Joanne Proulx has had short stories published in literary journals on both sides of the Atlantic, including Exile: The Literary Quarterly, and Upstairs at Duroc, a literary quarterly out of Paris. She also received a scholarship to attend the Summer Literary Session in St. Petersburg, Russia, awarded by Fence magazine for her story, "I Land with the Force of A Million Men".

Published:

Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet
(Penguin Spring 2007, Lead Fiction, Can; Picador Macmillan (UK), Spring 2008; Soho Press (US), Summer 2008; Arena, Holland)

• Named by the Globe and Mail one of 2007's best debuts
  (Saturday Globe: A Feast of Firsts - My Top Five)

Penguin Canada's microsite:
http://www.stokumsucks.com/

 

Praise:

"Ottawa writer Joanne Proulx's debut novel rocks, and her teenage protagonist, Luke Hunter, the reluctant prophet of the title, rules. Forgive me for sounding juvenile, but I can't help myself. This is a great book, and Proulx's rendering of teenage angst is crafted with such precision and compassion that the reader rides the waves of fear, depression and elation that propel Luke's chaotic life, paying little attention to the skill that drives the narrative. But after the breathless, lyric close that leaves Luke on the brink of adulthood, it is impossible not to marvel at Proulx's mastery. The degree of her accomplishment -- it is rare that a novel is so finely realized -- resides largely in the first-person voice that claims this coming-of-age story...With undeniable candour and perfect pitch, Proulx renders Luke's abject tale, his articulation of a life in perpetual crisis and his search for meaning in his uncanny ability to predict death…Her ability to evoke the day-to-day concerns and interior life of a teenager is as uncanny as Luke's own prophesying...”
   - The National Post

"An assured first novel... Proulx's inspired opening salvo settles into a detailed, chatty character study. The anecdotal voice is all Luke's, a narrative rippling with author's insight slyly encoded in the hormone itch and cooler-than-thou posturing of a mixed-up teen...The beauty of this story is its complete and beguiling faithfulness to Luke's inner world. I felt I was back inside 17, plagued by self-doubt, social blunders and sexual angst, stumbling toward some kind - any kind - of identity…Proulx's message is expertly wrapped in her storytelling. Unaware, you watch Luke, recognize him, worry for him, until gradually you feel his ache, and his aching entry to adulthood, in your bones.”
   - The Globe and Mail

"Joanne Proulx’s growing-up-in-Michigan novel kicks ass…Proulx’s big accomplishment is voice; Luke glows with rage, fear, and horniness…Luke’s grudging epiphanies feel real. His halting dialogue, as limited as his interior thoughts are expansive, feels especially real. Finally, a growing-up book by someone who actually grew up.”
   - The Georgia Straight

"…every new writer that surfaces so blessed should be cherished.”
   - The Toronto Star

"…If great literature is your religion, read the gospel according to Luke Hunter. This debut novel is walk-on-water magical, a true revelation.”
   - Neil Smith, author of Bang Crunch

"…Joanne Proulx is a rare talent. Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet is perfectly drawn, with great voice, humour, complexity and an unforgettable setting.”
   - Lauren B. Davis, bestselling author of The Radiant City and
The Stubborn Season

"…Joanne Proulx’s darkly comic, thoughtful novel nails contemporary youth culture, and a lot more. Here’s a coming-of-age story that’s constantly surprising, at once both wonderfully unfamiliar and true-feeling.”
   - Michael Helm, author of The Projectionist, a Giller Prize finalist

"…Wow. A coming-of-age novel that doesn't make me want to go after the author with a two-by-four with a nail at the end of it. Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet is the rarest of things: a well-written, funny, and entertaining first novel.”
   - Ray Robertson, author of Moody Food and Gently Down The Stream

"…she fashions a fantastic and unique brand of teenage poetry.”
   - Quill & Quire