Cavern of Secrets

Featuring Eden Robinson

Episode Summary

Author, funny woman and busy person Eden Robinson calls into the Cavern from Kitimat, British Columbia to talk nail polish, carting around family in a big car and the gift that menopause gives you. Eden’s books include Traplines, the Giller-nominated Son Of A Trickster, and Blood Sports. Her trilogy, the Trickster series, is becoming a miniseries for CBC and her novel, Monkey Beach, is becoming a film. “If you need stories, take the bus.”

Episode Notes

Author, funny woman and busy person Eden Robinson calls into the Cavern from Kitimat, British Columbia to talk nail polish, carting around family in a big car and the gift that menopause gives you. Eden’s books include Traplines, the Giller-nominated Son Of A Trickster, and Blood Sports. Her trilogy, the Trickster series, is becoming a miniseries for CBC and her novel, Monkey Beach, is becoming a film. “If you need stories, take the bus.” 

Our favourite moments: “Dad had Parkinson’s. He found that seal fat was very helpful. The cousins who hunted - in the beginning, they would bring us neat little packets of seal...but towards the end, they were just leaving, like, half a seal in a bucket.  [5:40] 

“He was always embarrassed that I wasn’t a lady. And I was always like, 'You taught me to buck wood and change oil. I don’t remember any tea parties.'" [7:00] 

“I find [that] if I try to write to an outline or if I write to a plan, my muse gets inhibited.” [14:14] 

“I was realizing how few years I have left if I’m writing a book about every five years. Okay, there are books I won’t be able to write.” [21:30] 

"I also don’t have a lot of anxiety about what people think about me. I remember being very concerned about that. And them menopause just wipes that out.” [22:40] 

CREDITS: Cavern of Secrets is hosted by Lauren Mitchell. Produced by Ellen Payne Smith & Katie Jensen, with assistance from Vicky Mochama and Sarah Daniel.