1. J.W. Doull – 1684 Barrington St.

Doull’s is an institution in Halifax with stacks of used books and a helpful staff who will help you wade through the blissful book chaos.

2.The Jade W – 5233 Prince St.

New and used books with a specialty in women’s lit and rare books.

3. Venus Envy – 1598 Barrington St.

Perfect for those looking to explore their sexuality.

4. Carrefour Atlantique Emporium – Historic Properties

Carrefour is the place to find unique gifts including Canadian literature, art and handcrafts.

5. Quantum Frontier Games and Comics – 3087 Robie St.

Cool comic books and memorabilia for kids and the young at heart.

6. Atlantic News – 5560 Morris St.

This magazine stand has something for everyone, from cat lovers to political junkies to fashionistas.

7. Bookmark – 5686 Spring Garden Rd.

Bookmark was voted the 2010 Bookseller of the Year by the Canadian Booksellers Association.

8. Woozles – 1533 Birmingham St.

Children’s books and fabulous toys.

SHORTS: An Evening of Short Stories Out Loud

As the weather gets cooler and we spend more time inside, Forerunner Playwrights’ Theatre presents a relaxing and engaging way to spend the evening.  Come join as at the beautiful Wright House as we listen to short stories by local writers read by some local personalities!

Popular Maritime Morning talkshow host Jordi Morgan will be our first reader. He will be reading The Wrong Story by Susan Kerslake from The Book of Fears.

Finishing our evening will be the ever-engaging Bill Carrreading Where The Nightingales Are Singing by multi-award winning author Kathleen Winter from her collection of stories entitled boYs. [sic]

Date: Thursday, November 24, 2011

Venue:The Wright House, 989 Young Ave, Halifax

Admission$10
Show time: 7:00pm

A fundraiser for Forerunner Playwrights’ Theatre’s upcoming production of Ms. Right Now by Natasha MacLellan

This is the first year the journal is completely online and the new format allows us to explore new ways of sharing stories.  Our new creative director, Dean Gallant, brings fresh ideas to add to the talents of our wonderful editorial team, and the artwork by 15-year-old Eleanor Beaton brings the journal to life.  With so many fresh new elements, this year’s journal truly is rejuvenating.

Check out some of the workshops at  Book Camp  to learn about using social media, working with publishers, e-publishing and lots more. 

Word on the Street is celebrating literacy and there is something for everyone to enjoy, so find out about the panels, readings and marketplace activities happening on Sunday.

This festival is great for all ages.  If you do decide to check it out, be sure to take some time to enjoy the local attractions and take a swim in the warmest water north of the Carolinas!

Full deets can be found at http://www.readbythesea.ca/

1. “Lullabies for Little Criminals” by Heather O’Neill

This is an absolute must read.  O’Neill does an amazing job of putting you inside the mind of a twelve-year-old.  Baby is a Montreal girl raised by her heroine-addict father who falls into all the traps set out for a naive kid with no guidance. 

2. “Not Wanted on the Voyage” by Timothy Findley

You really can’t go wrong with any book by Timothy Findley, but I particularly love this story.  Findley always goes in-depth with his research, which is why his characters have so much depth.  You know you have a great author when he can write believably in the voice of a cat.  “Not Wanted on the Voyage” is Findley’s take on the story of Noah’s ark.

 3. “The Birth House” by Ami McKay

I love historical fiction and this piece by Ami McKay is full of Nova Scotia history and culture.  It’s a story about women’s traditions and society’s trouble with accepting our sexuality. 

4. “The Book of Negroes” by Lawrence Hill

“The Book of Negroes” is another rich historical fiction following Aminata’s  journey from Africa to slavery in the southern United States to freedom in Birchtown , Nova Scotia and back to Africa.  The historical and geographical detail give an historical lesson while the character and plot make a story you can’t put down.

5. “No Great Mischief” by Alistair MacLeod

This story is so Nova Scotian it has a blue nose.  It’s about family history and Cape Bretoners making their way in the world.  The tone, the story, the characters, they all make me feel at home.

I thought this was an interesting question and she gave an interesting answer that basically boils down to “I read everywhere, all the time.”  For someone with a busy life such as hers, she has to multitask to fit in all the reading she has to do for research for novels, reviews and for fun.  She reads while she cooks and cleans and while she exercises and travels.

One tip she gave for people who are super busy but want to fit in some good literature is to always have a book close to hand.  This is excellent advice and something I do myself.  At any given moment I have a book on or near my person.  Whether I’m on the bus, waiting in line, by the lake or at the coffee shop I have a book.  Or two.  I have at least one book on the go for every room in my house.  And I love to read while I cook, sometimes to the detriment of my supper.

Now, I will admit that this habit does add to the general disarray in my house.  There’s books stacked all over the place; on every table and in every purse.  But no matter how busy life gets I can always find spare moments to read and I always have a book ready when those moments arise.  I think it also helps me lower my stress level because I’ve got someplace where I can escape no matter where I am.

I’d like to know, how do you read?

Vincent McGillivray, ARR’s Treasurer and Secretary started off the night with his self-deprecating humour and a poem called “The Sound of Fucking Up.”

Kathryn Bjornson, ARR’s poetry and non-fiction editor read poems that make the ordinary extraordinary.   Kathryn sees the poetry in all things, even in peeling a pomegranate. 

Kat Kruger asked the audience to picture her as a 17 year old boy as she read from her first YA novel.  We knew it it was heading somewhere good when she started off with “I bit a kid.  Hard.”

Stephen Vernon has a way of drawing in his audience and bringing his stories to life on the stage.  He was animated and hilarious when he read his “Dive Poem” in honour of our homey setting and also from his newest book “Sinking Deeper.”

mat robinson is Senior Editor at ARR has been a mentor to the team.  His poems talked about life in Halifax and how Citadel Hill is always in the way.

Thank you to everyone who came out to read or to listen and support ARR.  Our goal is to help promote original artists and encourage creative expression. This event was a great way to do that.

Atlantic Canada is awash in incredible talent and the Book Festival is a great way to celebrate our local authors and get people pumped about reading their stories.  The authors on this year’s shortlist are the people who are capturing our East Coast culture and history.  The Book Festival is a great opportunity to hear what they have to offer and learn how we can start sharing our own stories.  Besides, the shortlist is a great place to get titles for your reading list. 

It’s unfortunate that we often overlook books published in our own backyard.  But  Atlantic Canadian authors create some of the most impacting, funny and well written books on the market.  And the best thing about reading local books is that you just might learn something about yourself.