Kilworthy Tanner

A madcap, witty account of an aspiring author’s relationship with an infamous and provocative mentor.

Fresh-faced Jonno is looking to make a splash in the literary scene when he encounters celebrated novelist Kilworthy Tanner at a party. Having sold first editions of her works to Toronto’s book dealers, he’s immediately star-struck and more than a little surprised when she takes an interest in him. Could this be the break he’s after? It’s not long before the controlling and aloof Kilworthy is casually letting young Jonno move in with her, and they begin co-authoring sensational and unruly fictions together. But who’ll get the credit for these collaborations, and why does he constantly feel like he must fend off rival authors? Fuelled by outrageousness and hell-bent on literary self-annihilation, Kilworthy Tanner is Jonno’s tell-all ‘pseudobiography’ of their entanglement, and he doesn’t withhold any details of the sexual degeneracy, prodigious drug use, and vendettas of the era.

Reviews

“Being in a relationship should be like biting into a cream tart—or so says Jonno, the young narrator of this intoxicating ‘biography’ of a CanLit superstar. Unfortunately for Jonno, relationships are more like a pie to the face. Exploring the blood sport of love and literature, Kilworthy Tanner totally kills. A cheeky, wow-inspiring novel by a master stylist.” -Neil Smith, author of Boo and Jones

“Kilworthy Tanner is one entertaining novel.” -Toronto Star

“Jean Marc Ah-Sen’s new novel, Kilworthy Tanner, offers a playful portrait of the clashes and jealousies that animate art scenes.” -The Globe and Mail

“Kilworthy Tanner succeeds in recasting the pains of artistic creation into an absurd, slapstick, and often self-deprecating odyssey.” -Montreal Review of Books

“Kilworthy Tanner isn’t only a wild ride through a network of deranged characters; it also feels like an ironic critique of the ridiculous grievances and backstabbings that frequently define our cultural scenes.” –Maisonneuve

“Ah‑Sen has crafted a social novel of humour and surprising depth. If you find stories about writers insular and intolerable, this may not be for you. But if you’re intrigued by the messiness of literary creation, it’s heady, potent stuff.” -Sam White, Literary Review of Canada