Two new books: "The Break," a new YA novel by Nelsa Roberto and "Waking Up Gilligan" by J.R. MacLean

Hi, Brian.

I’m a former student of yours – as are so many writers in the Toronto area! Two years ago I had my first YA novel published (Illegally Blonde, Great Plains Teen Fiction, 2010) and I’m really thrilled to let you and your readers know that my second YA, The Break, was just released this year also with Great Plains Teen Fiction.

The Winnipeg Free Press called The Break “a realistic novel with a dash of romance that teens will find appealing.”

CM magazine, a periodical that advises schools and libraries on Canadian children’s literature gave it a Recommended rating and said: 

“Teen readers who enjoy real life stories about changing relationships and family dynamics will gobble this one up. The Break will be especially poignant for readers who have very strong relationships with their grandparents, or whose grandparents live with them. Teens struggling with change or loss would also benefit from reading this story. The Break is a strong addition to any public or school library collection where stories about real life and families circulate well.”

Nelsa with Illegally Blonde

Thank you, Brian, for being one of the teachers who helped me reach my goal of publication. I’d dreamed of getting a book published one day and now I have two. Dreams sometimes do become reality!

Sincerely,

Nelsa Roberto

www.out-of-the-wordwork.blogspot.com

Twitter: @nelsaroberto  

For information about submitting to Great Plains Publishing, see here.

For information about Nelsa’s first book, Illegally Blonde, see here.

Dear Brian

I'm delighted to tell you that my novel Waking Up Gilligan has been completed and is available in nearly every ebook format at smashwords.com. The first chunk of it is available for free, but the remaining 87% will cost you $9.99. (See here.)

“Waking Up Gilligan is at once hilarious and evocative, sexy and sublime, silly and serious, epic and ephemeral — a hysterical parody of enlightenment that becomes itself enlightened. Richly poetic, wonderfully paced, persistent, intelligent, knowledgeable prose that remains somehow always attentive and accessible. An immensely playful novel. A working man’s John Barth. A romantic’s Tom Robbins. A journey to be savored and a story to be finished. Set in a well-researched and for me (a 58-year-old Americanadian) nostalgic era, it has no expiry date. This book will be as interesting and relevant a hundred years from now as it is today and would’ve been thirty years ago when the story takes place. I feel honored to have been asked to edit it.” –Christopher K. Miller

I enjoyed your workshop here in Peterborough, Brian. Hope you're back this way again.

J.R. contempalting life

Cheers,

 J.R. MacLean 

 http://www.JRMACLEAN.ca

J.R.,
I’m back in Peterborough this Sunday, Aug 26, for a How to Make Yourself Write workshop. (Details here.) See ya there. 

- Brian

See my full schedule here, including writing workshops and creative writing courses in Kingston, Peterborough, Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Georgetown, Milton, Oakville, Burlington, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Dundas, Kitchener, Guelph, London, Woodstock, Orangeville, Newmarket, Barrie, Gravenhurst, Sudbury, Muskoka, Peel, Halton, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.