Wowza! I’m so excited to announce that I was voted in as President of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta on the weekend. Many of my blog followers will know that I’ve been involved with the organization for a few years now, but this promotion is a big step for me, so I feel the need…
Before I get into the actual review, I wanted to point out some exciting news; this book is published by Stonehouse Publishing, a brand new Alberta publisher based out of Edmonton! Very exciting (and a little bit crazy) right? Besides opening a new independent bookstore, opening up a small fiction press is probably one of…
If I was an organized reader and blogger, I would have read this book a few months ago in time for the Canada Reads debate that happened in early March. But, I clearly missed that boat, so my apologies; here is my very late review of the second place winner of Canada Reads 2016, The…
The shortlist for the Alberta Book Awards was just announced, which means a couple of exciting things are happening: The nominated writers will begin to trash talk* each other on social media I can announce that fact that yours truly will be hosting the awards. Yes, me. People will begin reading these specific books in…
So this is a first for ivereadthis: a book review of a graphic novel! And what a perfect book to start off this trend: The Outside Circle by Patti LaBoucane-Benson, art by Kelly Mellings. Powerful, this book is so powerful, and very necessary. It tells the story of Pete, a young Aboriginal man who comes from…
A few days ago, I received a lovely email from Donna Bailey Nurse regarding my book review of Marina Endicott’s Close to Hugh. Like myself, she was disappointed it didn’t make the Giller shortlist, but she also wanted to share with me a wonderful piece she did on Endicott for the literary magazine Black Iris. For those…
As the countdown to the Giller Prize ticks along, I’m reading and reviewing as many nominated books as I can. Next up on my list is Marina Endicott’s Close to Hugh. I have a soft spot in my hardened little heart for Endicott. She splits her time between Toronto and Alberta (Edmonton), so she goes…
I absolutely adored this book. I wasn’t sure I would, because it appeared as though it would be a war-time novel bogged down with historical details (which I don’t particularly enjoy), but instead, Flying Time turned out to be a coming-of-age story that I couldn’t put down. The book is written from the perspective of…
More Alberta writers to love! That’s really how I should title every book review that I write on an Alberta-born book. People don’t typically see Alberta as the literary hot-spot that it truly is, but I’m hoping to change that by highlighting amazing books by Western writers that don’t get the attention they deserve. Lee…
I’ve always enjoyed stories about ‘regular people, doing regular things’. They hold a certain fascination for me, simply because I can relate to those kinds of characters more than others, my life being pretty uneventful in general. I definitely like a good cozy mystery or thriller every once in a while, but family dramas, introspective…
I just finished reading a great mystery by a great Alberta author. And by the way, he’s also got another job as a rodeo announcer, when he’s not writing (see video below). David A. Poulson has written over 20 books, some for kids, some for adults, but according to the acknowledgements at the end of…
I just love the picture above, it’s one of my favourites from the Writers Guild of Alberta Conference because it so honestly depicts how fun the event was to host. The crowd in the background of this photo were enthusiastic, supportive and asked wonderfully insightful questions. The panelists Hilary McMahon, Steven Galloway and Leanne Shirtliffe…
