Writing...Just because!

The launch of the next title coming out from OC Publishing is The Tudor Prophecy, an historical fiction written by Dr. Julie Strong. Release day scheduled for January 25th.   Julie, a soon-to-be-retired family physician, is also an award-winning short story author and playwright born in Manchester, England, who grew up in Wales, Australia, and Ireland, and emigrated to Canada in 1980. Her medical degree is from Trinity College, Dublin University, Ireland, and she holds a BA in Classics from Dalhousie University, Halifax. This is her debut novel.   The Tudor Prophecy is set in 1541, when Henry VIII, increasingly decrepit and paranoid, reigns from a contested throne. In parallel storylines it follows two young women, Lady Alice Grantmire and Hester Vaughan, cousins who each suffer greatly from the King’s unjust decrees. Hester, betrothed to a Welsh bard whose mentor had visions foretelling Elizabeth’s ascendancy, encounters the eight-year-old Lady Elizabeth, and the ...

Today will be our first day back with The Author Journey after a summer break! Hope you had a wonderful summer. As usual, we'll be broadcasting live on Tuesday afternoons at 4 pm (Atlantic), 3 pm (Eastern) on my LinkedIn profile as well as on the OC Publishing Facebook page and YouTube channel . The line-up for September is phenomenal, beginning today with the ladies from Partridge Island Publishing , Amanda Evans and Shannon Dykens. They have set up such an amazing author publishing cooperative, along with a book shop at the beautiful Area 506 Waterfront Container Village , where they feature not only their own authors but other indie authors and small presses (including OC Pub authors). What they have accomplished is nothing short of incredible and we'll be talking with them all about the how's and why's and how the summer has gone for them. Check out the full line-up for September below! You may be wondering why I started The Author Journey... so I'll tell you!...

 I'm very exicted to give you a preview of the next title coming out from OC Publishing. The Last Witch on Skye , written by Carolyn J. Nicholson and illustrated by E.M. Gales (edited by Marianne Ward and book design by David W. Edeldstein) will launch on September 17th. Our virtual book tour has begun and we are thrilled to have the folks listed below on board to help build excitement for the launch. A bit about the book... The Ban the Witches and Fairies (BW&F) Party has chased all the supernatural beings out of the Isle of Skye. Only Magaidh, a young witch, remains, hiding in a castle disguised as a cat. But, she and the Queen of the Fairies have a plan to rescue the Fairy Flag, allowing the fairies and Magaidh to return to Skye. As Magaidh resumes her business, Spells Inc. she thinks about getting revenge but the Fairy Queen suggests peace would be a better plan. Throughout the book, Magaidh and her two fairy friends, Sean and Iain, go on many adventures together, including...

 I am so pleased to announce that the next title coming out from OC Publishing is Halifax, Nova Scotia-based (originally from New Brunswick) Yvette Ward MacDonald's debut novel, Honour Above All . It's an historical fiction/courtroom drama with a dash of romance. " In Honour Above All we peek behind the curtain of the wealthy families and ambitious lawyers of 1960s Ottawa. Mary Clark is equal parts bold and naive in a time when the odds are stacked against women lawyers. How does she come by such an iron resolve? What hides in her murky past? A story layered with family trauma, it builds to a courtroom battle that challenges Mary's ethics at every turn. Can she uphold her client's wishes without losing everything she hold sacred? A legal drama with a dash of romance set in Mad Men-era Ottawa, you'll be transported to a leather chair by the open hearth with a glass of good scotch, reading into the night." Nicola Davison, author of In the Wake and Decoding ...

With just a little over two weeks to go to the launch of Zig Zag Zeffy, written by Barbara Ann Miller and illustrated by EM Gales, we're spooling up for the virtual book tour. Lots of folks have already hopped on the band wagon (and some have posted) but it's not too late if you want to join the tour. Just email or message me and let me know. Here is where the tour has been and where it will be heading: June 12 - Mary Lanni Reads - on YouTube and Goodreads July 1 - CanLit for Little Canadians - summer watch list July 31 - Maeve, on behalf of Atlantic Book Reviews - enthusiastic reading! August 1-7 - Dartmouth Book Exchange Author Spotlight August 4 - Lisa Haselton's Reviews & Interviews August 5 -  Miramichi Reader August 8 - Terri Protelli's  Bookly Matters August 10 - AJ Korman's Blog - Children's Books and Literature - Bringing Stories to Life August 15 (launch day) - interview on The Author Journey , presented by OC Publishing August 16 - interivew ...

I recently had the pleasure of beginning work on a book project with one of my best friends. We taught pre-school together in the early 80s and developed a bond over our love of children that expanded into our outside lives and continues on to this day. We also share a love of animals, and on August 15, my friend, and Halifax-based author, Barbara Ann Miller, will launch the first in a series of children’s books, Zig Zag Zeffy , that will teach themes such as inclusion and self-esteem.   “This wonderful early childhood book keeps the young reader’s attention as the love develops between a puppy and his Hu-Mom,” said Marg MacDonald, Recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education (2021). “The descriptive and fun story flows well, and is accompanied by colourful illustrations, providing many opportunities for teachable moments.”  Zig Zag Zeffy is a heart-warming story of a Hu-Mom who adopts an energetic, fun-loving Puggle named Zeffy. It...