In this episode of On Creative Writing, guest host and poet Kim Mannix sits down with acclaimed Canadian author C.J. Levigne to explore her post-apolyptic novella, The Drowned Man’s Daughter.

C.J. shares the origins of the book, which came out of her experiences with climate grief and a sense of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes how these experiences, combined with her fascination for the rugged beauty of the Nova Scotia coastline, shaped the novella’s evocative setting—a small, weather-beaten fishing village teetering on the edge of environmental collapse.

C.J. offers listeners a behind-the-scenes look at her writing process, revealing how she balances meticulous research with moments of creative spontaneity. She discusses the challenges of editing The Drowned Man’s Daughter, particularly when it came to maintaining narrative tension and emotional resonance in a shorter format.

Kim and C.J. discuss the novella’s unique blend of speculative genres, including elements of magical realism, folklore, and eco-fiction. C.J. explains how she wove together these threads to create a story that feels both timeless and urgently contemporary, reflecting anxieties about climate change while also drawing on the mythic traditions of the Atlantic coast.

The episode also highlights C.J.’s experience working with NeWest Press’s Barbour Books imprint, which is focused on acquiring speculative fiction. C.J. talks about collaborating with Barbour’s new editor, Jenna Butler, whose keen editorial eye and passion for innovative storytelling helped shape the final manuscript. She shares anecdotes from the editing process, including tough decisions about what to cut and what to expand, and how Jenna’s feedback pushed her to deepen the core of the story.

C.J. works full-time and mentions the "bl**dy mindedness" she employed to finish The Drowned Man’s Daughter, working from initial drafts through rounds of revision and the uncertainties of submitting to publishers.

She emphasizes the importance of research—not just into the environmental science that underpins the novella’s world, but also into the folklore and oral histories of coastal communities. Kim and C.J. touch on the role of community in the novella and on how isolation and connection are mirrored in both the story and the author’s own creative journey.

Listeners will come away with a richer understanding of blending genres, including dystopian fiction, building immersive settings, and working with a supportive editorial team. It is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of literature, place, and pressing contemporary themes.

Host Kim Mannix is a poet who has just released her debut collection, Confirm Humanity. Read Kim's interview with On Creative Writing.