G'day, who are you and why are you here?

[Karen]

will have to use emotional vomitting in a story angst is way over used.

[Renee]

That's what I thought, and why I switched.

[Karen]

says alot in just a few words--people ask what the hell is that and laugh when you explain it

[Renee]

It does, although I think the few words speak for themselves. They mostly startle people into asking "What?".

[Karen]

yeah i know

[Betty]

Kathy wrote: "Do you recall those commercials where people hit the 3 pm wall? I thought they were great;)
...only time I have for reading is usually when I have a litter of puppies to feed! "
Kathy, I thought that was so funny. We used to have a pig farm in the 1970s, and I often sat up (all night half the time) while delivering pigs and did crossword puzzles. Now there's one time audio books would have been a good idea. Couldn't read anything I didn't want to get messed up! Your last line just reminded me of that. We preferred to assist because we were often able to save some piglets. Pig and dog births are often comparable. Other pig farmers thought we were crazy. We had 150 sows so I spent a lot of time sitting at the end of a farrowing crate! Thanks for the reminder, I always thought of it as my quiet time and quite peaceful.

[Catherine]

Hi everyone,

I am a Canadian author living in Montreal. You can read the condensed version of my life story at www.catherinemckenzie.com

[Kathy]

Betty, we actually call the bulldogs 'pigdogs' because they resemble pigs so much in profile!

Catherine, lovely job on the website, and good luck with the new release. It sounds like it might have a Sophie Kinsella feel, a hot market right now!

[Gregg]

Hello, I am a proud Canadian author who is currently published as a Juvenile fiction Author. My book is a fun filled action adventure which has some ring of truth to my crazy life. I love making people laugh and I have taken the microphone at comedy clubs while doing my undergrad at Acadia many years ago. Our biggest export is talent and I am willing just like everyone else to share my writing talent with the world. If you haven't already seen it on goodreads somewhere please check out my newly released novel
Big Bobby Boom! and the Marble Mayhem. It is available at Chapters, Coles or www.moosehidebooks.com
I'd love to make friends with other authors and exchange information. I am especially interested in meeting literary agents and finding ways to get great exposure of my book into more schools and librairies and what are the best writers associations and organizations to join. Big Bobby Boom! and the Marble Mayhem

[Renee]

Welcome Gregg, again. I think with the librairies you have to be a little proactive on that. I wrote two children's chapter books (7-10) years and found that if you donate, and it meets their 'standards' they will put it in the library. The secret is not to donate to all of them. Schools for instance, you call the local school board (or email) find out who is in charge of their ordering and tell them you'd like to donate a copy. When you do, provide them with a page that lists all the info they'll need to order more. If the book is popular, and educational, they will usually order more to put in the rest of their schools. Does this work? It did for me, I'm lucky that I know a girl on the school board who told me how to approach it. I didn't get it in a lot of schools, but there are three or four locally, this is a small area though. (our town is only 1800 people) If you've got a larger school district, one book could lead to many. Also, go outside your school district.

Hope that helps. Oh, and offer author 'readings'. Bring books and tell them you'll sell them at the 'reading'. THey love that. It's good for the kids to meet a 'real live author' and really rewarding. The questions they come up with are awesome.

[Erin L]

Hi everyone, I'm Erin (I already kind of introduced myself in another thread, oops).

I'm here because I love supporting Canadian talent and I've found that while I'm pretty well versed in Canadian music, I'm woefully unaware of many Canadian Authors outside of the usual suspects. So I'm hear to learn and hopefully eventually contribute.

(edited because I can't get the right "here" today.)

[Renee]

Me too Erin, starting this group has opened my world to so many wonderful and amazing authors I'd never have read otherwise.

Funny, I can talk music too, but darn I didn't know we had so many great authors. I read them, and it never occured me to check the author bio to see where they were from. I do all the time now.

[Sheila]

Just introducing myself - - - a somewhat discouraged author of one traditionally published and one self published book over the past seven years. Hundreds of Canadian readers bought and liked the books. But so far I cannot find an agent for my third manuscript. Literary non-fiction the libraries call my books, though they border on memoir. Maybe I am out of touch with what readers want in my genre. Talk to me readers.

[Renee]

Welcome Sheila, perhaps it isn't what readers want that is the issue here but what the agent is looking for. Do I know the answer to that? Heck no, or I'd have one of my own. We have many great readers and writers in this group, maybe someone could shed some light for both of us.

[Karen]

i like the memoirs genre -- maybe agents dont think they will sell as well as mainstream fiction. Their loss.

[Petra]

Hi everyone! I'm glad to find this group. I live in British Columbia and enjoy reading a wide variety of books & genres.
I'm looking forward to many good discussions here.

[Shannon]

Welcome Petra. Glad to have another BCer on board.

[Renee]

Sorry Petra, falling asleep on the job here. Welcome to the group. Hey, we should start offering Welcome Wagon type stuff. You know, cake, cookies, drinks....okay so I just want cake.

[Petra]

Thanks, Shannon and Renee! I was beginning to wonder where everyone is. I thought I'd be patient until someone wandered through....Real Life has a sneaky way of taking charge of one's time.
Shannon, I'm in the Vancouver area. I work in Vancouver, live in the suburbs (can't afford the city).
Renee, what kind of cake? LOL! I'm always up for a good cookie.

[Renee]

hmm..last time it was black forest cake. Any preferences? I've got some chocolate chunk cookies here though. I guess I could share.

[Sheila]

Okay you cake lovers! My daughter was just here with an oatmeal cake and coconut topping. Yummy! The recipe is on her blog www.catcancook.com. She published the Catcancookbook in November and it is selling well. Gone to second printing this month. But back to cake . . . oatmeal sounds healthy so we can have more of it, right?

[Renee]

Hmmm...I'll have to check that out. I love cookbooks, it's an addiction. I actually have a cupboard devoted to my cookbooks. I'm running out of space.

Why the cupboard? Then 'someone' doesn't see how many I really have.

[Sheila]

And then do you find you just use the same three or four over and over anyway? I like the old Five Roses cookbook my Mom always used, Food that Really Schmecks(Mennonite cooking), and the Joy of Cooking. But my little handwritten book is best of all, and that is where Catherine got quite a few of the recipes for her book.

[Renee]

Yes, I use the same few books. My aunts gave me my grandmother's stack of recipes after she died last year. I compiled many of the family favorites into a book for my aunts, uncles and cousins for Christmas. I use that one the most.

Anyone looking for gift ideas, that went over really well. I have 13 aunts and uncles on my mother's side, then add 17 grandchildren who are able to use the books, and I was able to give them all an amazing gift for under $8 each. Plus it's a little piece of grandma for everyone.

[Shannon]

Petra, I was born in VAncouver, lived in the lower mainland for a long time, then about 15 years in and around Victoria and now am in northern BC

[Gabriele]

I just posted something under "Our Group's Authors" and realize I should probably have started here. So I won't repeat everything, but will say that I'm passionate about writing Canadian historical fiction. There's so much fascinating social history that we never learn about in school and sometimes just stumble across by accident.

Anyway, I love doing research as well as writing, especially when it entails trips to France and Belgium, which I did for my novels set during The Great War - The Summer Before The Storm and ELUSIVE DAWN. : )

I live in Guelph, Ontario, but grew up in Lindsay, and loved my years in Ottawa. And one of my favourite places is cottage country, as you can probably guess from my "Muskoka Novels" series. If you haven't been to Muskoka, check out my book trailer on YouTube to see why they say "once discovered, never forgotten."

My website
My Blog - The Obsessed Writer

[Renee]

Welcome to the group Gabriele. Cottage country is beautiful. I must agree. Going to check out your books now.

[Gabriele]

Thanks, Renee. After I finally go and have my breakfast, I'll check out more of the threads here!

[Shannon]

Welcome Gabriele:

I have heard good things about your series and it is on my ever expanding never shrinking TBR list!

[Gabriele]

Thanks, Shannon!

[Jenny]

Hi. My name is Jenny and I live in Windsor, Ontario. I joined this book club because I love Canadian authors and I also feel a sense of patriotism whenever I pick up a Canadian book. Must be the effects of the 2010 Winter Olympics, still. I also want to hear about all of your Canadian recommendations - so exciting!

I have always followed the Canada Reads debates, but this is the first year where I am actually going to read all the selections. So far I have finished Fall On Your Knees, Nikolski and The Jade Peony. Only Generation X and Good to a Fault left to read.

Can't wait to get started with all of you!

Jenny

[Shannon]

Welcome Jenny. We seem to be a devout lot for our Canadian authors (and some on here are real authors too!). Feel free to visit some old threads about what we are reading or our thoughts on Canada Reads. Look forward to hearing your comments on past or current topics.

