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If you LOVE books...I interview new & established authors to find out the
stories behind their books. There's also readings & writing tips!
10 Quick QuestionsHappy New Year! My name is crystal fletcher and welcome to all about canadian books. I’d like to introduce this week’s guest Alon Ozery. His brave memoir Even the Sidewalk Could Tell is his heart-warming tale of how he came out to his wife, three children and the world. It was published by Regent Park Publishing. Alon Ozery was born in Toronto and raised in Israel. Alon returned permanently to Canada at age twenty-one, earning his undergraduate degree in hospitality management from Ryerson University. Alon is the Co-Founder of Ozery Bakery, a commercial bakery that sells natural baked goods across North America. To get to know Alon a little better, watch him answer these 10 questions... If you'd like to know even more about Alon and check out his podcast Upfront Toronto: conversations with people who wove the city forward 50% of the profits are being donated to Friends of Ruby in Toronto. What does it cost to live an inauthentic life? Author Alon Ozery tells us.... If anyone knows the cost of living an inauthentic life, it's Alon Ozery. Born in Toronto to an Orthodox Jewish father and a British mother, raised in Israel, and educated in Canada, Alon didn't come out of the closet until he had a wife and three children. From his childhood on the shores of the Mediterranean to dodging young women and ducking work in the motor pool of the Israeli army, Even the Sidewalk Could Tell relates Alon's winding journey to discover his true self. Thank you for watching!
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What does it mean to be a Newfoundlander? Today all all about canadian books author Donna Morrissey will tell us... Hi! My name is crystal fletcher. Welcome to all about canadian books. This week's guest is author Donna Morrissey. Donna Morrissey is an award-winning, best-selling author and educator who says it was her good fortune to have been born and raised in an outport of 12 houses, and...where they were only allowed to talk to six of those! We discussed her memoir Pluck, which was published by Penguin Canada. Pluck is a memoir of a Newfoundland Childhood and the Raucous, Terrible, Amazing Journey to Becoming a Novelist. To learn more about this writer, teacher and speaker  Donna Morrissey Made Me Cry Watch Donna Morrissey read an excerpt from her memoir Pluck. OMG! Donna's reading made me cry! (seriously) I was so emotional I could hardly get through the rest of our interview. Aaahhhhh, the power of literature. Many thanks to Donna Morrissey and to our viewers. Happy Holidays!
Author Adam Mardero discusses what it means to be autistic... Hi! My name is crystal fletcher. Welcome to all about canadian books. This week’s guest is Adam Mardero. Adam was diagnosed with Asperger’s at the age of nine. He holds a Master’s Degree in History, a Bachelor of Education & has dedicated his life to helping further the causes of Autism and neurodiversity acceptance. Adam Mardero’s memoir Uncommon Sense An Autistic Journey, was published by Latitude46. After being diagnosed with Asperger's, Adam embarked on a lifelong quest for understanding and self-acceptance. His memoir shares how he navigated the darkest dungeons and brightest triumphs of a life on the Autistic Spectrum and through it all discovers the ultimate treasure: what it really means to find yourself and live life on your own terms. I learned A LOT reading Adam's story. Be sure to check out Adam's blog Differently Wired it's "dedicated to all things neurodiverse."  A Reading from Uncommon Sense & a Writing Tip or Two Adam for a little confidence and bravery away we go... Thanks for watching & don't forget to subscribe!
How does author Rosanna Micelotta Battigelli Italian background influence her writing? Let’s find out… Hi! My name is crystal fletcher and welcome to all about canadian books. This week’s guest is Rosanna Micelotta Battigelli. Rosanna was born in Italy and immigrated to Canada with her family at three years of age. Along with writing historical fiction, short fiction, and creative non-fiction, she has had five romance novels published with Harlequin and two children’s books. We’ll be discussing Rosanna’s short story collection Pigeon Soup & other stories. It was published by Inanna Publications. Be sure to visit Rosanna's website, I'll be heading there shortly to check out those Harlequins (I love a good romance novel!)  Advice & An Excerpt Rosanna has some great advice for writers as she encourages the belief in self and the power of descriptive writing. As you listen to Rosanna read an except from her collection, you will notice that she definitely followers her own advice. Thanks for watching.
