For the irreverent among us in need of a laugh, Random Synapses offers an eclectic round-up of funny short stories and relatable reflections about life’s milestones and quirks. Is beer effective for pest control? What if condoms set the mood with their own soundtrack? Are washable crayons tantamount to child abuse? What’s the secret to that speed-walking hip sway? And what’s that furry green thing growing at the back of the fridge?? If you’ve ever appreciated an essay by Dave Barry, you’ll be delighted by Bob Schellenberg’s careening thoughts on the seemingly mundane and everyday. He has a unique knack for juxtaposing a wide range of subjects in unexpected ways. You may not know where you’ll end up as you read each one of these stories, but you can be sure that you’ll be laughing when you get there!

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Unsung is a collection of lyrical poems born from a lifetime of songwriting. Verses once intended for music are revealed, on the page, as poems in their own right. Drawn from both youth and adulthood, these works trace the emotional rhythms of ordinary lives: love and loss, struggle and recovery, conviction and doubt, connection and community.

With a voice that is direct, reflective, and grounded in classic poetic forms, Glenn G. Wootton explores how we relate to ourselves, to those we care about, and to the world around us. The poems offer moments of tenderness and intimacy alongside social observation, advice hard-earned, flashes of anger, and occasional humour.

Arranged to flow naturally from beginning to end, Unsung invites readers to recognize pieces of their own experiences within its lines. Timeless in theme and honest in tone, this debut collection gives voice to what is often felt but rarely spoken—and reminds us that even the unsung moments of our lives matter.

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Marek’s personal story is framed within Ukraine’s broader history of foreign domination, war, and cultural suppression. In the aftermath of WWI Marek, along with his wife Matrunka set sail to Canada. They establish a homestead in Alberta with little more than basic tools, at a time when Western Canada was in the throes of development.

A Bruised Reed is a personal history of the author’s parents’ lives. It also explores the broader history of Ukrainian people and their immigrant experience, the historical landscape they left behind, and the new world they faced with all its tremendous challenges. The book covers key global events, from imperialism and both world wars to the Great depression and the on going conflict in Ukraine.

Exploring the theme of adaptation as it relates to both Marek’s family and the broader Ukrainian community, this work highlights faith, resilience, and the transformative impact of perseverance. A Bruised Reed pays tribute to the enduring spirit and rich culture of Ukrainians, depicting their continued efforts to preserve their ethnic identity and country.

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The Battle of Gettysburg is over. Tens of thousands lie wounded and untended across the battlefield, and thousands are dead. Basil Biggs returns through the devastation to find his farm ruined by Confederate troops, but soon finds himself embroiled with the intrigues of Union spymaster John Babcock, who must track the beaten Confederate army as it retreats. Biggs is helped in this new adventure, to his vast surprise, by the spirit of his late mother, the famous healer Rosalie Biggs. Meanwhile, young Cornelia Hancock arrives on the battlefield as a volunteer nurse and must struggle against the awful conditions and her own sense of horror at what she witnesses. Biggs returns from his espionage work, carrying a wounded Babcock to the new field hospital on the battlefield, Camp Letterman, where Babcock comes under the care of Cornelia Hancock. Soon after, Biggs begins the monumental task of re-interring the thousands of hastily buried Union soldiers across the battlefield into the new National Cemetery. All three come to the attention of an ancient entity fascinated by humanity across the ages, strangely drawn to all three of them, and which will change their lives forever.

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Meet Nelson Skalbania. Most Canadians have heard of him: he's the man who gave Wayne Gretzky his big break in hockey. In real estate, he coined the term 'flipping.' He also owned (and sold) diverse commodities such as The Edmonton Oilers, Circus World, Eaton’s retail stores, and Vancouver’s Georgia and Wedgewood hotels. His appreciation for the finer things in life even led him to create the biggest art gallery in Vancouver.

The profits from all this buying and selling enabled him to own seven homes, four Rolls Royces, a one hundred and eighty-three foot long yacht with a thirteen member crew, and a DeHavilland DH 125 twin jet plane. Not bad for someone who began his career as a seismic engineer, from Polish parentage who immigrated to Canada with nothing but a fierce will to succeed.

