Andrew Binks – författare

John Rottam is on a journey back in time and place. Fleeing a private stripping engagement turned violent, he reflects on a time in his life when he was burdened with a broken heart, self-doubt and a floundering dance career. A few clumsy steps in the corps de ballet of a prestigious Canadian ballet company sends John fleeing to join a psychotic and incompetent dance troupe in Quebec City, run by the bitter Madame Talegdi, who all but destroys his dream of a legitimate career. Stifled by the walls of Old Quebec, limited French, and dwindling finances, John seeks out the feathers and sequins of the Chez Moritz nightclub, for a last shot at doing a little of what he loves, on the condition that he strips as well as dances. John''s fall from grace eventually lands him in a road house freak show, where he struggles to find love and a meaningful life amidst alcohol, deception, abuse and exploitation. When the show folds, John is forced to move on, confront his uncertain future and come to terms with his disturbing past.His final strip-tease becomes a haunting dance of desire, revulsion, insight and, ultimately, redemption. Strip is the unsettling, yet deeply inspiring, second novel from Andrew Binks.

After exposing a prominent theatre director for sexual misconduct, Randall Owen’s acting career is ruined. The television roles, the stage parts, vanished.Blacklisted and broke, he abandons Toronto for his hometown of Ottawa, accompanied by his aging black poodle, Molière. On the heels of his estranged parent’s gin-soaked car accident, he discovers that his much-needed inheritance is stuck in a trust fund. With resources dwindling, Randall is forced to take on a job as a barista to make ends meet, prompting him to question his chosen career and the decisions that led to him speaking out.Grappling with existential dread, a buried family secret, and a ruined reputation, Randall is inspired to write a tell-all play about his life. But while his creativity blossoms anew, Molière takes a turn for the worst, leading Randall to dread what his future holds.