Warning: Shameless Canada Reads plug ahead

I’m usually a bit uneasy about online campaigns, particularly if it means asking friends, family, acquaintances, and  people I don’t even know to step up and help me promote my humble novels… (can you feel the “but” coming? Well here it is…), BUT, the benefits to any writer of breaking through on Canada Reads has rudely shoved my piddling discomfort aside. Making it to the five-book short list for Canada Reads, let alone being named the chosen book, can change a writer’s life. Book sales go through the roof, new printings are always required, and all manner of wonderful literary good fortune comes your way. (At least, that’s what’s happened to previous winners.)

Canada Reads is set up a bit differently this year as they celebrate their tenth anniversary. To begin with, the readers of Canada (that’s you!) have a chance to nominate their favourite novels. According to the numbers of nominations for each book, a Top 40 essential Canadian novels list will emerge. What a thrill it would be to make this list. Then a Top 10 will be chosen from the Top 40 by the celebrity panel (yet to be named). Then the final five books will be announced, chosen from among the Top 10. Finally, the panelists will duke it out on the air and pick a winner. Got it?

So with all of this in mind, I just thought I’d, with humility and modesty, gently nudge you towards the Canada Reads Reader Recommendation site where you can, in mere seconds, nominate a favourite novel or novels (and I have a couple of suggestions right off the top of my head in case you’re at a loss for novels to recommend…). It seems that numbers count, so don’t feel you have to limit yourself to submitting only once!

It seems both of my novels have already been recommended, which is truly wonderful, but clearly being recommended only once certainly won’t put The Best Laid Plans or The High Road anywhere near the coveted Top 40. So I’d certainly be grateful if you would consider  recommending early and recommending often!

My sincere thanks to those who have already recommended TBLP and/or THR for this honour. I really do appreciate it.