Books:

The Better Part of Some Time (Wet Ink Books, 2022), (96 pp.), ISBN 978-1989786642

Anthologies:

Nov., 2023 - "Stones Beneath the Surface" (Black Mallard Poetry)
June, 2023 - Dr. Drummond Poetry Contest
June, 2022 - "Framed & Familiar: Portraits 101" (Sand Crab Books)

Awards & Recognition:

2023 - Dr. Drummond Poetry Contest, Judges' Choice
2021-22 - Don Gutteridge Poetry Award Contest, Honourable Mention
2019-20 - Freefall Annual Poetry Contest, Shortlist Finalist

Memberships:

The Ontario Poetry Society (since June, 2023)
The League of Canadian Poets (since Feb., 2021)

Media:

Dec. 4, 2023 - Feature Interview on 102.7 CHOP-FM
Nov. 28, 2023 - Reader on HOWL - CIUT 89.5FM
Oct. 31, 2023 - Reader on HOWL - CIUT 89.5FM
Oct. 3, 2023 - Feature Interview on HOWL - CIUT 89.5FM
Sept. 26, 2023 - Reader on HOWL - CIUT 89.5FM
Aug. 29, 2023 - Reader on HOWL - CIUT 89.5FM
Aug.11, 2023 - Reading from Artfest Kingston IX featured on "finding a voice" on CFRC 101.9FM
July 25, 2023 - Reader on HOWL - CIUT 89.5FM
July 6, 2023 - Feature Article in The New Tecumseth Times
June 27, 2023 - Reader on HOWL - CIUT 89.5FM

Reviews:

- by Barry Dempster, author of 18 collections of poetry, twice nominated for the Governor General's Award.

I could pretend I'm less alone, Ontario poet Mike Madill writes in his first poetry collection, The Better Part of Some Time, but the acknowledgement that it would be a pretense is what sets Madill's writing apart from others who might tackle similar subject matter, such as a father's death and the repercussions of unfinished grief. He loved his father with a fierceness that a lesser writer might embellish with some serious sentimentality, but Madill's poems are clean and thorough; he writes with a chisel on hard rock, sparks flying madly around the room. Believe me, these poems are invigorating and courageous, totally attentive to language and lyric, and imbued with an honesty that is often stunning. They remind us that being human isn't a multiple choice question.


- by Goodreads Author & Poet Debbie Hill (edit)

An impressive debut collection, Mike Madill's The Better Part of Some Time (Wet Ink Books, 2022) reminds me of opening a stranger's photo album and reflecting upon the intimate details of this poet's childhood, the grief tunnel he entered upon his father's death, and his mid-life contemplations. The memories and images are so rich and vivid in sound and sight that they immediately come alive.

Like a poetic memoir filled with genuine, heartfelt, tethered and untethered emotions (both joyful and sad, at times humorous), his 50 plus lyrical poems are divided into three sections ("Little Voice", "The Ricochet of Sky" and "Solar Flare"). For a non-poetry reader, the words are accessible, easy to read, and easy to understand. For poetry connoisseurs, the work is well-crafted and layered with poetic devices and deeper meanings.

There is also an openness and vulnerability in the writing that pulls the reader closer into the poet's state of mind. Madill is not afraid to address perceived failures and to share painful details. But what Madill may not realize is that he has already accomplished so much. His manuscript for The Better Part of Some Time received an Honourable Mention in the inaugural 2021 Don Gutteridge Poetry Award Contest, where he competed with established writers such as David Blaike, Wendy Jean McLean, and Antony DiNardo. Many of his poems have already been previously published in well-known and established literary journals across Canada; not an easy feat in this highly competitive literary world.

I gave this collection four stars because I'm expecting Madill's work to grow even stronger in the future. Without a doubt, a talented poet to watch!


- by Diana Lopez for Readers' Favorite Award (edit)

The Better Part of Some Time is a collection of poems about real-life. These poems remind us that there are no manuals for life and we cannot predict when a change or significant loss will occur. Mike Madill keeps his feet on the ground and reflects on his experiences, writing from a perspective that includes evaluating death as well as a search for the true self.

He shows us that there are often moments that don't have to be classified as good or bad. Some experiences are there simply because they are part of our personal development. Reading these poems is like having photographs that show you a concrete and significant moment. The author is like a friend who invites us to get to know him in depth and enjoy time together.