I Love Canadian Authors discussion

Hello, my name is Renee and I am Canadian. they say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Hmmm...no problems here. I am a Canadian author published in children's fiction. My passion is horror though and someday I hope to see that work published.
I'm here to meet other people who think we canucks are amazing and talented and to learn more about the Canadian authors I don't know.
One of my favourite authors is Margaret Atwood, although I know there are more. I think there are some I love that I don't even know are Canadian. So, I welcome some enlightenment on this topic and welcome everyone to our group.
There's beer in the fridge, poutine for everyone. Oh and please leave the beaver alone, he gets snippy sometimes. Just saying, if you want to keep all your fingers...

Hi everybody!

Bonjour Mes Amis!

My name is Ali Marsman. I am a Canadian Author who is here to share my love of writing and for reading.

I am excited to meet other Canadian Authors and Y'all who enjoy reading us! <- That didn't sound too Canadian, eh?

:)

Not until you added eh? Know what I mean, eh? Anyways, back to the intros. I want to find out aboot other Canadians here.

lololol

I can't do the stupid image. i want a beaver and I can't get the beaver on here. Ali?

Greetings from the Peace River Quadrant...

My genre is science fiction. It's what I grew up on, lots of Star Trek and Dr. Who. After the career I trained for failed to materialize I decided it was time to get published.

The problem was that I skipped Kindergarten and never got 'the box' that everyone else tries so hard to think outside of. In keeping with that, I self-published through iUniverse.

My paternal grandparents were American, and some days I find myself questioning whether I'm truly Canadian. My passport seems to think so. I'm sure once my Martian Symbiont series (three titles out so far) becomes famous the Canadians will want to claim me.

I'm on Twitter, Wordpress and Myspace as ScifiAliens and my website is http://www.ScifiAliens.com See you out there!

Of Course they will want to claim you. But that's a good thing.

Hi There, My name is Nanette. I am entirely new to this, however I love to read and I am very curious. I do some editing but not professionally.
One Canadian author that comes to mind for me is Kathy Reichs, similar to Patricia Cornwell, yet the styles are quite different.
My eldest son and I both love "Bones" based on Kathy Reich's books (very loosely). Renee has inspired me to delve further into this arena, I hope we all learn something, honestly I don't know of too many Canuck authors so I hope to be edumacated! Cheers

Nanette! You decided to finally accept the invitation. We can get edumacated together. Kathy Reichs is canadian too? Wow I did not know that. I need to do some research.

As great as the two of your messages to one another was/is...it is so gosh darn funny!

Is that the common thread between Canadian Authors and the rest...our sense of humor and laid back demeanor...I am sure that shows up somehow in our work?

:)

I think it is Ali. My favorite comedians are all Canadian. They are so darn funny. It's not because they're from here, it's because they make my sides ache and my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard.

We're laid back enough to find the funny side of life. If you're uptight, serious, worried about making an impression, and climbing that ladder, where's the funny? There is no funny then.

I AGREE!

:)

I was gently challenged by my American publisher because of how much humor was in my first novel. The concern was that my fiction wouldn't be taken seriously. My thought was that humor was the only way to be realistic since funny things happen all the time in real life. This led to my website slogan, 'putting fun into scifi.' The site is http://www.ScifiAliens.com

Great site, Phyllis...I am really going to enjoy your books and have had 'Been Blued' on my list for awhile now!

'Martian Blues' was released on my birthday and my name happens to be Ali Marsman (Ali, short for Alison-Lee, not Alien, like most people ask!)

We live pretty close to one another...do you have a book signing coming up? I would for sure attend!

:)

P.S. I love the disclaimer for 'The Martian Symbiont Official White Paper'...it's actually funny that you have to have a disclaimer!
lol

Ali wrote: "Great site, Phyllis...I am really going to enjoy your books and have had 'Been Blued' on my list for awhile now!

'Martian Blues' was released on my birthday and my name happens to be Ali Marsman..."

Wow, the biggest name problem I have here in Canada is people assuming Twombly is French instead of Scottish and changing it Tremblay.

Sorry, no book signings until I find work and can afford to do another one. It kind of irks me since 'Martian Divides' came out a few months ago. But if you're ever in the area, let me know and I'll sign all your copies (unless you get ebooks, I'm not sure how that'd work...) There's at least one more title coming out next year.

Yeah, you have to put a disclaimer on everything these days or some nut will sue you for leading them on. Better safe than sorry. ;-)

Hi everyone! Great group, great discussion. By the way, I think the best comedians come from Canada, hands down.

As I am fairly new to GoodReads, I love that this group will help me stay connected to some Canadian topics and authors. I recently moved to the US and have so far introduced six people to poutine, four to butter tarts, and have created a following of people who now say 'eh,' even though I don't usually. Plus, is it me, or is it not normal to dip your grilled cheese in ketchup? I sure get some odd looks on that one.

Looking forward to getting to know the group!

Lori A. May
www.loriamay.com
http://loriamay.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/loriamay

That is the only way to eat grilled cheese Lori. It's not strange.

You guys crack me up. I am a Canadian reader (not writer) who lives in "northern" BC - I say northern even though it is only half way up the province but since I don't live in the territories half way up a province is considered north!

I love reading, usually general fiction, and lucky for me there are a lot of great Canadian authors. I don't normally seek out Canadian authors but have been happily surprised to find that a book that I have just read is written by a Canadian.

I have posted my list of favourites on the other thread and look forward to learning about other authors. Phyllis, I haven't read sci-fi for years but will look yours up, perhpas it is time to revisit that genre. and Lori, I LOVE butter tarts but now you have to introduce your American friends to Nanaimo bars.

Thanks for starting this group Renee. I look forward to participating (perhaps even a Canadian reading group?)

Cheers
Shannon

Would you like to add a reading thread to this group? I would be happy to do so if you want to. I'm not too familiar with a lot of Canadian authors. I've found that I've been reading several without knowing it all along.

I really need to read the author bios eh, there's a reason they put those there. I just finish the book and say bye-bye. That's all, good night. Never know a thing about them. I have begun to read the bio first. Then I won't forget at the end.

it's embarrassing to say, "Oh really? I didn't know so and so was Canadian. Wow, I read him/her all the time. I need to find more oot aboot them."
Seriously, what is up with the mosquitos this year. I just had a giant bugger fly right into my eye. If not for edit you would have read nfihqj9iahorgjkadh[, becuase that is what I did when he tried to gore me just a minute ago. Now he's picked up the cat and taken him off to where ever it is mosquitos call home, Sorry Dill. Better you than me.

I do not miss mosquitos. Oddly, there haven't been many around here and I am not complaining. However, there is such a thing as fish fly season here and let me tell you... they are gooey things when smacked.

Hi Shannon and welcome. Ha! I have introduced my hubby to Nanaimo bars and he thinks they're great, but he has to since I told him he would. Yummmm.

Lori A. May
www.loriamay.com
http://loriamay.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/loriamay

Great idea, Renee (the reading thread)!

:)

I've been wondering where to post this link for Jim Cherry's review of Been Blued; since Ali and Shannon both mentioned they might read it I thought this might be the place: http://www.sonar4ezine.com/ch10.html

(I'm putting the three book covers of the series below. With the Martian Divides cover there was an error made by the publisher that sent out an icon with a spaceship that doesn't exist on the real book cover.)

One thing I take away from reviews is where I might have lost a reader... In this case, he missed the idea that it was a space virus that wiped out the Martian women, endangered the men and the symbiont itself. Hmmm. I'd appreciate any additional feedback.

I'm also posting a free novella, Dolphins' World, in weekly installments on my Wordpress blog. Here's the link for the introduction: http://scifialiens.wordpress.com/2009...
You can follow the chapters I've posted so far. Please feel free to leave comments.

Perfect, Phyllis...I will read 'Dolphin's World' right away here!

What week are you on?

:)

Ali wrote: "Perfect, Phyllis...I will read 'Dolphin's World' right away here!

What week are you on?

:)"

Week four, chapter three. There's an introduction. You can start at the intro and follow the arrows at the top of that blog entry.

Hope you like it! :-)

Hi, all. I'm new to goodreads but fascinated by the whole thing. Can't believe it took me this long to hear about it. This is my first group, but I'm a long time Canadian, so I figured I'd be allowed in.

I am an aspiring writer but no book or blog at present. I've lived in London and Toronto and love both. Studied English at UWO and managed to shake that off and rediscover the love of reading I've had since I learned to read. Looking forward to finding out what being in a group entails. I will post my favourites on the other list.

Cheers,
Mark

Thank you for joining, Mark...we look forward to having you here!

Good luck with the writing. It is a lot of work, but certainly worth it in the end!

:)

Welcome Mark,
This site is great for readers and writers. We have a lot of fun with it.

Hi! Well, what I am doing here.... I was browsing the groups here on Goodreads last week and I found this one: Canada is a cherished country in our home, for various reasons, but I personally felt I didn't know enough about it, and especially not about Canadian literature. I got excited what kind of new facets of beautiful Canada I might be able to discover by reading your national authors, so I joined :)

I'll be looking forward to all recommendations and topics in the group & reading my fair share of Canadian books :)

Kind regards to all members!
Petya

Welcome Petya. We can learn about Canadian authors together. I've discovered some great talent just since joining this group. I'm ashamed to say I wasn't aware of how much writing talent was here until Ali asked me to help moderate this group.
It definitely makes one proud to be Canadian.

Great, Petya...Welcome!

:)

Hi, I'm Stan Law, and I have a question, which might well effect all Canadian writers.

For some time now, I enjoy free shipping privileges on Amazon.com, of having single books delivered to different addresses in the USA. To my knowledge there is no such reciprocity from Amazon.ca

What do you think would happen if all the 75 members of this group were to write to Amazon.ca pointing out the disrespect for the Free Trade zone, which should offer similar services/charges on both sides of the border? There's usually strength in numbers.

Would like to hear your opinion,

Stan

I agree with you Stan. It has always frustrated me that to order from Amazon.ca costs me the same as ordering from the American site. I would love it if we could do something about it. I have ordered from different sites because of this, including Chapters when the book is available and doesn't cost more than a year of college.

I think with the prices charged they could absorb the shipping as Amazon.com does. It's the same company is it not? I don't understand why they don't offer the same discounts and priveleges with each site. I can understand the shipping charge if i were ordering from the american site, but as a Canadian ordering from the .ca, I think it would make sense that I would get free shipping.

Let me know if you make any progress.

'...What do you think would happen if all the 75 members of this group were to write to Amazon.ca pointing out the disrespect for the Free Trade zone, which should offer similar services/charges on both sides of the border? There's usually strength in numbers.'

I'm on board, Stan!

Ali wrote: "'...What do you think would happen if all the 75 members of this group were to write to Amazon.ca pointing out the disrespect for the Free Trade zone, which should offer similar services/charges on..."

In response to both of you, my publisher sent the following email, today, to Amazon.ca

Amazon.com advised me to contact you directly regarding Free Shipping in Canada.

For some time now, I enjoy free shipping privileges of Amazon.com mailing single books to different addresses in the USA. Please confirm that under the Free Trade agreement you offer similar service in Canada.

I would like to make a publicity campaign by having Amazon.ca send individual books of each title by Stan I.S. Law published on Amazon.ca, to up to 10 different addresses in Canada with no postal charge, (just like you do with US addresses from Amazon.com).

With thanks,

Stan wrote: '...I would like to make a publicity campaign by having Amazon.ca send individual books of each title by Stan I.S. Law published on Amazon.ca, to up to 10 different addresses in Canada with no postal charge, (just like you do with US addresses from Amazon.com).

With thanks,'

That's great, Stan...I hope they agree!

:)

I am just waiting for the day that Amazon.ca starts carrying all those groovy kitchen gadgets, etc. that .com has. Of course, then I would be really dangerous..

Oh me too, Natashya. My husband won't sharpen the knives because of all of my 'accidents'. I'd love to have some of those things, it might be less dangerous if I had them.

lol!

So funny! I'm not so much a danger to myself as I am to my Visa bill...

Oh, yeah. My Visa priveleges have been revoked...at least he thinks so.

Hi,
I'm a Canadian author who mostly writes teen novels but reads anything and everything. Nice to meet you all...
Robin Stevenson

Welcom Robin, nice to meet you too.

Hi Renee and Everyone;
Sorry. Although I joined a few days ago, I didn't see this message thread, till now, asking us to introduce ourselves. I'm a Canadian writer, originally from India, now settled on the shores of Lake Ontario in Grimsby. Book I of my, The Azadi Trilogy, was published in Dec 2008 and I'm now working on Book II. Hence, please excuse the 'radio silence' from me at times. More information on me and my Trilogy is available on Goodreads and on my website.

I am pleased to be here and am looking forward to discussing books, particularly those by Canadian Authors. Perhaps we should start a thread on predicting the next Giller Prize winner?

Best wishes in your reading and writings, eh!

PS: Stan, how's the petition to Amazon.ca going?

Regards,
Wally
http://home.cogeco.ca/~wrabbani

Welcome Wally, please do start a new thread for the Giller Prize. That sounds great.

Hello everyone,

I'm a Canadian writer living in Kenora, Ontario. The author of several books as well as internet short stories, poems, articles and reviews, I've also worked as an editor, public speaker and small business consultant. I enjoy the works of Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro and John R. Little, among others.

Clayton Bye
http://www.claytonbye.com

Welcome, Robin, Wally and Clayton...so happy the three of you have joined!

I am looking forward to reading each of your books!

:)

P.S. Please join the group, 'Calling All Canadian Authors' as well...we would love to have you there!

Hello!

I am happy to find this group and look forward to getting some great ideas for my TBR pile!

My name is Jennifer and I work from home as a freelance writer/researcher/fact checker/grunt. I do work with a few small local papers and magazines but most of my work is business writing for the non-profit sector - press releases, campaign materials, annual reports, etc. I have a lot of flexibility in my work so always have lots of reading time. I also write fiction, but have not published nor (like a previous poster) do I have a blog or web site. It's the dream - publishing a book, not having a web site, although perhaps I shouldn't be so hasty to dismiss that idea? LOL!

I love Canadian literature and get very excited each fall when it is awards time - the Giller and Governor General in particular - and when there always seems to be a slew of new releases.

Thanks Ali and Renee for creating this group.

Thanks for joining Jennifer. You might be ineterested in the favorite authors thread. Lots of suggestions there for your TBR list. I've got one a mile long now.

Thank you for joining, Jennifer...we look forward to having you and your thoughts here!

:)

Waheed wrote: "Hi Renee and Everyone;
Sorry. Although I joined a few days ago, I didn't see this message thread, till now, asking us to introduce ourselves. I'm a Canadian writer, originally from India, now sett..."

In answer to your question regarding Amazon.ca postal charges.

I have been emailed by Amazon.com that Amazon.ca is an independent business entity, and that I must write to them directly. After I did, they replied that I can only contact them by snail mail. To my surprise, the postal address of Amazon.ca was in the USA. Nevertheless I wrote there too, making them a business proposition. I offered to send up to 10 book (promotional copies) of each of my titles to individual Canadian addresses, providing they'd wave the postal/delivery charges, as they already do in the USA. My letter went out abt. a month ago. To-date, I received neither acknowledgement nor any answer.

The pity is that I can no longer afford to include my Canadian friends in my giveaways. I send my giveaway copies directly from Amazon to the winners. I have neither time, nor wish to spend $10+ on postage, to have my giveaways delivered to Canadian addresses.

Indeed, it is a shame that a Canadian author receives better service in the USA than in his own country. Please, couldn’t someone raise some stink?