Stay by Katherine Lawrence

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Sahara Foley

Award-winning middle-grade novel-in-verse by acclaimed Saskatoon poet Katherine Lawrence now available in new edition from Shadowpaw Press

Stay, an award-winning middle-grade novel-in-verse by acclaimed Saskatoon poet Katherine Lawrence, orphaned by the demise of Coteau Books in 2020, is now back in print in a new edition from Regina’s Shadowpaw Press.

Stay is being released under the company’s Reprise imprint, which focuses on producing new editions of notable, previously published work, won the 2017 Moonbeam Award for Children’s Poetry (Gold) and was a finalist for both the Poetry Award and the Children’s Literature Award in the 2018 Saskatchewan Book Awards.

“I’m thrilled to know that Stay has been given a second life,” Lawrence said. “This story of a twelve-year-old girl who navigates a world made complex by family breakdown is one that kids everywhere can relate to.”

“I was captivated by Stay the moment I read it,” said Edward Willett, editor and publisher of Shadowpaw Press. “I’m excited to be able to give it new life for new readers.”

Stay can be bought directly from the publisher or from most online bookstores in both ebook and print and can also be ordered through any brick-and-mortar bookstore. This handy URL provides links to multiple online sources:  https://books2read.com/KatherineLawrenceStay.

More about the book

Millie is eleven going on twelve when her life is upended by her parents’ decision to separate. Her mother gets a new boyfriend, and her father moves into a new place: an apartment with a big sign on the door that says NO DOGS ALLOWED. Since there’s nothing Millie wants more than a dog of her own, that seems like the biggest blow of all.

Hoping to get her parents back together—not just for her sake, but for the sake of her future dog—Millie is elated when her father moves back in after a short while. She can’t understand why her parents aren’t happy at the reconciliation until she learns the truth: her father is back because he has been diagnosed with cancer.

Told in verse by acclaimed Canadian poet Katherine Lawrence, Stay is a moving, touching, and yet often humorous portrait of a family in a time of crisis, whose pain is filtered through the thoughts and actions of an eleven-year-old girl. Stay captures the essence of what it means to grow up, confront your fears, support your family, and share in the wild optimism that only youth can harbour.

Praise for Stay

“At first glance, Stay appears to be modest in length, form, and story. But within the spare pages of this middle-grade novel-in-verse is a powerful narrative about a family in transition and the young girl at its centre who needs to form something new and whole from what remains. . . Stay might be a quick read, but it’s a book that should be savoured.” –  Quill & Quire (starred review)

“While a child can teach a dog to ‘Stay,’ a child cannot cause parents to stay together. This free-verse novel is a powerful portrayal of a nuclear family that is coming apart . . . Highly Recommended.” – Canadian Review of Materials

“Stay is brilliantly written; each word serves its purpose and powerfully paints the characters. The format is wonderfully unique. It manages to be both accessible to children and lyrically sophisticated at the same time. Heavy subject matter is treated with a deft hand.” – Judges, Children’s Literature Award, 2018 Saskatchewan Book Awards

“Katherine Lawrence’s middle-grade novel-in-verse, Stay, evokes the changeable emotions of eleven-year-olds and the enduring truths of community. Here is a world of families in transition, poor puppy training, and the possibility of discovering something new within the tatters of the old. Filled with charm and world play, Stay is a hopeful response to our modern struggles . . . It’s everyday magic—stirred up, made bright.” – Judges, Saskatchewan Arts Board Poetry Award, 2018 Saskatchewan Book Awards

About the Author

Saskatoon writer Katherine Lawrence has published four poetry collections, most recently Black Umbrella (Turnstone Press, 2022). Her poetry has been published across the country and has twice been long-listed for the CBC Literary Awards. Originally from Hamilton, Katherine has lived on the prairies for over 35 years. She is a former writer-in-residence with Saskatoon Public Library and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Saskatchewan. www.katherinelawrence.net

About the Publisher

Shadowpaw Press, founded in Regina, Saskatchewan, by award-winning author Edward Willett in 2018, publishes new work by established and emerging authors through its Premiere imprint and new editions of notable, previously published work through its Reprise imprint. Shadowpaw Press will soon be re-releasing another poetry book orphaned by the closing of Coteau Books, Belinda Betker’s Phases. For more information about Shadowpaw Press, contact publisher@shadowpawpress.com.

