Video Review of Canadian Werewolf Books

 I was beyond thrilled to see how much Nichi, the host of Dark Between the Pages, enjoyed my Canadian Werewolf books.

In this video review, part of her Recent Reads video, she shares her thoughts on my character Michael Andrews and the situations he ends up finding himself in in A Canadian Werewolf in New York, Stowe Away, and Fear and Longing in Los Angeles.

The part where she talks about my books starts at about 6:30.

My 2015 In Reading

Wow. So I only posted 3 articles to my blog in 2015. And I didn't even do the annual summation of the books I had read the year before either.

Hoping to kick-start this year into at least 12 posts -- let's see if I can do at least 1 post every month, shall we?
 

HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF MY PAST YEAR IN BOOKS

Here's a bit from my year in books as summarized by Goodreads.

• I read 41 books in 2015 (not counting the ones I had to read for work, ie, as an editor).
• The shortest book I read was 45 pages (Kevin J. Anderson's Million Dollar Productivity)
• The longest book I read was 495 pages (Stephen King's The Bazaar of Bad Dreams)
• The most popular book I read was The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 
• (I'm most surprised that Harper Lee's Go Set A Watchman wasn't the most popular one)
•  I enjoyed at least three (perhaps four depending on how you classify them) romance novels in the past year. Two Marie Force novels, one straight out romance (Maid for Love), another romantic suspense (Fatal Affair), one Liliana Hart romantic comedy/suspense (Whiskey Rebellion) and Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project
• I only read 3 non-fiction books in the past year. Odd, I normally like to read more. In fact, I'm sure I read more - at least one or two other non-fiction books for writers. Perhaps I missed recording a few. Will have to go back and double check that.

I won't break the list down the way I have in years past -- simply, I'll list the books that I most enjoyed having read in the past year, linking to each one.  In no particular order, here at the books I loved the most from my 2015 reading:

Poles Apart - Terry Fallis

The Damned - Andrew Pyper

12 - Sean Platt & David Wright

Clockwork Lives - Kevin J. Anderson

Last Call - Sean Costello

The Martian - Andy Weir

The Crossing - Michael Connelly

The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion

Fatal Affair - Marie Force

The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins

No Relation Book Launch

I attended the official launch for No Relation by Terry Fallis last night.

Sure, the book has been out since May and has climbed the charts on the Globe & Mail Bestseller list (no surprise there - it's a fantastic novel filled with both hilarious moments as well as poignant ones), but the evening was Terry celebrating his new novel with a group of friends, associates, family and colleagues.

Tim Fallis kicks off the evening, admitting he has "some relation" to his twin brother Terry

It was a packed house at Dora Keogh on Danforth; standing room only as we cheered and celebrated Terry's latest book. Book City, the very first bookstore to carry Terry's first novel The Best Laid Plans back when it was self-published and Terry was an unknown author, was on hand selling copies of Terry's novels as well as Douglas Gibson's Stories About Storytellers. (I'm proud to state that, while Book City was the first bookstore to carry it, I was the second bookseller to pick up his book and one that insisted we do a book launch for The Best Laid Plans at McMaster.)

Terry's twin brother Tim (who exudes the same charm and wit as his brother), kicked off the evening, congratulating and teasing his brother before introducing Douglas Gibson, Terry's editor and a master storyteller in his own right, who introduced Terry.

Doug Gibson talks about the joy of being Terry's editor and friend

Doug spoke about Terry's reputation among booksellers as a "nice guy" and, speaking with booksellers, you get a true sense that Terry is adored both near and far by booksellers and is an avid supporter of his friends in the bookish trade. He mentioned in his opening remarks last night that when a neighbourhood bookstore closes, it's not just the loss of a handful of jobs nor the inconvenience of not having a local bookshop to check out that occurs, it's that a piece of the very fabric of culture itself has been torn from that community.

Listening to Terry do a short reading from Chapter One of the novel made me want to read it again.I had read the advance reader's copy of the novel, but I want to enjoy the story once more and figure I'll go back and listen to the podcast of Terry reading the novel.

Reading the novel was great - but the humour was much stronger when delivered by Terry's fine reading of the piece. I'm looking forward to enjoying it again, this time through Terry's narration. (Yes, there's a podcast where you can listen to the entire book for free - Terry has done that with every one of his novels and I applaud Random House, his publisher, for allowing him to continue to use this vehicle as a promotional tool to help sell more copies of his book)

The novel is truly Terry at his finest form. I have adored all of his novels, and while I still have quite the fondness for Angus McLintock (brought to life wonderfully by Kenneth Welsh in the CBC MiniSeries based on Terry's first novel) this is my favourite novel so far.

Perhaps there's something about the way Terry addresses family in this novel that provides the ring of truth for people to embrace it.

The very first book launch for Terry's first book - back in Sept 2007 at the campus store formerly known as Titles (McMaster University Bookstore

In my review of the novel on Goodreads, I called the book witty, wry, cunning and clever and said that "the story combines silly humour, slapstick situations and unexpectedly touching moments with intriguing twists, knots and turns, creating a pleasurable, well-rounded and ultimately satisfying journey."

Join me and the smartest booksellers in the land in checking out this book which I highly recommend you add to your summer reading list.

Top 10 Books Read in 2013

For the past several years, I have written post summarizing the best 10 books that I read in the previous year.  I have found it a lot of fun. Of course, since I'm such a slow reader and I quite enjoyed MOST of the books I read each year, it's really hard to narrow it down to only 10.  My "short-list" is likely closer to 20 books, which makes it really difficult, since some amazing reads ended up not in the top 10.

Here are the basic rules I follow for this annual post:

a) The book has to be completed within the calendar year. So, even if I started reading a book the previous year it only counts when I actually finish reading it.  I also don't include books that I abandoned mid-way through reading (which I do quite often I'm afraid - sometimes I get back to them, when I do, I count them only once completed)

b) This is a list of books I READ in 2013 - so this isn’t a “Best Books of 2013” lists - it’s a personal list of my favourite books which I read in the last calendar year.  (Thus, there will be plenty of titles that were published well before 2013 on my list)

c) I don’t count the children’s picture books that I read with my son. Not because I don’t think of them as books - they are wonderful books - but we go through them so quickly (and so many times) that I couldn't possibly keep up with tracking them. (I DO, however, count mostly text based young reader and young adult books that I read - usually because they’re not books that can be read in a single short sitting -- ie, they take longer to consume and thus aren’t likely to be missed on my list)

A few summary stats:

I read 53 books in 2013.  Not bad. I was shooting to hit at least 52 and did okay. Not great. Not shabby. Satisfactory.  Of course, 4 of those books were graphic novels and 7 of them were under 30,000 words.  But I still considered the reading experience unique and worth culling out separately.

• 38 FICTION
• 15 NON-FICTION
• (4 were graphic novels)
• (18 of the books I listened to in audio format)
• (9 of the books on this list were read in print - 26 of them were eBooks) - I did, however, purchase 12 of the books print.  (Yes, I buy more print books than I read - I bought at least another dozen or so books for myself last year that I haven't yet read and at least two dozen more books that were given to other people......curse of the book nerd)

Here are the TOP 10 FICTION BOOKS that I enjoyed the most reading in 2013. 

  
THE BLACK BOX - Michael Connelly
I love Harry Bosch, and this is another enjoyable read. Beautiful story, great twists, incredible mystery.

THE DEMONOLOGIST - Andrew Pyper
Another triumph from Pyper - a terrifying thriller ride following a Milton scholar on a trip through hell as he tries to find his daughter who was taken by a demon. 
 
DOCTOR SLEEP - Stephen King
I was impressed with King's look at how the traumatic events of "The Shining" affected Danny, including the alcoholism and drug abuse related to trying to block out his "talent." 
 
DEVOURED - Jason Brant
Brant is a solid writer whose prose and this post-apocalyptic thriller with an intriguing plague that turns people first into "slow zombies" and then more dangerous powerful "vampire-like" creatures kept me hooked from beginning to end

FANGIRL - Rainbow Rowell
I was told to read "Eleanor & Park" first, but this one captured my attention first. I love the way Rowell riffs off Harry-Potter type craze and particularly how she explores the world of fan fiction from the writer's perspective.

FAT VAMPIRE - Johnny B. Truant
This could, so easily, have turned into one of those short cute jokes turned into a SNL type skit that runs way too long, but Truant takes the premise and portrays Reginald (the hero) in a sympathetic and compassionate light. It's funny, but also suspenseful and satisfying. I immediately went on to read Fat Vampire 2: Tastes Like Chicken. (There are 6 books in total in this great series

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS - John Green
This one hung out on my "to read" pile for quite a while. I kicked myself for having waited to get into it. Despite the tear-inspiring moments and teenage angst, there are some fun and interesting characters that kept me reading and enjoying thoroughly.

GONE GIRL - Gillian Flynn
Wow. So I avoided this one because it was so damn popular and I guess I didn't realize how much of a fantastic thriller it would be. It caught me by surprise and delighted me.  The "he said" / "she said" dual-ling perspective was incredibly well done by Flynn.
 
ORIGIN - J.A. Konrath
An incredible techno-thriller with all the elements that makes Michael Crichton great combined with a good solid dose of sci-fi arguments regarding religion and the universe merged with a nice punch of fear and terror.

A TAP ON THE WINDOW - Linwood Barclay
Barclay's thrillers are always satisfying, and this one, involving missing people, small town cover-ups, other secrets that may or may not have something to do with suspicious activities from the police, and the tragic suicide of a teenage son, is no exception. Brilliantly written.

Here are the TOP 5 NON-FICTION Books that I read this past year:

DRAWING OUT THE DRAGONS - James A.Owen
Owen is a wonderful inspiration, and this incredible little book is perfect for writers, artists and creators of any sort. Owen provides tremendous perspective on such things as not sacrificing something you want the most for something you want the most this moment

THE POWER OF HABIT - Charles Duhigg
A wonderful look at habits, including the underlying reasons behind the habits that we make, the hidden motivations that drive us to continue our habit-forming ways, and the reason why it is virtually impossible to break a habit, but not to replace one.

