Rain on a Distant Roof: A Personal Journey Through Lyme Disease in Canada By Vanessa Farnsworth

Today, I am honoured to interview Vanessa Farnsworth, author of Rain on a Distant Roof: A Personal Journey Through Lyme Disease in Canada. 

Following the interview, enter to WIN a paperback copy of Vanessa's book from Cookie's Book Club! 

Plus, join Vanessa and I for a Twitter Q&A on November 12th. One lucky tweeter will WIN an electronic copy of the book, courtesy of  Signature Editions. Instructions follow the interview.

Rain on a Distant Roof: A Personal Journey 
Through Lyme Disease in Canada

By Vanessa Farnsworth

About the Book

By 2020, it’s estimated that more than 80 percent of the population of eastern Canada will be living in regions that are endemic for Lyme disease and the numbers of infections are expected to soar. Yet what remains unknown about this debilitating illness continues to trump what is known, placing the health of Canadians increasingly at risk.

Interview with Sarah Winman author of WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT PLUS a GIVEAWAY!

I had the privilege recently to ask a few questions of Sarah Winman, author of The Sunday Times bestseller When God Was a Rabbit.

Sarah was also kind enough to request a giveaway copy of her book. I am grateful to Carrie of Bloomsbury for agreeing to the request.

Headline UK Cover (the copy I read)

From the back cover of the UK copy:

This is a book about a brother and a sister. 

It's a book about childhood and growing up, 

friendships and families, triumph and tragedy

 and everything in between.

More than anything, 

it's a book about love in all its forms.

Giveaway: Northlight by Deborah Ross PLUS In case you missed it: Review of Northlight and Interview with Deborah Ross

Earlier this year I reviewed Northlight and interviewed the author, Deborah Ross. Deborah returns today to offer four lucky readers a copy of Northlight. One reader will win a paperback copy of the book, and three others will win electronic copies of the book. You can tell me in the comments section which one you would prefer and I will try to accommodate those requests.

In case you missed it, here again is my review of Northlight and interview with Deborah Ross, originally posted April 22, 2011.

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Review of Northlight by Deborah Ross

If you like a strong female lead character and beautiful landscapes, you'll love Northlight by Deborah J. Ross, "a tale of healing and adventure and some very cool horses" (Northlight Introduction).

Northlight is a science fiction/fantasy novel by Deborah J. Ross (writing as Deborah Wheeler). Ross cares deeply about her characters, and this is clear in her writing. The main protagonist Kardith is a tortured but beautiful soul that your heart will ache for. Kardith and her beloved gray mare take us on a journey through rich landscapes and deeply experienced life-altering events.

Guest Post: André Jute on Dalziel & Pascoe PLUS a Giveaway of one of my favourite books of the year: IDITAROD A Novel of the Greatest Race on Earth by André Jute

Got a gift card burning a hole in your pocket? Check out today's recommendation from guest blogger André Jute!

And stay tuned following André's guest post for a giveaway of his book, IDITAROD a novel of The Greatest Race on Earth. Click here to read my review of IDITAROD and interview with André.

Fat & Thin, in Yorkshire, how likely is that for the best detective series in English?

André Jute on Dalziel & Pascoe

 Image source: bbc.co.uk

The chief policeman in the series is a fat slob with all of the sensitivity and none of the timing of a cuckoo clock. He is a bully, he is sexist, he scratches his backside in public, he belches, he farts.

His sidekick is a fast-track graduate with a stalled career. Mind you, he isn’t much more sensitive. When he shoots someone dead, he knocks up his estranged wife, the pinko bleeding-heart, to tell her he feels good, that this is what he was made for. And then he is surprised when she takes his child and runs off to America with another man.

Review of STIEG LARSSON Man, Myth & Mistress by guest Matt Posner PLUS A Giveaway!

Today, I welcome author Matt Posner, author of the School of the Ages series, to Cookie's Book Club with his review of STIEG LARSSON Man, Myth & Mistress by Andre Jute and Andrew McCoy.

