An Astonishment of Stars is Kirti Bhadresa’s debut volume of short stories. Many of the fourteen tales in the collection chart the lives of women of colour living in Canada, as they navigate relationships, aspirations, and cultural expectations.

Like all good authors of short fiction, Kirti takes everyday situations and looks at them from unfamiliar angles, while also examining the emotional lives of a population whose contribution to society all too often goes unseen in mainstream culture.

Join Kirti and Red as they explore the ups and downs of trying to fit in while remaining true to oneself, and the joy of cooking.

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AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

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As a child, K.J. Aiello found hope and escape in magical stories of dragons, wizards, and fantasy. These tales provided a safe space where K.J. could reframe their battle with mental illness and trauma, and envisage the vanquishing of the darkness that haunted them.

In The Monster and the Mirror: Mental Illness, Magic, and the Stories We Tell, K.J. blends memoir, research, and cultural criticism, to examine their own mental illness. Exploring The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and other tales, they show how the darker realms of the human psyche have been portrayed and often stigmatised in popular culture; and suggest how the fantasy genre might also have therapeutic benefits.

Join K.J. and Red as they discuss K.J.’s quest for the ‘what if’ and explore the regenerative power of creative imagination.

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

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Rachel Stark’s debut, Perris California, is a beautiful and heart-rending novel.

Set in the 1990s in what one character calls ‘the land of momma’s boys’, it’s a story of violence, broken dreams, tenderness, and longing that shines a light on the resilience of women living in a mostly unseen America.

In a style reminiscent of John Steinbeck and Annie Proulx, Rachel contrasts the vastness and beauty of the landscape with the claustrophobia and grittiness of the lives of its inhabitants, while also insisting that hope exists in our capacity to mend each other.

Join Rachel and Red as they discuss the harsh realities and strong bonds binding those scraping a living in the ‘golden’ state.

About AMI

AMI is a media company that entertains, informs and empowers Canadians with disabilities through three broadcast services — AMI-tv and AMI-audio in English and AMI-télé in French — and streaming platform AMI+. Our vision is to establish AMI as a leader in the offering of accessible content, providing a voice for Canadians with disabilities through authentic storytelling, representation and positive portrayal. To learn more visit AMI.ca and AMItele.ca.

Find more great AMI Original Content on AMI+

Learn more at AMI.ca

Connect with Accessible Media Inc. online:

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• Email feedback@ami.ca