“I don’t know anyone in this country who is doing this kind of work, writing this very quietly explosive surrealism.” – Stuart Ross

Jason Heroux has written four books of poetry, including Natural Capital, which was shortlisted for the RELIT Poetry award, and Hard Work Cheering Up Sad Machines. His poetry has appeared in numerous anthologies, including Breathing Fire 2: Canada’s New Poets, and three editions of Best Canadian Poetry in English. He has also appeared in magazines and journals in Canada, the U.S, Belgium, France and Italy. His novels include Good Evening, Central Laundromat which was shortlisted for the RELIT Novel award, We Wish You a Happy Killday, and Amusement Park of Constant Sorrow. In their review, The Varsity likened the novel to Kafka’s The Metamorphoses, calling it “a puzzle perfectly jigsawed together to capture both the mundane nature and the complexities of everyday life.”

This year, Jason released his first collection of short stories, Survivors of the Hive, which explores survival, attack and the difficulty individuals have letting go of what’s gone in order to live with what’s left. In her review, Jeanette Lynes says “the stories in Survivors of the Hive crackle and pop with Jason Heroux’s signature surrealism, inquisitive edge, and dark humour… Heroux possesses an uncanny knack for bending the everyday and before we know it, we’re in strange worlds rich with linguistic play and dissolving boundaries between past and future, memory and dream.”

Jason Heroux was Kingston’s third Poet Laureate. Originally from Montreal, Jason lives in Kingston with his wife Soheir, and their three cats, Akira, Pablo, and Neruda.

Jason Heroux’s appearance is supported by Author Patrons Queen’s University Archives.

Appearing in 28. Late Nights with KWF: Hives of Activity