PAUL:	Kathleen Hanrahan joins us now 
	with another edition of 
	Wordworks ... naturally as we 
	are dedicating an entire 
	program to matters literary.  
	What do you have for us today, 
	good Kate?

KATH:	Well, as you know, Mowdown 
	House Press collapsed this 
	week because of the withdrawl 
	of its government funding.  I 
	thought, as a protest, that 
	this would best be a day 
	without books.

PAUL:	Oh, great!  Thank you very 
	much.  We get this special 
	program together about books, 
	about literary goings on, and 
	you take it as an opportunity 
	to get up on your soap box and 
	whine about government 
	funding.

KATH:	I felt I had to take a stand.

PAUL:	Thanks for being such a team 
	player.

KATH:	But, Paul.  Mowdown House was 
	a vital part of the literary 
	scene here.  It was 
	supportive, a nurturer.  It 
	gave time and money and much-
	needed exposure to talent that 
	was getting ready for the  
	world stage. 

PAUL:	Oh, come off it.  Now it’s not 
	my view, but I have heard it 
	said that Mowdown was little 
	more than the preserve of a 
	prima donna literary claque 
	and a bunch of lesbian 
	pornographers, subsidised by 
	our tax dollars.  Admit it.

KATH:	That’s garbage.  Look at the 
	backlist.  How many of today’s 
	big names got their start 
	there?

PAUL:	And now they’re hooked up with 
	regular publishers, making the 
	big money.

KATH:	But what of tomorrow’s voices?

PAUL:	They’ll have to find something 
	else to do I suppose.

KATH:	Yes but when this generation 
	of writers passes on, who will 
	be there to fill the ranks?

PAUL:	First let me say that that is 
	a very morbid thought -- what 
	if one of those living writers 
	heard you saying that?  And 
	secondly, let’s face it, I 
	haven’t even begun to read 
	most of the stuff sitting in 
	my bookcase.

KATH:	Why’d you buy it in the first 
	place?

PAUL:	You know what happens, a title 
	intrigues you, you interview 
	the author and feel compelled 
	to buy the book, the dust 
	jacket blurb reads like 
	lightning and then when you 
	get home and crack it open ... 
	well, all the exposition and 
	introducing of characters you 
	don’t know ... bang-o, you’re 
	unconscious.

KATH:	Maybe you should just read 
	dust jacket copy.

PAUL:	Hey there’s an idea.  I mean 
	really ... like a collection 
	of dust jacket blurbs.

KATH:	That’s actually not a bad 
	idea, Paul.  But but this is 
	serious.  We’re talking about 
	a major threat to local 
	culture.

PAUL:	I don’t want to come off as 
	the bad guy on all this, 
	Kathleen.  You know I support 
	all those young writers and 
	small presses.  I really do.

KATH:	And you should know better 
	than anyone what it’s like to 
	have a skill -- nay a gift -- 
	that is untransferable to any 
	other field of endeavour.
	
PAUL:	Yeah, it’s true.

KATH:	And for the government to put 
	forward the proposition that 
	the public has a choice 
	between hospital beds or 
	books. 

PAUL:	Government ... bad. 

KATH:	We’re becoming a post-literate 
	society!  Taxes on books? What 
	about a tax on stupidity?  Who 
	will know, how will we learn, 
	where will we go, what’s it 
	all about ?

PAUL:	Everything you say is true, 
	Kathleen.  I think I’m going 
	to flip-flop on this one and 
	back your stance.  
	
KATH:	Especially considering your 
	circumstances, I mean trying 
	to shop your manuscript 
	around.

PAUL:	I wasn’t really thinking 
	“small press” you know.  I 
	have some profile.  Have you 
	finished the manuscript?

KATH:	What?  Yours?

PAUL:	Yeah.

KATH:	It’s ... very dense.

PAUL:	How far along are you?

KATH:	Actually ... I did finish it.  
	But I’m not the right person 
	to talk to ... you should send 
	it along to ... an established 
	house and get a professional 
	opinion from an editor.

PAUL:	Any recommendations ... I hear 
	McCleland and Stewart are 
	good.  And Knopf is it?  Do 
	you know that the Giller Prize 
	is worth $25,000.  I could use 
	that kind of coin.

KATH:	You’ve nothing to lose but the 
	postage.

PAUL:	True, true.  So you really 
	think I have a shot at the 
	Giller?

KATH:	I ... Ah ... as much a shot 
	... as anyone I suppose.

PAUL:	Great!  We are out of time, 
	tragic about the small presses 
	but hey there’s blood 
	everywhere these days, 
	Kathleen Hanrahan - power to 
	the people - thanks for the 
	advice on my book, don’t worry 
	you’re in the 
	acknowledgements.

KATH:	I meant to talk to you about 
	that.

PAUL:	Yes?

KATH:	Perhaps after the show.

PAUL:	Of course.  Bye, Kathleen

KATH:	Bye, Paul.