He subsequently worked in Hollywood as a screenwriter; though he continued to publish short stories and essays in Canadian and American magazines, he did not publish another book until The Law of Dreams, his novel of a young man driven into exile during Ireland's Great Famine. The novel was rejected by 25 publishers in the United States before being accepted by Steerforth Press. The Law of Dreams was published by House of Anansi in Canada and was published in nine languages around the world, with the US trade paperback edition published by Random House
He later worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood; he also continued to publish short stories and essays in Canadian and American magazines. He did not release another book until The Law of Dreams, his novel about a young man exiled during Ireland's Great Famine. This novel was rejected by 25 publishers in the United States before being accepted by Steerforth Press. The Law of Dreams was published by House of Anansi in Canada and translated into nine languages worldwide; the US trade paperback edition was released by Random House.