Tag Archives: Gail Bowen

author of Kilbourn series

The Regina Public Library Readers’ Summit

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Photo by Marco Vigliotti

Photo by Marco Vigliotti

http://metronews.ca/news/regina/995194/authors-summit-takes-over-the-regina-public-librarys-downtown-branch/

A celebration of all things literary has marked the unofficial start of spring at the Regina Public Library.

The library’s central branch hosted a three-day authors’ summit this past weekend, featuring the likes of acclaimed Canadian Yann Martel and Saskatoon wordsmith Alice Kuipers.

Homegrown author Annette Bower took the floor on Sunday to discuss her new novel Women of Substance. She encouraged budding authors to explore themselves through writing.
“Write to find out what you know, and then write what you thought all these years you had to keep secret,” Bower said.

“Write what other people know, but can’t say or don’t want to say.”

Gail Bowen, the library’s writer-in-residence, says in a blog post that the event was created to “encourage a culture of reading in Regina,” as well as to offer “enthusiastic readers a chance to share their love of reading through lively discussion.”

Bowen closed out the event with a discussion of her novel The Gifted.

Bower’s first novel Moving On, A Prairie Romance was published in 2011 to a warm reception from the literary community.

Primarily a romance author, Bower said she was attracted to the genre partly because of her appreciation of the feel-good tales in Harlequin novels.

The Readers’ Summit is coming. The Readers’ Summit is coming

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Regina Public Library

Regina Public Library

Created to encourage a culture of reading in Regina, this exciting
event offers enthusiastic readers a chance to share their love of reading through
lively discussion. All events take place at Central Library, in downtown Regina.
Seating is limited. Call 306.777.6120 to register.
A Mystery Reading in Honour of
the Saskatchewan Book Awards
THURSDAY April 3: 7:00 – 8:30 pm
(For adults)
2nd Level Mezzanine
Watch for the mystery reader’s identity to
be announced on March 12th!

Yann Martel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yann_Martel
What is Stephen Harper Reading?
FRIDAY April 4: 7:30 – 8:30 pm
(For ages 19 and over)
2nd Level Mezzanine
Seating is limited. Doors open at 7:00 pm.
(ID may be requested.)

Dianne Warren: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianne_Warren
Cool Water
SATURDAY April 5: 11:00 am – Noon
(For teens and adults)
Program Meeting Room 1

Alice Kuipers: http://www.harpercollins.com/author/microsite/about.aspx?authorid=32799

40 Things I Want to Tell You
SATURDAY April 5: 1:00 – 2:00 pm
(For teens and adults)
Program Meeting Room 1

Yann Martel: Beatrice & Virgil
SATURDAY April 5: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
(For teens and adults)
Program Meeting Room 1

Annette Bower: http://www.annettebower.com/

Woman of Substance
SUNDAY April 6:1:00 – 2:00 pm
(For teens and adults)
Program Meeting Room 1

Gail Bowen: http://www.gailbowen.com/

The Gifted
SUNDAY April 6: 3:00 – 4.00 pm
(For teens and adults)
Program Meeting Room 1

Books I’ve read and enjoyed

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I lose track of the wonderful books I’ve read. I always learn or reinforce things I’ve discovered through my reading.
I don’t want to rate books because both you and I learn very different things because of the life we’ve experienced. We bring ourselves to the pages, whether we are flipping pages or just swiping electronic pages.
These books cannot be in chronological order or even alphabetical because I don’t recall exactly when I read them, and I just want to record the hours I’ve spent with authors and characters. They will be recent, unless, I delve back into my past for a memory.

