Genni Gunn

Genni Gunn is an author, musician and translator. Born in Trieste, she came to Canada as a child. She has published twelve books: three novels -- Solitaria (longlisted for the Giller Prize 2011), Tracing Iris (made into a film, The Riverbank), and Thrice Upon a Time (finalist for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize); three short story collections -- Permanent Tourists, Hungers and On the Road; three poetry collections -- Faceless, Mating in Captivity (finalist for the Gerald Lampert Award), and Accidents; and a collection of personal essays, TRACKS: Journeys in Time and Place. As well, she has translated from Italian three collections of poems by two renowned Italian authors: Devour Me Too (finalist for the John Glassco Translation Prize) and Traveling in the Gait of a Fox (finalist for the Premio Internazionale Diego Valeri for Literary Translation) by Dacia Maraini, and Text Me by Corrado Calabrò. Two of Gunn’s books have been translated into Italian and Dutch.

As well as books, she has written an opera libretto, Alternate Visions, produced by Chants Libres in 2007 (music by John Oliver), and projected in a simulcast at The Western Front in Vancouver; her poem, "Hot Summer Nights" has been turned into classical vocal music by John Oliver, and performed internationally. Before she turned to writing full-time, Gunn toured Canada extensively with a variety of bands (bass guitar, piano and vocals). Since then, she has performed at hundreds of readings and writers’ festivals. Gunn has a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. from the University of British Columbia. She lives in Vancouver.

From Genni Gunn

Accidents - Di Cicco Poetry Prize

Posted on: Monday, April 29, 2024

Genni Gunn's poetry collection Accidents has been shortlisted for the 2024 Di Cicco Poetry Prize.

Signature Editions Highlighted at McNally Robinson

Posted on: Wednesday, July 5, 2023

McNally Robinson Booksellers currently has a display highlighting several Signature Editions titles. This display is part of McNally Robinson’s ongoing celebration of work from Manitoba publishers, co-presented with the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers.

Text Me Manitoba Book Award nomination

Posted on: Friday, April 3, 2015

Terry Gallagher of Doowah Design has just been shortlisted for the Manuela Dias Book Design Award for Text Me!

Genni Gunn is Whistler’s writer-in-residence

Posted on: Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Novelist, translator and poet Genni Gunn, nominated for the Giller Prize in 2011 for her novel Solitaria, has been named as Whistler's 2014 writer-in-residence. Each writer-in-residence works and stays in Whistler over the fall, working with the students from early September to early November. Gunn will help 12 writers with their own projects during her stay. Gunn will also take part in the annual Whistler Readers and Writers Festival, October 17-19, 2014.