Where were you when the wildfires raged? In 2023, while flames rushed across Canada and produced the orange haze of an apocalyptic future, twenty-one authors picked up their pens and began to write. Red Eyes and Tired Lungs: An Anthology of Wildfire showcases a collection of thirty-five pieces from Canadian writers that were inspired by, or in response to, wildfire. Evacuation orders have been issued, and now the flame stalks across the forest. A sweet, lovable dog deals with an evacuation and the after-affects of severe smoke inhalation. What do you grab when you have only minutes to leave? Would you drive into the flames to help a friend save others? Flames shaped like women are luring people to their death, and a podcaster interviews someone who is apparently immune. Does the earth feel like an angry boyfriend about to break up with you? A dryad tries to locate the source of a wildfire and finds a misplaced creature. Can you find the good in a summer drowned in smoke? Will you miss the sounds of disappearing species? What would you do for a delicious can of sugar juice? A little boy listens to what the flames speak. A wildfire firefighter finds herself stalked by flames in two worlds. If you had to decide what could be saved, what would you choose?
All these stories, poems, and more explore the many facets of wildfire. Will you weep for humanity when smoke gets in your eyes? This anthology includes poems and stories written by: Raegan Cote, Tyree Corfe, Asha Jade Goodwin, Morgan Allie Graylin, Cherie Hanson, Payne Haynes, Lesley Hebert, Drea Laj, Heather Bonin MacIntosh, Kilmeny MacMichael, Em Van Moore, Cassidy Muir, Rod Raglin, Jonathan Riggs, Alexander Robertson, Michele Rule, Jakie Sawyer, Anneliese Schultz, Hilma Sinkinson, Topper Sundquist, and Lily Autumn West.
