{"title":"Book Bash Festival 2026","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Book Bash Festival is an annual celebration of recent books published by Wellington County authors, presented by Vocamus Writers Community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis year, it's on Sunday November 8, 1 PM - 4 PM, at The Round Table (32 Essex Street).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver thirty authors will be in attendance to sell their books, chat with attendees, and sign copies. The authors will be joined by local presses, bookstores, libraries, cultural groups, and literacy organizations, all the people who help make our local book culture great.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no cost for the event, but donations will be accepted for Action Read, a local charity that provides literacy programs in the community.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor further information please contact us at vocamuswriterscommunity@gmail.com.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-ballad-of-omega-brown","title":"The Ballad of Omega Brown","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn Tom Vaine's new sci-fi novel, Omega Brown takes life as it comes. A mercenary and fighter adrift in the galaxy, no job too far flung, no problem that can't be solved. Omega moves from planet to planet, completing contracts, fighting monsters, and making a fair paycheque along the way. From the jungles of Krildar, where he meets his towering new bodyguard Hoonra, to the junk-fields of Telleria, there's little of the galaxy Omega hasn't explored.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat is, until Omega and Hoonra take a job working for The Galactic Syndicate, and stumble across an ancient eldritch curse. Suddenly, even the most remote corners of the galaxy are no longer safe. As Omega and Hoonra are drawn deeper and deeper into a battle they have no way to avoid, both will have to choose who, and what, they will become. The fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tom Vaine","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47013626347748,"sku":null,"price":1.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0740\/7517\/7188\/files\/urn_aaid_sc_VA6C2_abbbebe6-1093-4781-ba2f-47a84aed509c_page_0_size_1200_type_image_jpeg.jpg?v=1762972913"},{"product_id":"dog-eared-world","title":"Dog Eared World","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDod Eared World\u003c\/em\u003e is a collection of author Denisha Naidoo's favourite previously published short stories and poems.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Denisha Naidoo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47111399473380,"sku":null,"price":1.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0740\/7517\/7188\/files\/DogEaredWorld.jpg?v=1764548225"},{"product_id":"how-deep-is-the-body","title":"How Deep Is the Body?","description":"\u003cp\u003eIvanka Fear's newest novel, \u003cem\u003eHow Deep Is the Body?\u003c\/em\u003e,  is the story of a winter blizzard, an isolated farmhouse, a pregnant woman home alone, and an unwanted visitor on her doorstep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Mallory, who is expecting their first child, waits for her husband Jake to come home from his evening shift, she is annoyed by snowmobilers in her back field. Irritation leads to unease when a stranded motorist, who calls himself Dave, appears in her house. Mallory provides him a refuge from the elements, adding to her anxiety about Jake driving in the storm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStuck in a snow drift close to their property, Jake trudges through the field toward the home that has been in his family for generations, encountering a half-frozen snowmobiler on the way. His search of the old red barn, in hopes of finding a means to transport the injured man to safety, uncovers more than one secret. A stash of jewelry and a box of photographs lead Jake to wonder how well he knew his grandfather.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the storm settles, Jake’s biggest shock of all is the body buried beneath the snow next to the barn. And as if that’s not enough, Dave keeps showing up like a bad penny. As does the mystery man Jake rescued, whom he calls Lazarus. What do they want? To rid themselves of the unwelcome guests, Jake and Mallory must uncover their hidden agenda and whether it connects to the murder victim. Otherwise, Jake may find himself the prime suspect. Again.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ivanka Fear","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47476035518692,"sku":null,"price":1.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0740\/7517\/7188\/files\/HowDeepistheBodycover.jpg?v=1768607207"},{"product_id":"get-in-a-van","title":"Get In A Van","description":"\u003cp\u003eAre you a musician looking for info on how to take your act on tour? Then this is the book for you! \u003cem\u003eGet In A Van - A DIY Guide for Aspiring Musicians\u003c\/em\u003e (Bad Beard Books 2025) outlines the steps to help plan, book, and get yourself out on tour. 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Ninang describes herself as “a grown-up whose heart never grew up,” which means the two get to have a day full of adventures, including blasting off into outer space and rescuing lost balloons and cats stuck in trees! Unfortunately, as with all wonderful visits, this one must come to end. Or can the girl find a way to get Ninang to stay?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith her playful nature and delight in invention, Ninang is the older relative every child dreams of having. Analene Go has crafted a heartwarming story that celebrates the joys of family life, family connections and imaginative play. Warm depictions of a Filipino household, together with Tagalog words, add a cultural richness to the story. Brightly colored artwork by Alexis Young enlivens the characters’ magical playtime and engages readers to seek for hidden objects in the illustrations. The book’s focus on a special intergenerational relationship that’s not with a grandparent sets it apart from other family-centered books. An author’s note and a glossary are included.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Vocamus Writers Community","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47987640598756,"sku":null,"price":1000.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0740\/7517\/7188\/files\/AnaleneGo_Ninang_sHere_BookCover.jpg?v=1772556507"},{"product_id":"the-quiet-heart-s-journey","title":"The Quiet Heart’s Journey","description":"\u003cp\u003eYour life is a symphony being played in a room that has forgotten how to listen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe live in the Age of the Great Discord—a time when the mind, the body, and the spirit have drifted into separate, lonely rooms and the music has stopped. You feel the weight of this distance in your restless nights and your empty successes. 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It is an invitation to walk the path of your inner light—weaving the threads of your thoughts, your physical strength, and your divine spark back into a single, luminous tapestry of the True Self.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Carl Mohan","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48871089340644,"sku":null,"price":1000.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0740\/7517\/7188\/files\/61H7YXqn8pL._SY522.jpg?v=1777921388"},{"product_id":"stone-serpent","title":"Stone Serpent","description":"\u003cp\u003eStone Serpent by Tristan Dineen is a tale of buried secrets and unspeakable horrors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFifteen years have passed since the Great War, and the ancient land of Kenetchi is in ruins. Ta, a peasant’s son, born to a dreary world of landlords and rice paddies, dreams of becoming a warrior. When he learns that his father is the keeper of an ancient sword once carried by the legendary hero, Chan of Sarakand, have his dreams been answered?\u003cbr\u003eBut with the sword comes the voice calling from the forbidden hollow hills, the voice of an eldritch monstrosity that feeds on ruin and will make Kenetchi its feast.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tristan Dineen","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48932411310308,"sku":null,"price":1000.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0740\/7517\/7188\/files\/Stone-Serpent-Cover.jpg?v=1778856323"},{"product_id":"dear-max","title":"Dear Max","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDear Max: Letters to Wake a Resting Poet \u003c\/em\u003eis a work of creative non-fiction inspired by the famous prose poem “DESIDERATA” (Max Ehrmann, 1872-1945). Presented as a series of letters by Stephen Ashton in response to 40 poems by Max Ehrmann, \u003cem\u003eDear Max \u003c\/em\u003eexplores the inner-workings and potential of writing. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGreat motivational writing can reach deep into the desires of our spirit. Max Ehrmann’s famous poem, “DESIDERATA,” reminds us of self-evident truths that energize our better selves. Poster versions of “DESIDERATA” helped inspire the 1967 Summer of Love and anti-war sentiments that ended the Vietnam War. And just years earlier, U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson’s affinity with “DESIDERATA” may have helped him de-escalate the Cuban Missile Crisis, saving the world from nuclear holocaust.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDear Max: Letters to Wake a Resting Poet\u003c\/em\u003e began as a thank-you letter to \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eMax Ehrmann, the deceased author of “DESIDERATA.” Soon after, \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eStephen Ashton found an archive of Ehrmann’s earlier work, and one poem resonated as a reply to this letter. Others of these earlier poems either aligned with or contradicted “DESIDERATA,” and Stephen saw them as intriguing trail markers of Max’s spiritual odyssey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo began an imaginary conversation across time. \u003cem\u003eDear Max\u003c\/em\u003e is an exploration of a poet’s inner world. 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From checking in and meeting friendly healthcare workers to learning about medical equipment and getting ready for a procedure, Nurse Honey helps explain each step in a gentle, reassuring way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten by Nurse Julie Donelle, \u003cem\u003eNurse Honey is a Bunny\u003c\/em\u003e was inspired by real experiences caring for children and families in healthcare settings. The story is designed to help young readers understand what to expect during a hospital visit while easing worries and encouraging confidence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith a warm message about bravery, Nurse Honey reminds children that it’s okay to feel nervous when facing something new. 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