May 17. Issue 168

“Books make the best gifts. They are compact. They are easy to post. And they have whole worlds inside them.” Neil Gaiman

“When children read, they open their minds to unlimited opportunities and possibilities.” Paul Yanuziello

Welcome to my monthly journal. I  am coming to you two weeks early so that you can participate in my May book promo Kids Books on Sale. The featured image is of my partner, Nina, in Jaco, Costa Rica. The photo struck my fancy, and I decided it needed to be shared. It is a photo I took from a recent adventure. I long for adventure.

1. Alice Munro passed this week she was a Canadian icon and master of the short story.   I have many favorite stories from her and some that have stuck with me over time: “Child Play”, “Wenlock Edge,” and “Wood” are just a few that have resonated with me.

Munro published more than 160 short stories. Some of those stories have inspired movies; her final collection, published in 2012, Dear Life, is a collection of 14 short stories that explore relationships between memory, childhood, freedom, understanding, societal expectations, love, and dissatisfaction.

2. My middle-grade novel Dojo in the Woods joins a fantastic promotion that includes many awesome books for kids and kids at heart. This is a limited-time offer so take advantage while you can. If you get my book and you enjoy the story please post your review on Amazon or Goodreads.

3. The rough draft illustrations for my new book are in the works. I am a fan of illustrator,  Joshua Miller’s artistic talent, and I have utilized his awesome illustrations in all of my books.

That’s a grand total of five books and one soon to be released. The tentative release date of the new book is August 2024.

4.  AI! Artificial Inteligence. What do you think of the process and, most importantly, the result? The good and the bad and the in-between. An author friend recently sent me a story of his that had been produced as an audiobook with “AI” narration. The technology is amazing. However, to me it is lacking in the human quality.

That is the shortcoming, there is no humanity to the work. I have heard some narrators sound similar, and these are the audible books I can’t get through.

Joshua Miller, my illustrator, feels threatened by AI. Many authors are using AI for their illustrations. Personally, I can tell the difference, and I do not like the results that I have seen. The AI illustrations lack that personal touch. The emotion, dynamics, and individualism.

Perhaps in all things art, what makes it art is the human touch. When that is missing, it is no longer art. It is robotic!

5. I have lined up some markets and book festivals for this summer. I hope to see you at one of the events that I’ll be attending. On June 2nd, The Aurora Street Festival; June 7th, I will be at Wasaga Beach Public Library; and June 23, The Bookshelf as part of the Newmarket Farmers Market.

My July is getting booked up, too. I have secured spots at the Thornbury Farmers Market as part of The Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, BMFA. Come and visit me, Samba, Ariela, Scratchy, and the gang from Dojo in the Woods at my little bookstore/canopy on July 21st and/or July 28th. You can get all my books at festival prices, and if you like, I will even sign them for you.

Thank you for reading; if you know of someone who may be interested in this Monthly Journal, please share. And be sure to check out my newest books, a children’s picture book, Samba in Switzerland, and a middle-grade reader, Dojo in the Woods. All my books are readily available online through your favorite bookstores.

Be well, stay safe, and keep reading.

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