Invisible Publishing’s been in the press a lot lately. Having made more than a few YEAR… END… LISTS… we’re seeing a bunch of positive reviews from bloggers and print journalists now that the new year’s in full swing. Here’s a quick run down of a few recent highlights:

(Click here to read the full review!)

THE CLOACA
Our buddy, Mr. Andrew Hood, received a nice nod, when his forthcoming collection, THE CLOACA, was featured in the Quill & Quire Spring Preview. They’re obviously feeling as pumped about Andrew’s new book as we are, and had this to say:

Hood’s [first] ­collection was refreshingly straightforward and unsentimental, and could easily sit alongside its better-known counterparts. [He's following] it up with another clutch of stories that appear to be just as insistent and invigorating. The Cloaca  promises stories that are messy, gross, and funny. Just like real life.

People are starting to get excited about THE CLOACA. Watch this space for more info coming soon!

FOOD & TREMBLING
Fresh off his stint as guest editor of the National Post’s Afterword Book Blog, Jonah Campbell managed to score high praise for his book, FOOD & TREMBLING in the Telegraph Journal. Editor Mike Landry talk about the book in glowing terms, saying:

I’ve never read a food book like Food & Trembling. It’s like an unimaginable creation from an episode of Chopped, where chefs cook with mystery boxes of incongruous ingredients. You’ve not tasted such odd delights as Campbell’s ruminations on food… This is a gastronomic romp.

(Click here to read the full review!)

We’re all pretty big fans of FOOD & TREMBLING too, and psyched to see the book still getting the kind of excellent press it deserves.

ALGOMA
And then there’s ALGOMA. What can we even say about ALGOMA, except that Dani Couture fucking kills it. The book rules. Here’s yet another sweet review from This Magazine to round things out. I have to agree with the reviewer here, this book is just “outstanding”.

(Click here to read the full review!)

What’s up, Internerds! With reprint copies of ALGOMA still a few days away from reaching the Invisible Publishing warehouse/bunker, we’ve hatched a plan with our friends over at Kobo to get you digital copies on the cheap!
Starting today (and for a limited time) ALGOMA can be had in EPUB format for only $3.49 CDN. Get on it!

Maybe you’ve been wanting to take a look (following all… the… great… press), but you’re snowed in? Not a problem. Welcome to the internet!

In case you haven’t heard, ALGOMA is reviewed (like, super positively reviewed!) in today’s Globe & Mail. Check it out in print or online.
Seriously though, who wouldn’t want to read a “debut novel by an emerging young Canadian poet [with] the texture and resonance of a mature work.” POW! Getting it done!

Did we mention that Jonah Campbell (who wrote the awesome book, Food & Trembling) is guest editing the National Post’s Afterword Book Blog?

OK, I’m mentioning it now. Tune in all this week for musings, missives, and entertaining excerpts from the culinary life of our main man, JC.

Publishers are biased as hell. What do we think you should give friends, family, people you see a lot on the bus this holiday? BOOKS! Your friends don’t like books? Get some new friends. Seriously.

So, with that out of the way, let’s cut to the chase. You’re about to buy some books. It’s not always easy to know what tome to select for that special someone. The wisecracking, moustachioed staff at your local independent bookstore can help, but if you’re looking for the best picks this season, we recommend checking out the Advent Book Blog.

What’s the Advent Book Blog? It’s an awesome holiday tradition that Canadian publishers, authors, and readers participate in each year. The whole thing’s curated by notable lit nerds/internet cool guys, Julie Willson and Sean Cranbury. Check it out or suffer the consequences.

There are awesome reviews from publishers, like ME, and a ton of thoughtful suggestions from others. Here’s a video post from the above-mentioned Willson (AKA BookMadam) reminding people of all the good reasons to buy a Remember for the one you love:

Dani Couture has a fantastic interview in Xtra this week in honour of the Queer Solstice today at Ben McNally bookstore in Toronto! Here’s some deets (what? They actually say deets.) from the interview:

Couture is celebrating with an appearance at Queer Solstice, a festive reading of poetry and fiction at Ben McNally bookstore on Dec 10. Joining her will be musician and writer Vivek Shraya, Royston Tester, Jim Nason, poet Maureen Hynes and Nancy Jo Cullen, exploring all seasons, sexualities and sentiments.

Queer Solstice
Sat, Dec 10 at 1:30pm
Ben McNally Books
366 Bay St

Oh no, that’s in an hour! I gotta go! If you miss it, be sure to check out her interview!

Dani Couture’s ALGOMA was reviewed in today’s Coast.
Many kind words appeared in print and online courtesy of Shannon Webb Campbell and the gang.

I can’t imagine you need yet ANOTHER reason to read this awesome book, but here’s a taste of what SWC had to say:

Couture leaves readers with a gentle glimpse into the human condition. At the core of the novel, Algoma is a story of loss, love and family.

Dani Couture’s background as a poet, and now a first time novelist, shines with finely tuned insights. She’s a line writer and builds on her sentences to form gorgeous paragraphs.

POW!
Read the full review here.

We’re seriously psyched about our pal Ben’s pending publication!
That’s right, BEN STEPHENSON is publishing a book called A Matter of Life and Death or Something! We love him and it will be awesome. Congrats, Ben.

(Ben’s book is coming out with Douglas & McIntyre spring 2012)

ALGOMA is an Editor’s Pick in December’s Chatelaine.
All your mom are belong to us!

Anna Quon’s MIGRATION SONGS was back in the papers this week. The Globe & Mail ran a list of recommended reads—works of fiction that had to do with migration and Canadian identity—and our pal, Anna’s book made the cut. She was in good company too, sharing the page with Harsi Ali, Maharaj, and Doctor! Oh, and a review of the new book by former G.G., Adrienne Clarkson. NBD!!!1!

Click here (or thee image above) to see the whole list!