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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Mystery – Second Life by S.J. Watson
“An exceptional thriller. It left my nerves jangling for hours after I finished the last page.” – Dennis Lehane
Young Adult – Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
“An outstanding tragicomedy that gently explores mental illness, the lasting effects of bullying, and the power of friends and loving family to help in the healing.” – Kirkus Reviews
Literature – Kiss the Joy as it Flies by Sheree Fitch
“Although the topic is weighty, the erratic and eccentric character of Mercy turns the tale into a tragic comedy and the colourful characters in her life lighten the mood.” – Telegraph Journal
Non-Fiction – Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
“Wise and moving. . . . This timely and important book sets limits on the usefulness of scientific medicine when it comes to dying. Instead, Gawande turns to Tolstoy, Montaigne, Plato, family and medical experience to probe ways of meeting the end with dignity and courage.” – The Guardian (UK)
Fiction – Country by Danielle Steele
“In this rich, involving novel, a woman’s life catapults from the old to the new, as she learns to seize the moment.” – from Country
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Literature:
Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian
“A marvelous book that will move you in ways you never thought possible.” – National Post
Mystery:
Except the Dying by Maureen Jennings
Chosen as the One Book One Island pick for 2015, Maureen Jenning’s novel Except the Dying is the first book in the Murdoch Mysteries series. Set in Toronto at the turn of the 20th century, this riveting mystery is a perfect summer read.
Young Adult:
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
“[A] charming coming-of-age novel… filled with complex subjects (such as divorce, abandonment, and mental illness) handled in a realistic manner, and the writing effortlessly and seamlessly weaves these threads together.” – School Library Journal
Fiction:
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
“Ingenious…Atkinson has crafted a narrative that pushes us to think about our own choices. Along the way there is a delight in the essence of this unusual fiction.” – Los Angeles Times
Non-Fiction:
The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings by Philip and Carol Zaleski
“In The Fellowship, Philip Zaleski and Carol Zaleski offer the first complete rendering of the Inklings’ lives and works. The result is an extraordinary account of the ideas, affections, and vexations that drove the group’s most significant members.” – from The Fellowship jacket
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