New Monthly Newsletter

OCTOBER 2021

Hello…Welcome to the monthly Red Fern Book Review newsletter.
I plan to use this space to share with you extra content, book titles, publishing news and events. We will also go behind the scenes in the making of the podcast. This is also the space to connect with our community - ask questions and leave comments and recommendations for future episodes!

Let's Hear It

In September, I was lucky to have bestselling author Eileen Garvin speak with me about her debut novel The Music of Bees.

My friend Theresa grew up with Eileen in Spokane, Washington, and kindly introduced us. I interviewed Eileen from her lake house cabin complete with tongue and groove paneling, old jaw bones and family heirlooms. Eileen mentioned a number of extra titles in the episode including Brood: A Novel by Jackie Polzin about a women’s attempt to keep her four chickens alive while reflecting on a recent loss.

After the mic was turned off we continued to talk all things writing and editing. The Music of Bees and Brood brought to mind the hilarious farm novel The Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby best known for her YA novels.

Listen to this Episode

🎙️ Fall Reading List - October 8th
Bedside Table Books blogger Susan Matheson is in the house to discuss the best books of the season! This fall many big name authors, from Colson Whitehead to Amor Towles, have new books on offer. Susan goes a bit deeper and selects books that might not be on your radar.

🎙️ The Perfect Family - October 15th
Vancouver writer Robyn Harding’s latest novel, The Perfect Family, is a twisty, addictively page-turning suspense novel about a perfect family's perfect façade. Robyn shares her favourites books, shows and podcasts and explains how miscommunication can make for a great story.

🎙️ Under the Wave at Waimea - October 22nd
Geoff is back living out his lifetime loves of surfing and music through fiction. The first book discussed is Paul Theroux's Under the Wave at Waimea. Set in Hawaii, this epic novel follows the life of aging surfer Joe Sharkey as he grapples with a fatal accident that forces him to face down his past. The second book, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton, is a rock novel set in the 1970s. Cleverly written as an oral history, this book by first-time author Walton examines gender inequality, race and pop culture through the lens of the music industry. The audio version of this book features several voice actors and makes for a compelling listening experience that blurs the line between fiction and reality.

Listen to the Podcast HERE

TRILLERS

Through the Red Fern Book Review podcast I have become acutely aware of my love of mysteries. The darker the better!

I recommend the terrifying debut thriller The Slient Patient by Alex Michaelides.

The Survivors by Australian author Jane Harper is an atmospheric story of a young man who returns to his hometown after a terrible accident only to find a body washed on the beach and long-held secrets about to be exposed.

Later this month I will be speaking with the author of The Perfect Family Robyn Harding.

PS. Be sure to check out our instagram @redfernbookreview we will be doing a GIVEAWAY of this book coming soon!

Told from multiple points of view, this book reminded me of Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, which tells the story of a wedding party gone wrong off the windswept Irish Coast.

CAMPUS NOVELS

Fall is here and I love nothing more than a campus novel
like The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz which I reviewed on an episode last month

Listen to the Podcast HERE

The Secret History by Donna Tartt remains, in my opinion, the gold standard in this genre. This academic thriller tells the story of six Classics students and is based on Tartt’s time as a student at Bennington College.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

and Old School by Tobias Wolff also nail the prep school experience.

“I think it was the most wonderful distraction for 2020 because, like everybody else, it was a very overwhelming time… for writing and rewriting and editing and thinking about a story, you need that solitary time and I sure had a lot of that. I feel like it was a wonderful kind of a gift to be able to spend 2020 working on this book.”

Eileen Garvin, author of the Music of Bees, on revising her book during the pandemic

Listen Here

🗓️ The Vancouver Writers Fest is on October 19 through October 25.

This world-class event features writers from all around the world. There are options for a digital pass and zoom only events.

Loaded Hummus by Julianne's Kitchen

Snack time!

It isn’t a good book unless you have a few pages stained from diving into bowl of popcorn or bag of Salt and Vinegar (make that Miss Vickie’s) potato chips.

I reached out to my friend and food blogger Julianne and asked her to share a comforting and healthy recipe that would pair perfectly with your favourite read. She sent me this recipe for classic hummus that she elevated by sprinkling with fun toppings including chopped Castelvetrano olives, crumbled feta and torn basil.

For more recipes follow Julianne 's Kitchen

Get the Recipe

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

the lastest on Instagram

Well here we go, even further into the Fall season 🍂 What books have you been reading?

SHARE HERE

Tell me, what does your bookshelf look like? ⁠
⁠
A 📖 Pages forward for a neutral look⁠
B 📖 Colour coordinated of course⁠
C 📖 No rhyme or reason⁠

SHARE HERE

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