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
The title of this books makes me think of the social media memes that ask you to indicate where you're from without saying where you're from. Usually they do this with pictures, but local phrases and sayings could work nicely too. Some Hellish is set in Prince Edward Island, where it's common to hear people … Continue reading Some Hellish by Nicholas Herring
Breakwater Books is an amazing independent publisher located in St. John's, Newfoundland. They have sent me so many wonderful books over the years: Dirty Birds by Morgan MurrayMelt by Heidi WicksAlmost Feral by Gemma HickeyEven Weirder Than Before by Susie TaylorThe Luminous Sea by Melissa Barbeau Ledger of the Open Hand by Leslie VryenhoekSome People's … Continue reading From Breakwater Books: Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Italy, England, sisters, shipwrecks, and yoga
This book is missing a few things: fully-developed characters, a narrative arc, a sense of cohesiveness. What is this book about? I don't really know. Yet I still read it. In fact, I read it with great interest, wondering what the author was going to come up with next. Writing is hard work, often unrewarding, … Continue reading Q&A with Jeff Bursey, Author of Unidentified man at left of photo
In Found Drowned Laurie Glenn Norris, already an established author of local historical non-fiction, tries her hand at fiction that is based on true historical events. Which, without a doubt, is a sure way to snag my interest. In the beginning of Found Drowned a young woman is spotted by two boys, washed up on … Continue reading Found Drowned by Laurie Glenn Norris
But from childhood my one wish and ambition was to write. I never had any other or wished to have. - L.M. Montgomery Maud is a fictional account of Lucy Maud Montgomery's life between the ages of 14 and 17. Melanie Fishbane writes in detail about Maud's family, friends, and possible romances. Maud grows up … Continue reading Maud: A Novel Inspired by the Life of L.M. Montgomery by Melanie J. Fishbane
Contains spoilers! In The Gift of Wings, Mary Henley Rubio states that "Maud was relieved when she finished the book... It had been a chore." But you would never get that feeling while reading it. To me it felt like it was written in a whirl of headiness; it's a page-turner full of high emotions and … Continue reading Emily Readalong: Emily’s Quest
Contains spoilers! When it came to writing the sequels to her novels, Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon, L.M. Montgomery "felt little interest". According to Mary Henley Rubio in The Gift of Wings, it was "only her personal discipline that got her through the sequels, where her feisty heroines had to be … Continue reading Emily Readalong: Emily Climbs
Many people are familiar with Anne of Green Gables, but Emily of New Moon is not as well known. I'm not really sure why this is... but an article at Literary Hub suggests it's because "Anne has always wanted us to know her; Emily has never been sure." One of Anne's characteristics is that she is … Continue reading Emily Readalong: Emily of New Moon
The Blythes are Quoted, the last book in the Anne series, is a short story collection made up of stories about people who are the friends/neighbours/acquaintances of the Blythes. In every story the Blythes are mentioned or quoted, sometimes fondly, sometimes not-so-fondly. I would like to write everything about this book. I would love to … Continue reading The Blythes are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery
Consumed by Ink 