Definitely Not Famous: More Extra than Ordinary

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In this episode of Definitely Not Famous, host Rebecca Hogue speaks with Aaron Williams about his memoirs Chasing Smoke, which recounts his work as a wildland firefighter, and The Last Logging Show, which follows his family’s history in the old-growth logging industry in northern British Columbia. Aaron discusses his upbringing in Terrace and Haida Gwaii, how logging camps shaped his understanding of the bush, and how his logging background helped him move into firefighting after the Qu...

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Writing The Illogical Adventure focuses on the craft challenges and ethical questions involved in co‑writing a memoir with two distinct voices. Rebecca continues her conversation with James MacDuff, who—alongside his wife, Mirriam Mweemba—coauthored The Illogical Adventure. What began as James’s solo MFA writing project about travel evolved into a shared memoir when he realized the story only worked if it fully included Mirriam’s perspective.
James describes the collaborative process they developed to protect au...

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In this episode, Rebecca speaks with Halifax lawyer and lifelong traveler James McDuff about the extraordinary love story at the heart of The Illogical Adventure: A Memoir of Love and Fate, which he co‑wrote with his wife, Mirriam Mweeba. James recounts how a chance encounter in Cape Town at the end of an ambitious voyage led to a long‑distance relationship shaped by travel, cultural exchange, and timing, and how the COVID‑19 pandemic—rather than pulling them apart—ac...

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In this episode of Definitely Not Famous, host Rebecca Hogue interviews Meaghan Hackinen, an ultra-distance cyclist and author of two memoirs, South Away and Shifting Gears. Meaghan shares how her cycling journey began with a solo ride along British Columbia's Highway of Tears at age 24, evolved through cycle touring the Pacific Coast with her sister, and eventually led her into the male-dominated world of ultra-distance bike racing — in...

Educator and advocate Marian Dodds joins host Rebecca J. Hogue to discuss Tizita — A Memoir of Perseverance and Enchantment, tracing her path from second‑wave feminist organizing in the BC Teachers’ Federation to three years volunteering with CUSO in Ethiopia. She reflects on the status‑of‑women work that reshaped classrooms and contracts, the challenge of transliteration in place names, and the sensory tapestry behind the book’s title—from the soothing melodies of tizita drifting out of Addis cafés to the smells of coffee ceremonies and fresh injera that still transport her back.
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In this episode, Rebecca J. Hogue sits down with RC Shaw (Ryan Shaw), author of Louisbourg or Bust and Captain Solitude, to explore the adventurous and reflective world of memoir writing. Ryan shares how honesty and vulnerability shape his stories of bikepacking and surfing along Nova Scotia’s rugged coastline, and how he balances openness with his role as a school librarian. The conversation dives into themes of solitude, free camping, and unexpected encounters—including psychic mediums and the ghos...

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In this episode of Definitely Not Famous, host Rebecca Hogue interviews Janet Lee, co‑author of Always Ask for Help, a memoir about Arnie Stewart, an adult who lived most of his life unable to read or write. The conversation traces Arnie’s extraordinary journey from a childhood marked by poverty, hunger, and shame in Cobalt, Ontario, to adulthood where he survived through ingenuity, bluffing, and resilience.

Janet first encountered Arnie when he spoke to her high‑school literacy students. His honesty and vulnerability captivated the room — and insp...

Welcome to Definitely Not Famous: More Extra than Ordinary. I’m Rebecca Hogue, the producer and host for this podcast. My goal with Definitely Not Famous is to elevate and promote memoir authors who have More Extra than Ordinary stories to tell. 

If you want to recommend an author for me to interview, or you are an author and want me to interview you, there are forms available on the Definitely Not Famous website.

Thank you – I hope you enjoy the show!