News – John Van Rys

Milksop Praised in the Local Press

October 9, 2026September 4, 2026

The New York Times and the London Review of Books still haven’t responded to my emails, texts and twitty tweets about my debut novel Milksop. They’ve even ignored all the awkward author videos I’ve posted on Tiktok, Instagram, and YouTube.

But my local paper, The Haldimand Press, has endorsed Milksop! Much thanks to Alexa Gerrie for the fun interview and the lovely write-up about Evan’s angsty, rural coming-of-age story

I especially love how right below the article it’s all about LIFE and death. Ain’t that the truth!

How ODD: My Fight Against Fascism

August 28, 2026

What can humorous fiction contribute to the fight against fascism? In my newest Old Dog Dumps Substack post, “Saddle Up, Pilgrim”: My Recent (Misad)Venture, I test that theory out.

Here’s a taste of the post: “The contest prompted me to write another Evan Mulder story, one that let me respond to these crazy times we’re enduring. And you know what? With the rupture that’s happened this past week over trade and Trump’s attempt to blow up Canada’s sovereignty, now’s the time to share with you this inspiring story, ‘Saddle Up, Pilgrim.’”

Take some time out of your busy day battling fascism to read “Saddle Up, Pilgrim.” I’d say, “You won’t regret it,” but you might. And if the spirit moves you, subscribe to ODD: it’s all free, all the time.

ODD Post: Milksop at One Month

June 30, 2026June 23, 2026

In my latest ODD post, A Month of Milksops, I ponder a milestone: Milksop turning one month old.

Here’s a taste of the post: “Milksop is one month old today. In book years, that makes him an awkward, insecure teenager. He wants people to like him but is deeply worried they don’t. Will he find his way in the book forest, or will he be lost forever, ending his brief shelf life in a book bog?”

Have a read, and if the spirit moves you, subscribe to ODD: it’s all free, all the time.

Milksop a Recommended Summer Read!

June 30, 2026June 21, 2026

So pleased to be included among these recommended summer reads, a list published in the Western News! (Many years ago, I got my Honours BA and MA in English at Western University.) Personally, I think Milksop would be a great book to read at the cottage, on the beach, or sitting on your porch or balcony with the beverage of your choice.

Milksop Captures Haldimand’s Pulse

June 30, 2026June 12, 2026

The New York Times and the London Review of Books haven’t returned my calls about my debut novel Milksop, but I got this lovely write up in my county news.

I thought the article made me famous, there were so many people thronging to nearby Dunnville today. I feared these strangers were asking locals where my hobby farm was and that I’d be swamped with readers wanting my signature in their copy of Milksop, along with a dozen eggs.

Then I remembered it’s the Mudcat Festival this weekend . Crisis averted!

Milksop on Giller’s Craving CanLit List

June 30, 2026June 11, 2026

So pleased to be added to the Giller Prize’s “Craving CanLit” page, a list of fiction and graphic novels by Canadian writers published between October 2025 and September 2026 (the timeframe for submission to the prize).

For more than 40 years, I studied and taught CanLit. With Milksop, I’ve now made a small contribution to that literary community. Honoured to be among these authors—and as it happens right beside my good friend Brent van Staalduinen!

If you’re craving some new CanLit, you can check out the full list here. Milksop is on page 3.

ODD: Milksop Released into the Wilds of Writing!

May 24, 2026May 23, 2026

In my latest Old Dog Dumps post, I celebrate publication day for my debut novel Milksop.

In “Look Out! Milksop Released Today into the Wilds of Writing,” I share what inspired the novel and what my hopes are for my little paper boat—along with how readers can help keep it afloat.

Here’s a taste: “It began with a memory from 50 years ago. That memory became an image: a teenage boy from the city sits on a tractor in an unfamiliar farmyard. He can’t get the tractor started, even though the farmer showed this strange boy how to do it the night before. On a second tractor, the farmer is heading down the laneway. He doesn’t look back.”

Have a read, and if the spirit moves you, subscribe to ODD: it’s all free, all the time.

Milksop Released into the Wilds of Writing

ODD Post: Small Dreams and Minor Miracles

May 19, 2026May 17, 2026

In my latest Old Dog Dumps post, “Small Dreams and Minor Miracles: That’s ODD,” I reflect on both writing and reading fiction as forms of dreaming—and the minor miracle that my debut novel Milksop will be released in less than a week.

Here’s a taste: “It’s a noisy world filled with words, isn’t it? A world of shortened attention spans for reading those words. A world of tweets by twits, rage-bait posts, and content designed to keep us doomscrolling. It’s a minor miracle that the novel exists in this environment.”

Have a read, and if the spirit moves you, subscribe to ODD: it’s all free, all the time.

ODD Post: Milksop Evan Gets Smacked Down by a French Teenager

May 9, 2026

Milksop Evan has received a smack down from a French teenager.

In my latest ODD post, part 4 of “Milksop: In Others’ Words,” I share the story of how seventeen-year-old Tina from France (2026) reacted to seventeen-year-old Evan from Ontario (1979). It wasn’t pretty. I’ve concluded that my novel must be banned, at least among French teenagers, maybe all teenagers. Perhaps existing copies should be turned into a bonfire of my vanities.

Happy reading! And as always, if the spirit moves you, feel free to share your thoughts and the post itself. Don’t forget to subscribe: it’s all free all the time.

Odd Post: More Sightings of Milksops in the Wild

May 1, 2026

Apparently there’s no cure for my writerly madness.

In my latest ODD post, “More Sightings of Milksops in the Wild,” I share my horror at discovering that centuries-long debates have raged about this humble word, “milksop.”

Here’s a taste: “Yes, my little novel has entered a minefield. Above that minefield a storm is brewing, one the literary world and the global order have never seen, worse than the combined havoc created by those two viruses, COVID and Donald Trump.”

Warning: I’m still prone to exaggeration and suffer from illusions of grandeur.

Happy reading! And as always, if the spirit moves you, feel free to share your thoughts and the post itself. Don’t forget to subscribe: it’s all free all the time.