[Gabriele]

I can still quote Alligator Pie by Dennis Lee, even though I read that to my daughter over 20 years ago! Gotta love it!

[Petra]

Hi Jenny! I'm fairly new here, too. I live in BC. Welcome!

[Juniper]

Mmmm...I'm still back on the cake! LOL!

[Irene]

Hi, I am not a Canadian, but live in Saratoga Springs NY which is not too far from Canada, and I love Canadian authors! In fact, I bug my wonderful library to purchase Canadian authors' books all the time.

One of my favorite authors is David Adams Richards, especially his book, Mercy Among the Children.

[Irene]

Thank you Roderick! Yes, they are. I am an email subscriber to the Random House Canada newsletter, and am able to receive a heads up on new Canadian releases. Unfortunately, not all titles trickle down as quickly as I would like.

Et tu...!

[Shannon]

Welcome Irene. We won't hold it against you for not being Canadian (especially since you like our authors). ;) I have to say you have a good number of excellent authors in your country too. I haven't read any David Adams Richards so will take a look. Feel free to comment in the group.

[Irene]

Thank you Shannon!

[Cheryl]

My name is Cheryl Kaye Tardif. I am an addict. A book addict and a shameless promoter addict. There is no help for me, or so I've been told. No 12-step program. No rehab.

So I've come here. :-)

Oh, and my name is also Cherish D'Angelo. Before you run away thinking I'm schizophrenic, that's my pseudonym or pen name. Cherish writes romance--romantic suspense with steamy scenes and sexy men.

Cheryl kills people off for a living. She writes suspense thrillers mainly, and some YA.

http://www.cherylktardif.com

http://www.cherishdangelo.com

[Alison]

Hi, my name is Alison Bruce and I am a writing addict.

I read Canadian because I believe in the adage "Do unto others..." I'm Canadian and want Canadians (amongst others) to read my work so...

I'm also addict to "..."

[Alison]

No so much the promotional addict -- especially self promotion which is why I didn't immediately add:

http://www.alisonbruce.ca/
http://alisonebruce.blogspot.com/
and
http://nationalcrimewritingmonth.blog...

[Renee]

I love your blog Alison. Unique and interesting posts in there. I'll have to set aside an hour to read more of them. Your site is great too, again, I need to investigate more. You've got lots going on.

Welcome to our little corner. I'm addicted to writing and ..... too. I look forward to your posts. Now, it's naptime here, I have to round up the natives...er, kids, and get them settled.

[Shannon]

Cheryl wrote: "My name is Cheryl Kaye Tardif. I am an addict. A book addict and a shameless promoter addict. There is no help for me, or so I've been told. No 12-step program. No rehab.

So I've come here. :-)
..."

Welcome Cheryl. I am excited to try out some of your books as I live in BC and have worked in the north and so many of the settings in your books are familiar. Who knows I may even try a romance - would by my first since I was a teen. I'm also looking forward to your ask an author segment (I just hope I can remember my question when June rolls around).

[Shannon]

Welcome Alison. I think I have found some good summer reads. Thanks for posting your website and blog.

[Helena]

Hi all! I'm new to Goodreads. Well not new new, I've been on for a few months, but dont' really know where to start. Until I saw this group. Which seemed perfect because I'm Canadian.And I write. I'm looking forward to meeting and chatting with everyone!

[Renee]

Welcome to the group and to Goodreads Helena. I didn't know where to start either. I wandered in and out of a few really...interesting groups before I found some that I really liked. Of course, you'll like it here. We've got cake.

And on a side note; I've found a great community for Canadians. It's a site for creative Canadians, not just writers, but all kinds. This is the link for the writing group http://wearecanadian.spruz.com/member... But there are also a ton of others on the home page. It's pretty new, but I nagged to get the writing group and the gals who started it are really easy to get along with. Check it out.

[Gabriele]

I don't know where I should post this, but I just wanted to let you know that my novel, The Summer Before The Storm, has been selected as one of the 6 "must-read" books for the Muskoka Chautauqua Reading Circle for 2010. This revival of the 1920s Muskoka Assembly Chautauqua focusses on enrichment of body, mind, and spirit. See my blog about the original at http://theobsessedwriter.blogspot.com...

[Chrissie]

Wow Gabriele, I al so very happy for you!!!

[Gabriele]

Thanks, Chrissie!