How does Portugal influence author Irene Marques’ writing? This week on all about canadian books we're going to find out… Hi! My name is crystal fletcher and welcome to all about canadian books. This week’s guest is Irene Marques. Irene is a writer, poet, scholar and educator. She believes in the power of literature and creative language to allow us to broaden our sense of self, others and otherness (the non-human) giving us a more fulfilling existential experience. We discussed Irene’s novel Daria. Daria is a cerebral novel about Portuguese identity, family, immigration, displacement, and remembering. It was published by Inanna Publications. Be sure to check out Irene's website. You'll find her blog, book reviews, academic articles and some of her favourite quotes.  A Little Author Advice & A Reading From Daria Watch Irene as she encourages writers to write about a subject matter that they're passionate about, despite what others may say and, to listen to your unique voice. She also reads an excerpt from her fiction novel Daria. How does film and television inspire author Catherine Gourdier? Let’s find out… But before we do…if you LOVE books and the stories behind them, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Interviews are posted bi-weekly on Tuesday and Thursday; 2nd and 4th week of every month. Hi! My name is crystal fletcher and welcome to all about canadian books. This week’s guest is Catherine Gourdier. Catherine has worked as an esthetician, cosmetician, sales agent. In 1991, Catherine followed her dream of working in the film and television industry. She’s been in front of the camera and behind as a second assistant director. Today, this screen writer and author will discus her memoir Breathe Cry Breathe. It was published by Harper Collins. In the fall of 2009, Catherine’s entire family were gathering for a surprise horror themed birthday party for their youngest sister Julie, when the unthinkable happened. Her sister and mother were hit by and car. Three weeks later her father also passed away. Breathe Cry Breathe is Catherine’s devastating, moving and hopeful journey through grief after the traumatic and sudden loss of three close family members. To learn more about Catherine, be sure to visit her website.  Catherine's #1 Memoir Writing Tip & Book Reading For the many individuals who have been contemplating writing a memoir, Catherine encourages you to write from your heart and to write your truth. After having read Catherine's memoir and listening to her reading--it is obvious she followed this advice. Breathe Cry Breathe documents not only Catherine's joyous memories of her family, but also her darkest as we follow her journey to heal her broken heart. Her story will resonate deeply with anyone who has lost a love one. How does hockey inspire author Leslie Krueger? Let’s find out… Hi! My name is crystal fletcher. Welcome to all about canadian books. This week’s guest is Lesley Krueger. Leslie Krueger is the author of 5 novels and 7 books. She is a prolific filmmaker—16 films over 16 years—ranging from micro-budget shorts to studio features. We’ll be discussing Lesley’s novel Time Squared. It was published by ECW Press Here's what it's about: Robin and Eleanor meet in 1811 at the British estate of Eleanor’s rich aunt Clara. Robin is about to leave to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, and her aunt rules out a marriage between them. Everyone Eleanor knows, including Robin, believe they’ve always lived in these times. But Eleanor has strange glimpses of other eras, dreams that aren’t dreams but memories of other lives. And their time jumps start as their romance deepens. Robin fights in the Boer War, the First and Second World Wars, in Vietnam and Iraq. Meanwhile, Eleanor struggles to figure out what’s going on, finally understanding that she and Robin are being manipulated through time. Who is doing this, and why? Arriving in modern times, Eleanor sets off to confront the ones she discovers are behind this — chess masters playing her like a pawn. Eleanor’s goal? To free herself to live out her life on her own terms. To find out if Eleanor frees herself, you have to read Time Squared! To learn more about Lesley and to check out ALL her fabulous projects  Lesley's #1 Writing Tip & Book Reading I really like Lesley's writing tip and that being to write without being self-conscious. I would also like to apply this to my life! Enjoy Lesley's reading! How do the Northern Shores of Lake Superior inspire author David Giuliano? Let’s find out… But before we do…if you LOVE books and the stories behind them, be sure to subscribe to my channel. Interviews are posted bi-weekly. Hi! My name is crystal fletcher. Welcome to all about canadian books. This week’s guest is David Giuliano. David Giuliano is a spiritual guide, award-winning writer and speaker. In 1987, he