Far less known is the sheer scope of Skalbania's adventures, especially lesser-known activities involving mini-subs, rockets, cold fusion, purchasing artwork in Chile during a civil war, fertilizing oceans with iron dust, or fleeing Juba in South Sudan during a coup.

But it's all here in Wreckless, a title Skalbania explains "is a play on the word. I acted recklessly, and many people thought I would wind up a wreck for doing so. I came close but never did. So, Wreckless.”

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What happens when a sharp-eyed kid grows up in the lee of the Rocky Mountains, surrounded by rodeos, eccentric neighbors, and the wild freedom of 1950s southern Alberta? You get Kid Rodeo, a collection of stories unfolding with liberal dabs of humor, a whopping great dollop of nostalgia and a vivid sense of place; a rollicking memoir that rides the line between belly laughs and tender reflection.

From a bloodless turkey massacre, the secret of toe jam sausages, narrowly escaping death by lightning or exploring the mysteries of the universe with his girlfriend, Jim spins yarns the way the old-time storytellers used to do around the campfire—easy in the saddle, with a wink and a nod where you least expect it.

Part love letter, part tall tale, this is small-town life as it really was: dusty, mischievous, and full of wonder. You’ll smell the hay, taste the trout, and hear the crunch of gravel under your feet. Each chapter offers a snapshot of small town foothills life, rich with detail and warmth, capturing the innocence and hilarity of growing up in a different time.

These recollections celebrate the magic of memory and the shaping power of place with an affectionate and timeless voice.

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Born a Two-Spirit, Fluffy is not like the others. Teased and left behind, Fluffy dreams of the freedom that wings might one day bring — a place where being different doesn't mean being less.

Unfurling those majestic wings for the very first time, Fluffy tumbles to the concrete, unable to fly. Just as all hope fades, a human angel appears — and everything changes.

Fluffy the Extraordinary Butterfly shows us that being different is not a limitation — it is our greatest gift. Is is a powerful story for anyone ready to turn their 'different' into something extraordinary.

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Boba loves his pampered life with his humans. He has toys, games, food, and every luxury a lazy cat could ask for. When Boba’s humans take him on a trip to Africa, his world is turned upside down.

With the help of his meowphone and catslator, Boba tries to make sense of this new experience. Every second is filled with action and adventure, from trying his first kittycinno at the airport, to flying and landing the plane, to going on an African safari and confronting a pride of lions.

Boba had no idea life outside the comfort of his home could be so wild!

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Frontier Journey is a moving, personal reflection of the author’s pioneer journey from his childhood farm home in Pennsylvania to a missionary assignment at the end of the pavement among a First Nations community in northwestern Ontario. As a recent high school graduate in the 1970s—in the happy-go-lucky time before technology and a faster pace of life took over—the author shares with readers of this book the unexpected joy to be found in witnessing to a community of children and in giving up personal freedoms to serve others.

This heartfelt manuscript shines on a season of growth in faith and relationships, including the relationships he formed among the kids with whom he interacted, as well as his personal faith journey, a faith-based story of personal growth and pioneering missions. The easy-to-read narrative features personal and spiritual reflections, and observations about the author’s work at Northern Light Gospel Missions in Red Lake, Ontario. This work aims to inspire for readers their own emotional, social, and spiritual encouragement, whether considering a similar journey of their own or simply attempting to learn to take risks, to go outside their comfort zone, and to venture into the challenge of meeting human needs.

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Golden fireball shocks the

orange-blue horizon

Frost sparkles like glistening diamonds

on the snow-white laden bushes and fields

Sorbet-spun skies illuminate the frigid winter dawn

Winter snow and summer campfires, love and loss, holy days and the beauty in the everyday: the poems in Life’s Turns evoke and spring from gratitude and awe. Illustrated with full-colour photographs of nature at its most magnificent, Life’s Turns seeks to inspire readers young and old to appreciate the world around them—through all life’s many twists and turns.

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“Magic is waiting for you! Please come in …“

This stunningly illustrated picture book explores and celebrates love and belonging as well as the connection to others.

It encourages kindness, the importance of imagination, practising self-care, and how embracing joy makes this world a happier place for everyone, including ourselves.

A gentle nudge to remind us that we're never alone in this world.

Through imagination, breath-work, colours and light -- we find the peace and calm within -- a wonderful bridge to belonging, gratitude, confidence and self-love.

