Monday, September 22, 2014

So many authors!

 On Sunday, September 21st, I had the privilege of working at the Morning Rain Publishing booth as both editor and author. The day started out a bit wet, but by noon, the grey clouds had been swept away by gusts of wind and the sun came out to warm us up.
Morning Rain Publishing - Word On The Street
The Morning Rain Publishing booth at The Word On The Street Festival
Jennifer Bogart Jaquith, Jaclyn Aurore, Jo Clendening
 We had gone to the festival with the intention of selling lots and lots of books, but the real reward in being there came when other Morning Rain Publishing authors started to arrive. We sold each other's books, laughed, joked around, and had a chance to get to know each other outside of online connections. I can honestly say I work with an amazing group of Canadian authors and look forward to more of these events.

Morning Rain Publishing - Word On The Street
Authors Lisa Toohey and L. Lombard being photo-bombed by Jaclyn Aurore

Morning Rain Publishing - Word On The Street
Authors L. Lombard and Kate Baggott
being photo-bombed by authors Lisa Toohey and Jaclyn Aurore
Morning Rain Publishing - Word On The Street
Author E. Graziani and cover designer Jo Clendening

Morning Rain Publishing Authors
Back: Jo Clendeing, Kate Baggott, E. Graziani, L. Lombard, Jaclyn Aurore
Front: Lisa Toohey, Jennifer Bogart
(photo credit - Lisa Toohey)

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Busy is good, busy is good, busy is good

I think my last post was in June... which feels like a lifetime ago. The funny thing with life, is that it keeps you so busy that before you know it, months have passed by, and you don't even know where the time went. Since June, I have:
  • participated in Guelph's Faery Fest - and yes, I wore a costume, read from Liminal Lights, and had a great time. 

  • had the privilege of sharing an evening with several Morning Rain Publishing authors - a fantastic group of intelligent and creative women. 
(J.M. Lavallee, Heather Grace Stewart, Nancy Beattie, and me)
  • moved my family from Quebec to Ontario - which was a difficult decision, but we're settling into our new home and meeting some wonderful people. 



That's my summer in a nutshell. My mantra has been "busy is good, busy is good, busy is good" - but I have to admit I'm glad for the routine that autumn is bringing, the slower pace, and the chance to catch up on some writing projects I have in the works.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Liminal Lights, Kobo, and Reviews...

I'm pretty sure Kobo has set up its online store with the intent to drive writers to insanity and back. While enjoying an end-of-year dinner for one of the school committees I sit on, I was made aware that there was a review of "Liminal Lights" on Kobo. I was so excited (there aren't many reviews of this book yet), that the first thing I did when I got home was search for the review. 

I searched, and I searched, and I googled, and I yahooed, and I came up blank every time. Deflated, I messaged the person who had reviewed the book - someone whose opinion I value greatly - and asked if she could send me a link. She did - but there was no review visible... just the book cover, synopsis, and the "order now" button. 

She did email the review to me - and with her permission, I'm posting it here. When I asked if she would mind her response was, "Hells yeah! If I cared enough to write it, I care enough for it to be public, too!"

So - here it is... I won't lie; it made me smile, laugh, and cry all at the same time. I loved this review.

Here's what I thought of Liminal Lights by Jennifer Bogart:
I gave it 5/5 stars.
Liminal Lights
J.M.Bogart has found her magic in this novel! Written with a better than average range of vocabulary ( for this genre) it at times is almost lyrical. A carefully crafted storyline with plenty more to be explored, this story leaves you wanting more.
A delightful twist on our perception of faeries and things that go bump in the night; the story is told in the voice of Bean, a Liminal designated to protect her human charge and harvest her magic for the benefit of her own race. We could call this a coming of age book, but it is the Liminal who is facing life choices and decisions that will have far reaching effects.
Liminal Lights on Kobo


Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Oh - those writerly feelings!

I love writers... their quirks and imaginations, their spirit and determination, and their love for something that most definitely is not going to make them rich quick, but might enrich the lives of others.

On a daily basis I get to chat with them, edit their work, review their masterpieces, and delve into the inner workings of their minds. And even though writers rarely write themselves into their stories (unless they're crafting memoirs), they do give away hints about their personalities, values, and the things they hold dear.

The one thing that makes me sad is when I come across good writers who worry people won't like their stories. I'm not talking about the occasional, "oh, that old story - that was nothing" brush-off. I'm talking about writers with real skills for story-telling who don't believe they have something worth sharing, when they really, truly do.

Writers are a special breed of people. They create worlds with words. They give birth to entire cities of characters, raise them, and nurture them before setting them free. And they weave more than their hearts and souls into their work - if you look hard enough you can find the entire person lurking between the lines, even though it's unintentional.

All they ask for in return for their hard work is that readers buy their books and enjoy them. Often these books sell for less than a cup of coffee. The only thing that thrills writers more than hearing someone appreciated their books is reading about it in a review. Some books take years to write and can usually be read over the course of a few days... an honest review takes about fifteen minutes to create and post online to any number of websites.

Please be kind to those of us with writerly feelings... we need all the support we can get.


Friday, May 16, 2014

The Liminals are here!

Finally! The Liminals have arrived at the Morning Rain Publishing website. They're also on Amazon, Kobo, Google Books, and Goodreads.

I started writing this book three years ago for my boys. The plan was to give them something to think about, along with a bit of action, and a whole lot of fantasy in a world they can relate to. Sometimes I think we let our children grow up far too quickly. This book slows down the pace and lets them be kids for just a bit longer.

Anyway - it's really for the reader to decide if I have achieved this goal. I'd love to hear your thoughts.


Tuesday, May 13, 2014

The Liminals Are Coming! The Liminals Are Coming!

It's true... Thanks to the team at Morning Rain Publishing, Liminal Lights is polished, formatted, and ready to be shared with the world on Thursday, May 15, 2014.

And thanks to the combined efforts of Liette Chamberland Photography and Jo Clendening from Morning Rain Publishing, it has a shiny new cover.

If you want to read more about the book - check out my author page on the publisher's website (Yes - I'm going to make you click on over there, because you just might find other books you'd also enjoy).

In the meantime... here's the gorgeous cover... I can't stop staring it!


Sunday, May 11, 2014

Happy Mother's Day!

Dear Mom,

Sometimes, amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I sit and ponder a simple question: How in the world did I get here? Oh – I know how I got here, to this place with four teen aged boys, a messy house, a loving husband, a sloppy dog, and too many responsibilities to handle in just one day. That can all be explained away by hasty decisions, a love of children, and the usual paths adults take as we meander through the tangled forest of life.

The “here” I am talking about transcends the physical and is nestled somewhere deep inside my happy soul. It’s the place I visit when the kids are screaming, the laundry is out of control, the dog has dug another hole, and the work is piling up. It’s the place that reminds me, on a daily basis, that “these things have a way of working themselves out”.
This place didn’t suddenly appear in my psyche. Like a flower, the seed was planted, it was nurtured with love and sunshine and taught resilience. From birth to adulthood, it has withstood emotional storms, torrential tears, and angry winds. More importantly, it has embraced the warmth of laughter, sunny smiles, and the strength of love.

A big part of who I am as a woman, a mother, a wife, a sister, and a daughter comes from the seed of hope you planted so long ago. Thank you for always being there, for loving me, and standing by when life becomes chaotic. These things do have a way of working themselves out – through hard work, a little faith, and whole lot of love and support.

Thank you for always being present in my life. I love you,


Jenny