Halifax-born author’s debut novel selected for Canada Reads 2026

Tyler Hellard believed his 2018 debut novel Searching for Terry Punchout was dead — until he discovered that his novel was selected by Steve (Dangle) Glynn, an internet hockey personality, as a contender for this year’s Canada Reads.

Canada Reads is an annual event hosted by CBC Radio where five celebrities represent five books, engaging in a “battle of the books” that ultimately crowns one winner.

After Hellard’s novel was released in 2018, it saw strong sales in its first year before quickly dying down. The COVID-19 pandemic hit two years later, and health issues followed for Hellard, causing him to lose his writing momentum. 

Thanks to Glynn, Hellard’s novel and writing career have gotten a second life.

“We’re going to sell more books in the next three months than in the last eight years,” Hellard said. 

The author was born in Halifax, grew up in Summerside, P.E.I., and moved to Antigonish during his university years. He now lives in Calgary with his wife and kids.

It took Hellard a few years after high school to appreciate coming from a small town, which is what the main character goes through in his novel. 

Set in a fictional small Nova Scotia town, his novel follows a sportswriter who returns home and has to confront everything he left behind. 

Hellard is happy to represent Nova Scotia, saying, “I hope Nova Scotia is happy with me, I’m looking forward to repping it.” 

This year’s Canada Reads book theme is building bridges. Hellard said he is building bridges in his own life through the experience. The author said he is a “classic introvert,” and having to do all kinds of interviews in the last month has challenged him to get out of his comfort zone. 

“This is the busiest I’ve been in seven years,” he said. 

Hellard isn’t the only one getting a boost after the contenders were released. His novel was published by Invisible Publishing, an independent not-for-profit publishing company based in Picton, Ont. 

Publisher Norm Nehmetallah said Canada Reads is one of the biggest drivers of book sales in Canada. Having one of their books as a contender on the CBC show is “a huge deal for us,” he said.

He said the odds are stacked against independent publishers in Canada. He also said Hellard’s novel is the only one of the five selected that was written, edited, designed, printed and distributed in Canada. 

Invisible Publishing was originally founded in Halifax and operated there for its first seven years. Now their team works all over the country, with their main office based in Ontario.

“We’ve always had a Halifax contingent,” said Nehmetallah, adding that many of the company’s first authors had roots in the city. 

The Halifax Public Libraries also see a surge in borrowing of the Canada Reads selections. As of Jan. 26, Searching for Terry Punchout has 34 new holds.

“The whole thing’s wild,” said Hellard. “I don’t really know what I’m doing, but I’m just trying to enjoy it.” The recent event has revived the author’s spark to continue the novels he’s begun writing. 

“Are there five stages of I can’t believe this is happening?” said Hellard.