The Gifted, A Joanne Kilbourn Mystery, by Gail Bowen. http://www.amazon.com/Gifted-Joanne-Kilbourn-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00BH0VUE2/
I attended classes with Gail as my professor at the University of Regina. We have become friends in the Saskatchewan writing community. She graciously shares her thoughts about having and enjoying a writing career and she reads my books. http://gailbowen.com/

Dollybird by Anne Lazurko. http://www.amazon.com/Dollybird-ebook/dp/B00E5LCL9S/
Anne and I were in the same writing group for a few years. I read early versions of some of the scenes. I’m proud of Anne for accomplishing this dream of her first novel. http://annelazurko.com/

Perish Twice by Robert B. Parker. http://www.amazon.com/Perish-Twice-Randall-Mystery-ebook/dp/B000PC0S2S
No, I haven’t met Robert B. Parker by we are friends through his books. My friend Shelley Banks, http://shelleybanks.ca/ introduced me to Robert Parker years ago when we were discussing authors who wrote in a sparse and concise way. I enjoy Robert Parker’s books because of his writing technique. I am intrigued with his style as he writes Sunny Randall, his female protagonist.

The Regency Story book by Lesley-Anne McLeod. http://www.lesleyannemcleod.com/ Illustrations by Sba Koriel. http://www.amazon.com/The-Regency-Storybook-ebook/dp/B00F66PKTE/
Lesley-Anne and I are members of the Saskatchewan Romance Writers. Lesley-Anne has e published many regency romance novels. She was the lead behind the Saskatchewan Romance Writers anthology, Love, Loss and Other Oddities. http://www.amazon.com/Love-Loss-Other-Oddities-ebook/dp/B006D224F8/

Thats all for today. But of course not nearly all the books I’ve read in the last months.

Today is another day to add more books. I will open my library in my iPad book shelf.
To the Edge of the Sea by Anne McDonald http://totheedgeofthesea.blogspot.ca/p/anne-mcdonald.html
http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Sea-ebook/dp/B00CF2LV9K/
Anne McDonald facilitates Improv workshops. I have attended these workshops and found them extremely helpful in thinking about characters and their positions in the world. She also has a suggestion of “Just say yes.” When I have done this in my daily life, I usually have grand experiences.

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. http://www.amazon.com/Left-Neglected-ebook/dp/B003UYUP26/ .
She is also the author of Still Alice. Genova is a neuroscientist. I enjoy her books because of my nursing background.

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan http://www.amazon.com/Half-Blood-Blues-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B00EKOLPE2/ . No not a friend or even an acquaintance, however I did hear her interview on CBC and was intrigued.

Stray Love by Kyo Maclear. http://www.amazon.com/Stray-Love-ebook/dp/B007HC3S7G/ Another book I heard about on CBC and again intrigued.

I also find inspiration in non-fiction.
The Normal One: Life with a Difficult or Damaged Sibling by Jeanne Safer, Ph.D. http://www.amazon.com/The-Normal-One-Difficult-Damaged/dp/0385337566/
I found this book insightful and was amazed how the experts in the field had not thought about siblings in their lives and how they affect personality.

The End of Men and the Rise of Women by Hanna Rosin. http://www.amazon.com/End-Men-Rise-Women/dp/B00D9TA4VY/
I am always interested in research about where women are placed in the world for my self knowledge as well as my characters.

Yesterday was a long journey home

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This carousel has its ups and downs and rounds and rounds just like writing

With the conference over there was nothing left to do but decide which books could fit in the suitcase, stuff into the computer bag and wait for the super shuttle. The lobby was subdued as writers said goodby for another year.
I met Cindy Kirk on the shuttle and we talked about writing whenever we could. She enjoys long waits for planes because she writes. I took her advice and wrote. With my earbuds in listening to some tunes, I wrote another scene for my new contemporary romance novel, yet to be titled, during the flight and then in the airport.
Last year I took a novel writing workshop from Gail Bowen at St. Peter’s College, Muenster, SK. She suggested that we should title our work and therefore own it. Right now it is called Georgette because that is the name of my main character.

This evening on the twitter feed I read that Maeve Binchy died. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19057922

I have had so many hours of pleasure reading her books and my last acquisition was a 166 page book called: The Maeve Binchy Writers’ Club where she shared tips on writing. I am going to re read it in her honor and to remind myself of why her writing style was so popular. “We write. We tell stories. We may create poems, do research into some specialist area, come up with thrillers, turn out a comedy. But we write. We don’t just talk about it.” (page 1, ISBN 978-0-7528-8307-6 )
Her books will survive for years although she is no longer here.