literary arts by Jacqueline Core Tis' The Season for a Good Read s o n G o r d o n is a U n i t a r i a n C h u r c h m i n i s t e r in O n t a r i o w h o begins t o see t h e auras of his p a r i s h i o n e r s and h e r daughter B r e n d a is a librarian w h o lives in a t r e e h o u s e in Vancouver. S o m e w h e r e along the way an o l d flame dies o n Penelope's d i n n e r table. W a t c h i n g h o w she sustains herself t h r o u g h all this p r o m i s e s t o be a l o t o f fun. H o w a r d w r o t e this b o o k o u t o f h e r o w n s u r p r i s e at t u r n i n g 7 0 and h e r s u s p i c i o n s that o t h e r s might be just as b e m u s e d by t h e event. H o w a r d , w h o has lived o n t h e N o r t h S h o r e since 1973 and was an active m e m b e r of t h e N o r t h S h o r e A r t s C o m m i s s i o n , is t h e a u t h o r of t h r e e p r e v i o u s novels, The Immortal Soul of Edwin Carlysle, Pretty Lady, and The Monipufator. She also c o a u t h o r e d , w i t h C a r o l Shields, t h e best-selling n o v e l A Celibate Season. A l s o n e w this fall is City of Glass: Douglas Coupland's Vancouver w h i c h p r o m i s e s t o tell us w h a t V a n c o u v e r is really like as seen f r o m the i n s i d e . T h e b o o k is designed by C o u p l a n d and V a n c o u v e r ' s Judith S t e e d m a n in t h e m a n n e r o f u n d e r g r o u n d Japanese magazines. It is a c o m b i n a t i o n o f w o r d s and images that claim t o reflect a different image o f V a n c o u v e r : f r o m the G r o u s e G r i n d t o glass t o w ers. First N a t i o n s t o Feng-Shui, K i t s t o Cantonese. Douglas C o u p l a n d was b o r n in W e s t V a n c o u v e r w h e r e he still resides. A m o n g his best-sellers are A s w e m o v e into t h e s h o r t , w e t , dark days of N o v e m b e r w e often t u r n t o b o o k s t o lighten o u r way. Fall is an exciting t i m e in the b o o k w o r l d w i t h all the n e w b o o k s c o m i n g o u t o n e after the o t h e r and t h e h o o p l a of the G i l l e r P r i z e and the G o v e r n o r General Awards. A s N o v e m b e r rolls i n t o D e c e m b e r w e often t h i n k of giving b o o k s as gifts as w e l l . It is easy t o find a N o r t h S h o r e c o n n e c t i o n in t h e n e w fall lists as many a u t h o r s c h o o s e t o make their h o m e in N o r t h and W e s t V a n c o u v e r and many also c h o o s e t h e N o r t h S h o r e as t h e b a c k d r o p f o r their s t o r i e s . H e r e is a t h u m b nail s k e t c h of s o m e b o o k s by N o r t h S h o r e a u t h o r s that are sure t o fill y o u r fall reading and holiday gift-giving requirements. Reading t h e d e s c r i p t i o n o f B l a n c h e H o w a r d ' s n e w n o v e l in t h e fall catalogue f o r C o t e a u B o o k s makes m e l a u g h . T h e title is Penelope's Way, and P e n e l o p e is a 7 0 - y e a r - o l d c h a r a c t e r w h o is a t t e m p t i n g to achieve s e r e n i t y and w o r k o u t the meaning o f life. A m o n g o t h e r things she goes f o r e x t e n d e d imaginary v o y ages o n a mattress that she has e q u i p p e d w i t h anti-gravity paint. H e r North Shore Anthology Out In Time For Christmas Pick s u n - r i p e n e d b l a c k b e r r i e s , sample d o n u t s in D e e p C o v e , s t r o l l t h e seawalk in W e s t V a n c o u v e r and s w i m the c o l d salty w a t e r s of L i o n s Bay w i t h t h e a u t h o r s of Shore Lines, N o r t h Shore Writer's Association Millennium Anthology. S h o r e Lines is a c o l l e c t i o n of f i c t i o n , creative n o n - f i c t i o n and p o e t r y pieces that feature the N o r t h S h o r e as t h e geographical o r e m o t i o n a l b a c k g r o u n d . T h e s t o r i e s and p o e m s , c h o s e n t h r o u g h blind judging, offer a variety of w r i t ing styles and subjects. M e e t s o m e of t h e N o r t h Shore's p i o n e e r s in Penny M c D o n a l d ' s Wet Lines and Fair Game Were young and learn a b o u t o n e of the N o r t h Shore's l a n d m a r k s in G l o r i a M a e Fletcher's Hollyburn Theatre. Blackberries, by Libby S o p p e r . is a s n a p s h o t of a family that is c o p i n g w i t h change, w h i l e O d e t o H o n e y s by actress B r e t t S t o n e , suggests that t h e r e might be an unusually active ingredient in the baking at a D e e p C o v e cafe. The Swim, by K a r e n D y e r , is a s t o r y a b o u t a girl w h o has had t o c h o o s e a c e r t a i n path t o be at peace w i t h her cultural and ethnic b a c k g r o u n d . T h e a n t h o l o g y also features p o e m s by D o r o t h y Livesy P o e t r y p r i z e w i n n e r D a v i d Z i e r o t h , plus Suzy M a l c o l m , Russel T h o r n t o n , T a n y a V i p o n d and Fran B o u r a s s a . The anthology was made possible by a generous grant from North Vancouver City and North Vancouver District, through the North Shore Arts Commission. For information call Maureen Curtis, 980-0444.