Within your HEART is a beautiful flame

that GLOWS with a WARM and gentle LIGHT

It knows all your HOPES and fears and DREAMS …

and LOVES you just the same

All through the day, and all through the night

This playful tale is fun and rhythmic as it drops over the pages, with a soft and gentle flow.

Appealing to all ages with depth and colour that glows from the inside! This book is perfect for children, parents, grandparents, teachers and people that want to foster connection, gratitude, empathy and kindness and create a positive environment in their home, classroom, workplace and community.

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VAGUES DE CHANGEMENT est un livre pour enfants vibrant et inspirant qui invite les jeunes lecteurs de 6 à 12 ans à plonger dans les merveilles de l’océan et à devenir des héros de la mer. À travers des histoires captivantes, des personnages issus de cultures diverses et des actions concrètes, ce livre fait découvrir le lien essentiel entre la santé de l’océan et les changements climatiques.

Dans la collection Les Héros de la Terre, Vagues de changement suit des enfants venus des quatre coins du monde qui s’unissent pour lutter contre la pollution marine, la surpêche et la montée des eaux. Du nettoyage des plages aux projets de recyclage créatif en passant par la protection des récifs coralliens, ce livre donne aux jeunes esprits les connaissances et les gestes simples et pratiques pour faire la différence — où qu’ils soient.

Conçu pour être amusant, porteur d’espoir et visuellement attrayant, ce livre regorge d’illustrations colorées, de faits fascinants sur l’océan et d’activités respectueuses du climat. Il est traduit en français et dans une langue autochtone afin de favoriser l’inclusion, l’accessibilité et les efforts de réconciliation au Canada et ailleurs.

Parfait pour les salles de classe, les bibliothèques, les programmes parascolaires et les histoires du soir, Vagues de changement encourage les parents, les enseignants et les leaders communautaires à guider la prochaine génération de champions de l’océan. Ensemble, nous pouvons créer une vague de changement — un enfant à la fois.

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Perdita, the sequel to Intrabit: One World, finds heroine “M” lost (Perdita meaning “lost” in Latin) in two startlingly different yet deeply connected worlds. The first world of Sanctuary City and the Tealers, where “M” has the mystical moniker as the Messenger on Mondays… and the second world of The Orpheum, which hides a deadly secret linked to disappeared children where she must learn of their fates. “M” exists on two different planes, whose parallel lives are linked spiritually with memories coming in like waves, by the same struggle to heal from pain and discover the truth of their names.

As “M” alternates between dimensions and identities, struggling against the dark forces in each, she uncovers her real relationships to the interconnected characters she meets. “M” and the members of Gh0st work as a team to clear through the fog of her misty dreams. But are they ready… to face the horrors of the “Doctors’” twisted remedies?

Self-discovery, fighting depression, and healing from trauma are just a few of the themes in Perdita: One World. This sequel further develops the lyrical rhyming style and puzzle-box structure of Intrabit: One World, and the interconnecting storylines, with an emotionally driven plot that takes the reader on a path parallel to the reality of Melody’s own journey for a true, and safe, home.

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Growing up in 1940s rural Manitoba was very different from what it is today. Mickey Hersak spent his days helping his parents on their farm while learning about animals and the outdoors, and playing in the surrounding rivers, ponds and fields with his siblings.

One summer, when his family was berry picking near a national park, they startled an abandoned and starving white-tailed fawn which they rescued. The orphan quickly recovered at their farm and adopted Mickey’s family as his own. He was dubbed Bambi after a book that Mickey had read in school.

Life with Bambi proved to be a series of unusual and delightful adventures, but was often more troublesome than anyone could ever have imagined. This true story chronicles the few precious years this prairie boy spent with his childhood pet.

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After the tragic death of his father, Smook, his older brother, Roger, and their mother must find their way forward against the backdrop of the Great Depression and WWII. Smook relates his school years, laced with memorable classmates and neighbors, his newspaper delivery job, the movies he enjoyed seeing, while adding many personal, cultural, and historical details. The author's strong voice is apparent from the very first page. Smook displays a narrative control of language that is conversational and intensely readable, with a good sense of forward momentum and a knack for introducing provoking details.

