By AJ Eversole

I’m so excited to chat with David about his new imprint, Swift Water! David A. Robertson is one of the most celebrated voices in Canadian literature today. He’s a two-time Governor General’s Literary Award winner, a national bestseller, and the author behind beloved books like The Barren Grounds (PRH Canada, 2021), When We Were Alone (Portage and Main, 2016), and Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory (Harper Perinnial, 2021). Whether he’s writing for kids, teens, or adults, David’s stories always center Indigenous voices with honesty, care, and heart.

Now, he’s taking on a new role as Editorial Director of Swift Water Books—an Indigenous-led imprint with Penguin Random House Canada. In this interview, David talks about how the imprint came to be, the kinds of stories he’s excited to publish, and how editing and writing continue to shape each other in his life.

Tell us more about Swift Water Books and your vision for the imprint.

Swift Water Books came from an ongoing conversation I was having with my friend, Cherie Dimaline. We were talking about the trailblazers who came before us, and how they opened doors for us to do what we do. With the platform that we have, we wanted to do the same thing for the coming generation of storytellers. I remember one particular IG account that captured our imagination, and while I won’t say who as I’m still working on bringing them aboard Swift Water, they really kickstarted us to actively pursue developing an imprint that would be Indigenous-led, and that would be solely focused on publishing Indigenous authors and illustrators.

Both having published with Penguin Random House Canada, we approached them with the idea, and they were immediately excited about the prospect. Cherie since had to step aside due to her own schedule, but she is still somebody who I give so much credit to for the creation of this imprint. My vision is simple. I want Swift Water Books to be an imprint that publishes mostly new and emerging Indigenous creators, with books that are educational, engaging, and written for youth. I want to change the publishing industry for the better, by breaking down the traditional walls of publishing, and making it a place where vital new voices can find a home for their stories.

Swift Water’s first two books are a picture book and young adult novel. Can you tell us more about what drew you to these titles?

I love picture books. I think they are forms of literature that can be read by all ages, and they can be very complex, and house within them gifts of knowledge that can create change. Canada is a special book. Richard Wagamese’s agents and estate approached me specifically, and entrusted Swift Water Books with this story.

There was no way that I could say no to this, and immediately took on the challenge of adapting Canada into a picture book manuscript. It was a transformative experience to work with Richard on the book, in a profound way, and I think that the result will be a transformative experience for all Canadians, redefining what it means to be Canadian and to live within the imaginary borders of this place.

Here For a Good Time was a story we acquired as the follow-up to Kim Spencer’s multi-award-winning book, Weird Rules to Follow (Orca, 2022). It is everything that first book was, and more. It sees Kim further developing her voice, into something so special, and so powerful. It’s a story full of poetic vignettes that paints a picture of one Indigenous girl’s life that can touch the lives of anybody who reads it. And, in keeping with the spirit of Swift Water Books, it’s a story that is from a differing Indigenous perspective; we want to showcase a wide breadth of stories, from coast to coast to coast, with this imprint.

Your role at Swift Water is editorial director. Can you tell us more about what that encompasses? Or walk us through a typical day?

I don’t know if I can walk you through a typical day. I have a full-time day job as a writer, which takes me across Canada and in other places in the world. So, every day is different.

I put as much time as I can into the imprint, and I am lucky to be working with a great team at Tundra Books who are a support to me, and who not only believe in the vision for Swift Water Books, but also give so much care to the books they publish. As Editorial Director, I am tasked with acquiring new works, giving broad editorial feedback, and really curating a list of books that showcases that diversity of talent and voice from Indigenous people across and beyond Turtle Island.

On any given day, I am reading new submissions, editing manuscripts, meeting with my team, conversing with agents or artists, and avoiding paperwork! Really, I’m involved in the whole process, as much as I can be, making sure that what we put out, matches the vision I have for the work that we are doing.

In addition to this new publishing role, you’re also a bestselling author. How do your roles as an author and an editor inform one another?

Well, I think having had the success I’ve been able to find as an author, has helped my work with Swift Water Books. I believe [authors] have approached me, in some cases, because they trust me, they know my work, and they want to work with me. That has helped grow the list, for sure.

Working on the other side of the publishing world has given me important insights into the nuances of the publishing industry, and has helped me to gain a better understanding of how things work, which has helped me, in turn, approach my own writing in a different way. It’s an experience that has cross-pollinated, where one has helped the other, and I think in the long-term that will be a benefit.

You’re one of my fellow authors for the upcoming Legendary Frybread Drive-In anthology (Heartdrum, 2025). What appeals to you about writing short stories?

I just really like challenging myself, and there is a certain skill in writing a short story that I truly appreciate. The ability to tell a tale within a short period of time, and being able to focus your writing to really just an A-plot, and make it interesting, make everything count, develop character, and find surprising ways to complete ideas you are tackling. It’s an exercise in telling beautiful stories succinctly, powerfully, and with clarity.

You write for readers of all age groups. Do you have any strategies you can share for shifting gears when moving from one age category to another?

Maybe. I mean, you have to be able to switch gears, and to do that, you have to give yourself space between projects to get into different headspaces. I might work on a literary fiction novel in the evening, and in the morning, something in the young adult or middle grade world.

One discipline requires different storytelling approaches than another. You have to understand what each needs, and have the ability and knowledge to deliver. That requires reading a lot, too, so you can see how other authors have done it, and learn in that way.

What other David Robertson books can we look forward to soon?

So many! I have three more books in 2025. I have a non-fiction book entitled (McClelland & Stewart, 2025), I have a picture book about the unmarked graves called Little Shoes (Tundra, 2025), and I have the big finale of The Misewa Saga series: The World’s End (Tundra, 2026). And I might be wrong, but I have four more books coming out next year, too.

I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of changes in the publishing landscape over the years. What have been the stand-out changes in the world of children’s-YA publishing? What do you think of them and why?

I think, most of all, I have seen a shift towards the publication of diverse voices. Marginalized voices are getting platform to share their stories, and that’s an immeasurably important thing. It’s a slow progression, and we are not at parity yet, where our stories represent a healthy segment of our population (i.e. if Indigenous people make up 10% of the population, 10% of the stories published should be from Indigenous voices). But we are getting closer each day, and I choose to find hope in that.

Cynsational Notes:

David A. Robertson is a two-time Governor General’s Literary Award winner and has won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and the Writer’s Union of Canada Freedom to Read award. He has received several other accolades for his work as a writer for children and adults, podcaster, public speaker, and social advocate. He was honoured with a Doctor of Letters by the University of Manitoba in 2023 for outstanding contributions to the arts and distinguished achievements. He is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and lives in Winnipeg.

AJ Eversole, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, grew up in rural Oklahoma where her imagination flourished through endless games of make believe. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, she is a contributor to the forthcoming anthology Legendary Frybread Drive-In (Heartdrum, August 2024) and aspires to traditional publication. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband and son. Visit her on Threads & Instagram: @ajeversole