In The Lizard and Other Stories, Michael Bryson’s third trade paperback, the style is conversational and colloquial; his subjects are usually plainspoken men and confused adolescents. While not exactly gritty or subversive, Bryson’s allegiances do seem rooted in the contemporary, urban and working-class.

In 1999, Michael Bryson founded the online literary magazine, The Danforth Review (TDR), which he ran from 1999-2009 and 2011-2018. TDR published 78 issues of original fiction and conducted 202 interviews with writers. It also published, at various times, poetry, reviews and essays focusing on Canada’s small press scene.

Since the mid-1990s, Michael has published short stories in literary magazines. His books include: The Lizard and other stories (2009). Thirteen Shades of Black and White (1999), and Only a Lower Paradise (2000). He has also published book reviews, essays, poetry, and interviews with writers.

He lives in the city of his birth, Toronto, Canada, treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, and, in the east-end, the Williams Treaty First Nations.

Michael’s story “Six Million Million Miles” appeared in 05: Best Canadian Stories (Oberon, 2005). Other stories won first prize in the Qwerty short fiction contest (2004) and the Word Literary Calendar short fiction contest (2001).

Michael Bryson's profile page

"Bryson is a careful and talented writer, and when he gets rolling, the results can be magical."—Broken Pencil

Broken Pencil