CanadianContent discussion

Hi Magdelanye -- I'm sleepless in Seattle. Had a few false alarms -- hoping for any day now. :)

Good luck @Talie! I hope you're holding your baby soon.

My son was 8 days late...longest 8 days of my life!

@Taile, not sure if this is your first baby...they say always born late. I believe the babies come when they are ready. you are lucky to have this precious time to rest and if if you can't sleep, just relax, listen to great music, read or be read to, commune with your child as you are both about to birth.

Hello everyone. I'm from Guelph, ON and was also a member of the CBC group. My favourite part was the Friday Reads section so I'm so glad that this is part of this new group. Thank you to everyone who was instrumental in getting this up and running. I love Canadian fiction and am an avid reader! I'm not a terribly good "reviewer" however, but I enjoy reading others' reviews and finding new books! Looking forward to connnecting again with those of you who were part of the CBC group and also meeting some new friends.

Welcome Ellen!!

Hi everyone! I am also following from our old group. I am in Northern Ontario and work as a financial planner. I love to read just about anything, but love CanLit!

Welcome @Lisa!! We share a love of CanLit here and I have to admit, my TBR pile is growing with all the suggestions from this group!

Hi everyone, I grew up in Saskatoon and spent many years in central BC before landing here in the Fraser Valley (near Vancouver). I am fairly recently retired, so am still catching up on the reading I didn't have time for when I was working. I read more CanLit than anything else, I think. I joined the now-closed group shortly before it wrapped up. I tend to lurk much more than participate. I enjoy reading challenges, and am happy to see some here.

Welcome @TrudyAn - congrats on your retirement - so nice that you can enjoy catching up on your reading!!

Welcome Sue!! It is great to have you join our group and fantastic to hear how much your 9 year old likes thread! Thanks for following my blog - it has been a lotto fun. :)

For our new members - feel free to check out the poll choosing our September read as well as our Acrostic August Challenge.

Thx - you will find much inspiration in this group - especially for CanLit. I am in awe of all the reading that happens among our members - you will certainly find your TBR pile growing...

Wow!! All of a sudden I realized the CBC group was missing! I've been busy and hadn't had time to check Goodreads much.

I'm glad to see another great group in which we can talk about Canadian books. Currently I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland but lived in Canada most of the time I was growing up. I work at a local University as an Academic Advisor and find my time taken up more and more by that work. We're going through a fairly intensive (but positive) transition time; I can't wait for things to settle down. I apologize early for not being able to spend as much time as I want to on discussions.

I'm married, no two legged kids but one four legged kid (black lab, Boykin spaniel mix), and love reading, cooking, fishing, spending time with family, etc. I'm excited to have you all to feed my need for things Canadian!!

Welcome Catherine - I believe that you are first member from Maryland and are happy to have you add to our conversation!

Hi there. My name is Ian Mitchell-Gill and i recently published my first book! It is meant for s YA audience but I'm surprised how many adults are reading it. Anyway if you're looking for something that is a fun read, this book might be for you. I love chatting with any and all readers.

❀ Susan wrote: "Welcome Catherine - I believe that you are first member from Maryland and are happy to have you add to our conversation!"

Hi my name is Rainey. I am a Canuck and now Bermudian living in Bermuda.

I am from Toronto and have lived in BDA for 21 years.

I too was in the CBC group that abruptly closed and left me devastated.

I am so happy to have another Canadian Lit group to belong too. I really like keeping up with great Canadian Lit.

@Ian - welcome to our group where we discuss the books we read - especially CanLit. We do have a YA section if you are interested in discussing the genre.

@Rainey - nice to formally "meet" you - you are our first member from Bermuda!!! Do you have difficulty finding CanLit in the libraries?

Finding Can Lit in BDA is impossible at the local library.

Also given the BDA roaches like the glue in books I am pretty much an ebook girl from Amazon. Its a very rare book I will buy now.

If I have to order a physical book It will have to be from Amazon as its very hard for BDA bookstores to bring or get Canadian books.

i guess even roaches like to "read"!

Welcome @Catherine, @Ian and @Rainey!

@Rainey Perhaps this is a silly question, but what attracts roaches to book glue?

Natasha wrote: "Welcome @Catherine, @Ian and @Rainey!

@Rainey Perhaps this is a silly question, but what attracts roaches to book glue?"

@ Natasha .. In making my own paper writing journals I read that using organic glue is best. I would have thought that cockroaches would like not only the glue but also the paper as the cellulose in paper should be tasty as well as the organic glue. But maybe roaches have gourmet tastes and eat only the glue.
When I was living in the country (in Ottawa valley), mice were a problem if books were left in boxes (not on book shelves) where mice had access.

