K.R. Byggdin is having quite a busy year. Not only are they finishing up a Bachelor of Arts degree with combined honours in English and Creative Writing in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at AV俱乐部 鈥� they are also launching their debut novel, .
Wonder World as the story of Isaac Funk, a young queer man who returns to his conservative Mennonite hometown of Newfield, Manitoba due to the death of his Opa. Having come back home after a decade on his own in Halifax, Isaac must finally confront his difficult past with both his father and his community and consider whether reconciliation is possible or even desirable for him.
Byggdin, who grew up in rural Manitoba, says they drew from their own childhood when crafting the setting for this book.聽 They add that they hope the characters in this story will resonate with people who may have grown up queer and from a rural background.
鈥淭hat said, I鈥檓 not Isaac and he鈥檚 not me,鈥� says Byggdin. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the joy in writing fiction for me, to take ideas and places I am familiar with and then let my imagination run off with them to new narrative ground that it is connected to, but at the same time very different from, my own experiences. In a way, I鈥檓 also writing Isaac鈥檚 story for the younger me. I didn鈥檛 really have access to any queer writing about people like me when I was growing up, but I sure wish I had. I hope this book can be that story for those who might need it now.鈥�
A storyteller鈥檚 journey
While this is their first novel to be published, Byggdin says they鈥檝e always been a storyteller.
鈥淚 think my first written story was a bit of Franklin the Turtle fan fiction I typed out on my parent鈥檚 electric typewriter and illustrated by hand when I was five,鈥� says Byggdin. 鈥淏ut it wasn鈥檛 until I moved to Halifax that I got really serious about crafting work that could be publishable.鈥�
For several years, Byggdin worked in university administration jobs while developing their creative writing skills and portfolio on their own time. They joined the Writers鈥� Federation of Nova Scotia; participated in several workshops, mentorship and intensive programs; and had pieces published in anthologies and journals nationally and internationally. But when the pandemic hit, they started to re-evaluate their life and came to a simple conclusion.
鈥淚 really, really wanted to be spending my time writing. I knew that coming to Dal for an honours degree would be the best way to move towards my future goal of an MFA, and I had heard good things about the Creative Writing program here, so I decided to apply. Luckily, I was accepted, and now here I am just a month out from graduation! Honestly, it鈥檚 a bit surreal to realize I鈥檓 actually this close to the finish line.鈥�
A supportive environment
Byggdin says that throughout their time at Dal, their profs have all been very accommodating and encouraging of their writing and offered a lot of practical assignments that helped them think more deeply about their writing practice both inside and outside the classroom. At the end of each semester, Byggdin would often return to those stories, poems and essays, using instructors鈥� feedback to polish each piece to the point where it might interest a journal. One of their stories from class went on to win the Clare Murray Fooshee Fiction Prize at AV俱乐部 and was accepted for publication in a literary magazine based in New Zealand.
鈥淚t was great to have opportunities in each of my classes to strengthen my creative writing and critical thinking skills, as both of those things will help me continue to hone my craft as a writer once I leave Dal.鈥�
Byggdin says that this past year has been particularly busy, especially the fall term, working on a full course load, their honours capstone, and final novel edits for their publisher all at once.
鈥淭here were definitely some long nights, and I didn鈥檛 really get a weekend for four months,鈥� Byggdin says. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure I鈥檇 exactly encourage other students to choose the same intensive path I did, but then again I guess I鈥檓 proof that it is possible when you have a fabulous support network like I did.鈥�
Ready to launch
Heather Jessup, coordinator of AV俱乐部鈥檚 Creative Writing program and one of Byggdin鈥檚 instructors, was very encouraging of their writing both in and out of the classroom.
鈥淜.R. Byggdin's writing is funny, daring, vulnerable, and human,鈥� says Jessup. 鈥淚'm so happy that Wonder World exists in the world, and it's been a pleasure and profound gift to have them at our Creative Writing 4020 Advanced Fiction workshop table this year sharing their talents.鈥� 聽
Byggdin adds they are thankful for the encouragement from their instructors and the doors they鈥檝e opened to some amazing academic, literary and networking opportunities over the past few years and they are also thankful for their spouse who provided crucial support to them and acted as a sounding board they leaned on as they worked to finish both the book and their degree simultaneously.
Byggdin will celebrate the on Saturday, April 30 at 7:00pm in the Council Chambers of the AV俱乐部 Student Union Building. 聽They will be joined at this event by special guest Francesca Ekwuyasi (author of this year鈥檚 Dal Reads selected book Butter, Honey, Pig, Bread). Both Byggdin and Ekwuyasi will give readings at the event. Staff from local bookstore and education-based sex shop Venus Envy will be there selling books and will facilitate a conversation with Byggdin and will take questions from the audience. Byggdin is excited for the event, which is open to the entire AV俱乐部 community as well as the public.
鈥淚t will be a truly wonderful thing to connect with readers after all the time I spent alone hunched over a laptop writing this book!鈥�
Facebook event: