Looking for some captivating summer reading? Or you need a gift for a book lover. On Saturday July 9 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm, meet Muskoka authors and purchase their books at Heron’s Nest Studio Gallery, 95 Muskoka Road, Bracebridge.
Bring your lawn chair, sit back, relax and enjoy readings by Muskoka Association Authors, Carol Marie Newall, Wendy Truscott, Cindy Watson, David Bruce Patterson, and Bruce Hanson. Each one will share selections from their books and have them available for order or purchase.
In 2011 Carol Marie Newall inherited a cardboard memory box stuffed with old sepia photos, documents, a bible, and a cracked white china doorknob—the last bits and pieces of her late grandmother’s life. It contained nothing of any monetary value, but to her the contents were priceless. Ten years later, having traced online resources, interviewed family members, searched her brain for illusive memories, and dug through archives in Canada and the UK, she was able to learn how Winnie, a plucky English girl, found herself working in Canada as the result of the British Child Migration to Canada. Outside the Gateis Carol’s debut book.
Wendy Truscott celebrates almost 70 years enjoying the wonders of Muskoka in 2022, as an early cottager and now a resident. Its history inspired her historical novels, Haunted Journey, and MacGregor’s Curse, and she recently completed a thriller/romance with a Muskoka connection. Wendy will read from her second novel, the story of young Jamie MacGregor overwhelmed with grief for his dead mother, and the estrangement of his once-happy family. The emotional losses lead him to commit an act of revenge he immediately regrets. Lacking purpose and friends, he falls under the spell of a dangerous blackmailer. Events come to a head with a spectacular and dangerous theft and a daring rescue attempt.
Cindy Watson is the founder of Women On Purpose and creator of the Art of Feminine Negotiation programs. She’s also founder and managing partner of Watson Labour Lawyers, as an attorney specializing in social justice law for 30 years. Known for her passion, commitment, and ability to inspire Cindy is a TEDx and international speaker, award-winning author, master negotiator, and consultant. As a world-class women’s empowerment coach, she has a proven track record empowering, advocating, and motivating people to rediscover their purpose and become the best version of themselves. Written and designed by Cindy and her daughter, Jade Watson, their Purpose Planner will be available for purchase. The planner will help you focus on those things that get you closer to your life-vision, inspire your passion, improve your quality of life, and make you the best version of yourself.
Cindy will share a reading from her book, Out of Darkness, short-listed in 2011 for the Golden Oak Award. This biography about musician, Jeff Healey is an up-close and personal account, loaded with never-before-seen photographs, memorabilia, and intimate recollections of family, friends, and fellow musicians. It follows Healey’s life from the age of three when he first laid a guitar across his lap which was to become his signature style. It was clear he was no ordinary kid. Losing both eyes to retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer, opened a door to another world for Jeff, a newly adopted infant. Out of darkness he created music, becoming one of the most influential blues-rock and jazz performers of our time, beginning with his first hit album, See the Light.
In 2013, David Bruce Patterson arrived in Bracebridge, emotionally scarred, and in search of happiness and stability. He had been working on his first novel, Square Wheels, the story of a family in 1925 Toronto. It helped him connect with the childhoods of his mother and father. With the support of the Muskoka Authors Association, the Baysville and Bracebridge Public Library Writers Circles and new friends, David published the novel in 2020. Recently, he completed a digest of poetry and diatribes, Forthright But Furtive. He will read short excerpts from both publications. David is also working on a detective satire The Dorothy Parker Mysteries Volume 1: Murder at Land’s End.
As an award-winning author of short fiction, Bruce Hanson has travelled far from his roots as an Electrical Engineer where his projects included a short stint working on the Space Shuttle’s Canadarm . His writing has been recognized with nine awards including, First Place in the Muskoka Authors Association’s Melody Richardson Memorial Contest, and the Canadian Legion Seniors Literary Contest; Second Place in the Brendon Donnelly Award For Children’s Literature; and two Honourable Mentions in Canadian Author’s Association competitions. Bruce plans to release three books in 2022. He will read from the first of these, Double Cross, a Middle Grade/Young Adult mystery novella expected out this month.
For more information on this event contact Wendie Donabie at 705-646-3663 or email heronsneststudiogallery@gmail.com