# So Misguided > Plain words, uncommon sense ## Posts - [The Mad Wife by Meagan Church | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/07/26/the-mad-wife-by-meagan-church-book-review/): The Mad Wife is billed as a psychological historical fiction. It's not really a psychological thriller but there is some uncertainty about the fallibility of... - [Some People by Parini Shroff | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/07/26/some-people-by-parini-shroff-book-review/): Some People by Parini Shroff is a sad yet hilarious story about a soon-to-be-divorced man who has to tend to his ornery mother-in-law after she has a fall. Her... - [Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/07/18/shield-of-sparrows-by-devney-perry-book-review/): Shield of Sparrows is the first in a trilogy by romance author Devney Perry. This is her first go at romantic fantasy and it seems to draw on familiar... - [Whistler by Ann Patchett | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/07/06/whistler-by-ann-patchett-book-review/): Whistler by Ann Patchett is a quiet love story. Not a romantic one, but a story about sibling love and parental love. There are certainly examples of romantic... - [The Astral Library by Kate Quinn | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/06/29/the-astral-library-by-kate-quinn-book-review/): I love Kate Quinn but this book fell short for me. Quinn is an amazing historical fiction writer and this is a different type of story. She's trying her hand... - [The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/06/23/the-cure-for-drowning-by-loghan-paylor-book-review/): The Cure for Drowning by Loghan Paylor is my favourite summer read so far. The debut novel, and winner of Canada Reads, is a beautifully written, compelling... - [Endling by Maria Reva | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/06/16/endling-by-maria-reva-book-review/): Endling by Maria Reva is racking up the awards! Well deserved. The novel is a bit like a rubik's cube in that there are different tales that twist and turn... - [The Cabin by Jorn Lier Horst | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/06/05/the-cabin-by-jorn-lier-horst-book-review/): The Cabin by Jørn Lier Horst is a fantastic and thrilling police procedural. The author is a former senior investigator with the Norwegian police and the... - [I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelous | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/05/19/i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-by-maya-angelous-book-review/): Maya Angelou's debut memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) is an absolutely stunning tale of growing up lonely and timid and yet finding your seat of... - [Sweetland by Michael Crummey | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/05/18/sweetland-by-michael-crummey-book-review/): Gosh, Michael Crummey is an extraordinary storyteller. I loved Sweetland. Moses Sweetland has lived all his life on a remote island off Newfoundland's south... - [The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/04/14/the-house-of-doors-by-tan-twan-eng-book-review/): The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng is a historical fiction novel set in 1921 and 1910 in the Straits Settlement of Penang. In the present day (1921), Somerset... - [Yellowface by R.F. Kuang | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/04/12/yellowface-by-r-f-kuang-book-review/): Yellowface by R.F. Kuang is full of lies and half truths, and I'm not sure we know which is which, even at the end. This is a classic, unreliable narrator, and... - [The Measure by Nikki Erlick | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/04/10/the-measure-by-nikki-erlick-book-review/): The Measure is set in a world where everyone over 22 receives a box with a piece of string that is equivalent to the duration of their life. The novel was... - [The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/04/08/the-serviceberry-by-robin-wall-kimmerer-book-review/): The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, is a sweet yet firm look at how our economy is rooted in scarcity and competition. We... - [River Mumma by Zalika Reid-Benta | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/04/04/river-mumma-by-zalika-reid-benta-book-review/): Alicia, Mars and Heaven are twenty-something coworkers who find themselves on a quest to return River Mumma's comb. They share knowledge of their Jamaican... - [The Society of Unknowable Objects by Gareth Brown | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/03/25/the-society-of-unknowable-objects-by-gareth-brown-book-review/): The Society of Unknowable Objects is about a group of four who protect a collection of magical items and are constantly on the lookout for other magical items... - [My Last Friends on Earth | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/03/24/my-last-friends-on-earth-book-review/): My Last Friends on Earth by Pete McCormack is a young-adult sci-fi novel about the last human on Earth, who escapes a lab and his captors, finds some unlikely... - [Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/03/15/automatic-noodle-by-annalee-newitz-book-review/): Annalee Newitz's writing in Automatic Noodle is as fun as the cover. The story is about a set of robot friends who run a fast-food joint and are trying to work... - [A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/03/08/a-woman-is-no-man-by-etaf-rum-book-review/): In some ways this was a weird book to finish on International Women's Day but it perfectly portrayed the ongoing struggles still faced by many women around the... - [The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/02/27/the-secret-of-secrets-by-dan-brown-book-review/): The thing I liked about The DaVinci Code was the huge amount of background research into art history and religion that informed the book. If it was an academic... - [Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/02/13/birnam-wood-by-eleanor-catton-book-review/): Birnam Wood is a psychological thriller from the New Zealand writer Eleanor Catton, Booker Prize-winning author of The Luminaries. Birnam Wood is a leftist,... - [The Wedding People by Alison Espach | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/02/09/the-wedding-people-by-alison-espach-book-review/): The Wedding People is about growing up and learning to let your internal motivations and desires drive you vs. letting external drivers take ahold of your... - [The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna](https://somisguided.com/2026/01/30/the-very-secret-society-of-irregular-witches-by-sangu-mandanna/): Snarky witch and main protagonist Mika Moon has been taught by her guardian Primrose that, to be a witch, you must be alone. It is too dangerous for witches to... - [Make (Sneaky) Art: A drawing workshop with Nishant Jain](https://somisguided.com/2026/01/27/make-sneaky-art-a-drawing-workshop-with-nishant-jain/): On January 24, Upstart & Crow hosted an evening drawing workshop with Nishant Jain, also known as The Sneaky Artist. Nishant opened the evening with some... - [The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/01/24/the-house-on-mango-street-by-sandra-cisneros-book-review/): Originally published in 1984, The House on Mango Street is about 12-year-old Esperanza Cordero, a Latina growing up in a Hispanic quarter of Chicago. This... - [Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson](https://somisguided.com/2026/01/20/everyone-in-my-family-has-killed-someone-by-benjamin-stevenson/): Author Ernest Cunningham has reluctantly agreed to join his family at a remote ski resort for a family reunion. His brother, convicted of murder, will be newly... - [Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts by Margaret Atwood](https://somisguided.com/2026/01/14/book-of-lives-a-memoir-of-sorts-by-margaret-atwood/): Gosh, I am totally smitten with this book. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Atwood herself. It's a total gem, covering Peggy's childhood—growing up... - [A Bookseller in Madrid by Mario Escobar | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/01/12/a-bookseller-in-madrid-by-mario-escobar-book-review/): A Bookseller in Madrid is the story of the rise of Fascism in Spain the 1930s from the perspective of a German woman, Barbara Spiel, who dreams of opening a... - [Let’s Talk About Aging Parents by Laura Tamblyn Watts | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/01/12/lets-talk-about-aging-parents-by-laura-tamblyn-watts-book-review/): If you have parents, they are aging. Let's Talk About Aging Parents is a cheeky yet practical guide to having tricky conversations about retirement homes,... - [Black Cherokee by Antonio Michael Downing | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2026/01/05/black-cherokee-by-antonio-michael-downing-book-review/): Black Cherokee by Antonio Michael Downing is a story about resilience. Set in the 1990s, Ophelia Blue Rivers is left to be raised by her Black grandmother, who... - [A Good Man by Guy Vanderhaeghe | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/12/11/a-good-man-by-guy-vanderhaeghe-book-review/): A Good Man is a solid Canadian western set in the late 1870s in the Canadian and American West, specifically around the border between present-day Montana and... - [The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/11/27/the-mighty-red-by-louise-erdrich-book-review/): The Mighty Red is set in the farming community of Tabor, located in the Red River Valley. I grew up in Winnipeg, which is further north, but also along the... - [A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/11/08/a-witchs-guide-to-magical-innkeeping-by-sangu-mandanna-book-review/): Absolutely delightful. Sera Swan is at the height of her magical powers when the one woman who has always protected her and made her feel loved drops dead in... - [At a Loss for Words by Carol Off | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/10/25/at-a-loss-for-words-by-carol-off-book-review/): Carol Off is the former CBC Radio host of As It Happens and she was one of my favourite interviewers. Off had a way of talking to people and challenging them,... - [The Paper Birds by Jeanette Lynes | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/10/18/the-paper-birds-by-jeanette-lynes-book-review/): The Paper Birds by Jeanette Lynes is historical fiction, from a Canadian perspective. Many readers of WWII history will know about Camp X, a spy training... - [Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/10/11/pineapple-street-by-jenny-jackson-book-review/): Pineapple Street is a novel about generational wealth and how it affects the children of one particular family. The story is told from multiple perspectives:... - [Babel by R.F. Kuang](https://somisguided.com/2025/10/02/babel-by-r-f-kuang/): The author of The Poppy War delivers yet another stunning fantasy novel about treachery, magic, and empire building. In Babel, we find ourselves in 1830s... - [A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles](https://somisguided.com/2025/09/16/a-gentleman-in-moscow-by-amor-towles/): A Gentleman in Moscow is the story of Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian aristocrat, who is under house arrest in a luxury hotel. Count Rostov spends over 30... - [Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/31/blue-sisters-by-coco-mellors-book-review/): Blue Sisters is the story of four dysfunctional sisters who are struggling to bond after the death of their beloved sister Nicky. Avery is the eldest (a... - [Contemplation of a Crime by Susan Juby](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/29/contemplation-of-a-crime-by-susan-juby/): What a lark! Butler and former Buddhist nun Helen Thorpe is yet again forced to play detective. This time she is compelled by her philanthropic employer Mr.... - [Clear Thinking by Shane Parrish | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/26/clear-thinking-by-shane-parrish-book-review/): Shane Parrish's book Clear Thinking is my best nonfiction read so far, well for personal development. He outlines the four default responses that lead to poor... - [The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/25/the-maids-secret-by-nita-prose-book-review/): The Maid's Secret—the last book in the Molly the Maid series—features a wedding, a heist, and long-held family secrets. It's a wonderful goodbye to our... - [The Break by Katherena Vermette | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/22/the-break-by-katherena-vermette-book-review/): The Break is a heart-breaking debut novel about the trauma of missing and murdered women. The story is set in Winnipeg's North End and begins with Stella, a... - [Faithful Place by Tana French | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/18/faithful-place-by-tana-french-book-review/): Tana French is masterful. Faithful Place (first published in 2010) feels like it should be a Netflix crime series because the dialogue and characters are so... - [Say Everything: A Memoir by Ione Skye | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/15/say-everything-a-memoir-by-ione-skye-book-review/): Ione Skye is a British-born, American actress who made her film debut in River's Edge then hit fame by starring in Cameron Crow's Say Anything. She was in... - [Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/09/hamnet-by-maggie-ofarrell/): Gosh I liked this book. Hamnet is a fictional account of William Shakespeare's son Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596, most likely from the plague. The story... - [By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/08/03/by-any-other-name-by-jodi-picoult-book-review/): Version 1.0.0 By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult is a fictionalized account of Emilia Bassano's life from age 13 to 76 (1582-1645). As a young girl, she is a... - [Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/07/31/graveyard-shift-by-m-l-rio-book-review/): Graveyard Shift: A Novella is about a random group of night shift workers who all take their smoke break in the local cemetery. But one night they discover a... - [How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/07/19/how-to-seal-your-own-fate-by-kristen-perrin-book-review/): Well, I spotted this at the library and did not realize it is the second book of a series. That said, it's a good twisting mystery with a fun-loving amateur... - [How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/07/16/how-to-solve-your-own-murder-by-kristen-perrin-book-review/): How to Solve Your Own Murder is the first book in the Castle Knoll Files. I unknowingly read book 2 first. In short, Annie is tasked with solving the murder of... - [A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/07/08/a-court-of-thorns-and-roses-by-sarah-j-maas-book-review/): A Court of Thorns and Roses is a fantasy romance series that is wildly popular. I have resisted reading it until now. And although romance is not my favourite... - [The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/06/27/the-heaven-earth-grocery-store-by-james-mcbride-book-review/): The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store opens with a mystery that quietly disappears into the background of the story. We are told upfront that workers in... - [The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/06/25/the-nightingale-by-kristin-hannah-book-review/): Kristin Hannah is the author of The Women, which I really enjoyed. The writing here is also exceptional. The Nightingale is the story of the Rossignol sisters... - [An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/06/04/an-absolutely-remarkable-thing-by-hank-green-book-review/): Hank Green — co-creator of Crash Course, Vlogborhters, and SciShow, plus brother to John Green — has written a funny and poignant story about two... - [The Drowned by John Banville | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/05/28/the-drowned-by-john-banville-book-review/): John Banville is an exceptional writer. The Drowned is a dark and moody tale set in 1950s Ireland. A loner comes across an abandoned car (still running and... - [101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest](https://somisguided.com/2025/05/23/101-essays-that-will-change-the-way-you-think-by-brianna-wiest/): This isn’t your typical front-to-back read. Brianna Wiest’s 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think is a curated collection of reflections on... - [Butter by Asako Yuzuki, translated by Polly Barton | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/05/21/butter-by-asako-yuzuki-translated-by-polly-barton-book-review/): Butter is a an international bestselling novel that follows a Toyko journalist trying to get an exclusive interview with a female gourmet cook accused of... - [The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/05/07/the-false-prince-by-jennifer-a-nielsen-book-review/): The False Prince (The Ascendance series, Book 1) was introduced to me by my tween son. I love discovering books that I wouldn't otherwise encounter, and this... - [Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/05/07/firekeepers-daughter-by-angeline-boulley-book-review/): Grounded in reality. Rooted in culture. The Firekeeper's Daughter is a thrilling debut set in the heart of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. In The Firekeeper’s... - [Case Histories by Kate Atkinson | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/04/28/case-histories-by-kate-atkinson-book-review/): Case Histories is the first Jackson Brodie novel by Kate Atkinson, author of Shrines of Gaiety, Transcription, and Life After Life. She's a marvellous writer... - [The Man Who Saw in Seconds by Alexander Boldizar | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/04/06/the-man-who-saw-in-seconds-by-alexander-boldizar-book-review/): The Man Who Saw in Seconds is an absolute thrill ride. The first hundred pages read like the single, continuous long shot opening of a Jason Bourne film. The... - [The Adversary by Michael Crummey | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/03/31/the-adversary-by-michael-crummey-book-review/): Michael Crummey is shortlisted for the 2025 Dublin Literary Award and this submissions is a stellar read. The Adversary has hints of Hilary Mantel's Cromwell... - [James by Percival Everett | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/03/18/james-by-percival-everett-book-review/): Version 1.0.0 James by Percival Everett is a rewriting of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, this time told from Jim's point of view. The story... - [Breath by James Nestor | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/03/16/breath-by-james-nestor-book-review/): Version 1.0.0 Breath follows James Nestor's journey to understand his own obstructed airways and how it is that humans evolved from having perfect breathing... - [The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley](https://somisguided.com/2025/03/15/the-ministry-of-time-by-kaliane-bradley/): This is a crazy book about a time when the Brits have discovered time travel and they are testing out whether they can bring people from the past into the... - [Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/03/03/remarkably-bright-creatures-by-shelby-van-pelt-book-review/): Remarkably Bright Creatures is the story of the remarkably bright Pacific octopus, Marcellus, who lives at the Sowell Bay aquarium. Marcellus is counting down... - [Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/02/18/gregor-the-overlander-by-suzanne-collins-book-review/): Gregor the Overlander was originally published in 2003 and it was completely off my radar until my son's grade 6 class started reading it in school. This is an... - [Deadly Game by Michael Caine | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/02/11/deadly-game-by-michael-caine-book-review/): Deadly Game by Michael Caine (yes, the actor) is actually pretty good. Remember when Tom Hanks published his first novel? Well, this is kind of the same deal... - [Intermezzo by Sally Rooney | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/02/03/intermezzo-by-sally-rooney-book-review/): On the surface, Intermezzo is about two grieving brothers who are both struggling with their relationships. Peter is a 30-ish human rights lawyer in Dublin who... - [Last House by Jessica Shattuck | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/01/25/last-house-by-jessica-shattuck-book-review/): Last House by Jessica Shattuck tells the story of one family over eighty years. It starts with Bet and Nick Taylor who fall in love just before he goes to the... - [The Women by Kristin Hannah | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/01/25/the-women-by-kristin-hannah-book-review/): The Women by Kristin Hannah is about the women who went to Vietnam and returned to the US during a time of deep political division and contempt for the war.... - [The Husbands by Holly Gramazio | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/01/15/the-husbands-by-holly-gramazio-book-review/): Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling meets Groundhog Day. The Husbands is an absolutely hilarious novel about a woman who comes home from a hen party and finds a... - [The Tenants by Pat Dobie | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/01/14/the-tenants-by-pat-dobie-book-review/): The Tenants by Pat Dobie is a delight. Gosh, I have had such a string of mediocre reads that I was worried. But this little novel is charming and gritty. The... - [Kiss of the Fur Queen by Tomson Highway | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/01/06/kiss-of-the-fur-queen-by-tomson-highway-book-review/): First published in 1998, Kiss of the Fur Queen opens like a Greek tragedy. We are introduced to the Okimasis family through the caribou-hunter father, Abraham... - [Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2025/01/02/impossible-creatures-by-katherine-rundell-book-review/): Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell was the YA novel for the 2024 holiday season. Every store was promoting it as "an instant classic." I don't know. I... - [Year in Review | 2024](https://somisguided.com/2024/12/31/year-in-review-2024/): I read so many great books this year! Here are my favourites. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng: Teen drama and exploration of family dynamics, privilege,... - [History of the Rain by Niall Williams | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/12/29/history-of-the-rain-by-niall-williams-book-review/): Longlisted for the 2014 Man Book Prize, History of the Rain is one of those books that I meant to read at the time but forgot about, until recently. If you... - [The Creative Act by Rick Rubin | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/12/28/the-creative-act-by-rick-rubin-book-review/): The Creative Act promises to be an inspiring look at the work of the artist and how anyone can connect with their own creativity. Bollocks. I really expected... - [I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/12/05/i-hope-this-finds-you-well-by-natalie-sue-book-review/): I Hope This Finds You Well is a Canadian version of The Office. Jolene hates her job but she needs it. Her colleagues drive her mad and she does, what any... - [Outlive by Peter Attia | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/12/05/outlive-by-peter-attia-book-review/): Outlive by Peter Attia is one of those bestsellers that you cannot avoid. Originally published in March 2023, Attia made the rounds on the podcast circuits,... - [Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke](https://somisguided.com/2024/12/01/haunting-in-the-arctic-by-c-j-cooke/): A deserted shipwreck off the Icelandic coast draws a group of explorers to her decks. Three of the four know each other and are travelling as a group, but the... - [Long Island by Colm Toibin | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/11/18/long-island-by-colm-toibin-book-review/): Colm Toibin's Long Island delves into the life of Eilis Lacey, the heroine of Toibin's previous novel Brooklyn. It's 20 years later, and her marriage to Tony... - [The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/11/15/the-grey-wolf-by-louise-penny-book-review/): The Grey Wolf is the 19th instalment of the Inspector Gamache series and readers are once again invited into the charming world of Three Pines. This time, our... - [The Housekeepers by Alex Hay | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/11/14/the-housekeepers-by-alex-hay-book-review/): Version 1.0.0 The Housekeepers by Alex Hay is a fun heist novel set in Edwardian London. The story follows Mrs. King, a formidable housekeeper recently... - [A Meditation on Murder by Susan Juby | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/11/11/a-meditation-on-murder-by-susan-juby-book-review/): A Meditation on Murder is the second book featuring Buddhist nun turned butler Helen Thorpe. Helen is happily working for the philanthropic Levine family when... - [The Secret Hours by Mick Herron | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/11/08/the-secret-hours-by-mick-herron-book-review/): The Secret Hours is a companion piece to Slow Horses, or rather to the Slough House book series by Mick Herron. Although some of the characters appear under... - [The Briar Club by Kate Quinn | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/10/30/the-briar-club-by-kate-quinn-book-review/): Gosh, could I be any bigger fan of this author. Kate Quinn's The Briar Club is a spellbinding exploration of loyalty, deception, and resilience amongst the... - [The Life Impossible by Matt Haig | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/10/15/the-life-impossible-by-matt-haig-book-review/): Matt Haig's The Life Impossible is an invitation to reimagine what it means to live with joy, hope, and curiosity, even amid life's inevitable struggles. Known... - [The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake](https://somisguided.com/2024/10/01/the-atlas-complex-by-olivie-blake/): The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake is the highly anticipated final installment of The Atlas Six series, featuring six powerful young magicians who have given up... - [Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/09/22/projekt-1065-by-alan-gratz-book-review/): In Projekt 1065, Alan Gratz crafts a thrilling World War II story that combines espionage, bravery, and the internal struggles of a boy caught in one of... - [Mindful of Murder by Susan Juby | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/09/22/mindful-of-murder-by-susan-juby-book-review/): In Mindful of Murder, Susan Juby introduces readers to Helen Thorpe, a former Buddhist nun who is both surprisingly calm and unexpectedly thrust into the role... - [Good Energy by Casey Means, with Calley Means | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/09/10/good-energy-by-casey-means-with-calley-means-book-review/): Good Energy by Casey Means, MD, with her brother Calley Means, is a deep look at how people can reclaim their vitality. Energy slumps and general exhaustion... - [The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/09/01/the-framed-women-of-ardemore-house-by-brandy-schillace-book-review/): The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace is a delightful romp infused with wit, charm, and a cast of characters who are as quirky as they are... - [The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/08/19/the-double-life-of-benson-yu-by-kevin-chong-book-review/): The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong is a layered and thought-provoking novel that blends reality and imagination, fiction and autobiography. The story... - [A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/08/19/a-slow-fire-burning-by-paula-hawkins-book-review/): You've probably hear of the bestseller The Girl on the Train? This is Paula Hawkin's latest, A Slow Fire Burning, and it is equally entertaining with its... - [The Lost Book of Bonn by Brianna Labuskes | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/08/14/the-lost-book-of-bonn-by-brianna-labuskes-book-review/): The Lost Book of Bonn is perfect for fans of Kate Quinn's The Rose Code. It's a story of bravery and resistance in the face of injustice. The novel is set in... - [Homecoming by Kate Morton | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/08/08/homecoming-by-kate-morton-book-review/): Homecoming by Kate Morton is a chilling novel about the mysterious death of a young Australian family on Christmas Eve, 1959. It's literary fiction written in... - [Dune by Frank Herbert | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/07/15/dune-by-frank-herbert-book-review/): Prior to embarking on my Dune audiobook journey, I had little knowledge of this epic tale or its film adaptations. I have to say Frank Herbert’s masterpiece... - [The Porcelain Moon by Janie Chang](https://somisguided.com/2024/06/24/the-porcelain-moon-by-janie-chang/): The Porcelain Moon follows the intertwined lives of two families during the final days of the First World War. Pauline Deng is an illegitimate daughter, living... - [The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang](https://somisguided.com/2024/06/13/the-phoenix-crown-by-kate-quinn-and-janie-chang/): The Phoenix Crown is a spectacular confluence of two excellent historical fiction authors. I'm a big fan of Kate Quinn and had not heard of Janie Chang—even... - [Wavewalker: A Memoir of Breaking Free by Suzanne Heywood](https://somisguided.com/2024/06/07/wavewalker-a-memoir-of-breaking-free-by-suzanne-heywood/): Months ago I heard Suzanne Heywood interviewed on CBC Radio and her story captured my imagination. At seven, her father pulled her and her brother out of... - [The Wreckage by Michael Crummey](https://somisguided.com/2024/05/28/the-wreckage-by-michael-crummey/): I had not read anything by Michael Crummey before, which is a shame, and now I'm hooked. The Wreckage starts with the trials and tribulations of a small... - [On Browsing by Jason Guriel | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/05/03/on-browsing-by-jason-guriel-book-review/): On Browsing by Jason Guriel is part of the Field Notes collection published by Biblioasis. Field Notes are long-form essays packaged into beautiful, slim... - [Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/04/30/small-mercies-by-dennis-lehane-book-review/): Hard to beat Stephen King's blurb, "Small Mercies is thought provoking, engaging, enraging, and can't-put-it-down entertainment." Set in the summer of 1974,... - [True Biz by Sara Nović | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/04/30/true-biz-by-sara-novic-book-review/): Fantastic story about a group of teens making their way through high school. In their case, it's River Valley School for the Deaf, and unbeknownst to them... - [Maame by Jessica George | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/04/03/maame-by-jessica-george-book-review/): This book is as beautiful and colourful as its cover. Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi, but for Maddie, it means woman. That is her family nickname. She... - [In Search of Perfumes by Dominique Roques | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/04/03/in-search-of-perfumes-by-dominique-roques-book-review/): Travelogue meets memoir in this fascinating trot around the world in search of 17 of the world's most precious ingredients that make up the majority of... - [The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/03/18/the-making-of-another-major-motion-picture-masterpiece-by-tom-hanks-book-review/): That old adage "write what you know" applies here. Tom Hanks' debut novel showcases how legendary films with star-studded actors are made—basically on the... - [Prophet Song by Paul Lynch | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/03/10/prophet-song-by-paul-lynch-book-review/): Prophet Song—2023 Booker Prize winner—is a heart-wrenching novel set in an Ireland where law and order is unravelling. A government oozing authoritarianism... - [All the Colour in the World by CS Richardson | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/03/10/all-the-colour-in-the-world-by-cs-richardson-book-review/): An absolutely beautiful and poetic story about a young art historian growing up in Toronto in the 20s and 30s and being shipped off to war in the 40s. I... - [The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/03/01/the-great-believers-by-rebecca-makkai-book-review/): The Great Believers is a beautiful, gentle, heart-wrenching novel about a group of friends decimated by the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. The story is told from... - [Hell of a Book by Jason Mott | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/02/26/hell-of-a-book-by-jason-mott-book-review/): Hell of a Book is a hell of a book. This is a familiar refrain throughout the book, a running meme. The basic premise is that The Author is on cross-country... - [Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by  Gabrielle Zevin | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/02/26/tomorrow-and-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-by-gabrielle-zevin-book-review/): A rollercoaster of a novel about friendship and ambition. Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow takes readers on an emotional journey through... - [Rebecca](https://somisguided.com/2024/02/07/rebecca/): Rebecca is a 1938 Gothic novel written by English author Daphne du Maurier. I believe it's never been out of print and there's a new Netflix movie out starring... - [Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/02/07/demon-copperhead-by-barbara-kingsolver-book-review/): Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver is a heartbreaking reimagining of Charles Dickens' David Copperfield. This is institutional poverty American style, set... - [Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2024/01/19/little-fires-everywhere-by-celeste-ng-book-review/): Little Fires Everywhere is the story of rich and poor colliding. The Richardson family is happy and settled in Shaker Heights, America's first planned... - [The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/12/14/the-mermaid-of-black-conch-by-monique-roffey-book-review/): As the marketing copy says: 'This enchanting tale of a cursed mythical creature and the lonely fisherman who falls in love with her is "a daring, mesmerizing... - [The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society by Christine Estima | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/12/01/the-syrian-ladies-benevolent-society-by-christina-estima-book-review/): Christine Estima's debut work is a wonderful read. The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society weaves together the stories of many generations of women from an Arab... - [Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/10/31/mad-honey-by-jodi-picoult-and-jennifer-finney-boylan-book-review/): This jaw-dropping novel is about families being upended by violence. Olivia McAfee has escaped her abusive husband and has found a way to settle back into life... - [Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/10/23/black-cake-by-charmaine-wilkerson-book-review/): Two estranged siblings are reunited when their mother passes away and leaves them a parting message about family secrets and a lost daughter. Charmaine... - [The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/10/16/the-diamond-eye-by-kate-quinn-book-review/): Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn is a heart-pounding novel of heroism and desperation. Ludmila (Mila) Pavlichenko is 15 when she is... - [Tom Lake by Ann Patchett | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/10/16/tom-lake-by-ann-patchett-book-review/): Tom Lake is an absolutely stunning book about love, how you don't really know your parents, trauma, choice and destiny. Ann Patchett is one of my favourite... - [The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/09/27/the-golden-spoon-by-jessa-maxwell-book-review/): These quotes say it best: “This delicious combination of Clue and The Great British Bake Off kept me turning the pages all night!” —Janet... - [The Rose Code by Kate Quinn | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/09/27/the-rose-code-by-kate-quinn-book-review/): I become a huge fan of Kate Quinn after her book The Shrines of Gaiety and I have since inhaled The Rose Code and The Alice Network. The Rose Code is a... - [On the Ball: Short Stories, Anecdotes, and Words of Wisdom on the Mental Side of Sport by Michael Lodewyks ](https://somisguided.com/2023/09/17/on-the-ball-short-stories-anecdotes-and-words-of-wisdom-on-the-mental-side-of-sport-by-michael-lodewyks/): On the Ball is a masterclass in the mental strategies coaches and athletes can use in sports, but it's also full of personal anecdotes that resonate with... - [Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal-the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin](https://somisguided.com/2023/09/17/bomb-the-race-to-build-and-steal-the-worlds-most-dangerous-weapon-by-steve-sheinkin/): The book Bomb by Steve Sheinkin is an absolutely fascinating read about what was going on at Los Alamos during WWII and the mad race for physicists around the... - [Still Life by Sarah Winman | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/09/05/still-life-by-sarah-winman-book-review/): Still Life by Sarah Winman is an expansive novel with a great cast of characters. The basic summary is that an English soldier during WWII saves a man in... - [Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/08/25/drive-your-plow-over-the-bones-of-the-dead-by-olga-tokarczuk-book-review/): First published in Polish in 2009 and newly translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead is a literary murder mystery set in a... - [Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/08/17/leah-on-the-offbeat-by-becky-albertalli-book-review/): Leah on the Offbeat is the delightful story of a close-knit group of teens who are graduating from their small-town high school and making their college... - [Snowflake by Louise Nealon | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/08/12/snowflake-by-louise-nealon-book-review/): Snowflake by Louise Nealon is great craic. It's the story of eighteen-year-old Debbie who has grown up on her family's dairy farm about 40 min outside of... - [The Alice Network by Kate Quinn | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/08/03/the-alice-network-by-kate-quinn-book-review/): Set in 1947, The Alice Network is the story of Charlotte (or Charlie) an American woman desperately seeking her French cousin (Rose) who disappeared during the... - [Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/07/27/carrie-soto-is-back-by-taylor-jenkins-reid-book-review/): The audiobook of Carrie Soto Is Back is super. Carrie Soto is an incredible, record-breaking tennis player. She retired after an injury but is spurred into... - [All Things Move: Learning to Look in the Sistine Chapel by Jeannie Marshall | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/07/26/all-things-move-learning-to-look-in-the-sistine-chapel-by-jeannie-marshall-book-review/): If you love poetry, philosophy, art history, and personal memoir then this book is for you. It's a quiet, gentle reflection on what it means to engage with... - [The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters](https://somisguided.com/2023/07/15/the-berry-pickers-by-amanda-peters/): Berry Pickers is a heartbreaking novel about a young 4-year-old Mi'kmaw girl who is stolen from her family by a heart-broken woman. It's July 1962 and little... - [The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/07/11/the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo-by-taylor-jenkins-reid-book-review/): I love Taylor Jenkins Reid novels. They are the best summer fun. In this case the protagonist is also named Monique so that's extra fun. Monique is a... - [Trespasses by Louise Kennedy](https://somisguided.com/2023/06/28/trespasses-by-louise-kennedy/): Set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, this is the story of Cushla, an elementary school teacher/barmaid/Catholic who falls in love with an older,... - [The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/06/17/the-bandit-queens-by-parini-shroff-book-review/): The Thursday Night Murder Club and No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency would meet their match with The Bandit Queens. Where the former titles involve affable... - [Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius by Nick Hornby | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/06/07/dickens-and-prince-a-particular-kind-of-genius-by-nick-hornby-book-review/): April 21, 2023 marked seven years since Prince's death and June 7 would have been his 65th birthday. Oh, Prince. Talk about Great Expectations. Nick Hornby has... - [The Widow, The Priest and The Octopus Hunter: Discovering a Lost Way of Life on a Secluded Japanese Island by Amy Chavez](https://somisguided.com/2023/05/16/the-widow-the-priest-and-the-octopus-hunter-discovering-a-lost-way-of-life-on-a-secluded-japanese-island-by-amy-chavez/): My friend DaveO gifted me this amazing book about an island that is near to where he lives in Japan. In celebration of Asian Heritage month, I have been... - [The Price of Salt, or Carol by Patricia Highsmith | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/05/06/the-price-of-salt-or-carol-by-patricia-highsmith-book-review/): Patricia Highsmith is the author of more than 20 books, including well-known classics. Her first novel Strangers on a Train (1950) became a major commercial... - [Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/03/31/crying-in-h-mart-by-michelle-zauner-book-review/): Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is an absolutely stunning memoir. The cover is 100% perfect because this is the story of how Michelle and her mother... - [The Lady’s Guide to Death and Deception by Katherine Cowley | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/03/12/the-ladys-guide-to-death-and-deception-by-katherine-cowley-book-review/): My venn diagram of reading is spy novel meets literature. So I'm glad that ages ago at a marketing conference Scott Cowley mentioned his wife Katherine Cowley... - [In Memory of Darren Barefoot](https://somisguided.com/2023/02/24/in-memory-of-darren-barefoot/): db and Julie in Bonn when he worked for the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat My dear friend Darren Barefoot passed away on Feb 20, 2023. He was young.... - [Elizabeth Finch by Julian Barnes](https://somisguided.com/2023/02/23/elizabeth-finch-by-julian-barnes/): Elizabeth Finch is about a platonic teacher-student relationship and how we come to idolize people who create poignant moments in our lives. In this novel Neil... - [Agatha by Anne Cathrine Bomann | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/02/20/agatha-by-anne-cathrine-bomann-book-review/): Set in 1940s Paris, this is a charming debut novel about a psychiatrist who is counting down his days until retirement. He has a client list that is quite a... - [A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny](https://somisguided.com/2023/01/10/a-world-of-curiosities-by-louise-penny/): Louise Penny is one of those authors that gets me hook, line and sinker, every time. I find her Chief Inspector Gamache so charming that it's hard to not read... - [The Pigeon Tunnel by John le Carré | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2023/01/10/the-pigeon-tunnel-by-john-le-carre-book-review/): John le Carré is a masterful storyteller and listening to his voice telling the stories of his life is epic. In The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories from My Life, he... - [Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson](https://somisguided.com/2022/12/21/shrines-of-gaiety-by-kate-atkinson/): Get ready to step into the grittiness of London and the glam (and gangs) of Soho clubs during the period between the World Wars. Our cast of characters... - [Who Is Vera Kelly? by Rosalie Knecht](https://somisguided.com/2022/12/01/who-is-vera-kelly-by-rosalie-knecht/): Who Is Vera Kelly? is a quick witted spy novel set in 1960s Buenos Aries. Vera is newly recruited to the CIA and soon enough finds herself wiretapping... - [A Trace of Deceit by Karen Odden](https://somisguided.com/2022/11/03/a-trace-of-deceit-by-karen-odden/): A Trace of Deceit is a great whodonit and peak into the world of art auctions. Miss Annabel Rowe is a young painter who's studying at the Slade in London.... - [The Bookseller’s Secret by Michelle Gable](https://somisguided.com/2022/06/12/the-booksellers-secret-by-michelle-gable/): It's 1942 in London and the war is raging on, but in a small bookshop Nancy Mitford is toiling away stacking books and writing an autobiography. She moves in... - [Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2022/05/18/lessons-in-chemistry-by-bonnie-garmus-book-review/): Lessons in Chemistry is a novel about being on the verge discovery, both in a scientific sense and in a self-discovery sense. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist on... - [The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2022/04/29/the-atlas-six-by-olivie-blake-book-review/): https://www.olivieblake.com/ The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake is a BookTok fav that I heard about in a BookNet Canada webinar. Olivie Blake totally delivers! I... - [Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling by Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen](https://somisguided.com/2022/04/12/oh-my-god-what-a-complete-aisling-by-emer-mclysaght-and-sarah-breen/): Could this book be any more funny! Aisling (ASH-ling) is a small-town Irish girl who is desperate to marry her man John. They have been dating for 7 years.... - [A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik](https://somisguided.com/2022/04/12/a-deadly-education-by-naomi-novik/): Harry Potter meets the X-men. El is in her penultimate year at the Scholomance. The Scholomance is a bewitched school that educates young sorcerers on the fine... - [Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots](https://somisguided.com/2022/04/12/hench-by-natalie-zina-walschots/): Hench is a hilarious and snarky novel about a woman who works for a temp agency. The twist is that the temp agency hires henches for villains. Anna is... - [The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune](https://somisguided.com/2022/02/24/the-house-in-the-cerulean-sea-by-tj-klune/): A beautiful story about belonging, friendship, and home. TJ Klune deserves all the accolades this book has received and more. A NEW YORK TIMES, USA... - [Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day](https://somisguided.com/2022/02/22/death-at-greenway-by-lori-rader-day/): Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day is a classic Agatha Christie style mystery. Indeed the novel is set during World War II at Agatha Christie's real-life... - [An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten](https://somisguided.com/2022/02/07/an-elderly-lady-must-not-be-crossed-by-helene-tursten/): Maud is almost 90 years old and you might think she's a flighty old bird but you'd be wrong. She a calculated killer. I really wanted her to be eaten by lions... - [City of Thieves by David Benioff](https://somisguided.com/2022/02/06/city-of-thieves-by-david-benioff/): Absolutely haunting, and hilarious, novel about two men who find themselves searching for a dozen eggs during the Nazis' siege of Leningrad. Lev Beniov is on... - [The True Confessions of a London Spy by Katherine Cowley](https://somisguided.com/2022/02/06/the-true-confessions-of-a-london-spy-by-katherine-cowley/): Jane Austen meets John Le Carré I absolutely LOVE Katherine Cowley's The Secret Life of Mary Bennet Series. The books are smart and witty, and a wonderful nod... - [The Maid by Nita Prose](https://somisguided.com/2022/01/24/the-maid-by-nita-prose/): The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time meets The Thursday Night Murder Club. Molly the maid is the perfect scapegoat for a murder. She's innocent to... - [A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle](https://somisguided.com/2022/01/18/a-wrinkle-in-time-by-madeleine-lengle/): A beloved classic that I failed to read sooner. Meg, her twin brothers, and her baby brother Charles Wallace are desperate to hear news of their father. He's... - [Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr](https://somisguided.com/2022/01/18/cloud-cuckoo-land-by-anthony-doerr/): Pure magic. Cloud Cuckoo Land is the intertwined stories of Anna, Omeir, Seymour, Zeno, and Konstance. They live in different times but are connected by a lost... - [Fight Night by Miriam Toews](https://somisguided.com/2022/01/18/fight-night-by-miriam-toews/): How fun is this title! I love the jacket cover and heard amazing things about this book. It's sad, it's funny, it's Toews at her peak. Awesome. Usually I don't... - [The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman](https://somisguided.com/2021/12/07/the-man-who-died-twice-by-richard-osman/): The second book in A Thursday Murder Club Mystery Could this book be any more hilarious! Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim are back in action as the Thursday... - [State of Terror by Louise Penny and Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://somisguided.com/2021/11/16/state-of-terror-by-louise-penny-and-hillary-rodham-clinton/): The perfect title. Louise Penny is the author of the beloved Inspector Gamache series, and Hillary is the former US Secretary of State. Could there be any... - [Piranesi by Susanna Clarke](https://somisguided.com/2021/11/07/piranesi-by-susanna-clarke/): https://amzn.to/3GkofBy What a strange novel! But what else would you expect from the author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell? This is a brilliant creative... - [The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab](https://somisguided.com/2021/10/25/the-invisible-life-of-addie-larue-by-v-e-schwab/): What an unsettling novel. Adeline LaRue grows up in the quiet village of Villon, France. She's adventurous and curious about the world beyond the village... - [The Secret Life of Miss Mary Bennet by Katherine Cowley](https://somisguided.com/2021/10/24/the-secret-life-of-miss-mary-bennet-by-katherine-cowley/): I absolutely loved this book. It is fast, fun, witty, and a pleasure to read. Summary: Miss Mary Bennet's life is thrown into turmoil upon the death of her... - [The Chimera’s Apprentice by Roslyn Muir](https://somisguided.com/2021/10/20/the-chimeras-apprentice-by-roslyn-muir/): If you like fantasy, dragons, and a quest narrative this is for you. Ok, there aren't dragons but there is a chimera (kai-mir-ah — 3 headed monster) and... - [Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor](https://somisguided.com/2021/10/01/mrs-palfrey-at-the-claremont-by-elizabeth-taylor/): Fans of Jane Austen will love Elizabeth Taylor. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont has all the nuanced observations of high society along with a bit of icy wit. Mrs... - [The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath](https://somisguided.com/2021/09/24/the-bell-jar-by-sylvia-plath/): Summary: Esther Greenwood is working as an intern for a fashion magazine in New York. It's 1953. Her day-to-day routine involves writing magazine pieces, doing... - [The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho](https://somisguided.com/2021/08/13/the-alchemist-by-paulo-coelho/): A beautiful bit of philosophy Summary: On the surface The Alchemist is the story of a boy learning to listen to his heart. But of course this little novel is a... - [The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman](https://somisguided.com/2021/07/13/the-thursday-murder-club-by-richard-osman/): I'm so glad there are going to be more of these! Summary: Assisted-living homes will never look the same to you after reading this book. Four quirky British... - [Stardust by Neil Gaiman | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/06/22/stardust-by-neil-gaiman-book-review/): A quiet bit of magic Stardust is one of Neil Gaiman's most delightful stories. It's the tale of Tristan Thorn who finds himself journeying beyond the small... - [Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/06/13/malibu-rising-by-taylor-jenkins-reid-book-review/): From the author of Daisy Jones & the Six comes a rock & roll novel about Malibu in the 80s. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master at the documentary, Rolling... - [How to Order the Universe by Maria Jose Ferrada | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/06/13/how-to-order-the-universe-by-maria-jose-ferrada-book-review/): Absolutely charming novel about a young girl who joins her father on his sales trips. Jack Kerouac's On the Road meets Julia Alvarez's In the Time of the... - [How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa](https://somisguided.com/2021/05/31/how-to-pronounce-knife-by-souvankham-thammavongsa/): A sharp and cutting collection of short stories Souvankham Thammavongsa is an amazing writer! This is her fiction debut and each story is a small gem, a... - [The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/05/29/the-vanishing-half-by-brit-bennett-book-review/): Super compelling read about identity and social constructs The Vignes sisters are the talk of the town: good family, attractive. Stella is a helper. She's... - [Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro](https://somisguided.com/2021/04/24/klara-and-the-sun-by-kazuo-ishiguro/): I absolutely loved this book. One of the staff at Vancouver Kidsbooks mentioned they had signed copies and I decided on a whim to buy the book. I have heard of... - [Empire of Wild by Cherie Demaline](https://somisguided.com/2021/04/23/empire-of-wild-by-cherie-demaline/): A fantastic read, bit of magic realism—you know—werewolves, Indigenous magic. Description: Joan has been searching for her missing husband for 11 months... - [The Searcher by Tana French | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/04/20/the-searcher-by-tana-french-book-review/): Description: A quiet and unnerving book about an American ex-cop who moves to rural Ireland and finds himself wary of the neighbours. This is a great literary... - [The Midnight Library by Matt Haig | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/04/07/the-midnight-library-by-matt-haig-book-review/): This book is so much fun. A crazy "what if" novel. There's something about The Midnight Library that reminded me of Daisy Jones and the Six and The Glass... - [The Liar’s Dictionary by Eley Williams | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/04/07/the-liars-dictionary-by-eley-williams-book-review/): The Liar's Dictionary A quirky novel about a woman who works for a dictionary publisher. Description: Mallory is a young woman who is a bit lost in her... - [Edith’s Diary by Patricia Highsmith](https://somisguided.com/2021/01/30/ediths-diary-by-patricia-highsmith/): Edith's Diary was published in 1977 and is billed a psychological thriller. You may be familiar with the author Patricia Highsmith, who published 22 novels,... - [Indians on Vacation by Thomas King | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/01/30/indians-on-vacation-by-thomas-king-book-review/): A quietly witty book about marriage and travel. Indians on Vacation follows Bird and Mimi through the streets of Prague where they look for signs of Mimi's... - [The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2021/01/05/the-pull-of-the-stars-by-emma-donoghue-book-review/): A chilling read about 3 days in a maternity ward at the height of the great flu (1918). Emma Donoghue is acclaimed author of Room, which I never read. But her... - [The Certainties by Aislinn Hunter](https://somisguided.com/2020/11/11/the-certainties-by-aislinn-hunter/): The Certainties by Aislinn Hunter A beautiful novel about the in-between places. The Certainties follows two different people in two different times, whose... - [Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens](https://somisguided.com/2020/10/30/where-the-crawdads-sing-by-delia-owens/): http://Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens Description: This novel is so widely reviewed, and loved, that I waited to read it. Such a great read. Highly... - [Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry](https://somisguided.com/2020/10/16/night-boat-to-tangier-by-kevin-barry/): Description: A modern-day Waiting for Godot, with more overt drug references. This clever novel reads like a play, which is why it reminds me of Godot. Here we... - [The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline](https://somisguided.com/2020/10/06/the-marrow-thieves-by-cherie-dimaline/): Description: The story begins with French (Francis) who is 11 and on the run from the Recruiters. Recruiters are basically white folks and traitors who are... - [The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier](https://somisguided.com/2020/09/08/the-night-gardener-by-jonathan-auxier/): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/417415/the-night-gardener-by-jonathan-auxier/9780143189978 The Governor General’s Shortlisted Novel is a spooky tale... - [The Case of the Missing Auntie by Michael Hutchinson](https://somisguided.com/2020/09/08/the-case-of-the-missing-auntie-by-michael-hutchinson/): Book 2 in The Mighty Muskrats Mystery Series is even better than the first. In the bright lights of the big city, the Mighty Muskrats search for Grandpa's lost... - [The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang](https://somisguided.com/2020/08/14/the-poppy-war-by-r-f-kuang/): https://www.amazon.ca/Poppy-War-R-F-Kuang-ebook/dp/B072L58JW6 The Poppy War is the first instalment in a Chinese-history inspired epic fantasy about empire,... - [The Case of Windy Lake (A Mighty Muskrats Mystery) by Michael Hutchinson](https://somisguided.com/2020/08/07/the-case-of-windy-lake-a-mighty-muskrats-mystery-by-michael-hutchinson/): The Case of Windy Lake was the co-winner in Second Story Press’ 2018 Indigenous Writing Contest The first book in this mystery series for readers age 9-12... - [This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper](https://somisguided.com/2020/07/14/this-is-where-i-leave-you-by-jonathan-tropper/): A riotously funny, emotionally raw New York Times bestselling novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind—whether we like it or not.... - [Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante](https://somisguided.com/2020/07/12/little-blue-encyclopedia-for-vivian-by-hazel-jane-plante/): Winner of the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) is a playful read about grief and the lost of a good... - [The Tyranny of Doors](https://somisguided.com/2020/06/24/the-tyranny-of-doors/): Bad doors are everywhere. It's the door. Not you. - [The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre](https://somisguided.com/2020/06/22/the-spy-and-the-traitor-by-ben-macintyre/): The greatest espionage story of the Cold War. Description: Macintyre's real-life spy thriller is a slow start with a fast-paced finish. I loved it. The spy and... - [The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel](https://somisguided.com/2020/04/24/the-glass-hotel-by-emily-st-john-mandel/): The Glass Hotel is Emily St. John Mandel's awaited novel. Her previous was Station Eleven, which won the Arthur C. Clark Award, the Toronto Book Award and was... - [How to revive a gel pen](https://somisguided.com/2020/04/23/how-to-revive-a-gel-pen/): These gel pens stopped working but we fixed them! Need to revive a gel pen that stopped working? If your gel pen still has ink but it won't come out then you... - [Predictable | a poem generated by The Predictable Manifesto](https://somisguided.com/2020/04/21/predictable-a-poem-generated-by-the-predictable-manifesto/): Predictable  The predictive manifesto is a very simple question of whether you want revolutionary ideas or nothing to change in your mindand your personal... - [The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar](https://somisguided.com/2020/03/03/the-enlightenment-of-the-greengage-tree-by-shokoofeh-azar/): Description: I discovered this novel at Hagar Books, which always has a lovely display in the window. I loved the fun colours on the cover, I haven't read many... - [The Porpoise by Mark Haddon](https://somisguided.com/2020/02/19/the-porpoise-by-mark-haddon/): Mark Haddon is probably best known for his bestseller The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which won 17 literary prizes and was made into an... - [The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2020/01/16/the-starless-sea-by-erin-morgenstern-book-review/): The Starless Sea is the long awaited second novel of Erin Morgenstern, who hit the literary scene with her 100% blockbuster novel The Night Circus. The... - [The Ticking Heart by Andrew Kaufman | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2019/11/27/the-ticking-heart-by-andrew-kaufman-book-review/): Description: This is magic realism Canadian style. Gabriel Garcia Marquez meets Raymond Chandler, in Toronto. What do I mean? The Ticking Heart is a story... - [The Ticking Heart by Andrew Kaufman](https://somisguided.com/2019/10/26/the-ticking-heart-by-andrew-kaufman/): Pumpkin spice and everything nice with The Ticking Heart I've been a fan of Andrew Kaufman's since I first read his first book All My Friends Are Superheros. I... - [Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi](https://somisguided.com/2019/09/30/mr-fox-by-helen-oyeyemi/): 100 Notable Books | New York Times Book Review Description: This novel reads like a series of short stories linked together. Each are fairy-tale romances with... - [Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2019/08/18/fleishman-is-in-trouble-by-taffy-brodesser-akner-book-review/): Buy the Book Description: The book blurbs reference Philip Roth and John Updike but to me this is Bonfire of the Vanities meets The Great Gatsby. Regardless,... - [A Terrible Country by Keith Gessen | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2019/08/12/a-terrible-country-by-keith-gessen-book-review/): Description: Andrei Kaplan leaves his lacklustre academic pursuits in New York to care for his ailing grandmother in Moscow. It's not at all what he expects.... - [The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2019/07/31/the-third-policeman-by-flann-obrien-book-review/): Description: On a superficial level this is a dark comedy about a weak man who commits a murder and then gets arrested, but for the wrong crime. The police are... - [Book Review | Warlight by Michael Ondaatje](https://somisguided.com/2019/07/27/book-review-warlight-by-michael-ondaatje/): Michael Ondaatje's 8th novel is absolutely spellbinding. I loved every bit of this story about a young man piecing together his family history. Description:... - [Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2019/07/07/eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine-by-gail-honeyman-book-review/): Absolutely hilarious. Description: Where'd You Go Bernadette meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Gail Honeyman's debut novel is... - [Millennials Are Not Aliens by Gui Costin | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2019/07/06/millennials-are-not-aliens-by-gui-costin-book-review/): Reviewed by request. And I really enjoyed it. Gui Costin is the founder and CEO of Dakota, an investment services company, and this is his take on how to sell... - [TD Grade One Book Giveaway Announced](https://somisguided.com/2019/07/03/td-grade-one-book-giveaway-announced/): To mark the end of Indigenous History Month, the Canadian Children's Book Centre announced that this year's selected title for the TD Grade One Book Giveaway... - [Growing Room: A Feminist Literary Festival](https://somisguided.com/2019/02/04/growing-room-a-feminist-literary-festival/): Mar 8-17, 2019 in Vancouver, BC From the opening night dance party at the Fox Cabaret featuring Virago Nation and DJ Kookum, an entire day of Indigenous... - [Less by Andrew Sean Greer](https://somisguided.com/2019/01/02/less-by-andrew-sean-greer/): Arthur Less is a 49-year-old writer moping around the world in advance of his 50th birthday. He's a mid-level author, with one noteworthy title; a middling... - [The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz](https://somisguided.com/2018/12/17/the-word-is-murder-by-anthony-horowitz/): Description: The British cosy as postmodern fiction. Author Anthony Horowitz takes on a role in his own novel. Horowitz basically plays Watson to former police... - [Halloween Books for Kids (That Aren’t Too Scary)](https://somisguided.com/2018/10/29/halloween-books-for-kids-that-arent-too-scary/): Great spooky (but not too spooky) books for pre-school and kindergarten. Looking for great Halloween books for a 5-year-old? Here are a few favourites in our... - [Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman](https://somisguided.com/2018/10/21/neverwhere-by-neil-gaiman/): Description: Neverwhere is one of NPR's top 100 science fiction and fantasy books of all time. For good reason. It was published in 1997 and over the years... - [I Am a Truck by Michelle Winters | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/10/01/i-am-a-truck-by-michelle-winters-book-review/): Description: I missed reading this title last year when it was a finalist for the 2017 ScotiaBank Giller Prize, but I don't mind letting the hype die down... - [The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/09/21/the-ladies-of-grace-adieu-by-susanna-clarke-book-review/): Description: I recently watched Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell on Netflix so my next read had to be The Ladies of Grace Adieu. I remember finding Jonathan... - [French Exit by Patrick deWitt | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/08/26/french-exit-by-patrick-dewitt-book-review/): Disclaimer: Thanks to House of Anansi for this review copy. Patrick deWitt is one of my favourite authors (see previous reviews) and I was very pleased to be... - [The Beauties by Anton Chekhov](https://somisguided.com/2018/08/15/the-beauties-by-anton-chekhov/): Description: A beautiful little book designed and published by Pushkin Press. The Beauties contains 13 of the best stories Chekhov ever wrote, perhaps 13 of... - [Outnumbered by David Sumpter | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/08/08/outnumbered-by-david-sumpter-book-review/): Disclaimer: Thanks to the kind folks at Raincoast Books for providing me with a review copy of this mind-bender. Description: Sumpter's book is a fascinating... - [A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/07/31/a-man-called-ove-by-fredrik-backman-book-review/): Description: Ove is a curmudgeon. He's the kind of old man who  you don't want to be on the wrong side of.  And yet, he's totally lovable. This is a man who... - [Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/04/20/then-she-was-gone-by-lisa-jewell-book-review/): Disclaimer: Thanks to the kind folks at S&S for providing me an advance review copy. Description: Ellie was the middle child and the apple of her mother's... - [Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/04/04/unraveling-oliver-by-liz-nugent-book-review/): Description: Oliver Ryan is a deeply unsettling character. The novel opens with him beating is wife and feeling no remorse. Thankfully author Liz Nugent offers... - [Uncertain Weights & Measures by Jocelyn Parr | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/03/26/uncertain-weights-measures-by-jocelyn-parr-book-review/): Description: Set in Moscow, 1921, Tatiana and Sasha meet as two young intellectuals in a bookstore. The bookstore is bombed that night and as they run away,... - [A General Theory of Oblivion by Jose Eduardo Agualusa | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/03/18/a-general-theory-of-oblivion-by-jose-eduardo-agualusa-book-review/): Description: A General Theory of Oblivion is an absolutely lovely little book about an agoraphobic woman who bricks herself into her Luandan apartment during... - [The Muse by Jessie Burton | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/03/04/the-muse-by-jessie-burton-book-review/): Description: Bestselling author Jessie Burton delivers! This novel weaves together two stories: one set in 1967 in London and the other in 1936 Spain, just... - [Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/02/16/son-of-a-trickster-by-eden-robinson-book-review/): Description: Eden Robinson's novel Son of a Trickster is a gritty, mess of a tale about that boy everyone knows from high school who was the almost-dropout,... - [Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/02/09/magpie-murders-by-anthony-horowitz-book-review/): Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz available from HarperCollins Canada Description: This murder mystery is a story within a story. Susan Ryeland is Alan... - [Bellevue Square by Michael Redhill | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/01/08/bellevue-square-by-michael-redhill-book-review/): Description: Bellevue Square is a much lauded novel, but it wasn't my cup of tea. The writing was interesting, but I didn't care about the characters. As the... - [Smile by Roddy Doyle | Book Review](https://somisguided.com/2018/01/03/smile-by-roddy-doyle-book-review/): Smile by Roddy Doyle (published by Knopf Canada) Description: Victor Forde is down on his luck and out on his ear. He's recently split from his wife, has moved... - [The Parcel by Anosh Irani](https://somisguided.com/2017/12/17/the-parcel-by-anosh-irani/): Description: Anosh Irani is one of those authors that I always seek out. His novels are dark, gritty, and deeply unsettling. There's typically some moment of... - [OneCard Vancouver: How to Load a 10-Visit Pass for a Child to Your OneCard](https://somisguided.com/2017/07/07/onecard-vancouver-how-to-load-a-10-visit-pass-for-a-child-to-your-onecard/): Want to buy a 10 visit pass for you and your child for Kits Pool? Here's how. An adult 10 visit pass and a child 10 visit pass cannot be loaded onto the same... - [Audiobook Review: Gunpowder Girls by Tanya Anderson](https://somisguided.com/2017/05/06/audiobook-review-gunpowder-girls-by-tanya-anderson/): I had the great fortune of exchanging some correspondence with Quindaro Press and it lead to a review copy of Gunpowder Girls: The True Stories of Three Civil... - [Iceland in April](https://somisguided.com/2017/04/18/iceland-in-april/): If you want to catch the northern lights and some of winter but not the deepest part of it, then early April in Iceland can be quite pleasant. The temperature... - [Book Review: The Widow by Fiona Barton](https://somisguided.com/2017/02/18/book-review-the-widow-by-fiona-barton/): The Widow by Fiona Barton (Penguin Canada) is a dark psychological thriller. Glen Taylor is a smarmy, arrogant bastard. He marries Jean when she's quite young... - [A Flight of Gin](https://somisguided.com/2017/02/12/a-flight-of-gin/): This flight of fancy was a fun afternoon at Ashtons Gastropub in Dublin. ‚Ǩ10 for 3 gin. I tried Blackwoods Vintage which was super paired with lime and... - [One Day in Copenhagen](https://somisguided.com/2016/10/17/one-day-in-copenhagen/): Ok technically we had more than one day in Copenhagen, but if you're travelling with a 3-year-old boy then the amount of things you do over 3 days is basically... - [In awareness of Banned Books](https://somisguided.com/2016/09/20/in-awareness-of-banned-books/): Hey it's Banned Books Week and 99% Invisible has an awesome podcast that is 100% worth listening to. It's about the Griftschrank, or "poison cabinet", in the... - [Book Review: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel](https://somisguided.com/2016/09/17/book-review-station-eleven-by-emily-st-john-mandel/): Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is a haunting novel about the end of the world as we know it. SARS has come and gone but a virus called the Georgian... - [Book Review: Slade House](https://somisguided.com/2016/08/22/book-review-slade-house/): Slade House by David Mitchell is a fast-paced, gripping ghost story about two immortals who prey on visitors to Slade House. Norah and Jonah Grayer are twins... - [Best Burger in Dingle](https://somisguided.com/2016/07/09/best-burger-in-dingle/): The complete guide to the burgers of Dingle. It's a short list. Go to Chewy, a pop-up burger stand beside Dick Mack's pub and order a double cheeseburger and... - [30 Days of Sunshine Tour](https://somisguided.com/2016/05/13/30-days-of-sunshine-tour/): Mark Cameron, author of Goodnight Sunshine has a fun BC tour planed this summer. 4200 km, 25+ locations 1 family of 4 in a camper van Goodnight Sunshine is... - [Come Here to Me: A great blog of Dublin history, memories and what it’s like today and yesterday](https://somisguided.com/2016/04/28/come-here-to-me-a-great-blog-of-dublin-history-memories-and-what-its-like-today-and-yesterday/): The unrecorded working-class history of Dublin is being recorded. https://comeheretome.com/ Quote: "Come here to me" is Dublin slang used to mean "Listen to... - [Book Review: The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes](https://somisguided.com/2016/04/17/book-review-the-noise-of-time-by-julian-barnes/): Julian Barnes' latest novel is a fictionalized account of how composer Dmitri Shostakovich survived Stalin. The Noise of Time is perfectly titled.... - [Book Review: The Book of Learning by ER Murray](https://somisguided.com/2016/02/05/book-review-the-book-of-learning-by-er-murray/): Chosen for the 2016 Citywide Reading for Children Campaign run by Dublin UNESCO City of Literature and Dublin City Council's Libraries Services. The Book of... - [Book Review: A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson](https://somisguided.com/2016/01/15/book-review-a-god-in-ruins-by-kate-atkinson/): A God in Ruins is marvellous. Kate Atkinson, author of Life After Life, is one of those novelists whose writing is very clever yet it comes off naturally.... - [Favourite Books of 2015](https://somisguided.com/2016/01/15/favourite-books-of-2015/): I used to keep track of my favourite reads each year so back at it. For 2015, my favourite new fiction title was Undermajordomo Minor by Patrick deWitt.... - [Christmas in Lanzarote](https://somisguided.com/2016/01/02/christmas-in-lanzarote/): Dec 22-29 we hung out in Lanzarote, Spain with Darren and Julie. We celebrated Christmas, hung out, went on adventures and had a grand time. Santa even made a... - [Book Review: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell](https://somisguided.com/2015/11/30/book-review-eleanor-park-by-rainbow-rowell/): If you liked John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, then you'll like this Romeo and Juliet story of two star-crossed lovers in Omaha, Nebraska. It's 1986 and... - [International Dublin Literary Award 2016](https://somisguided.com/2015/11/10/international-dublin-literary-award-2016/): I'm in Dublin and yesterday the 2016 International Dublin Literary Award longlist was announced. Here's how it looks by the numbers: 160 books 10 of them... - [Newgrange and the Hill of Tara](https://somisguided.com/2015/10/31/newgrange-and-the-hill-of-tara/): On Friday, Oct 30 I did a tour of Newgrange and the Hill of Tara. My guide was Mary Gibbons who regularly runs these tours, and her brother is well-known... - [Book Review: Separation Anxiety by Miji Campbell](https://somisguided.com/2015/10/22/book-review-separation-anxiety-by-miji-campbell/): A funny, heartbreaking and ultimately triumphant read about an ordinary woman going through the typical phases of life in an atypical fashion. Whether it's... - [In praise of abecedarium by Dennis Cooley](https://somisguided.com/2015/10/01/in-praise-of-abecedarium-by-dennis-cooley/): In celebration of Canadian poetry, and to mark Brick Books' 40th anniversary, they are featuring articles each week about different Canadian poets. This week... - [Book Review: Undermajordomo Minor by Patrick deWitt](https://somisguided.com/2015/09/06/book-review-undermajordomo-minor-by-patrick-dewitt/): Patrick deWitt, the bestselling author of The Sisters Brothers, delivers another knockout novel. Undermajordomo Minor is about Lucien (Lucy) Minor and his... - [Book Review: I Saw a Man by Owen Sheers](https://somisguided.com/2015/08/25/book-review-i-saw-a-man-by-owen-sheers/): A new literary thriller from the acclaimed author of Resistance. In I Saw a Man, journalist Caroline Marshall dies on assignment in Pakistan, leaving her... - [New Novel from Patrick deWitt](https://somisguided.com/2015/07/23/new-novel-from-patrick-dewitt/): Prep your bookshelf for this tale of polite theft, bitter heartbreak, domestic mystery, and cold-blooded murder. Patrick deWitt, award-winning author of The... - [Book Review: The Mystics of Mile End by Sigal Samuel](https://somisguided.com/2015/07/21/book-review-the-mystics-of-mile-end-by-sigal-samuel/): Four distinct voices tell the tale of one family's attempt to transcend the Kabbalah Tree of Life. Each seeks enlightenment. Each failure has a lesson. This is... - [Book Review: Boo by Neil Smith](https://somisguided.com/2015/07/14/book-review-boo-by-neil-smith/): As part of the Vancouver Sun's book club, I've been discussing Boo, a new novel by Neil Smith. It's about Oliver "Boo" Dalrymple, a 13-year-old boy who... - [Book Review: The Parrots by Filippo Bologna](https://somisguided.com/2015/07/08/book-review-the-parrots-by-filippo-bologna/): I discovered this book in the Rathmines Public Library, displayed in a section for nominees of the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. It's billed as a smart novel,... - [Book Review: Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie](https://somisguided.com/2015/06/08/book-review-haroun-and-the-sea-of-stories-by-salman-rushdie/): In December 2010 I read and reviewed Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie. I haven't read all of Rushdie's works but I have loved the ones I have,... - [Book Review: The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg](https://somisguided.com/2015/05/21/book-review-the-little-old-lady-who-broke-all-the-rules-by-catharina-ingelman-sundberg/): 79-year-old Martha Andersson dreams of escaping her care home and robbing a bank. Well I was worried about taking this book cover through customs but Martha... - [Things to Do with a Toddler in Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2015/05/11/things-to-do-with-a-toddler-in-vancouver/): Visiting Vancouver with a toddler or just trying to figure out what to do with your day? Here's the weekly itinerary my little guy enjoyed from 15 months to 2... - [Book Review: Barker by Wayne Tefs](https://somisguided.com/2015/04/08/book-review-barker-by-wayne-tefs/): Harlan runs away with the circus, becomes a barker (the guy who calls in the crowds) and eventually ends up in bed with the knife-throwers' wife. You can... - [Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green](https://somisguided.com/2015/04/07/book-review-the-fault-in-our-stars-by-john-green/): A heart-breaking, yet uplifting, book about two teens who fall in love after meeting at a Cancer Kid Support Group. Maybe you've seen the movie or read the... - [Book Review: The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy](https://somisguided.com/2015/04/06/book-review-the-love-song-of-miss-queenie-hennessy/): A quaint love story, or rather unrequited love story. Rachel Joyce's first novel, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, is the story of a saintly pensioner... - [Book Review: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton](https://somisguided.com/2015/03/08/book-review-the-miniaturist-by-jessie-burton/): The Miniaturist: "There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed." When the newly married Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam on a brisk autumn day in 1686... - [Book Review: A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett](https://somisguided.com/2015/02/09/book-review-a-house-in-the-sky-by-amanda-lindhout-and-sara-corbett/): This shocking and disturbing account of a journalist's capture and torture in Somalia in 2008 was one of the most celebrated books of 2013, making the Globe... - [Book Review: The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson](https://somisguided.com/2014/12/30/book-review-the-girl-who-saved-the-king-of-sweden-by-jonas-jonasson/): A hilarious novel about a South African woman who knows too much, twin brothers (one of whom knows too little) and the foibles of the sanitation department,... - [2 Cookbooks, 2 Novels](https://somisguided.com/2014/12/23/2-cookbooks-2-novels/): Four books that I loved and haven't had a chance to review: Pucker by Gwendolyn Richards Canada's Julia Child brings citrus fans a melody of recipes from... - [Book Review: Mr. Jones by Margaret Sweatman](https://somisguided.com/2014/12/23/book-review-mr-jones-by-margaret-sweatman/): Mr. Jones by Margaret Sweatman is a Canadian spy drama set in the 1950s and 60s when McCarthyism and paranoia was rampant, the Cold War was well underway, John... - [Guest Post: Many Paws Author Susan DeGarmo on “The Change”](https://somisguided.com/2014/12/04/guest-post-many-paws-author-susan-degarmo-on-the-change/): Many Paws is a light-hearted, interactive pop-up book about menopause that readers can alter for themselves or to give as a gift to the wonderful women in... - [Help Onca Publish Its First Work](https://somisguided.com/2014/11/25/help-onca-publish-its-first-work/): Onca is a brave new publisher of speculative fiction with a passion for the printed book. Based in BC, Onca Publishing was founded by Shed Simas, a former... - [Book Review: Will Starling by Ian Weir](https://somisguided.com/2014/11/15/book-review-will-starling-by-ian-weir/): Sweeney Todd meets Frankenstein in this romp through the underbelly of London, 1816, when grave-robbers are digging up bodies and selling them on the sly to... - [The End of an Era? Big Publishers Pulling out of Canada](https://somisguided.com/2014/11/05/the-end-of-an-era-big-publishers-pulling-out-of-canada/): CC-License Photo by Markus Spiske / www.temporausch.com A couple of midweek shockers in the Canadian publishing world. The first is that David Kent is leaving... - [Honouring Wayne Tefs](https://somisguided.com/2014/09/28/honouring-wayne-tefs/): From the Winnipeg Free Press Friends to honour late author Wayne Tefs Quote: The launch of the last novel by the late Wayne Tefs will be a gathering of some of... - [WORD Vancouver 2014](https://somisguided.com/2014/09/25/word-vancouver-2014/): WORD Vancouver began today with readings at Paper Hound Bookshop and Banyen Books & Sound. The next couple of days are also filled with events are various... - [WORD Vancouver 2014](https://somisguided.com/2014/09/25/word-vancouver-2014-2/): WORD Vancouver began today with readings at Paper Hound Bookshop and Banyen Books & Sound. The next couple of days are also filled with events are various... - [Book Review: The Long Way Home by Louise Penny](https://somisguided.com/2014/09/07/book-review-the-long-way-home-by-louise-penny/): Louise Penny is one of those mystery writers whose works I can't put down. I would say her Inspector Gamache series is a Canadian version of the British... - [Best Books for an 18-Month-Old](https://somisguided.com/2014/08/16/best-books-for-an-18-month-old/): My brother and I were complaining recently about how hard it is to find some of the children's books we grew up with and consider classics. Is this what... - [Summer Reading Recommendations](https://somisguided.com/2014/08/02/summer-reading-recommendations/): Here are the last 3 books I devoured. The Light of Amsterdam by David Park A novel that often reads like interwoven short stories about misunderstandings and... - [Book Review: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion](https://somisguided.com/2014/07/02/book-review-the-rosie-project-by-graeme-simsion/): The Rosie Project is a grown-up version of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Our hero is Don Tillman, professor of genetics,and... - [Book Review: The Confabulist by Steven Galloway](https://somisguided.com/2014/06/05/book-review-the-confabulist-by-steven-galloway/): The Confabulist Steven Galloway's Houdini is as stageworthy as the man himself. And Martin Strauss, the man who killed Houdini, is his own elusive character.... - [Two Greats Gone: Gabriel Garcia Marquez & Alistair Macleod](https://somisguided.com/2014/04/21/two-greats-gone-gabriel-garcia-marquez-alistair-macleod/): I always cite 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez as my favourite book and Alistair Macleod as my favourite author. To have lost both authors in... - [Book Review: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple](https://somisguided.com/2014/03/22/book-review-whered-you-go-bernadette-by-maria-semple/): Absolutely hilarious. Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel You can tell from the writing style that Maria Semple writes for tv (Mad About You, Ellen, and... - [Book Review: All the Broken Things by Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer](https://somisguided.com/2014/02/22/book-review-all-the-broken-things-by-kathryn-kuitenbrouwer/): All the Broken Things is this month's Vancouver Sun Book Club read. Since the book club members get a say in what we read, I'm predisposed to like the books we... - [The Best Post-Baby Tips](https://somisguided.com/2014/02/14/the-best-post-baby-tips/): There is a lot of stuff nobody tells you about having babies. Newborns keep you on your toes. 8-11 HealthLinkBC: The nurses that answer the lines here are so... - [Happy Birthday Robert John Sherrett](https://somisguided.com/2014/02/05/happy-birthday-robert-john-sherrett/): Bob Sherrett was born today in 1923. He died July 1, 2012 and I miss him dearly. Bob joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on his 18th birthday, graduated as a... - [Rachael Ashe: Making By Hand](https://somisguided.com/2014/01/31/rachael-ashe-making-by-hand/): My friend Rachael Ashe presented at Creative Mornings a month ago on making things by hand and I found her presentation really inspiring. A few of the things... - [Book Review: Perfect by Rachel Joyce](https://somisguided.com/2014/01/17/book-review-perfect-by-rachel-joyce/): Well, Perfect by Rachel Joyce is a perfectly sad little book. Perhaps sad isn't the best word, morosely melancholic? Perfect opens in June 1972 with... - [My Reading List for 2014](https://somisguided.com/2014/01/04/my-reading-list-for-2014/): Mark Medley @itsmarkmedley has compiled the 25 most anticipated Canadian books of 2014 along with the best reads of 2013. Of course I want to read all of them,... - [Advent — The Chemistry of Cookies](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/23/advent-the-chemistry-of-cookies/): And then there's The Food Lab: The Science of the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies... - [3 Canadian Libraries Are Among the Best in the World](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/20/3-canadian-libraries-are-among-the-best-in-the-world/): A report published in this month's edition of Libri: International Journal of Libraries and Information Services ties Vancouver and Montreal for the top spot,... - [Advent — Leaving the Sea](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/19/advent-leaving-the-sea/): Leaving the Sea: Stories Love this cover. Reminds me of The Flame Alphabet, which is his previous book. I loved the writing but couldn't get into the story... - [Advent — Top 100 Books](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/19/advent-top-100-books/): Critics Lev Grossman and Richard Lacayo pick the 100 best English-language novels published since 1923‚ the beginning of TIME. And, I'd read whatever Lev... - [Advent — Bookshelf Porn](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/16/advent-bookshelf-porn/): Why are book lovers obsessed with bookshelves? Maybe because our imaginations are so vivid that we just like to look at books and spaces for reading those... - [Book Review: The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/15/book-review-the-signature-of-all-things-by-elizabeth-gilbert/): The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love was The Afterword Reading Society book club selection for Nov 26. I stupidly, and... - [Michael Tamblyn at FutureBook 2013 on 50 Infinite Shades of Grey](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/14/michael-tamblyn-at-futurebook-2013-on-50-infinite-shades-of-grey/): "Is it bestiality if he turns from a dolphin into a human while they're having sex?" October 14, 2013 Kobo COO Michael Tamblyn at FutureBook 2013, "Infinite... - [Advent — How to Read a Book](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/13/advent-how-to-read-a-book/): Francis Bacon once remarked "some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." Today's StumbleUpon advent find is... - [Advent — BookSeer](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/12/advent-bookseer/): BookSeer.com helps you find what to read next. - [Advent — Bookmobile](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/10/advent-bookmobile/): Chicago, 1940 My StumbleUpon advent calendar stumbled upon my cold that laid me up in bed for the last few days. Alors, here we go with an archive photo of a... - [Advent — Digital Classics](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/06/advent-digital-classics/): Today's advent discovery on StumbleUpon is more than 100 literary masterpieces bound in the finest electronic leather. Source:... - [Advent — Comic Books](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/05/advent-comic-books/): Mark Grambau's poster series celebrates the form, dynamism, and unique aesthetics of superheroes. Each characters is represented with their iconic color... - [Advent — Light Reading](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/04/advent-light-reading/): How Kindle's Paperwhite Technology Works The Kindle Paperwhite uses a unique lighting system to illuminate its electronic ink display. Rather than using a... - [Advent — A List of Books](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/03/advent-a-list-of-books/): Today's StumbleUpon Advent find is 13 "Top 100 Books" lists combined and condensed into one master list. That's 623 books in all! Source:... - [Advent — Paperwork](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/02/advent-paperwork/): Day 2 of my StumbleUpon advent calendar. This one is beautiful! ÁÖßÁâá 189 by Ginger Garden Source:... - [Advent — Night Light](https://somisguided.com/2013/12/01/advent-night-light/): The Christmas spirit has captured me this year so each day I'm going to play with StumbleUpon as a little digital advent calendar. Instead of a paper calendar... - [Come Barbarians by Todd Babiak](https://somisguided.com/2013/11/18/come-barbarians-by-todd-babiak/): Todd Babiak's latest novel about a Canadian family accidentally caught up with mobsters in the south of France needs to be read with the lights on and the... - [Happy Halloween](https://somisguided.com/2013/10/31/happy-halloween/): My little jailbird is out at a halloween party today. No problem getting the cuffs off. WANTED! For Milk Rustlin' Also wanted for stealing candy from monkeys. - [Happy Birthday Black Bond Books](https://somisguided.com/2013/10/30/happy-birthday-black-bond-books/): Third Generation Bookseller BLACK BOND BOOKS Celebrates 50 Years! (CNW Group/Black Bond Books) Oh hooray for Black Bond Books! Canada's largest independent... - [New Writing Prize Honours Michael Fellman](https://somisguided.com/2013/10/23/new-writing-prize-honours-michael-fellman/): Calling All Historians & Journalists! Do you know about the Michael Fellman Award? This $1000 award was co-established by the SFU History Department and The... - [Just Getting Started by Todd Babiak](https://somisguided.com/2013/10/14/just-getting-started-by-todd-babiak/): The Edmonton Public Library is celebrating 100 years and one of my favourite writers is the author of the Library's grand story. Just Getting Started: Edmonton... - [Page Two: Strategic Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2013/10/03/page-two-strategic-publishing/): Very excited for my friends Jesse Finkelstein and Trena White who have just launched their new publishing venture, Page Two. Page Two is a new form of agency... - [Book Review: Healthy Mum, Happy Baby](https://somisguided.com/2013/09/09/book-review-healthy-mum-happy-baby/): Hey, my friend Annemarie wrote a book that I can now fully appreciate it. Healthy Mum, Happy Baby is part anecdote and part cookbook for moms who are... - [Book Review: The Miracles of Ordinary Men & The Metamorphosis](https://somisguided.com/2013/08/09/book-review-the-miracles-of-ordinary-men-the-metamorphosis/): I don't normally review two books together but I do often have two books on the go. This time it was a fiction book and nonfiction book and I've never had such... - [Book Review: Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld](https://somisguided.com/2013/07/19/book-review-sisterland-by-curtis-sittenfeld/): Sisterland: A great novel about the ying-yang of twins with ESP and the choices 1 makes to try to hide it while the other embraces it. I was lucky enough to... - [Book Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman](https://somisguided.com/2013/07/04/book-review-the-ocean-at-the-end-of-the-lane-by-neil-gaiman/): The Ocean At The End Of The Lanel is Neil Gaiman's latest novel and it's a melancholic little book about growing up, childhood, dreams and disappointments.... - [Goose Lane Accepts Digital Submissions](https://somisguided.com/2013/06/26/goose-lane-accepts-digital-submissions/): The time has come! Publishers, in particular Goose Lane, are now accepting manuscript submissions electronically. http://gooselane.com/submissions.php I... - [Canadian Book Consumer Infographic](https://somisguided.com/2013/05/29/canadian-book-consumer-infographic/): Canadian Book Consumer 2012 - An infographic by the team at BookNet Canada Canadian book buying behaviour (2012 data) • 1 in 3 Canadians bought a book last... - [The Smell of Money—Bank of Canada Says No Maple Scent Added to $100 Bills](https://somisguided.com/2013/05/28/the-smell-of-moneybank-of-canada-says-no-maple-scent-added-to-100-bills/): Last January, I wrote about the new Bank of Canada polymer $100 bill smelling like maple. It's been fun to take part in the dispute and myth busting... - [Book Review: The World by Bill Gaston](https://somisguided.com/2013/05/01/book-review-the-world-by-bill-gaston/): The World by Bill Gaston is this month's Vancouver Sun Book Club read and I've been enjoying re-discovering Gaston. I was first introduced to his work when I... - [Long-Form Reading](https://somisguided.com/2013/04/17/long-form-reading/): This article isn't particularly long but, in the days of 140 character tweets and status updates, it exceeds the character count of my usual single-item... - [Book Review: The Emperor of Paris by CS Richardson](https://somisguided.com/2013/04/13/book-review-the-emperor-of-paris-by-cs-richardson/): A melancholic love story The Emperor of Paris by CS Richardson is a series of short, interconnected love stories set before and after World War I in Paris. The... - [The Book on Sign Painters](https://somisguided.com/2013/04/09/the-book-on-sign-painters/): Documentary: SIGN PAINTERS (OFFICIAL TRAILER) Book: Sign Painters by Faythe Levine and Sam Macon In 2010 filmmakers Faythe Levine, coauthor of Handmade Nation,... - [Celebrate National Poetry Month](https://somisguided.com/2013/04/08/celebrate-national-poetry-month/): April is national poetry month and I thought that I'd celebrate by re-reading some of the poetry collections on my shelves. Excerpt: "at night cooley listens"... - [Book Review: The Map and the Territory by Michel Houellebecq](https://somisguided.com/2013/03/30/book-review-the-map-and-the-territory-by-michel-houellebecq/): Michel Houellebecq's The Map and the Territory is one of those books that makes the mind tingle. The novel's caustic sense of humour and irony had me eagerly... - [Amazon Buys Goodreads](https://somisguided.com/2013/03/29/amazon-buys-goodreads/): In publishing news yesterday, Amazon bought Goodreads. The big question in the minds of users and publishing industry folks is "what will they do with it?" In... - [What John Green Can Teach Authors and Publishers](https://somisguided.com/2013/03/23/what-john-green-can-teach-authors-and-publishers/): Stick with me on this one. A hilarious text exchange yesterday morning led me to these thoughts: John Green is hilarious. I didn't know that. One of my Pub355... - [What You Need to Buy for a Newborn: A Checklist](https://somisguided.com/2013/03/18/what-you-need-to-buy-for-a-newborn-a-checklist/): Everybody (even those without children) will offer pregnant moms unsolicited advice. It's charming and annoying at the same time.... - [Belated Read Aloud Day](https://somisguided.com/2013/03/09/belated-read-aloud-day/): March 6 was World Read Aloud Day and many organizations celebrated by giving away books. Global Mechanic's A Sweet Story iPad app is one of those freebies.... - [Canopy Reprints Two Canadian Bestsellers on New Straw Paper](https://somisguided.com/2013/03/08/canopy-reprints-two-canadian-bestsellers-on-new-straw-paper/): A limited number of signed collectors' editions of Alice Munro's Dear Life and Yann Martel's Life of Pi have been printed on straw paper and are being sold for... - [Newfoundland Author Chad Pelley Wins Inaugural Salon Fiction Prize](https://somisguided.com/2013/02/23/newfoundland-author-chad-pelley-wins-inaugural-salon-fiction-prize/): Congratulations to author Chad Pelley, winner of the inaugural Salon Fiction Prize. Saint John, N.B., February 21, 2013. The Telegraph-Journal, New Brunswick's... - [Infographic: How Interactive EBooks Are Made](https://somisguided.com/2013/01/14/infographic-how-interactive-ebooks-are-made/): Aptara‚ a well-known company in publishing circles that specializes in content production for ebooks and apps‚ has posted an infographic on how interactive... - [Book Review: Seen Reading by Julie Wilson](https://somisguided.com/2013/01/01/book-review-seen-reading-by-julie-wilson/): My last read of 2012 and it was written by friend and colleague Julie Wilson. A lovely end to a year of fine reading. Source: jhgordonbooks.com Also on the... - [Craig Mod on Designing eBooks](https://somisguided.com/2012/12/26/craig-mod-on-designing-ebooks/): Craig Mod is one of the book+tech people who I follow because he thinks a lot about the future of books and storytelling and how digital reading is different... - [Live Chat with Annabel Lyon, author of The Sweet Girl](https://somisguided.com/2012/12/14/live-chat-with-annabel-lyon-author-of-the-sweet-girl/): I joined author Annabel Lyon in a live chat today as part of the Vancouver Sun Book Club. Annabel Lyon is the author of The Golden Mean and The Sweet Girl.... - [The Shoebox Project](https://somisguided.com/2012/11/26/the-shoebox-project/): Do you know about the Canadian not-for-profit organization called The Shoebox Project? I'm going to participate this year. The idea is that you fill a shoebox... - [BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction Announced](https://somisguided.com/2012/11/06/bc-national-award-for-canadian-non-fiction-announced/): The longlist for the BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction has been announced. One hundred and forty-three books were nominated for the 2013 prize of... - [Penguin and Random House Merge](https://somisguided.com/2012/10/30/penguin-and-random-house-merge/): Media outlets are reporting that two of the big six publishers have merged. It's interesting to see the coverage, in particular the Canadian opinions of the... - [Mini TOC Vancouver: Corey Pressman](https://somisguided.com/2012/10/20/mini-toc-vancouver-corey-pressman/): Today is the first O'Reilly Mini Tools of Change Conference in Canada. Here's the schedule. First up was Corey Pressman of Exprima Media, which produces cool... - [Mini TOC Vancouver Oct 19-20, 2012](https://somisguided.com/2012/10/10/mini-toc-vancouver-oct-19-20-2012/): October 19 & 20 Centre for Digital Media, 685 Great Northern Way $150 for Both Days (Workshop + Conference) or $75 for Single Day What's Mini TOC? Come out to... - [Louise Penny’s New Novel Out!](https://somisguided.com/2012/08/31/louise-pennys-new-novel-out/): If you're looking for that blockbuster summer read, it's here! The latest in the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny arrived in stores on August 28. The... - [Book Review: Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy Delisle](https://somisguided.com/2012/08/19/book-review-jerusalem-chronicles-from-the-holy-city-by-guy-delisle/): Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City by Guy Delisle One of the magical things about a Guy Delisle book is the fly-on-the-wall perspective of countries that... - [Book Review: The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty](https://somisguided.com/2012/08/01/book-review-the-chaperone-by-laura-moriarty/): The Chaperon by Laura Moriarty reminded me a little bit of The Paris Wife. The book opens in 1922 during a summer in Wichita when not much is happening for Ms... - [Come to Word on the Street — Sunday, Sept 30](https://somisguided.com/2012/07/18/come-to-word-on-the-street-sunday-sept-30/): Word on the Street is coming to select cities across Canada on Sunday, September 30. WOTS is a festival of writing and reading, which is free to the public. If... - [Book Review: Canada by Richard Ford](https://somisguided.com/2012/07/17/book-review-canada-by-richard-ford/): Richard Ford is a writer who I've admired for decades. And, who wouldn't be an admirer of this cliffhanger of an opener? "First, I'll tell you about the... - [Salon Fiction Prize: New Canadian Short Fiction Prize](https://somisguided.com/2012/07/16/salon-fiction-prize-new-canadian-short-fiction-prize/): Attention writers: The Telegraph-Journal, New Brunswick's provincial daily newspaper ( http://www.telegraphjournal.com ) recently launched a new short fiction... - [Book Review: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale](https://somisguided.com/2012/07/16/book-review-book-of-a-thousand-days-by-shannon-hale/): Book Of A Thousand Days by Shannon Hale was recommended to me by my friend Rachael. I was keen to read it because when I worked at Raincoast we had distributed... - [The Honeymoon: Barcelona](https://somisguided.com/2012/07/15/the-honeymoon-barcelona/): Barcelona was my favourite city on our trip. Not only did we have an amazing penthouse apartment while we were there, but we were also in the heart of... - [The Honeymoon: Argeliers to Barcelona](https://somisguided.com/2012/07/06/the-honeymoon-argeliers-to-barcelona/): This post is a bit out of order because I haven't told you yet about our amazing bike trip along the Canal du Midi with Darren and Julie. But I'm longingly... - [The Honeymoon: Chateauneuf de pape](https://somisguided.com/2012/06/30/the-honeymoon-chateauneuf-de-pape/): May 14 & 15 We found a great inn near Orange called Bastide des Princes that is run by a master chef and his wife. We'd hoped to stay two nights but they only... - [Book Review: The Red House by Mark Haddon](https://somisguided.com/2012/06/28/book-review-the-red-house-by-mark-haddon/): The Red House is the latest novel by Mark Haddon, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and A Spot of Bother. The novels are getting more... - [The Honeymoon: Provence](https://somisguided.com/2012/06/24/the-honeymoon-provence/): Grasse, France On Saturday, May 12th James and I flew from Amsterdam to Nice. Our plan was to have lunch in Nice and wander around then drive to Grasse, where... - [The Honeymoon Interlude: Amsterdam](https://somisguided.com/2012/06/16/the-honeymoon-interlude-amsterdam/): Wednesday, May 9 James and I boarded the train in Paris. The Mobilism conference was on in Amsterdam and we were going. Technically James was going and I was... - [Book Review: Gold by Chris Cleave](https://somisguided.com/2012/06/05/book-review-gold-by-chris-cleave/): Two years ago I read and loved Chris Cleave's novel Little Bee. I loved it, thought it was brilliant and was definitely looking forward to Gold, which did not... - [The Honeymoon: Paris](https://somisguided.com/2012/05/10/the-honeymoon-paris/): Louvre at sunset James and I are on the great honeymoon that happens in multiple parts: Paris Amsterdam Nice / Grasse / Chateauneuf du pape Argelliers... - [Book Review: Mad Women by Jane Maas](https://somisguided.com/2012/04/28/book-review-mad-women-by-jane-maas/): I absolutely loved this book. Every woman (and man) who loves Mad Men should read Mad Women by Jane Maas, which is about what it was actually like to be in... - [Book Review: Among Others by Jo Walton](https://somisguided.com/2012/04/10/book-review-among-others-by-jo-walton/): Among Others by Jo Walton is a novel that got a lot of attention online and positive reviews. So much so that I thought I'd missed out and secured myself a... - [Book Review: The Book of Lost Fragrances by MJ Rose](https://somisguided.com/2012/04/04/book-review-the-book-of-lost-fragrances-by-mj-rose/): The Book of Lost Fragrances: A Novel of Suspense peaked my interest because one of the main characters is a niche perfumer. Plus part of the promotional... - [Book Review: The Measure of a Man by JJ Lee](https://somisguided.com/2012/03/21/book-review-the-measure-of-a-man-by-jj-lee/): I recently read The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit as part of the Vancouver Sun Book Club and was deeply impressed with JJ Lee's... - [Today Is Macaron Day](https://somisguided.com/2012/03/20/today-is-macaron-day/): Macaron Day (Jour du Macaron) is celebrated on March 20 and I will be nibbling on macarons from French Made. Macaron Day celebrates my favourite dessert. The... - [Book Review: The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt](https://somisguided.com/2012/02/25/book-review-the-sisters-brothers-by-patrick-dewitt/): Open any page of Patrick deWitt's The Sisters Brothers and you're in for a treat. The novel vacillates between poignant then hilarious moments in a way that... - [Celebrate Freedom to Read Week February 26-March 3](https://somisguided.com/2012/02/24/celebrate-freedom-to-read-week-february-26-march-3/): On February 22, the Writers' Union of Canada presented Canadian author Lawrence Hill with the 2012 Freedom to Read Award. Even in Canada, a "free country" by... - [25 Books Will Have Been Sold or Circulated in Canada By the time You Read This Sentence](https://somisguided.com/2012/02/17/25-books-will-have-been-sold-or-circulated-in-canada-by-the-time-you-read-this-sentence/): Canadian book sales and circulation numbers are in and the National Book Count findings provide an interesting look at Canadians' interest in reading. The big... - [Lev Grossman Makes Me Dream in Magic.](https://somisguided.com/2012/02/06/lev-grossman-makes-me-dream-in-magic/): The Magician King by Lev Grossman is hilarious. Following The Magicians, The Magician King picks up where it left off. The Fillorian Kings & Queens, Eliot,... - [Book Review: The Visible Man by Chuck Klosterman](https://somisguided.com/2012/02/05/book-review-the-visible-man-by-chuck-klosterman/): Chuck Klosterman has quite the reputation in my house. His novel Downtown Owl fast became a favourite and Eating the Dinosaur is one of the few books that I... - [Gooselane Editions Special Promotion Week](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/30/gooselane-editions-special-promotion-week/): Gooselane is running a special promotion this week. Each day they are offering one book at a discounted price. Today's pick is Roadsworth featuring 450... - [Gooselane Editions Special Promotion Week](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/30/gooselane-editions-special-promotion-week-2/): Gooselane is running a special promotion this week. Each day they are offering one book at a discounted price. Today's pick is Roadsworth featuring 450... - [The Smell of Money—Canada’s New $100 Bill Smells Like Maple](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/28/the-smell-of-moneycanadas-new-100-bill-smells-like-maple/): The smell of money has a whole new meaning with Canada's new $100 bill. The enhanced security features include the smell of maple. The frosted maple leaf... - [Penguin Canada Launches Razorbill.ca](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/23/penguin-canada-launches-razorbill-ca/): Penguin Canada has launched Razorbill.ca which is actually a Ning site. I was curious about Ning in its early days and belonged to a couple of networks there... - [An Apple for the Teacher: Apple’s big announcement](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/20/an-apple-for-the-teacher-apples-big-announcement/): Instead of an apple for the teacher, it's time for an Apple. Or more specifically, an Apple iPad. On Thursday, Jan 19, 2012, Apple unveiled its plans to remake... - [Book Review: Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/14/book-review-half-blood-blues-by-esi-edugyan/): Winner of the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan begins in Paris 1940 with Sid and Hieronymus restless after a late night of... - [Type Books Animated Stop-Motion Video](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/10/type-books-animated-stop-motion-video/): I spent a couple of evenings reorganizing our bookshelves at home to be colour coordinated and organized by genre. Apparently so did crazedadman (read that one... - [Book Review: The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/08/book-review-the-bird-sisters-by-rebecca-rasmussen/): The Bird Sisters made me incredibly sad. The book is great. My 1-line review would be "delicate and sturdy." The basic plot line follows two sisters, Milly and... - [Book Review: Three-Day Road by Joseph Boyden](https://somisguided.com/2012/01/02/book-review-three-day-road-by-joseph-boyden/): Wow. This is another book that I waited on too long to read. Joseph Boyden deserves all the praise this book received. Three Day Road is about two Cree boys... - [2011 – A Year in Review](https://somisguided.com/2011/12/27/2011-a-year-in-review/): January Jimmy and Linda come to Vancouver. We visit the aquarium and have a grand time all around. (No photos available but fun was had by all.) Retreat to... - [Book Review: Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb](https://somisguided.com/2011/12/23/book-review-sweetness-in-the-belly-by-camilla-gibb/): Although the paperback was published in 2005, Sweetness in the Belly never made it to my reading list until last week. Camilla Gibb has written a brilliant... - [Book Review: A Man of Parts by David Lodge](https://somisguided.com/2011/12/11/book-review-a-man-of-parts-by-david-lodge/): One of my favourite books ever is The British Museum is Falling Down by David Lodge. It is one of the few books that I have read and re-read without eventually... - [December 3 “First Saturday” Open Studio & Sale](https://somisguided.com/2011/11/30/december-3-first-saturday-open-studio-sale/): Vancouverites looking for unique and hand-crafted gifts (along with some cheap and cheerful gifts) should join me, Rachael Ashe and Heike Kapp at the First... - [The Cat Came Back … Restricted Cougar Returns](https://somisguided.com/2011/11/22/the-cat-came-back-restricted-cougar-returns/): What do you think of when I say "Restricted Cougar"? Was your first thought of the restricted cougar icon formerly used as a symbol of movie and entertainment... - [Book Review: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atword](https://somisguided.com/2011/11/07/book-review-the-penelopiad-by-margaret-atword/): The Vancouver Artsclub is playing Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad until November 20 at the Stanley theatre and I just happen to have finished reading the... - [Reading Is Sexy 2012 Calendar](https://somisguided.com/2011/10/31/reading-is-sexy-2012-calendar/): You might remember the 2010 Reading is Sexy calendar. I was Miss January. The fine folks at TravelingStories.org have sent me the 2012 calendar that is helping... - [Book Review: The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay](https://somisguided.com/2011/10/30/book-review-the-virgin-cure-by-ami-mckay/): Ami McKay's second novel is sure to be a bestseller just like the first. Quote: I am Moth, a girl from the lowest part of Chrystie Street, born to a slum-house... - [Book Review: Terroryaki! by Jennifer K. Chung](https://somisguided.com/2011/10/30/book-review-terroryaki-by-jennifer-k-chung/): Terroryaki! by Jennifer K. Chung is the perfect book for Halloween, or any time that you want a spooky food truck on your radar. Quote: It's three months to... - [West Side Story at the Vancouver Opera](https://somisguided.com/2011/10/26/west-side-story-at-the-vancouver-opera/): Now that James and I are newly married, we have quite a social calendar. Last evening we had the pleasure of attending the Vancouver Opera's full-on... - [Book Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern](https://somisguided.com/2011/10/24/book-review-the-night-circus-by-erin-morgenstern/): The Night Circus is as magical as it sounds. Quote: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and... - [Book Review: The Paris Wife by Paula McLain](https://somisguided.com/2011/10/23/book-review-the-paris-wife-by-paula-mclain/): The Paris Wife is a fictionalized account of the marriage between Hadley Richardson and Ernest Hemingway. It was a rocky marriage that lasted only 7 years, but... - [Listen to A Trick of Light by Louise Penny](https://somisguided.com/2011/10/13/listen-to-a-trick-of-light-by-louise-penny/): I mentioned earlier how much I enjoyed reading Louise Penny's latest Inspector Gamache mystery. This Canadian author is certainly making the rounds on... - [Book Review: The Cat’s Table by Michael Ondaatje](https://somisguided.com/2011/10/02/book-review-the-cats-table-by-michael-ondaatje/): The English Patient was one of my favourite novels by Ondaatje. It helped that I studied it in English Lit because the movie adaption is really only one part... - [Happy Birthday Raul @hummingbird604](https://somisguided.com/2011/09/19/happy-birthday-raul-hummingbird604/): Happy birthday to my friend Raul Pacheco-Vega. Raul is one of those friends who writes lovely blog posts about his friends on their birthdays and today I want... - [Book Review: A Trick of Light by Louise Penny](https://somisguided.com/2011/09/17/book-review-a-trick-of-light-by-louise-penny/): I recommend all sorts of books to my mom. Most she likes and some that I think she'll really like, she ends up hating. I was a bit worried recommending A Trick... - [Book Review: The Rebel Sell by Joseph Heath and Andrew Potter](https://somisguided.com/2011/09/12/book-review-the-rebel-sell-by-joseph-heath-and-andrew-potter/): The Rebel Sell: Why The Culture Can't Be Jammed takes aim at Michael Moore, Adbusters magazine, Naomi Klein, the women's movement,... - [Book Review: The Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby](https://somisguided.com/2011/09/11/book-review-the-woefield-poultry-collective-by-susan-juby/): The Woefield Poultry Collective was highly recommended to me by a bookseller at the now defunct Ardea Books. The thing I miss most about having a local... - [Book Review: Vaclav & Lena by Haley Tanner](https://somisguided.com/2011/08/14/book-review-vaclav-lena-by-haley-tanner/): Vaclav & Lena is the love story of two Russian immigrant children who meet at a young age and are separated by events that involve Child & Family Services.... - [Book Review: The Tiger by John Valliant](https://somisguided.com/2011/08/12/book-review-the-tiger-by-john-valliant/): There is no dispute that John Valliant is an excellent writer, and The Tiger is just another example. This nonfiction story is about a man-eating tiger on the... - [Book Review: There Is No Dog by Meg Rosoff](https://somisguided.com/2011/08/10/book-review-there-is-no-dog-by-meg-rosoff/): If God was a petulant 18-year-old then his name would be Bob and he would have won rule over Earth in a botched job application process. Bob would have been... - [My Favourite Canadian Reads](https://somisguided.com/2011/08/07/my-favourite-canadian-reads/): Looking at my shelves this evening, I discovered that I have a number of Canadian favourites. If you're looking for a great summer read, these are all books... - [Thematic Convergence on the Shape of Stories](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/29/thematic-convergence-on-the-shape-of-stories/): Over the last couple of days I have been pondering stories and storytelling. What makes a great story? What makes a great storyteller? As these thoughts have... - [The Meowmorphosis by Franz Kafka & Coleridge Cook](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/17/the-meowmorphosis-by-franz-kafka-coleridge-cook/): Following on the heels of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, and other Quirk Classics, comes The Meowmorphosis. In Franz... - [Vancouver 125 Poetry Conference](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/15/vancouver-125-poetry-conference/): Wow! Vancouver is holding a major Canadian poetry conference in October as part of the Vancouver 125 celebrations. The Vancouver 125 Poetry Conference is a... - [Chronicling My Journey with Harry Potter](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/14/chronicling-my-journey-with-harry-potter/): July 1998 "Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people... - [Creative Bar Codes](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/11/creative-bar-codes/): Thanks for Mashable, I'm coveting my own bar code. Here are some of my favourites: Source: Mashable: Creative Bar Codes See more at: vanitybarcodes.com - [Book Review: The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/11/book-review-the-penderwicks-by-jeanne-birdsall/): The Penderwicks is Jeanne Birdsall's first book and I'm quite pleased that she's since written a series about the four Penderwick sisters. Rosalind, 12, is the... - [Harry Potter Perfumes](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/09/harry-potter-perfumes/): Good morning Harry Potter fans! It is less than a week to the opening of the final Harry Potter film. As the publicity wagon picks up speed, you'll notice more... - [Canadian History Books](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/04/canadian-history-books/): After a lovely Canada Day, I thought I'd share this BookNet Canada list of bestselling Canadian History books. Amazon.ca Widgets Hurricane Igor by The Telegram... - [Book Review: Irma Voth by Miriam Toews](https://somisguided.com/2011/07/02/book-review-irma-voth-by-miriam-toews/): Lots of good writing exists in Canada, but there are a couple of authors who stand out for me and Miriam Toews is one of them. Maybe I recognize the Prairie... - [Anna Marie Sewell Named as Edmonton’s Poet Laureate](https://somisguided.com/2011/06/30/anna-marie-sewell-named-as-edmontons-poet-laureate/): Anna Marie Sewell can add Poet Laureate to her impressive list of artistic accomplishments. The writer of poetry, theatre, stories and songs becomes the City... - [Book Review: The Water Man’s Daughter by Emma Ruby-Sac](https://somisguided.com/2011/06/03/book-review-the-water-mans-daughter-by-emma-ruby-sac/): Congratulations to Emma Ruby-Sach on her debut novel, The Water Man's Daughter. I really enjoyed this mystery. I never think that I am a mystery reader, but... - [Book Review: The Water Man’s Daughter by Emma Ruby-Sac](https://somisguided.com/2011/06/03/book-review-the-water-mans-daughter-by-emma-ruby-sac-2/): Congratulations to Emma Ruby-Sach on her debut novel, The Water Man's Daughter. I really enjoyed this mystery. I never think that I am a mystery reader, but... - [Book Review: Notwithstanding by Louis de Bernieres](https://somisguided.com/2011/05/25/book-review-notwithstanding-by-louis-de-bernieres/): This book is as charming as its cover! De Bernieres' collection of short stories showcases the eccentrics of a fictional English village named Notwithstanding.... - [New Trend? Picture Books for Adults](https://somisguided.com/2011/05/19/new-trend-picture-books-for-adults/): Here are a couple of books are on my radar that are clearly NOT for kids. All My Friends Are Dead Published by Chronicle Books, this is the funniest sad book... - [Video of Time Saving Tips](https://somisguided.com/2011/05/19/video-of-time-saving-tips/): Some of these are priceless. - [Book Stuff in the News](https://somisguided.com/2011/05/19/book-stuff-in-the-news/): ShelvAR The perfect app for frustrated librarians dealing with mis-shelved books. This augmented reality app for Android devices makes rearranging a joyful... - [Book Review: Idaho Winter by Tony Burgess](https://somisguided.com/2011/05/16/book-review-idaho-winter-by-tony-burgess/): Idaho Winter is one of those books that is going to mess with your mind. The cover makes it seem like it's a reprint of a book published in the 40s or 50s. The... - [Book Review: I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby](https://somisguided.com/2011/04/25/book-review-i-am-hutterite-by-mary-ann-kirkby/): Mary-Ann Kirkby is a fantastic writer. Her first book is I Am Hutterite, which chronicles her childhood experience living on a Hutterite colony and her... - [Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Launches the RPG Series](https://somisguided.com/2011/04/22/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-launches-the-rpg-series/): Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, creators of "magickal, pagan and mythological" scents, have released the RPG Series , perfumes inspired by Dungeons and Dragons. The... - [Chromaroma: The London Tube-Travel Game](https://somisguided.com/2011/04/20/chromaroma-the-london-tube-travel-game/): Chromaroma is game that turns London tube travel into a system of rewards and points for its players. Players sign up with Chromaroma and then provide their... - [Book Review: The Solitude of Thomas Cave by Georgina Harding](https://somisguided.com/2011/04/07/book-review-the-solitude-of-thomas-cave-by-georgina-harding/): While recovering from my head cold on the weekend, I was looking for an escape novel. Something fun to read. I wasn't convinced that this book was going to be... - [Book Review: The Final Solution by Michael Chabon](https://somisguided.com/2011/04/04/book-review-the-final-solution-by-michael-chabon/): I know Michael Chabon's work only because of his Pulitzer-winning The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, but I recently borrowed a copy of The Final... - [Eau de Vancouver?](https://somisguided.com/2011/03/30/eau-de-vancouver/): The Scent of Departure is a perfume collection that captures the scent of a city in a bottle. They are sold at airport retail shops for the traveller who wants... - [Book Review: The Tiny Wife by Andrew Kaufman](https://somisguided.com/2011/03/30/book-review-the-tiny-wife-by-andrew-kaufman/): Have you heard of Madras Press? They are the publisher of Andrew Kaufman's story The Tiny Wife but, most important, they publish small square books and donate... - [Book Review: The Long Song by Andrea Levy](https://somisguided.com/2011/03/20/book-review-the-long-song-by-andrea-levy/): Andrea Levy's 4th novel, Small Island, which won her the Orange Prize, was one of my favourite books of all time. In that novel, the Jamaican heroine finds... - [Location-based Stories from Storytude.com](https://somisguided.com/2011/03/14/location-based-stories-from-storytude-com/): Storytude is a website and app for Android and iPhone that lets you find stories based on your location. The fictional stories based on read-world locations... - [Book Review: Night Train to Lisbon](https://somisguided.com/2011/03/11/book-review-night-train-to-lisbon/): Pascal Mercier's Night Train to Lisbon has sat on my bookshelf since January 2008. Then I almost gave up on it after 100 pages. Raimund Gregorius teaches... - [Technology Disruption and the Tale of the Despair](https://somisguided.com/2011/03/03/technology-disruption-and-the-tale-of-the-despair/): I tweeted about Matthew Ingram's post Book Publishers Need to Wake Up and Smell the Disruption and received replies from my publishing friends that were inline... - [Why Pizza and Books Go Together](https://somisguided.com/2011/03/02/why-pizza-and-books-go-together/): Publishers are looking at new models for selling their wares, and in the case of Spanish publisher ES Ediciones, pizza pairings is the choice. La Pizzateca,... - [Book Review: The Imperfectionists — a novel by Tom Rachman](https://somisguided.com/2011/02/20/book-review-the-imperfectionists-a-novel-by-tom-rachman/): Longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, a New York Times bestseller, The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman was certainly on my radar as a book that I missed... - [Hint Fiction, Selected Aphorisms and Love](https://somisguided.com/2011/02/14/hint-fiction-selected-aphorisms-and-love/): Happy Valentine's Day. For some this is a day of love poetry and candied hearts, for others it is a day of willfully ignoring the former. Regardless of your... - [Book Review: The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins](https://somisguided.com/2011/02/13/book-review-the-hunger-games-series-by-suzanne-collins/): The Hunger Games trilogy is LOST meets Man Tracker meets Big Brother. In this post-apocalyptic world, North America is now Panem, a nation with a Capitol... - [Vancouver Sun Book Club Reads The Sentimentalists by Johanna Skibsrud](https://somisguided.com/2011/02/12/vancouver-sun-book-club-reads-the-sentimentalists-by-johanna-skibsrud/): My review of The Sentimentalists is going to be one of those long, slow, percolating posts as I'm actually reading/reviewing the book as part of The Vancouver... - [Wishlist: Red Flower](https://somisguided.com/2011/01/22/wishlist-red-flower/): Throughout the year I always spot things that I love and intend to buy. But when I don't record what they are, I forget. I suppose that's a good anti-consumer... - [Book Review: The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger](https://somisguided.com/2011/01/18/book-review-the-mistress-of-nothing-by-kate-pullinger/): The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger (published by McArthur & Company) is a historical fiction / literary non-fiction. Sally Naldrett is our stalwart... - [The National Book Count: January 10-16](https://somisguided.com/2011/01/12/the-national-book-count-january-10-16/): The National Book Count is running from January 10-16. Ugh, I'm a day behind. Here's the Press Release: Vancouver, January 10, 2011 Canadians like to think we... - [Q&A with Robert J. Wiersema](https://somisguided.com/2011/01/12/qa-with-robert-j-wiersema/): One of the last books of 2010 that I read was Robert J. Wiersema's novel Bedtime Story, and I loved it. So much so that I wrote to Robert J. Wiersema (and yes,... - [My Blackberry Is Not Working](https://somisguided.com/2010/12/31/my-blackberry-is-not-working/): Some Friday humour. Happy New Year's Eve. - [Book Review: The Shallows by Nicholas Carr](https://somisguided.com/2010/12/27/book-review-the-shallows-by-nicholas-carr/): The Shallows is one of those books that has struck a chord (or dis-chord) with web enthusiasts. In my opinion, Carr is right about a lot of things but his... - [Best Reads of 2010](https://somisguided.com/2010/12/27/best-reads-of-2010/): BEST IN SHOW Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman http://www.somisguided.com/weblog/comments/book-review-eating-the-dinosaur-by-chuck-klosterman/ My number... - [Book Review: Bedtime Story by Robert J. Wiersema](https://somisguided.com/2010/12/26/book-review-bedtime-story-by-robert-j-wiersema/): I should always review a book right after I finish it. In the case of Robert J. Wiersema's Bedtime Story, I wrapped it up in late November on a late, late... - [Book Review: The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark](https://somisguided.com/2010/12/20/book-review-the-shadow-of-your-smile-by-mary-higgins-clark/): I've never read a Mary Higgins Clark book, and according to the jacket copy she's the author of 29 suspense novels, 3 collections of short stories, a... - [I](https://somisguided.com/2010/12/16/i/): CBC is important to me. Please sign the petition to keep it around. - [Book Review: Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie](https://somisguided.com/2010/12/07/book-review-luka-and-the-fire-of-life-by-salman-rushdie/): When Salman Rushdie published Haroun and the Sea of Stories, I wondered what it would be like to have Salman Rushdie as my father. And I wondered again with... - [Book Review: Her Fearful Symmetry](https://somisguided.com/2010/11/23/book-review-her-fearful-symmetry/): Fans of The Time Traveler's Wife will not be disappointed by Audrey Niffenegger's latest novel Her Fearful Symmetry. Julia and Valentine Poole are 20-year-old... - [The Birthday Week](https://somisguided.com/2010/11/22/the-birthday-week/): I always enjoy celebrating my birthday, and I especially appreciate that James facilitates the birthday-ing beyond the single day. This year, I've had a really... - [Book Review: The Retreat by David Bergen](https://somisguided.com/2010/11/22/book-review-the-retreat-by-david-bergen/): One of the best books I read this year is The Retreat by David Bergen. Bergen hails from Winnipeg and The Retreat is set close to there in an area that I know... - [Eastside Culture Crawl: Rachael Ashe](https://somisguided.com/2010/11/15/eastside-culture-crawl-rachael-ashe/): My artist friend Rachael Ashe (who does the awesome altered books) is participating in Vancouver's Eastside Culture Crawl from Friday, November 26 to Sunday,... - [Book Review: Two Generals by Scott Chantler](https://somisguided.com/2010/11/07/book-review-two-generals-by-scott-chantler/): Scott Chantler is an acclaimed graphic novelist who lives in Waterloo. And he draws in a style that I totally love for graphic novels. Apparently I'm not the... - [Book Review: How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu](https://somisguided.com/2010/11/03/book-review-how-to-live-safely-in-a-science-fictional-universe-by-charles-yu/): Certainly a weirdly good read. Charles Yu first came to my attention with Thrid Class Superhero, his collection of short stories. Now, he's on the radar with... - [Book Review: The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart](https://somisguided.com/2010/10/10/book-review-the-tower-the-zoo-and-the-tortoise-by-julia-stuart/): The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart is a strange but lovely book about what happens at the Tower of London after the tourists go home. I did... - [Tap Talk at the VPL](https://somisguided.com/2010/10/06/tap-talk-at-the-vpl/): Meet the New Tap Dance Collection at the VPL! A program open to all ages Thursday October 147:00 pm-9:00 pm Free... - [Xoxolat: Junk-free Chocolate in Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2010/10/04/xoxolat-junk-free-chocolate-in-vancouver/): Xoxolat (sho-sho-la) is open at 2391 Burrard Street (at 8th Ave) in Vancouver and I went in to check it out. Hodie is the owner and gave me a run-down of the... - [Sitka Books & Art in Kitsilano, Vancouver, BC](https://somisguided.com/2010/10/02/sitka-books-art-in-kitsilano-vancouver-bc/): Super thrilled to have an independent bookstore in Kits. Sitka Books & Art 2025 West 4th Ave. Vancouver, BC, V6J 1N3 Tel: 604-734-2025 Fax: 604-734-2056 Email:... - [Book Review: Measure of Paris by Stephen Scobie](https://somisguided.com/2010/09/25/book-review-measure-of-paris-by-stephen-scobie/): Measure of Paris by Stephen Scobie (published by the University of Alberta Press) is a travelogue, memoir, literary criticism and poetic look at Paris. Quote:... - [Take a Deep Breath: Why Stress Can Be Blown Away](https://somisguided.com/2010/09/25/take-a-deep-breath-why-stress-can-be-blown-away/): Take a deep breath. Just breathe. Keep breathing. WHO defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence... - [Old Technology That I Explain to My University Class](https://somisguided.com/2010/09/20/old-technology-that-i-explain-to-my-university-class/): I'm teaching Pub355: Online Marketing for Publishers at Simon Fraser University. On Friday, I explained how university students in 1997 would have accessed... - [What Book Publishers Can Learn from the Film Industry](https://somisguided.com/2010/09/20/what-book-publishers-can-learn-from-the-film-industry/): Good article in the Globe and Mail this weekend about the film business, the long tail and how digital changes everything. Have a read and remember Chris... - [Final Performance: Dead Man’s Cell Phone at Vancouver Fringe](https://somisguided.com/2010/09/18/final-performance-dead-mans-cell-phone-at-vancouver-fringe/): Sunday is your last chance to see Sarah Ruhl's oddball comedy that confronts two of life's inevitabilities: death and cellphones. Dead Man's Cell Phone Sunday... - [Rachael Ashe: Book Art](https://somisguided.com/2010/09/13/rachael-ashe-book-art/): My arty friend Rachael Ashe has her altered book art at a couple of awesome shows this fall. (e)motive: Artist's Books An exhibition of over 100 national and... - [Book Review: The Book of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks by Bethany Keeley](https://somisguided.com/2010/09/03/book-review-the-book-of-unnecessary-quotation-marks-by-bethany-keeley/): James and I often rant about unnecessary quotation marks. "Who is being quoted," is our common refrain. Bethany Keeley took her curiosity about this phenomenon... - [Book Review: The Group by Mary McCarthy](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/29/book-review-the-group-by-mary-mccarthy/): Mary McCarthy's most celebrated novel follows the lives of eight Vassar graduates (Class of '33), known simply to their classmates as "the group." The tangled... - [Inspirational Quotes](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/26/inspirational-quotes/): It's been a trying week but I have enjoyed the following: “Adversity is just change that we haven’t adapted ourselves to yet.”... - [Ork Posters Are Awesome](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/23/ork-posters-are-awesome/): Thank you Dan and Ingrid for introducing me to Ork Posters. Love it. - [The Forgotten Knowledge Project by Rachael Ashe](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/23/the-forgotten-knowledge-project-by-rachael-ashe/): One of the great things about having creative friends is pimping their stuff. Rachael Ashe is a photographer, mixed-media collage, and altered book artist. She... - [Book Review: Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/11/book-review-ordinary-thunderstorms-by-william-boyd/): Ordinary Thunderstorms is a well written book with a horrible, morally short premise. I did not like this book, but I'd still recommend it. How's that for... - [Wizarding World of Harry Potter](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/11/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter/): Watch the YouTube video of the Forbidden Journey ride. It's really dark so I'm not sure if it will make sense to those of your who haven't been on the ride.... - [SFU Digital Strategies: Peter Armstrong on Lean Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/09/sfu-digital-strategies-peter-armstrong-on-lean-publishing/): SFU Summer Publishing Workshop on Digital Strategies featured Peter Armstrong talking about how a book is like a start-up and why a lean publishing model is... - [SFU Digital Strategies: Jenna Newman on Google and the Future of Books](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/08/sfu-digital-strategies-jenna-newman-on-google-and-the-future-of-books/): Jenna shares her knowledge of Google and the Future of Books at the SFU Digital Strategies, Digital Publishing workshop. Now, explaining the mysteries of... - [SFU Digital Strategy: Christoph Kapp](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/07/sfu-digital-strategy-christoph-kapp/): Today I'm speaking at the SFU Summer Publishing Workshop on Digital Strategies. Speaking now ... Christoph Kapp, Manager, Library & Digital Services, Special... - [Book Review: Border Songs by Jim Lynch](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/03/book-review-border-songs-by-jim-lynch/): My favourite book of 2005 was Jim Lynch's The Highest Tide. I still recommend it. But now I can recommend his latest novel, Border Songs. Think The Curious... - [Book Review: 101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees by Paul Falcone](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/03/book-review-101-tough-conversations-to-have-with-employees-by-paul-falcone/): The day job requires me to pretend like I know how to manage employees so I subscribe to a number of newsletters for HR, entrepreneurs and managers. I don't... - [Book Review: Little Bee by Chris Cleave](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/01/book-review-little-bee-by-chris-cleave/): I was eagerly looking for anything to read in the Denver airport. I'd lost my previous book on another flight and wasn't anticipating success in the airport... - [35 Books Up for Grabs](https://somisguided.com/2010/08/01/35-books-up-for-grabs/): I pulled 35 books off my shelves that I'm sending to another home. If you're in Vancouver and want to stake a claim on any of these, let me know. Some are... - [The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, FL](https://somisguided.com/2010/07/28/the-wizarding-world-of-harry-potter-in-orlando-fl/): I went to Infinitus 2010 in Orlando in July and the fine folks at Universal Orlando invited conference attendees to the park after hours for a special... - [Book Review: Madame de Stael by Francine de Plessix Gray](https://somisguided.com/2010/07/25/book-review-madame-de-stael-by-francine-de-plessix-gray/): Madame de Stael: The First Modern Woman by Francine Du Plessix Gray is a beautiful book. I picked it up in McNally Jackson in Soho. Lovely. And the writing is,... - [Book Review: The Big Short by Michael Lewis](https://somisguided.com/2010/06/21/book-review-the-big-short-by-michael-lewis/): Michael Lewis is one of those authors who I'd read regardless of the subject. He's adept and entertaining and a brilliant writer. The Big Short is the story of... - [The Internet Is Made of People](https://somisguided.com/2010/06/11/the-internet-is-made-of-people/): The internet is made of people and today my favourite person is Maureen Johnson. She writes books and she has a manifesto. The Manifesto is this: Quote: The... - [Cerruti 1881 Pour Homme Commercial](https://somisguided.com/2010/06/10/cerruti-1881-pour-homme-commercial/): I like this perfume video ad with French actor and singer Marc Lavoine. It's part of a campaign for Cerruti 1881 Pour Homme. (Source: Thanks Now Smell This) - [Secret Chemicals in Perfume](https://somisguided.com/2010/05/26/secret-chemicals-in-perfume/): What Perfume Makers Won't Tell You? on GreenBiz.com is a quick look at the chemicals that aren't listed in perfumes, some of which are allergens or disrupt... - [Northern Voice Recap: Friday](https://somisguided.com/2010/05/10/northern-voice-recap-friday/): Hello you. Welcome to my external brain. Some people call it a blog. Speaking of blogs, I was at a blogging conference this weekend. - [Darcy’s Granola Cookies](https://somisguided.com/2010/04/26/darcys-granola-cookies/): I don't know Darcy, but she has a dynamite cookie recipe. 