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Interviews · Praise · Press kit

[01]

Interviews

[ Interview · Apt613 · February 2026 ]

Q&A: Sacha Bissonnette on finding fiction in everyday Ottawa (opens in a new tab)

By Jesse Hanes. Excerpts; the full interview is on Apt613.

How do you find inspiration; where do your stories come from?
People, mostly. Interactions I witness. I’m also inspired by other writers, and I pull a lot of inspiration from film and travelling.
How does Ottawa feature in or intersect with your writing?
A lot of my inspiration comes from Ottawa and the people here. I was born and raised in Ottawa, and I’m proud of it.
Which local bookstore or spot do you like to sit and write in?
If I’m on a deadline — whether it’s self‑imposed or for an editor — you can usually find me at Black Squirrel Books (often chatting with the awesome staff) or typing away in the corner.
What advice would you give to another writer or artist?
Just sit down and write, the rest will figure itself out.

Read the full interview on Apt613 (opens in a new tab)

[02]

Praise

[03]

Press Kit

For editors, festivals and event hosts. Copy the bio that fits.

[ Medium bio ]

Sacha Bissonnette is a writer from Ottawa, Canada. His fiction has appeared in Witness, The Baltimore Review, Wigleaf, SmokeLong Quarterly, EQMM and Terrain. He has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best Small Fictions, twice selected for the Wigleaf Top 50, and is a reader for Wigleaf Top 50. In 2024 he was selected for the Sundress Publications Residency and won the Faulkner Gulf Coast Residency. He will join the Napoule Art Foundation as an artist in residence in November 2026.

[ Long bio ]

Sacha Bissonnette is an Afro-Trinidadian, French Canadian short story writer from Ottawa, Canada. His work has been nominated three times for Best Small Fictions and twice for the Pushcart Prize. His story “How We Were Fiction” placed third in the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Competition, and his stories “The House Across the Street” and “Katie Says” were selected for the Wigleaf Top 50 in 2023 and 2024. His fiction has appeared in Witness Magazine, The Baltimore Review, Wigleaf, SmokeLong Quarterly, Lunch Ticket, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Trampset, Terrain, Ghost Parachute and others. He was selected for the 2024 Sundress Publications Residency and, chosen by Pam Houston, won the 2024 Faulkner Gulf Coast Residency. He will be an artist in residence at the Napoule Art Foundation in November 2026 and at the La Baldi Residency in Montegiovi, Italy, in April 2027. He is a reader for the Wigleaf Top 50. He is working on a short fiction collection and a comic book adaptation of one of his stories. His projects are supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the City of Ottawa. He loves film, travel and comfort food.

[ Author photos ]

Free to use with his bio, interviews and event listings.