Canadian landscaping
Published 11/11/2010
by Jim Piechota
http://www.ebar.com/arts/art_article.php?sec=books&article=589Missed Her by Ivan E. Coyote; Arsenal Pulp Press, $16.95
It's joyous when authors not only take pride in their hometowns, but incorporate this appreciation into the fruits of their craft. Ivan Coyote's appreciation for Vancouver and her Canadian roots has been obvious in story collections like Loose End and The Slow Fix, but even more so in the new story collection Missed Her, her fifth.
There are warm, humorous, and often emotional tones rushing throughout the 30 personal vignettes drawn from the past several years of Coyote's life. The wonderful opener ("Resident Expert") details the spontaneous education of an Ottawa Valley salesman and coffee-shop regular by Coyote, who graciously answers questions about fellatio and transgender porn actor Buck Angel. The sweet juxtaposition of two fans (one 12, one 50something) whom the author encounters at readings is touching, and demonstrates that Coyote's writings have widespread appeal spreading beyond the LGBT community.
