The National Reading Campaign - a great idea and a great review too!

So yeah. I google myself. Name me one writer who doesn't.

Today's google turned up my dream find - a super review. From the National Reading Campaign!

My newest novel, Gottika, got this review, in part:

"The masked creature with glowing red eyes that crawls over the cover of Helaine Becker’s new novel will fascinate fans of futuristic fantasy. Gottika is a modern retelling of the legend of the Jewish golem, a magical creature created from clay and mud whose very existence challenges how we think about ourselves....Becker’s fantasy stays true to the core of the legend, effortlessly drawing readers into the story... The juxtaposition of text and comics, combined with the talents of Becker and Griggs-Burr, ensure a broad audience for Gottika. Lovers of fantasy, myths and legends, action comics, a hero’s quest, and even Dungeons and Dragons fans will want to keep reading late into the night. And this story will continue to resonate the morning after.

To read the whole review, click here.

Melissa's Recommended Reading!

It was one of those ggggrrrr of a days. You know. Everything. Going. Wrong.

I was in the car, just about to head out of town for an unexpected three hour drive up to my son's camp - followed immediately by the drive back.

Grrr.

Luckily I was listening to CBC's Here and Now. And they were about to talk about children's books - my fave!

Melissa Bourdon-King from Mabel's Fables, the fabulous children's book store right here in Toronto, started sharing her favorites. Naturally I listened with interest. Then with surprise. And  then with utter delight.  Melissa had started talking about my own book, Gottika! Good thing I was already sitting down. And still in a parking lot.

Grrr turned to hoorah! Thanks so much, Melissa, and Mabel, and Here and Now, for taking the time to read my book. And to talk about it too. I'm so glad you liked it! Now if I could only get my own kid to read it....(S'truth...)

...AND THE FINAL COVER IS HERE!!!!

I'm so excited - this project was a long time in development. The publisher is Dancing Cat Books and they've done a great job with it. Did I say I'm excited???? The book itself will be out next month.

Here's a short description of the story:

Secrets Destroy You.

The Truth Sets You Free.

What is the most dangerous secret of all? For fifteen-year-old Dany, is it the shame that his once-vital mother now suffers mutely from “the staring sickness?” Or is it that Count Pol, the corrupt absolute ruler of Western Gottika, may be scouting the city clandestinely for teenage girls to kidnap? Could the worst secret be the mystery behind why all the kids in the Estat are only children? Or could it be that Dany’s father possesses the secret knowledge of how to bring clay to life, and transform it into a terrifying weapon – an all-powerful Gol?

When Dany’s father is framed for the murder of Gottika’s Princess Avivia, Dany is forced to confront all of these secrets. But that won’t be enough. In order to save his father, he’ll have to uncover his own family’s secret, one even darker and more disturbing than the rest.

The worst lies, after all, are the ones we tell ourselves.

Gottika reimagines a powerful Jewish legend as a futuristic fantasy with a universal message.