This is just a quick reminder that if you purchase any of my three novels between MAY 15th and MAY 31st ALL my royalties will go to the MALE SURVIVORWEEKEND OF RECOVERY SCHOLARSHIP FUND. This fund helps male survivors of sexual abuse who could not otherwise afford to go to a WEEKEND OF RECOVERY retreat.
These weekends are designed to help male survivors of sexual abuse along on their road to recovery. A team of trained therapists facilitate the retreats and the weekends are highly successful in giving participants the tools they require to not only recover from the trauma, but to move from survivor to thriver in their healing journey.
It doesn’t matter which of my 3 novels you purchase during this scholarship fund drive…all of my royalties will go to Male Survivor. You can purchase the book(s) anywhere, too.
Here are some of the places you can purchase the books:
These are just a few of the online shops in which the books can be purchased. If you do happen to make a purchase, I want to thank you so much in advance. The funds collected are going to a most worthy and important cause. These weekends can literally save lives. I hate to think that there are people out there who cannot afford to benefit from such life-saving, life-changing assistance.
A quick description of the books:
SUMMER ON FIRE: Zach Carson is a loyal friend. But is loyalty enough to keep best friends together when one of them sets fire to the rural barn they use as the local hangout? Zach, Jeff Barsell and Arnie Wilson struggle to pick up the pieces when news spreads that a body was discovered in the burnt out shell of the neighbouring home. When the word murder is used by the local police, the stakes grow even higher. When the police start searching for their most likely suspect-none other than Jeff’s older brother, and nemesis, Marty Barsell-the boys decide to join forces and come up with a way to prove his innocence. But just how innocent is Marty Barsell? When Marty admits to being at the scene of the crime, the three friends enlist the help of Zach’s annoying sister, Sherry, as well as the sympathetic town eccentric, Ms. Halverton. But can they keep it together long enough to save Marty, and themselves, from imminent catastrophe? Summer on Fire is the story of friendships, and the lines we are asked to cross in order to keep them.
SEBASTIAN’S POET: Sebastian Nelson is a boy in search of a family. Abandoned by his mother, Sebastian is left with a broken father who doesn’t even seem present when he does show up. Forced to be the main caregiver of his younger brother, Renee, and lost in a sea of indifference, Sebastian only wants to experience the love a real, stable family could afford him. One morning he discovers the famous folksinger, Teal Landen, asleep on the sofa. Teal’s nurturing nature brings an immediate sense of security into Sebastian’s tumultuous life. But a dark secret looms between Teal and Sebastian’s father of a hidden past. Sebastian is driven to discover their secret, but also he’s aware of how tenuous their hold on Teal really is. He doesn’t want to lose the feeling of home Teal’s presence has brought him. If Sebastian pushes too hard, he could lose Teal forever. He could be destined to raise his younger brother alone, while witnessing the total decline of his emotionally devastated father. If Sebastian is abandoned by the only healthy influence in his otherwise shaky existence, he will also be forever in the dark about the secret that will reveal so much about his fractured family.
THE REASONS: With a mostly absent father, a deceased older sister, a younger sister on the verge of invisibility, and a certifiably insane mother, Tobias Reason is forced to grow up quickly. Though he tries to be a surrogate parent to his sister, their broken mother, Maggie, takes up a lot of his time. Annabel falls to the wayside and becomes a ghost in their chaotic existence. When Maggie flippantly hands her mother’s house over to Tobias, he sees an opportunity to learn how and why his family became so shattered. Be careful what you wish for. When his world begins to collapse from the weight of unburied secrets, he focuses on a stranger from his parents’ past. Only by eliminating the past, he believes, can he make his family whole again.
REMEMBER THE DATES!
100% of my royalties go to the WEEKENDS OF RECOVERY SCHOLARSHIP FUND!
This contest is open to residents of U.S.A. & Canada. 2 copies of each novel up for grabs! Enter by MAY 10th, 2013.
Part #2 – Free Song Download from MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE – Have You Taken Your Medicine?
If you happen to follow me on any of the social medias, you probably know by now that my current obsession is the group MEDICINE FOR THE PEOPLE. Their music speaks to me in ways that no music ever has. I love everything I’ve heard from them. They are touring U.S.A. this summer. I’m hoping they will one day get up to Canada. For now, I will just spread the word…you have to listen to these guys. Their music truly is medicine for the people. Visit their site today and get the free song they’re giving away:
Part #3 – The Tie-In – The Book Giveaway leads up Novel #3 Release
My 3rd novel comes out one week from today! APRIL 19th, 2013 is the release date. This is the reason I decided to have a Goodreads Giveaway for my first two novels. Watch for The Reasons to show up in online books stores everywhere (Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, etc). It can also be purchased directly from the publisher MUSA PUBLISHING for the low low price of $3.99. Of the 9 or 10 novels I’ve written to date, this one is my wife’s favourite…which kind of makes it special to me. (-: And how does Part #2 of this post tie-in? Well, I used a Medicine for the People song in my Book Trailer for THE REASONS. The song just seemed to be such a snug fit to the story. The band were generous enough to give me permission to use the song…which was much appreciated. You can view the trailer below:
So…I’ve given you 3 duties today! Enter to win my first two novels at Goodreads, become obsessed with Medicine for the People and mark April 19th on your calendars as the date you can purchase THE REASONS. Warning—this Reason family puts the fun in dysfunctional. (The Reasons won the BEST ADULT NOVEL AWARD at the 2008 Muskoka Novel Marathon)
Hello again, my faithful readers. If indeed you really do exist. (-:
The writing life is gearing up to fever pitch lately. So much going on. It’s time for a catch-all post once again.
As you may or may not know, I have a play being produced in the upcoming InspiraTO Festival! This year’s InspiraTO Theatre Festival, Canada’s largest ten-minute play festival, will be held at the Alumnae Theatre in Toronto, May 30-June 8, 2013. Please mark your calendars and be prepared to be AMAZED!
If you are an actor living in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), please note that InspiraTO is now holding auditions. They require 50+ actors for all the plays that will be in the festival. You can visit the following link to learn more about auditions. Plays are previewed on the site and instructions are pretty straight forward:
I am heading into final edits on my own InspiraTO play. I’ve been working with a wonderful dramaturg…and I’ve been soaking up all the great insights she’s been offering me through the process. I’m in the festival this year because I was given one of the 12 Mentorship spots, so I’m getting a backstage pass to all the ins and outs of theatre I have missed with my past playwriting gigs. My play in the festival is called PERFECT TIMING.
Next up! I recently signed with a wonderful new agent. Stacey Donaghy of the Corvisiero Literary Agency. Stacey is currently busy shopping my Young Adult novel Half Dead & Fully Broken. I’m hoping for great things to come from our partnership!
I’m putting the finishing touches on my 2012 Muskoka Novel Marathon novel, Burn Baby Burn Baby. Hopefully, it will be ready for submission shortly.
AND novel number 3 will be released on April 19th! THE REASONS was my 2008 Muskoka Novel Marathon novel. It took the BEST NOVEL AWARD in the Adult Novel category. It will be released by MUSA PUBLISHING. They are also the publishers of my 2nd novel, SEBASTIAN’S POET…which is getting lovely reviews at the moment. It’s scary having your babies out there being poked at. All their scars and blisters are on view for the world to see. But I’ve been blessed so far with wonderful reviews for both Sebastian’s Poet AND Summer on Fire. My fingers are crossed for the reception of The Reasons. The family in this novel are pretty dysfunctional. Told from the POV of both the matriarch, MAGGIE REASON, and her son, TOBIAS REASON…The Reasons may have a few readers squirming in discomfort. But I certainly hope it’s good entertaining squirms! (-:
Amid my own writing deadlines and milestones, I am also acting as Registrations Coordinator for the 5thOntario Writers’ Conference. I’m on the Board of Directors of the organization and have been with them since their inception in 2007. It is one of the most rewarding things I have participated in for these many years. It’s so amazing seeing it come together every year. We attract extraordinary speakers and facilitators. And we see so many writers getting motivated by the festivities. It’s such a great feeling to know these people are walking away from the conference each year ready and eager to take on the world anew. I see the glow in their eyes, and I KNOW why we do this thing.
The conference is still accepting registrations, but book soon. Classes fill up. Our Agent Pitches are already fully booked and the Blue Pencil Manuscript Mentors are also seeing a lot of action. If you want a spot with a mentor, it would be a good idea to register soon!
