Ontario author Steven Heighton in a handout photo.Mark Raynes Roberts/The Canadian Press
Ontario author Steven Heighton, who brought a poet’s sensibility to global issues, has died.
The Kingston, Ont., writer was 60.
Biblioasis, which published some of his books, confirmed the news Wednesday in a statement. Biblioasis publisher Dan Wells said news of Heighton’s death came as a surprise, though he knew the author was ill.
House of Anansi Press, meanwhile, described Heighton as a “kind friend and a true talent.”
“We had the distinct pleasure of working with Steven on both his poetry at House of Anansi and his work for children at Groundwood Books,” the publishing house said in an e-mailed statement.
“We are honoured that so many of us had the opportunity to know Steven and interact with his writing.”
Heighton’s writing spanned from poetry to novels to non-fiction.
In 2016, his poetry collection “The Waking Comes Late” won the Governor General’s Literary Award.
Its publisher, Anansi, described the poems as a collection that challenges “the boundaries of sleep and even death.”
More recently, Heighton released “Reaching Mithymna: Among the Volunteers & Refugees On Lesvos,” a non-fiction work chronicling the arrival of Syrian refugees in Greece.