It's May 31 at 9:00pm and I am still working on my contribution to the readalong Sarah and I decided to host back in March. I have been writing it in fragments, using my post to respond to the thoughts of others. Today's writing mostly involves cobbling together my bits and pieces to present to … Continue reading #ReadingLanternHill: My thoughts on Jane of Lantern Hill, anthropomorphism, and Squishmallows
These two memoirs are written by Nova Scotian authors--one from Halifax and one from Truro--and both tell deeply personal stories. It was interesting to note that Gallant felt isolated in her experience with infertility while Parker-Brown felt supported in her journey with ALS. A Womb in the Shape of A Heart by Joanne Gallant (Nimbus … Continue reading Maritime Memoirs: Joanne Gallant and Angela Parker-Brown
Truthfully, I wanted to read one of Andrew Sullivan's books because he is married to Amy Jones. And I love Amy Jones. (Hi, Amy!) When writers are also life partners, I get curious about how similar/different their writing styles are, or their genre choices. (Amy has a book coming out this month, too!) I knew … Continue reading The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan
The Gunsmith's Daughter by Margaret Sweatman It's 1971 and Lilac Welsh is 18-years-old. She lives in an isolated location near Winnipeg, Manitoba with her parents. Her father--Kal--who was a professor of psychology, was severely injured in Vietnam in 1961, after which he moved his family to this isolated location and became very successful creating fire … Continue reading Two from Gooselane Editions: ‘The Gunsmith’s Daughter’ and ‘This Is the House That Luke Built’
Three of these books are by Nova Scotian authors and one is from Newfoundland. All focus mainly on female characters: mothers, daughters, sisters, neighbours, friends, and even a wellness guru. The Remembering by Susan Sinnott (Nimbus Publishing) The Remembering is about a family in St. John's, Newfoundland. St. John's takes a central place in their … Continue reading From the Library: motherhood, family, girlhood, and wellness
A few years ago, Sarah Emsley and I co-hosted a reading of The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. We've decided that it's time for another Montgomery readalong. After polling the readers of Sarah's blog post on the matter, we've settled on Jane of Lantern Hill. I haven't read this one in years, so I'm excited … Continue reading Announcing a Readalong of Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery: #ReadingLanternHill
These three books took me from western, to central, to eastern Canada. And from the future, to the past, to almost the present (the 1990s). I loved them all. Greenwood by Michael Christie (Random House) I'm so happy I finally read this book. I've been wanting to read it since it came out, and have … Continue reading From the Library: the future, the past, and the 1990s
Confessions With Keith is a perfect palate cleanser to something heavy. Written as journal entries by a 40-something woman with a rocky marriage and four busy children, it reminded me of an older, more mature Bridget Jones. Vita is trying to create a writing career while raising four children, and working around a husband who … Continue reading Confessions With Keith by Pauline Holdstock
Earthquakes are not something we think a lot about here in Nova Scotia - although we do get them. Experts say we don't need to worry about something big. It's a different story on the west coast, though. That morning, the morning of the big earthquake, "Dogs stood in quivering hope at front doors, back … Continue reading The Broken Places by Frances Peck
I flew through this book by Jennifer Dance. It's very readable with wide audience appeal, about family and real family struggles. The story is told through alternating narratives. It begins with Mary as she is admitting to herself that she has Alzheimer's and is trying to write about her past before it's too late. When … Continue reading Gone But Still Here by Jennifer Dance
Consumed by Ink 