Books | Blog

Writing prompts are like diving boards: a springy platform meant to launch you into a new space. They can be a word, a sentence, an image or an idea and they are a great way to get you writing, even if you don’t have a book you’re working on. But writing prompts can do more […]

HEIDELBERG XL75 INSTALLED AND  RUNNING! Heidelberg has competed installation and training of the new cover press. While this press is smaller than its predecessor, at twenty-nine inches it comes fitted with the latest in technology designed to meet our needs for short-run cover production. It is a five-colour plus aqueous coating configuration. The press comes […]

You may have heard the term ‘beta readers’, but what exactly are they and why are they so important? If you, the author, are the ‘alpha’, then beta readers are the next set of eyes on your manuscript. This can be scary. What if they don’t like it? The truth is, early drafts are clunky. […]

There’s no right way to write but there are, generally speaking, two main ways to approach writing: as a plotter or as a pantser (as in ‘by the seat of your pants’). More recently, George R. R. Martin alternately named them architects and gardeners. According to Martin, “Architects plan everything ahead of time, like an architect building a house. They know how many […]

As Vancouver grows, it is getting more and more challenging to get around by car at certain times of day. In the last few years, our mayor has pushed through the addition of more and more biking lanes across the city. Now city biking is much safer and can be a more efficient method to […]

At first glance, writing seems like a solitary act. Just mention the word “writer” and most people will envision a lone artist, sitting at their desk, toiling over a manuscript for months on end. And although most writers do spend a lot of time on their own, the truth is that writing is rooted in […]

Paper books are efficient and elegant. They’re easy to store, simply constructed, and use space well. The format of bound pages wrapped in a protective cover has been working since somewhere around the second century! Anything that’s been around that long must have some enduring benefits. Now, with the arrival of eBooks and online bookstores, […]

  As savvy writers know, getting a positive review from a respected source like Kirkus can do wonders for a book’s sales and credibility. In today’s blog post we interview expert Karen Schechner, Vice President of Kirkus Indie at Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Indie curates self-published titles to help consumers and industry influencers (publishers, agents, film producers, librarians, booksellers) discover […]