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Welcome to the September edition of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we learn more about this week's author, Louise Penny!

Louise Penny, born in Toronto, was a radio broadcaster for the CBC before following in  her mother's footsteps and becoming an author.  Louise has published eight books featuring Armand Gamache, Chief Inspector of the Sûreté du Québec.  Her novels often feature small villages, many suspects and red herrings, all leading to great reads.

"A Trick of the Light", the seventh book in her series of Armand Gamache books, is the novel that we have been enjoying this month.  It was named one of the best crime novels of 2011 by The Globe & Mail and The New York Times. Featuring a budding artist, the small Quebec village of Three Pines, a murder mystery and Chief Inspector Armand Gamache on the case, made this a very exciting read.

I have read many mysteries over the years and I often figure out "whodunnit" long before the end of the novel, leaving me rolling my eyes as the author tries to steer us away from the real killer.  Not in "A Trick of the Light" though!  Louise Penny weaves such a beautiful story, full of realistic and enjoyable characters, a pleasurable village I wish I could visit, and such great relationships between the characters. It flows beautifully. I didn't feel that I had to rush through the novel to get to the single pay off, finding out the killer, so that I could move on to the next book.

Things that I look for in every book that I read are the little details that allow you to picture the scenes in the novel, making the characters and their world realistic.  Louise Penny's descriptions of food, cafe au lait that had me dreaming about one every night, details of gardens so beautiful you could smell the flowers, were perfect.  I will be getting the rest of Louise Penny's books on my e-reader this week, starting from the beginning of the series and enjoying all eight books from this fabulous Canadian author!

Contest Giveaway: 

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Louise Penny's book, "A Trick of the Light" and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we learn more about Louise Penny, next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Be sure to share the contest with your friends and family as well. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

Who is your favourite fictional detective?

Image courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

Welcome to the August edition of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we learn more about this week's author, Yann Martel!

I'm almost positive that you've already heard of "Life of Pi", as this 2002 Man Booker Prize Winner has been hugely popular for ten years.  The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced last week that the adaptation of "Life of Pi" will premiere at the Festival on September 28.  After premiering at the Festival, "Life of Pi" is due in theaters November twenty-first.

"Life of Pi" follows the story of Piscine Molitor Patel, otherwise known as Pi.  His lives in India with his brother and parents and his father runs a zoo.  We learn of Pi's struggles to find his way with religion during his childhood, while learning about the zoo animals from his father.  Eventually his family decides that they must immigrate to Canada due to political strife in India.  After selling many of the animals in the zoo they travel with the remainder to Canada by boat.  There is an explosion on the boat, it sinks and Pi find himself on a life raft in the middle of the ocean with a few of the animals.

What happens here on after you must read for your self, but let me tell you, it's not only a life changing experience for Pi, it may be one for you as well.  The unbelievable struggles he encounters and his take on the whole situation will have you looking into your own life.  It's a symbolic journey through Pi's soul, and he also teaches the reader some amazing details about animals, survival skills and life.  I think you will be mulling over this one for quite a while once you finish and for that alone, I really enjoyed it.  I love books that leave you with a lot to think about and "Life of Pi" does just that.

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Yann Martel's book, "Life of Pi" and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we learn more about Yann Martel , next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Be sure to share the contest with your friends and family as well. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

What animals would you prefer to share a lifeboat with? 

Image courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

Welcome to the July edition of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we learn more about this week's author, Robert J. Sawyer!

Born in 1960, Canadian science fiction writer, Robert J. Sawyer, has twenty-one published novels.  He has won over forty awards for his fiction!   Sawyer may be best known for his novel "Flashforward", which was turned into a popular TV Show.   Unfortunately , the show was cancelled after one season, but it did get a lot of press and social media followers.  Sawyer was actually a story consultant on each episode of the series and wrote the nineteenth episode, "Course Correction". 

 

 

"Triggers" actually takes place in the U.S. and has a focus on the President.  Terrorists have been attacking the U.S. with a new type of bomb and the President is planning a huge retaliation, however, he is shot during a speech and ends up in the hospital. Meanwhile, another bomb goes off, destroying the White House.  At the same time that the bomb is going off, a Canadian memory researcher is using a new device to erase memories.  The electromagnetic pulse that the bomb creates makes the memory device expand and causes a group of people to be able to read each other memories! This leads to someone being able to read the President's memories and might lead to the discovery of the retaliation attack that the U.S. is planning against the terrorists.

This was a fantastic read, very fast paced, with well developed characters. There are interesting mysteries as we discover who is involved and who is reading whose memories.  I was happy that Robert J. Sawyer wrote the memory researcher as a Canadian who grew up in Toronto and went to a Canadian university. It was a great way to tie in our multi-cultural country.  I also love that it's not just science fiction; you can look up things that Sawyer brings up, such as "consciousness" and "quantum entanglement" and you can learn more about the research being done and how it relates to the memory experiments discussed in the book.

A fantastic read and one I highly recommend!

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Robert J. Sawyer's book, "Triggers" and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we learn more about  Robert J. Sawyer, next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Be sure to share the contest with your friends and family as well. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

Would you like to be able to read someone else's memories?

Images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo and sfwriter.com.

Welcome to the June edition of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we learn more about this week's author, Linwood Barclay! Linwood Barclay was born in the USA and moved, with his parents, to a Toronto suburb at the age of four. His father was a commercial artist whose illustrations of automobiles appeared in Life magazine, Look and The Saturday Evening Post.  A former Toronto Star columnist, Barclay developed four comic thrillers and then moved on to novels with his bestseller "No Time for Goodbye".  Since then, he has written many best-selling "domestic suspense thrillers" and this month we are looking at his most recent, "The Accident".

"The Accident" is about construction business owner, Glen Barber, whose business, like many others, is not doing so well.  We find out that his wife was trying to help the family income by taking a business course at night in order to get a better job.  This leads to death and mysteries and kept me flipping pages late into the night to find out who was behind all of this.

 

I love mysteries and thrillers, often completing them over the course of a weekend or even one day!  You get sucked into the story and just can't stop reading until you know the truth behind the mystery and "The Accident" is no different.  I loved that this book was set in modern day, with cell phones, emails and videos playing a part in the story.  This is a perfect Summer read on the dock, at the beach or just outside in the backyard.  While thrillers are often quick reads, Linwood Barclay gives his characters lots of time to develop and you start to care about everyone, which makes it even worse wondering who the bad guy really is. I highly recommend picking up this one this month! Be prepared for a late night!

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Linwood Barclay's book, "The Accident" and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we learn more about Linwood Barclay, next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Be sure to share the contest with your friends and family as well. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

What is your favourite genre for Summer reading?

 

Image courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

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Welcome to the May edition of the Buy Canadian First Book Club and Happy Victoria Day! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we share our interview with this week's author, Catherine McKenzie!

Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec and is a graduate of McGill University and McGill Law School.  Catherine, if you can believe it, practices law in Montreal as well as being the author of three novels!

Her novel "Spin" is about a woman spying on a celebrity in rehab; her novel "Arranged" is about a dating service turned arranged marriage service. Wait until I tell you about this month's book, "Forgotten"! She has come up with the most unique and interesting premise for this novel and I will be adding her other books, "Spin" and "Arranged" to my reading list soon!

 

"Forgotten" is about a lawyer, Emma, who's mother passes away. Emma's mother leaves Emma a gift, a ticket to travel to Africa, a place her mother was obsessed with and always wanted to visit. While in Africa, Emma falls sick, and then an earthquake happens, cutting her off from the rest of the world. Emma is off the grid and unable to find her way back home for six months! Upon her return, she finds that she was presumed dead and that her apartment has been rented, her cases at work given away, all her possessions gone and her boyfriend may have moved on - can you even imagine?

Emma must go through many trials and heartaches to get some of her life back and she wonders if she even wants it back. This is such a thought-provoking and interesting situation, a perfect conversation starter and an awesome book to read with friends. As a matter of fact, since reading it, I've told many friends about the story line and we've chatted about how we would react, how we think our family would react, even yelled at our husbands for no good reason...ha ha... This is one novel to read and share right away so you can all discuss it. A great book club book!

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Catherine McKenzie's book, "Forgotten" and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we share my interview with Catherine McKenzie, next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Be sure to share the contest with your friends and family as well. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!


Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for providing the giveaway copy. Follow HarperCollins Canada on twitter, on Facebook, and check out their website, The Savvy Reader, for more bookish fun.

How would you feel if you won a trip and came back to find that you were presumed dead?

 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER!

:: images courtesy of HarperCollins Canada.

May is always a nice month in Canada. Trees and bulbs are blooming, while we shed extra layers of clothing and dream of the summer ahead. And of course, May is the time to celebrate Mom in a special way with Mother’s Day!

We all know Moms are special. Personally, I never realized just how special my Mom was until I became a Mom myself. Being a Mom is an all-encompassing experience, one filled with both joy & pain, pride & disappointment, happiness & frustration. And of course, many sleepless nights. On this subject, I never forgot something funny my friend Tina’s Mom told me when I was pregnant: “I have not had a good night’s sleep since my children were born!”... and they were all adults! I laughed at the time, but I can sort of understand what she meant. The worry and concern are constant. Sorry, Mom...;-)

So if anyone deserves to be spoiled at least once a year, it is surely Mom! With the help of some awesome Canadian companies, we have put together a prize-pack filled with very special Canadian-made gifts fit for a Mother. What’s in it, you ask? A whole lot of awesomeness!

1) Gorgeous SIMS jewelry set made in Alberta. Includes Crystal Cluster Attachable Pendant, Plus Matching Earrings and 18" Sterling Silver Filled Necklace. (value: over $65)

(Warning: Attachable Pendants SIMS Style are addicting as they clip to any necklace, and come in every colour to modernize any necklace in a flick)

2) Treat Mom to a well-deserved youth-restoring lift with AgeOff Face & Body Nutrition and Ageoff Wrinkle-Reduction Serum, made in Ontario by Nuvocare. Mom will look radiant AND feel great! (value: $100)

3)  Whispy Raspberry classic handbag, made in Nova Scotia by the lovely ladies of Michique. Mom will no longer be able to go anywhere without someone commenting on how gorgeous your handbag is! Trust me, I know from experience! (value: $ 284)

4) A really sweet treat from New Brunswick' famous Ganong chocolate confectioners. An assortment of chocolates and candy, not necessarily what you see below, but guaranteed to please Mom! (value: $ 50)

5) "Give your Mom something she hasn't had since you came along... A good night's sleep!" These words are from the ladies at Ontario's enVy Pillow, the anti-aging/wellness pillow. A patented ergonomic pillow designed to keep the side and back sleeper in perfect spine and airway alignment off their face.(value: $200)

Check out this hilarious "Sorry Mom" video to find out why every Mom deserves a Good Night's Sleep!

6) Pamper Mom with all-natural skincare products made with love (and fresh goat's milk!) in PEI by The Great Canadian Soap Company. An assortment of sweet-smelling luxurious scrubs, balms, creams and soaps. Yummy! (value: over $ 60)

 7) Nothing beats a new fragrance for Spring! A Canadian classic made by Fragrance Dutal in Quebec: Kimono by Simon Chang. A beautiful gift set containg an Eau de Toilette, body lotion and shower/bath gel. Pampering at it's very best! (value: $ 104)

 8) An last but definitely not least: natural health products made in B.C. by Enzed Nutricorp. How awesome does this sound: Relax-Eze (soothing & calming formula), NITE-Eze (sleep inducing formula) and Anthocin, an immune-boosting formula to keep Mom healthy. (value: $ 100)

Total value: over $ 950.00 !!!