300 degrees. Cream 1 cup of butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup of white sugar. Stir in 1 egg.... - [Book Review: The Dread Crew by Kate Inglis](https://somisguided.com/2010/04/26/book-review-the-dread-crew-by-kate-inglis/): Back in December I previewed The Dread Crew, and I'm thrilled to say that it's every bit as wonderful as I'd hoped. The Dread Crew are a bunch of wily... - [Book Review: Eating the Dinosaur by Chuck Klosterman](https://somisguided.com/2010/04/23/book-review-eating-the-dinosaur-by-chuck-klosterman/): Click the cover to browse inside (opens new window). I came to know Chuck Klosterman through his fiction work, Downtown Owl,. Because I loved his novel so much... - [Book Review: The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters](https://somisguided.com/2010/04/21/book-review-the-little-stranger-by-sarah-waters/): Sarah Waters is a lovely writer. She has written four bestselling novels: Tipping the Velvet, Affinity, Fingersmith and The Night Watch. Tipping the Velvet and... - [Book Review: Small Beneath the Sky by Lorna Crozier](https://somisguided.com/2010/04/12/book-review-small-beneath-the-sky-by-lorna-crozier/): Not only does Greystone publish beautifully written books, they design them beautifully. This petite package is absolutely lovely. The Amazon thumbnail below... - [Whitney Houston Trapped in Body of Taiwanese Boy](https://somisguided.com/2010/04/11/whitney-houston-trapped-in-body-of-taiwanese-boy/): Yes it's true. This young Taiwanese boy swallowed Whitney. Hear Lin Yu Chun sing with the pipes of Whitney Houston. http://lin-yu-chun.blogspot.com - [Monique Trottier Talking Perfume at Interesting Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2010/04/06/monique-trottier-talking-perfume-at-interesting-vancouver/): IV 09 - Monique Trottier from Brett Macfarlane on Vimeo. Interesting Vancouver 2009 was held the evening of Friday October 23th at The Vancouver Rowing Club in... - [Chris Velan at the Railway Club on Thursday](https://somisguided.com/2010/03/31/chris-velan-at-the-railway-club-on-thursday/): Hello blog. I missed you while I was away in Belize. I'm coming back to way too much email and an invitation to see Chris Velan at the Railway Club on... - [Watching the Paralympic Opening Ceremony](https://somisguided.com/2010/03/12/watching-the-paralympic-opening-ceremony/): FYI: There is no live broadcast of the Paralympic Opening Ceremony. It starts at 6 pm PST this Friday night, and runs 2 hours and 8 minutes. If you're... - [I’m Speaking at CanWrite! 2010](https://somisguided.com/2010/03/08/im-speaking-at-canwrite-2010/): Each year, Canadian Authors Association holds a national CanWrite! Conference. This year's conference is in Victoria from June 24-27 and I'm speaking on social... - [Oprah’s Favourite Women Authors: Constance Kellough](https://somisguided.com/2010/03/08/oprahs-favourite-women-authors-constance-kellough/): Oprah picks 17 of her favourite women writers, including one of my Boxcar Marketing clients, Constance Kellough, author of The Leap. Constance Kellough... - [Lift Studios Talks to Clive Goodinson about Pixton](https://somisguided.com/2010/02/26/lift-studios-talks-to-clive-goodinson-about-pixton/): Ya! My friend Clive and his cool company, Pixton: DIY Comics, is on this vidcast by mutual friend Haig Armen of Lift Studios. This is part 1. - [Grand Finale of the W2 Real Vancouver Writers’ Series](https://somisguided.com/2010/02/22/grand-finale-of-the-w2-real-vancouver-writers-series/): This is the last week of the Olympics and the Grand Finale of the W2 Real Vancouver Writers' Series! So far, we've had 3 straight weeks of enthusiasm, great... - [Book Review: The Waterproof Bible by Andrew Kaufman](https://somisguided.com/2010/02/15/book-review-the-waterproof-bible-by-andrew-kaufman/): Andrew Kaufman is one of my favourite writers, even though he's only written one book, All My Friends Are Superheroes. But that changes this month with the... - [Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics](https://somisguided.com/2010/02/13/vancouver-2010-winter-olympics/): I am so excited. The anticipation of the Opening Ceremonies is bubbling up inside me. I am truly a bandwagon supporter when it comes to sports. I care about... - [Design Your Own Light Show with Vectorial Elevation](https://somisguided.com/2010/02/06/design-your-own-light-show-with-vectorial-elevation/): Last night, the Vectorial Elevation light show was so distracting that I almost tripped walking home from dinner with my mom. Vectorial Elevation let's people... - [Hardback Leather Case for MacBook and MacBook Pro](https://somisguided.com/2010/01/22/hardback-leather-case-for-macbook-and-macbook-pro/): http://twelvesouth.com/products/bookbook/gallery/ Oh yes, this looks nice. Thank you for the link Craig Riggs. - [‘Comme Des Enfants’ by Coeur De Pirate on QTV](https://somisguided.com/2010/01/18/comme-des-enfants-by-coeur-de-pirate-on-qtv/): Since releasing her self-titled debut album in September 2008, the Montreal-based chanteuse has become one of Quebec's hottest acts. Her songs are consistently... - [Book Sculptures](https://somisguided.com/2010/01/17/book-sculptures/): It's been a week of books and art. Here are some of the things I've appreciated most: The Design Files: Interview with Nicholas Jones I love these stunning... - [Book Review: Tea Time for the Traditionally Built](https://somisguided.com/2010/01/04/book-review-tea-time-for-the-traditionally-built/): Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith is the New No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Novel. And it came from Santa. In short, Mma Ramotswe... - [Kate Inglis on the Daily Grommet](https://somisguided.com/2009/12/28/kate-inglis-on-the-daily-grommet/): Daily Grommet recently had the chance to host Kate Inglis on their blog (http://blog.dailygrommet.com/2009/12/14/an-interview-with-kate-inglis/) and give a few... - [Book City Jackets](https://somisguided.com/2009/12/28/book-city-jackets/): Book City Jackets offers printable PDF book jackets. - [Preview: The Dread Crew by Kate Inglis](https://somisguided.com/2009/12/07/preview-the-dread-crew-by-kate-inglis/): Author Kate Inglis is one of those people who you meet and never want to leave. I'd move in next door if she didn't live on the opposite coast. But aside from... - [Enter to Win a Copy of the Reading Is Sexy Calendar](https://somisguided.com/2009/12/02/enter-to-win-a-copy-of-the-reading-is-sexy-calendar/): Follow me on Twitter or become a fan of the Boxcar Marketing Facebook page to be entered into the draw for a Reading Is Sexy Calendar. I'll make the draw on... - [Reading Is Sexy Calendar](https://somisguided.com/2009/12/02/reading-is-sexy-calendar/): Attention Readers: This calendar is hot. The 2010 Reading Is Sexy Calendar goes on sale this week to promote literacy and to raise funds to help kids and... - [New Books from Random House of Canada Ltd.](https://somisguided.com/2009/11/29/new-books-from-random-house-of-canada-ltd/): I had a sneak peak at some new books from Random House of Canada Ltd. and these are my favourites: See the list on Amazon's Listmania 1. Ossuaries by Dionne... - [Shen Yun Coming to Vancouver in March](https://somisguided.com/2009/11/26/shen-yun-coming-to-vancouver-in-march/): The New York-based Shen Yun is coming to Vancouver at the end of March. The show is an amazing revival of China's five-millennial-old artistic traditions that... - [Operabot by Vancouver Opera](https://somisguided.com/2009/11/23/operabot-by-vancouver-opera/): Vancouver Opera ran a contest a couple of months ago called Operabot. The Operabot contest invited animation students from North America to produce a 30-second... - [Olfactory Buzz: Scent Marketing vs. Social Media Marketing](https://somisguided.com/2009/11/16/olfactory-buzz-scent-marketing-vs-social-media-marketing/): Scent Marketing vs. Social Media via Neuromarketing by Roger Dooley on 10/30/09 The other day, Ad Age's CMO Strategy Section ran a column by Harald Vogt on... - [Book Review: Fat of the Land by Langdon Cook](https://somisguided.com/2009/11/15/book-review-fat-of-the-land-by-langdon-cook/): When Langdon Cook's book came across my desk, I immediately wondered why James and I hadn't written this book. But now that Langdon beat us to it, I'm happy to... - [The Bishop’s Man by Linden MacIntyre Wins The Giller](https://somisguided.com/2009/11/11/the-bishops-man-by-linden-macintyre-wins-the-giller/): The winner of this year's Scotiabank Giller Prize, the most coveted Canadian fiction award, was announced last night in Toronto. And the winner is ... Linden... - [Amazon and Wal-mart Price Wars](https://somisguided.com/2009/11/06/amazon-and-wal-mart-price-wars/): New Yorker, Nov 9, 2009) Price wars typically hurt the retailers involved, and often times their suppliers, especially if the cost cutting is shared by the two... - [Four New Books Arrived](https://somisguided.com/2009/10/30/four-new-books-arrived/): Four new books arrived on my desk today. Looking forward to reading this weekend. - [BookCamp Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2009/10/16/bookcamp-vancouver/): If you heard my interview on CFAX 1070 and are looking for info on BookCamp Vancouver, here's the link: http://bookcampvan.pbworks.com/ - [Seattle’s Best Cupcakes](https://somisguided.com/2009/10/15/seattles-best-cupcakes/): Just taunting you. - [Douglas & McIntyre Launches “Imagine That” Campaign](https://somisguided.com/2009/10/08/douglas-mcintyre-launches-imagine-that-campaign/): Chris Labonte, Douglas & McIntyre's Assistant Publisher & Acquiring Editor, imagines a fiction program that features extraordinary writers. "Extraordinary... - [So Many Books … photo by Rachael Ashe](https://somisguided.com/2009/10/08/so-many-books-photo-by-rachael-ashe/): My friend Rachael Ashe brings photo canvases from imagination to life. She is currently working on a portrait series and recently I was in the camera light.... - [Book Review: Friends with Benefits by Darren Barefoot and Julie Szabo](https://somisguided.com/2009/09/30/book-review-friends-with-benefits-by-darren-barefoot-and-julie-szabo/): Reviewed from Uncorrected Proof Friends with Benefits A Social Media Marketing Handbook by Darren Barefoot and Julie Szabo is coming out this November. Just in... - [Alain de Botton: A Week at the Airport](https://somisguided.com/2009/09/24/alain-de-botton-a-week-at-the-airport/): Author Alain de Botton was installed at Heathrow Airport as its writer in residence for a week. And, the book he wrote at Heathrow was launched yesterday in... - [Protest Arts Funding Cuts in BC](https://somisguided.com/2009/09/08/protest-arts-funding-cuts-in-bc/): (Press Release) RALLY TO PROTEST ARTS FUNDING CUTS IN B.C. ------- Where: In front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street When: Wednesday, September... - [Book Review: The Magicians by Lev Grossman](https://somisguided.com/2009/08/30/book-review-the-magicians-by-lev-grossman/): The Magicians by Lev Grossman is a novel about a bunch of kids who end up at a magic school--a daring feat (or author death wish) considering the world of... - [New Publishing Websites](https://somisguided.com/2009/08/26/new-publishing-websites/): Our publishing friends have been launching new websites like crazy. I can't keep up. But I do want to call out two in particular. Haig, Cam and Frederick, our... - [Book Review: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley](https://somisguided.com/2009/08/15/book-review-the-sweetness-at-the-bottom-of-the-pie-by-alan-bradley/): I like reading first novels because for the most part book publishers are wary of publishing first-time authors. They feel that no one will buy a book by... - [Book Review: People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks](https://somisguided.com/2009/08/11/book-review-people-of-the-book-by-geraldine-brooks/): People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks is worth the praise. Hanna Heath, an Australian rare book expert and conservationist, is called upon to analyze and... - [Book Review: Girl #3 by Nichole McGill](https://somisguided.com/2009/08/11/book-review-girl-3-by-nichole-mcgill/): Girl #3 by Nichole McGill is a great literary, thriller about a girl who is almost abducted. It can be scary being a kid, a girl in particular. What I loved... - [For the Love of Books (and Book Shelves)](https://somisguided.com/2009/07/29/for-the-love-of-books-and-book-shelves/): I have 11 bookcases in my apartment and it never ceases to amaze me how quickly they get filled. Is there a bookshelf that is infinitely expandable? Could my... - [Technorati: Do You See Me?](https://somisguided.com/2009/07/23/technorati-do-you-see-me/): 8h8fzirab4 - [Digital Publishing: Connecting Publishers to New Media Consumers](https://somisguided.com/2009/07/08/digital-publishing-connecting-publishers-to-new-media-consumers/): Hello Publishing Friends! SFU has a workshop coming up Digital Publishing: Connecting Publishers to New Media Consumers. July 23 - 24 | Thursday - Friday | 9 -... - [Social Media and the Vancouver Opera](https://somisguided.com/2009/07/08/social-media-and-the-vancouver-opera/): Remember when we blogged the opera? Ling Chan of the Vancouver Opera and Capulet Communications have been doing a couple of sessions for business groups on... - [BookCamp Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2009/07/05/bookcamp-vancouver-2/): BookCamp Vancouver 2009 Unconference : Exploring New Ideas in Books, Publishing and the Future of Reading. Join Us on October 16 at SFU Harbourcentre for a... - [Buy Anita’s House](https://somisguided.com/2009/06/30/buy-anitas-house/): My friend Anita has reduced the price of her super cute Alert Bay house. This week July 1st to 4th will be open house viewing by appointment. Please call... - [Amazon: At it again](https://somisguided.com/2009/06/15/amazon-at-it-again/): Is Amazon Taking Over the Book Business? is a great article by Lev Grossman and Andrea Sachs in TIME on Monday, Jun. 22, 2009. As I've said before, Amazon... - [Gummy War: Ever Feel Like Things Aren’t Working Out?](https://somisguided.com/2009/06/12/gummy-war-ever-feel-like-things-arent-working-out/) - [Gratis vs Libre: Giving Books Away for Free](https://somisguided.com/2009/06/07/gratis-vs-libre-giving-books-away-for-free/): BookCampTO was this weekend and it stimulated my brain. Mitch Joel, who I admire greatly, was in attendance and we had a couple of excellent thought exchanges,... - [Kill a Critic: A Revenge-Lit Contest](https://somisguided.com/2009/06/01/kill-a-critic-a-revenge-lit-contest/): Biblioasis and SeenReading have launched the Kill a Critic: A Revenge-Lit contest, to celebrate the Launch of Terry Griggs's Thought You Were Dead. The first... - [Carnal Flower by Dominique Ropion](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/30/carnal-flower-by-dominique-ropion/): Carnal Flower by Dominique Ropion is part of Frederic Malle's Editions de Parfums. Dominique spent 2 years perfecting the formula for this perfume, which... - [Burning with Feedburner: SoMisguided On Fire](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/29/burning-with-feedburner-somisguided-on-fire/): As my mother used to say, "Do as I say, not as I do." I tell people that they should offer email subscription options as well as RSS because many people still... - [On Becoming a Sheddie (or Visiting the Bowen Island Eco-Shed)](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/26/on-becoming-a-sheddie-or-visiting-the-bowen-island-eco-shed/): sheddie ... a person who enjoys creating a comfortable space within an outbuilding (shed); not only for working on projects but a place to enjoy a pint and... - [Widgeon Creek with Zee Boris and Rachael](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/20/widgeon-creek-with-zee-boris-and-rachael/): photo credit: BMann - [Whazamo! Ontario Graphic Novel Month on Open Book Toronto](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/13/whazamo-ontario-graphic-novel-month-on-open-book-toronto/): From the press release This past weekend, Toronto Comic Arts Festival came to life at the Toronto Reference Library, and Vepo Studios were there to catch it... - [The English Stories by Cynthia Flood Launches Thursday](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/13/the-english-stories-by-cynthia-flood-launches-thursday/): UPDATE: Launch is Thursday night, in my enthusiasm I thought it was tonight. Biblioasis's only Vancouver-area launch of 2009 is happening Thursday, May 14!... - [Yip Yip: Sesame Street](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/05/yip-yip-sesame-street/): Hey kids this is what we called a rotary dial telephone. It was used to make and receive phone calls. Weird, I know. - [Salome: Step by Step](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/03/salome-step-by-step/): Oh the curtains will be coming up on Salome tonight at the Vancouver Opera. It is an opera in one act so it's hard for me to gauge when things will be... - [Salome: Opening Night](https://somisguided.com/2009/05/03/salome-opening-night/): He rejects her. She demands his head. There's nudity and the famous "dance of the seven veils" (listen throughout the opera for the tambourine sound every time... - [MTV Camped Out: Two Hours Traffic “Stuck for the Summer”](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/25/mtv-camped-out-two-hours-traffic-stuck-for-the-summer/): Oh it's time for band camp, or performing arts camp. American friends you have the privilege of watching MTV Camped Out this Saturday, 12 pm. "Summer camp is... - [Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/22/book-review-a-thousand-splendid-suns-by-khaled-hosseini/): A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a fantastic read. I thought the writing for Kite Runner was also strong but I hated the protagonist. Mariam in A... - [Book Review: The Virgin’s Tale by Sherri Smith](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/18/book-review-the-virgins-tale-by-sherri-smith/): Rome, 63 BC. Aemilia is 6 and offered to the state as a Vestal Virgin. She's 1 of 6 hand-picked women who symbolically protect the Roman Republic. You know... - [Shebeen: Old Publishers Have to Think](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/17/shebeen-old-publishers-have-to-think/): Come out to the Shebeen. Quote: Old Publishers Have New Think Coming The Shebeen Club Monday, April 20, 2009 6:00pm - 9:00pm What: Old Publishers Have New... - [Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/16/book-review-the-boy-in-the-striped-pajamas-by-john-boyne/): John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is one of those books that is both charming and profound. Young Bruno lives a wealthy lifestyle in Pre-war Germany... - [Provenance: Food & Wine Series](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/15/provenance-food-wine-series/): From Farm to Table: A six-part Food and Culture series on sustainable food systems hosted by Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks and Farmfed I'm helping Anthony Nicalo... - [GE Windmill](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/11/ge-windmill/): Watch Amazing GE Windmill on CollegeHumor Freaky. Yes it works. I printed out the page. http://ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid/ - [Living in Exponential Times](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/11/living-in-exponential-times/): Did You Know? from Amybeth on Vimeo. - [World Autism Awareness Day: Book Roundup](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/03/world-autism-awareness-day-book-roundup/): Today is World Autism Awareness Day. In celebration, I want to highlight a book I reviewed many moons ago: Daniel Isn't Talking by Marti Leimbach. This is a... - [Egyptian Queen Perfume to Be Re-Created](https://somisguided.com/2009/04/02/egyptian-queen-perfume-to-be-re-created/): Hey, Hatshepsut is my favourite Egyptian king. He was a she and she rocked! Hatshepsut is kind of pronounced like "hot chep soup", like hot chicken soup. This... - [Book Review: A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/30/book-review-a-reliable-wife-by-robert-goolrick/): A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick is a great novel. I read it in 2 days. The plot is a little bit dark, there's a small mystery, an unanticipated twist and a... - [A Pig Called Wanda: Butchers of Gastown](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/30/a-pig-called-wanda-butchers-of-gastown/): Saturday the Butchers of Gastown got together to take care of Wanda. * Anthony * Ben * Boris * Evan * James * Mark Karen and I documented. Andrea and Rachael... - [Real Estate YouTube Examples](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/26/real-estate-youtube-examples/): Presentation example. - [Ada Lovelace Day: Julie Wilson](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/25/ada-lovelace-day-julie-wilson/): Ada Lovelace Day is when we celebrate women in technology who inspire us. I am in awe that I made Kate's list because Kate is truly inspirational to me. My... - [SXSW: Bruce Sterling](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-bruce-sterling/): Bruce Sterling Session Monday, March 16th at 05:00 PM PRESENTERS * Bruce Sterling - Wired.com DESCRIPTION His state-of-the-cybersphere analyses are always a... - [SXSW: No Think for Old Publishers](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-no-think-for-old-publishers/): New Think for Old Publishers panel at SXSW drew a lot of frustration from the crowd of book lovers and supporters. The official description of the session was:... - [SXSW: Kicking Ass With Controlled Metadata](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/14/sxsw-kicking-ass-with-controlled-metadata/): Saturday, March 14th at 03:30 PM PRESENTERS * Jenny Benevento - Bento Artisanal Metadata * Tom Conrad - Pandora Media Inc * Abby Blachly - Librarything... - [SXSW 09 Interactive](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/14/sxsw-09-interactive/): I'm really excited to be at SXSW this year. I have wanted to come every year and have always had some excuse. This year, I'm here! Today is my second day and... - [Photographers’ Night at the Opera: Blogging Rigoletto](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/08/photographers-night-at-the-opera-blogging-rigoletto/): Blogger Night at the Opera included a lot of photo taking by those much better equipped than I. Here are a few of my favourite picks from my fellow opera... - [Blogger Night at the Opera](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/08/blogger-night-at-the-opera/): Did you attend last night's performance of Rigoletto, performed by the Vancouver Opera? Share your thoughts. Did you like it? What was your favourite opera... - [Backstage at Vancouver Opera: Rigoletto](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/08/backstage-at-vancouver-opera-rigoletto/): Just before I lost the wifi connection, I was trying to post this ... Last minute preparation is in full swing. We just came from backstage where a couple of... - [It’s Not Over Until … Rigoletto Cries Out](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/08/its-not-over-until-rigoletto-cries-out/): Vancouver Opera Performs Verdi's Rigoletto March 7 • 10 • 12 • 14 • 17, 2009 All performances 7:30 pm In Italian with English translations projected... - [Act Two of Rigoletto Begins](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/08/act-two-of-rigoletto-begins/): Vancouver Opera Performs Verdi's Rigoletto March 7 • 10 • 12 • 14 • 17, 2009 All performances 7:30 pm In Italian with English translations projected... - [Verdi’s Rigoletto Performed by the Vancouver Opera](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/08/verdis-rigoletto-performed-by-the-vancouver-opera/): Vancouver Opera Performs Verdi's Rigoletto March 7 • 10 • 12 • 14 • 17, 2009 All performances 7:30 pm In Italian with English translations projected... - [Vancouver Opera: Tris Hearts Sheila](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/07/vancouver-opera-tris-hearts-sheila/): My fellow blogger/tweeter at the Vancouver Opera tonight is Tris who's sweetie is soprano Sheila Christie. Sheila is performing in Verdi's Rigoletto. Tris... - [Vancouver Opera: Blogger Night at Rigoletto](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/06/vancouver-opera-blogger-night-at-rigoletto/): Vancouver Opera is sending 4 bloggers to Blogger Night at Rigoletto. My 3 opera-blogging companions are Tris Hussey, Tanya of NetChick, Kimli of Delicious... - [Chirstina Aguilera’s Perfume: Sometimes It’s All You Need to Wear](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/02/chirstina-aguileras-perfume-sometimes-its-all-you-need-to-wear/): Christina Aguilera's new perfume Inspire was a big hit in Tel-Aviv thanks to a great marketing stunt. Mizbala of Tel-Aviv placed tens of thousands of quality... - [New Christopher Moore Novel: Fool](https://somisguided.com/2009/03/01/new-christopher-moore-novel-fool/): Apparently the bangers and mash really hit the fan in Christopher Moore's new novel Fool. Published by Harper Canada Travis introduced me to Christopher Moore... - [AdHack: Show Us Your Balls](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/25/adhack-show-us-your-balls/): It's down to the final 3 contestants in the "Show Us Your Balls" campaign. And now we dance! Script by Ren No Good Deed. Script by Jordan Behan Beer Balls.... - [Heartbreaker: Jenna Jameson has a perfume](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/25/heartbreaker-jenna-jameson-has-a-perfume/): "It Stinks Like Sex in Here" is not the subject line of an email that I was eager to open. Funny enough, it was a forward of an article on Heartbreaker by... - [Tiny Art Director](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/23/tiny-art-director/): Tiny Art Director is one of those projects that gets me giggling like a school girl. Tiny Art Director is an illustrator in collaboration with his 4-year-old... - [Brett on Brands](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/20/brett-on-brands/): Brett Macfarlane talks about brands behaving badly. Excess content. The lack of meaning. What is the Coke side of life? Isn't brand more than colour and logo?... - [Why Blog, Anyhow?](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/20/why-blog-anyhow/): Els Kushner is Librarian Mom Started blogging in 2004 because she was a writer who wasn't writing. Lynna Goldar-Smith 101 Nights (art blogger, wrote for Sesame... - [Stewart Butterfield: Keynote at Northern Voice](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/20/stewart-butterfield-keynote-at-northern-voice/): Stewart's Love Story with the Internet starts with Lund. There's a great photo of a young Stewart in a Radio Shack Camp hat. Go Radio Shack! Couple of early... - [Scents Need a Name](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/16/scents-need-a-name/): Neuroscience Marketing has an article on how we need to know the name of a scent in order to better recall it at a later date. In studying perfume, this is... - [Perfume: Love, Ralph Lauren](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/15/perfume-love-ralph-lauren/): In San Francisco, I was in the Polo store and had a whiff of "Love," Ralph Lauren's perfume that launched in the fall to huge fanfare. The huge part was really... - [Get Monique a New Lamp](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/14/get-monique-a-new-lamp/): The Decor Hell Photo Contest is offering Gift Cards to HomeSense in the amount of $300 based on the judges decision. Although I love my mom and brother for... - [Contest: Show Us Your Balls By Monday](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/11/contest-show-us-your-balls-by-monday/): The AdHack "Show Us Your Balls" Contest closes Monday, Feb 16, 11:59 pm PST. * Watch the Video. * Pick a Product/Service * Finish the Story. Looking for... - [HarperCollins Lay Offs](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/10/harpercollins-lay-offs/): Bad News Hits HarperCollins Quote: The publisher of such authors as Nobel laureate Doris Lessing, Oprah Winfrey favorite David Wroblewski and Newbery prize... - [I Love Coraline](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/10/i-love-coraline/): I have more to say, but start here. - [Monique Trottier Is Today’s Reader on SeenReading.com](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/09/monique-trottier-is-todays-reader-on-seenreading-com/): Listen to me reading an excerpt from The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway. During the siege of Sarajevo, which lasted 3 years, a shell struck a group of... - [Embed Your Balls](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/04/embed-your-balls/): Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXza8XDafjQ Embed code: Copy and Paste This Into Your Website - [Vote Strategically: Electoral Reform in BC](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/04/vote-strategically-electoral-reform-in-bc/): From Peter Morgan * Morgan:News: Did you ever wonder how a political party can get 40% of the vote but receive 60% of the seats, and get 100% of the power? It... - [Horoscopes Abound with Meaning](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/02/horoscopes-abound-with-meaning/): Apparently the universe knows that I'm uploading photos instead of working. My plea: But it's still the weekend. Although you have tried to remain focused on... - [Show Us Your Balls Super Bowl Commercial](https://somisguided.com/2009/02/02/show-us-your-balls-super-bowl-commercial/): Giant Ant Media and AdHack.com teamed up a couple of months ago to film their alternative to the Super Bowl commercial. I can't say the Super Bowl commercials... - [Cooking for Two](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/27/cooking-for-two/): Cooking For Two: Perfect Meals For Pairs by Strand, Jessica (Chronicle Books). The kind folks at Raincoast Books sent over a delicious little book called... - [So Miss Ballsy](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/26/so-miss-ballsy/): Here's Your Open Ball Invitation. A chance to frame your balls. A moment to reflect on what it truly means to have squeaky shoes. AdHack.com is working on... - [Where Were You for the Inauguration?](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/20/where-were-you-for-the-inauguration/): Where are you today for the Inauguration of Barack Obama? Farmstead Wines wants to know. Farmstead has partnered with Memelabs to bring the Where Were You... - [Words Fail Me: Marko Casalan, 8 year old IT whizz](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/19/words-fail-me-marko-casalan-8-year-old-it-whizz/): Marko Casalan, 8, is officially world's youngest IT whizz Quote: ... was unable to sleep because of excitement on the night before the much-feared experiment... - [Monique Obama](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/19/monique-obama/): Hope. Change. Progress. Let's see it baby! (Source: Obamiconme) - [Making Perfume: Art Night](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/17/making-perfume-art-night/): I have a great group of friends who get together randomly for art night. I usually sketch (or get totally distracted and spend most of the time talking). But... - [Gregory Hines & Steve Martin](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/16/gregory-hines-steve-martin/): Steve Martin continues to grow on me. Check out the fly tap dance moves. Oh, the over the tops. Wonderful. And that Gregory Hines guy isn't so back either!... - [How Books Are Made & Marketed](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/16/how-books-are-made-marketed/): How book are made ... from the digital marketing team at McMillan, forwarded to me from the digital marketing team at Raincoast Books. Hooray for the interwebs. - [Northern Voice: Blogging Conference Feb. 20-21](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/08/northern-voice-blogging-conference-feb-20-21/): Northern Voice is Feb 20 and 21 this year. UBC Forestry Building. http://2009.northernvoice.ca/ Registration opened yesterday and there was a flurry of... - [WordCamp Whistler: January 24](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/08/wordcamp-whistler-january-24/): WordCamp Whistler is a WordPress and social media conference taking place in Whistler, BC, on January 24, 2009. WordCamp Whistler is organized by the esteemed:... - [10 Trends in Media & Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/07/10-trends-in-media-publishing/): Top 10 Business Ideas for 2009 by Springwise included the following list for Media & Publishing MagCloud — Magazine publishing for everyone & every... - [Chandler Burr at Pop!Tech 2008](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/07/chandler-burr-at-poptech-2008/): @ Yahoo! Video I'm reading Perfect Scent: Inside the Perfume Industry by Chandler Burr. He gave a great presentation at Pop!Tech2008. Here's the Popcast.... - [Happy New Year’s](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/01/happy-new-years/) - [Library Smut: Sex Libris](https://somisguided.com/2009/01/01/library-smut-sex-libris/): A fantastic blog post of hot library photos. HANDELINGENKAMER TWEEDE KAMER DER STATEN-GENERAAL DEN HAAG I want the book. - [Book Review: The Nature of Economies by Jane Jacobs](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/31/book-review-the-nature-of-economies-by-jane-jacobs/): Jane Jacobs is perhaps best known for The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961), which is where her arguments and observations on economies first came... - [Bowen Island, 12 Meats of Christmas, Baby Deer](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/29/bowen-island-12-meats-of-christmas-baby-deer/): Disclaimer: If you don't like the idea of butchering deer, don't read this post. Boris and Rachael had the troops over to Bowen Island for holiday cheer and... - [Mele Kalikimaka!](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/24/mele-kalikimaka/): Mele Kalikimaka is a wise way to say Merry Christmas to you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV_BGqgbxdc - [Roughing It In The Books](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/24/roughing-it-in-the-books/): Alexis and Melanie have started Roughing It In The Books. I love the tagline, "someone always dies in the end." Roughing It In The Books is what I love best... - [Merry Christmas](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/24/merry-christmas/): At the moment, Vancouver is trapped in a snow globe. It's nice, but really, isn't this quite enough? - [Collisions With Your Potential Future Headache: Patrick Brealey](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/23/collisions-with-your-potential-future-headache-patrick-brealey/): Live @ The Chapel - Collisions w Your Potential Future Headache - [Frozen Over in Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/23/frozen-over-in-vancouver/): The view from Canada Place. Drinking Sahleb with Ayala and friends. Finding the car. Listening to the sweet sounds of Patrick Brealey. - [Book Review: Wallpaper* City Guides](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/21/book-review-wallpaper-city-guides/): Wallpaper* City Guide: London 2008 Phaidon has a great series of city guides. I used the Cairo one on my trip and it was fantastic for restaurant... - [Book Review: Fugitives by Suzanne Jacob](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/21/book-review-fugitives-by-suzanne-jacob/): Fugitives by Suzanne Jacob is a novel translated by Sheila Fischman, who must be the best French-English translator in Canada. Suzanne Jacob is a major voice... - [The Surface of Meaning: Books and Book Design In Canada](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/20/the-surface-of-meaning-books-and-book-design-in-canada/): THE SURFACE OF MEANING: BOOKS AND BOOKS DESIGN IN CANADA by Robert Bringhurst CCSP ISBN 978-0-9738727-2-9 $60.00 hardcover... - [Interested in this book?](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/18/interested-in-this-book/) - [Sunday in Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/15/sunday-in-vancouver/): Today was a snow day so we went for high tea at T Bakery. - [The Tales of Beedle Bard by JK Rowling](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/14/the-tales-of-beedle-bard-by-jk-rowling/): The Tales of Beedle Bard by JK Rowling (Collector's Edition) arrived today. It was as cool as opening a package from Apple. Thank you Jo! Opening the box. The... - [Farmstead Wines](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/11/farmstead-wines/): Farmstead Wines announced a photo contest recently and there are still prizes left. Post a photo to Twitter, TwitPic, Flickr wearing your Farmstead button or... - [Perfume In a Daze: Chanel](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/11/perfume-in-a-daze-chanel/): Despite my bleary eyes, lack of sleep and general clumsiness today, I managed to dress up and go on a field trip to the Chanel Boutique, where I was lucky... - [Quick Trip to San Francisco](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/11/quick-trip-to-san-francisco/): I came to San Francisco for the Edward Tufte workshop. Basically it's all about graphics, tables and visual representation of data, a little bit of statistical... - [Bernidy Bunny](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/05/bernidy-bunny/): I've had Bernidy Bunny since I was 3. He got lost a couple of years ago when my mom and I were cleaning up her storage locker. I set him aside to bring home... - [HPEF Beedle Bookfair at Barnes & Noble](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/04/hpef-beedle-bookfair-at-barnes-noble/): Shopping at Barnes & Noble between December 4 and 10th? Use the HP Education Fanon Bookfair voucher (cite #352096) and a portion of the proceeds will be... - [Black Wednesday for Publishing Industry](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/03/black-wednesday-for-publishing-industry/): Publishers Weekly read like an obituary today: S&S Cuts 35 Jobs Thomas Nelson Cuts 54 Positions Rubin, Irwyn Applebaum Step Down in RH Reorg Markus Dohle's... - [When Small Is Beautiful: Willard Wigan’s Micro-Sculpture](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/03/when-small-is-beautiful-willard-wigans-micro-sculpture/): Willard Wigan makes scultures that fit in the head of a pin, like Charlie Chaplin on the end of an eyelash. (Thanks to AdHack for the link.) - [Birthday Goes On](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/01/birthday-goes-on/): My birthday usually lasts the full month. This behaviour wasn't instituted by me. It came about because as a teen I lived in one place with lots of lovely... - [Benjamin Brown Books: Launch of Wenda the Wacky Wiggler](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/01/benjamin-brown-books-launch-of-wenda-the-wacky-wiggler/): Today was the book launch for Wenda the Wacky Wiggler by Christopher Aslan, illustrated by Emily Mullock. Wenda is a girl after my own heart. She is a wacky... - [Vote for Seen Reading](https://somisguided.com/2008/12/01/vote-for-seen-reading/): Hooray, Julie Wilson's SeenReading.com is a Canadian Blog Awards Finalist! Help move Seen Reading to the winner's spot. Simply press the vote button. So easy.... - [Nabokov on Lolita](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/29/nabokov-on-lolita/): Nabokov on the first lines of Lolita. Read in English and Russian. Quote: Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of... - [American Thanksgiving](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/29/american-thanksgiving/): On Thursday I celebrated American Thanksgiving with Sarah and Anthony Nicalo and their family and friends. It was a great day of eating, drinking and laughing.... - [T Bakery](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/24/t-bakery/): High Tea at T Bakery 4445 West 10th Ave. Vancouver Susie and I went for high tea at T Bakery today. Cream Earl Grey. Totally delicious bites. - [Shani Mootoo Launch of Valmiki’s Daughter](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/21/shani-mootoo-launch-of-valmikis-daughter/): Love Shani Mootoo's poetry. Love the cover of this book. So hot! Valmiki's Daughter by Shani Mootoo (House of Anansi) - [Save the Bears. Save the Trees. Save Yourselves.](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/20/save-the-bears-save-the-trees-save-yourselves/): Two years ago, the province of British Columbia committed to protecting a region of the province referred to as The Great Bear Rainforest under a new... - [Granville Online Endangered Species Quiz](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/18/granville-online-endangered-species-quiz/): I am a lion: A potent, playful, preening dominator. Take the quiz. YOU'RE A LION! You're a curious cross between potent and playful, and on occasion you take... - [Happy Birthday to Me. Thank You to You.](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/18/happy-birthday-to-me-thank-you-to-you/): Birthday Photos ... Sunday was my birthday. I made natural perfume all weekend with Ayala Sender. Who also gave me amazing chocolate truffles. Then we had a... - [Joseph Boyden Wins Giller Prize](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/12/joseph-boyden-wins-giller-prize/): CTV on Boyden's Giller win ... Yay! Congratulations to Joseph Boyden, author of Three Day Road, who is a fantastic writer and a swell guy. His latest Through... - [Easy Eddie and Butch O’Hare](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/11/easy-eddie-and-butch-ohare/): Although tomorrow is Canadian Remembrance Day, I have a story about 2 Americans who faced seemingly insurmountable odds and who chose to sacrifice themselves.... - [Victoria Barnsley on the Future of Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/07/victoria-barnsley-on-the-future-of-publishing/): Thanks to @ehrenc on Twitter, here's the link to Victoria Barnsley's (HarperCollins UK) speech on change in publishing. Read it! She is living and breathing... - [Indigo: Stay Small, Think Big](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/06/indigo-stay-small-think-big/): index // mb has a great article: New Digital Initiative: Indigo Takes Wheel, Tries to Reinvent? Indigo's online strategy re: ebooks and digital content and... - [This Is Halloween](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/03/this-is-halloween/): This is Halloween This is Halloween Pumpkins growl in the dead of night ... - [AC/DC in Excel](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/03/ac-dc-in-excel/): Thank you daylight savings time for giving me an extra hour to find fluff on the internet. (Thanks for the link Sio!) - [Age of Conversation](https://somisguided.com/2008/11/03/age-of-conversation/): Kate Trgovac's wise words are now part of the Age of Conversation, a book written by an international team of 237 bloggers from 16 different countries. Way to... - [Whitecap Launches New Website](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/31/whitecap-launches-new-website/): Wow, the new Whitecap Books website is awesome. I am bias because I've worked with Paschal on Trading in Memories. But this is a really cool redesign. I think... - [Google Pays $125 Million to Settle Copyright Lawsuits](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/29/google-pays-125-million-to-settle-copyright-lawsuits/): Latest News April 29, 2009: Justice Dept. Opens Antitrust Inquiry Into Google Books Deal Quote: The inquiry does not necessarily mean that the department will... - [BC Achievement Award for Early Literacy](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/29/bc-achievement-award-for-early-literacy/): While I was away, award season started. The BC Achievement Foundation's 2008 Award for Early Literacy went to author Bill Richardson and illustrator Cynthia... - [Book Review: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/27/book-review-the-thirteenth-tale-by-diane-setterfield/): "All morning I struggled with the sensation of stray wisps of one world seeping through the cracks of another. Do you know the feeling when you start reading a... - [Outlander Wins Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/27/outlander-wins-amazon-ca-books-in-canada-first-novel-award/): The Outlander by Gil Adamson has won this year's Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award. At some point in my trip, I read, and loved this book, wrote a... - [The Idea of Beauty (Spoke Itself)](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/27/the-idea-of-beauty-spoke-itself/): Thank you to John MacKenzie and Selina Rajani--John for saying go ahead and Selina for packaging it up so nicely. The Idea of Beauty is one of my most... - [New Website Design: Brick Books](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/24/new-website-design-brick-books/): Kitty Lewis is one of the publishing folks that I love talking with and following online. She is the phenom behind the Brick Books Facebook page and a tireless... - [Pyramids of Giza](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/21/pyramids-of-giza/): Disclaimer: I'm in a hurry so this is a bit of a brain dump for prosperity. Although the internet is cheaper in Egypt (6 LE per hour, $1.20 per hour), I have... - [Hello Cairo](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/17/hello-cairo/): I can't wait to load photos and show you the soup of smog that we came through when landing. Wow! Zamalek is the neighbourhood where Chris lived in Cairo and... - [Last Day in Amman](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/16/last-day-in-amman/): Today is my last day in Jordan, tomorrow we leave at 6 am. Booooo. Here's my list of things I love about Jordan: The people of Jordan are amazing. I love them... - [Canadian Thanksgiving](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/11/canadian-thanksgiving/): Last year James and I were in Malta with Darren, Julie and Gwen for Thanksgiving. It was one of my favourite Thanksgivings ever. Julie managed to order a... - [Dead Sea and Jesus](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/09/dead-sea-and-jesus/): At 7:50 am we left Amman for the Dead Sea. It's about a 45 minute drive and we arrived at Amman Beach, the public beach at the Dead Sea, with more than enough... - [Princess and the Pea](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/08/princess-and-the-pea/): It was a rather short sleep in this morning. The Rabbit was trundling about, and my bed does feel like it's stuffed with peas. Rather unpleasant. The majority... - [Jerusalem and Back](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/07/jerusalem-and-back/): One should never travel from Jordan to Jerusalem and back in one day. This is incredibly wrong for all sorts of reasons. I have to get off the computer so... - [Petra and Back](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/06/petra-and-back/): I just got back from a 3 day trip that went to Jerash, Petra, Karak, Mount Nebo and Madaba. Since I can't properly upload my photos, here's some great Flickr... - [Book Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/02/book-review-the-guernsey-literary-and-potato-peel-pie-society/): Finished this one on the plane. Quaint, slow paced and lovely is what I have to say about this book. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a... - [Greetings from Jordan](https://somisguided.com/2008/10/02/greetings-from-jordan/): Well we survived the long flight to London, which was made extra long by the fact that neither the Rabbit (aka my mom) nor I bothered to double check the... - [Gone to Jordan & Egypt](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/28/gone-to-jordan-egypt/): Did I forget to mention that I'm away all of October? Yes it's true. I'm in Jordan and Egypt. Hopefully photos to come. - [Online Marketing for Books](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/24/online-marketing-for-books/): Defining Success: Accountable Online Marketing for Book Publishing ran a session last week and I had a chance to present some ideas that have been brewing in... - [Genevieve Brennan on Google Book Search & Online Tools for Book Publishers](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/21/genevieve-brennan-on-google-book-search-online-tools-for-book-publishers/): Defining Success: Accountable Online Marketing for Book Publishing was a full-day session run by BookNet Canada and the ABPBC on Thursday, September 18, 2008... - [Evan Munday on How Coach House Books Uses Facebook](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/21/evan-munday-on-how-coach-house-books-uses-facebook/): Defining Success: Accountable Online Marketing for Book Publishing was a full-day session run by BookNet Canada and the ABPBC on Thursday, September 18, 2008... - [Ehren Cheung on Successful Online Marketing for Books](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/21/ehren-cheung-on-successful-online-marketing-for-books/): Defining Success: Accountable Online Marketing for Book Publishing was a full-day session run by BookNet Canada and the ABPBC on Thursday, September 18, 2008... - [The Book: A Week in Review](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/19/the-book-a-week-in-review/): More things happened than I have links to, but here's the skinny on the fat: 1. WeBook.com, a great collaborative writing tool or user-generated book writing... - [Book Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/19/book-review-graceling-by-kristin-cashore/): Harcourt continues to publish some of my favourite children's books. In fact I would happily read any of their teen and young adult titles, especially anything... - [Book Review: Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/16/book-review-downtown-owl-by-chuck-klosterman/): I'm ready to read anything by Chuck Klosterman. So far Downtown Owl is my favourite book of 2008. Klosterman's sense of place in the novel Downtown Owl is spot... - [Monique’s Perfumes](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/13/moniques-perfumes/): My favourite so far are the solid perfumes. I call them Perfume Pots. - [Book Review: Nicholas by Goscinny & Sempé](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/09/book-review-nicholas-by-goscinny/): Welcome to Nicholas, or rather welcome back Nicholas. Nicholas is the energetic French schoolboy who is forever in some kind of trouble. His exploits are... - [Amazon Acquires Shelfari](https://somisguided.com/2008/09/02/amazon-acquires-shelfari/): According to the Shelfari email newsletter, "Shelfari joins the Amazon.com family." Shelfair.com, acquired by Amazon.com on August 28, is a social networking... - [Craft Mafia: Handmade Nation](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/30/craft-mafia-handmade-nation/): Handmade Nation: Sneak Peak of a d.i.y. craft documentary being released in 2009. I like the Craft Mafia mentioned and the jewellery made from bike parts. So... - [EE Roadshow](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/28/ee-roadshow/): Another plug because I'm getting excited ... I'm organizing an event called ExpressionEngine Roadshow on September 26 in Vancouver. Are you interested?... - [Sledgehammer and Other Poems by John Mackenzie](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/27/sledgehammer-and-other-poems-by-john-mackenzie/): I'm looking for a copy of the poem The Idea of Beauty (Spoke Itself), published in Sledgehammer and Other Poems by John Mackenzie. "... The Idea of Beauty... - [Things We Like This Week](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/22/things-we-like-this-week/): Bit of a lazy Friday round up of things on that caught my attention this week. Print Liberation has a new book out: Print Liberation, the Screen Printing... - [1 Month to Peace Day](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/21/1-month-to-peace-day/): POD: Peace One Day September 21 - [James Glave: Trailers and Almost Green](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/18/james-glave-trailers-and-almost-green/): James Glave, author of Almost Green (now in stores), has some new trailers up for his book. I like James and his enthusiasm. http://glave.com/trailers/ ALMOST... - [The Weakerthans](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/18/the-weakerthans/): The Weakerthans played with Feist at Deer Lake Park a couple of weeks ago. It was awesome. The Weakerthans on MySpace. - [Reading Fiction Makes You Smarter](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/18/reading-fiction-makes-you-smarter/): ... or at least more empathetic. According to researchers at the University of Toronto, reading fiction elevates your "social intelligence." Quote: "For the... - [Book Review: Petite Anglaise](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/14/book-review-petite-anglaise/): Petite Anglaise is the pseudonym of Catherine Sanderson, English blogger living in Paris and the author of a new book Petite Anglaise (published by Random... - [Vote for Us at SXSW](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/12/vote-for-us-at-sxsw/): A small business group that I participate in has pulled together a panel for SXSW. It's about how to create your own small biz mafia to rule the world (or at... - [Books Banned in Beijing](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/07/books-banned-in-beijing/): Spiritual pollution is also a concern at the Olympic Games. Amazon has a list of books that have been banned by the Chinese government for supposedly... - [2 Things, 2 Awesome People](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/07/2-things-2-awesome-people/): First: Julie Wilson is awesome. Check out her blog Seen Reading. There's a little SoMisguided banner there this month. And that's not the only reason why she... - [Vote for Pull a Face for PutPlace](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/05/vote-for-pull-a-face-for-putplace/): PutPlace.com is one of my Boxcar Marketing/Capulet Communications clients and on July 3 we announced the Pull a Face for PutPlace contest. Remember my little... - [Amazon Buys AbeBooks](https://somisguided.com/2008/08/01/amazon-buys-abebooks/): Amazon Press Release on BusinessWire Amazon.com announced today that it is acquiring AbeBooks of Victoria, BC. "AbeBooks is an online marketplace for books,... - [EE Roadshow in Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/31/ee-roadshow-in-vancouver/): In my spare time *snicker* I'm helping organize a training workshop for users and developers of ExpressionEngine. EE is one of the tools that I love to use to... - [Amazon Sells The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/31/amazon-sells-the-tales-of-beedle-the-bard-by-jk-rowling/): In December 2007, Amazon bought JK Rowling's handwritten book The Tales of Beedle the Bard for $4 Million. At the time I thought it was awesome for Amazon to... - [Add Amazon Checkout to Your Site](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/30/add-amazon-checkout-to-your-site/): I'm fascinated by Amazon's business strategy. It's really clever. * Amazon acquires Audible.com (January 2008) * Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos invests in Twitter... - [Amazon Digital Text Platform](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/22/amazon-digital-text-platform/): Here's a little publicized Amazon feature: Amazon Digital Text Platform Quote: Digital Text Platform is a fast and easy self-publishing tool that lets you... - [Book Review: The Magician by Michael Scott](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/22/book-review-the-magician-by-michael-scott/): The Magician is the second book in the series "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" and I like it a lot. The first book The Alchemyst introduces... - [Cold War Spy Animation Film](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/21/cold-war-spy-animation-film/): Zoudov. According to GrainEdit this is a student film. - [Mischief Managed](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/21/mischief-managed/): The building of a structure for Big Blue. Done. Time to pet the goats. - [Why Microsoft Sucks](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/16/why-microsoft-sucks/): I'm sure there are many reasons but this is the one presenting itself to me today. I have been sent an xml file created in Word. A file that really wants to... - [Harry Potter: Beyond the Book](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/16/harry-potter-beyond-the-book/): I met several really cool people this weekend at Portus 2008 who are involved in various Harry Potter fan sites. Here's a few you might like: Azkatraz, Harry... - [Portus: July 12, Masquerade Ball](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/15/portus-july-12-masquerade-ball/): Saturday I gave my keynote at the luncheon and that evening was the masquerade ball. A little wrock (wizard rock for you muggles) and lots of costumes. I went... - [The Craft of Portus](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/15/the-craft-of-portus/): Lots of fans make incredible art. My absolute favourite paintings were by Elizabeth Wu. This one in particular I really, really wanted. I have to mention my... - [Portus 08, July 12: Met Dumbledore](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/12/portus-08-july-12-met-dumbledore/): Yesterday was about Slytherin. Today was about Gryffindor. Here's the burned hand of Dumbledore. - [Kindle Sales 12% of Amazon Sales](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/11/kindle-sales-12-of-amazon-sales/): RyanSpoon.com: Great post on Kindle Sales Quote: Amidst all of the discussion about the iPhone 3G that hits stores tomorrow, another industry changing gadget... - [Portus 2008: Mudbloods](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/11/portus-2008-mudbloods/): First wizard spotting is a death eater. First Wrock (Wizard Rock) concert I attend is The Mudbloods. Quote: The Mudbloods on MySpace. I am LOVING "Wish You'd... - [Portus 2008: Saturday Keynote](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/10/portus-2008-saturday-keynote/): Bibb Lettuce with Cucumbers and Tomatoes, Oil and Vinegar Dressing Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breast with Roasted Corn Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Seasonal Fresh... - [DailyMile: Social training and racing for runners, triathletes, and cyclists.](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/09/dailymile-social-training-and-racing-for-runners-triathletes-and-cyclists/): I discovered the DailyMile widget on Caleb Keiter's blog yesterday and think it is a very cool social tool for training, which seems to be a rather lonely... - [Drench: Brains Perform Better When Hydrated](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/08/drench-brains-perform-better-when-hydrated/): There's something about dance video commercials that totally capture my interest. If saw Drench in a story, I'd think of this guy. It would make me happy. I... - [Refuting the Long Tail](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/08/refuting-the-long-tail/): The Long Tail theory, as explained by its creator, Wired magazine editor Chris Anderson, holds that society is "increasingly shifting away from a focus on a... - [Left Brain or Right Brain?](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/07/left-brain-or-right-brain/): Does everyone's left brain like this or just mine? You Are 35% Left Brained, 65% Right Brained The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention... - [Zoomii: A Zoomable, Searchable, Virtual Bookshelf](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/07/zoomii-a-zoomable-searchable-virtual-bookshelf/): Hey Darren Barefoot just pointed me in the direction of Zoomii.com. Zoomii bookstore shelves are pulled from Amazon data and you can zoom in, scan the shelves... - [Portus 2008: Dallas, TX June 10-13](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/05/portus-2008-dallas-tx-june-10-13/): I'm going somewhere special on July 10. - [Pull a Face for PutPlace](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/03/pull-a-face-for-putplace/): Submit your data-loss disaster face. I had some fun creating my own short photo story. And now I'm downloading PutPlace ... - [June Round-Up](https://somisguided.com/2008/07/01/june-round-up/): Wow, it's July. What happened to June? June 7: Scott's Birthday 30 years old. Still a kid. Out with the Lads Racing Cars, Paint Ball and Batman Babies and... - [Where the Hell is Matt? And Monique?](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/25/where-the-hell-is-matt-and-monique/): James, Chris Clarke and I are in the Vancouver section of the new Where the Hell Is Matt? video. More photos to come ... - [Book Reviews The Lazy Way](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/19/book-reviews-the-lazy-way/): Wow, way too much travel and too little time to review the stack beside the bed. Here's a quick look at what I've been cruising through reading wise. Amazon.ca... - [Track Your Amazon Ranking Via Twitter](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/17/track-your-amazon-ranking-via-twitter/): The Amazon ranking for your title gives you an idea of how popular your book is in the past hour. A rank of 1 = the best, hottest selling book. The challenge... - [Recycle Your Crocs](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/17/recycle-your-crocs/): Soles United is taking used Crocs (those holey shoes) and recycling them into new shoes, then donating them to people in need around the world. To date, Soles... - [Thank Your Donor: Canadian Blood Services Online Campaign](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/15/thank-your-donor-canadian-blood-services-online-campaign/): You may have seen it in the Globe and Mail or heard about it on the tv or radio, this week (June 9-14) was National Blood Donor week. Canadian Blood Services,... - [Quillpill: A Twitter for Cellphone Novelists](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/14/quillpill-a-twitter-for-cellphone-novelists/): Quillpill is a micro-blogging site, which is currently in private beta. The service lets users write and read content on mobile devices. Yes, it's another... - [Book News Round-Up](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/13/book-news-round-up/): Quick post of links I want to share and remember for later... Borders is finally free of Amazon and has launched its own ecommerce site. US Bookstores are... - [Quillr Multimedia Book](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/06/quillr-multimedia-book/): I was speaking to Nicola Furlong the other day about her new mystery novel which is newly published as a Quillr. A Quillr is a multimedia version of a book... - [Get London Reading](https://somisguided.com/2008/06/03/get-london-reading/): Osocio is a great site dedicated to social advertising and non-profit campaigns. On Friday, they had a cool piece on a London streetart campaign aimed at... - [Kung Fu Panda](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/30/kung-fu-panda/): I'll be training with Crane. - [Seth Godin: How to Read a Business Book](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/30/seth-godin-how-to-read-a-business-book/): For future reference, Seth Godin on How to Read a Business Book. Fridays are fun. - [What’s on Page 123? The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/28/whats-on-page-123-the-end-of-the-alphabet-by-cs-richardson/): Over at MyNameIsKate.ca I read about a book meme to write about the book you're reading now and to quote page 123. The End of the Alphabet by CS Richardson is... - [Online Marketing Tools for Book Publishers](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/27/online-marketing-tools-for-book-publishers/): Cross-posted on Boxcar Marketing ... This Sunday was the 2008 AGM for the Association of Canadian Publishers. I moderated the first professional development... - [Microsoft Cancels Online Book Search](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/25/microsoft-cancels-online-book-search/): Microsoft closes online library ... Microsoft announced Friday that it is taking down its online library of books. They are no longer going to try competing... - [Seen Reading Gets Vocal](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/25/seen-reading-gets-vocal/): Julie Wilson adds audio to Seen Reading, and it makes this blog perfect. Good move Julie. The audio is a huge value and your voice is perfect, perfect. I love... - [Border Guards the New Copyright Police?](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/25/border-guards-the-new-copyright-police/): According to the Vancouver Sun today (Vito Pilieci), the federal government is secretly negotiating an agreement to revamp international copyright laws, laws... - [Forrester Blog Reader Survey](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/22/forrester-blog-reader-survey/): Slide presentation of a blog reader survey that Forrester did for its blogs. Interesting stuff about who's reading what and how. | View | Upload your own - [Monday Internet Round-Up](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/13/monday-internet-round-up/): 1. Some Mondays are just about the embed code. 2. Brand and message is out of your control. Your brand is what people say it is. Check out Brand Tags. 3. Young... - [Book Review: The Man Who Forgot How to Read by Howard Engel](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/11/book-review-the-man-who-forgot-how-to-read-by-howard-engel/): The Man Who Forgot How to Read: A Memoir by Howard Engel is not a literary masterpiece but it is a masterful work. Howard Engel, author of the Benny Cooperman... - [Book Review: The Good Lie by Don Bailey](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/06/book-review-the-good-lie-by-don-bailey/): I just finished reading The Good Lie by Don Bailey, novelist and coordinator of the Professional Writing Cooperative Education Program at the University of... - [Johnny Bunko Video Sells Books](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/05/johnny-bunko-video-sells-books/): In my never-ending quest to find a good use for book trailers, I've discovered Johnny Bunko. Johnny Bunko trailer from Daniel Pink on Vimeo. Does this work?... - [I’m Learning to Make Natural Perfume](https://somisguided.com/2008/05/02/im-learning-to-make-natural-perfume/): Ayala Sender of Ayala Moriel Parfum, who I met at Portobello West a couple of months ago is teaching a class on how to make natural perfumes. I had my first... - [TrendHunter: Futur eof Books Paper Laptop](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/29/trendhunter-futur-eof-books-paper-laptop/): Via TrendHunter.com: Secret Book Computers - The Future of Books Laptop Kyle Bean is a very clever designer who has created a paper laptop to demonstrate how... - [Books Online and Online Book Reviews](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/28/books-online-and-online-book-reviews/): Two sites of interest today: Flat World Knowledge is a resource site for finding free, open, online college textbooks. There is a little promo video that... - [Manitoba Literary Awards](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/27/manitoba-literary-awards/): So Misguided has been awfully light on the book reviews this year. That's because I have been quietly slaving away as a juror of the Carol Shields Winnipeg... - [2008 Manitoba Book Awards Winners](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/27/2008-manitoba-book-awards-winners/): I found it hard to find this press release so I'm reposting it here. Quote: 2008 Manitoba Book Award Winners Announcement April 27th, 2008 Wolves prowl at Book... - [Winnipeg Books](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/27/winnipeg-books/): The Manitoba Literary Awards yesterday got me thinking about Winnipeg books that I've enjoyed and have yet to post about. Here's a short round-up of my... - [Penguin UK and Harper Collins Canada](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/22/penguin-uk-and-harper-collins-canada/): I have been remiss in my duties. SoMisguided is my external brain. I like to post things here about clever online marketing campaigns and the book business but... - [Book Review: Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/22/book-review-lavinia-by-ursula-k-le-guin/): Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin is the story of the King's daughter who Aeneas fights to claim in Vergil's The Aeneid. I know this sounds heavy, but it's not. Le... - [BC Book Prizes Soiree Tonight](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/19/bc-book-prizes-soiree-tonight/): BC Book Prize Soiree is tonight from 7:00-9:00 pm and it's FREE. Location Metropolitan Hotel, 645 Howe Street, Vancouver (downstairs, Cristal Room) Full... - [Amazon Usability Improvements](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/15/amazon-usability-improvements/): Grokdotcom has a great article on changes that Amazon made to its product pages to increase visibility of key information related to the buying decision. There... - [Chronicle Book Reviews: Picture Books for Art Lovers](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/13/chronicle-book-reviews-picture-books-for-art-lovers/): One of the great things about reviewing books is getting a chance to look at books that I wouldn't normally choose for myself. For example, picture books. I... - [Figure Skating Blog Rocks](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/08/figure-skating-blog-rocks/): I haven't written about tap dancing for a while so let me tell you about figure skating. My friend Julie, who I visited in Malta last year, is back in town and... - [Canadian Housing and Renewal Association](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/08/canadian-housing-and-renewal-association/): Did you meet me at CHRA Annual Congress: Breaking New Ground, April 2-5? I was recently asked to share my social media expertise as a speaker at the Canadian... - [Attention Vancouver Publishing Folks](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/08/attention-vancouver-publishing-folks/): One of the publishing circles that I'm involved with is organizing a meet-up for young(ish) publishing folk. Quote: You're experienced, gifted and... an... - [Vote for Pixton](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/02/vote-for-pixton/): Back in January, I told you about a cool comic creator tool called Pixton Here's my first cartoon: "Sam Goes on Holiday" Well, the fab creators, Clive and... - [Get Your Knives Out and Your Cigars](https://somisguided.com/2008/04/01/get-your-knives-out-and-your-cigars/): Two of my incredibly talented Toronto friends are musicians and they happen to be playing together on Wednesday, April 9. If you're in TO, please consider... - [Book Review: Skim](https://somisguided.com/2008/03/28/book-review-skim/): Hannah Stephenson of GLOSS mag and I were talking about graphic novels the other day and here is her recent review of Skim, which is written by Mariko Tamaki... - [The Death of Canadian Institutions](https://somisguided.com/2008/03/28/the-death-of-canadian-institutions/): CBC Orchestra: gone. Canadian Tire Catalogue: gone. Is it C_C acronyms that are disappearing of are we losing Canadian institutions faster than I can keep up.... - [Launch Party: Rex Weyler’s The Jesus Sayings](https://somisguided.com/2008/03/25/launch-party-rex-weylers-the-jesus-sayings/): Looking for something to do on Thursday, March 27 at 7:00 PM? If you're in Vancouver, consider coming to Rex Weyler's book launch at the Chapters at Broadway... - [What are you reading?](https://somisguided.com/2008/03/25/what-are-you-reading/): What books are on your radar? What are you reading that's fantastic? I heard Diane Schoemperlen has a new book out, anyone reading it? Is it good? I loved Our... - [Edoc Laundry Is Interactive](https://somisguided.com/2008/03/17/edoc-laundry-is-interactive/): Via Trend Hunter I discovered Edoc Laundry. It's interactive fashion. Each shirt has a hidden code that you take to the website for additional graphics. Very... - [A Week of Quotables](https://somisguided.com/2008/03/15/a-week-of-quotables/): This week was a hairy-eyeball week. The kind where you spend a lot of time doing work and very little time doing things like sleeping and eating. Every now and... - [BPIDP Policy Changes](https://somisguided.com/2008/03/10/bpidp-policy-changes/): BPIDP? For those of you not in book publishing, BPIDP (pronounced bippy-dip, not kidding) announced some policy and program updates.... - [BC Book Prizes Finalists Announced](https://somisguided.com/2008/03/06/bc-book-prizes-finalists-announced/): Congratulations to the BC publishers and authors who are shortlisted for the 2008 BC Book Prizes. The full finalist list is available at 12:01 on the brand new... - [Beautiful Children: Free eBook from Charles Bock](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/27/beautiful-children-free-ebook-from-charles-bock/): Charles Bock and the fine folks at Random House are giving away a free PDF of Charles Bock's novel Beautiful Children. It's available until midnight this... - [Widgets by Susannah Gardner](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/24/widgets-by-susannah-gardner/): Blogging expert Susannah Gardner got into the back-end of a couple of different blog systems and showed us how to add these widgets to sidebars and content.... - [Duck Stories and Northern Voice](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/23/duck-stories-and-northern-voice/): I was telling some duck stories earlier. Duck Photo Shoot - [Matt Mullenweg: Keynote Speaker Northern Voice](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/23/matt-mullenweg-keynote-speaker-northern-voice/): Blogging & Social Media: Where do we go from here? Presenter: Matt Mullenweg I'm going to listen. UPDATE: Expression * Most important thing about WordPress is... - [Thank You Northern Voice Sponsors](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/23/thank-you-northern-voice-sponsors/): Headline Sponsors Mt Lehman Vancity Royal Roads     Voxant Sponsors Scribble Wiki Flock... - [CBC Canada Reads: Vote for Icefields by Thomas Wharton](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/23/cbc-canada-reads-vote-for-icefields-by-thomas-wharton/): Straight from the lobbyist for Icefields comes this message. It has my support but not my creative energy for writing something original today (trying to... - [Multi-Lingual Blogs and Websites](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/22/multi-lingual-blogs-and-websites/): Jim DeLa Hunt Canadian Tourism Commission should have a blog in multi-languages, in particular French and English. Everyone here needs Hummingbird... - [Voxant Talks about Secrets to Video on Your Site](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/22/voxant-talks-about-secrets-to-video-on-your-site/): How to mash up content, mid-role, post-role, etc. of licensed content on your blog. For example, NHL is on YouTube without ads. If you're not trying to make... - [Northern Voice 2008 Starts Today](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/22/northern-voice-2008-starts-today/): Woke up late today but thankfully made it to Northern Voice at the UBC Forestry building in time to watch the scheduling--my favourite part of the... - [I’m Testing](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/19/im-testing/): Beware of strangeness. - [Chocolate Valentine’s Day Ad](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/14/chocolate-valentines-day-ad/): Well, well, well. Valentine's Day is full of advertisements for chocolate. I'm not sure why the two seem to go hand in hand. I suppose there's a huge amount of... - [Susannah Gardner Launches Blogging for Dummies, 2nd Edition](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/13/susannah-gardner-launches-blogging-for-dummies-2nd-edition/): Yahooo, my friend and business colleague Susannah Gardner (aka Super Susie) is launching her latest book tomorrow night at the Railway Club in Vancouver. The... - [Monday Round-Up](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/11/monday-round-up/): Wow, busy weekend and Monday is picking up steam in an unfriendly way. No time to chat but there are a couple of things on my radar that I want to note for my... - [Blog Me This](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/07/blog-me-this/): The following is a bit of spam or advertisement depending on how you look at it. It's a bit of code for bloggers to post on their site if they are interesting... - [Bad Jokes](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/04/bad-jokes/): I spent all weekend with my crazy friends and one of the recurring conversations was bad jokes. These are some friends who I hung out with in high school so... - [Publishing Trends Online Marketing Survey and Heritage Book Retail Study](https://somisguided.com/2008/02/04/publishing-trends-online-marketing-survey-and-heritage-book-retail-study/): While I was away skiing last week, two great studies were made public on the state of the publishing industry. The first is the Publishing Trends survey on... - [Launch Party](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/30/launch-party/): Duane Storey has a great Flickr set of tech folks at the most recent Launch Party event. - [2008 BC Award for Canadian Non-Fiction](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/30/2008-bc-award-for-canadian-non-fiction/): The 2008 winner of Canada's largest literary non-fiction prize, the BC Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, will be announced in a special ceremony in Vancouver on... - [Trashing the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/29/trashing-the-tipping-point-by-malcolm-gladwell/): Let's take out the trash. 1. Reveries.com has a post on trash-bin, book scavengers. These are men (and some women) in Manhattan, who eke out a living by... - [5 Star Rating: Is it a Recommendation or an Advertisement in Disguise](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/24/5-star-rating-is-it-a-recommendation-or-an-advertisement-in-disguise/): Slate.com has an interesting piece on Amazon's top reviewers. (Reviewers are the regular joes who post customer reviews on Amazon.) It seems that the top... - [Prediction 1: Poetry Will Rise Again](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/24/prediction-1-poetry-will-rise-again/): The Year 2008 is going to be one of predictions. My first public prediction is that poetry is making a resurgence. I've just returned from Alexis Kienlen's... - [Pixton: Create a Cartoon](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/21/pixton-create-a-cartoon/): I am digging Pixton. Create cartoons on Pixton. Cool interface, fun to play with. Give it a try. I'm going to do a series on Sam. Here's my first one: "Sam... - [700 Hobo Names](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/16/700-hobo-names/): I kid you not. Listen to Hobo_Names.mp3 John Hodgson, PC in the Mac and PC ads. Lists 700 hobo names. Listen to Hobo_Names.mp3 His website is equally... - [Apple Unveils New Laptop: How Thin Is Your Laptop?](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/15/apple-unveils-new-laptop-how-thin-is-your-laptop/): Just this morning I was complaining to James. "How heavy do you think my laptop is?" He said, "About 6 pounds." Six pounds doesn't sound like a lot, but after... - [New Book Blog: Tea Time at Annick Press](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/15/new-book-blog-tea-time-at-annick-press/): The Annick Press house is a very cute house in Toronto. And in that house are two very smart women named Lisa and Alicia. In fact, there are many smart people... - [Online Marketing from Publishers — works for you or no?](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/10/online-marketing-from-publishers-works-for-you-or-no/): If you're a book blogger or someone who is on the receiving end of publishers' online marketing campaigns, this survey is for you. GalleyCat posted yesterday... - [Raincoast Books Closes Its Publishing Program](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/08/raincoast-books-closes-its-publishing-program/): I heard very sad news yesterday. Raincoast Books, a Canadian publisher here in Vancouver, has closed its publishing department and laid off several staff... - [W00t Is the Number 1 Word for 2007](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/05/w00t-is-the-number-1-word-for-2007/): According to Merriam-Webster's online audience, w00t is the top word of 2007. 1. w00t (interjection) expressing joy (it could be after a triumph, or for no... - [E-book Readers at a Glance](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/03/e-book-readers-at-a-glance/): Wired magazine did an interesting round-up of e-book readers (old crappy ones not included). Wired blog: e-book readers The list includes: Amazon Kindle HanLin... - [Decline in Reading: The World After Books](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/02/decline-in-reading-the-world-after-books/): Fascinating article in The New Yorker on reading habits. Twilight of the Books: What will life be like if people stop reading? by Caleb Crain (December 24,... - [The Golden Compass Daemon](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/01/the-golden-compass-daemon/): I took the personality quiz on The Golden Compass site to determine my daemon. A daemon is your spirit protector. Mine is Elleron, a tiger. You can determine... - [Book Review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/01/book-review-water-for-elephants-by-sara-gruen/): I'm claiming this as a 2007 read although I did save 20 pages for this morning. What a great book. In 2003 Gruen was working on another book when the Chicago... - [2007: A Year in Photos](https://somisguided.com/2008/01/01/2007-a-year-in-photos/): January A strong opening. February Big White ski trip. March Duck shoot. April Easter bunny. May Ziptrekking at Whistler. June Craig and Kiley tie the knot.... - [Book Review: Ani DiFranco Verses](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/30/book-review-ani-difranco-verses/): Ani DiFranco Verses is a book of DiFranco's poetry and paintings. What I like most about the book is the discussion at the end between Ani DiFranco and Sekou... - [Book Review: The Hermetic Code](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/30/book-review-the-hermetic-code/): The Hermetic Code is a Dan Brown-esque expose of the secrets of the Manitoba Legislature Building. Frank Albo is a visiting lecturer at the University of... - [Book Review: White Rapids by Paschal Blanchet](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/30/book-review-white-rapids-by-paschal-blanchet/): Cartoonist Paschal Blanchet's White Rapids is an absolutely beautiful book. It's Art Deco, 1950s commercial design meets quaint story about a town built-up... - [Picture Book Review: Sir Charlie Stinky Socks by Kristina Stephenson](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/30/picture-book-review-sir-charlie-stinky-socks-by-kristina-stephenson/): Sir Charlie Stinky Socks and the Really Big Adventure by Kristina Stephenson is a pretty fun picture book with a couple of lift the flaps. Sir Charlie is a... - [15 Books I Did Not Have Time to Read](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/30/15-books-i-did-not-have-time-to-read/): Everyone I know has a bedside table piled with books they intend to read. So do I. Usually I can keep it down to 5 titles. I often have multiples on the go.... - [Bob Staake: The Daily Bob](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/29/bob-staake-the-daily-bob/): I love Bob Staake's art work and today I stumbled upon his site. http://www.bobstaake.com - [First Snowfall in Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/26/first-snowfall-in-vancouver/): I'm in Winnipeg. Is it still snowing in Vancouver? - [Book Review: Run by Ann Patchett](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/20/book-review-run-by-ann-patchett/): I first heard about Ann Patchett from my friend Jennifer who adored Patchett's novel Bel Canto. I've never read the book but I feel that I intimately know the... - [Northern Voice Registration Is Open](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/19/northern-voice-registration-is-open/): Registration Page 2008 | Northern Voice 2008 http://2008.northernvoice.ca/registration-page-2008 Registration for Northern Voice: a personal blogging... - [Better Books: Portfolio.com interviews literary agent Andrew Wylie](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/17/better-books-portfolio-com-interviews-literary-agent-andrew-wylie/): Friday's "World According to ..." column on Portfolio.com was about literary agent Andrew Wylie. Wylie is renowned in the book business for representing high... - [Book Review: Social Media Ready by Darren Barefoot and Julie Szabo](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/17/book-review-social-media-ready-by-darren-barefoot-and-julie-szabo/): Darren Barefoot and Julie Szabo of Capulet Communications recently released an ebook on social media marketing, Getting to First Base: A Social Media Marketing... - [Canadian Book Challenge](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/14/canadian-book-challenge/): John at Book Mine Set has issued a challenge. The Canadian Book Challenge. The rules are simple: 1. Read 13 Canadian books (books by Canadians and/or about... - [JK Rowling’s Handwritten Book Sells for $4 Million](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/14/jk-rowlings-handwritten-book-sells-for-4-million/): JK Rowling's handwritten book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, sold at Sotheby's for £1,950,000 ($4,062,930 CDN) to ... AMAZON.COM Rowling is donating the... - [Book Preview: Icefields by Thomas Wharton](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/08/book-preview-icefields-by-thomas-wharton/): Hey, I was going to quickly come back and update this post on Thomas Wharton's novel Icefields (NeWest Press). I can't believe that it's Thursday. I must have... - [Top Book Trailers](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/05/top-book-trailers/): There's some debate about whether book trailers are a good idea, whether they help to sell books. These are a couple that have been voted as favourites. To... - [1000 Journals Book](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/05/1000-journals-book/): I just discovered 1000journals.com, which is a website for a book by Chronicle Books. The book looks incredible! It's a collection of the best journal entries... - [Call Out to Brother Printer Testers](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/01/call-out-to-brother-printer-testers/): Anyone got PictBridge working on their Brother printer? I keep getting the Needs More Memory error when I connect directly to the printer with a cable or with... - [New Brother Laser Printer HL-4070CDW](https://somisguided.com/2007/12/01/new-brother-laser-printer-hl-4070cdw/): Brother Canada has a new line of colour laser printers and I am a lucky guinea pig who is testing the Brother HL-4070CDW colour laser printer. #1 Tip: Word of... - [Fame Us Event Tonight at Snap Contemporary Art](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/28/fame-us-event-tonight-at-snap-contemporary-art/): SNAP CONTEMPORARY ART and Arsenal Pulp Press are celebrating the book launch of FAME US Celebrity Impersonators and the Cult(ure) of Fame by Brian Howell **... - [JK Rowling Is Worth 1 Billion Dollars](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/28/jk-rowling-is-worth-1-billion-dollars/): JK Rowling is 41 years old and worth $1 billion. She's the only woman and author on Forbes 'U.K.'s Billionaires' list. This seems like an extraordinary amount... - [A Green Christmas](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/28/a-green-christmas/): I just discovered Leah Ingram's blog, The Lean Green Family (formerly Suddenly Frugal). Leah's profile is great, she says "Most mothers teach their kids to... - [Book Review: Soucouyant by David Chariandy](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/27/book-review-soucouyant-by-david-chariandy/): Soucouyant is a novel about memory by Vancouver author David Chariandy. Soucouyant is Chariandy's first novel, but I suspect that it's his first published... - [Michael Ondaatje Wins the Governor General’s Literary Award](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/27/michael-ondaatje-wins-the-governor-generals-literary-award/): Author Michael Ondaatje won the Governor General's Literary Award today for his novel Divisadero. CBC has a brief report on the award and Ondaatje's previous... - [Waiting for the Sony Book Reader? Forget About It! Amazon Launches Kindle](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/21/waiting-for-the-sony-book-reader-forget-about-it-amazon-launches-kindle/): Remember that Sony Book Reader that was supposed to be all the rage and never actually appeared in the Canadian market? Well, forget about it. Amazon launched... - [Book Preview: The Dirt on Clean by Katherine Ashenburg](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/19/book-preview-the-dirt-on-clean-by-katherine-ashenburg/): Canadian author. I like to review a book after I've read it. I hope that's a standard course of action for most reviewers. The problem is that I have a... - [Today Is My Birthday](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/16/today-is-my-birthday/): How old? Sara says I'm thirty-wahoo. That bunny was my favourite toy. A puppet. Bernidy the Bunny. He was always getting me into trouble. Stupid bunny. - [Comment Spam](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/15/comment-spam/): I turned on comment moderation so I can sort out some spam bots that are being soooo misguided. Sorry for any inconvenience. I'll try to be a timely moderator.... - [Dear Rockers, I’m Paying You Back](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/14/dear-rockers-im-paying-you-back/): Darren Barefoot strikes again. Darren has created a site DearRockers.org for paying back musicians--in particular the musicians whose music we download and... - [National No-Writing Month](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/13/national-no-writing-month/): In response to the frenzied activities of those participating in the US National Novel Writing competition, where contestants endeavour to write a book in a... - [Memory Festival on Remembrance Day](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/08/memory-festival-on-remembrance-day/): Memory Festival Launch Party Remembrance Day Sunday, Nov 11, 1-4 pm Listel Hotel, 1300 Robson St, Vancouver