The nice thing about summer books is being able to introduce those quirky novels that might get lost in the larger fall season. This summer Doubleday Canada will publish two books that definitely fit the category of perfect seasonal reads. Recently I recommended two to our sales team that I thought I’d mention here.

Fresh: Mark McNay’s debut novel that is exactly that - fresh. Quirky, compelling, and set in a poultry slaughter house in Scotland, this is a book that will grab you immediately. Even though it is written in a thick Scottish accent and features a liberal dose of regional slang, it’s easy to understand the universal frustrations that young Sean (the protagonist) faces while trying to make his way in the world. The best parts of the book are those that contrast the gritty reality of a dead-end life with the loving heart that beats in even the most despicable character. And to make it even more appealing, it has just been announced that Fresh has won a U.K. Arts Foundation Award for New Fiction!

Three Bags Full: Billed as a ‘sheep mystery’ (as it is set in a flock of sheep), Leonie Swan’s debut novel has already won fans in both our Mississauga and Toronto offices. Give it a try I think you will be impressed.

An unforgettable cast of characters (the sheep), try to solve the murder of their beloved shepherd, and in the process they learn a lot about humans and their eccentric ways. I was immediately drawn into the mystery and I quickly believed that the animals were capable of thought and emotions. And I never felt betrayed by the interesting device of problem-solving sheep. I don’t want to give away the murderer but certainly all of the human suspects have motive enough to kill George, and even some of the flock are suspects, for a time…

One of the many reasons I love my job is the element of the unexpected. Not long after returning to work - after some extended Christmas holidays - I received some fantastic news to kick off the year. My colleagues in the U.S. informed me that Oprah is devoting a full hour to Daniel Gilbert’s already bestselling Stumbling on Happiness. Rather than wait to put the book in paperback in May 2007, which is when it had been scheduled, the decision was made to fast-track the book in order to capitalize on this amazing opportunity.

Two days of my first week back to work were almost entirely devoted to facilitating this move - almost everyone in the company had to work together to make it happen. Our production department needed to be on side and confirm if moving it was even possible, we needed the same from the shipping and operations department, and the sales department needed all the information in order to let their customers know.

Having dealt with the film and television world on numerous occasions, I was fully prepared for the entire Oprah opportunity - or “Oprahtunity” as we’ve taken to calling these gifts - to just disappear. Stumbling into happiness indeed - the show will be taped in February. The new on-sale date for the paperback is March 20, 2007 rather than May 8, 2007. Happy New Year indeed!

Yesterday may have been cold and grey outside, but it started off very brightly for me. It began over breakfast with bookseller and Book Addict columnist Ben McNally, whose company is always a treat. We talked enthusiastically about the books we enjoyed over the holidays - Peter Carey’s Theft was a knock-out for me, and if you read Ben’s columns you will know his own faves.

Afterward we attended the press conference for the 2007 Charles Taylor Prize, which recognizes Canadian works of non-fiction. As publishers, we couldn’t be happier that this prize exists and that creative non-fiction is being given its due. Authors are equally pleased - the prize carries a $25,000 purse for the winner and this year added $2500 for each of the other two shortlisted authors.

The press conference was packed with publishing industry insiders, and the room was buzzing with good cheer and nervous energy. Margaret MacMillan, one of this year’s jurors, read out the shortlist. I was thrilled when I heard Ross King’s name read out! It is such nice news for us and of course for Ross. His book, The Judgment of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade That Gave the World Impressionism - which recently won the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction - is a great read, full of fascinating facts and stories, and so fits perfectly with the aims of this prize.

After saying my goodbyes, I rushed back to the office so I could let my colleagues know the news, and to call Ross, who is currently in the US on a publicity tour for the book. Naturally he was pleased, and quite honored to be recognized by the jury and for this prize. We look forward to having him back in Canada at the beginning of February to promote the paperback here, and he will be in Toronto for the announcement of the winner of the prize on Monday, February 26th. Fingers crossed for Ross King!

If you haven’t read this book yet, now is the time - I don’t think I can improve on what the jury had to say:

This book’s witty, compelling narrative, lush historical detail, and fascinating interplay of art and science, civil strife and international intrigue, operatic characters and historical turning points, makes for a thoroughly engrossing read.

I was very excited to read The End of East by Jen Sookfong Lee for three good reasons: 1) I love reading novels that document multiple generations of one family (it’s amazing how much drama can be milked out of one family, isn’t it?) and in particular the Asian immigrant family, which always moves me. 2) Like any avid reader I love discovering new voices, and Lee’s voice is so fresh. She is part of the New Face of Fiction program which has also launched the careers of Yann Martel, Ann-Marie MacDonald and Dionne Brand so I’ll read anything that comes out of that program. 3) Lee has a friendly and sassy author photo, and I like that.

What you need to know about the plot is that the main character, Samantha Chan, has returned home (to Vancouver) to care for her ailing mother, and that the story of her grandfather, Seid Quan (who immigrated to Canada in 1913), serves as the novel’s backbone. But Samantha’s story is the one that really speaks to me: her internal breakdowns and her struggle to prevent family mistakes from repeating themselves.

What sets this novel apart? Its sheer readability, which is where the freshness comes in. It is incredible how Lee can move a story along efficiently: in some chapters a character is born - and then dies - within a dozen pages. And yet somehow Lee doesn’t skimp on the depth of the characters. You still feel their heartbreak, their elation, their spirit. It’s as if Lee took a steak knife to her novel and trimmed off all the fat. Kudos to Jen Sookfong Lee for writing a novel that represents a New Face of Fiction in every sense.