To enter the giveaway, do as many of the 3 following things as possible, as they each count for one entry. The more the merrier (and luckier)!

• Leave us a comment below telling us what you love the most about your Mom (Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away!);

• Follow us on Twitter and mention the following: @BuyCndianFirst loves Moms #madeincanada;

• Like us on Facebook.

The giveaway ends on Saturday, May 12th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick one name at random from all entries and the winner will be announced on Mother's Day, Sunday May 13th.

Good luck!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER: BRAD, FROM GUELPH, ON.

Images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members, as listed.

Welcome to the April edition of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we share our interview with this week's author, Nancy Richler!

Born in Montreal, Nancy began writing fiction when she moved to Vancouver in 1988. Her first novel, "Throwaway Angels", was published in 1996. Her second book, "Your Mouth is Lovely", opens with a birth accompanied by a death (something that also happened in Nancy's own life). Her third book, and our read this month, is "The Imposter Bride", set in the post war, Jewish community of Montreal, the setting of Nancy's childhood.

 

"The Imposter Bride" is a beautiful weave of many stories that start with Lily Azerov, a young woman who arrives in post-war Montreal and who is not who she says she is. We follow the story of her life through her daughter, mother-in-law, sister-in-laws, a cousin of the real Lily Azerov and we hear what "Lily" has to say for herself, as well.

I absolutely loved this book and learned so much in the process of reading it. It introduced me to so much history, such as the large Jewish community that gathered post Second World War, the horrors that people were living through at that time, the idea of arranged marriages and many other Jewish traditions. It was informative, interesting and led to further research of my own to learn more.

Nancy did an amazing job of presenting a thought-provoking story. She brought so many characters to the table and did a fantastic job of giving them all their own voice.  Even though I finished the book over a week ago and am on to my next read, I can still picture her characters so clearly in my mind. This is a story that will stay with me and I would love to discuss it with all of you!

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Nancy Richler's book, "The Imposter Bride" and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we share my interview with Nancy Richler, next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for providing the giveaway copy. Follow HarperCollins Canada on twitter , on Facebook, and check out their website The Savvy Reader, for more bookish fun.

What period of history do you like to read about?

:: images courtesy of HarperCollins Canada.

Each year, in Canada and around the world, April 22nd is dedicated to honouring our planet and focussing on ways we can lessen our environmental impact.

I’ve never considered myself a tree-hugger, in any sense of the word. But we do recycle (at home and at the office) and use our city’s composting program. We also have a small (organic) vegetable patch in the backyard where we grow mainly tomatoes and fresh basil (yum!). But as I was preparing to write this post, I’ve been thinking that maybe I am kinder to Mother Earth that I originally thought...How, you ask? By buying Canadian!

1)    Every time I purchase a product made in Canada, I do my part to lower my carbon footprint. 9 times out of 10, a product made here will travel a much shorter distance to reach me than one made overseas. Less pollution is created by using less fossil fuel to bring the product to market.

2)    I know that Canadian manufacturing facilities are highly regulated in terms of allowable emissions and waste management. Not so in many other countries.

3)    A product made in Canada will not contain harmful components such as BPA, lead, melamine, etc. It keeps me, my family and my environment safe!

So buying Canadian is good for the environment! That calls for a celebration, no? Absolutely! Join us in celebrating Earth Day and you could win an awesome prize pack chock-full of healthy & eco-friendly products made in Canada! Included are:

1)    Natural memory foam Comfort Pillow made in Quebec, from Essentia. (value: $129)

2)    Organic wild rice products from Manitoba (rice, rice flour, rice flour linguine), from Naosap Harvest (value: $ 24.50)

3)    Natural liquid laundry detergent, shampoo & conditioner made in Ontario, from NatureClean (value: $30)

4)    Arm-bag made from recycled store banners in Quebec, from Eco-Handbags (value: $45.99)

5)    Eco-friendly "Green Earth" garden products made in Ontario, from Premier Tech (value: $80)

6)    Natural lip balms made in Ontario, from Fitlips (value:$24)

7)    Vouchers for organic non-dairy SoNice products made in B.C., from Earth’s Own (value: $30)

8)    Natural health products to reduce joint pain made in Ontario, from St.Francis Herb Farm (value: $60)

9)    Biodegradable garden waste bags made in Quebec, from Cascades (value: $16.50)

10)    Natural skin care products made in P.E.I., from The Great Canadian Soap Company (value: $30)

 

11)    Sustainable canned fish products processed in B.C., from Raincoast Trading (value:

12)    Natural mascara and lipstick made in Manitoba, from Pure Anada (value: $26)

 

13)    Gardener’s Dream Lotion made in B.C., from Aroma Crystal (value: $39.99)

 

14)    Majesta paper products made in N.B., from Majesta (value: $20.00)

15) Reusable produce bags made in Quebec, from Credo Bags (value: $25)

 

Total value: over $ 550.00 !!!

To enter the giveaway, do as many of the 3 following things as possible, as they each count for one entry. The more the merrier (and luckier)!

•    Leave us a comment below telling us what you do to help protect Mother Earth (Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away!);

•    Follow us on Twitter and mention the following: @BuyCndianFirst loves @EarthDayCanada #madeincanada;

•    Like us on Facebook.

The giveaway ends on Friday, April 20th at 5:00 PM ET. We will pick one name at random from all entries and the winner will be announced on Sunday, April 22nd.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. CONGRATS TO OUR WINNER: ANNE, FROM VICTORIA, B.C.

Good luck!

Images courtesy of BuyCanadian First members

Welcome to month eight of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! I guess we better stop counting the months, as our book club has been going strong for nearly a year now! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Thursday (/30/12), when we share our interview with this week's author, Denise Jaden!

Denise was born and raised in Canada and she lived just outside of Vancouver, BC with her husband and som. This month we're reading her first Young Adult novel, "Losing Faith" , a story about Brie who's sister, Faith, dies suddenly and Brie's world falls apart.

"Losing Faith" touches on some hard topics like death and religion. Faith was very religious and was attending teen groups five nights a week. After her death, through Brie's investigations, we find out Faith was into more than just a teen group in a church.

I really enjoyed this book, as it introduced me to a world I wasn't really aware of. I am Catholic and went to Catholic elementary and high-school but I never came across anyone with extreme religious views. The book also introduced me to losing a sister and how Brie dealt with it. I can't even imagine how much stress that would be on a teenager. We also got lots of information on how Brie and Faith's parents handled the loss - I cannot even imagine.

Denise did a fantastic job of telling her characters' stories. I really felt that I got to know Faith, who we only ever meet in the first few pages of the book. I loved the little things such as how Brie could hear Faith singing in her head and Brie's impression of her parents as they struggled through the loss of Faith. A great read and I highly recommend it!

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Denise Jarden's book, "Losing Faith", and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we share my interview with Denise Jarden, next week. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

Do you have a favourite song people associate you with?

 

:: images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

Welcome to month seven of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! I'm so happy with all of the great authors we've met so far! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we share our interview with this week's author, Megan Crewe!

Megan was born in Toronto, Canada and she still resides there with her husband and two cats. She has written many short stories and her first novel was the paranormal Young Adult "Give Up the Ghost". This month we're reading her second novel, "The Way We Fall", a contemporary, dystopian Young Adult novel and the first book in a trilogy. I just have to mention that I absolutely love book series, as they give me time to learn so much about the characters and their world. It's also very exciting to wait for the next book in the series to come out!  I am, also, a huge Young Adult fiction fan and love many of the dystopian books out there in that genre. ("Dystopian" books are basically stories where the conditions and quality of life for the characters are unpleasant or often a bit more than unpleasant.)

I absolutely sped through this book; my Kobo didn't turn the pages fast enough for me! I love to read about how people reaction in situations like the one's in this book. It brings up thought provoking discussions about how we think we would react in a similar situation, how we think the government would react and how the people in the book SHOULD have reacted, I loved it!

I was very impressed with Megan's writing style, as well. The entire world and the virus felt natural; nothing crazy or so outrageous that it would make you roll your eyes when reading. The journal entries made for great reading and really added a depth to the novel. There was a reason Kaelyn skipped a few days in her journal and we are able to read about Kaelyn's feelings about various situations. IT alsogives you a great time-line as the events unfold. I really enjoyed it!

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Megan Crewe's book, "The Way We Fall", and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we share my interview with Megan Crewe, next Monday. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

Have you, or someone you know, ever been quarantined?

 

:: images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

Welcome to month six of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! I've been researching so many Canadian authors and we have a great line-up for you! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook, where we discuss the books and authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we learn more about author Patrick deWitt!

Patrick deWitt was born in Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

His second book, and our book for this month, "The Sisters Brothers", was shortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker Prize, the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the 2011 Governor General's Award for English language fiction. He was one of two Canadian writers, alongside Esi Edugyan, to make all four award lists in 2011! He was the winner of both the Rogers Prize and Governor General's Award for English language fiction.

As usual, our book once again took me out of my comfort zone and introduced me to a whole new world. A book about cowboys, a western, would normally make me roll my eyes - but the amount of nominations this book got and the fact that I've seen it front and centre in absolutely every book store had to mean something. I was shocked, I absolutely loved it and was addicted to it, in fact.

"The Sisters Brothers" are biological brothers Eli and Charlie Sister, who are murderers for hire. The story is told by Eli as the brothers head off on their travels, working for "the Commodore". Charlie is the older brother and quite dark. He drinks too much and is quick to lose his temper. Eli does his job but has a much more caring side, softer, so to speak, and is a great story teller, we find out.

Their "job" takes them to San Francisco to murder Hermann Warm, a gold prospector. I won't tell you the rest but it's dark, funny, sad, has these crazy intermission sections and it's just something you have to read for yourself.

I love the setting of the book, too, much to my surprise: bars, horses, cowboy hats, 'drink', the surprise of learning how to brush one's teeth. It's an interesting read, to say the least, and one I highly recommend.

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Patrick deWitt's book, "The Sisters Brothers", and read along with us! The winner will be announced here when we will also learn more about Patrick deWitt, next Monday. Just answer the following question in the comment section below to qualify. Comments are moderated, so don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away! Good luck!

Have you ever ridden a horse?

 

:: images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo.

It's Day 21 of our Cross Canada Countdown! Are you ready for the Big Day? Here at the Good Shopper blog, we have been enjoying your Christmas memories of family, friends and Ganong Chocolate! We would like to thank everyone for participating! 

 

 Here is the winning comment:

"My favourite holiday memory with Ganong was having the peppermint chocolates right after our dinner feast. Too full for a big dessert, but just the right size. So refreshing!". 

 

And the Winner is .... JennaM!

Thank you for tweeting, liking and commenting, Jenna! We will be in touch regarding where to mail your delicious Ganong Chicken Bones!

How close are you to being ready for the Holidays?

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member, Ganong.  

You can also find them in your mailbox by doing the following: 

1. Share a holiday memory below in the Comments section about Ganong candy.

2. Like Ganong on Facebook.

3. Tweet "@buycndianfirst <3 @ganongbros #win". 

The giveaway starts today and the winner will be announced here next Wednesday! Good luck and Good Shopping!

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First member, Ganong. 

 

It's Day 8 of our Cross Canadian Giveaway and it is time to announce our Chillbed Laptop Cooling Stand Winners! YAAAAAY! But first, is it snowing where you are? It's snowing and sunny here, a perfectly, wintery, made-in-Canada  day! I know that Stacey is probably jumping up and down for joy! She's building an ice rink  in her back yard, if you remember!

 

And now for the big news! As you know, Adam Berson of Chillbed Industries Ltd. had two laptop cooling stands to give to two of our readers. And the lucky Chillbed Industries Ltd. Laptop Cooling Stands  Giveaway Winners are ......

Jacquelyn Pereuza

and

Mark Valentino

Congratulations, Jacquelyn and Mark! What a great prize! Please email Adam  to let him know your details!

 

Many thanks to everyone who participated! We will be having more Giveaways, so keep in touch! As a matter of fact, you can subscibe to our blog feed, so that you never have to worry about missing a great Canadian giveaway! 

You still have time to win our luxury Winter Survival Basket from Buy Canadian First member,  Natural Plantation!  Just share a Winter photo on our Facebook page! 

Have you shared any photos on our Facebook  page yet?

:: images courtesy of Chillbed Industries Ltd. and Natural Plantatation. 

 

 

Happy December!  It's Day 1 of our Cross Canada Countdown and I am excited to tell you about our big giveaway and share a Behind the Brand interview with you! I'm excited because the giveaway is something that almost everyone would use and welcome. It's perfect for the person who is hard to shop for or who "has everything". It solves a problem that every laptop owner has experienced. It even improves the performance of your laptop computer! Best of all, it is made right here in Canada!

 

"Keeping you and your hard drive running cooler, for better performance and longer life." 

I'm talking about the ChillTab Laptop Cooling Stand . I had the pleasure of talking to its inventor recently, nine-time Canadian National Ultimate (Frisbee) Champion, Adam Berson. Adam has toured the world as an Ultimate Frisbee competitor and even made it to the Vancouver Ultimate Hall of Fame!

Adam is the owner/operator of ChillBed Industries Ltd., which has been in busness since 2000 and is located in Vancouver, B.C. .  The company makes the ChillBed Laptop Cooling Stand and the newly released ChillTab Universal Tablet Stand. I was impressed by Adam's conviction about his company and by how beautiful the stands are! I'll let him tell you in his own words.

 

"As company CEO, I strive to keep ahead of the game and provide quality aluminum Laptop and Tablet Stands that are both elegant and well designed.  I started ChillBed Industries Ltd. after purchasing my first laptop with the need in mind to keep it running cooler, for better performance and longer life."

"Since that time, I have seen laptops come and go, and the influx of tablets taking over the market. My desire is to continue to supply consumers with a top quality stand, made here in Canada, while still keeping quality and cost in mind. I take  pride in the fact that my company has maintained its Canadian roots and not bowed down to the desire to manufacture overseas. I am proud of the fact that we utilize Canadian products and services and that we recycle almost everything generated from the process of building our stands." 

Check out Adam as he auditions for the Dragon's Den  with Brett Wilson!

Okay Canada, Adam is giving away, not one, but two Laptop Cooling Stands!

 

You can win a 1 x 13" black Laptop Cooling Stand or a 1 x 15" black Laptop Cooling Stand.

How:

1. Like the ChillBed Industries Ltd. Facebook page .
2. Follow Chillbeds  on Twitter and tweet @BuyCndianFirst <3 #madeincanada @chillbeds 

Good luck and good shopping!  

How would you like to travel across Canada with us, starting on the first of December? We are going to start off in Vancouver, B.C., with a Behind the Brand interview and a really awesome, made in Canada  giveaway tomorrow, one that will make a great Christmas gift for almost anyone on your list! I know that I want one and my husband does, too!  I"ll tell you a bit more about it in a minute! Bwahahahahaha!

 

Every day, for the next twenty five days, we hope that you make the Good Shopper blog your destination for some helpful decorating, gift and DIY tips from bloggers all across Canada. If you are a Canadian blogger and would like to take part, just comment below with the link to your blog. We want to see what Canadians are doing to decorate, entertain and enjoy Winter over the holidays, so don't hesitate to let us know below!

 

Natural Plantation  

Our big giveaway starts Thursday, but we have quite a few treats, made in Canada, to share with you over the next twenty-five days! We'll let you know how to qualify as we go along. We want to get your creative juices flowing, too, so let's have a photo contest! We are looking for photos of your wintery Canada, your backyard after the first snowfall, the kids in their snowsuits, hockey on the rink at the park, the new puppy discovering snow, holiday decorations .... you get the idea! Just like us on Facebook  and post your photo there, starting Thursday. You will then be eligible to win a wonderful Winter Survival gift basket from Buy Canadian First member, Natural Plantation! Very luscious stuff!

 

Chillbeds 

We're also going to help you shop for the hard to buy for, with several different Canadian treasuries for seniors, husbands and pet owners, among others.  If you have a great gift idea for the hard to buy for, made in Canada, tell us about it! There may be something in it for you! (Wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more).

Okay, all I'm going to say about the big giveaway is that it starts tomorrow, the winner will be announced December 8th and we have two prizes to give away! Join us Thursday as we meet and talk to nine time Canadian National Ultimate Frisbee Champion, Adam Berson, for our Behind the Brand interview and giveaway! We'll tell you then how to enter to win!

When do you put up your decorations?

 :: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members and ImageChef. 

 

 

 

Remembrance Day is almost here again, so Strong & Free, a company founded by Denise Dow, a passionate patriot and a member of our Buy Canadian First  family, is holding a contest!

Strong & Free started as an emblem, designed for patriotic Canadians, that can be proudly displayed on your home, person or vehicle. Denise designed and manufactured the prototype and now all sorts of products come under the Strong & Free  banner and can be found at a variety of stores, including Canadian Tire.

 

The connection between Strong & Free and Canada's War Veterans is a strong one. I'll let Denise tell you in her own words. "When I was in high school I visited my cousins in the U.S. and saw the American eagle everywhere I went.  I believe that Canada is the greatest country in the world and I want to show everyone that I am proud to be a STRONG & FREE Canadian... that's why I designed this Maple leaf emblem with these powerful words from our national anthem.

This past summer, I participated in a Veterans' motorcycle parade, in the Strong & Free RV, five years after creating the Strong & Free plaque for patriotic Canadians. Just before the parade started, I had several members of the CAV (Canadian Army Veterans), including their leader, Trapper, ask me to put a Strong & Free Decal on their bikes. They told me how much it meant to them that Strong & Free encourages Canadians to be proud of their country - the country that they have so bravely fought for. The best way for us to show our appreciation to these men and women who keep us Strong & Free is to teach our children to celebrate Canada every day as well as those who keep us Strong & Free."

 

"On July 11, 2011, Reader's Digest reported that 47% of Canadians do not know our anthem! The Colour Me Canadian/Colore-moi Canadien colouring book, teaches children about Canada, our map, our money, our anthem, provinces and territories and is available as a soft cover book, online as an e-book and as a Blackberry app  world wide for $1.99. Free sample pages,  with our anthem and basics about Canada, are available to everyone on our website."

 

Kelly Ripa with a copy of Colour Me Canadian that she bought for her children! 

Now, you know that I love smart phone apps, colouring and Canada, so to me, this contest has it all! This really is a great colouring book for kids, with cute characters and lots of important information. As a matter of fact, I learned a few things from it myself! Thanks, Denise!

 

To participate in the contest, all you have to do is download one of the free Colour Me Canadian sample pages and give it to a child who is in any grade up to Grade 5. Next, have them colour the page and post it to the Strong & Free Facebook page. (It's chock full of Canadian celebs!). We will pick our favourite 3 entries. The first prize winner wins the entire colouring book and a "Canada is Cool" mini hockey stick . The second prize winner gets the colouring book plus a Strong & Free magnet and the third prize winner will receive the colouring book and a Strong & Free decal! Contest ends on Remembrance Day, November 11th at 11 AM. Winners will be announced later that day. Good luck and have fun!

What page will you colour first?

:: images courtesy of Strong & Free. 

It's month three of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook where we discuss the books, authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when we discuss book club questions and learn more about author Sara Gruen! Canadian born Sara Gruen, is the author of the amazing novel, "Water for Elephants", which we are reading this month. Though now living in the United States, she has dual citizenship and was raised here in Canada, in London Ontario. (All three of our authors, so far, have had London, Ontario as a connection! Something in the water?).

"Water for Elephants" is a historical novel, focusing on circus days of old when they travelled by train. It is told by Jacob Jankowski, who is in a nursing home. He's "ninety or ninety-three", as he says; he can't quite remember. The circus is in town and this brings back memories of Jacob's life in his twenties which he daydreams about and shares with us, the readers. It was a magical time indeed.

Though I admit that, when I see the words" historical novel", I often flip by quickly, I am so glad that I had a chance to read this novel and recommend it to absolutely everyone. Reading about the circus first-hand from Jacob's experience is so exciting: the sequence, the animals, the behind-the-scene madness. There's no money, no food, shady deals going on, everything is dirty and disgusting, the circus gets run out of towns - it's wild!

We also read of Jacob's love, Marlena, in an absolutely beautiful story that's not sappy, not goofy, just exciting, sweet and enjoyable. We learn of Marlena's troubled relationship with August, Jacob's superior, and it's very real, very harsh and well told. The entire book is so real, from the circus lingo Sara uses to Jacob's story of how he ended up on the circus train to begin with. You can visualize it all because of what a great author Sara Gruen is.

The animals are so sweet, too. From Rosie the elephant to Bobo the chimpanzee, this is another area where the novel's descriptions are all too real.

The book has been made into a movie with some amazing stars - Robert Pattinson as Jacob Jankowski and Reese Witherspoon as Marlena. I did not see it in theatres as I don't see anything in theatres except Harry Potter and kids movies, but I absolutely must see this when it comes out on DVD November first.

The ending is heart-breaking and surprising, and will make you teary eyed. It's just awesome! I won't spoil it for you, though, you must read for yourself. In fact, one lucky reader will do just that when they win a copy of this month's novel - "Water for Elephants"!

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Sara Gruen's book, "Water for Elephants" and read along with us! The winner will be announced in our book club discussion, here on the Good Shopper blog, next Monday. Just answer the following question and put your answer in the comment section below. Good luck!

 

If you could meet a Canadian author, living or dead, who would it be?

 

Images courtesy of Chapters-Indigo. 

I'm very proud to share another made in Canada author interview with you this month. Emma Donoghue is the author of the novel "Room", our Buy Canadian First Book Club selection for September. You can read my review of this book in last week's Good Shopper Blog. I also have a book winner to announce at the end of this post!

 

GSB: Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts with us, Emma. We are very pleased to showcase Canadian authors and I was so enthralled with "Room". Your novel is told from the perspective of Jack, a five-year-old boy. I loved this - as Mom to four-year-old twin boys I really enjoyed reading Jack's conversations, thought process and sense of space. What were some of the challenges with this writing style?

 

ED: Once I'd puzzled out exactly what his language should be it wasn't hard to maintain it, and having my five-year-old son around was a huge help. No, the only real technical challenge was how to create Ma as a three-dimensional person when we only see her through the very narrow filter of the son to whom she lovingly lies about so many things.

 

GSB: Without spoiling too much, did you have the flow of the book planned from the beginning? Did you always know the ending or did it come as you wrote?

 

ED: I've always been a planner but usually the planning takes a lot of head-scratching. But the moment I got the idea for "Room", I knew the title, the narrator, what the climactic middle of the book would be and what the last scene would be too. I've never written a book so easily or with such a feeling of gratitude that a great idea simply fell into my lap.

 

GSB: I know that you were born in Ireland, have lived in England and have lived in Canada since 1998. Now I hear that you have plans to move to France. Has living in different cultures and lifestyles been a benefit to your writing and ideas?

 

ED: Absolutely. The only downside is that I quite often have to check whether a particular word I'm about to use is Irish/English/American/Canadian dialect... But the breadth of culture is hugely beneficial.

 

GSB: Thank you so much Emma for the great insight into you and your writing. I really recommend to our readers that once you've read the book to check out roomthebook.com - among other information, they have a terrific floor plan that really brings the whole novel together.

 

 

 

I've been reviewing some Bookclub questions to get discussions going for the novel and have a few questions I'd like to pose to our readers who have read the novel. Or, you can still pick up a copy of "Room" and come back here or to the Buy Canadian First Book Club when you are done, to discuss it.

 

1. What would you do differently if you were Jack’s parent? Would you tell Jack about the outside world from the start?

 

2. Did you find yourself wanting to know more about Old Nick? If so, why do you think this is?

 

3. What would you ask for, for Sundaytreat, if you were Jack? If you were Ma?

 

4. What were you most affected by in the novel?

 

I'll be submitting my answers in the comment section and in our Facebook group in the next couple days and look forward to reading some of your answers as well.

 

 

 

Time to get ready for our next book, "Water for Elephants", by Canadian born author Sara Gruen. It is a New York Times #1 Best Seller with over four million copies sold. It is also now a major motion picture. "Water for Elephants" is a terrific read. It touches on points about circus life during the depression, self worth and love. I'm excited and curious about sinking into this one.

 

For now, congratulations to our "Room" winner, Alan Parker! You will be receiving a copy of the novel "Room" - I can not wait to discuss it with you. To win a copy of "Water for Elephants", please answer the question at the end of our review, which will be published on Monday, October 17, 2011. The winner will be announced the following week. Good luck and thanks so much for participating! We are excited to see our book club growing in popularity.

 

Images courtesy of EmmaDonoghue.com and Buy Canadian First member, Chapters-Indigo.

Welcome to month two of the Buy Canadian First Book Club! Don't forget to "Like" the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook where we discuss the books, authors and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won today's giveaway, next Monday, when my interview with Emma Donoghue, is published!

Canadian author Emma Donoghue  was born in Dublin, Ireland, she schooled in England and has been in Canada since 1998. Best known for her fiction, she has also written plays, short films and radio dramas. Her novel "Room", which we are reading this month, has won awards including the 2010 Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, a 2011 Alex Award, and the 2011 Commonwealth Prize for Fiction.

"Room's" narrator is five-year-old Jack, who lives in Room with his mother. Ma, his mother, was kidnapped at age nineteen and has created an entire world for Jack in their one 11’ x 11’ room where they are being held.

I have to tell you, I honestly could not put this novel down. This isn't the type of novel I'm normally hunting for in Chapters. I gravitate towards mysteries or teen fiction, not a novel written in the words of a child, but Room captivated me.

For the first four years of his life, Jack believed Room was all there was. His mother had created this world for him that was so sweet and yet so sad for me to read about. They did watch some TV but Ma had Jack believing these were different worlds. They had to rely on "Old Nick" (Ma's kidnapper) to bring them food and supplies and they were allowed one "Sunday treat" that was the highlight of their week.

As I said, "Room" simply captivated me - I felt so many emotions through the reading of this novel - thinking about how my own boys see the world after reading Jack's interpretation, the fear of something like this happening to me or someone I know, the wonder of how I might react in this situation - could I keep it together and create this world of Room for my own child? When I first heard the synopsis of "Room", I was iffy about the both the topic and the writing style, but Emma's writing is superb and she weaves a beautiful story.

While I don't want to spoil anything, I do want to say I was thrilled that the story went beyond "Room" and told us what happened next, far more than I thought it was going to and for that I must say thank you to Emma. I appreciate reading a full story and not left wondering what happened next.

I highly recommend picking up "Room" for a great weekend read. You will be taken through the gamut of emotions and left looking at the world a bit differently.

Be sure to visit roomthebook.com  for a host of goodies, including the floor plan of "Room", which is both awesome and painful at the same time.

Contest Giveaway:

Here's a chance to win your own copy of Emma Donoghue's book, "Room", and read along with us! The winner will be announced in my interview with Emma Donoghue, here on the Good Shopper blog, next Monday. Just answer the following question and put your answer in the comment section below. Good luck!

What is your favourite Canadian movie made from a Canadian book?

Images courtesy of EmmaDonoghue.com

Welcome to the first book review for our new Buy Canadian First Book Club! Join the Buy Canadian First Book Club on Facebook where we discuss books, authors, browse helpful guides and choose what we will read next. You can also find out who won, next Monday, when my interview with Kelley Armstrong, is published!!

 

 

"Bitten ", from Canadian author, Kelley Armstrong , is the first book in her "Women of the Otherworld" series and her first published novel.

 

 

 

First and foremost, "Bitten" is a book about werewolves. While I would put it in the same category with books like the Twilight series or the Sookie Stackhouse series, it's truly a stand-out novel. "Bitten" starts out with our main character, Elena Michaels. She's already a werewolf going about her life. No huge build-up, no drawn out, emotional love story and I love it! We learn her story in bits and pieces throughout the novel, which I thought was a new, fresh and interesting way to really tell two stories at once.

 

Starting off in Toronto, where Elena is trying to live a normal life. Upon hearing that her pack is in trouble, she must fly off to Stonehaven, in up-state New York, to aid in their fight. The book reveals some interesting werewolf lore as the pack must fight "mutts" who are killing on pack territory.

 

I loved the Canadian connections Kelley constantly brought into the story - which we'll hear more about in my interview with Kelley Armstrong next week. It's exciting to read about Elena walking down the streets of Toronto or meeting her ex-fiancée Clayton (also a werewolf) at the University of Toronto. Having the character in places you might have been yourself really brings you even closer to the story.

 

The book was fast paced, exciting and, while there were some interesting relationships, it wasn't too sexy and didn't have me rolling my eyes at any graphic love scenes. I'm looking forward to picking up Kelley Armstrong's second book in the series - "Stolen".

 

Contest Giveaway:

 
Here's a chance to win your own copy of Kelley Armstrong's book, "Bitten", and read along with us! The winner will be announced in my interview with Kelley Armstrong, here on the Good Shopper blog, next Monday. Just answer the question and put your answer in the comment section below. Good luck!

 
What is the name of the last book you read by a Canadian author?

 

Images courtesy of Kelley Armstrong's press kit.

Calling all parents and their little ones! Nature Clean®, is hosting meet and greet sessions with the lovable character, Ruby, from Treehouse’s popular show, "Max & Ruby"! You can meet Ruby at various Loblaw’s locations  across the greater Toronto area this August. If you bring your camera, you are invited to join Ruby and her team for a picture, free samples and other fun goodies!

 

Welcome Yummy Mummy Club members! We're so excited to have you with us because by being here, you're also telling us that buying Canadian is important to you too! That means a lot to us.

This month, the Yummy Mummy Club and Buy Canadian First are giving away a $1,000 shopping spree to one very lucky mummy. Read the full contest details here.

 

If you're here for a clue to complete your YummyMummyClub.ca contest registration, read on, there's tons to use! 

As consumers, we've become addicted to low-cost products made abroad and sometimes get hooked into accumulating quantity over quality but in the last couple of years we have seen an emerging lifestyle shift among hundreds of thousands of Canadians who are taking buying Canadian to heart. Their reasons for doing so can be as personal as seeing a relative lose their manufacturing job, to wanting to decrease their carbon footprints by buying locally-made and locally-grown products.

The question is, which is most important to you and how far will you go to support Canada? Here are the 6 most common reasons for buying Canadian.

1. The economy

When we buy Canadian, we directly impact our economy in positive ways. Every dollar we spend in Canada has a ripple effect that far exceeds that of simple profits made by the businesses who take our money in exchange for goods or services. Regardless what sectors and industries we work in, we are all part of this cycle. We are securing jobs, helping to create new ones and let's not forget, when Canadian businesses are successful, they are in a position to give back to the communities they serve by supporting local charities, cultural associations, etc. Successfully employed Canadians and successful businesses also mean larger tax revenues towards government programs.

2. Health & safety

When we buy Canadian, we know that the products have met this country’s health & safety standards. The manufacturing industry in Canada is highly regulated, from the factories’ environmental emissions, to the quality assurance practices, to the materials used and beyond. These safety measures sometimes mean an increase in the retail price, but all things considered, isn’t it a small price to pay for peace of mind?

 

3. The environment

When we buy Canadian, we are reducing our carbon footprint, as products made closer to home require much less transportation. For example, did you know that a piece of clothing designed, manufactured and sold in Montreal requires 25 times less transportation than a similar product made in the far East?  

4. Labour standards

When we buy Canadian, we know that the people who make and sell the products are treated fairly, work in safe & sanitary conditions and often under the watchful eye of unions. We’ve all heard horror stories of sweatshops in foreign countries using children and adults as disposable labour. Thankfully, stories like that don't happen in Canada. 

5. Community

When we buy Canadian, we are contributing to the enrichment of our communities. It systematically makes us a part of something greater than ourselves and our immediate (material) needs. That one purchase we just made may contribute to the survival of a struggling local family business. Furthermore, as the gap that once existed between the consumer, the manufacturer and the retailer continues to decrease (thanks in large part to direct lines of communication that the Internet afords us), never before have consumers been able to give feedback in real time and develop and never-seen-before dialogue with these companies.

6. Patriotism

Historically, Canadian's have always been quietly patriotic. If there's one thing the world noticed during the Vancouver Olympics is that we're a proud bunch and perhaps now (post-record-breaking-Olympics) we won't be so quiet anymore. Love of Country shouldn't stop at flying a flag or wearing red (or growing a beard ;) We have every reason to be proud of our country, including the wonderful products we make here. Some consumers buy Canadian over foreign-made as a matter of principle alone. We see a "Made in Canada" label as a badge of honour. One we're proud to contribute to and want others to know about.  

The idea is not to buy Canadian only (it's impossible to do so anyway), but to consider Canadian-made products, over foreign-made ones first and buy these as often as we can.

So, why do you buy Canadian-made products?

Leave your answer on the contest form for your chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree on BuyCanadianFirst.ca (you may leave a comment here, but it does not count towards your entry into the contest) Good luck!
   

Image source: Dom Sports, Warm Buddy, P'tit Coulou, Natural Beauty Canada