We recently published Ross Breithaupt’s excellent debut novel, Midland, and I’ve been gushing over it now for a while. It follows a traumatized young man named Rory Fleck who, in an effort to move on from his brother’s death, decides to go on a tree-planting expedition in Northern Ontario. The story is interspersed with fabulous letters from Rory to his friends, family and, notably, to his dead brother Mike. It’s a touching story about grief and loss, but it’s also a fascinating look at the influence of stories—particularly family legends—and music and the way they shape our lives.

Today we’re sharing with you a short reading, a playlist, a radio spot and a giveaway for you to enjoy, so keep scrolling to find out more.

A reading

We’re starting to explore a series of short video readings to bring our authors and their works to you in a more personal way. We’re calling these video shorts “Talkies” as a nod to retro film culture that grew out of the silent films of old.

Watch the video below for a short introduction to the book as well as a delicious sample of the book’s first pages.

A playlist

Throughout Midland, Rory listens to an important mixtape called VOYAGER 1 filled with songs that remind him of his brother Mike. There are ten songs, one for each full year Mike has been gone, and they act as both an organizing principle and a glimpse inside the Fleck family history. Listen to the playlist below:

A radio spot

We’re pleased to announce that Midland will be featured on The Idea Shop segment of Sauga 960 AM’s The Raw Mike Richards Show on Tuesday, August 31. The hosts Mike Richards and David Bastl will be joined by The Idea Shop’s Chris Houston, and they’ll discuss some of the finer points of the book and why you want to read it. The segment will air around 8:10 a.m., and will be available online after airing.

A giveaway

We know why you’re really here—you want to win our giveaway of a beautiful print copy of Midland!

Here’s how to enter:

1. Log in to the form below using email, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

2. Earn up to five entries by visiting Facebook and Instagram, tweeting on Twitter or by signing up to our newsletter. (If you’re already a newsletter subscriber, an avid social media follower, or an avid social media avoider, the bonus entry method is for you!)

3. Log out of the form to submit your entry.

Book Giveaway: Ross Breithaupt’s Midland

Good luck!

We hope you enjoyed learning about this fabulous debut novel. We hope you’ll consider ordering a copy so you can see how special it is. Copies are available in print through AbeBooks and UTP as well as in digital format from the PQL eStore.

Happy reading,