Free admission The Memory Festival is a... - [Reminder: Writing.Wise](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/08/reminder-writing-wise/): I'm going to be in Winnipeg, but I wanted to remind you about Writing.Wise. Writing.Wise is an event for writers in the greater Vancouver area, organized by... - [Library Thing](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/07/library-thing/): Ok I finally joined LibraryThing.com. It's awesome. I did not think I would enjoy documenting the books in my library, which I'm still doubting will be a fun... - [Elizabeth Hay Wins the Giller Prize](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/07/elizabeth-hay-wins-the-giller-prize/): Congratulations to Elizabeth Hay who won this year's Giller Prize. Read what CBC has to say. Her novel Late Nights on Air is set in a small northern town at... - [JK Rowling Releases Handwritten Book](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/02/jk-rowling-releases-handwritten-book/): J.K. Rowling, my favourite author of Harry Potter, has released book of handwritten fairy tales. It's up for auction at London Sotheby's with a starting bid of... - [TransLink Provides Data to Google’s Transit Trip Planning System](https://somisguided.com/2007/11/02/translink-provides-data-to-googles-transit-trip-planning-system/): Get on the Google Bus! As an infrequent transit user, I'm often flummoxed by the transit schedule. If my route requires only one bus, I go outside and stand at... - [Favourite Malta Moments](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/28/favourite-malta-moments/): Here are my favourite moments, in order of "off the top of my head": * Julie's day planning--she's a fantastic tour guide. * San Blas on the first... - [Last Two Weeks in Malta](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/28/last-two-weeks-in-malta/): James and I are back at home now but I wanted to share some more photos of our trip in Malta and fill you in on what we've been up to the last two weeks. We... - [Dumbledore Is Gay](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/28/dumbledore-is-gay/): SOME SPOILERS HERE. No photos were allowed. I haven't had a chance to proofread this, sorry, but I wanted to post before my brain flaked out--ran out of time... - [Book Review: The Maltese Goddess by Lyn Hamilton](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/27/book-review-the-maltese-goddess-by-lyn-hamilton/): I was looking for a Dan Brown-esque novel to read while in Malta--you know, a light read on goddess worship--and I found this in a bookstore in Valletta, The... - [The Tyee Fellowship Applications](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/25/the-tyee-fellowship-applications/): Are you a journalist or freelance writer in need of a fellowship? The Tyee is offering fellowships to journalists and freelance writers, at a value of $5000.... - [Attend Writing.Wise](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/25/attend-writing-wise/): Writing.wise, according to the press materials I received, is a rip roaring, rip snorting, profane, world shaking, rabble rousing event for writers in... - [Grab Your Dress Robes–I’m Off to See JK Rowling in Toronto](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/22/grab-your-dress-robes-im-off-to-see-jk-rowling-in-toronto/): James and I landed in Vancouver last night at 10:30 pm and I've slept, unpacked, repacked, done the web check-in and I am now off to Toronto to meet JK Rowling... - [Book Review: De Niro’s Game by Rawi Hage](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/11/book-review-de-niros-game-by-rawi-hage/): A couple of years ago I was in Calgary at the Writers Festival, and I had the good fortune of meeting Rawi Hage in the Author's Lounge. I was inspired to hear... - [First Week in Malta](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/10/first-week-in-malta/): Here's a quick summary of what we've been up to in Gozo. Wednesday, October 3 We arrived in Malta from an Air Malta flight--the slowest check-in staff ever at... - [Book Review: Rosie Little’s Cautionary Tales for Girls](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/07/book-review-rosie-littles-cautionary-tales-for-girls/): Australian author Danielle Wood has created a series of interconnected anecdotes about the lives of women: naughty ones and nice ones. Rosie Little is our... - [First Day in Malta](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/04/first-day-in-malta/): James and I left Vancouver at 6:10 pm on October 1. We spent the next night outside of Gatwick at Gable End Guest House, which is run by Mary and Joseph, who... - [Book Review: Turpentine by Spring Warren](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/02/book-review-turpentine-by-spring-warren/): Turpentine by Spring Warren is a Western set in the 1870s. Edward Turrentine Bayard III ("Turpentine") is our tragic hero. He's a coward and thinks himself... - [Book Preview: The Good Lie by Don Bailey](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/01/book-preview-the-good-lie-by-don-bailey/): A couple of weeks ago I received a lovely email from Don Bailey, who is publishing his third novel, The Good Lie, with Turnstone Press, the same company that... - [Better Books: Interview with Sabine Milz](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/01/better-books-interview-with-sabine-milz/): Earlier this month I had a chance to speak with Sabine Milz. Sabine is a Postdoctoral Fellow, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and... - [New Banner for SoMisguided](https://somisguided.com/2007/10/01/new-banner-for-somisguided/): Amy at Fresh Marketing did a bang up job on new banners for SoMisguided. I used to have a little skateboard, which is a photo my brother took at a... - [Word on the Street This Sunday](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/28/word-on-the-street-this-sunday/): The Word On The Street is Canada's annual book and magazine extravaganza. Check out author readings, exhibits, performances, magazine displays, book displays,... - [Chapters Indigo Launches Social Media Site](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/26/chapters-indigo-launches-social-media-site/): Tara (aka Miss Rogue) over at HorsePigCow and I have a shared experience. As an Indigo customer, I received an email note about Indigo's new social networking... - [More Book Browse Widgets](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/25/more-book-browse-widgets/): Kate at Random House Canada just pointed out that they launched a book browse function in May and there are several of their books on Canadian sites that now... - [Association of Canadian Publishers and the Book Publishers Association of Alberta](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/24/association-of-canadian-publishers-and-the-book-publishers-association-of-alberta/): A Huge Thank You Many thanks to everyone who attended my sessions on Online Marketing last week in Toronto and Banff. Thank you also to Jack Illingworth at the... - [Book Browse Inside and Why It’s the Wave of the Future](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/21/book-browse-inside-and-why-its-the-wave-of-the-future/): UPDATE: When I posted about this the widget would take you to the HarperCollins book detail page. From that page there was a link to BookBrowse. Those links no... - [The Boy Sherlock Holmes](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/19/the-boy-sherlock-holmes/): The Sherlock Holmes stories are by far my favourite detective stories of all time. James and I have watched all the videos and read most of the books.... - [ACP Children’s Publishing Promotion](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/18/acp-childrens-publishing-promotion/): Eye of the Crow is the book we're talking about right now. Buy it on Amazon.ca This is a cool book that is first in a series "The Young Sherlock Holmes".... - [Author Robert Jordan Dies](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/18/author-robert-jordan-dies/): CBC.ca Arts - Wheel of Time fantasy author Robert Jordan dies http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/s... Fantasy author Robert Jordan, whose Wheel of Time series... - [J.K. Rowling Comes to Canada](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/17/j-k-rowling-comes-to-canada/): I met JK Rowling in 2000 when she made her first visit to Canada. She came to the Raincoast offices and met each and every one of us. Then we all went to the... - [Reckoning 07: An Appraisal of BC Writing & Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/16/reckoning-07-an-appraisal-of-bc-writing-publishing/): This weekend was a symposium--Reckoning 07--organized by BC BookWorld's Alan Twigg, Shadbolt Fellow (SFU). See Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing info... - [BlogWorld–November 7 to 9 in Las Vegas](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/13/blogworld-november-7-to-9-in-las-vegas/): Quick note, I saw this press release from Business Wire on September 10: "Blogosphere's Brightest Stars to Offer Expert Advice to Bloggers, Entrepreneurs, ADV,... - [Vanessa’s Gingerbread Cottage Bed & Breakfast](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/12/vanessas-gingerbread-cottage-bed-breakfast/): Vanessa's Gingerbread Cottage Bed and Breakfast is a very cute bed and breakfast in Victoria, British Columbia. My mom and I spent two nights there and I'll... - [Making Perfume](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/11/making-perfume/): Ayala Sender is a perfumer here in Vancouver, BC. We met at Portobello West, which is a great craft market that happens the last Sunday of every month. At some... - [Book Review: The Convictions of Leonard McKinley](https://somisguided.com/2007/09/02/book-review-the-convictions-of-leonard-mckinley/): Every Labour Day Weekend since 1977, writers have gathered to sweat, cry and produce amazing 3-day novels. This "trial by deadline" is going on right now.... - [Book Review: Jumping the Queue by Mary Wesley](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/27/book-review-jumping-the-queue-by-mary-wesley/): Jumping the Queue is Mary Wesley's celebrated first novel. While in McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg, I came across a display of Mary Wesley books, all... - [Book Review: The Book of Stanley](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/24/book-review-the-book-of-stanley/): The Book of Stanley by Todd Babiak is one of the funniest books I've read all year. There's something about books about God that really tickle me. I suppose... - [Book Review: Beyond Buzz by Lois Kelly](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/23/book-review-beyond-buzz-by-lois-kelly/): Cross-posted on Work Industries blog. ........................................... Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing by Lois Kelly is... - [Young-ha Kim Comes to Canada](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/22/young-ha-kim-comes-to-canada/): Young-ha Kim, author of I Have the Right to Destroy Myself, will be touring universities this fall. He is sponsored by a Korean organization (not sure which... - [Barcamp: Facebook](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/18/barcamp-facebook/): Facebook is a social utility to connect to your real world friends. But negotiating personal relationships on Facebook is an interesting challenge. In real... - [Barcamp: Magnolia & Twitter](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/18/barcamp-magnolia-twitter/): Ma.gnolia.com uses Twitter.com to generate feedback from their community and to get immediate feedback on development and new features. They also use it when... - [Barcamp: DIY Ads, Zero to 30 Seconds](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/18/barcamp-diy-ads-zero-to-30-seconds/): James is doing an session on AdHack.com and creating ads with people power and the skills in the room. This is a hands-on session and I'm supposed to help... - [Barcamp: Fight the Complexity](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/18/barcamp-fight-the-complexity/): Lee LeFever and The Common Craft Show. Common Craft is the specialist in non-geek explanations of geekdom. Check out Social Bookmarking in Plain English.... - [Barcamp: Favourite Things](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/18/barcamp-favourite-things/): Barcamp Vancouver, August 18. These Are a Few of My Favourite Things by Tod Maffin Cool little applets, widgets, haxies, and gadgets that don't cost much (at... - [Apple iPhone](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/15/apple-iphone/): I just met a guy with an Apple iPhone. Wow. It is super cool. The screen resolution is amazing. The image rotates as you rotate the phone. You can double tap... - [Publishing Tips from a First-Time Author](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/07/publishing-tips-from-a-first-time-author/): I'm not a first-time author but having worked in the publishing industry, I get a lot of questions from writers who would like to get published. The process is... - [Book Review: I Have the Right to Destroy Myself by Young-Ha Kim](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/03/book-review-i-have-the-right-to-destroy-myself-by-young-ha-kim/): Young-Ha Kim has published four novels and numerous short stories. His latest novel is I Have the Right to Destroy Myself. I'm not certain that we do have the... - [Book Review: Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky](https://somisguided.com/2007/08/02/book-review-suite-francaise-by-irene-nemirovsky/): Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky was recommended to me in 2006 when the hardcover was released. The book was on all the major bestseller lists. It was... - [Better Books: Grand Finale](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/30/better-books-grand-finale/): Better Books is a conversation in multiple parts between me and Raincoast publicist Dan Wagstaff. * Introduction * Part 1. Market challenges. * Part 2. The... - [Book Review: A Crooked Kind of Perfect](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/28/book-review-a-crooked-kind-of-perfect/): Zoe Elias dreams of playing the piano. Quote: The piano is a beautiful instrument. Elegant. Dignified. With the piano, you could play Carnegie Hall. People... - [Book Review: She Dreams in Red](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/28/book-review-she-dreams-in-red/): I've been reading Alexis Kienlen's LiveJournal blog for several years now, and I was excited when she announced that her book of poetry had been accepted for... - [Blogging for Beginners](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/25/blogging-for-beginners/): Wow, this workshop is cheap and going to be really good for beginner bloggers. Get on it. There's only 8 spots. What: Blogging for Beginners: from zero to... - [Harry Potter Party at VanDusen Garden](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/25/harry-potter-party-at-vandusen-garden/): For those of you who've asked for details about the Harry Potter Party at VanDusen Garden. Here they are. We arrived and lined up along with thousands of other... - [Sneak Peek: The Book of Stanley by Todd Babiak](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/24/sneak-peek-the-book-of-stanley-by-todd-babiak/): No quite a book review. I can't tell you about this book yet because it's not in the stores. But really, once it's there, you must go get it. Todd Babiak is my... - [Summer Book Reads from Raincoast Books](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/24/summer-book-reads-from-raincoast-books/): Just in the knick of time. My pals at Raincoast have sent over a whole loop bag of summer books. I'm a fan of teen fiction--really good teen fiction that is.... - [Vancouver Kidsbooks Harry Potter Party](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/23/vancouver-kidsbooks-harry-potter-party/): Vancouver Kidsbooks held the best Harry Potter party. It was at Van Dusen Garden in Vancouver. Here are some photos. Created with Paul's flickrSLiDR. - [Two and a Half Hours Left](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/21/two-and-a-half-hours-left/): My mother just called to find out what I'm wearing to the party tonight. We're going to the Van Dusen Gardens to the biggest Harry Potter party in Vancouver.... - [Since Harry survey](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/20/since-harry-survey/): Take my Since Harry survey. Also posted on NowPublic.com Since 1997, when J.K. Rowling published the first Harry Potter book, the Philosopher's Stone has been... - [Since Harry …](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/18/since-harry/): Take my Since Harry survey. It was a warm summer day in 1998 when I read my first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I was working as... - [Alistair MacLeod Appointed to Order of Canada](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/13/alistair-macleod-appointed-to-order-of-canada/): I read in the The Windsor Star today that Alistair MacLeod has been appointed to the Order of Canada by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean. Wahooooo! MacLeod's... - [Book Reviews from a Canadian blogger](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/06/book-reviews-from-a-canadian-blogger/): Canadian blogger ... that's me, Monique Trottier. Here in Vancouver. I review books. Yah right, where and when you might ask? Well, I've fallen behind... - [Raincoast Announces Winner of Harry Potter Contest](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/05/raincoast-announces-winner-of-harry-potter-contest/): Via the Raincoast Harry Potter newsletter; Lucky Matthew Pincin is going to London to attend the launch of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, " J.K. Rowling... - [Better Books: Gumboot Books Plays Online](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/03/better-books-gumboot-books-plays-online/): Ok, I'm behind in closing out the Better Books series, but this tidbit in the Vancouver Sun this morning caught my attention. Gumboot Books is a Vancouver... - [Want to make perfume?](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/02/want-to-make-perfume/): I met Ayala at Portobello West last week and she runs perfume workshops. I can't make it on Tuesday and Thursdays but for those of you interested in perfume,... - [Monique Likes To …](https://somisguided.com/2007/07/01/monique-likes-to/): Silly game over on the Facebook. Type your name in quotations with the words "likes to" in Google and post the top 10 things. "Monique likes to" results:... - [Mini BookExpo for Bloggers](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/27/mini-bookexpo-for-bloggers/): Couldn't attend Book Expo Canada this year? If you're a blogger, check out Mini Book Expo to claim it (an advance reading copy), read it and blog it. There are... - [The Nature of Author Interviews](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/22/the-nature-of-author-interviews/): Author Sid Tafler contacted me earlier this week to ask if I'd be interested in checking out his video. At first glance, it looks like a book trailer, which is... - [Adobe Releases New eBooks Software Program](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/21/adobe-releases-new-ebooks-software-program/): Via Morgan News Adobe has released a new e-book software program: Adobe Digital Editions 1.0. Adobe Digital Editions is available as a free download for... - [Book Review: The Line Painter by Claire Cameron](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/20/book-review-the-line-painter-by-claire-cameron/): I came across Claire Cameron's The Line Painter in the HarperCollins Canada Facebook group. See Facebook is good for something other than finding your... - [Book Review: Runnerland by John Burns](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/20/book-review-runnerland-by-john-burns/): Mural in progress ... do not tag. Taker This public surface, reserved for Taker, could be a scene in John Burn' new novel Runnerland Runnerland is about Peter,... - [Marketing for Self-Published Authors](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/19/marketing-for-self-published-authors/): Bruce Batchelor, former publisher and CEO of Trafford Publishing in Victoria, is giving a workshop at SFU on July 19. It's aimed at self-published authors. The... - [Elastic Path](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/15/elastic-path/): Ecommerce platforms for online retailers. Unbeknownst to Darren, I've been looking for ecommerce options. Today he posted a link to Elastic Path and some crazy... - [Better Books: Part 7](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/11/better-books-part-7/): Welcome to the penultimate Better Books post. Raincoast publicist Dan Wagstaff and I are having an on-going discussion about books and technology, which will... - [Better Books: Part 6](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/04/better-books-part-6/): Raincoast publicist Dan Wagstaff and I are having an on-going discussion about books and technology. Here is our question for this week: With the more... - [Book Review: Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/02/book-review-divisadero-by-michael-ondaatje/): The English Patient, The Cinnamon Peeler's Wife and Handwriting are the only Ondaatje books I've ever read. I enjoyed them. I like the lyrical nature of... - [Defining Canada: An Interesting Blog by Dundurn Press](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/02/defining-canada-an-interesting-blog-by-dundurn-press/): Dundurn Press is one of the few Canadian publishers who have embraced blogs and maintain one of their own. I love how insider conversations are now made... - [Mike Shatzkin on New Models for General Trade Publishers](https://somisguided.com/2007/06/01/mike-shatzkin-on-new-models-for-general-trade-publishers/): Book Expo America is going on this week in New York. I wish I was there listening to the brains of the industry pontificate. Luckily they many of them have... - [Join the Tyee: An Independent Newspaper](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/31/join-the-tyee-an-independent-newspaper/): Independent newspaper. Does anyone recall what that means? The Tyee has a new campaign this summer to get 5000 new subscribers. There's a video component and a... - [Yukon Cigar is the CBC Radio 3 Track of the Day](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/30/yukon-cigar-is-the-cbc-radio-3-track-of-the-day/): Craig Konyu of Yukon Cigar is the Track of the Day on CBC Radio 3 today. I have musician friends. They make me feel very happy. Especially when I think about... - [Simon & Schuster Launch BookVideos.tv](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/30/simon-schuster-launch-bookvideos-tv/): I missed this one early in the month, but for prosperity, Wall Street Journal reports that CBS Corp.'s Simon & Schuster book-publishing arm is launching an... - [One Degree, Kate and The Personal Technologist](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/30/one-degree-kate-and-the-personal-technologist/): My friend Kate, of MyNameIsKate.ca, recently gave me the honour of talking about my company Work Industries and the Personal Technologist service on One... - [Orca Book Publishers Announce “So You Think You Can Write?” Contest](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/28/orca-book-publishers-announce-so-you-think-you-can-write-contest/): So You Think You Can Write? Orca Book Publishers Novel Contest $5000 Cash Prize Orca Book Publishers, publishers of outstanding books for youth and teens, are... - [Better Books Part 5](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/28/better-books-part-5/): In Part 5, Dan and I talk about the marketing of books. With the many multimedia channels that are being explored by publishers is it creating a move away from... - [Chris Anderson starts BookTour.com](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/26/chris-anderson-starts-booktour-com/): Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail, has a new start-up. He officially announced it on his blog today. Well, he announced that there will be an... - [ZipTrek Whistler](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/24/ziptrek-whistler/): Did it. It was fun. Want to do it again. http://www.ziptrek.com/ - [Think Before You Send](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/17/think-before-you-send/): I once had quite the mishap with a snotty email of mine that was accidentally forwarded to a client. No malice was intended, but it required a lot of groveling... - [Better Books: Part 4](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/14/better-books-part-4/): "Better Books" is a many-part conversation between publicist Dan Wagstaff and Monique Trottier, which looks at the book publishing industry's challenges,... - [Top Tech Tools for Business](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/11/top-tech-tools-for-business/): I'm presenting next Wednesday at the Editors' Association of Canada, BC Branch Meeting on the top tech tools for editors with small businesses, freelance gigs... - [Better Books: Part 3](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/08/better-books-part-3/): Our discussion of the comparison of the music industry and the book publishing industry continues this week with Question 3: Is there an opportunity to learn... - [Book Review: If Minds Had Toes by Lucy Eyre](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/08/book-review-if-minds-had-toes-by-lucy-eyre/): If Minds Had Toes by Lucy Eyre is about the world of philosophy as seen by a teenage boy. Ben Wagner is quite happy playing football and frying chips for his... - [Better Books — Better be coming …](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/06/better-books-better-be-coming/): Our Monday installment of Better Books will be published on Tuesday this week. I'm out of town and my computer does not want to play nicely with the wireless... - [Make Better Light Bulbs](https://somisguided.com/2007/05/05/make-better-light-bulbs/): Compact florescent light bulbs use less energy and last longer than standard incandescent bulbs. Great but they are a big problem when we do throw them out.... - [Better Books: Part 2](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/30/better-books-part-2/): Dan Wagstaff, publicist extraordinaire over at the Raincoast blog, and I have been having an ongoing conversation about books and technology. In this series,... - [Make Your Own Dog Food Is On The Rise](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/26/make-your-own-dog-food-is-on-the-rise/): I've been doing some work this week for Whitecap Books and author Jamie Young on his dog food cookbook Grrrrowlicious Food for Hungry Dogs. I was interested in... - [Book Review: The Good Husband of Zebra Drive](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/24/book-review-the-good-husband-of-zebra-drive/): The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexandre McCall Smith is book 8 in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. This is a series I particularly love. The... - [Better Books: Part 1](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/23/better-books-part-1/): A many-part series, "Better Books" looks at the book publishing industry's challenges, successes and promises from a technology perspective. Question 1 The... - [Better Books: A Series on the Challenges of Book Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/23/better-books-a-series-on-the-challenges-of-book-publishing/): In the spirit of BC Book and Magazine Week, I have a books and technology series for you. I'm not sure if this is the right name for it, but I'm calling it... - [BC Book and Magazine Week is April 21 to 28, 2007](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/19/bc-book-and-magazine-week-is-april-21-to-28-2007/): BC Book and Magazine Week is coming up! If you're interested in BC Books and Magazines then this is the the blog for you: www.bcbookandmagazineweek.com The... - [Aimee and the Great Cat-Sit](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/18/aimee-and-the-great-cat-sit/): James and I are cat-sitting Aimee the Great. She's very sweet but also very clever. In 5 days she has managed to quietly take over our home. Those soft purrs... - [Blogging and PR](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/16/blogging-and-pr/): "What goes up, always comes around," as James' grandmother likes to say. I think this is true for the blogosphere. There was the "up", everyone talking about... - [Amazon.ca Seeks “Harry-est Town in Canada”](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/12/amazon-ca-seeks-harry-est-town-in-canada/): All in good fun, Amazon.ca is looking for the "Harry-est Town in Canada," the Canadian town who has order the most Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows per... - [CBC The National Reports on Climate Change](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/12/cbc-the-national-reports-on-climate-change/): I received my daily CBC News digest this morning and discovered the following story: Quote: Climate Change The National looks at adapting to climate change.... - [Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics, Launches Book in Second Life](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/09/don-tapscott-author-of-wikinomics-launches-book-in-second-life/): I received a press release this morning that I've summarized below. Rabble.ca is holding a book launch in Second Life for Don Tapscott of Wikinomics fame.... - [Happy Easter](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/08/happy-easter/) - [Travis Needs to Get a Customized Wii](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/03/travis-needs-to-get-a-customized-wii/): My favourite illustration blog Drawn.ca posted today about custom-designed Wii and a contest Nintendo Canada (along with Magic Pony and Udon Entertainment )... - [April is Cancer Awareness Month](https://somisguided.com/2007/04/03/april-is-cancer-awareness-month/): I was reminder today that April is Cancer Awareness Month. This fact struck me in two ways. The first is that the statistics are staggering, doctors diagnose... - [Book Review: The Falconer’s Knot by Mary Hoffman](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/31/book-review-the-falconers-knot-by-mary-hoffman/): The Falconer's Knot by Mary Hoffman is a novel about two teenagers in medieval Italy. One is Chiara, whose brother sells her to a nunnery because he can't... - [Nicknames Past and Present](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/29/nicknames-past-and-present/): I acquired a new nickname yesterday and it got me thinking about the various aliases for Monique. Here's the newest one: M-ster Others in rotation: The Duck... - [Harry Potter and the Good Times](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/28/harry-potter-and-the-good-times/): It's been quite the Harry Potter day today. 1. The final cover artwork was announced today. See the Raincoast website for details. I am a huge fan of the Adult... - [Book Review: The Sunday List of Dreams by Kris Radish](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/20/book-review-the-sunday-list-of-dreams-by-kris-radish/): Bringing sexy back. We had quite the Sunday night. I finished Kris Radish's book The Sunday List of Dreams, and we saw the movies Perfume and Little Children.... - [Shopping in Second Life](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/18/shopping-in-second-life/): Barganistia has a great recap of the girls night out in Second Life. We went on a shopping spree. I'm going back for new hair. I made the mistake of trying to... - [Starbucks: The Way I See It](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/17/starbucks-the-way-i-see-it/): When I want a Chai tea latte, I choose Starbucks. I typically make my overpriced purchase at the Starbucks on Cornwall St. in Vancouver. I don't mind paying... - [Book Review: iGeneration by Jason Logan](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/16/book-review-igeneration-by-jason-logan/): iGeneration is by Jason Logan, the illustrator who brought us If We Ever Break Up, This Is My Book. iGeneration: Shuffling toward the Future is a quirky little... - [Book Review: Rock ‘n’ Roll by Tom Stoppard](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/15/book-review-rock-n-roll-by-tom-stoppard/): Arcadia by Tom Stoppard is one of my favourite plays, in part because I had to study the hell out of it in unversity and in part because it is one of the first... - [Off to the Spelling Bee](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/10/off-to-the-spelling-bee/): I'm almost out the door to the CanSpell Regional Spelling Bee. Should be fun. UPDATE: It was totally fun. The spellers were 11 years old. I arrived at the... - [Hey Book Readers](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/08/hey-book-readers/): Please check out the survey on Galley Cat. They want to know "What's the most likely way a book gets on your to-read list?" I read about it in a newspaper... - [Microsoft Lawyer Attacks Google in Speech to Associaton of American Publishers](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/08/microsoft-lawyer-attacks-google-in-speech-to-associaton-of-american-publishers/): Oh what fun. Tom Rubin, Associate General Counsel for Copyright, Trademark, and Trade Secrets at Microsoft, recently spoke to the Association of American... - [User-created video reviews](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/06/user-created-video-reviews/): James has been working on a project called AdHack, which is a do-it-yourself advertising community. AdHack came to be because the mechanisms for creating... - [Book Review: Audrey Hepburn: The Paramount Years](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/03/book-review-audrey-hepburn-the-paramount-years/): Audrey Hepburn: The Paramount Years by Tony Nourmand (published by Chronicle Books) is a beautiful book of photos and essays on Audrey in front of the camera... - [Duck Photoshoot](https://somisguided.com/2007/03/03/duck-photoshoot/): Hop Studios has a casting call out for ducks. Quote: Hop Studios is auditioning for a new rubber duck icon. If you have a rubber duck with a nice face and... - [Patricia Storms is a fantastic illustrator](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/28/patricia-storms-is-a-fantastic-illustrator/): Several months ago Patricia Storms of BookLust created this amazing bookplate for me. I love it. And, you might come across it in Geist issue 63. What do you... - [Book Review: The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/28/book-review-the-nature-of-monsters-by-clare-clark/): Clare Clark is the author of two very fine novels, both of which deal with elements of the underground and unsavoury human behaviour. Her first novel The Great... - [Northern Voice 2007](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/24/northern-voice-2007/): I'm at the Northern Voice blogging conference today. This post will be updated throughout the day. Random Thought #1: Next year's tees must be red. We're going... - [Derek K. Miller is Playing Now](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/24/derek-k-miller-is-playing-now/): Dave Olsen is just getting underway Three Ps of Podcasting and he's got Penmachine Session 2 playing. Hi Derek, we miss you. - [The Moose Is Loose](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/23/the-moose-is-loose/): MooseCamp Schedule is up. This post will be updated throughout the day as I add session notes. Session #1: Mashups for Non-Programmers My first session of... - [GMAC Great Canadian Writing Contest for Kids](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/21/gmac-great-canadian-writing-contest-for-kids/): Hey Kids! General Motors is running the Great Canadian Writing Contest . The contest is open to kids across Canada in Grade 5 or Grade 6. You just write a... - [Fred Astaire and My Tap Dance Sunday](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/19/fred-astaire-and-my-tap-dance-sunday/): Today was a day of tap dance. I have a class on Sundays that I take with the venerable Jim Hibbard. The class this morning was fantastic. Then this evening I... - [Winding Down the Week](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/17/winding-down-the-week/): Friday. I had beer at lunch. This makes for a good Friday. I also was pointed towards Chocomap.com. It is never too late in the day to drool over the... - [Books Are Hard](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/13/books-are-hard/): This came firing over the transom this afternoon. Books are hard. Watch the video. - [Social Signal Sends Valentine’s Day Card](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/12/social-signal-sends-valentines-day-card/): I love it. Canadians are notorious for our enjoyment of puns. Check out Social Signal's technically sweet Valentine. I digg it. - [Giles Slade on CNN ‘In The Money’](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/08/giles-slade-on-cnn-in-the-money/): Giles Slade, author of Made to Break, was on CNN last Sunday on "In The Money". Here's a transcript of the segment:... - [Book Review: American Gods by Neil Gaiman](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/08/book-review-american-gods-by-neil-gaiman/): The stories we tell ourselves and others is how we make sense of the world. In searching for who said the above quote I came across, "Stories are the most... - [Get an Insider’s Look at Publishing Books](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/07/get-an-insiders-look-at-publishing-books/): The fine folks at Random House have created BookLounge.ca, which I thought was fantastic from the beginning. It's a bit of a virtual book... - [](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/07/1238/): Finalists for the Writersí Trust Awards were announced today. The nominees include my picks: Rawi Hage, Kenneth J. Harvey, and Noah Richler. The Writersí... - [Super News: I Got a Northern Voice Travel Bursary](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/07/super-news-i-got-a-northern-voice-travel-bursary/): I am one of six lucky recipients of a CAN $500 Northern Voice (NV) travel bursary. Here's the NV post, which links to me and the other 5 recipients. Here's my... - [Two Talks on the Future of Books](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/06/two-talks-on-the-future-of-books/): The Evolution of Reading and Writing in the Networked Era Wednesday February 21, 2007 at 5.00 pm Room 3875, SFU Surrey Campus, 3rd floor Central City Tower... - [Read Lawrence Hill for Black History Month](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/06/read-lawrence-hill-for-black-history-month/): Over the past couple of years I've noticed a more concerted effort by Canadians to actually celebrate Black History month. In my imagination at least, Black... - [Harry Potter Is Coming July 21, 2007](https://somisguided.com/2007/02/01/harry-potter-is-coming-july-21-2007/): Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling will be published around the world in the English language on Saturday, July 21st, 2007. Read the details... - [Event Announcement: Giles Slade Author of Made to Break](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/25/event-announcement-giles-slade-author-of-made-to-break/): Wednesday, January 31, 7:30 pm Presentation on Made to Break by Giles Slade Alma Van Dusen Room, VPL, Central Library, 350 W. Georgia Giles Slade, who I've... - [Bloggers Fill Out This Survey](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/24/bloggers-fill-out-this-survey/): http://www.whydoyoublog.com/survey In February, my buddy Darren Barefoot is speaking at Northern Voice on ìWhy We Blogî. He's got a quick survey of 16... - [Visit a Library in SecondLife](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/24/visit-a-library-in-secondlife/): Librarians--the coolest, geekiest, tech-tripped-out people I know--are in SecondLife. InfoIsland.org: Second Life Library 2.0 This week on Info Island there... - [The Tyee Drums Up Attention for Net Neutrality Issues in Canada](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/23/the-tyee-drums-up-attention-for-net-neutrality-issues-in-canada/): The Tyee has an extensive article on why net neutrality needs more attention in Canada. Quick save the internet! Digg this story. On January 17, Bryan Zandberg... - [Request for Safe Travel](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/21/request-for-safe-travel/): Northern Voice is offering six travel bursaries of CAN $500 each. I would like one. I live in Vancouver, which means that technically I don't need a bursary. I... - [3-Day Novel Contest Gets Its Groove On on YouTube](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/19/3-day-novel-contest-gets-its-groove-on-on-youtube/): Absolutely fantastic! The first three minutes of the 3-Day Novel Contest: The Series is available at YouTube and at BookTelevision.com. Here are the links:... - [Quill and Quire Gets a WordPress Blog](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/17/quill-and-quire-gets-a-wordpress-blog/): Quill & Quire is the book industry trade magazine. They've had a blog-like page for a long time, but now there's RSS, searchable archives, a new design, and... - [Quill and Quire Launches a Flickr Group](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/17/quill-and-quire-launches-a-flickr-group/): Quill & Quire is Canada's magazine of book news and reviews. And, they've just launched a new Flickr group for photos of Canadian authors and book events.... - [Another Announcement: Get a Travel Bursary for Northern Voice](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/16/another-announcement-get-a-travel-bursary-for-northern-voice/): Northern Voice is a two-day, non-profit personal blogging conference that's being held at the UBC main campus, Vancouver, on February 23-24, 2007. This is the... - [Now a real announcement: A job posting for Digital Marketing Manager](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/16/now-a-real-announcement-a-job-posting-for-digital-marketing-manager/): HarperCollins Canada has an immediate opening for a Digital Marketing Manager. I've met Steve Osgoode several times and have admired the Harper Collins' online... - [This Announcement Headline](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/14/this-announcement-headline/): Congratulations, here's an example post. Here's unbold. - [Book Review: The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/13/book-review-the-meaning-of-night-by-michael-cox/): Fans of historical fiction must seek out this book. The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox (McClelland & Stewart, 2006) Michael Cox is a first-time author from... - [Strong Winds Knock Down Tree in Kitsilano, Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/09/strong-winds-knock-down-tree-in-kitsilano-vancouver/): At 3:15 today, James and I had just returned home. The wind was gushing and the trees were being whipped around. I decided to film the wind because it was so... - [Five (More) Things You Don’t Know About Me](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/07/five-more-things-you-dont-know-about-me/): Robert tagged me, then untagged me, but I'm still game. Here are five things most people don't know about me. 1. I have a freckle patch. Aside from a few... - [Social Signal Launches in Second Life and hires Catherine Omega](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/04/social-signal-launches-in-second-life-and-hires-catherine-omega/): Catherine Winters, aka Catherine Omega, is Social Signal's newest hire, with the fancy title of Manager of Virtual Worlds. I lover her avatar. And Alex is... - [DailyLit.com Offers Books Via Email](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/04/dailylit-com-offers-books-via-email/): The Montreal Gazette has a story today: "Books by email - a novel idea: DailyLit.com offers titles in snippets. Site offers hundreds of titles in the public... - [The New Year Awaits](https://somisguided.com/2007/01/01/the-new-year-awaits/): Welcome to 2007. It is approaching 1 pm and I just dragged myself from bed. Travis and Susie had an awesome party. Thanks guys! Highlights: The coat boy Boris'... - [Book Review: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/26/book-review-the-book-of-lost-things-by-john-connolly/): The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly is a spin on Grimm's Fairy Tales. Twelve-year-old David recently lost his mother and now his father is remarried. Rose... - [Another New Adventure: Monique Eats Fish](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/24/another-new-adventure-monique-eats-fish/): For those of you who have eaten in a restaurant with me, or--heaven help you--tried to make me dinner, you know that I have a long list of allergies. Surprise!... - [Monique Leaves Raincoast Books to Join Work Industries](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/22/monique-leaves-raincoast-books-to-join-work-industries/): Now that I've had a chance to speak directly with most of my coworkers and other clients, it's time to loudly and publicly announce that I am leaving corporate... - [Andy Mckee on YouTube is really rocking my socks](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/18/andy-mckee-on-youtube-is-really-rocking-my-socks/): Andy Mckee - Drifting - www.candyrat.com Watch it here. Tappers will love it. Here's what Don Ross on Candyrat.com has to say: "In my humble opinion, Andy is... - [Giles Slade on CBC BC Almanac](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/17/giles-slade-on-cbc-bc-almanac/): Giles Slade, author of Made to Break: Technology and Obsolescence in America will be on CBC Radio's BC Almanac on Tues Dec 19th at 1:30pm. This is the best... - [Today’s Tech News Highlights](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/15/todays-tech-news-highlights/): Every morning I read the headlines on CBC.ca and today there's 3 stories