Author: MJ Moores

Gearing Up for Another Great Event!

MJ Moores

The Bookshelf 2017 is Closer than you Think 🙂

The 2016 event saw more than 350 guests walk through our doors…

With over 50 Authors and Reading-related Vendors at the launch of the WCYR’s Bookshelf, we couldn’t be happier 😀 Check out the slideshow below for some highlights.

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For the 2017 Event we are carefully looking at the invaluable feedback received from guests and vendors alike. We are currently in conversation with the Farmers Market about expanding our presence in the marketplace on the day of the event, and opening up our Author Readings to early registrants as we work toward a new structure for presentation (more info to come in early winter).

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We look forward to having a wider variety of reading-related vendors present and broadening options at our Literary Cafe, as well as having multiple spot prize giveaways, a revamped scavenger hunt, and dollar-draws.

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With fun for the whole family, we can’t wait to see you on Saturday May 13th, 2017.

The Bookshelf’s Debut :)

MJ Moores

Oh what a packed and exciting day we had at The Bookshelf yesterday!

The vendors were wonderful, the volunteers fabulous, and the atmosphere electric. The organizers received lots of constructive feedback to help make next year’s event even better and we were pleased to see so many smiles on the faces of patrons and sellers alike.

Hope to see you next year at The Bookshelf!

(more pictures to come)

The Bookshelf 1

Storytelling: An Ageless Passion

MJ Moores

storytelling

A Good Book Never Goes Out of Style

Reading is not a solitary act. At the best of times children are read to by family, their teachers, beside friends in a room full of classmates. As adults we indulge in study groups, book clubs, public readings by authors or simply sit in a cafe, bookstore, or library sharing this common love of literature with the world around us. And then, even if readers find themselves alone, under the covers with a flashlight or by a fireplace on a rainy day we are not alone – the people and characters we read about are there to keep us company as we explore new ideas.

WCYR’s The Bookshelf is a celebration of reading and storytelling.

It is our goal to make accessible to the public as many authors, publishers, artists, and supporters of Canadian storytelling as possible. In fact, one of our key sponsors, I C Publishing, will also be on site at The Bookshelf to meet with and share their love of books and reading.

We had an opportunity to speak with the owner and operator of I C Publishing, Sheri Andrunyk, about her love of the craft. When asked what her favourite books have been since childhood she told us of these treasures and more:

CHILDHOOD

The Princess and the Pea, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Nancy Drew series, and Dr. Seuss books are the first that come to mind, but there are many, many more!

TEEN YEARS

The Erroneous Zones and Real Magic (among others) by Dr. Wayne Dyer, Thinking Big by David Schwartz

ADULTHOOD

The 7 Steps of Highly Effective People (and The 8th Habit) by Stephen R. Covey, The One Minute Millionaire – The Enlightened Way to Wealth by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen, The Art of Stillness by Pico Iyer, The Anatomy of the Spirit by Carolyn Myss, and Quiet – The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

PARENTHOOD

Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World by Zig Ziglar, Driven to Distraction by Edward M. Hallowell MD and John J. Ratey, and Leaving the Light On by Smalley & Trent

WRITER/PUBLISHER

Besides the books my company publishes 🙂 I have enjoyed Unless It Moves the Human Heart by Roger Rosenblatt, Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury, and You Should Really Write a Book by Regina Brooks and Brenda Lane Richardson

And when asked what one book she would bring with her to a desert island, Sheri remained true to her non-fiction muses by answering:

Oh, there are far too many to choose from . . . perhaps something spiritual and/or motivating . . . or perhaps a how-to book on surviving (and thriving) on a desert island! 😉

We sincerely hope you join us at The Bookshelf on Saturday June 25th any time between 9am and 3pm. We have a wonderful Reading Room chock full of fantastic authors and a free scavenger hunt where every participant who solves the riddle-chart wins a prize before entering a draw for free books!

Come meet your next favourite author @ THE BOOKSHELF

The Pulse of a Bibliophile

MJ Moores

Heart Beat with Maya A Quote

Without storytellers, humanity would not function as we know it. And for every weaver of words or teller of tales there is a captive audience waiting to be moved, spellbound, and enthralled.

The Bookshelf is proud to continue this honourable tradition of bringing together storytellers and listeners/readers. But without dedicated volunteers and sponsors like I C Publishing, we would be hard pressed to bring over 55 local authors, publishers, and reading-related vendors together in this FREE event.

Join us at The Bookshelf on Saturday June 25th for a fantastic day of author readings. Participate in the free scavenger hunt to win books and place a bid in our silent auction for an opportunity to win hundreds of dollars in merchandise at a fraction of the cost.