was ordained as a minister in The United Church of Canada. He is a cancer survivor. David enjoys the Canadian outdoors. We’ll be discussing David’s first novel The Undertaking of Billy Buffone which was published by Latitude46. Here's what it's about: ... A vivid portrait of lives intertwined in the search for redemption amidst the uncovering of dormant truths a small town tried to bury. IN THE SPIRIT OF THE BOYS OF ST. VINCENT, David Giuliano creates a story of trauma, humour and redemption. Catherine, a newly minted preacher, moves to Twenty-Six Mile House, an isolated community in northern Ontario and befriends the quirky undertaker Billy Buffone who has a disturbing secret he has carried for almost two decades. Billy’s best friend, now deceased, leads the reader through the traumatic events of today and those from the never-forgotten past. When I was reading this book, I realized I was skipping paragraphs because I was rushing to figure out why the narrator was dead (and a few other things, I won't mention). Because I didn’t want to miss anything I had to slow it down, go back and read those paragraphs! To learn more about David and to check out his other work  David's #1 Writing Tip & Book Reading For writers who are tackling the editing process, David suggests to leave out the parts that you skip over when you are reading your work. This made me laugh because it's soooooo true as we writers become attached to our words and sometimes need a little encouragement to use that delete button! David's reading is a VERY powerful excerpt from the first chapter. I found the first chapter challenging to get through but I am SO glad I kept going because I became quite invested in the characters and the mystery surrounding them. What inspires author Nicole Luongo? Let’s find out… But before we do…if you LOVE books and the stories behind them, be sure to subscribe to my channel. Interviews are posted bi-weekly. Hi! My name is crystal fletcher. Welcome to all about canadian books. This week’s guest is Nicole Luongo. Nicole is a writer and educator who holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in sociology from the University of British Columbia and approximately 1/60 of a PhD from the University of Oxford. She is currently figuring out what she likes. We’ll be discussing Nicole’s memoir The Becoming which was published by Inanna Publications. The Becoming is a brutal account of mental illness by a woman who doesn’t believe in mental illness. As the author embarks on a PhD at the University of Oxford, a lifetime of addiction, eating disorders, and trauma culminates in an explosive hospital stay that sees her achieve liberation through psychosis. Her journey from terror to acceptance is grueling, and she makes meaning of it by weaving reflexive narrative with classic and nascent scholarship.  Nicole's Memoir Writing Tips & Reading Nicole advises writers to be prepared for multiple revisions. And, before you decide to write about your life you need to carefully out weight the positives and the negatives about sharing your story. How do Persian carpets inspire author Lucy EM Black? Let’s find out… But before we do…if you LOVE books and the stories behind them, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Interviews are posted bi-weekly and you don't want to miss them! Hi! My name is crystal fletcher. Welcome to all about canadian books. This week’s guest is Lucy EM Black. Lucy was formerly an educator; she’s a writer, author of award-winning short stories that have been published in Britain, Ireland, the USA, and Canada. Lucy is an inveterate eavesdropper who collects voices, dialects, and stories, and she weaves them tenderly into stories so real we come to believe that we have actually met her characters. We discussed Lucy’s 3rd novel Stella’s Carpet, which was published by Now or Never Publishing and will be released on Oct. 16. ... A Holocaust survivor and a woman briefly imprisoned during the Iranian Revolution are among the characters in this story. Experiences overlap, as individuals’ step outside the shadow of their own histories and make conscious decisions about how they choose to live while forging new understandings of family, forgiveness and reconciliation. Stella’s Carpet examines the following…how do we survive the unimaginable? How do we live with the secrets of our past? And, at what price? You’re going to have to read it to find out! If you'd like to learn more about Lucy and Persian carpets (they are EXQUISITE) there's an interesting story about them on her website.  Lucy's #1 Writing Tip & Book Reading Watch! Lucy discuss her writing process; she breaks it down into three chunks. 1. The Prewriting Process 2. The Writing Process 3. The Editing Process She does a fabulous job (you can tell she was an educator)! |
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