Berries & Barnacles

Life in the Pacific Northwest

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CanLit Books That You Ought to Read

Interesting and alternative Can Lit books that you ought to read.
How many of these have you read?

Nearly everyone in my critique group has at least one book published with a small Canadian publisher. While I’m excited to join their ranks, I’m also very aware that most Canadian-authored books are barely read by an audience broader than their family and friends. In fact, Canadian-authored books only account for about 13% of total book sales in Canada, with the vast majority of the market being occupied by multinational bestsellers.

While certain CanLit books are well recognized; The Handmaid’s Tale, Life of Pi and Generation X (affiliate link), the majority of authors cannot afford to live off of book sales.

So to encourage you to buy more Canadian books, here are a few CanLit books that you might not have heard of… and are definitely worth reading.

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Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Looking for an affordable, zero-waste meal - Try this Mediterranean lentil salad!

This Mediterranean lentil salad is one of my standard go-to dishes. Honestly, we probably eat it every other week in the summer. It is a simple 1-pot meal, and the leftovers are perfect for picnics, potlucks and lunch!

Exploring the Intertidal Zone

A garden of anemone

The intertidal zone is quite possibly our favourite place to play. Particularly, the intertidal zone on a rocky beach. Sure, sand is fun. It can be turned into castles or giant pits. Perfect for walking barefoot. However, a rocky beach is full of interesting things to see and places to explore.

Off-Grid Grey Water Disposal

Why we decided to make a grey water pit for disposal on our off-grid property. Perfect for cabins and camping

As a kid, I went to a lot of rustic, woodsy summer camps. Equipped with outhouses, canvas tents and something called an LDU for off-grid grey water disposal. The LDU was usually located as far from the rest of the campsite as possible, and it took a good deal of cooperation to avoid getting splashed by the bucket of dirty dishwater.