Darren Shawn Greer (born January 1, 1968) is a Canadian writer.
Born in
Halifax,
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
, Greer lived in several small towns, including
Greenfield, Queens County, Nova Scotia
Greenfield is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Region of Queens Municipality. The sawmill in Greenfield, founded in 1832, is one of the oldest family-run sawmill businesses in North America.
Until 1850 the reg ...
and
Liverpool, Nova Scotia
Liverpool is a Canadian community and former town located along the Atlantic Ocean of the Province of Nova Scotia's South Shore. It is situated within the Region of Queens Municipality which is the local governmental unit that comprises all ...
before moving to
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
in 1990. He attended the
University of King's College
The University of King's College, established in 1789, is in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Roper, Henry. "Aspects of the History of a Loyalist College: King's College, Windsor, and Nova Scotian Higher Education in the Nineteenth Century." Anglic ...
and
Carleton University
Carleton University is an English-language public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to serve returning World ...
where he studied English literature. He lived in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
,
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
and
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
before moving back to Nova Scotia in 2010.
Novels and other writings
Greer's first novel, ''Tyler's Cape'', was published in 2001 to critical acclaim and was on the bestseller list of ''
The Chronicle Herald
''The Chronicle Herald'' is a broadsheet newspaper published in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada owned by SaltWire Network of Halifax.
The paper's newsroom staff were locked out of work from January 2016 until August 2017. ''Herald'' management cont ...
''. His second novel ''
Still Life With June'' was a critical success, earning him the
ReLit Award in 2004. The novel was also a finalist for the Pearson Canada Reader's Choice Award and the
Ferro-Grumley Award in Manhattan. The book was optioned for film in 2007 by Amaze Film and Television and published in the U.S. by
St Martin's Press
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, in the Equitable Building. St. Martin's Press is considered one of the largest English-language publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under si ...
. His long-awaited third novel, ''Just Beneath My Skin'', was released by
in May 2014. It was shortlisted for the Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award and won the 2015 Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award. He has also written for ''
Maclean's Magazine'', the ''
Ottawa Citizen
The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
History
Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the '' ...
'', ''Bywords Magazine'', the ''Stockholm Review of Literature'', ''Found Press'', the ''Found Poetry Review'' and the ''
Gay and Lesbian Review
''The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide'' (formerly ''The Harvard Gay & Lesbian Review'') is a bimonthly, nationally distributed magazine of history, culture, and politics for LGBT people and their allies who are interested in the gamut of social, ...
'' and in 2005 published a book of 16 essays in the categories of memoir, political science and contemporary art. In a review of the essays in ''
Books in Canada
''Books in Canada'' was a monthly magazine that reviewed Canadian literature, published in print form between 1971 and 2008. In its heyday it was the most influential literary magazine in Canada.
Foundation
One of the co-founders of ''Books in Ca ...
'' Canadian author and critic T.F. Rigelhof called Greer "one of the most joyously alive, vibrant young writers in the country." His fourth novel ''Advocate'' was released by Cormorant Books in July 2016.
Awards and nominations
*Winner of the 2017 Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award for ''Advocate.''
*Short-listed for the 2017 Thomas H Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award for ''Advocate.''
*Short-listed for the 2017 Ferro-Grumley Award for ''Advocate.''
*Winner of the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award for 2015 ''Just Beneath My Skin''
"East Coast Literary Awards celebrate authors"
. ''Atlantic Books Today'', June 8, 2015.
*Shortlisted for the Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award 2015 for ''Just Beneath My Skin''
*One Book Nova Scotia pick 2015 for ''Just Beneath My Skin.''
*Shortlisted for the 2015 Relit Award for ''Just Beneath My Skin.''
*Shortlisted for Ferro-Grumley Award 2005 for ''Still Life With June''
*Nominated for People's Choice Award 2004 at Word On The Street Toronto
*Winner of the 2004 Relit Award for ''Still Life With June.''
Bibliography
*''Tyler's Cape'' (2001)
*'' Still Life With June'' (2004)
*''Strange Ghosts'' (2005)
*''Just Beneath My Skin'' (2014)
*''Advocate'' (2016)
*''Outcast'' (2018)
References
External links
Cormorant Books Canada
St. Martin's Press
The Blog of Darren Greer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greer, Darren
1968 births
Canadian male novelists
Writers from Halifax, Nova Scotia
Living people
Canadian gay writers
Canadian LGBT novelists
21st-century Canadian novelists
21st-century Canadian male writers
21st-century Canadian LGBT people
Gay novelists