Merilyn Simonds

About this episode

Merilyn Simonds discusses her writing process, recent works, and the themes of aging and friendship.

My guest on this episode is Merilyn Simonds. Merilyn is the author of more than 20 books, most recently Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay and the novel Refuge . Her most recent book is Walking with Beth: Conversations with My Hundred-Year-Old Friend , which was published by Random House Canada in 2025, and was a national bestseller. Author Suzette Mayr says, about the book, that “Simonds explores aging, connection, and the power of family and community with a poetic grace that is unparalleled in this moving meditation on a friendship between two remarkable and unforgettable women.”   Merilyn and I talk about the well-known and beloved editor whose process was so intense and so unrelenting it actually made her ill, about why she never pitches her books to publishers before she is finished writing them, and why she has zero plans to retire from writing anytime soon. This podcast is produced and hosted by Nathan Whitlock , in partnership with The Walrus . Music: "simple-hearted thing" by  Alex Lukashevsky . Used with permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Nathan Whitlock

Guest: Merilyn Simonds

Topics covered

• aging
• friendship
• writing process
• literature
• community

Keywords

• Merilyn Simonds
• Nathan Whitlock
• writing
• books
• friendship
• aging
• literature

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Random House Canada

Books & works: Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay, Refuge, Walking with Beth: Conversations with My Hundred-Year-Old Friend

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