LOL - and all I have to worry about is my mom's dog if i lend her books as she has tended to eat the odd cover (sadly she enjoyed The Medicine Walk) or my son's cat Fred who seems to like to chew on paper!!

❀ Susan wrote: "@Ian - welcome to our group where we discuss the books we read - especially CanLit. We do have a YA section if you are interested in discussing the genre.

@Rainey - nice to formally "meet" you - y..."

Thanks for welcoming me aboard! It's a great group on a great site. Very glad to be here so I can connect with other writers and readers. My people! LOL! Thanks again! Ian

@Mary Anne I know mice are an issue, but thankfully I haven't ever encountered roaches. Except in Mexico. Didn't realize book glue would constitute gourmet dining. :)

Natasha wrote: "@Mary Anne I know mice are an issue, but thankfully I haven't ever encountered roaches. Except in Mexico. Didn't realize book glue would constitute gourmet dining. :)"

And they fly too. Ugh!! all it takes is one to land in your hair - CURLY HAIR. Still gives me nightmares.

@Rainey That made me squeamish! Having flashbacks of getting Junebugs caught in my hair and having them burnt out.

... and making me think of some of the libraries in Southern Ontario that were temporarily closed due to bed bugs... eek!!

Hey, I'm Scott. I live in Northern Ontario (Thunder Bay). I'm an Australian/Canadian citizen. Born in Australia to Canadian parents. I write books. Some of them are actually set in Canada. For instance, An Eagle's Heart and The Fairly Stillwart Chronicles: The Complete Saga. Cheers.

Ugh, quiet, may as well add some pictures. and then, this . Very quiet. Anybody about?

Welcome Scott!! I hope you enjoy discussing #CanLit with us!

❀ Susan wrote: "Welcome Scott!! I hope you enjoy discussing #CanLit with us!"

Oh, hey, I'll try and say some bits. ;)

HI I'm Alan, like others I was really disapointed that the CBC group died, especially with no notice. It was my most favourite thing on the 'net, maybe this group will take it's place and warm my heart again. I live in Toronto, work for a university library (33 years now)
and I love to read, crime and Canadian. I am currently starting the list of Giller nominees, I hope to read all twelve eventually, but I
am also joining a book club and I need to read Sweetland by next
week so Giller is on hold. I know that people in the other group were crazy about Sweetland and since this is my first Michael Crummy I am really looking forward to great things.

We are glad to have you join! I think that there is some discussion about Sweetland and Michael Crummy in the Newfoundland thread that you might be interested in!

We are glad to have you join! I think that there is some discussion about Sweetland and Michael Crummy in the Newfoundland thread that you might be interested in!

Welcome! So great to see this group continually growing. It's such a great place to learn about new books. We seem to have a lot of writers too.

Welcome everyone! It's nice to have you all join us.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you in the threads.

Does anyone have contact information for Penny or Jennifer from the old group? I would like to keep in touch with them. If you think it would be more appropriate please private message me.
Thanks.

Hi!
My name is Marian and I live in Ontario Canada and I do love CanLit..Lawrence Hill,Margaret Atwood,Linwood Barclay but..I would love to be introduced to some more authors here in Canada.Can anybody suggest some authors to me?

Marian wrote: "Hi!
My name is Marian and I live in Ontario Canada and I do love CanLit..Lawrence Hill,Margaret Atwood,Linwood Barclay but..I would love to be introduced to some more authors here in Canada.Can an..."
Welcome.. Whereabouts in Ontario?

Im in Ontario:)Where its a beautiful day here and was 18c out..nice!

@ Marian -- lovely to hear about good weahter. Are the trees turning red and other colours yet?
I asked about location because I am visiting outside of Ottawa.

Hi Mary Anne..yes,a handful of trees along the thames river here,have been changing..no biggy,just here and there.Ottawa is very far away from me Im afraid,but a lovely place to visit:)

Welcome Marian - you will find many great suggestions on these threads - check out the Spinecrackers for a multitude of suggestions each week!!

Thank you Susan for the warm welcome:)

Hello from crisp autumn Ottawa. I am an avid reader and an avid writer. I've been told that to write well, one must read a lot so I'm trying to do so. Looking forward to recommendations on Canadian books.

Welcome Kathi - if your goal is to read a lot, you will certainly get a lot of suggestions here!

