Robert Hilles

Who is Robert Hilles?

Robert Hilles is a Canadian poet and novelist who lives on Salt Spring Island with his partner, novelist Pearl Luke.

Born in Kenora, Ontario, Hilles studied at the University of Calgary, earning a BA in Psychology and English in 1976. He also holds an MSc in Educational Psychology, earned at the university in 1985.

Hilles lived for many years in Calgary, Alberta and was very active in the writing community there. For ten years he acted as the managing editor of Dandelion, the oldest surviving literary magazine in Alberta. He developed the magazine from a small pamphlet to one of the most respected literary magazines in Canada. During that time he also organized many successful readings featuring writers from across the country. In 2001, he moved to British Columbia and has been very active in the literary community there, especially on Salt Spring Island where he now lives. He among other writers helped set up a scholarship for beginning writers on Salt Spring and also organized a new reading series on the island.

He served on the executive of the League of Canadian Poets for five years and in 1996 was sent by the League of Canadian Poets and the Department of Foreign Affairs to represent Canada at an International Poetry Festival in Japan. Hilles won the 1994 Governor General's Award for Poetry for Cantos From A Small Room. In the same year, his first novel, Raising of Voices, won the Writers Guild of Alberta George Bugnet Award for best novel. He has published thirteen books of poetry and fours books of prose.