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Camille is bored and wants to do something, so her mom suggests she try being a hero. Heroes are always having adventures! Camille agrees this is a great idea, and she sets off to explore her street. But it turns out being a hero is hard when no one needs saving. As Camille looks for ways to help people in her own neighbourhood, she discovers there’s more to being a hero than putting on a cape, fighting bad guys, or even saving lives.

Camille the Hero is the first book in the Tales of Twenty-Second Avenue series. Camille is a young girl with Down syndrome, and her story teaches children that they can all be heroes in their everyday lives—through simple acts of kindness.

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You already know what’s holding you back. It’s not a lack of skill. It’s not a lack of opportunity.

It’s that moment, when doubt creeps in, your confidence wavers, and you hesitate when it matters most.

In What’s Your Kryptonite?, Dan Ruimy draws on decades of leadership in both business and public life to explore what really happens under pressure. From building teams and opening more than 150 franchise restaurants to navigating the realities of public service, he shares honest stories of setbacks, reinvention, and growth.

At the heart of the book is a simple, practical framework that helps you recognize your patterns, take action despite uncertainty, and build momentum when it counts.

This isn’t about eliminating fear. It’s about learning how to lead through it.

Whether you’re leading a team, navigating change, or rebuilding after a setback, this book will help you move forward with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose.

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What does it take to live the life of our dreams? How can we overcome debilitating self-doubt? And when we’ve finally manifested our dreams, what next? Author and blogger Blessing Ofure Musa knows how difficult it can be to achieve your goals, and find your purpose. She faced these very questions on her own personal-growth journey and uncovered the answers. Now she wants to help others do the same.

In the revised edition of They Told Us To Dream: The Dreamer’s Digest, Blessing shares her story, from growing up as a young dreamer to maturing into a college student with aspirations of becoming a fulfilled dreamer at every stage of her life. These personal experiences, along with original poetry and quotes from Scripture, will inspire readers with timeless wisdom and insights. As we learn more about the ways dreams shape our identity, we see how much our unrealized aspirations can haunt us. And when we ignore them, believing them to be too unrealistic or time-consuming, we ultimately neglect ourselves.

Unique and inspiring, They Told Us To Dream offers a fresh perspective to help readers overcome self-doubt and manifest what they truly want in life. Blessing reminds us to rely on the grace of God to achieve our dreams, and that it’s never too late or too early to start. So why not start today?

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Port Blandford, Newfoundland and Labrador, is a small fishing village sheltered from the dramatic Atlantic Ocean. It was into this small community that Annie Ryan was born in 1920. Life at this time was difficult, as the fishing industry was no longer reliable for jobs and income, so Annie’s father was often absent in order to work far from home. Her family didn’t have much, but they always made ends meet, and Annie started her entrepreneurial skills early by selling sea glass to tourists, a small but valuable contribution. Though she was surrounded by the love of her family and a supportive community, Annie always had her sights set on life away from this small town. The booming city of St. John’s called to her and at the age of nineteen she made the leap; just one of many acts of courage and determination that she would make in her life.

It is in St. John’s that she would experience her first love and heartbreak, a pattern that would continue over the years and decades to come. But with every setback and every loss, Annie would continue living with grace and dignity. Annie is a story about love, family, and one woman’s unrelenting resilience in the face of tragedy.

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Do you believe Canada’s health care system is working as well as it should be?

Despite having a publicly funded health care system, Canadians have suffered for years from a shortage of family doctors, excessively long wait times for specialists and investigations, overcrowded emergency departments, and “hallway medicine” in our hospitals.

It wasn’t always like this.

After over 40 years as a front-line traditional family doctor, Dr. Steve Barron outlines the vital signs warning us that Canada’s health care system has reached a crisis point. He traces the history of our publicly funded system, from its inception in the 1960s to the beginning of its decline in the 1990s, until the current day state of affairs.

What happened in the 1990s set off a chain of events that sent a healthy system into failure. Get deep into the published data and peer-reviewed literature with Dr. Barron, and explore the origins of hospital bed shortages, long wait times, family doctor shortage, and health professional burnout.

Dr. Barron follows a medical model to get the answers. He takes a history and makes a diagnosis. He then writes a prescription with specific operational goals that will put our system on the road to recovery, with a primary focus on high quality patient-centred care.

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