"One of the area's finest new talents." - The Chronicle-Herald
"Jon Tattrie might be the busiest writer in Atlantic Canada." - Atlantic Books Today profile of The Next Wave of East Coast writers.
Jon Tattrie's writing has been covered in front-page articles on the Globe & Mail and the Chronicle Herald, by Metro, the Canadian Press, CBC Radio, TV and CBC.ca, CTV, Global, Transcontinental Media, the King's Journalism Review, Salty Ink and numerous other outlets.
His best-selling debut novel Black Snow sets a blistering pace following one man's desperate search through the ruins of Halifax in the horrific aftermath of the 1917 Explosion. Based on eye-witness accounts, rich in fact and full of shocking images, Black Snow shines light on the city's darkest hour.
Released at the Company House in April 2009, Black Snow hit the #2 spot on the Chronicle-Herald's best-seller list, won Silver in The Coast's the Best Local Book competition in Nov. 2009 and was named one of the Books of the Decade on the Halifax Public Libraries' official blog.
His first non-fiction book, The Hermit of Africville, was named Best Book of 2010 by readers of The Coast and was a finalist at the 2010 Atlantic Book Awards in the Democracy 250 category. It tells the extraordinary story of Africville protester Eddie Carvery.
After his African-Nova Scotian seaside community was demolished and its people dislocated by the City of Halifax in the 1960s, Eddie returned to the land he and his ancestors called home and pitched a protest tent in 1970. He's still there fighting to turn injustice into justice.
Released July 24, 2010 at the Africville summer reunion in Nova Scotia, The Hermit quickly became a No. 1 best-seller in the Chronicle Herald.
Both books are available in bookstores or online at the Nimbus website, or by calling 1-800-646-2879.
Jon's essay on the cultural future of Halifax was included in Nova Scotia: Visions of the Future, a compilation of articles commisioned by Pottersfield Press publisher Lesley Choyce to mark his company's 30th anniversary.
Jon has toured Nova Scotia extensively, speaking at schools, colleges, churches, pubs and libraries and Black Snow, The Hermit of Africville and writing. He loves book clubs: email him to get him to come to yours.