Bring your family; bring your friends; bring dog, owl, rat or frog and meet your next favourite author 🙂

I C Publishing is an avid supporter of community events:

  • Member of the Community Advisory Council for York Housing and Support Services serving Belinda’s Place and Salvation Army Sutton Youth Shelter
  • Editorial and Consulting Sponsor of Portraits of Giving 2016
  • Founder of the Hearts Linked by Courage Series celebrating the strength of the human spirit and the value of community, and supporting not-for-profits

For more info: http://www.icbookstore.ca/095~Community/

Everybody Has a Story

MJ Moores

I P Publishing - Quote

Somewhere deep inside there’s a storyteller in all of us and one of the best ways to celebrate the bard within is to share our stories.

Whether you love reading other people’s stories or enjoy sharing your own, The Bookshelf is the event for you. Not only will you have the opportunity to meet fantastic local authors, both Indie and Renowned, but you’ll have the opportunity to speak with people, just like you, who want to share their stories.

One of our key sponsors for this momentous event is Sheri Andrunyk, founder of I P Publishing. She and her authors were so excited about the prospect of celebrating local Canadian literature in York Region, that they worked together to donate over $500 in books for the Scavenger Hunt Prizes and Silent Auction.

I C Publishing is committed to quality content, meeting the author where they’re at, and providing the necessary support and services to bring their work to life—all the while keeping at the forefront the author’s unique voice and style of writing.

Although they do consider and evaluate every product on its own merit, I C Publishing serves primarily the nonfiction writer whose intent it is to…

share meaningful messages and teachings from their own personal or professional experiences. ~ Sheri Andrunyk

Their inspiring roster of titles so far include short story collections, business training, leadership and entrepreneurial mentoring, workplace culture (series), self-help, positive psychology and NLP, prose and art, health and wellness, children’s stories, and memoir.

We hope you will set aside some time to visit The Bookshelf @ the Newmarket Farmers Market on Sat. June 25th from 9am – 3pm to help celebrate all of the wonderful authors eager to share their stories.

The Bookshelf Team

A Publisher’s Perspective

MJ Moores

Blossoms

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In conversation with Sheri Andrunyk of I C Publishing, these are the insights she shared about what it’s like to be a publisher and why she loves what she does:

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We know the belief, commitment, and dedication it takes to create and tell a great story, and then bring it fully to fruition. Each and every project we accept is one we believe in. A number of us on the I C Publishing team are authors as well, and we’re all passionate about the written word. With each book we publish, there’s a process akin to birthing something new and amazing. It takes time and care, and the expertise of many, to produce a product we can all be proud of. With a minimum of two editors on each and every manuscript, a project coordinator, a designer or two, sometimes an illustrator, and production team, we embrace our role as publisher wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. In fact, we are almost as excited as the author when their book comes to life and it is ready to be released to the world.

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Be sure to stop by I C Publishing’s booth at The Bookshelf on June 25th between 9am – 3pm to chat with several of the I C Authors about their books and their experience with this fantastic local publishing house.

Isobel Warren in the Reading Room

MJ Moores

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIsobel Warren is one of our local indie talents who will be reading at The Bookshelf on Saturday, June 25 at 10:45 am.

I first met Isobel after I found her creative writing class listed in the Month Ahead. Her gentle but firm encouragement helped me recover my writing voice and I am forever grateful for her fierce commitment to the written word and what it stands for in each individual.
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Isobel was a journalism student at Ryerson who wanted to write about music, but was discouraged to do so by the all-male faculty because there were no female music critics. Although she regrets this decision, she gets her classical music “fix” from her soon-to-be 59 years of marriage to Milan, a life-long musician who is principal percussionist with the Markham Concert Band, as well as their Juno-nominated, violin-wielding (among myriad instruments), vocalist daughter, Annabelle Chvostek.
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Isobel came to travel writing at mid-life while serving as editor to CARP news. Having visited upwards of 60 countries (“I’m never sure whether some of those South Seas islands are countries or merely volcanic eruptions of unknown ownership”), she now only travels to carefully chosen, familiar destinations although she hasn’t lost her sense of adventure, with Canada’s far north high on her wish list.
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Isobel entered the teaching profession three decades ago after being begged to fill in for a friend. She was delightedly surprised to find she both loved and excelled at it. She has taught at the University of Toronto, Seneca College, Humber College and the University of Guelph prior to her Newmarket Public Library classes. Many of her students are now published writers but that’s not her purpose; so many more are simply enjoying the therapeutic benefits of writing. “Being published should not be the goal,” she adamantly insists.
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Co-owner and operator of Cedar Cave Books, she is the author of five books: two novels and three travel guides, and editor/publisher of WORDPLAY. Isobel currently has two books under wraps, too early to share any tidbits as of yet. She will be reading an excerpt from her latest novel, In Them Days.
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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWORDPLAY Cover

IC Publishing Donates Over 15 Books to The Bookshelf!