SALT, SUGAR, FAT - Michael Moss
Startling, intriguing and informative. You'll never look at the food industry or processed food the same way again. I'm actually a little surprised I haven't bought some land and starting growing all my own food after reading this.
 
SELL YOUR BOOK LIKE WILDFIRE - Rob Eager
I bought this after watching Eager on stage at a digital book event in New York. He was engaging and informative and entertaining, so I bought the book shortly after his talk. The book itself is well-done and, despite having read numerous books on promotion, I made a ton of notes in the margins of this one.

TRAFFIC - Tom Vanderbilt
Before reading this book I always thought that "late mergers" (the folks who rush to the end of an open lane whenever a lane is ending on a highway) were selfish jerks. But, understanding traffic flow better, I realize the longer people stay in that lane, the better traffic flows for everyone.  (So long as the jerks don't cut people off and drive like idiots while doing so)


Above I have linked to each author's own web page.  For purchasing the books, I'm sure there's a "world's longest river" that everybody knows about, but I'd like to also recommend trying to keep the money you spend on books as local as possible and check the books our at your favourite local bookstore.  Indiebound.org has a listing of  indie bookstores in Canada and the US. (And, hey, if you're in the US, your favourite local bookstore is also likely able to be able to sell you the eBook too, via a collaboration between Kobo and the ABA......check out Indiebound.org)  There, I'll get down off my soapbox (for now).

Amazing Things Do Happen

An amazing thing happened several months ago.

C.C. Chapman visited Kobo's head office and his good friend Mitch Joel interviewed him for a Kobo in Conversation video.

It was one of those serendipitous moments that couldn't be planned, and yet it was likely based on an ongoing stream of constant and consistent community building.

Authors regularly ask me questions about marketing and how to get the word out about their book.

Photo courtesy of C.C. Chapman

What nobody who asks that question ever really wants to hear is that it's hard, there are millions of other books and authors out there and the thing that works best isn't a single gimmick or a quick one shot bullet.  What works best is building and engaging in a community -- in particular a community that can benefit from the type of thing that you are writing.

Working on that, focusing on how you can add value to the community, add value to those who are potentially within your target audience demographic, is the main thing to focus on.  And I'll use C.C. Chapman as an example - particularly since his he seems to exude the principle of giving.

C.C. has been blogging and podcasting and sharing his enthusiasm for life in an open and up front way for many years. He has consistently been giving to the community, and, he hasn't been broadcasting using social media - he has been engaging with them.  He hasn't been using the community, he has become a relevant and desired part of it. He has offered, and given, and shared and connected.

And he has done it in such a generous and honest way that, as James A. Owen said so beautifully in the Drawing out the Dragons talk he gave at Superstars Writing Seminars last week, people can hear it in his voice, see it in his face, and seem to automatically want to help him.

It might have been a single innocent tweet that C.C. sent out which led to Kobo inviting him to come to our office, to bring in his good friend Mitch Joel to interview him, and to make a special day out of it -- culminating in this video -- but that single tweet stemmed from years of engagement by C.C.

Sure, I saw the tweet in which he was asking for some simple advice about Toronto, responded to C.C. and began a conversation with him.  But that conversation never would have happened without C.C.'s initial investment in the digital community he harvested and stays engaged with. 

C.C. might thank others for something like this, but he is really the spark that made it all happen.

But, despite the fun had that day of finally getting to meet him in person, the best part is that I found a great new book (Amazing Things Will Happen) that I can recommend and purchase - one that, along with the Dr. Seuss book "Oh The Places You'll Go" make an excellent gift for any graduate.

Check out CC Chapman's books at Kobo.

Check out Mitch Joel's books at Kobo.

Top Ten Books Read in 2012

I'm still a slow reader, though I am getting a bit quicker and reading more books each year; but every if I quadrupled my reading rate I'd still never get caught up on the exponentially growing "to read" pile of books before me.

Curse of the book nerd, I suppose.

In any case, I've taken to writing down quick notes about books after I finish them and then, at the end of the year, trying to determine which of those reads were my favourites.

So for this particular blog post, I have a few rules that I try to stick with:

a) The book has to be completed within the calendar year. So, even if I started reading a book the previous year it only counts when I actually finish reading it.

b) This is a list of books I READ in 2012 - so this isn’t one of those “Best of 2012” lists - it’s a personal list of best books that I read in that calendar year.

c) I don’t count the tons of children’s picture books that I still read to my son. Not because I don’t think of them as books - they are wonderful books - but we go through them so quickly that I couldn't possibly keep up with tracking them. (I DO, however, count mostly text based young reader and young adult books that I read - usually because they’re not books that can be read in a single short sitting -- ie, they take longer to consume and thus aren’t likely to be missed on my list)

So, what follows is a list of the top ten favourite books read in 2012 -- but before I begin, a few interesting summary stats.

