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{{Short description|Canadian novelist and short story writer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
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|death_place = [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada
|death_place = [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada
|occupation = Short story writer, novelist
|occupation = Short story writer, novelist
|nationality = [[Canadians|Canadian]]
|period = 1976–1998
|period = 1976–1998
|genre = Fiction
|genre = Fiction
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}}
}}


'''Margaret Gibson''' (June 4, 1948 – February 25, 2006) was a Canadian novelist and short story writer who lived in [[Toronto]], Ontario.
'''Margaret Gibson''' (June 4, 1948 – February 25, 2006) was a Canadian novelist and short story writer who lived in Toronto, Ontario.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Born and raised in the Toronto suburb of [[Scarborough, Toronto|Scarborough]], the middle child of Audrey and Dane Gibson, Margaret Gibson began writing in the early 1970s to document her struggle with [[mental illness]]. Biographical references are, however, in conflict as to whether Gibson suffered from [[schizophrenia]] or [[bipolar disorder]]. {{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}
Born and raised in the Toronto suburb of [[Scarborough, Toronto|Scarborough]], the middle child of Audrey and Dane Gibson, Margaret Gibson began writing in the early 1970s to document her struggle with mental illness.<ref name=demons>"Demons drove gifted writer's career; Toronto author Margaret Gibson, 57 Burst on scene with The Butterfly Ward", ''[[Toronto Star]]'', April 10, 2006.</ref> Initially diagnosed with [[paranoid schizophrenia]], she learned only during her divorce from her first husband that she had been misdiagnosed and was in fact [[bipolar disorder|bipolar]].<ref name=aaron>"Author's `tortured life' turned into two-hour TV special". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', February 24, 1994.</ref>


⚫
She was married in the early 1970s to Stuart Gilboord, with whom she had one son, Aaron. Following her divorce from Gilboord, Gibson moved in with her longtime friend, actor and [[drag (clothing)|drag]] performer [[Craig Russell (Canadian actor)|Craig Russell]]. Gibson and Gilboord's custody battle for Aaron was portrayed in the 1994 television film ''[[For the Love of Aaron]]'', in which Gibson was portrayed by actress [[Meredith Baxter]].<ref name=aaron/>
==Marriage==
⚫
Gibson was married in the early 1970s to Stuart Gilboord, with whom she had one son, Aaron. Following her divorce from Gilboord, Gibson moved in with her longtime friend, actor [[Craig Russell (Canadian actor)|Craig Russell]].


==Writing career==
==Writing career==
Gibson published her debut short story collection, ''The Butterfly Ward'', in 1976.<ref>[https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/margaret-gibson-2/the-butterfly-ward/ "The Butterfly Ward by Margaret Gibson"]. ''[[Kirkus Reviews]]'', March 3, 1980.</ref> The book included the story "Making It", based on her experiences living with Russell, which was later made into the feature film ''[[Outrageous!]]'' by director Richard Benner. [[Hollis McLaren]] played "Liza Conners", the fictionalized version of Gibson, in that film. Benner also produced a sequel, ''[[Too Outrageous!]]'', ten years later.
Gibson published ''The Butterfly Ward'', her debut short story collection, in 1976.<ref>[https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/margaret-gibson-2/the-butterfly-ward/ "The Butterfly Ward by Margaret Gibson"]. ''[[Kirkus Reviews]]'', March 3, 1980.</ref> The book included the story "Making It", based on her experiences living with Russell, which was later made into the feature film ''[[Outrageous!]]'' by director Richard Benner.<ref>"Richard Benner picks his own labels". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', June 18, 1979.</ref> [[Hollis McLaren]] played Liza Conners, the fictionalized version of Gibson, in that film. Benner also wrote and directed the sequel ''[[Too Outrageous!]]'' 10 years later. "Ada", another story in the collection, was the basis of a CBC Television movie directed by [[Claude Jutra]] for the drama anthology series ''[[For the Record (Canadian TV series)|For the Record]]''.<ref>"Jutra brings warmth, humanity to mental hospital drama". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', February 5, 1977.</ref> It was Jutra's first English-language film production. ''The Butterfly Ward'' was a winner of the [[City of Toronto Book Award]] in 1977, shared with [[Margaret Atwood]]'s novel ''[[Lady Oracle]]''.<ref>"Archeologist, nurse, hockey player among winners of merit awards". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', March 5, 1977.</ref>


