Vancouver writer Don McLellan has worked as a journalist in Canada, South Korea, and Hong Kong. His debut volume of short stories, In the Quiet After Slaughter, was published by Libros Libertad in 2008; a second collection, Brunch with the Jackals, was published by Thistledown Press in 2015. Ouch, a third volume, was self-published in 2020. He has been nominated, listed, a finalist, or honourably mentioned for a Western Canada Magazine Award, a Tabbies International Editorial Award, a Kenneth R. Wilson Memorial Award, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize (twice), a ReLit Award, a Pushcart Prize, and the 2021 Whistler Independent Book Award. “Being recognized in a fiercely competitive field sounds great,” he says, “and it does stroke the ego long enough to crow to friends and family, but it also means you’ve never actually won any of them. How’s that for a sales pitch?”