William 'Grit' Laskin is an award winning guitar maker, an author, a recording musician, a founder of Borealis Records, a founder of the Canadian Folk Music Awards and a founder of the Association Of String Instrument Artisans. He is a recipient of the Order Of Canada, the Saidye Bronfman Award For Excellence and the Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement award. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, he lives in Toronto with his wife. He is currently writing his next novel.