Harry Potter Party!

While fans around the globe anxiously await the seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, Brandon readers will have the opportunity to celebrate the arrival of J.K. Rowling’s latest novel by celebrating in the street. On July 20, the eve of the book’s release, Pennywise Books will host a party culminating in a midnight book-buying opportunity for Harry Potter fans.

To set the mood for the occasion, there will be displays of owls and live snakes. As well, entertainment will be provided by musicians and buskers, while fortune-tellers, witches and wizards will create magic.

Contests will also play a big part in this celebration. There will be a prize for the best Harry Potter look-alike, a prize for best costume (other than Harry), a prize for the best drawing by an artist aged 10 and under and a prize for the best drawing by an artist aged 11 to 16. Also, there will be a prize for the best home-made potion and a magic bean guessing contest.

Contest rules can be obtained at Pennywise Books, and drawings and potion entries must be submitted by 5:30 p.m., on July 17.

Prizes available include colouring books, plush creatures and other Harry Potter-related items. A draw will be held for a five and a half foot toy dragon.

The Harry Potter Street Party is open to the public and will take place between 10th and 11th Streets, on Rosser Ave., the evening of July 20, beginning at approximately 8:30 p.m. Pennywise Books will open its doors at 12:01 a.m. to release the final installment of the series, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hollows. The book can be pre-ordered at Pennywise Books, located at 1031 Rosser Ave.

If you would like more information, don't hesitate to call us (728-2665) or stop in for a visit.

June 28 - Book Launch

On June 28, beginning at 7:00, we will be celebrating the launch of Charles A. L. Dubois' "The Filcher's Forge."

Earth is a place where a single species has ever dominated the race for sentience. Earth is a place where physics are utilized by machines that maintain the balance and nurture the evolution of civilizations. Earth is a place where spirituality exists only as a catalyst for social control, if it exists at all. Forget everything you know about your world. Leave it behind. Welcome to Junoth.

When a nature-born dryad finds himself trapped in a world of human industry and enslaved to the will of an ambitious pirate, he is forced to fight for his freedom. What he finds instead reinforces the fact that friendship is often forged in the most unlikely of places.

About the author:

Charles was raised in rural Westman, an area describing the south-western portion of the prairie province Manitoba. He attended school in the small towns of Souris and Wawanesa, eventually making his home in Brandon.

Charles has been writing stories from Junoth ever since he’s known how to write. His very first Junoth story was entitled “The Swordster” and was written at age 6. Since then he has been developing the world, its history, and its people.

If every entity in this universe is a world unto itself, then Charles is best described by the world he writes from. “I have never been nor will likely ever be as interesting as the characters I’ve created.” – Charles A.L. Dubois

Kimberley Smith - June 2

Neepawa author Kimberley Smith will be on hand on Saturday, June 2 from 2:20 to 4:00 PM to discuss and sign copies of her book "The Love Within A Smile: A Sister’s Memoir of a Brother’s Disability."

"The Love Within A Smile" is a memoir of one family’s journey through the world of disability as seen through a sibling’s eyes. The author, a sibling of a young boy who was born with severe mental and physical disabilities, details her family’s struggles and triumphs while trying to maintain a normal family life. The novel takes the reader through every particular milestone of the young boy from his birth until his premature death at the age of 17. The memoir also includes valuable information and resources on special education issues with particular emphasis on sibling relationships for parents, siblings and professionals who work with special needs individuals. Anyone who has lived with a special needs individual will empathise with the author of "The Love Within A Smile" as she shares her personal story full of emotional roller coasters and wonderful life lessons.

Store Summer Update

Only 64 days until Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released! The street party plans are coming along nicely, but we are going to need some volunteers. If you are willing to help out for an hour or two, it would be greatly appreciated. If you can't, that's OK too, just make sure you come down and have some fun before we open the doors at 12:01 AM on July 21 (be here on the evening of the 20th for the party, just to be clear).

It's Brandon's 125th celebration this year and in order to mark the occassion a first-person history/memoir of Brandon's early years entitled "A Horseman and the West" has been reissued. Originally published in 1925, this book was written by a local horse trader by the name of Beecham Trotter. For an easy read about life in the Prairies as they were being settled be sure to pick up a copy. (The photo in this post is of the author circa 1886).

Finally, with summer now here, Pennywise Books is moving to summer hours. We will be closed on Mondays, but open until 9 PM on Thursdays. All other hours remains the same.

We're about to start looking for authors to visit the store for the next year, so if you have any requests, large or small, let us know and we'll do our best. Call us at 728-2665 with any of your questions, requests or orders.

Have a great summer and I hope to see you soon!

Paul Quarrington & Harry Potter

Paul Quarrington, noted Canadian writer, musician and filmmaker, will be at Pennywise on Saturday, May 5 at 3:00 to sign copies of his books.

Quarrington, whose works have been nominated for some of the most prestigious awards in Canada, will be in Brandon with his band Porkbelly Futures. This group will be performing two shows at the Music Studio that evening.

It is a true honour to host this signing, and I encourage you to hurry down to pick up a copy of one of his books (and I mean HURRY -- we're already down to only a few copies of three titles).

On another note: plans are coming together for our Harry Potter party. We have received permission to close the street in front of the store and have booked all sorts of entertainment and attractions. This party will take place on the evening of Friday, July 20 leading up to the opening of the store at 12:01 AM for the release of the final book in the Harry Potter series!

If you want to get involved in any way, or simply to ask more about anything happening at Pennywise, call us at 728-BOOK (2665) or email us at pennywise@westman.wave.ca.