Join us Wednesday, July 22nd as author Margaret Westlie is in store at 11:00am signing copies of her books.
The novels in the Selkirk Stories series draw their inspiration from stories of the early settlers told her by family members. Her paternal grandmother, who lived to the age of 106 years, told her the story of the marriage proposal of her own grandparents. That story became the germ of Mattie’s Story. Her late Uncle Harold (her father’s brother) told her the legend of Anne Beaton’s hollow in eastern Prince Edward Island, where a gruesome murder took place during the lifetime of Sir Andrew MacPhail (who, as the story goes, requested a personal tour of the murder scene). That legend is the germ of Anna’s Secret, which Margaret has set in the fictional community she created in Mattie’s Story. Her uncle also told her the story of “the girl who stayed behind” on Skye and refused to accompany the rest of the settlers who came to Prince Edward Island in 1803. That story lies behind An Irregular Marriage, whose protagonist is also prominent, but as an elderly settler, in Anna’s Secret.
When: Wednesday, July 22nd, 11:00am
Where: Bookmark, Charlottetown
Join us Tuesday, July 21st as author Susan Rodgers is in store signing her Drifters‘ series!
“Vancouver singer and actor Jessie Wheeler was once a teen runaway. She is a broken soul who, despite her fame, still considers herself one of society’s throwaways yet who, despite all, still believes in forgiveness and hope. The darkness of Jessie’s teen years is echoed in poignant music and lyrics. Life becomes meaningful again when her playboy boyfriend Charlie kicks an estranged friend, actor Josh Sawyer, out of his club. Josh is lost in a bottomless downward spiral, but Jessie sees something of herself reflected in his sorrowful brown eyes – a deep loneliness and angst. She tells Josh there is always hope.
Jessie takes a part on Josh’s new TV series Drifters, which opens her heart to true love. But she is backed into a corner by an old nemesis, Deuce McCall, who has past crimes to lay at her feet as fuel. An old hat at acting, Jessie relies on a tougher version of herself while she seeks to free herself from Deuce’s clutches.
She must risk everything in order to save the one thing she loves the most – Josh.”
When: Tuesday, July 21st
Where: Bookmark, Charlottetown
Join us Monday, July 20th as author Kathy Birt is in store signing copies of her books.
Kathy Birt is a self-published author who has worked with both the Guardian and CHTN Radio 1982-1992. Her freelance writing career has spanned 25 years. During the 1990s to the end of 2010 she wrote about the Island’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry industries. Her most recent book is Sharing Recipes: Not the Best Kept Secrets, her first cookbook.
When: Monday, July 20th, 10:30am
Where: Bookmark, Charlottetown
Join us Wednesday, July 15th as author Roger Gordon is in store signing copies of ‘Starting to Frame.‘
Starting to Frame is the story of Roger Gordon’s life. It is a story about the futility of family feuding, the innate human desire to be accepted and loved, and the need to give more attention to mental illness. Above all, Starting to Frame carries with it an important message about reconciliation and how it is never too late to forgive.
When: Wednesday, July 15th, 11:00am – 1:00pm
Where: Bookmark, Charlottetown
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Join us Tuesday, July 14th as author Scott MacDonald is in store signing copies of ‘Charlottetown: Then and Now.‘
D. Scott MacDonald’s father, W. Blair MacDonald had a keen interest in the changing landscape of Charlottetown, and documented a number of these changes with his slide camera. Instilled with a keen sense of history at an early age, Scott and his family have always treasured the work that their father did to preserve Charlottetown’s history. So, over 50 years later, Scott has nowretraced his father’s steps to record how the city has changed over that time. Standing in the exact spot where his father stood, Scott has captured how the streets and buildings of Charlotttown have changed and remained the same. Scott has also researched the history of the buildings he protrays, both back to his father’s time and much earlier. The result is a fascinating glimpse into why and how even a small city can change so much.
When: Tuesday, July 14th, 10:00am
Where: Bookmark, Charlottetown
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“In the cold Toronto winter of 1895, the body of a young woman is found naked and frozen in a quite laneway. Acting Detective William Murdoch, driven by pity for the girl and a desire to secure his promotion, is determined to pursue every lead and reveal the truth.”
The One Book • One Island selection for 2015 is Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings. The first in the Murdoch Mysteries series, these Canadian murder-mysteries have been adapted into a long-running television drama.
Maureen will host three public presentations about her work at the Confederation Centre, Montague Rotary, and Summerside Rotary libraries.
