 RE:writes
|
|
|
“This book is good.” —an important reviewer. I try not to giggle when I see blurbs like this on book covers (😂).
Lately, I'm obsessed with trying to dissect “author blurbs.” Sometimes, I find them more entertaining than the actual book.
Author blurbs are praise quotes that you usually spot on the top of a book cover or the backmatter. They’re usually written by a fellow writer or well-known personality, or are snippets taken from reviews by a prominent publication. But at the end of the day, they're there to help sell the book.
But, do blurbs actually influence a reader’s decision to buy a book? Do they influence you? It's a good question, isn't it? Here's why I've stopped relying on author blurbs.
On another note, it's halfway through summer! If you're an aspiring writer, don’t forget to email to enter the re:books “Write Away Summer” contest, where the winner is will have their book published by Sutherland House Books. Learn more here. Time is ticking...
Until next time, flip your hair and flip the page!
xoxo,
P.S. I have a colourful, artistic tREat from Bridget Griggs. Check it out below! 🎨
|
|
 pREp talk
|
|
Mind Your Reading
How many times have you found that your mind travels away from the pages and words, and soon you are thinking about anything else but the story in the book? (Guilty!) If you think about it, reading is a great time to practice mindfulness. In this week's article, Maya writes about the fundamentals of mindfulness and how to implement them while reading.
|
|
 what i’m RE:ading
A balancing act with one fiction and one non-fiction.
|
|
|
In Year of the What? (Maple Mermaid Publishing Corporation) by Jennifer Lieberman, fresh off a broken heart, "good girl" Dana draws from her promiscuous best friend Kelly and learns that in order to find Mr. Right, she may have to explore her sexuality and desires. After months of searching in vain, Dana embarks on an outrageous adventure of sexual discovery where she finds inner power and confidence, without excuses or justifications.
|
|
|
|
In Praise of Retreat: Finding Sanctuary in the Modern World (ECW Press 2021) by Kirsteen MacLeod is a fresh and comprehensive part memoir, part nature essay, part guidebook. But more than that, it’s a reminder of why it is important to "retreat" and isolate during trying times to ground ourselves for our mental well-being. This is a thoughtful, thoroughly researched read about the importance and the benefits of solitude and making the most of alone time, whether it’s for a weekend, a month, or a lifetime.
|
|
|
 RE:wind
So nice, I've read it twice.
|
|
|
Everyone is talking about “Cat Person,” one of the electric and sharp short stories featured in You Know You Want This by Kristen Roupenian (Gallery/Scout Press). "Cat Person" revolves around Margot, an undergrad and movie theatre employee who meets an older man at work and begins dating him before things quickly turn sour. (It’s also being adapted into a TV show starring Emilia Jones and Nicholas Braun.) Earlier this month, writer Alexis Nowicki published a story in Slate titled "'Cat Person' and Me,” alleging that Roupenian drew specific details from her life. (It’s all so juicy!)
|
|
|
 book RE:port
|
|
“Women in their 60s, 70s and beyond... I want them to be at the centre of stories, not on the periphery.”
|
|
|
— Author Tess Gerritsen told the New York Times that she wishes authors would write more books starring older heroines. She said, "Women that age have collected a lifetime’s worth of wisdom but too often they’re treated as invisible or irrelevant, in real life as well as in fiction." Amen to that. Gerritsen has a new novel out now called Choose Me.
|
|
 peer pRE:ssuRE
Young Adult pick of the week from Rebecca's daughter.
|
|
|
I found the writing style and entire premise of Bruised by Tanya Boteju (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) very original. After her parent's tragic death, Daya chooses to endure physical pain over dealing with her emotional pain. By chance, she ends up joining a roller derby league, and it's a physical pain-fest. With her rough and tousled teammates and fans pushing her limits, she realizes that the pain of bruises can no longer mask the emotional ones. Daya has to start dealing with grief and loss, but also love, strength, healing and happiness.
|
|
|
 RE:caRE:s
Spotlight on Jewish authors and characters.
|
|
|
For nearly a century, Russian women were deceived and sold into prostitution in South America. This is the backdrop of The Third Daughter by Talia Carner (HarperCollins), the story of 14-year-old Batya, who falls prey to this atrocity. In the blighted streets of Buenos Aires, Batya is motivated by strength borne out of anger to do anything in her power to be reunited with her family.
|
|
|
 RE:sourceful RE:ads
For the more serious reader.
|
|
|
In her memoir Nobody Ever Talks About Anything But the End (Simon & Schuster), Liz Levine exposes raw truths about grief and mourning after her sister Tamara took her own life, and her childhood love and best friend, Judson, passed away from cancer. By weaving in stories of her relationships with them, Liz does a nearly impossible task—taking us through the incredible complexities of grief and loss, while somehow managing to make us laugh through the tears. This book will ring true to anyone who has ever experienced loss and has never been able to put into words the complexities of their emotions.
|
|
|
 tRE:at
No books here. Here's a giveaway to pamper one lucky winner.
|
|
|
Authors and artists are one in the same—we need both kinds of creatives to tell stories and make us feel enriched and inspired. That's why I'm partnering with one of my favourite world-renowned local artists, Bridget Griggs, to give away a spectacular painting (pictured). You'll get your very own 10x8x1.5” painting called “Stream of Consciousness,” which is valued at $700(!). I love her so much, I have this piece hanging in my house. (Funny story: In my divorce, the ONE and ONLY thing I demanded to keep was that painting!)
|
|
|
Sponsored by
|
|
|
P.S. The winner of the Damn Good Food giveaway is (drum roll please...): Debra Fisher!
|
|
♡ RE appRE:ciates
Thank you, readers, for your support.
|
|
*tREat contest rules here.
|
|
|
|
|
