About Corinna Chong

I live in Kelowna, BC, traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan people, where I write, edit, design, and teach in the department of English and Fine Arts at Okanagan College. I have a BA in English (Creative Writing) and BFA in Visual Art (Photography) from the University of Calgary, as well as an MA in English (Creative Writing) from the University of New Brunswick. 
 
My first novel, Belinda’s Rings, was published by NeWest Press in 2013 to strong reviews, and was highlighted as an “offbeat summer read” in The Globe and Mail. I have also published reviews and short fiction in literary magazines across Canada, including Room, The Humber Literary Review, The Malahat Review, Cosmonauts Avenue, and Grain. The Whole Animal, a collection of my short stories, was published by Arsenal Pulp Press in Spring 2023, earning mentions on the CBC's Spring Fiction reading list and 2023 Writers to Watch list as well as The 49th Shelf's Best Fiction Books of the Year. My third book, a novel called Bad Land, set in the badlands of Drumheller, Alberta, was released with Arsenal Pulp  in September 2024 and subsequently longlisted for the Giller Prize.
 
While I am passionate about my own work, I am also committed to engaging in the writing community, especially through guiding and mentoring emerging writers. Over the years I’ve served on several editorial boards for literary magazines, including Qwerty and The Fiddlehead. I teach introductory creative writing as well as applied publishing courses as part of Okanagan College’s Writing and Publishing Diploma program, and I am currently the Director for our student-run literary journal, ryga. 

Author photos by Silmara Emde