Stubborn Knots by Ari Asho
Social Sharing
Ari Asho has made the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize longlist for Stubborn Knots.
The winner of the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, a two-week writing residency at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and their work will be published on CBC Books. The four remaining finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their work published on CBC Books.
The shortlist will be announced on April 10 and the winner will be announced on April 17.
If you're interested in other CBC Literary Prizes, the 2025 CBC Poetry Prize is currently accepting submissions. You can submit an original, unpublished poem or collection of poems from April 1-June 1.
The 2026 CBC Short Story Prize will open in September and the 2026 CBC Nonfiction Prize will open in January.
About Ari Asho
Ari Asho is a writer in Montreal. They are currently working on a collection of short stories and a novella. Asho's story Compliments to Change the Way You Feel About Me was longlisted for the CBC Short Story Prize in 2023.
Entry in five-ish words
"Love-sick weekend in the forest."
The short story's source of inspiration
"This story actually began as a Valentine's day gift for a long-ago partner. Re-visiting that original story nearly a decade later, what stood out was the contrast between a repetitive, obsessive attachment to a remote and unreachable love interest, and the tangible, grounded attachment to place, and nature and friendship. This iteration kept those themes, though I changed almost everything else."
First lines
Tomorrow is Valentine's day and tonight you're making bitter pumpkin soup and drinking lingonberry wine and Tal is reading tarot cards. You're all in a cabin in the forest for the weekend: you and Tal, Junie, Ann and Morgan. You choose to ask the deck about the man you're in love with, but the result isn't good. It's the King of Swords, reversed. The card foretells a lack of power, an unpredictability; a need to be wary of deep volatility; of aggression leading to cruelty, to outright chaos. "Can we do it again?" you ask, hoping for a different answer. This time, it's the Devil.
Check out the rest of the longlist
The longlist was selected from more than 2,300 entries. A team of 12 writers and editors from across Canada compiled the list.
The jury selects the shortlist and the eventual winner from the readers' longlisted selections. This year's jury is composed of Conor Kerr, Kudakwashe Rutendo and Michael Christie.
The complete list is:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Globe and Mail
Our TikTok wedding: Why couples are turning their big day into social media content
In an era when people share everything online, from job updates to baby photos to vacation selfies, it's no surprise that weddings have also said 'I do' to the social-media spotlight. But it's not enough any more to just post candids to the grid. Now, couples, inspired by celebrity weddings, have begun hiring content creators to help them roll out the wedding quickly, in a package designed to be admired on a phone. Readers: Tell us about the best wedding you ever attended According to wedding market research firm Splendid Insights, one in six couples hired a content creator for their wedding last year. A wedding content creator is a professional hired to capture and package the big day specifically for social-media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. The content creators get the behind-the-scenes moments, produce short-form videos, documentary-style videos and candid photos. The turnaround is fast – couples can share highlight reels as soon as the next morning. 'Everything we shoot is mostly done on a smartphone, and we shoot a lot of content in accordance with how they're seen on social media, so a lot of vertical shots for Instagram and TikTok,' says Felicity d'Eon, a full-time wedding content creator and wedding planner. According to a wedding trend report done by Hitch, there was a 586-per-cent increase in searches for wedding content creators in 2025 alone. 'Today's generation doesn't want to wait a couple months for their photos and videos,' says d'Eon, who started working part-time as a wedding planner and content creator in 2022. 