Gibson's other short story collections include ''Considering Her Condition'' (1978),<ref>"Gibson's territory is out beyond the jagged edges of life a step away from the abyss where reality and fantasy are indistinguishable". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', September 30, 1978.</ref> ''Sweet Poison'' (1993)<ref>"Haunting stories reflect writer's own mental illness". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', November 6, 1993.</ref> and ''The Fear Room and Other Stories'' (1996).<ref name=urquhart>[[Jane Urquhart]], "Brilliant fictions for the stout-hearted: Margaret Gibson's joyous and celebratory love of children and animals shines through the darker, more excruciating regions of her luminous first novel". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', April 26, 1997.</ref> She published releasing her first and only novel ''Opium Dreams'' in 1997.<ref name=urquhart/> ''Opium Dreams'' was a winner of the [[Books in Canada First Novel Award]],<ref>"Opium Dreams wins award". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', April 25, 1998.</ref> and Gibson published her final short story collection ''Desert Thirst'' in 1998.<ref>"A pitiless, ruthless story collection". ''[[Edmonton Journal]]'', July 5, 1998.</ref>
"Ada", another story in the collection, was the basis of a [[CBC Television]] movie directed by [[Claude Jutra]] for the drama anthology series ''[[For the Record (Canadian TV series)|For the Record]]''.<ref>"Jutra brings warmth, humanity to mental hospital drama". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', February 5, 1977.</ref> It was Jutra's first English-language film production.

''The Butterfly Ward'' was a winner of the [[City of Toronto Book Award]] in 1977, shared with [[Margaret Atwood]]'s novel ''[[Lady Oracle]]''.<ref>"Archeologist, nurse, hockey player among winners of merit awards". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', March 5, 1977.</ref>

Gibson published three further collections of short stories before releasing her first novel, ''Opium Dreams'', in 1997. ''Opium Dreams'' was a winner of the [[Books in Canada First Novel Award]],<ref>"Opium Dreams wins award". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', April 25, 1998.</ref> and Gibson subsequently published one more book.


==Later years==
==Later years==
In later years Gibson lived with Juris Rasa, her second husband.
In later years, Gibson lived with Juris Rasa, her second husband.<ref name=demons/> She died in 2006 of breast cancer at age 57.<ref>[https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/291884.Margaret_Gibson Obituary], goodreads.com. Accessed March 19, 2024.</ref>

She died in 2006 of breast cancer, aged 57.<ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060315.OBGIBSON15/TPStory/?query= "MARGARET GIBSON, WRITER: 1948–2006"]. ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', March 15, 2006.</ref>


==Works about Margaret Gibson==
==Works about Margaret Gibson==
* Her friend [[Stephen Jon Postal]] and his wife Guia Dino Postal chronicled Gibson's teenage life in the novel, ''Of Margaret and Madness: A Novel Inspired By True Events'' ({{ISBN|9781434332752}}).
Her friends, Stephen Jon Postal and his wife Guia Dino Postal, chronicled Gibson's teenage life in the novel ''Of Margaret and Madness: A Novel Inspired by True Events'' ({{ISBN|9781434332752}}).
* A made-for-TV-film, ''For the Love of Aaron'', was produced in 1994 about her custody battle for her son, Aaron with her ex-husband, Stuart Gilboord; Gibson was portrayed by actress [[Meredith Baxter]].


⚫
In 2011, Vassar College's [[Powerhouse Theater]] produced David Solomon's play ''Margaret and Craig'' in workshop. The play was based on the writing of Craig Russell and Margaret Gibson.
==Writing about Margaret Gibson==
⚫
In 2011, [[Vassar College]]'s [[Powerhouse Theater]] produced David Solomon's play, ''Margaret and Craig'', in workshop. The play was based on the writing of Craig Russell and Margaret Gibson.


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
*''The Butterfly Ward'' – 1976
*''The Butterfly Ward'', 1976
*''Considering Her Condition'' – 1978
*''Considering Her Condition'', 1978
*''Sweet Poison'' – 1993
*''Sweet Poison'',1993
*''The Fear Room and Other Stories'' – 1996
*''The Fear Room and Other Stories'', 1996
*''Opium Dreams'' – 1997 (winner of the 1997 [[Books in Canada First Novel Award]])
*''Opium Dreams'', 1997
*''Desert Thirst'' – 1998
*''Desert Thirst'', 1998


==References==
==References==
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*{{IMDb name|0318316}}
*{{IMDb name|0318316}}


{{Amazon.ca First Novel Award}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


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[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:Canadian women novelists]]
[[Category:Canadian women novelists]]
[[Category:People from Scarborough, Toronto]]
[[Category:Canadian women short story writers]]
[[Category:Writers from Toronto]]
[[Category:Writers from Scarborough, Ontario]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Ontario]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Ontario]]
[[Category:Deaths from breast cancer]]
[[Category:Deaths from breast cancer in Canada]]
[[Category:People with bipolar disorder]]
[[Category:People with bipolar disorder]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian novelists]]
[[Category:Canadian women short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian women writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian women writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian short story writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian short story writers]]
[[Category:Amazon.ca First Novel Award winners]]

Latest revision as of 23:17, 19 March 2024

Margaret Gibson
Born(1948-06-04)June 4, 1948
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
DiedFebruary 25, 2006(2006-02-25) (aged 57)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OccupationShort story writer, novelist
Period1976–1998
GenreFiction
Notable worksThe Butterfly Ward, Opium Dreams

Margaret Gibson (June 4, 1948 – February 25, 2006) was a Canadian novelist and short story writer who lived in Toronto, Ontario.