Hello to all – both former CBC Books’ members and new faces who are CanLit fans or looking to read more wonderful books by great Canadian authors. The fact that 1/3 of the Man Booker shortlist nominees are Canadian is a good indicator of the high calibre of Canadian authors and writing.

First off, thank you Susan for taking the initiative to start this group and take on the task of Moderator. It is not as easy a role as it may seem and is often underappreciated. I am grateful for your effort, positivity and energy.

Being both a private person to strangers and concerned about internet lack of confidentiality, this is the first time I have ever introduced myself in an on-line book club. I have been lengthy (not to bore everyone but to try to give you a sense of what makes me tick.) Being thorough in print happens to be a current personality trait. Feel free so scan if you are at the other end of the spectrum.

I enjoy a very eclectic mix of books - literary (though I’m not a big fan of the term), contemporary fiction, mystery, historical fiction, memoirs, some other types of non-fiction and also fiction based on real life events first come to mind.

I currently live in South-western Ontario, grew up in Central Ontario and lived for a short time in Northern Ontario – Ontario born and bred but have done some travelling to South America and the Caribbean. Have also done some Canadian travelling to both coasts (B.C. and New Brunswick), Alberta and Quebec…..but not enough. I love reading books that take me to different destinations without spending big bucks. While I’d prefer to travel in person, reading about different provinces, countries and cultures without the high price tag is something I look forward to and appreciate in books.

I have been following this Canadian Content group since inception (lurking as some would say) but have been reluctant to join until now because I do not really see myself or want to be an exclusive CanLit Reader. I try and do include at least 30% of CanLit books in my reading but want to be sure that I do not become too insular. I think some countries’ navel gazing is a major reason for much of the world’s conflict.

While a Canadian by birth and residency, I think reading books by authors outside of one’s own country makes readers aware of issues that we may not have experienced. It has certainly made me more globally conscious. I make it a point to target at least 30% of my reading outside both Canada and the U.S. I would never want to lose that global exposure and was one thing that I appreciated about CBC Books. While Canadian books were featured in discussions, awards and postings, books by authors outside of Canada were frequently included in discussions and posting.

Since the Book Club’s sudden shutdown, I was first in shock, then in anger, followed by mourning, grieving and contemplating. I feel a bit like I have been floating in an ocean of “possible” book clubs without a home base. I am not even certain yet that I am meant to be in an online book club since I do participate in two in-person book clubs and honestly prefer the eyeball to eyeball, seeing the whole face communication aspect. Just telling you this in advance, since my participation might be hit and miss depending on how things evolve.

I am joining primarily for the following reasons:

1. I have missed the input and exchanges with other members and am anxious to begin the dialogue again. There were numerous members who rocked and have joined this group; plus many new members whom I look forward to hearing from and sharing with.

2. My Bingo Card has stalled. I was very happy to see that this group was carrying on the Bingo Challenge. It was such fun.

Before the book club’s sudden closure in early July, I had a number unannounced bingos and only 8 reads to finish. I am pretty much in the same situation as I have completed only 1 more square and really “want to finish.” It seems that a number of others are in the same position, so hopefully encouragement from each of us to everyone might benefit all of us.

For those who have recently joined – 24 books in 3 months is very doable, particularly with this group’s encouragement, if you’re interested.

3. I am also looking forward to some great Scotiabank Giller discussions and “possibly” some Man Booker discussions.

I can’t promise to join in too many challenges – October’s Monthly Selection won’t be available for a number of months in my library and not being a book re-reader I don’t plan to buy it. I use the library and inter library loans as my primary book sources. Right now, I am focussing on finishing as many reads of Scotiabank Giller and Man Booker shortlisted books as possible before the Winner Announcements. Like I said earlier, am looking forward to discussing them with other members.

Looking forward to sharing!!

Happy to see you here, Mj!

Thanks for introducing yourself MJ - we are glad to have you and happy that you felt comfortable sharing. I appreciate your feedback and as much as i was sad when the other group folded, it certainly gave this group a boost in membership! I too am from South Western Ontario (Brantford) and we are very lucky to have access to so many book events within a reasonable drive.

As for reading Canadian - i think all of us read a much broader selection. i am more than 50% this year but am trying to slowly read through the 100 Books that Make You Proud to be Canadian.

I too am excited to get reading the Giller nominees but have to finish my book club book first - The Power of One - which i am only half finished which does not bode well for completion for tomorrow night when I have to work all day, serve pizza at our swim club and then go directly to book club... :(

Yay!!! Nice to hear from you MJ. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with us.