
Elizabeth Ruth
~WRITER~

IN THE PRESS
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"Ruth describes the choreography of bullfighting with as much grace and sophistication as one might find in a history of ballet or tango dancing. Readers will find themselves absolutely unable to look away. This searing, sensual novel is an adventure not to be missed."
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
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"(Elizabeth) Ruth is an innovative storyteller, full of quirky surprises, who has the courage to confront basic preconceptions about self-identity....so full of vitality, so drawn to so many things simultaneously, so alive, reading her is always likely to be more of a D.H. Lawrence rollercoaster than a Virgina Woolf Ferris wheel. Whenever the ills of this book's characters intersect with the culling and curing of tobacco leaf, Ruth is utterly compelling."
T.F. Rigelhof,
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
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"Every once in a while a novel splashes to the surface of the slush pile like a big orange Koi in a pool of minnows. Such a novel is Ten Good Seconds of Silence. This is a powerful debut with echoes of Dickens, some John Irving and a little Timothy Findley scattered throughout."
W.P. KINSELLA, BOOKS IN CANADA
BIO


Elizabeth Ruth’s work has been recognized by the Writers’ Trust of Canada Fiction Prize, The Amazon.ca Best First Novel Award, the City of Toronto Book Award, and One Book, One Community Program. The CBC named Elizabeth Ruth one of 10 Canadian Women writers you need to read!
Elizabeth Ruth’s first novel, Ten Good Seconds of Silence was published in 2001 by Dundurn and subsequently by Random House, Germany. In 2002 she compiled and edited the anthology, Bent On Writing: contemporary queer tales, (Canadian Scholars’ Press/Women’s Press) which was based on work presented at a reading series she founded and curated. Elizabeth’s second novel, Smoke, was published in 2005 by Penguin Canada. (Random House, Germany, the following year.) In 2013, Cormorant Books published Elizabeth’s third novel, Matadora to critical acclaim. That same year, Elizabeth also published a GoodReads novella in plain language for adult literacy learners, entitled, Love You To Death. Semi-Detached (2023) is Elizabeth's fourth novel.
Elizabeth Ruth holds an MA in Counselling Psychology from the University of Toronto, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. She teaches creative writing through SCS at University of Toronto and is known for her mentorship of aspiring writers through the Humber School for Writers’ Correspondence Program, Diaspora Dialogues, Writers in Electronic Residence, and various writer-in-residencies. In 2019 Elizabeth was invited to Dawson City, Yukon, to be the Berton House Writer-in-Residence.
Elizabeth Ruth is at work on a book of creative non-fiction entitled, You Cannot Miss What You’ve Never Known. To read an excerpt published in The Hamilton Review of Books, click here. Elizabeth has also completed a collection of poems entitled, This Report Is Strictly Confidential inspired by the life (and papers) of her aunt, who lived 30 years in a notorious residential hospital.
photos by Samuel Engelking

CONTACT

Contact Elizabeth Ruth directly at eruth100@hotmail.com
Agent Representation
Hilary McMahon of Westwood Creative Artists, ph. 416 964-3302
For Film and Television inquiries: WCA Film & Television Ltd., email: wca_office@wcaltd.com
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photo by Violet Pettigrew-Olliffe