• I set a goal of wanting to read 52 books this year

I actually read 56.  Sort of.  Here is where I am torn. Five of the books read were graphic novels. So I was either short of my goal by 1 book, or I exceeded my goal by 4 books.  In any case, I think setting a goal of reading 52 books in a year (a book a week) is an admirable one, particularly for someone like me who is a SLOW reader. And I have set the same goal for 2013. Hopefully I'll make it this year (or surpass it again, depending on the POV assumed)

Here is a breakdown of the formats of books that I read:

• AUDIO BOOKS: 26 (Approx 46%)

The commute in to work from Hamilton to Toronto has afforded me the ability to fill that time spent in the car with useful listening to books rather than just killing that time.  (I used to listen to audio books while running, but my love of the awesome Zombies, Run! app, which is an interactive "game" for runners replaced that)

• EBOOKS: 24 (Approx 43%)

 Yes, I read most of these books on the following devices:  Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo, Kobo Vox, Kobo ARC (check out the Kobo family of devices here), as well as various reading apps (mostly Kobo, but also Kindle and iBooks) on my iPad and iPhone  (Gee, one might wonder if I perhaps have a vested interest in Kobo)

• PRINT BOOKS:  6 (Approx 11%)

Let me quantify this one. I believe I purchased at least 50 print books in 2013 (not counting gifts for others).  Many of them got added to a "to read" pile or were books I had already read or listened to or were bought and placed onto a shelf while I read the eBook version (very handy while traveling) -- yeah I know, I have a sickness . . .

• NON-FICTION: 16 (Approx 29%)

I did read quite a number of writing and self-publishing books this past year as well as a few other non-fiction titles in an attempt to expand my horizons as a reader and read outside my normal comfort zone (I have long been a fiction junky, so reading non-fiction is a nice "stretch" for me)

A few other interesting Facts:

• Number of books from this list I purchased in print after reading the eBook: 5
• Number of books from this list I purchased after listening to the audiobook version:  1

My Top 10 Books Read in 2012

11/22/63 - Stephen King

To me, the true beauty of this novel is not about the whole JFK thing, but rather about the relationship between Jake and Sadie - it’s a fantastic and beautiful love story.  I also enjoyed the "fresh meat from 1950" used by the time traveling diner owner (explaining the more "pure" taste to his meat and the incredibly low price he is able to purchase and sell the burgers for).  There's also a cute scene featuring Ritchie and Bev from Stephen King's IT that I wanted to last much longer. It was like seeing old friends I hadn't seen in a while.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Yes, I waited several years after hearing booksellers and readers rave about this series - I finally consumed the entire trilogy (my desire was to get to the books BEFORE the movie came out - I at least read the first novel before seeing the movie - and then made my way through the rest). I kicked myself for waiting to long to read this book and the ones that followed.

Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson
One of the things I loved about this book is the attempt by Isaacson to paint an accurate picture - it didn’t try to canonize Jobs, but, rather, paint him accurately from all sides, showing he could be an insensitive asshole, but also how brilliant and effective his pursuit of excellence was. I listened to the audio book version which was performed by Dylon Baker and have to say he is an exceptional narrator who does the book justice.

Enter Night - Micheal Rowe
I loved this book - it was like Salem’s Lot, but set in Northern Ontario -- and it made me feel the same way I felt when reading King's classic vampire tale. I love the fact that Rowe's vampires are scary - and I adore the manner by which the humans struggle against their vampire impulse (and in particular the way the dog does that to save the boy’s life - one of the most riveting and emotional scenes in a novel that I have encountered in years)

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void - Mary Roach
Mary has a phenomenal sense of humour, doled out very playfully while teaching the reader new facts and details.  I have to say that the chapter on sanitation in space consistently cracked me up. I suppose it goes to show you just how moved I can be with simply potty humour.

 
Horns - Joe Hill
This was another one of those books that I bought in hardcover when it first came out and it sat around unread. I love Hill's writing, so kept wondering why it took me so long to get to this. One of the most interesting things about this is the main character, Iggy, is a complete jerk, and yet Hill painted him in a way that kept me want to keep reading, despite the despicable things he does.

Dead Air - Scott Overton
Having published Overton's short fiction, I was asked if I would read the ARC and consider blurbing it.  I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into this first novel by a very talented writer. Needless to say, I was not disappointed and adored this thriller.  Here is the blurb I ended up giving the book:  "Scott Overton is a storyteller of boundless skill. Dead Air first intrigues readers by drawing them into a side of radio broadcasting most people have never seen, which is interesting enough, but then begins to craftily unravel an intriguing and suspenseful set of circumstances, further drawing readers in and holding them, breathless, to the last page. Overton is a writer to watch."


 












Clockwork Angels - Kevin J. Anderson
I've been a Rush fan for years, and this tie-in novel written by Kevin J. Anderson (who collaborated with lyricist Neil Peart on the story) was the perfect thing for bringing the story and music to a whole new level.  I had an ARC of this book which I had read before the release, and spent 40 minutes online trying to drop hundreds of dollars on the limited Gold edition. I never made it that far, but DID succeed in getting the Silver boxed edition of it.  As a stand-alone fantasy/steam-punk novel this book stands alone as an excellent example of Anderson's fine storytelling skills. But it also represents multiple complex layers with which which a Rush fan can enjoy the novel. The novel and album are best enjoyed as a wonderful and complex mosaic. For me, listening to the album again from beginning to end in a single sitting after finishing the novel was an almost magic experience, and it continues to be so every time I hear the album.