Stieg Larsson: Man, Myth, and Mistress by Andre Jute and Andrew McCoy was my introduction to an entertaining, tough-minded, and courageous man with a world of fascinating life experiences. No, not Stieg, though this might be said of him also, perhaps -- but I mean Andre Jute. Clearly, Andre Jute is not one to steer away from a conflict where truth and integrity are concerned. He was certainly not afraid to take on legions of Stieg Larsson fans in this book. The cliche that truth is a harsh mistress is demonstrated in this volume, which I read in its Kindle edition shortly after finishing Larsson's three books. I read them with great relish, appreciating the quirks and peculiarities of Larsson's style (digressions into Swedish history, Lizbeth Salander's grocery lists) and driven by the fascinatingly suspenseful narrative, and then I came across Jute and McCoy's analytical book and thought it was just the thing to help me appreciate the adventures of Lizbeth and Mikael even more.

Introducing Dakota Franklin PLUS a giveaway: Be one of the first to read Le Mans!

For the past several months, I have been involved as a co-editor of a new series of books by first-time author Dakota Franklin.

Today I am proud to have Dakota as my guest and to announce the release of the first in her Ruthless to Win series, Le Mans.

‘In the lower classes some auto racers are jumped-up mechanics. But in Mallory's class you need to be a near-genius. It is not just reflexes. Great intelligence and will-power are the minimum prerequisites, and a certain disdain for the lives of others. Most of them do not believe they are mortal, that they can die. To be a champion, a racer needs to be a near-sociopath’

“On the track a racer has no friends”

Mallory is a crashed-out, half-dead, never-has-been auto racer. Triple Le Mans winner Charlie Cartwright gives this human wreck an engineering job at Cartwright-Armitage because nobody can take an MIT degree away from her. Now, Mallory is on her way up. As an engineer, as an executive, as a driver — in a winning car! She has a man in her life.

The Jakarta Pandemic Book Review and Interview with Steve Konkoly Plus TWO GIVEAWAYS!

I’m pleased today to bring you a review of The Jakarta Pandemic and interview with the author, Steve Konkoly. Stay tuned following the interview for an excerpt from his newest book, Black Flagged.

Steve has also graciously offered to give away two sets of his books, The Jakarta Pandemic and Black Flagged to two lucky winners!

Description (Amazon.com):

In the late fall of 2013, a lethal pandemic virus emerges from the Islamic Republic of Indonesia and rages unchecked across every continent. When the Jakarta Flu threatens his picture perfect Maine neighborhood, Alex Fletcher, Iraq War veteran, is ready to do whatever it takes to keep his family safe. As a seasoned sales representative for Biosphere Pharmaceuticals, makers of a leading flu virus treatment, Alex understands what a deadly pandemic means for all of them. He particularly knows that strict isolation is the only guaranteed way to protect his family from the new disease.

Nate Rocks the World Book Review and Interview with Karen Pokras Toz Plus a GIVEAWAY!

Today, I am pleased to welcome children's author Karen Pokras Toz to Cookie's Book Club, along with a special guest reviewer and interviewer, my nephew J!

Karen is the creator of the popular character, Nate Rocks.

So, who is Nate Rocks?

From Karen's website, http://www.karentoz.com:
Nate Rocks: Part Super-Hero, Part All-Star Athlete, Part Rock-Star… Part Fourth-Grader?

Ten-year-old Nathan Rockledge cannot catch a break. After all, life as a fourth-grader can be hazardous - what with science projects to deal with and recess football games to avoid. Everyone, including his best friend Tommy, seems to have bad luck when hanging around Nathan. Throw in an older sister who is a royal pain, a dad who is stuck in the past, and a mom who keeps trying to poison him with her awful cooking, and poor Nathan’s life as a fourth-grader appears to be completely doomed.

Interview with Donna Fasano author of The Merry-Go-Round, Mountain Laurel, and An Accidental Family Plus a GIVEAWAY!

I'm pleased to welcome back Donna Fasano to Cookie's Book Club. The last time Donna was here, while I was on vacation, quite a little party broke out! Let's see what happens this time.

Donna is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty romance and women's fiction (aka 'chick lit') novels. I have now read three of Donna’s books: The Merry-Go-Round, Mountain Laurel, and An Accidental Family. All three of these books were fun reads.