Early life

[edit]

Born and raised in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough, the middle child of Audrey and Dane Gibson, Margaret Gibson began writing in the early 1970s to document her struggle with mental illness.[1] Initially diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, she learned only during her divorce from her first husband that she had been misdiagnosed and was in fact bipolar.[2]

She was married in the early 1970s to Stuart Gilboord, with whom she had one son, Aaron. Following her divorce from Gilboord, Gibson moved in with her longtime friend, actor and drag performer Craig Russell. Gibson and Gilboord's custody battle for Aaron was portrayed in the 1994 television film For the Love of Aaron, in which Gibson was portrayed by actress Meredith Baxter.[2]

Writing career

[edit]

Gibson published The Butterfly Ward, her debut short story collection, in 1976.[3] The book included the story "Making It", based on her experiences living with Russell, which was later made into the feature film Outrageous! by director Richard Benner.[4] Hollis McLaren played Liza Conners, the fictionalized version of Gibson, in that film. Benner also wrote and directed the sequel Too Outrageous! 10 years later. "Ada", another story in the collection, was the basis of a CBC Television movie directed by Claude Jutra for the drama anthology series For the Record.[5] It was Jutra's first English-language film production. The Butterfly Ward was a winner of the City of Toronto Book Award in 1977, shared with Margaret Atwood's novel Lady Oracle.[6]

Gibson's other short story collections include Considering Her Condition (1978),[7] Sweet Poison (1993)[8] and The Fear Room and Other Stories (1996).[9] She published releasing her first and only novel Opium Dreams in 1997.[9] Opium Dreams was a winner of the Books in Canada First Novel Award,[10] and Gibson published her final short story collection Desert Thirst in 1998.[11]

Later years

[edit]

In later years, Gibson lived with Juris Rasa, her second husband.[1] She died in 2006 of breast cancer at age 57.[12]

Works about Margaret Gibson

[edit]

Her friends, Stephen Jon Postal and his wife Guia Dino Postal, chronicled Gibson's teenage life in the novel Of Margaret and Madness: A Novel Inspired by True Events (ISBN 9781434332752).

In 2011, Vassar College's Powerhouse Theater produced David Solomon's play Margaret and Craig in workshop. The play was based on the writing of Craig Russell and Margaret Gibson.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • The Butterfly Ward, 1976
  • Considering Her Condition, 1978
  • Sweet Poison,1993
  • The Fear Room and Other Stories, 1996
  • Opium Dreams, 1997
  • Desert Thirst, 1998

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Demons drove gifted writer's career; Toronto author Margaret Gibson, 57 Burst on scene with The Butterfly Ward", Toronto Star, April 10, 2006.
  2. ^ a b "Author's `tortured life' turned into two-hour TV special". Ottawa Citizen, February 24, 1994.
  3. ^ "The Butterfly Ward by Margaret Gibson". Kirkus Reviews, March 3, 1980.
  4. ^ "Richard Benner picks his own labels". The Globe and Mail, June 18, 1979.
  5. ^ "Jutra brings warmth, humanity to mental hospital drama". The Globe and Mail, February 5, 1977.
  6. ^ "Archeologist, nurse, hockey player among winners of merit awards". The Globe and Mail, March 5, 1977.
  7. ^ "Gibson's territory is out beyond the jagged edges of life a step away from the abyss where reality and fantasy are indistinguishable". The Globe and Mail, September 30, 1978.
  8. ^ "Haunting stories reflect writer's own mental illness". Ottawa Citizen, November 6, 1993.
  9. ^ a b Jane Urquhart, "Brilliant fictions for the stout-hearted: Margaret Gibson's joyous and celebratory love of children and animals shines through the darker, more excruciating regions of her luminous first novel". The Globe and Mail, April 26, 1997.
  10. ^ "Opium Dreams wins award". Ottawa Citizen, April 25, 1998.
  11. ^ "A pitiless, ruthless story collection". Edmonton Journal, July 5, 1998.
  12. ^ Obituary, goodreads.com. Accessed March 19, 2024.
[edit]
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