Biograph

Sonja A. Skarstedt, editor, publisher, reviewer, website designer, graphic artist, painter and most recently, filmmaker, was born in Montreal, Quebec, 1960. Her poems, stories and illustrations have appeared in such publications as The Antigonish Review,  Canadian Literature, Poetry Canada Review, Canadian Notes and Queries, Corridors, Crash, The Nashwaak Review,  The Poem Factory, Rolling Stone and The White Wall Review. 

Manuel Betanzos-Santos' translation of her poem, "In the Restored Hotel Palazzo" appeared in the Puerto Rican review, Mairena, 1993.

Skarstedt's work has been anthologized in the following publications: The Buda Books Anthology (Montreal, 1986), Passions and Poisons (Nu Age Editions, Montreal 1987) The Northern Red Oak (tribute to Milton Acorn, Coach House Press, 1987), Sounds New (The Muses' Co., Montreal 1990), Brushes With Greatness (Coach House, 1991), Take This Waltz (A Tribute to Leonard Cohen, The Muses' Company, 1994) Québec Suite: Poems for and About Québec (The Muses' Co., 1996), Contre-taille: poèmes choisis de vingt-cinq auteurs canadiens-anglais (Fr. Translations, Louis Dudek, ed., Les Editions Triptyque, 1998), Dream Elevators: Interviews with Canadian Poets [Bev Daurio: Editor, Mercury Press, 2000].

Skarstedt's brief stints on radio and television include: Stan Asher's Montreal literary programme circa 1985, and CBC Radio's State of the Arts, with Louis Dudek and Mona Elaine Adilman, Montreal/Toronto 1987. Selections (poetry) from A Demolition Symphony appeared on Writing On The Wall, The Women's Television Network, Toronto, Ontario. October, 1995.

From 1987 to 1991 she published and edited the literary journal Zymergy. In 1990, she founded Empyreal Press with the publication of her first poetry collection, Mythographies. Since that time, she has authored three more poetry collections: A Demolition Symphony (1995), Beautiful Chaos (2000), In the House of the Sun (2006), and a play, Saint Francis of Esplanade (2001).

Her pen-and-ink drawings and acrylic paintings (including portraits of contemporary Canadian poets) have appeared on the covers of such literary publications as The Antigonish Review, The Nashwaak Review, Poetry Canada, and West Coast Line.

In 2002, Skarstedt had the honour of contributing her translation skills, along with Steve Luxton, Jane Brierley and others, to Graffiti: New Poems in Translation by distinguished Québec man of letters Pierre DesRuisseaux. The following year, with Aileen Collins and Michael Gnarowski, Skarstedt edited Eternal Conversations (DC Books, 2003), a tribute anthology honouring the distinguished poet and man of letters Louis Dudek.

In May 2007, Skarstedt was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. During five months of intensive chemo, she learned that enormous strides have been made since the early days of toxic side effects. The poet was thus not only able to keep physically active, with hearty appetite, but evolved, through increased activity, into the best shape of her life. Successful surgery took place in October, under the auspices of the renowned Dr. Lucy Gilbert and her team.

Unfortunately but all too predictably, given its stage 4 status, the cancer made a comeback in June 2008. Since then, however, her relentless determination, the constant outpouring of love and prayers from family and friends, and, not least of all, the care of equally world class oncologist Dr. Jeremy Sturgeon, spur Skarstedt to forge ahead with her daily assignments, physical work-outs and joie-de-vivre. She also continues taking the same supplemental regime on which she has relied for years—responsible for eradicating her once life-threatening allergies—and which plays a powerful role in keeping her immune system sturdy throughout the rigors of ongoing chemo.

When queried by friends and family as to why she continues taking supplements that "didn't stop the cancer," she replies: "I never dreamed I would be diagnosed with this disease, thus never took any supplements for that purpose. The original reason for my regime, severe allergy prevention, continues. However, because I have been taking these supplements for years, I can now personally concur with the many tests and studies being done, indicating that vitamins and other supplements do not prevent cancer. Nor does diet. There are countless individuals whose menus consist of hamburgers, donuts and sugary soft drinks. Although they will most likely face diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, they will never be diagnosed with cancer."

That said, following her post-surgical all-clear from November 2007 through June 2008, Skarstedt embarked on a diet that included a daily intake of cruciferous vegetables, brocolli sprouts, quarts of fresh fruit juice and other foods containing "cancer-fighting compounds". Despite this course, the cancer came roaring back. As is the case with most "tumor-fighting compounds", these demonstrate more success in the lab than in the unpredictable human body.

Since then, her dietary "regime" consists of a simple "eat what you enjoy and enjoy what you eat, from homemade curries to lush salads and broiled garlic-herb-olive-oil portobello mushrooms, the occasional smoked meat sandwich ('I live in Montreal, after all!'), my mother's apple pie topped with fresh whipped cream—and a blue-label Lindt chocolate now and then!"

Skarstedt's current projects include making mini-movies for YouTube's Skarwood Channel, film editing, two children's novels, Ogden and the Erc and The Secret of Tarrow Tell, as well as a second play, Calamity Train. Her latest poetry manuscript is entitled Abundances, of which she has produced a chapbook entitled Friperie Swing.

Click here to read "The Pen As Spade", Skarwood's poetic tribute to Seamus Heaney.

Click here to read Effie Mihelakis' review of In the House of the Sun (translated from French).