# Antonio Michael Downing

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-happened-next-a-podcast-about-newish-books-6367402/antonio-michael-downing
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-happened-next-a-podcast-about-newish-books-6367402/antonio-michael-downing.md
Podcast: [What Happened Next: a podcast about newish books](https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-happened-next-a-podcast-about-newish-books-6367402)
Published: 2026-02-02T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/what-happened-next-a-podcast-about-newish-books/episodes/antonio-michael-downing
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/67f6cc8f0c09f66202906ee8/e/697cbaa05edeb3034fb704d4/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/what-happened-next-a-podcast-about-newish-books-6367402/episodes/antonio-michael-downing
Duration seconds: 1611

## Resource

My guest on this episode is Antonio Michael Downing. Antonio is the author of the memoir Saga Boy and the children’s book Stars in My Crown , and is the current host of CBC Radio’s book program The Next Chapter . He also writes and performs music as John Orpheus. His most recent book is the novel Black Cherokee , published in 2025 by Simon & Schuster Canada. Author Zalika Reid-Benta said that “Downing’s prose is both lyrical and controlled and weaves together a story that is, at once expansive and intimate, expertly blending the personal with the sweeping nature of the historical.”   Antonio and I talk about bringing his own perspective as an author to his work on The Next Chapter , about why he handwrites the drafts of his books, and about unexpectedly discovering a kindred creative spirit in Anne of Green Gables . This podcast is produced and hosted by Nathan Whitlock , in partnership with The Walrus . Music: "simple-hearted thing" by  Alex Lukashevsky . Used with permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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