Cason Sharpe
What do you feel is your best piece of work?
My best piece of work is whatever I’ve most recently written, which inevitably becomes my least favourite piece of work as soon as I’ve written something else.
What music have you been listening to lately?
I listen to the same shit I’ve been listening to since high school, or whatever Spotify’s algorithm points me toward. Right now it’s Nilufer Yanya, Rosalia, and Wings.
What’s in your fridge right now?
Things are pretty bare at the moment–some leftover chili in a Tupperware container, a carton of eggs, a collection of condiments, a half-head of celery. I go to the grocery store almost every day, but only buy enough food for one or two meals. I used to think of this approach as sophisticated and European until I told a friend about it and she said “wow, you live like such a bachelor.”
Who is the last character you related to and why?
I relate to every cast member of the Below Deck franchise because I too have had a job.
Have you ever failed at something you care about?
I’m constantly failing at things I care about. If I think I’m successful at something, I probably don’t care about it that much.
What is the last gift you received?
My boyfriend bought me a new set of sheets for my birthday. They’re linen and I love them. My sister gave me some perfume, also a birthday present, that came in a bottle small enough to fit in my pocket. It smells like campfire and when I wear it I feel like a man.
Favourite photo you’ve taken?
I’m a terrible photographer. I wish I was capable of visually transmitting the experience of seeing the world through my eyes, but I just don’t have that skill. All the good photos I’ve taken have been happy accidents
Best season?
Fall, no question. The anticipation of winter makes every day feel like something to be treasured.
What is your least favourite household chore?
Sweeping, mopping, vacuuming. Anything to do with the floor. I used to leave a shiny nickel at the foot of my couch as a reminder to sweep. When the nickel got dusty, I knew it was time to pick up the broom again. I put this technique to rest once I realized how quickly nickels collect dust if you leave them on the ground.
Best outfit you’ve ever worn?
The best outfit I’ve ever worn is whatever outfit I’ve most recently put together, which inevitably becomes my least favourite outfit as soon as I’ve put together something else.
Do you like to write in the morning or at night?
I used to be a night writer, but have recently switched to the morning. This is probably the healthier, more reasonable option, but I miss the romance of the 2am journaling binge.
When did you first receive praise for your writing?
Probably as a child, but I don’t remember anything specific. I was a precocious kid, always writing little stories and using five-dollar words to impress my teachers. I wonder how many of them were actually impressed.
What was your first rejection?
Professionally or romantically?
Latest book you’ve read or favourite book ever?
I just finished re-reading White Oleander by Janet Fitch, which also happens to be one of my favourite books ever (not to mention my favourite movie, and my favourite flower). If it’s good enough for Oprah’s Book Club, it’s good enough for me.
Anything you’d like to promote?
I’m a terrible self-promoter. You can follow me on Twitter, where I occasionally post about things I’ve written alongside little jokes, musings, non-sequiturs, etc.
Cason Sharpe is a writer based in Toronto. His work has appeared in Canadian Art, C Magazine, Public Journal, and Brick, among others. Named a Queer Writer to Watch by THIS Magazine, Cason has presented work at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Vancouver Art Book Fair, the Prairie Art Book Fair, and the Hamilton Film Festival. His first collection of stories, Our Lady of Perpetual Realness, was published by Metatron Press in 2017, and his erotic story The Original Gentleman was published by Smutburger Editions in 2021.