'They want to wake up the next morning and post their big-day photos and videos online as soon as possible.' Increasingly, couples are planning their weddings with content in mind from the very beginning, according to a 2024 report by Zola, which surveyed almost 7,000 couples. That year, there were dramatic increases in searches for terms such as 'documentary wedding photos' and 'editorial wedding photos' on Pinterest, pointing to a preference for a cinematic, stylized approach tailored for social media. And wedding content creators are just a piece of the pie. 'If [couples are] going to be sharing on Instagram and their Facebook, it has to look top-notch. If they have a TikTok account or if they're influencers, absolutely it has to be curated and they're going to be focusing more on the photography, videography and the way it looks and feels,' says Tracey Manailescu, the co-founder of the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada. She also notes that the trend toward hyper-personalized visuals often comes with a high price tag: The starting price varies, but according to the wedding website the Knot, typical content-creation packages start at US$1,000. This is in addition to the US$2,900 average spent on a photographer, based on insights gathered from 17,000 U.S. couples who either got married in 2024 or are planning their 2025 weddings. Manailescu has also seen a growing trend of couples tailoring their special day to reflect their unique personalities. Instead of large crowds, some couples are opting for intimate gatherings that allow them to invest in a visually stunning and elegant experience. Every element is thoughtfully curated to personalize couples' wedding experience. Even things such as customized hashtags allow couples to share and collect wedding memories online. For Quinn Cove, a content creator who got married in 2024, the approach to her own wedding's content creation was more about balance than branding. 'Despite putting significant thought into capturing our wedding, through photography, videography and illustration, my primary intention was actually to reduce the time spent creating content on the day itself,' she stated. She and her husband put an emphasis on candid captures, limiting posed photos to just 30 minutes. Their documentary-style approach highlighted intimate moments: the two cuddling up in a car, or running off together with the bouquet. They also requested videography of the live ballet dancers who performed at their reception. 'We wanted something different,' she said. 'Content that reflected the genuine emotions and spontaneity of the day.' She emphasized the importance of not letting content creation eclipse the reason for the celebration. 'While capturing the day is important, so is living it.'
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Ukrainian heritage on display at Poltava Ukrainian Pavilion during Mosaic festival
The Poltava Ensemble performs at the Poltava Ukrainian Pavilion, part of the annual Mosaic Festival of Cultures. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) It was a true display of Ukrainian culture showcased at the first night of the Poltava Ukrainian Pavillion at the Regina Performing Arts Centre The pavilion is part of the 2025 Mosaic Multicultural Festival. Members of the Poltava School of Dance, along with an ensemble and live orchestra, wowed a crowed of attendees with traditional performances. 'There are approximately 35 dancers. Eight to 10 boys and a lot of girls,' said Dion Tchorzewski, the Ambassador of the Poltava Ukrainian Pavilion. 'Our orchestra was actually founded in 1921. We have an orchestra with our organization for over 100 years and it's continued from there,' he explained. Attendees also had a chance to taste some traditional Ukrainian food. 'People come for our food. We make all our own perogies. We start early in the year and we make them every couple of weeks. Thousands at a time. We have our cabbage rolls, some amazing desserts,' Tchorzewski added. Tchorzewski said the festival is great way for residents of Regina to become immersed in the Ukrainian culture. 'I'm just happy to have everybody come, experience the culture with us. Everybody is welcome in Poltava.' One attendee echoed that sentiment. 'I like learning the new culture. I want to try new food. I like doing that, but it's just a good way to bring my culture to Regina and just experience new things,' explained Keyera Santbergen-Newstead. The Poltava Ukrainian Pavilion will be at the Regina Performing Arts Centre all weekend long with performances running every hour.
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Globe and Mail
Audiobooks Market to Hit USD 56.09 Billion by 2032, Booming at 26.4% CAGR, says Coherent Market Insights
The global audiobooks market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing consumer demand for convenient, hands-free entertainment. With the rise of smartphones, smart speakers, and streaming platforms, audiobooks have become a preferred format for readers on the go. According to Coherent Market Insights (CMI), the global audiobooks market size is projected to expand at a prolific CAGR of 26.4%, growing from USD 10.88 Bn in 2025 to USD 56.09 Bn by 2032. Global demand for audiobooks is anticipated to increase at a rapid pace during the assessment period. Based on genre, fiction segment is expected to dominate the industry, accounting for a revenue of around USD 6.99 Bn in 2025. By target audience, adult category is anticipated to account for more than 3/4 of the global audiobooks market share in 2025. North America audiobooks market is estimated to be valued at around USD 4.75 Bn by 2025, owing to increased popularity of audiobooks. As per Coherent Market Insights' latest audiobooks market analysis, Asia Pacific is expected to account for over one-fourth of the global industry in 2025. Get Sample Pages: Rising Preference for Convenient Dosage Forms Fueling Market Growth Coherent Market Insights' latest audiobooks market report highlights major factors spurring the industry's growth. One such prominent growth driver is the rising consumer demand for convenient, on-the-go content consumption. Modern consumers often seek flexible ways to consume content while multitasking. This is where audiobooks step in. They cater to this need by allowing users to listen during commutes, workouts, or other activities where reading a physical book or e-book is not feasible. The demand for convenient content consumption is particularly strong among urban professionals as well as students and frequent travelers. This enhanced convenience and accessibility offered by audiobooks is expected to contribute to market's expansion during the forecast period. High Cost and Piracy Issues Limiting Growth The prospective audiobooks market outlook appears optimistic. However, high production costs and piracy issues are expected to limit market growth to some extent during the forecast period. Producing audiobooks is a more complex and costly process compared to traditional print books or eBooks. This cost barrier poses a big challenge, especially for smaller publishers. Audiobook piracy is also becoming a growing concern, undermining legitimate sales as well as discouraging investing in new content. These challenges collectively hamper the overall audiobooks market demand. Increasing Penetration of Smartphones Creating Growth Opportunities The widespread use of smartphones and other portable devices is making audiobooks more accessible than ever. Consumers can easily download or stream audiobooks on-the-go, enhancing the convenience factor. Therefore, increasing penetration of smartphones and high-speed internet, especially across developing regions, is expected to create lucrative opportunities for audiobook companies. Many platforms are expanding their offerings, including fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and self-help education. This will open new revenue-generation streams for the audiobooks market during the assessment period. Emerging Audiobooks Market Trends Growing popularity of podcasts is positively impacting the audiobooks industry. As more consumers become accustomed to long-form audio content, many podcast listeners are exploring audiobooks as a complementary format, supporting market growth. Personalization trend is penetrating its roots into the audiobooks industry. Companies now use AI-driven algorithms to refine personalized recommendations based on individual tastes as well as listening habits. Subscription-based models are gaining traction across various regions. Platforms like Spotify and Audible are offering extensive audiobook libraries for a fixed monthly fee. These models encourage users to explore and consume more content. Leading audiobook service providers are integrating advanced technologies like AI to reduce production costs as well as improve audio quality. For instance, in May 2025, Audible introduced AI-powered narration and translation tools for publishers to streamline audiobook production and enhance global accessibility. Such innovations are expected to boost expansion of the audiobooks market. Analyst's View 'The global audiobooks market is expected to record tremendous growth, owing to increasing smartphone and internet penetration, surging demand for convenient, on-the-go content consumption, and easy availability of audiobooks across different platforms,' said a senior analyst at CMI. Current Events and Their Impact on the Audiobooks Market Competitor Insights Key companies listed in audiobooks market research report: - Google LLC - Apple Inc. - Inc. - Audible, Inc. - Storytel AB - Rakuten Group, Inc. - Scribd - Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc. - Downpour - F. Howes Ltd. - Playster (Softonic International S.A.) - LibriVox - RBMedia - OverDrive, Inc. - Kobo Buy this Complete Business Research Report: Key Developments In March 2025, Rakuten Kobo launched new unlimited audiobook and eBook subscription in Singapore. The new service will give avid readers unlimited access to Kobo's library of more than 2 million eBooks and 300,000 audiobooks at an affordable monthly rate. In May 2025, Audible expanded its audiobook catalog by introducing AI-powered narration and translation tools for publishers. This initiative aims to bring new audiobooks to life through the company's fully integrated AI production technology. In October 2024, Spotify launched audiobooks, including exciting works of Saskia Noort, Gael Faye, and Joel Dicker, across Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. About Us: Coherent Market Insights leads into data and analytics, audience measurement, consumer behaviors, and market trend analysis. From shorter dispatch to in-depth insights, CMI has exceled in offering research, analytics, and consumer-focused shifts for nearly a decade. With cutting-edge syndicated tools and custom-made research services, we empower businesses to move in the direction of growth. We are multifunctional in our work scope and have 450+ seasoned consultants, analysts, and researchers across 26+ industries spread out in 32+ countries.
