai Yu LawListen and leave us a review on Apple Podcast. Also available on Spotify, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.Sign up to Seeker Supply, a monthly love letter for seekers by seekers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.