that I want to share. HUMAN CAN OPENER BECOMES INTERNET VIDEO STAR Random crap on the... - [CaseCamp in Second Life](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/15/casecamp-in-second-life/): In First Life, I'm at the Work Industries holiday party. I have my party dress on, the band is blaring in the other room and I'm in a storage space with the... - [Build-a-Bear Greeting Card](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/09/build-a-bear-greeting-card/): I got a Build-a-Bear ecard, and you can make your own here. I liked this so much I had to share. Happy holidays. - [Five Things You Don’t Know About Me](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/06/five-things-you-dont-know-about-me/): Kate tagged me with the five things meme. Here's what many of you don't know: 1. I'm originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba. 2. I have two masters degrees. One in... - [Booksprice.com: A Comparative Tool for Books, DVDs, Games and CDs](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/06/booksprice-com-a-comparative-tool-for-books-dvds-games-and-cds/): I got an email about a new online tool for price comparisons. A Froogle for the book biz, it seems. Here's the price comparison for James's book. It looks like... - [The Canadian Writers Collective](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/06/the-canadian-writers-collective/): In October I participated on a panel at Wordfest in Calgary. The discussion was called something odd like "The Blogger Blogs" and the panelists were scheduled... - [Monique’s Holiday Book Picks](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/02/moniques-holiday-book-picks/): So far I haven't been inspired by the holiday picks on Amazon and Indigo. At least the Globe and Mail top 100 books had some interesting selections, as did the... - [Random House Starts Selling Online and Indigo Stocks Self-Published Titles](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/01/random-house-starts-selling-online-and-indigo-stocks-self-published-titles/): Two big news items today in Quill and Quire. Random House Canada has started selling books directly to consumers off its website and Indigo Books & Music... - [CBC Scraps Canada Now and Adds Civic Journalism Initiative](https://somisguided.com/2006/12/01/cbc-scraps-canada-now-and-adds-civic-journalism-initiative/): Yesterday the CBC reported that it will cancel Canada Now and restore one-hour local news shows. I remember being angry that local news shows were cancelled,... - [Indigo.ca Is Looking for an AJaX and UI Developer](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/30/indigo-ca-is-looking-for-an-ajax-and-ui-developer/): DavidCrow.ca has a posting for Indigo.ca. They are looking for an AJaX and UI developer. Indigo is really pushing to compete with Amazon.ca and they've made a... - [It’s Snowing in Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/26/its-snowing-in-vancouver/): There are big, beautiful snowflakes falling outside my window and I can't take a photo because James and my camera are in Squamish. Thank goodness for Flickr. - [Julie Wilson On Freestyle](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/25/julie-wilson-on-freestyle/): Julie Wilson, book blogger on Seen Reading, was profiled in Eye magazine yesterday and will be on CBC Freestyle on Tuesday. I mentioned Julie at the beginning... - [Is It Friday Yet? Here are fun links](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/24/is-it-friday-yet-here-are-fun-links/): Penguin Books without covers--design your own. The State of Things--very cool illustrations. Rawi Hage just won the McAuslan First Book Prize and the... - [Book Review: Forever in Blue](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/23/book-review-forever-in-blue/): The fourth book in the Summer of the Sisterhood series, Forever in Blue, was the perfect way to spend my day at home. I am sick with a head cold and the glare... - [Giles Slade on the Cover of the Richmond Review](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/21/giles-slade-on-the-cover-of-the-richmond-review/): Giles Slade, author of Made to Break, who I've talked about more than once, was on the cover of the Richmond Review on November 18. To see his mug and... - [Happy Feet Opens Today](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/17/happy-feet-opens-today/): The Penguins have arrived! Check out the latest animation feature from Warner Bros., Happy Feet. Who cares what the storyline is. Savion Glover does the... - [Today Is My Birthday](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/16/today-is-my-birthday-2/): I turn thirty-fun today. I also woke up at exactly the time I was born, 6:17 am. I can assure you that this is not my regular wake up time. My first present... - [Garth Turner Unedited](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/15/garth-turner-unedited/): John Ibbitson's Globe and Mail article "The Internet Is Turner's Perfect Medium" is a fine example of the anxiety newspapermen feel towards the internet. The... - [Very Short Stories and a Contest](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/15/very-short-stories-and-a-contest/): The November issue of Wired Magazine features a story called "Very Short Stories." They've asked 33 writers and 5 designers to create 6-word science fiction.... - [Because Remembrance Isn’t Just About One Day](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/13/because-remembrance-isnt-just-about-one-day/): James' mom and her partner Keith were at the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on Friday night and Terry Kelly, a Canadian performer, was on hand to wow the crowd.... - [A Rough Day at the Office](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/11/a-rough-day-at-the-office/): Every now and then I actually follow a link on the Friday Joke File, and today it was worthwhile. Have a listen to Becky from Dublin, who'd like her school... - [Dove’s Real Beauty–The Making Of](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/10/doves-real-beauty-the-making-of/): Alex posts about Dove. Read her post, then watch the video. I'm not adverse to a couple of photoshop smooth-overs, but this is beyond what I'd consider real... - [Photography Contest](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/10/photography-contest/): Jen at Canuck Librarian has an announcement about the Kitchener Public Library's amateur photography contest. The KPL has teamed up with the Record to host the... - [Vincent Lam Wins the Giller for Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/08/vincent-lam-wins-the-giller-for-bloodletting-and-miraculous-cures/): Quote: Toronto-based author Vincent Lam has won the Giller Prize, Canada's richest and most prestigious literary award, for his book of linked short stories,... - [Podcasting in a Non-Geek Way](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/08/podcasting-in-a-non-geek-way/): Want to podcast but don't want to figure out all the back-end and techie stuff? Partner up with Mack at Podcastspot.com. Watch the video: Mack is interviewed... - [Seen Reading](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/03/seen-reading/): Julie Wilson has a cool project going on at Seen Reading. She describes it like this: Quote: What Is Seen Reading? 1. I see you reading. 2. I guesstimate where... - [Prepare To Be Amazed is shortlisted for the Silver Birch Award](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/02/prepare-to-be-amazed-is-shortlisted-for-the-silver-birch-award/): Magical Mary's non-fiction book for children, Prepare To Be Amazed: The Geniuses of Modern Magic, has been shortlisted for the 2007 Silver Birch Award. Silver... - [Help WorldChanging Hack the Publishing System](https://somisguided.com/2006/11/01/help-worldchanging-hack-the-publishing-system/): I'm a little late on this but it's still November 1 so if you're into social change and want to help with a little experiment then read the post on... - [Michael Winter Survives Inferno](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/27/michael-winter-survives-inferno/): Michael Winter, author of The Big Why and other books I've greatly enjoyed reading, has survived falling into an inferno. Speaking of the big why -- why? Why... - [As the Crow Flies and the Indie Wedding Season Hits …](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/27/as-the-crow-flies-and-the-indie-wedding-season-hits/): Darren pointed me to Kirsten Bole's website crowstoburnaby.com. Kirsten has discovered a list of female Vancouver bloggers on a strange site that doesn't... - [Want to Start a Company Blog?](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/26/want-to-start-a-company-blog/): UPDATE: Ok, it's a little late for you to register. I can't believe it's already October 25. Check out the site instead and prepare for the next one. Want to... - [2006 Living Planet Report](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/25/2006-living-planet-report/): How many planets do we need? According to the WWF 2006 Living Planet Report we'll need two if we continue at our current level of resource striping (5 planets... - [Geist is good for you](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/23/geist-is-good-for-you/): The good folks at Geist are running their 3rd annual Geist Literal Literary Postcard Story Contest. (I know, for postcard fiction, they could have picked a... - [The Winner of the Bool](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/the-winner-of-the-bool/): Congratulations to Aaron, winner of the bool. Here's my YouTube video of the random draw, watch it now. Don't know what a bool is, here's how it started. - [Summary of the CMA Digital Marketing Conference](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/summary-of-the-cma-digital-marketing-conference/): For my own purposes, I want these notes handy. If you are interested in reading about the Canadian Marketing Association's digital marketing conference, then... - [CMA: Joseph Jaffe on the influence of social media](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/cma-joseph-jaffe-on-the-influence-of-social-media/): Post 1: Frank Trivieri talks about GM Canada Post 2: Steve Levy on spending money online Post 3: Mitch Joel on Six Pixels of Separation Post 4: CMA: David... - [CMA: Laura Baehr on YTV and what tweens are up to these days](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/cma-laura-baehr-on-ytv-and-what-tweens-are-up-to-these-days/): Post 1: Frank Trivieri talks about GM Canada Post 2: Steve Levy on spending money online Post 3: Mitch Joel on Six Pixels of Separation Post 4: CMA: David... - [CMA: C.C. Chapman on Podcasting](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/cma-c-c-chapman-on-podcasting/): Post 1: Frank Trivieri talks about GM Canada Post 2: Steve Levy on spending money online Post 3: Mitch Joel on Six Pixels of Separation Post 4: CMA: David... - [CMA: Bryan Eisenberg on how marketers fail us](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/cma-bryan-eisenberg-on-how-marketers-fail-us/): Post 1: Frank Trivieri talks about GM Canada Post 2: Steve Levy on spending money online Post 3: Mitch Joel on Six Pixels of Separation Post 4: CMA: David... - [CMA: David Weinberger on Humans and the Internet](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/cma-david-weinberger-on-humans-and-the-internet/): Post 1: Frank Trivieri talks about GM Canada Post 2: Steve Levy on spending money online Post 3: Mitch Joel on Six Pixels of Separation Post 4 Markets in the... - [CMA: Mitch Joel on Six Pixels of Separation](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/cma-mitch-joel-on-six-pixels-of-separation/): Post 1: Frank Trivieri talks about GM Canada Post 2: Steve Levy on spending money online Post 3: Six Pixels of Separation ñ How marketing connects in a... - [CMA: Steve Levy on Spending Money Online](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/22/cma-steve-levy-on-spending-money-online/): To continue on the notes about the CMA digital marketing conference ... Post 1: Frank Trivieri talks about GM Canada Post 2: What are YOU Thinking? Steve Levy,... - [CMA Digital Marketing Conference October 19-20, 2006](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/21/cma-digital-marketing-conference-october-19-20-2006/): Thursday and Friday of this week I participated in the Canadian Marketing Association's Digital Marketing Conference. Below are my notes from Day 1, first... - [The Bool Ends Today](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/21/the-bool-ends-today/): On Wednesday, I posted about a bool hunt, the chance to win 6 books from Stephen King, including his latest Lisey's Story. So far the entries have been... - [Big News in Ontario: Microsoft will save us from identity fraud](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/18/big-news-in-ontario-microsoft-will-save-us-from-identity-fraud/): The big technology news in Toronto today (where I am for a digital marketing conference) is that Microsoft has a digital identity management plan that will... - [The Bool Begins](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/18/the-bool-begins/): If you've been following my posts on Stephen King's upcoming novel Lisey's Story, then you'll know that a bool is a treasure hunt with a prize at the end. In... - [Book Review: Lisey’s Story Is One Great Bool](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/17/book-review-liseys-story-is-one-great-bool/): Stephen King has written a love story. It's also a story of sadness, loss and remembrance. I started out not wanting to read the book alone and I finished... - [Book News](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/14/book-news/): Turkish author Orhan Pamuk won the Nobel Prize for literature. Last year, about this time, James and I were returning from Turkey. I had read in all my... - [Something for Crazy](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/13/something-for-crazy/): My RSS feed was not working because of my fun post on World Cup of Literary Writers. So I closed it for now. RSS seems to be working. Now we're trying to... - [Epic Salmon Migration](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/09/epic-salmon-migration/): Two cool things: 1) Salmon spawning, which you've read about already. 2) NowPublic.com. Now Public is a participatory news network. There are a number of tools... - [Lisey’s Story by Stephen King](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/08/liseys-story-by-stephen-king/): Stephen King has never been one of my must-read authors. I generally feel that enough book buyers support Stephen King so I don't have to. Instead I like to... - [Bestsellers, Bloggers and Book Bytes Session at SFU](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/07/bestsellers-bloggers-and-book-bytes-session-at-sfu/): Bestsellers, Bloggers & Book Bytes: A Literary Agent's Guide to the World of Publishing From SFU Quote: Agents Don Sedgwick and Shaun Bradley of the... - [Free Sessions at Douglas College for Writers, Editors, Marketers](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/07/free-sessions-at-douglas-college-for-writers-editors-marketers/): Print Futures, the professional Writing program at Douglas College, has launched a speaker series this fall. All sessions are free, but preregistration is... - [Book Review: Third Class Superhero by Charles Yu](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/07/book-review-third-class-superhero-by-charles-yu/): Third Class Superhero is the title story of this collection from Charles Yu, and it is by far my favourite. Moisture Man receives a rejection letter. Quote:... - [Salmon Run Video](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/06/salmon-run-video/): Watch my salmon video. MOV file (6.28 MB) A very Mickey Monique movie. No frills. No sound track. Just fish. And, this took way too long to create in iMovie.... - [Join Me in Calgary and Toronto](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/04/join-me-in-calgary-and-toronto/): If you live in Calgary, come join me at WordFest 2006. THE BLOGGER BLOGS October 14, 2006 Start: 11:30 am, End: 12:30 pm Venue: Art Gallery of Calgary Where is... - [Quoted in the Vancouver Sun](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/03/quoted-in-the-vancouver-sun/): I was quoted in the Vancouver Sun this weekend. Cheri Hanson who writes a regular books and technology column in the Saturday paper quoted me in her article... - [Why Salmon Are Interesting](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/03/why-salmon-are-interesting/): Like anything, salmon are interesting if you think about them. As I mentioned in a previous post, James and I followed the route of the sockeye salmon from the... - [Vancouver to Hope](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/03/vancouver-to-hope/): James has documented the first part of our trip on the THINK SALMON website. You can have a look at my photos and see the journey from James' perspective. The... - [The Adams River Sockeye Run](https://somisguided.com/2006/10/02/the-adams-river-sockeye-run/): I started out this weekend as a travelling companion to James. James was going up to Adams River to the "Salute to the Salmon" festival. He needed help with... - [FoodVancouver.com Goes iPod](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/27/foodvancouver-com-goes-ipod/): Kevin Freeman and Geoff Peters of GK Media are pretty cool guys. They launched www.foodvancouver.com in April 2005. Part of the mandate of the site is to help... - [More on The Long Tail](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/26/more-on-the-long-tail/): Several weeks ago John Maxwell from SFU posted a comment on my posting "Lessons from The Long Tail". I had every intention of responding straight away but... - [Reminder: Word on the Street is today](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/24/reminder-word-on-the-street-is-today/): If you're in Vancouver come out to library square downtown. I'm on a panel at 12:15 downstairs in one of the conference rooms. Word Under the Street is also... - [Book Review: A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/23/book-review-a-spot-of-bother-by-mark-haddon/): Everyone goes through a spot of bother at some point in life. Some of us go through a spot of bother daily--minor things that niggle away at our brain, things... - [Join me at WOTS](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/20/join-me-at-wots/): Join me at Vancouverís 12th Annual THE WORD ON THE STREET FESTIVAL. (WOTS for those of us too lazy to say the whole thing.) WOTS is SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 11 am... - [Make the Most of a Writers Conference](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/18/make-the-most-of-a-writers-conference/) - [Online Marketing Resources](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/18/online-marketing-resources/): I received some nice feedback today from someone who attended the SFU summer workshop in book publishing. Quote: "I wanted to thank you for your workshop on... - [A Spot of Brilliant Cover Design](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/17/a-spot-of-brilliant-cover-design/): Mark Haddon has a new novel, A Spot of Bother. My friend Patricia over at BookLust and I enjoy Mark Haddon's book design. So I hope she likes this cover as... - [Geist Hits the Festival Scene](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/15/geist-hits-the-festival-scene/): The good folks at Geist magazine are going to be at the Vancouver Word on the Street Festival on Sunday, Sept. 24. The Geist booth is always fun: they have... - [Busy at the PNE, Birthdays and Days at the Beach](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/12/busy-at-the-pne-birthdays-and-days-at-the-beach/): Check out Flickr for photos on what I've been up to lately. I still owe John Maxwell a response about The Long Tail. It's coming. - [Review: Before I Wake by Robert J. Wiersema](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/10/review-before-i-wake-by-robert-j-wiersema/): I finished reading Robert J. Wiersema's novel this week, Before I Wake. It's the type of book that I really like. There's a good story, it's well-written,... - [Bolloxed Is Full of Testicular Delight](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/09/bolloxed-is-full-of-testicular-delight/): I saw my first Vancouver Fringe play ever. Bolloxed. Bolloxed is written by my friend Darren Barefoot. It's about a Canadian programmer working for an American... - [Bolloxed at The Fringe](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/07/bolloxed-at-the-fringe/): My friend Darren Barefoot has a play at The Fringe Festival in Vancouver. He wrote it, which means I now know a playwright. Could come in handy some day. The... - [Lessons from The Long Tail](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/01/lessons-from-the-long-tail/): A couple of weeks ago I finished reading Chris Anderson's The Long Tail. I spent time mulling over some of these ideas and trying to look specifically at the... - [Final Station of the Bool](https://somisguided.com/2006/09/01/final-station-of-the-bool/): BOOL. THE END. To enter to win the package of Stephen King books, tell me in the comments field something interesting you know about Stephen King. Does he... - [Book Launch for Robert J. Wiersema](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/31/book-launch-for-robert-j-wiersema/): I've just returned from the book launch for Robert J. Wiersema's first published novel, Before I Wake. It was a bit of a private party at Railspur Alley Cafe... - [Google Allows Users to Download Books Out of Copyright](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/30/google-allows-users-to-download-books-out-of-copyright/): In the beginning Google said that they would not allow the download and printing of books that are no longer protected by copyright , but that changed today.... - [So Many Ways to Begin by Jon McGregor](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/30/so-many-ways-to-begin-by-jon-mcgregor/): Jon McGregor is the author of If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, which is one of my all-time favourite books. His second novel, So Many Ways to Begin, is... - [The Garneau Block by Todd Babiak](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/23/the-garneau-block-by-todd-babiak/): The Garneau Block and its story of a "Let's Fix It" campaign to save the neighbourhood is one of the funniest pieces of Canadiana I've read in a long time. The... - [Nick Hornby’s Otherwise Pandemonium](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/22/nick-hornbys-otherwise-pandemonium/): Penguin Press is celebrating 70 years of pocketbooks. I mentioned in an earlier post that while in Winnipeg I stumbled across a brilliant display of new... - [Online Book Marketing](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/21/online-book-marketing/): Last week was a week of presentations. On Thursday and Friday I met with WESTAF. And on Tuesday, I met with the students in the SFU summer workshop in book... - [On Firing a Cannon](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/20/on-firing-a-cannon/) - [The Convergence of Arts Organizations and Technology](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/20/the-convergence-of-arts-organizations-and-technology/): This week I was part of a panel discussion and brainstorming session with members of the Vancouver technology community and WESTAF, the Western States Arts... - [How to Actively Promote Your Book](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/17/how-to-actively-promote-your-book/): I've recently been part of a number of conversations with authors about how they can successfully promote their books. These aren't self-published books, these... - [Web Resource Links](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/16/web-resource-links/): Yesterday I gave an hour-long presentation to Simon Fraser University students in the summer book publishing workshop. I had an hour to talk about online... - [Thoughts on Fiction](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/12/thoughts-on-fiction/): Working in the publishing industry means that people like to talk to me about books. I, of course, like to talk about books so this is never really a problem.... - [McNally Robinson Bookstore in Winnipeg](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/10/mcnally-robinson-bookstore-in-winnipeg/): Yesterday I visited my favourite Canadian bookstore, McNally Robinson. First it is a beautiful store. We had lunch in the cafe then perused the selections. I... - [60 Years of Marriage](https://somisguided.com/2006/08/04/60-years-of-marriage/) - [Nielsen Podcast Survey Presented Dodgey Numbers](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/29/nielsen-podcast-survey-presented-dodgey-numbers/): On July 13, I read a story on a couple of blogs about the inaccuracies of a recent Nielsen study on podcasts, then Wednesday (13 unlucky days later) I saw that... - [Two Public Lectures](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/29/two-public-lectures/): From SFU, here's an announcement about two lectures open to the public: August 9 ENDING THE TWO SOLITUDES: A Quebecois Publisher's Ideas for Cross-Cultural... - [Lumos, Harry Potter Conference Starts Tomorrow](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/27/lumos-harry-potter-conference-starts-tomorrow/): Summer reading to me screams Harry Potter but this summer, without a new book to read, I'm left reading all the Harry Potter fan sites, which I actually really... - [Hey Tappers Melissa Frakman Is In Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/21/hey-tappers-melissa-frakman-is-in-vancouver/): SAT, JULY 22 at Harbour Dance BEG 10 AM INT 11 AM ADV 12 PM-2PM **SPECIAL 2-HR CLASS - [Anthony Bourdain Podcast](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/20/anthony-bourdain-podcast/): Yesterday was an early day for me. I woke up at 6 am to be ready for a phone interview with Frank Barnako of MarketWatch.com. It was exciting to have a... - [Similicio.us](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/20/similicio-us/): Find an article you like? Want to know what similar articles people have linked to on Del.icio.us? You need Similicio.us http://similicio.us/ It's kind of... - [Censorship](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/19/censorship/): I just returned home from a meeting at the Shebeen Club. We had a great discussion about censorship, and then I stumbled across this clip of George W. Bush and... - [Art of Comix and Cartooning](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/17/art-of-comix-and-cartooning/): Eve Corbel (illustrator of this cartoon and also known as Mary Schendlinger) is giving a workshop on the Art of Comix & Cartooning. 22 July at the Listel Hotel... - [Vancouver Folk Festival 2006](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/16/vancouver-folk-festival-2006/): Opportunity rang yesterday around 2 pm with an invitation to the Vancouver Folk Festival. I used to be a volunteer at the festival but in the last couple of... - [Publishing Statistics](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/15/publishing-statistics/): Stats on the publishing industry are collected at the below site. Most are American and there's a disclaimer that numbers may not be up to date and that... - [Social Tech Brewing](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/15/social-tech-brewing/): If you're free Monday and are interested in a little networking, beer and hang-out session, come to Social Tech Brewing. Social Tech Brewing Vancouver... - [Made to Break Makes the Globe and Mail](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/08/made-to-break-makes-the-globe-and-mail/): Heather Menzies, author of No Time: Stress and the Crisis of Modern Life, wrote a very positive review of Giles Slades' book Made to Break in Saturday's Globe... - [An Introduction to RSS](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/06/an-introduction-to-rss/): In case you're impatient, here's the link I'm going to tell you about at the bottom of the post: http://socialsignal.com/rsstocracy Now let me get there by the... - [SFU New Media replacement course](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/06/sfu-new-media-replacement-course/): If you were interested in the SFU New Media workshop, which sadly has been cancelled this year. Let me recommend WebVisions 2006 "Explore the Future of the... - [HarperCollins Canada Starts Podcasting](https://somisguided.com/2006/07/04/harpercollins-canada-starts-podcasting/): I'm a little behind announcing this, but in case you haven't heard, HarperCollins Canada is working with Foursevens Podcast Network to produce a podcast... - [Artwork from Old Books](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/30/artwork-from-old-books/): I am a sucker for the artwork in old books. By old I mean pre-1900. Look at the images on this site. www.fromoldbooks.org Peter Morgan notified me of it. The... - [More Feedback on BEC Writers to Readers Conference](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/29/more-feedback-on-bec-writers-to-readers-conference/): On Tuesday I posted on the BookExpo Canada Writers to Readers Conference. Since that time Kate S. has offered her comments (see UPDATE in original post), and... - [The Georgia Straight Starts a Blog](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/29/the-georgia-straight-starts-a-blog/): John Burns at Vancouver's Georgia Straight--my favourite free weekly newspaper--has started a quasi blog on http://www.straight.com/section.cfm?id=407 At the... - [Feedback on BookExpo Canada’s Writers to Readers Conference](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/27/feedback-on-bookexpo-canadas-writers-to-readers-conference/): On May 24 I put out a desperate plea to anyone attending the BEC Writers to Readers conference at BEC to please, please, report back. Well here are some... - [Bubble Battle This Sunday](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/27/bubble-battle-this-sunday/): All of you Vancouverites should go to this! There will be one in Montreal and one in Toronto too. After all, who doesn't love blowing bubbles? I, in fact, blow... - [SFU New Media Workshop Cancelled for 2006](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/27/sfu-new-media-workshop-cancelled-for-2006/): I say this with great sadness: the SFU New Media workshop is cancelled for this summer. The ultimate challenge was that not enough participants were registered... - [Anansi Boys Named Best Fantasy Novel](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/22/anansi-boys-named-best-fantasy-novel/): Locus magazine awarded Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys the Best Fantasy Novel award. The book was voted the winner by readers of the magazine, and the award was... - [The Cracker-Barrel](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/19/the-cracker-barrel/): Yahooooo! Darren Barefoot is going to read Made to Break. I started writing this comment on his blog, then realized that it was developing into a full blog... - [Amazon To Sell Groceries?](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/19/amazon-to-sell-groceries/): Slashdot.org is reporting that Amazon is set to launch an online grocery store. I guess electronics and jewellery aren't enough. Oh, wait, I think they sell... - [Made to Break Needs a Break](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/19/made-to-break-needs-a-break/): Made To Break is the best non-fiction book that I've read this year. At the moment I'm learning about the history of FM radio. I was just going on and on about... - [Women in Film](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/19/women-in-film/): Congratulations to Katherine Dodds, who will be honoured with a Women in Film and Video Vancouver award. The award is WIFVV's Woman of Vision Award, and she'll... - [M&S Essential 100 Contest](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/16/ms-essential-100-contest/): As reported on Thinkubator: To celebrate its centenary year, M&S is holding a draw to win its "Essential 100" books (over $2,000 value). For details, visit the... - [Martini Madness at Mark’s Fiasco](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/15/martini-madness-at-marks-fiasco/): My friend Scott is competing in Martini Madness at Mark's Fiasco on Thursday, June 15. If you live in Vancouver and like martinis, come down to Mark's Fiasco... - [The Tyee Adds a Books Site](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/12/the-tyee-adds-a-books-site/): TheTyee.ca was started in November 2003 by David Beers, who's renowned for bringing arts and culture news to British Columbians. The Tyee is an independent... - [Made to Break](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/11/made-to-break/): The nonfiction book that I'm reading right now is worth talking about well before I'm finished. The book is - [Maple Leaf Meme](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/07/maple-leaf-meme/): We're playing a game. Draw the Maple Leaf. It started with this post. I read about it here. So draw it, then post it. Don't look at the real thing until you're... - [BEA Podcasts](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/05/bea-podcasts/): This Friday is the start of BookExpo Canada. A couple of weeks ago was BookExpo America. I hope that BEC does a podcast of the Friday programming, which I'm... - [Anansi Boys Tops My Charts](https://somisguided.com/2006/06/04/anansi-boys-tops-my-charts/): I just finished reading Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys and it is my favourite book of 2006. I know there's still a lot of the year left but honestly I can't imagine... - [Publishing News Roundup](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/30/publishing-news-roundup/): It was a rather busy week in publishing news: Rebecca Godfrey took home the second annual British Columbia Award for Canadian Non-Fiction. The award was... - [Tap Talk at the VPL](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/28/tap-talk-at-the-vpl-2/): I just attended Tap Talk at the Vancouver Public Library. It was an hour presentation on three Canadian tap dance legends: Heather Cornell, Dr Jeni LeGon and... - [The Value of Reader Programs](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/27/the-value-of-reader-programs/): Sometime back in January I wrote about the book Daniel Isn't Talking by Marti Leimbach. I enjoyed the book and it has been fun watching it appear on store... - [Celebrate Tap Dance Day](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/26/celebrate-tap-dance-day/): Hey yesterday was National Tap Dance Day and tomorrow is the start of the Tap Day events here in Vancouver. Saturday: LIBRARY TAP PERFORMANCE Tap Talk: Legends... - [Going to BookExpo Canada? Register for the Friday Session](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/25/going-to-bookexpo-canada-register-for-the-friday-session/): I'm not going to BookExpo Canada this year and I'm seriously disappointed because there is a full-day session on Friday, June 9 on online book promotion. If... - [Abebooks Celebrates 10 Years](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/24/abebooks-celebrates-10-years/): Victoria-based Abebooks is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. It recently bought a share in LibraryThing.com as a birthday present to itself.... - [In the Company of Cheerful Ladies](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/23/in-the-company-of-cheerful-ladies/): Alexander McCall Smith's latest edition to the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series is perhaps the best yet. I finished reading it this morning. The Lady... - [Da Vinci: the Book, the Movie, the Quest](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/19/da-vinci-the-book-the-movie-the-quest/): Google has sponsored some crazy Da Vinci Code Quest. Basically over 24 days, people solved a puzzle a day in order to win prizes. The first 10,000 participants... - [Google Books Starts a Blog](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/11/google-books-starts-a-blog/): The guys and gals of Google Book Search now have a blog: http://booksearch.blogspot.com/ - [Lost in Television](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/10/lost-in-television/): Last week I was chatting with Lex about the tv show Lost. She's just started watching the series and is now a bit of a fan. I'm also a fan, however, I have... - [Emily Carr Grad Exhibition](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/07/emily-carr-grad-exhibition/): On Friday I went to a preview of the Emily Carr Graduation Exhibition 2006. I only saw part of the show so I'd like to go back. I posted some photos on... - [Love My Mac](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/06/love-my-mac/): Here at Work Industries we're a Mac shop. I've decided that I'm part of Work Industries because Work Industries has invaded my space. We can get along. It's... - [Saturday is Free Comic Book Day](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/06/saturday-is-free-comic-book-day/): Find a participating store at http://www.freecomicbookday.com/ What's Free Comic Book Day? Free Comic Book Day is a single day when participating comic book... - [100 Mile Diet Is Done — Book Is Coming](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/05/100-mile-diet-is-done-book-is-coming/): I posted previously about the two Vancouver folks doing the 100-Mile Diet. Well now there's a book coming, but, in the meantime, check out the website. I love... - [Tap To It Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/05/tap-to-it-vancouver/): I was talking to Roland Tanglao tonight about tap dance and here's the update on cheap and incredible tap dance in Vancouver this month according to... - [Inspector Banks](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/02/inspector-banks/): Do you know Inspector Banks? In February, McClelland & Stewart sent me a charming note about crime novelist Peter Robinson and his latest novel Piece of My... - [Mark Haddon and His Curious Book Design](https://somisguided.com/2006/05/01/mark-haddon-and-his-curious-book-design/): Over at Book Lust I read a post that Patricia did for Drawn.ca on Mark Haddon book design, in particular his multiple designs for The Curious Incident of the... - [Anosh Irani’s Bombay](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/30/anosh-iranis-bombay/): This afternoon I attended a recording for the CBC Studio One Book Club. The guest author this week was Anosh Irani . Anosh published his first novel with... - [Boris the Bunny](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/28/boris-the-bunny/): Magpie and Cake blogged recently about the The Essence of Rabbit. I'm a particular fan of the cartoon bunny. In fact my pet name for my mom is Rabbit. Quote:... - [CBC Words At Large](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/27/cbc-words-at-large/): CBC has a subsection on their website, CBC.ca/wordsatlarge. I discovered it in the intro section of my daily headlines email. I like receiving the CBC... - [Pen World Voices Festival of International Literature](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/27/pen-world-voices-festival-of-international-literature/): Bud Parr, of MetaxuCafe, sent me an email about an exciting week long writing series they are doing about the Pen World Voices Festival of International... - [Camilla Gibb wins Trillium Book Award](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/27/camilla-gibb-wins-trillium-book-award/): Congratulations to Toronto's Camilla Gibb, who won the 2006 Trillium Book Award for Sweetness in the Belly published by Doubleday Canada. The Trillium Book... - [The Joy of Words](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/26/the-joy-of-words/): Tonight in Vancouver. What: The Joy of Words, An Evening of Readings and Music with Award-Winning Canadian Author Joy Kogawa When: Tuesday, April 25, 2006... - [Tap Talk: Legends of Canadian Tap Dance](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/25/tap-talk-legends-of-canadian-tap-dance/) - [BC Book & Magazine Week](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/24/bc-book-magazine-week/): Hey it's BC Book and Magazine Week. I've missed out on some of the events, but there are still some things going on. Check out the events page at... - [Shortlist Announced for BC Award for Canadian Non-Fiction](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/24/shortlist-announced-for-bc-award-for-canadian-non-fiction/): The shortlist for the second annual BC Award for Canadian Non-Fiction was announced by Premier Gordon Campbell and Keith Mitchell, Chair of the BC Achievement... - [USS Midway](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/24/uss-midway/): I was in San Diego last week and toured the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier. San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum website The USS Midway was in service for 47... - [Publishing Tidbits](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/19/publishing-tidbits/): Here's my round-up of publishing tidbits: SFU's Master of Publishing program has launched the new version of Thinkubator. The site is aimed at those in... - [The Desk Potato Diet](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/12/the-desk-potato-diet/): This might be treading into "sandwich blog" territory, you know, the type of blog that posts the minutia of someone's day. I ate this, I went there, I did that... - [Testing testing 1-2-3](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/10/testing-testing-1-2-3/): I'm removing the index.php from my site and although I've followed the directions, I don't truly believe everything won't explore. This is a test. Not to... - [The Shebeen Club presents …](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/10/the-shebeen-club-presents/): The Shebeen Club is a Vancouver's literary meet-up group. Each event is organized around a theme. I enjoyed attending these events, however, I have been unable... - [From Idea to Air: Making Radio with Tod Maffin](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/09/from-idea-to-air-making-radio-with-tod-maffin/): I was one of 20 lucky contestants awarded the chance to hang out with Tod Maffin all day Saturday at the CBC. Tod was volunteering his time as part of a... - [In the News](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/05/in-the-news/): I know this has already gone around the web. I didn't actually see it, but the 6 pm news reported it last night so it must have come from the web, right?... - [Oh CBC, Our Home and Native Blogs](https://somisguided.com/2006/04/05/oh-cbc-our-home-and-native-blogs/): CBC Arts & Entertainment has a great round-up of awesome Canadian arts and culture blogs. I say awesome because I do in fact read many of these bloggers. But I... - [Van “The Man” Porter](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/31/van-the-man-porter/): Van "The Man" Porter is selling an instructional video of the Orange-Coloured Sky routine. I have a copy in my possession and love it. It's only $40 CDN for... - [Dance On](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/26/dance-on/): When I was younger I used to watch Janet Jackson videos and imitate the dance moves. I wasn't the only dancer to do that. My entire jazz class one year knew so... - [Book Publishing Business Article](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/21/book-publishing-business-article/): U.S. News & World Report, www.usnews.com, had an interesting article on publishing in their print edition on March 13. "Publish or Panic: The credibility of... - [Book Review of Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/19/book-review-of-kiffe-kiffe-tomorrow/): I just finished reading an advance copy of Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow. It is by Faiza Guene, a child of Algerian immigrants, who grew up in the public housing... - [Ruckus Dance–77 Awesome Minutes](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/18/ruckus-dance-77-awesome-minutes/): I was very excited about going to see Brock Jellison's new work 77 Minutes. It is part of the Vancouver International Dance Festival, I saw him perform a... - [SFU Master of Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/16/sfu-master-of-publishing/): I've spent a couple of intellectually stimulating days with the SFU Master of Publishing students this week. I'm an alumni of the program and was invited to... - [Overheard](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/14/overheard/): Last night I went to see Beowulf and Grendel. There was some disappointment in the movie amongst my friends. The dialogue was lacking in many places. The... - [Savion Glover’s Improvography hits Canada March 11](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/11/savion-glovers-improvography-hits-canada-march-11/): There's amazing tap dancing for those of you in Ottawa too. March 11 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa: Tap-dance genius Savion Glover makes his only... - [Tap Dancing Legend Jeni LeGon](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/11/tap-dancing-legend-jeni-legon/): Vancouver Public Library presents Jeni LeGon and Nancy Haver ... Friday, March 31 7:30 pm Alma VanDusen & Peter Kaye Rooms Saturday April 1 2:30 pm Alice... - [The Shebeen Club Meets March 21](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/11/the-shebeen-club-meets-march-21/): (Press Release) The Shebeen Club: Tax Tips for Literary Professionals When: 7-9pm, Tuesday, March 21, 2006 Where: the Shebeen, behind the Irish Heather, 217... - [Harry Potter DVD Sell 5 Million Copies in One Day](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/10/harry-potter-dvd-sell-5-million-copies-in-one-day/): Bang Zoom. The DVD release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire sold 5 million copies in the first day--not sure if that's worldwide or just English-speaking... - [Ruckus Dance Performs March 17 to 18](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/06/ruckus-dance-performs-march-17-to-18/): Ruckus Dance is a new twenty member company led by BC choreographer Brock Jellison who toured the world with the internationally acclaimed Tap Dogs production.... - [The Coffee-Sleeve Quilt](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/04/the-coffee-sleeve-quilt/): The amazingly talented Siobhan has constructed a quilt out of coffee sleeves. The finished quilt is a traditional design and measures 4'3" x 5'6". She used... - [What’s Up in Canadian Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2006/03/04/whats-up-in-canadian-publishing/): As my friend John says, "it was a week from hell." Actually it wasn't too hellish, it's just that my dear friend is moving back to London, UK. I'm happy that... - [Fat Tuesday](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/28/fat-tuesday/): Get your sinning done today, tomorrow is Lent. Today is Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras. In days of old, today was the last day of indulgence before Lent... - [The New Quill & Quire Design](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/27/the-new-quill-quire-design/): I love it. Quill & Quire is the publishing industry's magazine of gossip, news, reviews and commentary. It used to be on tabloid size paper, 11 x 17,... - [Beyond the Wardrobe: A review of My Mother’s Wedding Dress](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/26/beyond-the-wardrobe-a-review-of-my-mothers-wedding-dress/): If you like memoir, fashion and storytelling written like fiction, then you'll enjoy reading Justine Picardie's My Mother's Wedding Dress. I received an... - [SFU Summer Workshop in New Media](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/24/sfu-summer-workshop-in-new-media/): One of the many hats that I wear now includes program director for the Simon Fraser University New Media summer workshops. Quite a mouthful. Information about... - [Congratulations Team Canada!](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/21/congratulations-team-canada/): In June I got to meet Hayley Wickenheiser at BookExpo Canada. She was signing copies of Hayley Wickenheiser: Born to Play by Elizabeth Etue (Kids Can Press).... - [Technologically Chic](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/17/technologically-chic/): Are you a geek with good fashion sense? Do you covet the laptop bag more than the laptop (only slightly more though, ok)? These designs are pretty great: a... - [Graphic Design and Typographer David Carson Comes to Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/14/graphic-design-and-typographer-david-carson-comes-to-vancouver/): Passing on a press release: Graphic designer and typographer David Carson will be speaking at a public seminar on Thursday, March 2 at 6:30 pm in The Art... - [Notes on Northern Voice 2006](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/12/notes-on-northern-voice-2006/): Yesterday was Northern Voice 2006: Canada's blogging conference. James and I attended and it was great to see our blogging friends and geek out a bit. The day... - [Notes on Moose Camp](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/12/notes-on-moose-camp/): Friday was Moose Camp. What's Moose Camp? Well, it's like Bar Camp. Which is? Ok, have you ever sat around in a bar and tried to pitch someone on an idea and... - [Where’s that Moose? Northern Voice 2006 Starts Tomorrow](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/10/wheres-that-moose-northern-voice-2006-starts-tomorrow/): The Moose is totally loose! Northern Voice unofficially starts tonight. In mere minutes, Chris Pirillo and Ponzi Indharasophangi will be taping The Chris... - [Four Things](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/09/four-things/): BigSnit has tagged me with Four Things. So let's see here: Four movies I can watch over and over: 1. Miller's Crossing, but really anything from the Coen... - [Save Joy Kogawa’s Childhood Home](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/09/save-joy-kogawas-childhood-home/): My friend Ann-Marie is helping The Land Conservancy of BC (TLC) fundraise to rescue the childhood home of author Joy Kogawa, which happens to sit around the... - [Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/07/reifel-migratory-bird-sanctuary/): On Sunday James and I explored the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. There are a lot of ducks there and a couple of nasty cranes. For the full birding... - [Vancouver Podcaster Meetup](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/04/vancouver-podcaster-meetup/): Last night was the first Vancouver podcaster meetup. It was at the Beatty St Bar & Grill, which I must say had minimal food options for one fish/seafood... - [Tell Tod a Tale](https://somisguided.com/2006/02/03/tell-tod-a-tale/): Tod Maffin, self-described overcaffeinated public radio producer, author, podcaster and technology futurist, is offering a non-fiction storytelling seminar for... - [Giant Octopus Attack](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/28/giant-octopus-attack/): How would you like to be a salmon researcher poking around in your small submarine when a giant octopus decides that you're either cute or dinner? Mike Wood's... - [Writers Round-Up](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/28/writers-round-up/): Lisa Moore wins regional Commonwealth Prize: See CBC.ca "Canadian writer Lisa Moore's debut novel Alligator has been named best book for the Caribbean and... - [Stephen King on Amazon Fishbowl](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/26/stephen-king-on-amazon-fishbowl/): Bill Maher to Stephen King: You're anything but a scary guy. Stephen King: I have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk. Stephen King doesn't... - [Green Party](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/24/green-party/): For a couple of seconds it looked like the Green Party might win a riding. - [Heather Cornell taps her way to Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/21/heather-cornell-taps-her-way-to-vancouver/): Heather Cornell, founder and director of Manhattan Tap, is in Vancouver for two weekend workshops. Classes held at Vancouver Tap Dance Society (2775 East... - [Dance with Dormeshia](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/21/dance-with-dormeshia/): Instrumental Feet and Support the Artform present workshops with Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards. Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards (Black & Blue, Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in... - [Crash Different](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/19/crash-different/): Having a basic understanding of marketing forces me to be a cynical consumer. When I see a poster in a bookstore, I wonder how much someone paid for that. When... - [Lattes for Literacy](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/19/lattes-for-literacy/): Hit the Starbucks on the 19th. That's tomorrow. Starbucks Coffee Canada pledges all latte proceeds on January 19th to Canadian literacy organizations,... - [Kevin Smokler Blogs for Powell’s Books](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/15/kevin-smokler-blogs-for-powells-books/): I haven't been paying attention to all the newsletters that I receive. Mostly there's one or two interesting things per week and I wonder why I bother... - [AAP and Google Lawsuit](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/12/aap-and-google-lawsuit/): This is mostly a link I want to remember, but if you're in publishing, you'll be interested too: John Battelle's Searchblog has a good post on what's at stake... - [Kidsbooks Annual Sale](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/12/kidsbooks-annual-sale/): My favourite Vancouver kids bookstore is having its annual sale. Thursday, January 19 to Sunday, January 22 Kidsbooks: 3083 West Broadway, Vancouver, or 3040... - [Harper Collins Canada First Look](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/11/harper-collins-canada-first-look/): Are you a Canadian resident? Do you want to preview and review books before they hit the bookstore? Check out HarperCollins Canada's First Look program. Quote:... - [Macworld San Francisco](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/11/macworld-san-francisco/): In the geek work today I watched the live transcript of Steve Jobs' keynote address at Macworld. I learned the following: 10:41 am Shows pic of Jobs and Woz.... - [Daniel Isn’t Talking but the Author Is](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/11/daniel-isnt-talking-but-the-author-is/): Here's another plug for Women Who Blog, but also for Marti Leimbach, author of Daniel Isn't Talking. See my book review. In the comments field of my review,... - [Book Review of Daniel Isn’t Talking](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/08/book-review-of-daniel-isnt-talking/): I've just finished reading Daniel Isn't Talking by Marti Leimbach. There are lots of funny moments, educational moments, which I also enjoyed, and some... - [Women Who Blog](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/06/women-who-blog/): I don't want to turn this into a love fest, but ... Patricia at BookLust called my writing style "elegant and enchanting." The comment is within the context of... - [Go Quietly into the New Year](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/05/go-quietly-into-the-new-year/): In my experience, the new year brings very few new titles with it. The early new year that is. I suppose publishers assume that readers are busy devouring the... - [Where did all the singable songs go?](https://somisguided.com/2006/01/01/where-did-all-the-singable-songs-go/): Last night I attended a New Year's eve party with a bunch of musicians. I have a weakness for musicians. James likes to tell me that he played sax in grade... - [Dance Dance Revolution](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/30/dance-dance-revolution/): I was uploading my - [CBC Podcasts](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/18/cbc-podcasts/): My CBC.ca viewing was interrupted today by a survey request. CBC wanted to know more about how I felt about podcasts. Yippee! A couple of things here to note:... - [Imagine The Imagined City](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/15/imagine-the-imagined-city/): Just received a notice from Turnstone that my stocking stuffer is now in stores: The Imagined City: A Literary History of Winnipeg, edited by David Arnason &... - [On Discovering Shane Koyczan](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/15/on-discovering-shane-koyczan/) - [HarperCollins Digitizes Books Then Sells Them to Search Engines](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/13/harpercollins-digitizes-books-then-sells-them-to-search-engines/): The Globe and Mail ran an article today by Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg and Kevin J. Delaney titled "HarperCollins does Net end run: will sell digitized books to... - [My Wishlist](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/11/my-wishlist/): James and I engaged in a poke-and-stroll down 4th avenue today. Poke as in stick your head in a store, poke about, then stroll on. I redeemed my Duthie's gift... - [The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/09/the-100-mile-diet-a-year-of-local-eating/): CBC has reported a couple of times on a Vancouver couple who are observing a special diet that restricts them to eating foods that are grown and produced... - [Last Day in Banff at Blogs n Dogs](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/08/last-day-in-banff-at-blogs-n-dogs/): And the learning continued ... I'm not a fan of blog posts of lists but noting some of the things I learned in point form is primarily for my own resources so... - [Every Blogger Has an Opinion](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/08/every-blogger-has-an-opinion/) - [Blogs n Dogs: Things I Didn’t Know Before Yesterday](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/06/blogs-n-dogs-things-i-didnt-know-before-yesterday/): A number of people asked me yesterday what I learned at the conference, and I had a hard time answering, not because I didn't learn anything but because the... - [Patrick Brealey and the Knives](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/05/patrick-brealey-and-the-knives/): Kris Krug was just demonstrating MySpace.com and as he was doing that I thought, Patrick Brealey needs to be on MySpace, then I searched and there he was.... - [Monique on the Way to Banff](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/05/monique-on-the-way-to-banff/): The challenge going to blogging conferences with bloggers is that they are snap-happy-camera fiends. Within seconds of meeting Lee LeFever, for example, I... - [Tories podcast, Liberals blog](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/05/tories-podcast-liberals-blog/): CTV Canada AM reported this morning that the Tories have podcasts up on their site and the Liberals are blogging. Perhaps they'll show up at the Blogs n Dogs... - [Banff Centre Rocks](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/04/banff-centre-rocks/): Altitude: Please be aware that Banff's elevation is approximately 1,384 metres (4,540 feet) ... you may experience fatigue, shortness of breath and/or... - [Hitting the Road](https://somisguided.com/2005/12/03/hitting-the-road/): "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." (Saint Augustine) I'm on my way to Banff tomorrow for the Blog n Dogs conference. I have... - [The Imagined City: A Literary History of Winnipeg](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/27/the-imagined-city-a-literary-history-of-winnipeg/): I have been waiting for this book: The Imagined City: A Literary History of Winnipeg, edited by David Arnason and Mhari Mackintosh. There was an announcement... - [Another Half-Assed Literary Round-Up](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/26/another-half-assed-literary-round-up/): I just spent 10 minutes on a Kick Ass posting about what's going on in the publishing world. Then the computer froze. I was under the illusion that my posts... - [2005 Canadian Blog Awards](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/24/2005-canadian-blog-awards/): For a stunning example of half-finished web design, visit the Canadian Blog Awards page and vote for So Misguided. Round 1 voting has started for the 2005... - [Google Print is Google Book Search](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/22/google-print-is-google-book-search/): I forgot to post this last week so here it goes now. Google Print has a new name. It is now Google Book Search. Perhaps Google has just discovered SEO? The... - [The Big 3-0](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/20/the-big-3-0/): I turned 30 on Wednesday ... but I'm celebrating until Monday. One of the most interesting things about turning 3-0 is hearing about how other people... - [Literary Round-up](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/20/literary-round-up/): A lot of interesting things happened in the literary sphere this week, but the commentary was relatively quiet or perhaps I was distracted by my birthday... - [Chapters Gives It Away, Well 20% Anyway](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/18/chapters-gives-it-away-well-20-anyway/): Get 20% at Chapters/Indigo this Sunday (Nov 20) --- just print out this coupon (link below)-- apparently, you don't have to be an iRewards member.... - [Being Read to](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/17/being-read-to/): Patricia my favourite bibliophile blogger has asked whether her readers recall being read to as a child. I definitely do. My mother has a fantastic reading... - [Blogs, Dogs and Birthdays](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/16/blogs-dogs-and-birthdays/): My birthday is tomorrow. I was never one to wish for a puppy, but yesterday I got a dog. Not a real dog, but an invite to the phenomenal Blogs n Dogs workshop... - [Comicon Comes to Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/15/comicon-comes-to-vancouver/): Vancouver Comicon is this Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM at Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, Vancouver. Vancouver Comicon Information Page I am envious of anyone... - [David Bergen’s The Time in Between Wins the Giller Prize](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/09/david-bergens-the-time-in-between-wins-the-giller-prize/): David Bergen's novel The Time In Between just won the Scotiabank Giller Prize. He's got the prize, the glitzy TV spot, a $40,000 cheque, way to go David! The... - [Feeling Broke](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/09/feeling-broke/): Paying for my elaborate vacation has left me feeling rather broke. Lucky for me there is a freelance gig in the works, but hey there's also this interesting... - [Un-Bundling Amazon and Google Print](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/06/un-bundling-amazon-and-google-print/): Google launched the Library Print project on Thursday and Amazon.com announced that it would offer online access to any page or section of a book, as well as... - [Love Your Rock](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/05/love-your-rock/): Hello Outdoor Lovers! I am very excited to announce that my buddy Craig's website LoveYourRock.com is now online. Quote: What is LoveYourRock.com? It is a... - [Northern Voice 2006](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/04/northern-voice-2006/): Are you coming to Northern Voice 2006? Northern Voice 2006 (www.northernvoice.ca) is a two day conference on Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11.... - [Geist Update](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/03/geist-update/): Congrats to Shawna and Patricia who will be receiving a subscription to the best magazine in the world. - [Geist Arrives on the Doorstep](https://somisguided.com/2005/11/02/geist-arrives-on-the-doorstep/): I've only just stopped drooling. The latest edition of Geist magazine has landed on the doorstep and I love it. Check out the Geist website. Geist is my... - [The War of the Worlds: Publishing vs Search](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/27/the-war-of-the-worlds-publishing-vs-search/): Vancouver Public Library has a series this week called Speak Up: Who Owns Knowledge. I attended the session last night on copyright. Andreas Schroeder was a... - [Copyright Law and Google Print Library Project](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/24/copyright-law-and-google-print-library-project/): The Association of American Publishers and the US Authors Guild have filed two separate law suits against Google, saying that the Google Print Library Project... - [Undeniably Good](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/19/undeniably-good/): James' novel Up in Ontario is reviewed in Prairie Fire magazine. Here's the review: http://www.prairiefire.ca/reviews/sherrett_j.html Sometime about 1996 James... - [Congratulations McNally Robinson](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/14/congratulations-mcnally-robinson/): Quill and Quire is reporting that Holly and Paul McNally of McNally Robinson Booksellers have won the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the... - [Harbour Publishing and Boston Legal](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/12/harbour-publishing-and-boston-legal/): Last night James and I saw an ad for the ABC drama Boston Legal. I don't keep up with the TV news but this morning in Quill and Quire I read that a Canadian... - [While I Was Away](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/11/while-i-was-away/): Just catching up on the news: Yahoo launches podcast site (Washington Post). http://www.podcasts.yahoo.com Bible group spreads word by SMS (cnn.com). The Bible... - [Home Sweet Home](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/11/home-sweet-home/): Yahoo! Last night James and I returned from Greece and Turkey. James' brother picked us up at the airport and delivered us to his house for turkey dinner. That... - [Ramadan in Istanbul](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/06/ramadan-in-istanbul/): James and I arrived in Istanbul yesterday at sundown, the exact time that Muslims were finishing the first day of Ramadan. Ramadan is celebrated in the 9th... - [Successfully Navigated the Dolmush](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/04/successfully-navigated-the-dolmush/): Dolmush is the phonetic pronunciation for the mini-buses that ferry people across the great land of Turkey. James and I arrived at the bus stop at 8 am, then... - [Get the Hell Out of Dodge](https://somisguided.com/2005/10/02/get-the-hell-out-of-dodge/): Ok not Dodge but Marmaris. James and I originally planned to go to Rhodes from Marmaris but now we are going to Epheseus and we do not know how to get there.... - [The Berbur of Bozburun](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/30/the-berbur-of-bozburun/): Pictures are pending. I would like to upload some to the site but unfortunately everything is in Turkish and I cannot understand a word. Yesterday James went... - [Time’s Arrow: Turkey](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/26/times-arrow-turkey/): We should be in Turkey today, passports stamped and arriving in Turgutreis, which is a lively little town and hopefully has a laundry facility. Turgutreis is... - [Time’s Arrow: Leros to Keci Buku](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/19/times-arrow-leros-to-keci-buku/): Today is the day James and I board our sailboat. We embark at 11 am in Lakki, which is the main harbour on Leros. We get all the details, like how to use the... - [Santorini Sunsets](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/18/santorini-sunsets/): James and I just spent 3 really fun days on Santorini. We stayed in a hotel called Rena's Place, which is in Fira, the main town. The hotel is off the beaten... - [Athens Arrival](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/13/athens-arrival/): James and I arrived in Athens last night. Our flight was delayed 1 hour because someone missed the plane but their bag did not. The baggage had to be unloaded... - [London Highlights](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/09/london-highlights/): James and I arrived in London on Sept 8. It was a rather long flight but not too unpleasant. A fellow who lives in our apartment, on the same floor as us, was... - [Trafford pledges $1.6 million for endangered languages](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/06/trafford-pledges-1-6-million-for-endangered-languages/): Print-on-demand publisher Trafford, based in Victoria, pledged $1.6 million on August 31 to help in the global race to document and teach endangered indigenous... - [Leaving Lotusland](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/06/leaving-lotusland/): Tomorrow is the day! I'm leaving ... on a jet plane ... leaving ... but I'll be back in a month. James and I are off on an adventure. We leave for London... - [Swinging from the Phone Tree](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/02/swinging-from-the-phone-tree/): I have been on hold for approximately 1 hour today. I have spent a maximum of 20 consecutive minutes on hold. The rest of the time has been navigating phone... - [Publishing-Resources-from-the-Library](https://somisguided.com/2005/09/01/publishing-resources-from-the-library/): Just so I don't forget, and in case anyone else is interested: Nina Smart, publishing liaison librarian at Simon Fraser University, has a blog of informatiton... - [CNN via Slashdot: Automatically Returned Audiobooks](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/31/cnn-via-slashdot-automatically-returned-audiobooks/): On Slashdot there is an interesting story from CNN about some US libraries using Microsoft Media DRM to automatically return audiobooks that are overdue.... - [Rhythm Bound — Tap Dance Hits Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/30/rhythm-bound-tap-dance-hits-vancouver/): Tonight I took Roxane Butterfly's two workshop. She taught two classes for the West Coast Tap Dance Collective, a very fine organization. Roxane was named... - [OK Computer goes to the Blogs](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/26/ok-computer-goes-to-the-blogs/): Radiohead has a blog. Dead Air Space. I like the candid photos, but is that really a dog? - [Forget 50 Cent, Amazon.com has short fiction for 49 cents](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/26/forget-50-cent-amazon-com-has-short-fiction-for-49-cents/): Amazon.com is way ahead of its fellow online book retailers. You can still buy the latest 50 Cent album, as well as cameras, phones, jewellery--bless their... - [The First Day of School](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/24/the-first-day-of-school/): Powells.com has a fantastic newsletter. They've got book reviews, first editions that they flog, interviews, bestseller lists and great bits of personal... - [Fall Preview](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/22/fall-preview/): The Fall book season is upon us! Fall seems to be busy for every industry, but September and October are particularly busy times in publishing. Lots of... - [ZOMBIEWALK 2005](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/17/zombiewalk-2005/): Shamble, stumble, flail, have a good time? No, we're not getting legless, I'm talking zombies. Any Zombie obsessions out there? Please join me Saturday, August... - [Canadians Say Goodbye to Sergeant Ernest Alvia “Smokey” Smith](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/13/canadians-say-goodbye-to-sergeant-ernest-alvia-smokey-smith/): Today was the memorial service for "Smokey" Smith. The procession made its way through my neighbourhood and across the bridge to St-Andrew's-Wesley Church. The... - [Button Makers and Skateboards](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/13/button-makers-and-skateboards/): The last couple of days there has been increased activity in my brain, in particular on the crafty side. Cunning and creative. Yesterday I was thinking... - [“Podcasting” Added to the Oxford English Dictionary](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/12/podcasting-added-to-the-oxford-english-dictionary/): I'm a day behind but not a word short. CBC reported yesterday that podcast, phishing and wiki are among the new additions to the second edition of the Oxford... - [SK8](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/12/sk8/): Curb your enthusiasm. So Misguided skates the issue. The first commercial skateboard was the Roller Derby Skateboard (1959) but before that skateboards looked... - [Amazon.ca Launches Search Inside the Book in Canada](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/09/amazon-ca-launches-search-inside-the-book-in-canada/): Big news out of Seattle today. Amazon.ca has finally launched Search Inside the Book. SITB has been available on the .com site since Oct. 2003, but it took... - [Vancouver Symphony in the Park](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/09/vancouver-symphony-in-the-park/): Bramwell Tovey is the music director for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He joined the VSO in 2000 but before that he was artistic director of the Winnipeg... - [You’re It — Let’s Play Literary Tag](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/05/youre-it-lets-play-literary-tag/): Two weeks ago, James Sherrett tagged me in a game of literary tag. Although I hate to be left out, I'm also not a joiner. Like a fish on the line, I've... - [The State of Publishing: Traditional Book Publishing vs. Online Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/05/the-state-of-publishing-traditional-book-publishing-vs-online-publishing/): I was asked today why I thought online publishing won't takeover traditional publishing. My answer was that humans have been reading off paper for hundreds of... - [Might Mouse](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/03/might-mouse/): Have a look at what the geeks are up to: "Mighty Mouse" has been one of the top 10 searches for the last couple of days according to Technorati.... - [Take Me Out to the Blog Game](https://somisguided.com/2005/08/03/take-me-out-to-the-blog-game/): America is calling. If I was rich on time and in the pocketbook, here are the upcoming blog conferences I'd like to attend: Blog Business Summit in San... - [SFU Future of Publishing Conference](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/29/sfu-future-of-publishing-conference/): The world of paper and the web converged for me yesterday. I attended the SFU summer workshop on "The Future of Publishing." It was an interesting panel... - [Incongruous Proverbs](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/27/incongruous-proverbs/): I read somewhere that people make sense of their world through narrative. I find this to be true in my own world. Often during conversations or meditation, I'm... - [James Runs a Triathlon](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/24/james-runs-a-triathlon/): Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France. No surprise. The big news today is that James did his first triathlon. Time: 1:19:32 He did a Sprint Distance... - [Paris and the Golden Apple](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/24/paris-and-the-golden-apple/): Paris was one of the fifty sons of King Priam of Troy. Fifty! According to the Greeks, he was responsible for causing the Trojan War. Perhaps you recall this... - [What Time is it Mr. Bush?](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/21/what-time-is-it-mr-bush/): The Americans are looking at extending daylight savings time, in an effort to save energy. I'm not clear on the details, but I assume energy would be saved in... - [Publishing News](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/20/publishing-news/): Couple of notes from the publishing world: I read yesterday on quillandquire.com that the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which has apparently generated... - [The Cartographer’s Daughter](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/20/the-cartographers-daughter/): I may have mentioned my enjoyment of the BookLust website before, but the post today got me thinking about my own roots in books and my mom. BookLust entry,... - [Yahoo to you, Mr. Gulliver](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/19/yahoo-to-you-mr-gulliver/): I was thinking about Yahoo today and how competitive it is with Google, and how good competition drives creativity. Which led me to think about creativity... - [Harry Potter Arrives by Owl Post](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/16/harry-potter-arrives-by-owl-post/): I just Harry Pottered. Vancouver Kidsbooks fed through hundreds kids. The street was blocked off, there was a parade with stilt walkers and musicians and three... - [A Comedy of Errors](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/15/a-comedy-of-errors/): I was talking about geese last night. Geese fly in a V-formation so that they have more time to glide. Gliding allows them to conserve energy. This is the same... - [Canada Day Comes Round Again](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/09/canada-day-comes-round-again/): Canada Day seems like a long time ago. I've tried to be steadfast in posting the answers to the quiz, but the day job is getting in the way. Read the original... - [Tall Ships Come to Vancouver](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/06/tall-ships-come-to-vancouver/): Sea Vancouver is on July 6-10. This means Tall Ships are coming to Vancouver, along with other seafaring events. The parade of ships is supposed to be tomorrow... - [Crazy? I was crazy once: Timothy Findley](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/06/crazy-i-was-crazy-once-timothy-findley/): "All night long, Hooker Winslow's eyes were open. "Around the room, the first shadows of morning began to lift themselves out of the corners and up from behind... - [Full Moon: Dionne Brand](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/06/full-moon-dionne-brand/): "Marie Ursule woke up this morning knowing what morning it was and that it might be her last. "She had gathered the poisons the way anyone else might gather... - [Be Patient: Michael Ondaatje](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/05/be-patient-michael-ondaatje/): "She stands up in the garden where she has been working and looks into the distance. She has sensed a shift in the weather. There is another gust of wind, a... - [In Business: Robertson Davies](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/05/in-business-robertson-davies/): "My lifelong involvement with Mrs Dempster began at 5:58 o'clock p.m. on 27 December 1908, at which time I was ten years and seven months old. "I am able to... - [Somethin’s Happenin’: Michael Winter](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/03/somethins-happenin-michael-winter/): "Lydia leans back to laugh at something Wilf Jardine says. Her breasts are the closest thing to Wilf, and he is looking down her taut white throat. Lydia's... - [Revelations of the Book: Diane Schoemperlen](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/02/revelations-of-the-book-diane-schoemperlen/): Over the next couple of days, I shall unpack the Canada Day quiz I posted on July 1. The quotes and authors are some of my favourites. I shouldn't keep them to... - [Happy Canada Day](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/01/happy-canada-day/): Here are first lines of novels by my favourite Canadian authors. These aren't necessarily the best first lines, but they are all by great authors. Can you... - [Haunted at Book City](https://somisguided.com/2005/07/01/haunted-at-book-city/): I saw a copy of Haunted at the Beaches Book City in Toronto. Like any curious reader, I flipped to the short story "Guts." I had a morbid fascination with what... - [The Beauty of a List](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/30/the-beauty-of-a-list/): There is something about a list that I am attracted to. I make a lot of lists, grocery lists, to do lists, books I want to read lists, movies I want to watch... - [Blogging BEC, The Good Stuff](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/28/blogging-bec-the-good-stuff/): Here are the fun things that happened at the show: I met with GooglePrint. And I read today that Google has surpassed Time Warner Inc. as the media industry's... - [Blogging BEC, part 2](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/28/blogging-bec-part-2/): BookExpo Canada is finally over and I am now back at home. Fully reachable, back on the grid. There was no ring toss at our booth, but I did suggest a bean bag... - [Blogging BEC](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/27/blogging-bec/): I think my cheeks are frozen. And my feet are on fire. Yesterday was the first day of BookExpo Canada. Today is the second day. Today it is 23 C and it is only... - [Off the Grid in Toronto](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/23/off-the-grid-in-toronto/): I'm off the grid. No laptop, no cellphone, at large and unreachable. It is kind of fun, yet forces me to mooch laptop time and find quarters for the telephone.... - [BookExpo Canada](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/19/bookexpo-canada/): I'm preparing to go to Toronto next week for BookExpo Canada (BEC). What is BEC? Well, it's the Canadian version of BEA, BookExpo America. I know, clever name.... - [Googling Down Memory Lane — “These Perogies” my Untitled Story in The Manitoban](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/15/googling-down-memory-lane-these-perogies-my-untitled-story-in-the-manitoban/): I was having a poke and stroll through the Google listings for my name the other day. I'm trying to figure out what keywords I want to use to optimize my site.... - [Marketers and High-Tech Tools](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/15/marketers-and-high-tech-tools/): As if there aren't enough things messing with my brain, the CBC reported this morning that marketers are trying high-tech tools to push the brain's "buy... - [Alice Munro Was in My Car](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/15/alice-munro-was-in-my-car/): Alice Munro has been in the back of my car for a couple of months now, and today she finally left. Ok, it wasn't actually Alice Munro, it was a huge banner for... - [You’ve got to have guts to listen to Chuck Palahniuk’s “Guts”](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/10/youve-got-to-have-guts-to-listen-to-chuck-palahniuks-guts/): So far 67 attendees at Chuck Palahniuk's book readings have fainted. They all did not attend the same reading, there's no chicken salad food poisoning or... - [Mobilivre-Bookmobile Project](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/08/mobilivre-bookmobile-project/): On June 11th (4pm-10pm), Seamrippers craft collective will be hosting the MOBILIVRE-BOOKMOBILE Project at their space: the pink door at 436 West Pender,... - [OS X: Life is Different](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/06/os-x-life-is-different/): James and I entered the world of OS X this weekend. Life is different. I'm not good at the initial discovery stage, in technology anyway. I like someone who... - [The Body Knows — BookLust, Russian airplanes and English Professors](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/04/the-body-knows-booklust-russian-airplanes-and-english-professors/): Patricia at BookLust was flyin' hi a couple of days ago and posted a cartoon and commentary about her most recent fear-inspired, drug-induced flying... - [Sponsorship Scandal](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/02/sponsorship-scandal/): Yesterday was a big day for the sponsorship scandal. Its first convicted criminal. 18 counts of fraud, 3 withdrawn. Ottawa defrauded of $1.5-million. The... - [The Human Factor and Car Keys](https://somisguided.com/2005/06/01/the-human-factor-and-car-keys/): Whenever I'm a little busy, I lose things. First my mind goes, then the physical things around me go. I don't know where they go. If I did, they wouldn't be... - [Neighbourhood Pockets](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/31/neighbourhood-pockets/) - [David Bergen Hits It Big with The Time In Between](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/31/david-bergen-hits-it-big-with-the-time-in-between/): Winnipeg writer David Bergen is gracing the cover of the June issue of Quill & Quire, Canada's magazine of book news and reviews. Bergen has the cover story... - [The Manitoba Legislature and The Occult](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/29/the-manitoba-legislature-and-the-occult/): I mentioned in an early post that I had some things to say on the occult. Now I mean occult in the traditional sense, secret or hidden, not the popular notion... - [The State of Business and Busyness](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/25/the-state-of-business-and-busyness/): BUSY Busy goes back to an Old English bisig, which also meant "occupied." Apart from Dutch bezig, it has no apparent relatives in any Indo-European language,... - [Turn on the Tap — Celebrate National Tap Dance Day on Sunday May 22](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/19/turn-on-the-tap-celebrate-national-tap-dance-day-on-sunday-may-22/): TURN ON THE TAP 3rd Annual Tap Dance Day Celebration at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre 1895 Venables Street, Vancouver, BC May 22nd 2005, 2 pm and 7 pm... - [Penguin — Not Just Good Booking](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/18/penguin-not-just-good-booking/): I am dead impressed with the Britons at Penguin UK. Twice this year I have been wowed by their book marketing campaigns. It is easy to bemoan the less than... - [Belinda Stronach, the Queen and BC Elections](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/17/belinda-stronach-the-queen-and-bc-elections/): What an interesting, bombshell of a day for Canadian politics. Belinda Stronach just announced that she has crossed the floor to the Liberals. I guess it's... - [Urban Tribe Rituals](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/15/urban-tribe-rituals/): Yesterday I went to "Eh"-merica to participate in one of that nation's favourite favorite pastimes--Baseball. There was even a Grand Slam! Sport events are... - [The Coolest Job in the World — TLC and MuggleNet Interview J. K. Rowling](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/14/the-coolest-job-in-the-world-tlc-and-mugglenet-interview-j-k-rowling/): There are all sorts of cool jobs, and cool people who get to do those jobs, and today I read about a fantasy job come true. J. K. Rowling announced today on... - [Remembering Bob](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/11/remembering-bob/): Last night I celebrated Bob Hunter. There was a group of friends and family and Greenpeace supporters carrying on at Bimini's yesterday. It was a celebration... - [k-os debuts latest hit on CBC](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/10/k-os-debuts-latest-hit-on-cbc/): Known for its hip side, the CBC afternoon show has an exclusive on the latest k-os tune. Apparently it was commissioned by the CBC and features the CBC... - [Markets as Conversation — and when you can say shut up](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/08/markets-as-conversation-and-when-you-can-say-shut-up/): A couple of months ago I started talking about The Long Tail and the Cluetrain Manifesto. Both interesting things. I particularly like the point in the... - [Quotes from the Week](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/06/quotes-from-the-week/): Did you notice that today was 05 05 05? Fifth month, fifth day, 2005 year? At 5:05 I was making wishes, mostly for the work day to end. Over the week I have... - [Sears Canada cuddles up to Amazon](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/03/sears-canada-cuddles-up-to-amazon/): Canadian Press last week reported that Sears Canada Inc. has hired the services subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc. to provide ìa more robust online shopping... - [Single Transferable Vote](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/03/single-transferable-vote/): What's the deal with this single transferable vote? Well I think it is probably the only exciting thing about the upcoming election. The May 17 provincial... - [The Corporation DVD House Party](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/01/the-corporation-dvd-house-party/): Below is an abbreviated message from THE CORPORATION Producer/Director Mark Achbar and Campaign Strategist Katherine Dodds. They've started a movement against... - [Geeks, Glory and Gadgets](https://somisguided.com/2005/05/01/geeks-glory-and-gadgets/): I bought a PSP this week. Mmmmmm. It is a handsome little machine. Unfortunately for me I have to give it to someone else. Regardless, portable entertainment... - [The Literary Tour](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/30/the-literary-tour/): Last night I went on a guided literary tour with host and author Michael V. Smith. As one friend put it, "I'd follow Michael V. Smith anywhere." The Literary... - [Book News Round-up](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/27/book-news-round-up-2/): Here's a random round-up of book news: Grumpy Old Bookman is talking about the UK publishing industry's support or denunciation of Google Print. The comments... - [Pope or Potter — Joe Ratzinger vs. Jo Rowling](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/23/pope-or-potter-joe-ratzinger-vs-jo-rowling/): Seems everyone's favourite wizard was put in his place on Thursday. The German version of Amazon had three of the Pope's books in the top spots on the charts,... - [Forest-Friendly Publishing](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/21/forest-friendly-publishing/): My favourite independent US bookstore, Powells, has posted a Green Press Initiative section in recognition of publishers who support the forest-friendly paper... - [Site in Progress](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/20/site-in-progress/) - [Litblog Co-op](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/16/litblog-co-op/): The Litblog Co-op was all over the news this week. I love it. I've been following the progress on Bookdwarf and Elegant Variation. What is it? The Litblog... - [It’s all in the Pig](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/15/its-all-in-the-pig/) - [Da Vinci Celebrates Another](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/15/da-vinci-celebrates-another/): Happy 553rd Birthday Da Vinci. Google's got a Da Vinci illustration today. Yahoo. Da Vinci was a man after my own heart. He was good at a lot of things but not... - [Jane Jacobs wins the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/14/jane-jacobs-wins-the-shaughnessy-cohen-prize/): The Shaughnessy Cohen prize is award annually to the most outstanding political book based on literary merit and enhancement of one's understanding of... - [Alice Munro on Time magazine’s most influencial people list](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/12/alice-munro-on-time-magazines-most-influencial-people-list/) - [Managing Expectations … What do book surveys tell us?](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/10/managing-expectations-what-do-book-surveys-tell-us/): I have this little rant going on in my head about book surveys, but try as I might I have not been able to get it down on paper. I also can't seem to find the... - [First Entry](https://somisguided.com/2005/04/08/first-entry/): Exciting. A first entry. I know I have not been original in my title, but hey, I'm still using the unmodified "Butterfly" template, chosen at random during the...