Don’t forget that the FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS is open to the public. You do NOT need to attend the conference to come hear our readers during this FRIDAY EVENING GALA. Here’s all the info for the festival:
Our Venue is the same. We stay with the DEER CREEK GOLF & BANQUET FACILITY because it is SO beautiful and they’ve been most accommodating to our needs as a world class conference! Here’s a look at the venue:
If you are coming from out of town, we’re thrilled to be affiliated with 2 price point hotels this year. You can choose the one you wish to stay at, and there are discounts for attendees at both:
If you have any conference related questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments section of this post. (-:
NEXT WEDNESDAY (WED MARCH 13th 8-9pm ONTARIO TIME) I will be moderating a CHAT on TWITTER for the Ontario Writers’ Conference. If you live in Toronto, you’ve been frightened by posters of THE DEMONOLOGIST by Andrew Pyper by now. (-: The conference will be hosting a chat with Andrew next Wednesday. This is your chance to talk HORROR with Canada’s leading expert on the genre. I’m reading The Deomonologist now, and I have to say it is rocking my socks off! Come join us for the twitter chat next Wednesday. Follow the chat by following our hashtag #OWCChat Andrew will be answering your questions regarding reading/writing/etc. Talk to him about his new novel (which has been optioned for movie rights) or any of his past novels. One lucky CHATTER will win a digital copy of The Demonologist in their choice of KOBO or AMAZON KINDLE editions. Hope to see you there! Follow OWC on Twitter
Tomorrow is TRAFALGAR 24 – The annual 24-hour Play Creation Festival put on by Jeremy Smith and his DRIFTWOOD THEATRE GROUP crew. It is THE event in Durham Region. A fabulous night of 10-minute plays that actually begins behind the scenes TONIGHT. Late tonight 6 playwrights will enter the 19th Century Trafalgar Castle in Whitby, Ontario. They will be nervous and electric with excitement. They will spend 8-hours locked inside the castle walls—and they will each be required to write a 10-minute play from scratch. Tomorrow morning, Jeremy will take mercy on them and allow them to leave the castle. At this point, he will have more prisoners to torture. (-; The directors and actors will converge on the castle and be locked in for the next 8-hours! Rehearsals. After a short break, the audience will appear. I have my tickets! Can’t wait to see the 6 plays. And we get to vote on our favourite one, too! I know of at least two friends who are playwrights this year. I wish them luck and happiness with their castle experience. I know how much fun it is, because I had a play in each of the past 4 Trafalgar24 events.
I am also gearing up to teach a workshop at the May WCDR (Writers’ Community of Durham Region) Breakfast Meeting. More to come on that front!
Is that everything? I think so. Ooh…but I’m also editing another novel. The YA THAT’S ME IN THE CORNER has been shelved since 2011, when it won the MUSKOKA NOVEL MARATHON’S BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL AWARD. I will be pulling that down out of the dust and polishing it off to send to my agent soon. I really love this one…part of it takes place in Kenya. It really deals with some tough issues, so I’d like to fine-tooth comb it before letting it go. Soon, soon! My agent’s going to get sick of receiving so many manuscripts…but I can’t help it. I’m a manic writer just trying to get the words out of my head and onto the screen.
Good luck with your own writing endeavors, whatever they may be. Don’t be afraid to try new things and push the limits. You don’t know if you can do something until you try. Life is too short for weak “I would like to try…” statements. Get down there, into the thick of things, and have FUN!
I leave you now with the incomparable WAYSON CHOY. A beautiful soul AND the honorary patron since its inception of the Ontario Writers’ Conference!
It’s that time of the year again! The registrations are now open for Early Bird Discounts for the May 4th Ontario Writers’ Conference! Yes…the conference is on May the Fourth Be With You Day. You will probably not see any references to Star Wars there, though. (-:
Click on the banner above to open a new window at The Ontario Writers’ Conference.
We recently unveiled a brand new website, too…just in time for the registration kick-off! Visit the website now to check out our 2013 lineup!
If you register by Midnight December 24th, you will be eligible for our Early Bird Discount.
Our facilitators include 2012 Toronto Book Award winner Andrew Borkowski, Ray Robertson and Alissa York! Our Friday evening Festival of Authors readers include Ted Barris and Miranda Hill! We’re really excited about the eclectic mix of presenters and speakers assembled. Also, we have agents and mentors on-hand, available for pitches and manuscript mentoring.
The conference is held at the Deer Creek Golf and Banquet Facility. You can click the link in the last sentence for venue info and directions. It’s in Ajax, Ontario…which is JUST east of Toronto. If you’re in Toronto, you can be at the conference in 10-20 minutes. (-:
Do yourself a favour, and come to the conference this year. It’s our 5th anniversary conference, and we’re trying really hard to make it a special and memorable year—for you!
AND
Gift for the readers in your life!
