Difficult People

Manipulators, liars, egomaniacs, bullies, interrupters, condescenders, ice queens, backstabbers, hypocrites, withholders, belligerents, self-deceivers, whiners, know-it-alls, nitpickers: these are some of the characters you’ll encounter in the collection of stories, Difficult People.

As these characters fumble through their quests for freediving fame, stand-up glory, romantic love, stable employment or anyone who can tolerate them, they reveal that we are all, in our own ways, difficult people.

Praise for Catriona Wright’s recent book of poetry, Table Manners:

“... a baroque feast of juicy diction and inventive wordplay that explores food as social ritual and slippery signifier of desire.”

“Deft, dark, and unflinching, Catriona Wright’s work is stand-up comedy for the mind.”

“If you've ever Instagrammed your lunch, or directed distain toward somebody who has, this is the book for you. The poems are vivid, surprising, and pretty much devourable.”

“Tightly woven and elaborate in their conceit, the poems in Table Manners linger both on the mind and palate.”

“A remarkably brave, sexy, sophisticated collection fuelled by brilliant language and wicked humor.”

“Deft, dark and unflinching, Catriona Wright’s work is stand-up comedy for the mind.”

“Potent, unforgettable tales and razor-sharp writing.”

“Difficult People is Toronto writer Catriona Wright’s bombastic fictional debut.… Each story in this brilliant collection reverberates with raw disappointment and longing as the broken characters angrily confront, or slickly deny, their thwarted ambitions and obvious personal limitations.… Difficult People is a tour de force—there isn’t a single flaw in this airtight collection populated by a modern cast of misfit characters.… While these characters are certainly Difficult People, in Wright’s capable hands they shift imperceptibly from snarky underachievers to unsung heroes. This ambitious collection reinforces the dynamic state of the short story. Well done, Catriona Wright—you have won this difficult reader’s admiration.”