THE BEAR is written by Canadian author Claire Cameron. The novel is a work of fiction but the details surrounding a real bear attack helped to form the idea for the story. THE BEAR is told in the voice of five year old Anna and takes place in Algonquin Park, Ontario. Anna and her two year old brother Alex are asleep in their tent while camping on a remote island with their parents. Anna is startled awake to the sound of her mother’s screams. The events that transpire next leave the young children without a father and a dying mother.
The black dog is not scratching. He goes back to his sniffing and huffing and then he starts cracking his bone. Stick and I are huddled tight. . . . It is dark and no Daddy or Mommy and after a while I watch the lids of my eyes close down like jaws.
On her mother’s instructions, confused Anna paddles away with her brother in the family canoe only to find themselves stranded and forced to survive in the wilderness.
THE BEAR is a gripping psychological journey that had me gasping during some scenes and grinning at other points. The unique child narration brings a level of authenticity to the reading experience. The horror of the children’s situation is tempered by Anna’s determination and sense of wonder. THE BEAR is a tale of survival, bravery, and family devotion that will stick in your psyche. Check out the video below with Claire Cameron sharing the writing background for THE BEAR.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Claire Cameron grew up in Toronto and studied at Queen's University. She led canoe trips in Algonquin Park and worked as an instructor for Outward Bound, teaching mountaineering, climbing and white-water rafting in Oregon. She lived in San Francisco and London, UK, until moving back to Toronto, where she now lives with her husband and two sons. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, National Post and The Millions. Her first novel, The Line Painter, won the Northern Lit Award from the Ontario Library Service and was nominated for an Arthur Ellis Crime Writing Award for best first novel.
You can find out more about Claire Cameron and her novels by visiting her website claire-cameron.com. You can follow @ClaireCameron on Twitter, like Claire Cameron on Facebook, and find Claire Cameron on GoodReads.
AUTHOR APPEARANCE
Claire Cameron will participate in a special author reading at the International Festival Of Authors in Toronto on Thursday, March 13, 2014 starting at 7:30 PM. Click here for IFOA event details.
BOOKALICIOUS TWITTER BOOK CLUB
#TheBear RT Contest - January 31st
#TheBear Chat - March 5th
I am thrilled to announce that Bookalicious Twitter Book Club members and friends can participate in a Twitter chat to talk with Claire Cameron about her novel THE BEAR. You can join the chat by following the hashtag #TheBear and tweets from host @BookaliciousCA and author @ClaireCameron on Wednesday, March 5th, 2014 from 9:00 - 10:00 pm ET. But wait, there’s more good news! Twenty lucky Bookalicious Twitter Book Club members will each receive a free copy of THE BEAR and join #TheBear chat with our special guest author! To enter the draw for a copy of THE BEAR you must be a Bookalicious member to participate. Sign up here! To be eligible for a free copy of THE BEAR you need to leave a comment below with your Twitter @handle and RT a @BookaliciousCA #TheBear contest tweet on Friday, January 31st until 11:59 pm ET. Mark #TheBear chat date March 5th in your calendar and I will tweet you then!
BOOKALICIOUS BOOK GRAB GIVEAWAY
Three lucky Bookalicious reader will win Claire Cameron’s THE BEAR courtesy of Random House of Canada! To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment in the "Click Here To Spill It" bubble below. You have until March 7th, 2014 to enter the BBGG. You must be a YMC member, and please be sure you've registered your email address in our commenting system so we can contact you if you win.
Yummy Rules and Regulations
You must be a YummyMummyClub.ca member to win. Click here to sign up. It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until March 7th, 2014. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec). Winners will be picked using www.random.org. See full contest rules.
To read more about THE BEAR and other great books visit RandomHouseCanada.ca, RetreatByRandomHouse.ca, and CraveByRandomHouse.ca. Social media fans can follow the bookish tweets with @RandomHouseCA on Twitter and find bookworm fun with Random House of Canada on Facebook.
Relish reading,
Author photo credit: Nancy Friedland
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at Random House.
www.randomhouse.ca
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