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.

Really, is there anyone who doesn’t love Maggie?

Spent the weekend in a town was dripping with CanLit icons. Kingston WritersFest welcomed: Margaret Atwood

Gil Adamson Lorna Crozier Leon Rooke and The Dewey Divas (sans Dudes??)

Kingston, in the Autumn, with folks that love books … what could be better? How about Kingston, in the Autumn, with a book in hand and a warm bowl of chilli in the other?

Chilli Fest Kingston is hot stuff. Saturday, October 3, 2009 12 Noon to 4pm Confederation Park, Downtown Kingston

Late to post. Here are a few books enjoyed by Islanders and tourists alike this Summer.

From the August 2009 paper journal The Buzz:

- Prince Edward Island Tales - Montague Library Writers Guild

- Gail of Wind, by Gail Duguay

- The Fixer Upper, by Lorne Elliott

- Passing the Torch The Community Living Movement in Prince Edward Island

- Prince Edward Island: an illustrated history, by Douglas Baldwin

And which one will youstuff into a backpack? Go with the Montague tales, for a true taste of the island.

Today Kiddo #1 participated in the Terry Fox walk.

“Mommy, I like the Terry Fox story. It makes me think that people can do things when they are sick. But why do people bring money to school?”

“To help the people who need it.”

“The people that are decomposing when they’re alive?”

“Yes. And to help buy medicine for them.”

“Because they can’t work because they’re sick?”

“Yes.”

I have developed a long-term professional crush on Leonard Cohen. Why is it then that in my 38 years I’ve never been to one of his concerts, poetry readings, or book launches?

Not one concert.

For my birthday, I treated myself to his Live in London concert CD. And I played the CD - a lot  - on the way to and from school – to the point that the kids were filling in the words to the songs that they used to mumble.

“Mommy, is that the Hallelujah song?”

“Yup.”

 When Kiddo #1 was 2 and a half I frequently heard “Loooo-lah” screeched from the back seat of the car.

Not many years later as I celebrate my birthday with Kiddo #2 screeching “Loooo-lah” from the backseat, Kiddo #1 asked “Mommy, who is going to replace him when he’s dead?”

Who is going to replace Leonard Cohen?

Kiddo #1 returned from school bubbling with excitement having discovered something about Mama’s former life (before kids).

“Mommy, Harriet’s mom said you used to play ball with her!”

“Yup - Harriet’s mom was the catcher.”

“That was before I was born, right?”

“Yup, before Harriet was born too.”

“When you were skinny, right?”