Spanish for Young Readers Guest post by Barbara Mascareno-Shaw

I am pleased to have Barbara Mascareno-Shaw visiting Cookie’s Book Club today. I’ve asked her to tell us about a few books for young Spanish learners.

“What’s in a Bilingual Book?”

Is it possible to find just one book that can help all bilingual readers or beginners in Spanish? Could there be books that can give young readers an easy access to new Spanish words?

A Spanish bilingual young reader is one that is learning how to read, write, and eventually speak Spanish. Usually when young readers are starting to learn to read, they start to sound out words and syllables. This is helpful in letter recognition and phonemic awareness.

For a bilingual young reader, it is even more important to distinguish between the vocal sounds in English and Spanish. In this way, books that have easy to read fonts and pictures are essential for young bilingual readers. 

One particular series of books is Tupi by Merce Aranega. 

Here, the author establishes the relation between Spanish words with the pictures in the book. It links the notion of the visual understanding between the words and words in context by using different pictures. The young or beginner reader must sound out the picture word in the sentence to continue reading. This book series incorporates basic daily tasks such as bathing, playing music, fieldtrips to parks and farms, and storytelling and uses easy to recognize pictures to complete the sentence in the story.

Another good example of easy to understand bilingual books is the Wordbook (Libros de Palabras) series by Mary Berendes. 



The author also uses pictures as a visual tool to build a relation between words and meaning. In this case, the words are not just stand-alone concepts as in a dictionary but are part of a complete scenario. For instance, in learning about seasons, winter could be portrayed as a winter wonderland with ice-skating, snow, snowmen, cold weather, and many more examples of winter. The best part of this series is that the reader can build the story as they pronounce the words in the picture since the words are all related to that topic in that specific scenario.

In learning Spanish, there are many different bilingual tools but it’s always fun to build vocabulary with easy to read picture books.

Barbara Mascareno-Shaw has a dual degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry and has taught K-12 children under the No-Child-Left-Behind program. The students in this program are struggling in school and are about to repeat a grade unless there’s parent/teacher intervention. Barbara is a native Spanish speaker from Argentina that’s lived in the United States most of her life. She believes in promoting reading skills at any age level whether bilingual or not. She encourages her daughter, Savanna, to learn Spanish through books, songs, projects, and of course Science lessons. Barbara currently lives in Las Vegas, NV with her wonderful husband and daughter Savanna. She also is a Science, Math, and Spanish tutor. You can learn more about her by visiting her at her blog, Spanish4Kiddos - The Spanish Science Corner. You can also follow her on Twitter and visit her Facebook page.

Thanks Barbara! These look great. I think I'll pick up a couple of them as Christmas gifts for my four-year-old. (He loves Dora and Diego and wants me to send him to a Spanish school!) 

Bull Canyon, a Boatbuilder, a Writer and other Wildlife.Book Review and Interview with Lin Pardey

In the tradition of Under the Tuscan Sun and A Year in Provence, Pardey takes readers on a voyage – landlocked, but a voyage nonetheless – of the heart, sharing candidly and with great humor the four years she and her determined husband spent in Bull Canyon. From the Thanksgiving when they had to hang the turkey from a ceiling hook to keep it safe from invading animals, to their constant companion, Dog (who is actually a cat), to Lin’s run-in with a couple of drunk hunters, to Larry’s careful coaxing of rough-sawn timber into the beautiful boat, Taleisin, their story, related in the warm, personal voice of the fireside storyteller, is a funny, tender, and engrossing tale. Bull Canyon is the story of two “dreamers and schemers” who have taken life by the horns – and bring the reader along for the wild and joyous ride. ~ www.lindpardey.com

You can read an excerpt from the book at www.linpardey.com. 

Bull Canyon by Lin Pardey was a terrific read. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this non-fictional account of "a Boatbuilder, a Writer and other Wildlife", but I was enticed right away by the image of the happy couple on the front cover. As I read, I came to admire and respect this couple, and I am grateful to Lin for having written this entertaining and uplifting story.

IDITAROD: a novel of The Greatest Race on EarthBook Review and Interview with André Jute

I recently read IDITAROD a novel of The Greatest Race on Earth, a thoroughly gripping story. When I picked up this book I expected to learn something about the Iditarod, the Alaskan terrain and it's people. I was not disappointed there. What I was surprised to find inside was a beautiful tale of the natural human instinct to prevail and a budding love story to boot.

“Marchez! -- A race for survival

“When Rhodes Delaney challenged James Alderston Whitbury III to a grudge match she chose the most grueling of all tests — the Iditarod: a lethal dogsled race across the perilous wastelands of barren Alaska.

Children's Author Spotlight: Raffi

Pre-kids I used to cringe at the thought of listening to Raffi. But then... it happened. A Raffi song made my son smile and I became and instant fan.

You probably know Raffi as a songwriter and performer. Raffi has written some fun versions of popular kids songs and in 1987 began releasing his Songs to Read series of books.

We sing a lot around here, so many of our books are really songs to read (see my previous spotlight on Sandra Boynton as an example).

Here are three of our favourite Raffi Songs to Read books:

Wheels on the Bus

This song has been a popular choice of parents and teachers for decades and for very good reason. It's a happy rhyming song about the adventures of the people who ride the bus. The illustrations by Sylvie Kantorovitz Wickstrom are equally jovial and bring the song to life.

Down by the Bay

"Down by the Bay is one of the best-selling Raffi Songs to Read. Irresistible art by Nadine Bernard Westcott depicts wonderfully amusing creatures such as a bear combing his hair, a goose kissing a moose, and a whale with a polka-dot tail." Source: http://www.raffinews.com/raffi/renaissance

If You're Happy and You Know It

"Children everywhere love to sing and clap along with this classic song... brought to life by Cyd Moore’s energetic artwork. The song becomes a delightful story about a surprise party where all the animals work together to do something nice for someone else." Source: http://www.raffinews.com/raffi/renaissance

At the back of these books, you can usually find the music for accompanying on an instrument, along with all of the verses.

"With two honorary degrees, the Order of Canada, and the UN’s Earth Achievement award, Raffi is a respected international figure, a global troubadour." Source: http://www.raffinews.com/raffi/renaissance

Plus, he makes kids smile, and that makes me smile!

The Shadow at the Gate: Book Review and Interview with the Author Guest Blogging at Kindle Obsessed

Today, I'm guest blogging at Kindle Obsessed. Pop on over to view my review of The Shadow at the Gate and interview with the author Christopher Bunn (click here for the review and interview).

The Shadow at the Gate is available at Amazon.com for $2.99. The first book in the series, The Hawk And His Boy, is just $0.99!

Thanks to Misty at Kindle Obsessed for hosting me today. Her reviews are poignant and honest. She also regularly shares her finds on free and reasonably priced e-books. If you love books as much as I do, you'll want to check out her blog!

Christopher has been featured on Cookie's Book Club before.
--> Click here to view my review of The Hawk and His Boy and interview with Christopher Bunn
--> Click here to view Christopher's Guest Post, "Moral Compass and Character"

Children's Author Spotlight: Sandra Boynton

If number of books by the same author is the benchmark, then Sandra Boynton is clearly the favourite author around here. She's a prolific writer of children's stories. Her subjects are adorable and silly animals such as pigs, cows, turkeys, cats, dogs, and her flagship hippos. There may also be the occasional monster or dinosaur.

If you want a taste of Boynton's sense of humour, just visit the sandraboynton.com home and introduction pages. The silly doesn't stop at the text of the story itself. It's all the little details that make the difference in Boynton's work.

Often the stories are accompanied by, or may even have been born out of, a silly song. This one, Your Personal Penguin, sung here by Davey Jones of The Monkees, is my favourite to sing:


Of course, it's not all about being silly, though for many kids (and their parents) that would be enough. Some of these stories have wonderful messages about love, family and friendship, and some teach kids their alphabet, rhyming, colours and animal sounds.

Sandra Boynton began designing greeting cards in 1973, and has designed thousands of them since then. One of her first and still most popular designs is “Hippo Birdie Two Ewes”. In 1977, Sandra wrote her first published children's book, Hippos Go Berserk. In the 1990s, Barbara began writing and recording music with Micheal Ford. Together they have recorded over 60 songs! My personal favourite is "Cows", performed by The Seldom Herd, from the Grammy award nominated Philadelphia Chickens.