I thought I would make a few suggestions from the great books I reviewed this past year. I’ve linked up my reviews from my Book Review site, Try This Book on for Size.
For the Literary Reader on your list, you CANNOT go wrong with LIVING UNDERGROUND by Ruth E. Walker. This novel is destined to become a Canadian classic, with a worldly scope. It brought out every emotion in me. I absolutely loved it, and I’m positive it would make an excellent gift.
For the Young Adult Reader on your list, why not try Canadian writer Deborah Kerbel. Her newest offering, UNDER THE MOON is a great read…your young reader will love the feisty and quirky narrator…15yo Lily MacArthur.
For the Crossover Reader on your list…the one who enjoys literary, contemporary, romance, young adult, mystery…you NEED to pick up a copy of Book One of the Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson. THE NAME OF THE STAR is an amazing thrill-ride through the life of Louisiana teen Rory Deveaux, as she begins the school year in a London, England school and quickly finds herself embroiled in a modern-day Jack the Ripper tale. You will probably want to pick up 2 copies of this one. One for you, and one for your reader!
For the Teen Boy Reader on your list, how about MATTHEW QUICK’s BOY21? A trauma causes a boy to live in a make-believe world where he patiently awaits word from the cosmos…and his eventual escape from Earth. It’s a book about basketball, boys, pain and recovery…and first love. It’s an excellent read that any teen boy would find compelling.
That’s just a few…you can check out all of my reviews at TRY THIS BOOK. I only review books I would recommend. If you’re really stuck for the young adult reader on your list (young or old in age!), go with anything from JOHN GREEN or HANNAH MOSKOWITZ. Both of these authors have nothing but excellent books on the market. I loved ALL their work.
I’ll leave you with Christmas in Africa by Straight No Chaser! Enjoy!
SUMMER ON FIRE: Zach Carson is a loyal friend. But is loyalty enough to keep best friends together when one of them sets fire to the rural barn they use as the local hangout? Zach, Jeff Barsell and Arnie Wilson struggle to pick up the pieces when news spreads that a body was discovered in the burnt out shell of the neighbouring home. When the word murder is used by the local police, the stakes grow even higher. When the police start searching for their most likely suspect-none other than Jeff’s older brother, and nemesis, Marty Barsell-the boys decide to join forces and come up with a way to prove his innocence. But just how innocent is Marty Barsell? When Marty admits to being at the scene of the crime, the three friends enlist the help of Zach’s annoying sister, Sherry, as well as the sympathetic town eccentric, Ms. Halverton. But can they keep it together long enough to save Marty, and themselves, from imminent catastrophe? Summer on Fire is the story of friendships, and the lines we are asked to cross in order to keep them.
SEBASTIAN’S POET: Sebastian Nelson is a boy in search of a family. Abandoned by his mother, Sebastian is left with a broken father who doesn’t even seem present when he does show up. Forced to be the main caregiver of his younger brother, Renee, and lost in a sea of indifference, Sebastian only wants to experience the love a real, stable family could afford him. One morning he discovers the famous folksinger, Teal Landen, asleep on the sofa. Teal’s nurturing nature brings an immediate sense of security into Sebastian’s tumultuous life. But a dark secret looms between Teal and Sebastian’s father of a hidden past. Sebastian is driven to discover their secret, but also he’s aware of how tenuous their hold on Teal really is. He doesn’t want to lose the feeling of home Teal’s presence has brought him. If Sebastian pushes too hard, he could lose Teal forever. He could be destined to raise his younger brother alone, while witnessing the total decline of his emotionally devastated father. If Sebastian is abandoned by the only healthy influence in his otherwise shaky existence, he will also be forever in the dark about the secret that will reveal so much about his fractured family.
THE REASONS: With a mostly absent father, a deceased older sister, a younger sister on the verge of invisibility, and a certifiably insane mother, Tobias Reason is forced to grow up quickly. Though he tries to be a surrogate parent to his sister, their broken mother, Maggie, takes up a lot of his time. Annabel falls to the wayside and becomes a ghost in their chaotic existence. When Maggie flippantly hands her mother’s house over to Tobias, he sees an opportunity to learn how and why his family became so shattered. Be careful what you wish for. When his world begins to collapse from the weight of unburied secrets, he focuses on a stranger from his parents’ past. Only by eliminating the past, he believes, can he make his family whole again.
100% of my royalties go to the WEEKENDS OF RECOVERY SCHOLARSHIP FUND!