Katherine Lawrence is available for interviews, media appearances, speaking engagements, and/or book review requests. Please contact mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com by email or by phone at 403.464.6925
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Sahara’s Review of The Burning Tree: Book 1: Salvation by Christopher Artinian

Posted on June 15, 2022 by Sahara Foley

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

The bunkers were built for the apocalypse. Just not the one they expected.

Life was bad and getting worse in the depths of Salvation. It did not take the people of Level Three long to realise that the only reason they had been spared from the cataclysm was to become a slave class.

Now, a single accident has changed everything. Fear is spreading like a virus. Rumours become facts the moment they’re spoken. Neighbour is turning against neighbour. And time is running out fast.

For most, this signals the end. For Callie and her friends, there is just one hope, but to find it, they’re going to have to fight through the most terror-filled night of their lives.

Can they escape the horror that awaits them? Or will these next few hours be their last?

 

MY REVIEW:

This is the first book by this author I’ve read and it was recommended to me by a friend. 

The story doesn’t take place on some far-off -planet but it might as well have with all the world building needed.  Artinan’s description of the bunker with the different levels and living conditions makes the reader feel like they’re right there.  He also has a grasp of human nature and the human condition.  How most people are so willing to follow anyone that makes choices for them so they’re not responsible for their own actions. Sounds like our society today.

I felt the first part of the book was slow as there was excessive repeating of the same events as new characters got involved.  And too much describing of ordinary routines, like making tea or getting ready in the morning.  Not necessary and just makes the reader want to skip over those parts.  The author also had a tendency to get on a Liberal/socialist soap box and those parts did get flipped over. 

Then everything went to hell in a handbag.  From that point on pages were turned faster and the tension built.  I found myself holding my breath, waiting to see what happened.  Please don’t let them die.

There were a few characters I related to more than others.  One is Michelle ad the other Susan.  I can’t wait to see what happens to them in book two.  Which I will be reading.  As for Greenslade, not sure how I feel about him.  Is he good or bad?  Did he get his just desserts?  We shall see.   

If you’re a fan of dystopian YA novels like Hunger Games, action and adventure, and family drama, you’ll enjoy this story.  I give it 4 stars. 

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June 2022 Free eBooks – 16h to 30th

Posted on June 12, 2022 by Sahara Foley

As I stated the first of the month, I just joined KU and I’m happy with it so far.  Especially when reading a book that turns out to almost be a DNF.  Yeah, glad I didn’t pay for that one.   😂🤣

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My Review of I am You am I by Thorsten Nesch

Posted on June 11, 2022 by Sahara Foley

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

She comes from a rich family in Vancouver and enjoys horse back riding, he lives on the wrong side of town and calls boxing his hobby. Two very different teenagers changing their bodies accidentally and have to live the life of the other. The funniest body switch comedy you will read.

 

MY REVIEW:

This is one of those love-it/hate-it books.  It’s a spin-off of Trading Places meets Freaky Friday. 

Nicole and Frank are the stereotypical troupe of rich girl meets boy from the wrong side of the tracks.  However, this isn’t a romance.  Instead it’s two teenagers who end up swapping bodies through a freaky science experiment.  Due to the writing / formatting style of the editor / author, it was hard to know who was talking and the story became confusing at times. 

Even though the characters were very one dimensional, over half way through the book I began to feel for them.  Nicole’s plight being stuck in Frank’s life while Frank got to experience a world only seen from afar.  Why would Frank want to go back?  It wasn’t hard to figure out the twist. 

There were several times I wanted to DNF it, but like a bad train wreck, I had to see what happened.  And I’m glad I stuck it out as I liked the ending.  It fit perfectly and was well done. 

And this is why I hated the book and almost DNF’d it:

Yeah. – You’re so pretty Nicole.

– I know.

– I’m proud of you. I smile at her.

– I love you.

– Love you too. 

