Kathleen Molloy

I’ve bitten into the first erotica book of my CanLit challenge. Bitten, I say because this is vampire erotica. It is also a romance novel, a scientific mystery / conspiracy, and characters with exotic names such as Rio, Valian, Simaron, and Chancella.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. I checked the author’s website and discovered that Susan Phelan has two other books in her The Blood Tapestry series and the other two covers feature shirtless hunks. Go to Susan.phelan[dot]com and also take a look at this Canadian author’s blog.

I was quick to nab this book while at Audreys Books in Edmonton in August. I asked the ever-friendly staff to recommend local erotica authors. They sent me to the Gay and Lesbian corner which was loaded with Ivan Coyote et al. I asked for some hetro erotica, by Canadian authors. There was all sorts of smut written by everyone-but-us.

I made my way to the front desk and asked for local authors – period. Turns out, there is no section for local authors, however, there are a few shelves for authors that had come by for a reading or signing and left some autographed copies behind. Eureka! But 3/4 of the books were by Toronto authors.

I snooped and snooped and snooped and presto discovered a signed copy of Susan Phelan’s The Cure – complete with local author sticker and sex in almost every chapter.

And now I offer it up in a new contest. By October 31 please tell us about the WORST sex scene in CanLit or in a Canadian story. Stories by Canadians don’t count if the sex hasn’t occurred in Canada. Short stories count – of course – and heck, why not poetry too? Ok, bad Canadian sex in Canadian books. Let’s hear it.

I’m throwing my hat in the ring. Yup, I’m signing on for Round Two of the Canadian Book Challenge and will read 13 books by Canadian authors between Canada Day 2008 and Canada Day 2009.

But I’m breaking all the rules. That’s the way we do it “icitte”. Instead of selecting one author per province or territory I will read 13 books by west Quebec authors.  I’ll dive into genres that I am not at all familiar with, such as mystery, gardening, and YA.  

I haven’t completed my list, heck I have only started my list, but I have lots of help. Frances and Chris at Chelsea Books prepared a list of almost 20 local authors and piled the books high for me to choose from. I then nipped into Solstice Books in Wakefield and Ellen gave me a tour of the local author section, loading up my arms with three new books.  Thirteen is a scary number. 

I plan to buy each of the books and then, as per tradition I will book cross them, thereby launching Canadian authors into the wild via west Quebec. And I’ll keep tabs on reads via the 2^nd Canadian Book Challenge bookmineset blog, my blog www.kathleenmolloy.offo.ca, and www.bookcrossing.com I’m relatively new to west Quebec (born and raised in Toronto, lived in Brampton ON and St. John’s NF as well as Dortmund Germany and Ottawa) so this is a great way for me to explore west Quebec - literally! 

And as you know, if there are any CanLit loving book crossers that would quiver at the thought of receiving my sloppy seconds, I would be happy to book cross them your way. Drop me a note at info@offo.ca or via my blog or website: www.diningwithdeath.ca 

Here are my first five books selected to launch Canadian authors from the “nation” of Quebec: