Interviews & Reviews

Gorgeous Review by Beth Kephart

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:27:15 GMT

"I thought I knew Lilian Nattel. But new books teach us new things about a writer's powers...It's not just the first page of this book that is so beautifully written. It's every page. "

And there's more, full review here.

Review: Web of Angels as Universal

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:58:11 GMT

Emily Rosenbaum says, "Web of Angels raises important questions: what is it like for survivors of childhood trauma to raise children? What is our responsibility as adults to delve into the life of another family that just feels wrong? How are people fractured by the wounds they receive in childhood? How do they go on, anyway?" Full review here.

Early Review

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:22:10 GMT

Tammy, a recent graduate from the University of Calgary, on her preview of Web of Angels: "I found it absolutely fascinating...and I could not wait to figure out where the book was going. I absolutely loved it and had a really hard time putting it down." Read the whole review at For the Love of Reading.

CBC & The Toronto Sun

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:18:12 GMT

February 23! I'm thrilled to be talking to Shelagh Rogers on CBC's The Next Chapter .

February 24th! I'll be featured in The Toronto Sun's "Star Spaces." Marcy Cornblum asked intelligent and intriguing questions, focusing on home and physical space, how it relates to work and family. See the photos! (Including the wall mural.)

Momo

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:51:03 GMT

Momo by Emile Ajar is fantastic. I wish someone would reprint it. This novel was published in the mid 70's and tells the story of an Arab boy (the narrator--fabulous voice) raised by an elderly Jewish woman who is a former prostitute and holocaust survivor.

Alan Bennet

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:32:31 GMT

Smut by Alan Bennett is funny and bizarre.

Snuff by Terry Pratchett

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:40:14 GMT

Snuff by Terry Pratchett is classic Pratchett. He can write better ill than most people healthy. The title refers to tobacco--I mistook it for something else and nearly didn't pick up the book!

The Winter Palace

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:47:16 GMT

I finished The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak--terrific! Reviewed here.

Research

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:09:37 GMT

I've been immersing myself in research. My pile of novels grows higher, but it'll have to wait.

You Are My Only

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:00:22 GMT

This morning I blogged about You Are My Only--check it out! I've just started The Book Thief, wanting to know more about YA fiction.

You Are My Only

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 15:07:01 GMT

I just finished You Are My Only by Beth Kephart. It's gorgeous! I intend to blog about it very soon.

Fauna

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:12:24 GMT

I reviewed Fauna here: recommended! Now I'm reading The Measure of a Man by J.J. Lee, a memoir about tailoring and fathers. It's delightful.

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:35:04 GMT

I'm nearly finished Fauna by Alissa York. I wonder if there is going to be a tragic ending or if it will all end happily.

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 16:42:23 GMT

Reading is slow with a 10 & 13 y.o. but I can't complain about them hanging out. One throwing soft balls at a target, one brushing hair then reaching for a ball.

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:00:30 GMT

I'm reading Fauna by Alissa York, a novel about wildlife, human and otherwise, in Toronto.

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:26:23 GMT

In National Geographic, a story on the teenage brain. Under construction, yes, changing to the adult brain, but more than that. The adolescent traits of worry to parents have an adaptive function. Fascinating!

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:51:12 GMT

I took my new netbook with me to the McLaughlin Literary Festival in Oshawa. I had 2 books loaded on it, for train reading, and began with The Coffins of Little Hope by Timothy Schaffert. But I was captivated by the view. I've never traveled east from Toronto before, and instead of reading, I looked at the goldenrod and trees lining the tracks, the factory that came into view and departed, and best of all Lake Ontario shimmering in the sun. Someone was hang gliding, the harness like a baby swing.

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:03:15 GMT

Today I am just sitting with The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly. After reviewing it on my blog, I just want to savour it before jumping into another book.

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 22:16:53 GMT

The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly is riveting, the writing beautiful, the story about a prisoner in Burma an important one.

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 03:25:02 GMT

I finished reading Forgotten Kingdom by Peter Goullart, a fascinating look at the borderland between China and Tibet in the 1940's. A taste of Shangri-la but earthier, with guts, problems, charm, and magic.

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:11:52 GMT

Pages are proofed! Another stage over in the pre-publishing process. That means I'll have some time for reading over the long weekend. I'm nearly done with The Forgotten Kingdom by Peter Goullart.

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:05:55 GMT

The current issue of Scientific American is all about cities, from biking to shantytowns. How about this beginning to one article?

The women maneuvered their crude canoes down narrow alleys of brackish water.

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 19:01:20 GMT

In this month's National Geographic: heart-warming article on orphan elephants. They suffer from ptsd, but recover with human and elephant TLC, returning to the wild elephant community when they decide they're ready.

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:08:04 GMT

From The Forgotten Kingdom by Peter Goullart, on the border between China and Tibet:

The air was warm and scented, the sky so cloudless and blue; the Snow Mountain waved a long white plume, as if in greeting, from the glittering crown of its summit. The city was en fete and there were delirious celebrations in many houses that evening before the departure of holy caravans on the morrow.

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:54:51 GMT

Now that I'm finished my new website, I can get back to reading!