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As part of Reading Town Week we’re having a contest to see who can guess the most authors!
Details are in store!
Starts at 11 AM at the Confederation Court Mall
Bring the Family for a Fun Packed time celebrating books and reading!
- Author readings, book launches and entertainment!
- Bring a Book – Buy a Book and receive a ballot to win a fabulous prize!
- Guess the Author Contest!
- Meet Clifford the Big Red Dog, Pete the Cat and Curious George!
- Klutz Demonstrations and Special
And more! Watch our Facebook page for details.
Story Time with Barb
May 9th starting at 11 AM
Barb Kissick, our extraordinary story teller will entertain kids with her passion and wonderful story telling skills.
Christina and Shaun Patterson Book Launch – The Pup from Away
May 9th 11 AM
Confederation Court Mall
Originally hailing from Barrie Ontario, Shaun and his wife Christina (also an artist) have made P.E.I. their home over the last five years and find the island to be a constant source of inspiration for them.
Dukes the pup is brought to rural Prince Edward Island from the city. He is used to the glamour of city life and isn’t sure what to make of life in the country. Over time, though, he begins to explore the fields and streams and finds that he loves it more than he could have imagined. When it is time to go home to the city, it is clear that Dukes is better off in his new home.
Michael Pendergast ‘The Music’ Man’ Book Launch and Entertainment
May 9th 11 AM
Confederation Court Mall
Michael Pendergast PEI children’s entertainer, musician and singer, Mike Pendergast, is also affectionately known as “The Music Man”. With his many accordions, engaging presence and repertoire of children’s songs, Pendergast is known for his honest-to-goodness, down-home fun.
Reading from Wereduck with Dave Atkinson
May 9th 11 AM
Confederation Court Mall
Dave Atkinson is an award-winning freelance journalist, columnist, and broadcaster. His work for the CBC has appeared on The Current, Atlantic Voice, Tapestry, Maritime Magazine, and regional radio programs across the country. He and his wife are homeschooling their three silly kids in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Wereduck is his first book for kids aged 8-12.
Live and in Person (sort of) Clifford the Big Red Dog, Pete the Cat, and Curious George
May 9th 1 PM
Confederation Court Mall
Meet our three book celebrity characters in person – Clifford the Big Red Dog, Pete the Cat and Curious George beginning at 1 PM on Saturday, May 9th.
Klutz Demonstration and Sale
May 9th 2 PM
Confederation Court Mall
Kick-start your creativity and enjoy a free demo of Friendship Bracelets, Cootie Catchers, and Twisted Critters from starting at 2pm. Plus, enjoy 20% off Klutz book-based activity kits all day long!
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Join us Tuesday, March 24th at 12pm as author Ida Linehan Young is signing copies of her book, No Turning Back in store.
No Turning Back:
On a June night in 1980, the Linehan household in North Harbour went up in flames. In moments the fire consumed the family’s ordinary, loving lives and innocent, human faith that life would always be as it was. Ida, the middle of three girls and one of ten siblings, survived the blaze only to endure weeks and months of treatment and recovery. Her only goal is to spare her family more pain, and she quietly promises herself never to quit and never to complain. She only wants life to be normal, but is that the same as being healed? In straightforward prose and an open-hearted manner, Ida Linehan Young paints a series of vivid, haunting pictures as she recounts a remarkable story.
When: Tuesday, March 12th, 12:00pm
Where: Bookmark, Charlottetown
Many Canadians are vaguely aware of the military’s steady involvement in overseas operations over the past 20 years. For many soldiers, however, memories of these places torment them daily. They are haunted; they are changed from who they were as proud men and women. The Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey, published last August, found that 17% of full-time members have mental health problems, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and addiction. How do we support these soldiers to find their way back home? Dr. John Whelan, a Royal Canadian Navy veteran and now clinical psychologist who has spent a 20-year career working with members of the Canadian Armed Forces, has published a new book this month that answers this question.
Blending storytelling with harsh reality, Whelan’s Going Crazy in the Green Machine, published by FriesenPress, is the intimate portrayal of Master Corporal Billy Reardon – a composite character of many real life Armed Forces members – from young man to mentally wounded military veteran. We see the world through his eyes as the toll of his deployments mount and as he struggles within the mental health system. Going Crazy in the Green Machine follows his recovery and reconnection to the military brotherhood, along with other veterans. Through Billy’s story, Whelan raises questions about the roles of front-line leadership and challenges health providers to develop an intimate understanding of military culture as a prerequisite to assisting traumatized veterans and their families.