Brett Josef Grubisic (born 1974) is a Canadian novelist, poet, and short‑story writer. He has published several collections of poetry and fiction, and his work has been recognized with multiple literary awards and nominations.
Early life and education
Brett Josef Grubisic was born in 1974 in Saskatchewan, Canada. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He later completed a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia.
Literary career
Poetry
Grubisic’s debut poetry collection, The House of the Worm (2002), was shortlisted for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. Subsequent poetry collections include Odd Jobs (2005) and The Trouble with Being Born (2013). His poems have appeared in literary journals such as The Fiddlehead, Arc, and Tessera.
Fiction
Grubisic’s first novel, The Hours of the Night (2004), was nominated for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Canada and Caribbean region). He followed with Girlfriend 44 (2008), a novel that explores themes of identity and relationships and received positive reviews from Canadian literary critics. His 2017 novel Dad won the 2017 ReLit Award for fiction.
Short stories and other work
His short stories have been published in anthologies and magazines, including Best Canadian Stories and The Malahat Review. Grubisic has also contributed literary criticism and essays to periodicals such as Quill & Quire.
Awards and honors
- Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize (shortlist, 2002) – for The House of the Worm
- Commonwealth Writers' Prize (shortlist, Canada and Caribbean) – for The Hours of the Night (2004)
- ReLit Award for Fiction (winner, 2017) – for Dad
Bibliography
Poetry collections
- The House of the Worm (2002)
- Odd Jobs (2005)
- The Trouble with Being Born (2013)
Novels
- The Hours of the Night (2004)
- Girlfriend 44 (2008)
- Dad (2017)
Selected short stories
- “The Nine” – The Fiddlehead (2009)
- “Going Home” – The Malahat Review (2012)
Personal life
Grubisic resides in Toronto, Ontario, where he is active in the local literary community. He has taught creative writing workshops and serves on panels for literary awards.
References
(Information compiled from published author biographies, award announcements, and literary journals.)