Up and Down - Terry Fallis
Like in his first two novels (although this is a stand-alone book about a PR agent who takes on the task of trying to re-vitalize the public's interest in the space program), Fallis employs the use of a character seemingly out of their element to great humour and to also tug on the heartstrings. He delivers a rollicking fun ride with wonderfully dealt humour and a compelling storyline. Fallis hit another home run with this wonderful blend of satire and poignancy. I suppose, though, since it is about the space program, I should say something like: "Fallis blasts another another novel into award-winning orbit territory, offering one small step for an author, one giant leap forward for Canadian literature." (In honour, of course, of the great Neil Armstrong)

 
Amazing Things Will Happen - C.C. Chapman
C.C. was preaching to the choir for this one. I was already a subscriber to his conviction that if you follow your passion and work your hardest and keep at it, amazing things will happen.  I read this book in just a couple of quick sittings because I was riveted by Chapman's prose.  The best way that I can sum this book up is this way:  There are now two books that would make appropriate gifts for students as they graduate. "Oh, The Places You Will Go" by Dr. Seuss and "Amazing Things Will Happen" by C.C. Chapman.

Beautifully Strange Tales

Earlier this year I was asked by Five Rivers Publishing if I would be interested in writing a forward for Susan Forest's new story collection Immunity to Strange Tales.

I was at once honoured and delighted. I had read Forest's writing before and quite admired her style; the chance to read an entire collection of her work and get to introduce it was rather rewarding.


The book, which is a collection of 12 short stories, came out this month and is now available in print and eBook format.

Here is an excerpt from my introduction to the book:

"This collection is entitled Immunity to Strange Tales, however, once you start to read the stories you'll likely realize that there is no immunity to the beautifully strange tales contained here. As a reader you'll be swept away by Susan Forest's poetic prose, fall prey to the charms of the worlds and characters she paints, be held under the spell her tales cast on your imagination and very soul.

If you were to read a standard biographical statement about Susan Forest, you'd likely find some sort of note that she writes science fiction, fantasy and horror. The fact is, she doesn't just write in these genres, she transcends them, weaves elements through them that blend cold hard reality with the fantastic. She takes the reader on unexpected speculative journeys, forces them at times to pause and reflect on a grave matter or surprises them with a bizarre and unexpected humorous turn of events."

I then go on to describe a few of the tales, highlighting a couple of common themes in her fiction -- the very Canadian themes of the struggle of the individual in society and a sense of isolation.

This is an excellent book of speculative stories by a talented writer that is definitely worth checking out.

Favourite Books Read in 2011

I have long been a slow reader. Twice I have read books about speed-reading (including a pretty decent one I read in 2011 year called “Remember Everything You Read” (Stanley Frank) - while practicing the techniques has helped me speed up my reading a bit, I’ll admit that I haven’t spent enough time practicing the techniques to be more proficient at reading faster. I sink back down to my normal slower reading rate -- which has increased a bit in the past few years, but is still not where I’d like it to be. 

(Heck, I’d love to be able to polish off a 300 page book in half an hour so I can begin to consider getting caught up on the massive “to read” list that grows faster than compound interest on a gigantic loan)

But I did okay this past year, all things considered.

Here are a few of the simple “rules” I consider for my list.

a) The book has to be completed within the year. So, if I started it the previous year it only counts when I actually finish reading it.

b) This is a list of books I read in 2011 - so it doesn’t matter if the book wasn’t published in 2011 - this isn’t one of those “best of 2011” lists - it’s a personal list.

c) I don’t count the tons of children’s picture books that I read to my son. Not because I don’t think of them as books - they ARE books and they’re FANTASTIC books - but, because we consume so many of them I’d not likely be able to capture all the ones read, which would make for a pretty useless list. I DO, however, count mostly text based young reader and young adult books read - usually because they’re not books that can be read in a single short sitting -- ie, they take longer to consume and thus aren’t likely to be missed on my list.

Within a few days of finishing a book, I have begun to make a few quick notes about the book in a personal notebook -- that way I can remember a little something about them later. Yes, because I’ll often forget many intricate details about a book, even a book I adored!

Before I dig through the list, here are a few stats:

I read 47 books in 2011.
Of the books I read, 20 of them were audiobooks (43%)
Of the books I read, 10 of them were ebooks (21%)
Of the books I read, 14 of them were non-fiction (30%)

Bossypants - Tina Fey


Wonderfully self-effacing biographical sketch of Fey’s childhood and her move into the spotlight. I enjoyed the behind the scenes of writing for SNL sketch comedy and 30 Rock (a show I’ve never watched but plan on watching now that I’ve read a bit about how she developed the show).  I also love the  fact that she’s so wonderfully NOT full of herself. I listened to an audio version of this book read by Fey -- that was a great experience, but I also love the fact that she modified the audio book slightly in certain places to acknowledge this was indeed an audio book (spots where, in the printed text, she would be referring to the experience of reading printed matter) - I love that self-reflective manner.

