Sixty seconds with Anthony Bidulka…
Bidulka’s books have been nominated for Lambda Literary Awards, Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, Saskatchewan Book Awards, and a ReLit award. Flight of Aquavit was awarded the Lambda Literary Award for Best Men’s Mystery, making Bidulka the first Canadian to win in that category.
Anthony writes traditional genre novels in an untraditional way, developing a body of work featuring underrepresented settings and characters.
RTE: Describe yourself in a sentence?
Bidulka: When I’m not writing or busy volunteering on boards, I love to travel, collect art, walk my dogs, obsess over decorating Christmas trees (it’s a thing), and throw a good party.
RTE: What’s the one record you’d take to a desert island?
Bidulka: A sound effects record with tracks of rain storms, birds singing, people laughing, crowds.
RTE: What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Bidulka: Totally a writer. I used tape my favourite TV shows on a tape recorder (youngsters, look it up) then transcribe them on a typewriter (youngsters, look it up), adding my own creative touches.
RTE: Who’s your oldest friend?
Bidulka: We both moved to the big city from farming communities at about the same time and had fun getting dressed up to go dancing until the wee hours then visit a Country Style Donut shop.
RTE: If I ruled the world…
Bidulka: Kindness would be the more valued currency.
RTE: Which book do you wish you’d written?
Bidulka: Harry Potter
RTE: What makes you angry?
Bidulka: Self-absorbed people being inconsiderate of others
RTE: Name your five dream dinner party guests.
Bidulka: The sitting Prime Minister of Canada
Pope of Rome
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Oprah Winfrey
My spouse
RTE: Who would you least like to be stuck in a lift with?
Bidulka: Oscar the Grouch, because he probably doesn’t smell great and wouldn’t be very positive about our chances of getting rescued.
RTE: What inspired you to start writing?
Bidulka: Getting lost in books as a child was such a wonderful feeling I wanted to be part of their creation.
RTE: Where would you most like to live?
Bidulka: On an acreage outside of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
RTE: Sum up your latest book in no more than 12 words.
Bidulka: Going home to start over isn’t easy for transgender detective Merry Bell.
See more terrific 60 second interviews with your favourite crime writers at Reviewing the Evidence Interviews