It’s the third week in April, 2021. We’re in week two of a six-week lockdown in Ontario, hoping to get a handle on the rapidly increasing numbers in our province. All I can say is, thank goodness for books and Netflix!
I recently finished Writers and Lovers by Lily King (link below). Casey, our protagonist, is a debt-ridden writer in her early 30's, living in Boston and working as a server in an upscale restaurant in order to pay the bills. She has been labouring over the same novel for six years. She's single, and paying rent to live in a potting shed belonging to her brother's friend. She still suffers deeply from the sudden loss of her mother the previous year. The book follows Casey as she navigates through her grief, her job, her friendships, and her relationships with men, all while continuing to work on her novel.
This book is wonderful. It may sound dramatic, but there were some beautifully-written, poignant passages that actually made me gasp out loud. I can't recall ever doing that before. I’m looking forward to a virtual discussion with the author at the end of the month, as part of the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club: https://modernmrsdarcy.com/.
Links to Writers and Lovers:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/writers-lovers-a-novel/9781443460385-item.html
https://www.amazon.ca/Writers-Lovers-Novel-Lily-King/dp/1443460389
You may recall that in my previous post, I wrote about the proposed merger of two publishing giants, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster, and how it is not likely to be a positive development for Canadian authors in particular. The deal remains a hot topic in the media and in book-ish circles, both here Canada and in the U.S., as opposition continues to grow:
Finally, if anyone needed an excuse to buy more books, Saturday, April 24, 2021 is Canadian Independent Bookstore Day! And what would a celebration of independent bookstores be without a contest? Simply buy a book at your favourite indie bookstore (by phone, on-line or in-person), then go to the website for the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association, choose your favourite prize, and enter! Don’t forget to keep your receipt, in case your name is the one that’s pulled from the hat. It seems almost too easy, doesn’t it? And how many contests allow you to choose your own prize? I’m all-in for this one. https://cibabooks.ca/Canadian-Independent-Bookstore-Day-Contest2021
Until next time, stay safe, everyone.