Would I recommend the story?  If you can handle all the wrong punctuation for dialogue, which is what really killed the story for me, then yeah, try it.  You’ll probably like it.  I give it 3 stars. 

 

 

 

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My Review of Running with Roselle by Michael Hingson

Posted on June 10, 2022 by Sahara Foley

Description: 

A puppy who became a true American hero. The blind boy who let nothing stop him. When they finally grew up and met, it was magic. On September 11, 2001, a blind man escaped the World Trade Center by walking down 78 flights of stairs with his guide dog. Days later, America fell in love with Mike and Roselle, and the special bond that helped them survive. Mike shared his story in the New York Times bestselling book, Thunder Dog.

Now, in Running With Roselle, kids can follow Roselle as she grows from an energetic yellow Lab prone to stealing her puppy raiser’s slippers to a confident guide dog who passes the ultimate test when her partner needs her most. Meet Mike, a boy blind from birth who excels in public school, shocks the neighbors by riding his bicycle through the streets of Palmdale, CA, drives a car around his college campus, and uses his relationship of trust and teamwork with Roselle to help others on a day that changed America forever.

 

My Review:

Being born visually impaired, and then legally blind by 14, I can so relate to Mike.  I went to school about the same time frame and I can attest to the struggles students with disabilities faced.  Classes were based on the chalkboard or overhead projectors.  To me it was all a blur, even sitting right next to the teacher’s desk. And only a few teachers took the effort to help someone that needed the extra assistance. 

Kudos to Mike, and his parents, for helping him be ordinary.  We learn to live and work with our limitations and strive to be like everyone else.  I totally get his thrill with driving. 

As for Roselle, how could you not love her?  She was so brave and sounded like an amazing dog.  I just knew I would cry, and I did. 

This was also an educational story as it explained how guide dogs are trained and the process they have to go through.  To me, it almost borders on animal cruelty, but I understand the need for the strict discipline for them to help their partners. 

What I didn’t like was making a 4 year-old and dog sound like an adult with complex thoughts and ideas.  That didn’t set well with my logical brain. But that was probably just me. 

Other than that, I enjoyed the story and sad that 9-11 has become a footnote in our history and almost forgotten.  Readers who are dog lovers, enjoy true life stories, and like learning new stuff will love this book.  I give it 4 stars. 

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Duatero by Brad C. Anderson 

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Sahara Foley

Brad C. Anderson’s searing far-future science fiction novel Duatero now available again in new edition from Shadowpaw Press

Duatero by Vancouver author Brad C. Anderson, a searing far-future science fiction novel about the struggles of an abandoned human colony to survive on a hostile alien world, is back in print in a new edition from Shadowpaw Press after being orphaned by the closing of its original publisher, Bundoran Press.

Duatero is being released under the Shadowpaw Press Reprise imprint, which focuses on producing new editions of notable, previously published work.

“I am thrilled that Shadowpaw Press has given my book a new life and audience,” Anderson said. “It has been great working with someone passionate about books and who wants to put them in readers’ hands.”

“Duatero is a powerful work of science fiction that confronts issues of morality and survival head-on in a carefully thought-out and terrifying alien world,” said Edward Willett, editor and publisher of Shadowpaw Press. “It deserves to find many new readers, and I’m thrilled to be able to give it that opportunity.”

Duatero can be bought directly from the publisher or from most online bookstores in both ebook and print and can also be ordered through any brick-and-mortar bookstore. This handy URL provides links to multiple online sources:  https://books2read.com/duatero/

More about the book

Majstro Falchilo Kredo has devoted his life to protecting the abandoned Earth colony of Duatero from Malamiko, the indigenous ecosystem that makes their crops fail and whose contamination turns humans into mindless monsters.

But Malimiko is changing, becoming more dangerous, more aware, even as the ancient technology the humans use to combat it fails piece by precious piece. Kredo and his fellow soldiers must risk everything or see all they hold precious wiped away and forgotten.

Kredo is prepared to sacrifice himself—and anyone around him—to do his duty. But what if the price demanded is even higher?