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

I  absolutely adored this escape back into the 1980’s. In a nutshell, this  near-future science fiction novel involves the desire to solve a series  of riddles buried within “easter eggs” in a virtual social networking world to earn incredible riches. Much of the virtual world is inspired from countless 1980’s culture references - movies, video games, music, etc. Solving the riddles properly involves intricately knowing the 80’s.  In a review I posted on my blog a few months ago, I described this as a
 “bookgasm” for 80’s culture geeks like myself. I particularly enjoyed listening to the audio version of this book read by Wil Wheaton and was delighted to learn that the rock band Rush plays a prominent role in the  solving of the mystery within this book

Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom


Yes,  it took me 13 years to get to this much talked about book. What a wonderful introduction to this author’s writing. The book is about Albom  reconnecting with a mentor from his college years, Morrie Schwartz.  Schwartz is dying of ALS and the two meet on Tuesdays, just like they
did 20 years previously.  It’s interesting to see how the reconnection to his mentor helps shape and improve Albom’s own approach to life. The world could certainly use more of Morrie’s incredible perspective.

The Reversal - Michael Connelly


A fantastic novel certain to be enjoyed by anyone who likes the Law & Order format. I’m a huge fan of Harry Bosch but also a fan of his half-brother Mikey Haller (The Lincoln Lawyer). This novel is a great cross-over between Connelly’s two main recurring characters and brings Mickey Haller back to the type of situation he faced in the first Lincoln Lawyer novel. This time, though, Haller crosses the aisle and sits with the prosecution. That alone offers some interesting fodder which Connelly works to the max. Simply, Connelly delivers a solid, tight and intriguing story.

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

I’m trying to make a point of going back and reading more classic works. What a wonderful treat. I read Grapes of Wrath back in university and loved it. I also loved this incredible story about Lennie and George. I most most bemused to learn that the Abominable Snowman character on the old Bugs Bunny cartoons was inspired by Lennie -- fascinating how many reference are out that that we don’t get until we consume classic literature. I will certainly be reading more Steinbeck in my classic novel reads.

The Guardians - Andrew Pyper

Amazing novel that reminded me a bit of Stephen King’s IT - at least in terms of structure. The novel is as much about a supposed haunted house in a small town as it is about the life-long texture of male relationships. It is as much about the secrets and strangeness of a small northern town as it is about the old “haunted house” that virtually everybody remembers from their childhood. This novel not only addresses universal truths but it keeps the reader on the edge of their seat in suspenseful anticipation. Pyper, in many ways, is a wonderful “gateway drug” for those who normally only read literary contemporary fiction to escape into thrillers and suspense novels.

Far and Away - Neil Peart

I have already reviewed, in detail, what I loved about Peart’s biographical coffee table book. Of course, I first read the book as a digital ARC, and a version of which simply did NOT do it justice. Apart from the great travelogue style essays written by Peart are some wonderful photographs that accompany the stories. When the book was released I purchased the hardcover immediately because I wanted to see the book the way it was meant to be seen (ironically, the book is a collection of blog posts, so it’s not like I couldn’t go read it online - but, compiled into a book, it’s something fresh and new). I’ve since checked the book out on Kobo Vox (the new colour reader from Kobo - and it renders quite beautifully in that digital format - it looks pretty good on the regular Kobo Touch reader (black and white e-ink screen) - so I realize that the challenges I had with the ARC were related to the limited non-ePub format I had to download it and read it in

The Book of (Even More) Awesome - Neil Pasricha

I met Neil Pasricha at a CBA event this past summer and was blown away by the young man’s infectious enthusiasm and down to earth style. It’s no wonder his blog 1000 Awesome Things exploded into the stratosphere and landed him a book deal. Neil is an easy to like guy who is filled with graciousness and warmth. His small shots of positivity, his observations, which are Seinfeld-like in their manner, have a way of making the reader pause and say: “Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I love that too.” Neil’s books are perfect gifts because of the manner by which almost anyone could and should appreciate all those great little things that make like so much better.

The Accident - Linwood Barclay

Barclay has mastered the “average Joe finds self in situation well beyond normal” in this thriller. When Glen Garber’s wife doesn’t return home from a night course she was taking, Garber finds himself thrust into an underworld of intrigue, lies and deceptions. When I read one of Barclay’s books I find myself compelled to keep reading for just one more chapter to see what happens next. His latest is, as his previous books, unputdownable.

Moonwalking with Einstein - Joshua Foer

I have come to enjoy non-fiction more and more over the past few years, particularly in audio books I’ve been listening to.  Foer’s book was not only a fascinating story of a journalist who finds himself compelled into a world he knew nothing about previously (the World Memory Championships), but a look at the “cultural” history of memory, the mind and the various scientific learnings and practices involved in sharpening one’s ability to remember. It is a fascinating read - I much prefer the personal journey approach to learning something about a new topic. For me this made it much more enjoyable to read than simply reading a book about learning Mnemonic techniques.


Worth Mention:
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakami

I listened to most of this while running on a treadmill. Fascinating to listen to an author talk about writing and running and how the two things intermingle in his life. As a writer who is attempting to run as a method to stay in shape and help focus the mind, I found this fascinating and inspiring. Murakami also inspired me to continue on my quest to read more classic literature (as well as want to read a few of his novels, which I now have on my “to read” list.

