Book signing

Wednesday afternoon (1-3 p.m.) I'll be signing copies of Moonlight Sketches at Coles bookstore in the Avalon Mall.

If you've got yours already and just want it signed, drop by. If you've got yours already but dropped it in the toilet or bathtub, or the dog chewed up the cover, you might want a new one. If you want your friend, father, sister or mean old brother, uncle or mother to read it but you don't trust them enough to lend them yours, you might want to buy a new one. And if you just love that beautiful wraparound cover by St. John's artist Darren Whalen and you want two copies of it on your shelf for purely aesthetic reasons, I get it. I'll even sign for it.

See you there.

Gerard

Review from a reader

Google alerts me to all these reviews, so I eventually see them all. I haven't actually seen a bad one yet, but here's one from an avid reader of fiction that appeared on her blog a few days ago.

http://raidergirl3-anadventureinreading.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-moonlight-sketches-by-gerard.html

Enjoy!  And thanks, readergirl, whoever you are.

GC

Moonlight Sketches: "Immensely realistic, enjoyable and worthwhile."

"The popular image of rural Newfoundland is one of idyllic scenes of dories and docks, lobster pots and sunsets, saltbox houses and plaid-and-oilskin-clad locals with faces weathered by the wind and sun. This is the Newfoundland of tourism ads: the one that makes outsiders, worn out with the anonymity and bustle of urban life, gasp and sigh and long for the peace and quiet of a rural village. Those who hold this vision of outport life in their minds will be quickly disabused of it should they pick up a copy of Gerard Collins's short story collection, Moonlight Sketches, but pick it up they should. Collins's stories, while predominantly bleak, portray an immensely realistic rural Newfoundland brimming with fascinating and diverse characters and situations. Moments of dark humour and suspense make this collection an enjoyable and worthwhile read."



Maybe soon I can get the proper permission to post the entire article. For now, though, this opening paragraph is the only part of Gina Granter's glowing review--from the Spring 2011 issue of Newfoundland and Labrador Studies--that's available on line. The entire review is a broad-ranging and predominately positve take on my writing. The bottom line is that, while there was the odd weak spot, the overall collection is quite strong and she highly recommends reading it. So there.



GC