Below are some of our most recently released books.
Growing up in post-World War II Alberta in a stable, loving home, Tom Symington didn’t feel that he was “different.” Evading early pressures of romance and sexual exploration, repressing instances of name-calling (“femmy”), and hostility from schoolmates, Tom was almost able to believe in a world that valued the rights and freedoms of all citizens. From Calgary to Sierra Leone to France, this candid, heartbreaking memoir braids the evolution of gay rights in Canada with the life journey of one individual. Following high school, as Tom entered university and became a teacher, he was forced to reconcile his sexual orientation with the prevailing social and legal environment in Alberta, Canada, and the world beyond. As decades passed, “femmy” merged with “gay,” “queer,” and “LGBTQ+ community” in a rallying movement and an enduring struggle towards pride and self-acceptance against the current of societal expectations and discriminatory legislation. Not So Normal is as much a coming-of-age odyssey and a celebration of selfhood as it is a grave reminder that there is still much work to be done in the realm of human rights, and an urgent call to action to recentre love in our increasingly diverse and divisive world.
Do you remember your first true love? Are you still with that person today? And if not, do you still cherish those memories and marvel at the lessons you learned about romantic love? But maybe your first love wasn't a romance. Maybe your first love was a beloved family member, a cuddly pet, or a precious toy. Love—romantic, familial, or friendly—connects us all, and in My First True Love, seventy- eight people from five countries and a wide array of backgrounds share stories of their first true love. Some of these stories may bring tears to your eyes, others may make you laugh out loud, and some may remind you of your younger self. From a rural church camp to a big-city skating rink, from modern-day loves to near-century-old loves, these stories are testaments to the lasting power of one’s first true love.
One afternoon, Ashley received the most dreaded of phone calls: her brother, Ryan, was dead. A victim of childhood bullying, Ryan had struggled with addiction for over a decade. Ashley was devastated, but soon discovered that Ryan’s soul was still very much alive as he began—almost instantly—to communicate with her, offering comfort in the face of her staggering loss. Ashley was not surprised by her other-worldly connection to her brother; identifying as an intuitive medium, she has felt a connection to spirits and their energies since early childhood. Having spent much of her life healing from her own traumas to bring forward the most integral parts of herself, she felt naturally compelled to use these gifts to help her family heal their sorrow and come together after Ryan’s death. Richly textured with childhood memories and sparkling with spirit, Opening is a stunning memoir of grief, resilience, and the kind of love that transcends the boundaries of time and space.
When security guard Jimmie Wainwright is given an impossible choice by vindictive gangsters, he becomes an unwilling participant in the murder of his boss. But it’s only one in a series of linked deaths and chain of events—all of which lead back to the villainous Milton Talbot. Police forces work together across the US-Canada border to investigate the homicides and protect Jimmie and his family by placing them in witness protection—including his school-age daughter. Milton’s gangsters also threaten and extort Judge Nancy Beckett, who is coerced into a mockery of justice and resorts to unorthodox methods to try save her own family. A page-turner about a trail of murders and corruption in the justice system, this vigilante tale follows what happens when legal channels fail. Part crime novel, courtroom drama, and love story, Everyone Wants to Kill Milton presents a classic moral dilemma for all its characters—as well as the reader—who must decide whether to take the law into their hands when faced with evil.
Being beautiful was a lot of work, but Molly was never too busy for a visit with her friends. Sometimes, they had exciting news to share. Sometimes, they had funny stories to tell. Sometimes, they were sad together, and sometimes, they would just sing and sing and sing! Molly's friends visit every morning. Will a strange new friend upset the balance of things? Molly the Beautiful Pig Meets Totem is an inspiring story about a toy pig with a kind heart. Ages 4-8.
What does it mean to lead a life of hope, faith, and virtue? When faced with a world with less and less of a shared concept of truth, where do we turn? And when life gives us lemons, what can we do? Through this collection of stylistically diverse poems, author David A. McAdam suggests we can make lemonade out of even the barest of circumstances, and welcome others to engage in rich conversation over a cool, refreshing drink. Broken into eight thematically organized sections, these poems move us through the steps it takes to “do lemonade”—from inviting to savouring to refilling—reminding us of the universal values we can all lean on, whether we are facing highs or lows. Through these varied poems, readers are invited to reflect on changes in themselves and their relationships, to honour and give thanks for what they have, and to face challenges with grace and humility. Drawing on his Christian and Caribbean roots, his poems ultimately serve to affirm the value of faith, lighting a candle against the darkness of the post-truth world.