Praise for Duatero

“Combines power armoured soldiers from the pages of sci-fi pulps, a world as intriguing yet bleak as Mid-World from Stephen King’s Dark Tower, and an evil as terrifying and paranoia-inducing as John Carpenter’s The Thing. A descent into the darkness of a failing world and the brutal zealotry of its defenders.” – Matt Moore, Aurora Award-winning author of It’s Not the End and Other Lies

About the Author

Brad C. Anderson lives with his wife and puppy in Vancouver, Canada. He teaches undergraduate business courses at a local university and researches organizational wisdom in blithe defiance of the fact most people do not think you can put those two words in the same sentence without irony. Previously, he worked in the biotech sector, where he made drugs for a living (legally!). His stories have appeared in a variety of publications. His short story “Naïve Gods” was longlisted for a 2017 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. It was published in the anthology Lazarus Risen, which was itself nominated for an Aurora Award.

About the Publisher

Shadowpaw Press, founded in Regina, Saskatchewan, by award-winning author Edward Willett in 2018, publishes new work by established and emerging authors through its Premiere imprint and new editions of notable, previously published work through its Reprise imprint. For more information about Shadowpaw Press, contact publisher@shadowpawpress.com.

Brad C. Anderson is available for interviews, media appearances, speaking engagements, and/or book review requests. Please contact mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com by email or by phone at 403.464.6925

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Death’s Intern (The Intern Diaries Book 1) by D. C. Gomez 

Posted on June 8, 2022 by Sahara Foley

The Debut Novel in the Intern Diaries Series by USA Today Best-selling author, DC Gomez

Released by Gomez Expeditions / The book is available worldwide in digital and print format

A talking cat, a boy genius, missing people, and an untrained Intern for Death. What could possibly go wrong?

Did that really happen?

There’s no way Death offered me a job. I’m a musician that makes her living as a waitress, with absolutely no training in the supernatural world. This is all a very bad dream.

But Bob has been kidnapped, and I can’t possibly lose the only friend I have.

Bob, you’d better be alive. Because if I just gave my soul to Death for nothing, I will personally kill you. Not to mention, it seems Death’s Interns have fairly short life expectancies.

God, don’t let me die.

* Death’s Intern is book one in the humorous Urban Fantasy Series The Intern Diaries. Isis Black is thrown into a supernatural world she didn’t know existed, and learns the hard way the Horsemen are real. Her world will never be the same. If you love quirky characters and action-packed adventure with lots of sass, dive in now!

What readers are saying:
“Well written … fast-paced … a mix of supernatural and earthly realms where Death resides … loved the humor … hooked from the very beginning … unusual connection to dark themes.”

Other Books in The Series:

Plague Unleashed (The Intern Diaries Book 2) by [D. C. Gomez]    Forbidden War (The Intern Diaries Book 3) by [D. C. Gomez]    Unstoppable Famine (The Intern Diaries Book 4) by [D. C. Gomez]    Judgement Day (The Intern Diaries Book 5) by [D. C. Gomez]

About The Author:

D. C. Gomez is an award-winning USA Today Bestselling Author, podcaster, motivational speaker, and coach. Born in the Dominican Republic, she grew up in Salem, Massachusetts. D. C. studied film and television at New York University. After college she joined the US Army, and proudly served for four years.
D.C. has a Master’s Degree in Science Administration from the Central Michigan University, as well as a Master in Adult Education from Texas A&M- Texarkana University. She is a certified John Maxwell Team speaker and coach, and a certified meditation instructor from the Chopra Center.
One of D. C. passions is helping those around her overcome their self-limiting beliefs.  She writes both non-fiction and fiction books, ranging from Urban Fantasy to Children’s Books. To learn more about her books and her passion, you can find her at www.dcgomez-author.com.
To request additional review copies or an interview with DC Gomez, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    We look forward to the coverage!
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Dead Without Remorse (Gilda Wright Mystery Book 5) by Diane Bator 

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Sahara Foley

The Newest Novel in The Gilda Wright Mystery Series by prolific mystery writer, Diane Bator

Released by BWL Publishing
The book is available worldwide in digital and print format

An explosion leaves a gaping hole in the streetscape where the Nine Lives Consignment Shop and the former martial arts school once stood.

