1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 Nathan Maharaj spoke with Marc Bendavid, winner of the 2026 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for Literary Fiction for his novel The Sapling. It’s a love story, but unlike any love story you've ever read. Klara Bloem is an art teacher, and Marc—yes, there is autobiography woven through this work of fiction—he’s a thoughtful boy who’s drawn to Klara’s encouraging, lively presence. They forge a friendship that lasts years and endures upheavals in each of their lives. How Marc Bendavid found permission to write his award-winning novel Kobo in Conversation https://koboinconversation.libsyn.com/site <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/43237103/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/bf0000/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/content/207347633