Johanna Skibsrud: Canadian writer profile

Hometown: Born in Meadowville, N.S.; lives in Montreal and Tucson, Arizona.

Kudos: Won the 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize for her debut novel, The Sentimentalists.

Her new book: This Will be Difficult to Explain and Other Stories, $28. In these nine stories, Skibsrud writes of distorted perceptions. Her characters view the world through foggy lenses; they become frustrated as they try to communicate with each other and struggle to separate the truth from lies. Her quiet tone has a dreamy, rhythmic quality — you can almost hear her characters take a breath between thoughts as they look inward to find meaning in their lives. — C.F.

Behind the scenes: Skibsrud’s previous employment includes working with at-risk youth in the Canadian Arctic and a job as a wilderness instructor.