When police find remains of a bomb inside, Gilda Wright needs to track a killer before her suspects scatter like debris.

Other Books in The Series:

Dead Without Honor (Gilda Wright Mystery Book 1) by [Diane Bator]    Dead Without Glory (Gilda Wright Mystery Book 2) by [Diane Bator]    Dead Without Pride (Gilda Wright Mystery Book 3) by [Diane Bator]    Dead Without Shame (Gilda Wright Mystery Book 4) by [Diane Bator]

About The Author:

A prolific Canadian mystery writer, I am the mom of three kids, two cats and a step-dog as well as author of Wild Blue Mysteries, Gilda Wright Mysteries, Glitter Bay Mysteries, and the Audra Clemmings Mysteries from Books We Love Ltd. with many more books and plays to come! You can find me at:
Blog: http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Website: https://dianebator.ca/
Publisher Website: https://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dianebatorauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7179945.Diane_Bator
To request additional review copies or an interview with Diane Bator, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.   
We look forward to the coverage!
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Pre-Order Paperback: Suspension (Time Binder) by Andrea Faye Christians

Posted on June 6, 2022 by Sahara Foley

A Time Travel Tale of Epic Proportions by Andrea Faye Christians

Released and published by Lucid House Publishing! 

The book is available worldwide in paperback.

An unexpected time travel tale. 

When Carla Thompson falls asleep and doesn’t wake up, she is shocked to discover what destiny has in store for her. Suspended between two worlds, she meets Isambard Brunel, the legendary eighteenth-century civil engineer, who built the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England, and who now serves as guardian of its secrets. Historical events intertwine with Carla’s current reality and along the way she discovers a murder, encounters a host of characters including Jamaican psychic, Matilda, and engages in verbal banter with literary legend, Ernest Hemingway. Her adventures lead her to a startling revelation about why she was chosen for her strange new role. In death Carla realizes she has never felt more alive.

“A beautiful and beguiling supernatural romance from an author to watch.” — Richard E. Rock, author of Deep Level and Frenzy Island

 

ABOUT ANDREA:

Andrea Faye Christians was born and raised in Swansea, South Wales. Following a successful career in radio, she moved to the southern Mediterranean island of Malta to pursue her dream of becoming a freelance writer. A decade later she bought a farm in the Madonie mountains of Sicily where a menagerie of rescue animals found their way to her. With a son in Malta and a daughter in Sicily, Andrea has a home and her heart in both places, and she now divides her time between the neighboring islands. Suspension is her debut novel. She is working on the second book in the Time Binder Series as well as a novel entitled Chemo Club.
To request additional review copies or an interview with Andrea Faye Christians, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.   
We look forward to the coverage!
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Featured Free eBook: Gilded Cage by Kacey Ezell

Posted on June 5, 2022 by Sahara Foley

A broken Human meets a shadowy, half-whispered legend, and finds something that may be redemption… and may be something much darker.

Meet the Depik of the Four Horsemen Universe

The story that started the legend of the Galaxy’s deadliest Hunters — Meet the Depik of the Four Horsemen Universe A broken Human meets a shadowy, half-whispered legend, and finds something that may be redemption… and may be something much darker.

 

Other Books in Series:

Legend (Four Horsemen Tales Book 1) by [Christopher Woods]    Weaver (Four Horsemen Tales Book 2) by [Kacey Ezell, Mark Wandrey]    The Colchis Job (Four Horsemen Tales Book 3) by [Kal Spriggs]    Tales from the Lyon's Den: Stories from the Four Horsemen Universe (Four Horsemen Tales Book 4) by [Chris Kennedy, Mark Wandrey, Robert E. Hampson, Kevin McLaughlin, Jake Bible, Marisa Wolf, Terry Mixon, Kacey Ezell, Doug Dandridge, Tim C. Taylor, Michael J. Allen, Quincy J. Allen, Benjamin Tyler Smith, James P. Chandler, David Alan Jones, RJ Ladon, Eric S. Brown, N.X. Sharps, Chris Winder]

 

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