I can wholeheartedly recommend these books by Sandra Boynton, which are staring at me longingly from the bookshelf as I write this review:

Barnyard Dance!
"Everybody sing along—because it's time to do-si-do in the barnyard with a high-spirited animal crew! From Boynton on Board, the bestselling series of board books, here is BARNYARD DANCE, with Sandra Boynton's twirling pigs, fiddle-playing cows, and other unforgettable animals. Extra-big, extra-fat, and extra-fun, BARNYARD DANCE features lively rhyming text and a die-cut cover that reveals the wacky characters inside. Guaranteed to get kids and adults stomping their feet. Main selection of the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club. Winner of the 1994 Gold Medal from the National Parenting Publications Award." (source: Amazon.com)

Your Personal Penguin  
"Your Personal Penguin is a read-aloud, listen-along favorite for young children and the grown-ups who read to them. Fun to hold, the book tells the story of a slightly bewildered hippo and the loyal penguin who wants nothing more than to be his pal." (source: Amazon.com)

Belly Button Book
"Featuring a beachful of bare-bellied hippos—including one tiny baby who can only say “Bee Bo”—the Belly Button Book is the latest quirky addition to the phenomenally successful Boynton on Board series. Every page captivates with Sandra Boynton’s inimitable illustrations and joyful rhyming text." (source: Amazon.com)

Birthday Monsters!
"You hear your door come crashing down—those birthday monsters are in town! And they're going to wreak havoc in the most extraordinarily rude ways. What fun! From Boynton on Board, the 8-million-copy-bestselling series of extra-big, extra-fat, and extra-fun board books, here is BIRTHDAY MONSTERS. Featuring Sandra Boynton's lively rhyming text and inimitable illustrations, this story about a madcap crew of lovable party crashers will appeal to kids and adults alike. Main selection of the Children's Book-of-the-Month Club." (source: Amazon.com)

The Going-To-Bed Book
For a little one who is reluctant to go to bed, sometimes a silly book is just the ticket. And when it comes to silly books, Sandra Boynton is the undisputed queen. In The Going to Bed Book, an ark full of animals watches the sun go down and then prepares for bed. They take a bath ("in one big tub"), find pajamas, brush their teeth, do exercises up on deck (imagine an elephant jumping rope, a moose lifting weights, and a pig doing handstands), and finally say good night. (source: Amazon.com)

Boynton's Greatest Hits: Volume 1
These short, hilarious books are perfectly suited to toddler tastes, with their small size, few words, cheerful colors, funny jokes, and silly animals. Blue Hat, Green Hat is all about getting dressed, and stars a very silly turkey who just doesn't get it. (Feet in the hat, pants on the head, etc.) His continuing refrain is "Oops." Moo, Baa, LA LA LA! investigates the sounds animals make, including pigs who sing. Doggies is "a counting and barking book" about the many sounds dogs can make, and A to Z frolics through the alphabet with amusing animal antics from an aardvark admiring to a zebra zigzagging. Parents love Boynton as much as kids do, and these four books in a compact boxed set will no doubt become household favorites!

Snoozers : 7 Short Short Bedtime Stories for Lively Little Kids
"Here are seven different Boynton bedtime stories for little listeners. Guided by the colorful picture tabs, children can find whichever story they want to hear. And the next one. And then this one. Okay, now this one. And now this one. Ooo, and this. Oh, please, just ONE more?" (source: Amazon.com)

These Sandra Boynton books are recommended for "all ages up to a hundred and moo" (sandraboynton.com), but they're enjoyed most by children 1 to 4 years old.

There are so many other great Sandra Boynton books that we look forward to reading! See the full list here: Sandra Boynton's 'Swell Books' page

Sandra Boynton's new book, Amazing Cows: Udder Absurdity for Children, is available at Amazon.com. You just have to read 'An Interview with the Author' to understand what it takes to write a Sandra Boynton book.

Sandra Boyton's even newer book is Happy Hippo Angry Duck, and it is available at Simon and Schuster.

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