Also Worth Mention:
Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer

I originally read this novel a few years back - but because I was asked to lead a local book club discussion about the book, I gave it another read. This time I listened to an audio version of the novel. I was reminded of the joys of re-reading a book I quite enjoyed. I have long recommended this book to people who think they wouldn’t like science fiction, and that worked wonders when the book club took that suggestion - they quite enjoyed the experience, and many of them have now opened their minds to science fiction and what it can be for the average reader. Sawyer is a wonderfully storyteller and I was glad I took the time to go back and re-experience one of his novels - this is a reminder that re-reading a book you loved is a worthwhile experience.

An 80's Geek's Bookgasm

I think the best way that I can describe Ernest Cline's Ready Player One is as an 80's Geek's Bookgasm.

I'd leave it at that, but I feel I should at least discuss how I came to discover and enjoy the book.

First, let me blame Mark and Jon of The Enthusiasticast. It was in Episode 72 that Jon starting talking about this novel by Cline. Before he was even half-way done, I was practically salivating and knew I wanted to read it.

No, I didn't want to read it.

I wanted to listen to the audio version read by Wil Wheaton. (I'd previously enjoyed listened to Wheaton read a few of his own books and knew he was an excellent narrator. Having Wheaton as the voice for this 80's "nerdgasm" was the perfect fit.

Throughout the listening (most of which was done via my 1.5 hour commute from Hamilton to Toronto), there were times when I just sat in the car and kept listening to the novel. And half the time, when traffic was so bad that I was stuck on the highway for up to 2 hours or more it didn't bother me in the slightest - because it meant I had more time to listen to the book. It was the perfect thing to soothe this commuter's soul . . .

In a nutshell, Ready Player One is set in a dystopian future in which a huge cross between social media and online gaming exists in a virtual world called The Oasis. The Oasis was created by billionaire James Halliday -- (think of him as a cross between Steve Jobs and Howard Hughes - hmm, maybe more of a John Hughes, given his love for that film-maker`s popular movies from the 80`s)

When Halliday dies, there is an announcement that his entire fortune will go to the person who can succeed in finding the 3 hidden Easter eggs that he planted somewhere in The Oasis. An entire culture of people dedicate their lives to finding these eggs - and it is, the way online gaming can become for some, an overwhelming obsession that takes over their lives.

A good deal of the Gunters (the "Egg Hunters") role is studying and leaning about Halliday - about the things he wrote, the things he said, the things he loved. Because Halliday was a product of and a huge fan of the 80`s (he was a teen in the 1980's) a good deal of understanding of where he might have hidden the eggs comes from understanding and knowing 80's pop culture.

This element of the book makes it an incredibly wonderful trip down memory lane for anyone who enjoyed the John Hughes teen movies of the time, playing Dungeons & Dragons, the very first text-based adventure games, the hype of Pac-Man and the video game arcade frenzy, and a slew of other pop culture music and movie references from the time.

Combine that with an intriguing set of characters (who are often extreme in their dedication to this virtual world and the hunt), a beautiful mirror held up to our current fascinating with online and mobile connectedness via social media, and an easy to approach style of writing made this a fantastic novel that I simply couldn't get enough of.

To top it off, the Canadian rock trio Rush ends up playing a significant role in the novel -- as a huge Rush nerd that completely blew my mind.

Being a fan of sci-fi, a fan of dystopian fiction, a lover of the 80's, a lover of Rush and a fan of Wil Wheaton it seems as if this novel was written for me -- or at least that I was one of the intended audience for this book.

But perhaps you might see how this novel was a kind of bookgasm for this particular 80's book nerd.

Thanks, Mr. Cline. Escaping into Ready Player One the way that many of the characters of the novel escape into The Oasis was a glorious treat that I fully enjoyed. Having the book read by Wil Wheaton was the perfect icing on that cake.

Needless to say I highly recommend this novel - but only if you're serious about 80's geek culture. If you are, chances are you'll have similar strong feelings. If you're not, you'll likely still enjoy the storyline, the twists and turns and the tension, along with the various plot strings that Cline sets up, but it's hard to say how you'll react to the strong 80's presence in the book.

Practically Side-Splitting

After hearing so many great things about Trevor Cole's Practical Jean, I finally gave it a read.

I mean, it won the 2011 Stephen Leacock Medal for humour, I had heard him interviewed several times on a couple of great CBC radio programs and Cole was also writer in residence at McMaster a few years ago, likely had been working on this novel while he was haunting the halls of the Department of English and Cultural Studies and helping local writers with their own projects.

This book had long been on my "to read" list but I still hadn't picked it up. I finally ended up reading the NetGalley version of the book on my ereader - this was in anticipation of the Harper Collins US release of the book. (In Canada, the book is published by Mclelland & Stewart - a subsidiary of Random House Canada)

Harper Collins US cover

I kind of prefer the Canadian cover for the book (below), which seems to properly capture the feel for the hilarious superimposition of Jean's "traditional housewife" character with the morbidity of the story - and yes, it's these two elements so masterfully meshed together, which make the novel such a great read.