MJ Moores

IC-Publishing-Banner-2-Final

We can’t thank Sheri Andrunyk, founder of Insightful Communications Publishing, enough for her dedication to helping make The Bookshelf an extraordinary readers’ event. With book contributions in excess of $500 set to act as both prizes and silent auction items, we can’t help but get giddy when we think of all those fabulous books!

Whether you’re an aspiring author or simply a lover of well-written books, be sure to check out I C Publishing’s bookstore.

Here, Sheri shares with us the story behind the creation of I C Publishing.

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I C Publishing bridges the gap between traditional and self-publishing . . .

I C Publishing evolved out of my own journey as a first time author navigating the world of publishing, trying to make sense of the myriad of options available to authors today, and deciding what path was best for me to take. There was a lot to learn. In fact, the learning continues.

Upon sourcing the support I needed, and then self-publishing my first book, Hearts Linked by Courage, I had numerous colleagues asking if I would help them with the books they wanted to write, produce, and publish. At first, I thought it would be relatively simple, adding author coaching and support to my existing consulting business (we teach what we learn). However, the majority of my then (and current) clients wanted more than that. They were looking for a publishing house that could provide assistance throughout the entire process, and they wanted to be published under the I C Publishing umbrella. It seemed to be taking on a life of its own, and it felt right to me. Thus, the partner publishing business model of I C Publishing was born.

In partner publishing, like attracts like and there are strengths in numbers. Our clients are amazing at supporting one another on social media and at events. Some have uniquely different audiences; such as business or industry specific, versus retail, yet all are team players and do their utmost to engage in our collective efforts to promote I C Publishing as a company, and more importantly, as a wonderfully talented, diverse group of Canadian authors.

On my blog at ICPublishing.ca, I have written a lot about the differences between the array of publishing models available today, and why an author might prefer/choose one option over the other. Although there are exceptions in every industry, the choices here aren’t good or bad, in large part they’re simply based on your goals and timelines, and often your genre.

Sheri is a dedicated industry professional who exemplifies the ideals The Bookshelf is showcasing with our event – we’re here to celebrate local Canadian authors of all genres who are trying to reach new audiences.

Come visit The Bookshelf on Saturday June 25th and meet your next favourite author 😀

The Bookshelf on ROGERS TV

MJ Moores

Great news!

Yesterday The Bookshelf’s Event Coordinator MJ Moores was invited on Rogers “Daytime” TV with Jacquline Betterton.

She had a wonderful opportunity to speak about our free to attend Reading Room, the Feature Authors [Terry Fallis, Marissa Campbell, Rob Brunet, Alyxandra Harvey], and the fantastic help our fabulous sponsors have given to make Saturday June 25th a day to celebrate local & Canadian Authors and Reading for all ages.

We can’t thank IC Publishing enough for their stellar donations with over 15 books equalling more than $500; JAIKS Accounting and Roadhouse and Rose Funeral Home for their Silver Level contributions; and our fantastic supporters at the Bronze Level. Without your help, this event would not be possible.

  ICP logo for embroidery butterfly filled        JAIKS Accounting Roadhouse & Rose Funeral Home

Alyxandra Harvey – Historical Romance with a Paranormal Twist

MJ Moores

Alyxandra-Harvey

Love Me, Love Me Not

By Alyxandra Harvey

Dating isn’t easy when you’re in the middle of a blood feud.

Anastasia Vila’s family can turn into swans, but just once she’d like them to turn into responsible adults.

After hundreds of years, they still cling to the blood feud with the Renard family. No one remembers how it started in the first place—but foxes and swans just don’t get along.

Vilas can only transform into their swan shape after they have fallen in love for the first time, but between balancing schoolwork, family obligations, and the escalating blood feud, Ana’s got no time for love. The only thing keeping her sane is her best friend, Pierce Kent.

But when Pierce kisses Ana, everything changes.

Is what Pierce feels for her real, or a byproduct of her magic? Can she risk everything for her best friend? And when the family feud spirals out of control, Ana must stop the fight before it takes away everything she loves.

Including, maybe…Pierce.

 

Meet Alyxandra Harvey at The Bookshelf in Newmarket, June 25th, 2016. Alexandra will be reading at 11:45am.

For more information visit http://23.111.69.102/~wcyr/bookshelf