sonya ballantyne

Thirteen-year-old Chase’s life and identity should be simple. He’s the goalie for his hockey team, the Eagles. He’s a friend to Kevin and Jade. He’s Kookum’s youngest grandchild. He’s a boy. He should like girls.

But it’s not that simple. Chase doesn’t like girls the way that the other boys do. It’s scary being so different from his peers. Scarier still is the feeling that his teammates can tell who he is--and that they hate him for it. If he pretends hard enough, maybe he can hide the truth.

Real strength and change can’t come from a place of shame. Chase’s dreams are troubled by visions of a bear spirit, and the more he tries to hide, the more everything falls apart. With the help of an Elder and a Two-Spirit mentor, can Chase find the strength to be proud of who he is?

Between the Pipes explores toxic masculinity in hockey through the experiences of an Indigenous teen.

Sonya Ballantyne is a Swampy Cree writer, filmmaker, and speaker from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her work focuses on contemporary and futuristic portrayals of Indigenous women and girls. If you want a story about a cheeky Native girl or a presentation on the media’s portrayal of Indigenous women, she’s your go-to. Her published works include children’s book Kerri Berry Lynn as well as contributions to anthologies such as Pros and Comic Cons and Women Love Wrestling. She has also written for television, such as APTN’s Taken and the children’s show Wolf-Joe. She is currently working on her first feature film, a graphic novel memoir, and the forthcoming game The Walking Dead: Last MILE.

Alice RL (they/them) is a professional illustrator and art teacher based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As a non-binary, Ojibwe artist, Alice draws inspiration from their life experiences and cultural teachings. Alice blends these inspirations with a signature palette of bright, playful hues to create stunning juxtapositions of human brutality and emotion with hope and whimsy. Alice’s range of projects include video game and comic book art, digital and traditional illustration, and graphic design. Alice is a Graduate of the University of Manitoba Fine Arts Program and Digital Media Design at Red River College.