M&S Canadian cover

In a nutshell, the novel concerns itself with a middle aged relatively bland woman living her bland suburban life in a small town. When she loses her mother, realizing how completely helpless she is to do anything to either save her or prevent her suffering, she decides to do all of her loved ones a favour by ensuring they experience a great moment of happiness before killing them; in essence preventing them from the kind of horrible suffering that her mother experienced.

There is a beautiful flashback scene to Jean as a little girl being forced by her mother to practice euthanasia on a pack of puppies which helps paint for the reader how Jean's view of the world can be painted.

Cole brilliantly pulls off this morbid tale of a house-wife gone mad and beginning a serial-killer string of activities. The novel is, at once disturbing and hilarious. There is a fine balance kept whereby the dark humour doesn't overshadow the story and characters, nor do the graphic scenes of murder detract from the emotional plunge Jean is going through.

It is both amazing and disturbing to see the woman justify her every action, to ensure that her plan is practical and generous; to see how she is sacrificing so much of her own life and her own needs in order to do the best she can be the people she loves most.

So, while the novel is filled to the brim with a morbid humour, Cole manages to pull back, just enough and at the right times, to illustrate a main character whom we can empathize with. And yet, at the same time, we offer a guilty chuckle at her exploits. We want to laugh at her but also cry in her pain.

This is a masterfully executed story and novel that, so many times could have devolved into a schlocky over-the-top series of dark humour jokes; but Cole demonstrates the precise skill of a surgeon in terms of being able to steer the prose, story and Jean's very character away from that path at exactly the right moments.

HNT - True Stories Picks

I was recently contacted by CBC Books for a bookseller poll for Canada Reads 2012 - the question was what five books would I select for the best "True Story" pics.

It was certainly an interesting and challenging list to pick from. I wanted to be able to select from the full range of the types of non-fiction/true story books I had read. The selection I ended up going with was something that I feel nicely represents the range of my preferred reading tastes whenever I do pick up a non-fiction book, particularly one with biographical elements.

Here's what I wrote for my submission of the five titles...

"In determining this list I had to wanted to think about Canadian authored books I had read that not only told some sort of "true story" but which also had a significant impact on me. I'm primarily a fan of fiction, and, as such, I don't typically read a lot of biographical books. When I read non-fiction I tend to want to read something that will teach me something. To that end, each of the five books I selected ended up teaching me something. It might have been something new that I was enlightened to learn, it might have been a perspective I hadn't previously considered; but in many cases, the reading of these "tales" taught me something new about myself. Reading these books altered my perception, my understanding and the stories stayed with me long after reading them. I tried to draw a list that ran the full spectrum of the types of "true stories" that I like -- stories that demonstrate growth, learning, the gaining of wisdom through trial and error and overcoming the various trials and tribulations that eventually build character."

And here are the books I picked....

• Last Resort: A Memoir - Linwood Barclay
• The first book by Barclay which I read and which turned me on to his wonderful mixture of being funny yet touching at the same time. It was only later that he also demonstrated his mastery of suspense I bought the book after seeing him read at Word on the Street in Toronto. I was working the Toronto Star booth that day and heard the same reading 3 or 4 times - he was just as fascinating every single time I heard it, which sold me on the fact I had to read this book. It was a great introduction to a brilliant writer.
• Traveling Music: The Soundtrack to my Life and Times - Neil Peart
• Peart is a talented and passionate writer. His lyrics are what drew me to listen to Rush in the first place, so when he started writing (this is one of about half a dozen of his books) This biographical look at his life, told with respect to the music he was listening to as he was experiencing that life was a wonderful way to explore his life as a musician, a husband, a father and a friend. This book is incredibly touching, thoughtful, introspective, observant, funny, insightful; even if you've never listened to Rush you can enjoy the tale he unravels.
• Negotiating with the Dead - Margaret Atwood
• This academically styled look at writers and writing is wonderfully interspersed with Atwood's personal reflections and life experiences. It offers a thoughtful and in depth look at the profession and culture of writing and yet contains enough "light" personal references to be seen in a biographical light. And, as a writer I couldn't resist including this often overlooked gem from one of Canada's most prolific writers.
• Last Canadian Beer: The Moosehead Story - Harvey Sawler
• This isn't just the story of a successful independent Canadian brewery, but it's also a look at the story of a family that built a company up and achieved phenomenal success while following a consistent dream. It's as much a "business" biography book as it is a family legacy. Of course, upon finishing the book, my respect for the people behind the Moosehead brand grew exponentially. Since reading it, I continue to pause to toast the Oland family whenever I enjoy a pint of their beer.
• Me Minus 173: From 328 Lbs to The Boston Marathon
• Snell is a captivating motivational speaker. Her frank and poignant story of how she got to be 43 years old and decided to make some simple changes to improve her health and lifestyle is inspiring and heartfelt. It demonstrates the power of a person's conviction and can likely inspire others to set and stick to simple goals. It's not so much the story of weight-loss as it is a tale that empowers the reader to follow their own dreams. 

And here's a picture of me holding all five books.

What I think I love best about the selection that various booksellers have chosen is that everybody's picks are quite excellent and wonderfully eclectic. Looking at everyone's selections on a whole you can see that we have covered a significant amount of ground. And I was honoured to be included with such great booksellers.