Katherena Vermette

Katherena Vermette (she/her/hers) is a Red River Métis (Michif) writer from Treaty 1 territory, the heart of the Métis Nation. She has worked in poetry, novels, children’s literature, and film.

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, her father’s roots run deep in St. Boniface, St. Norbert and beyond, dating back over two centuries. Her mother’s side is Mennonite from the Altona and Rosenfeld area (Treaty 1).

Vermette received the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry for her first book, North End Love Songs (The Muses’ Company). The Break (House of Anansi) won several awards including the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, and was a bestseller in Canada. Her National Film Board documentary, this river won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Short. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia.

Road Allowance Era (HighWater Press) is the final installment of her graphic novel series A Girl Called Echo and is listed among CBC Books 21 Canadian comics to watch for in Spring 2021. The Strangers (Hamish Hamilton) is the follow up to her award winning debut novel, The Break and will include previous characters set in the same world.

Katherena lives with her family in a cranky old house within skipping distance of the temperamental Red River.