I recently sat down for an interview with Ron Seybold for the Austin Liti Limits podcast. We talked about Ordinary Bear and Small Animals Caught in Traps, the importance of having a strong sense of place in fiction and in life, and more in this fun, wide-ranging conversation. Give it a watch, and poke around the show's archives for other interesting conversations with writers.
https://austinlitilimits.com/episodes/episode-63-c-b-bernard.html
Samantha Leigh Miller Reviews SMALL ANIMALS CAUGHT IN TRAPS
Novelist Samantha Leigh Miller recently reviewed Small Animals Caught in Traps on her website, where you can also find thoughtful writeups on many other books.
“The descriptions of the river and how Lewis feels when he fishes are easily worth the whole book. Read the book also to appreciate how deftly the author moves from one POV to another in a way that reflects the reality of everyone’s different, but shared, experiences. ”
A big thank you to her and all the other writers and readers who take the time to share their thoughts on the books they’re reading. As the land beneath the publishing world shifts again, redefining itself once more, sites like hers become increasingly important vectors for books to find audiences.
Give her site a visit, and follow her on Facebook and GoodReads to support writers, readers, and reviewers.
Podcast: Writers Not Writing
Host Benjamin Gorman invited me on for a recent episode of his excellent video podcast, “Writers Not Writing,” for which I presented my idea of measuring age by how many reboots of a movie franchise you've lived through (I'm seven Batmen/three Wonder Women/two Road Houses old), talked about writing, NOT writing, and the single greatest author photo of all time.
Isn’t this Irving Penn image of Danish explorer Peter Freuchen and his wife, Dagmar, perfect? No notes.
Gorman is himself a talented novelist, and the brains behind small press Not A Pipe Publishing. This was a lot of fun. A wide-ranging conversation with a thoughtful and generous host, and a surprising amount of on-screen corgis.
Novelist Diane Josefowicz’s Favorite Books of 2023
I’m thrilled to share that novelist Diane Josefowicz chose Small Animals Caught in Traps as one of her three favorite books of 2023 for Shepherd.com. Read her full post, and then check out her own books.
Ready, Set, Oh! is a fantastic read that should be taught in Rhode Island public schools. And in March, Regal House will publish her newest novel, L’air du Temps (1985). I got to read an advanced copy of this book, and I’m excited for it to make its way into the world and find an audience. Diane is a beautiful writer… please do check out her work.
Book Junkie Review of SMALL ANIMALS
“I read the book in one day. It was beautifully written, and it kept you on the edge of your seat.” —-Frances Larose
Thanks to Frannie Larose for her review of SMALL ANIMALS CAUGHT IN TRAPS on the Book Junkie website. Read it here.
Our Coast Magazine Review
They say reviews are for readers, not writers, but Barbara Lloyd McMichael—who writes the weekly Bookmonger column for Our Coast magazine—still managed to make my day with her thoughtful take on Small Animals Caught in Traps.
“Despite the reference to small animals in the title, do not mistake this for a tale about minor lives,” she writes. “With precision-tuned character strokes, pitch-perfect dialogue and devastating plot developments, Bernard transforms these scruffy individuals into the flawed heroes of their own lives. This is a novel of consequence.”
A Mighty Blaze with Caroline Leavitt
Caroline Leavitt is not just a brilliant novelist. She’s also one of the most generous writers around. She and Jenna Blum founded A Mighty Blaze as a rising tide to lift the boats of other writers, readers, and booksellers, and with their team of remarkable volunteers, they’re doing great things.
I sat down with Caroline for an interview this week, and we had a lot of fun talking about Small Animals Caught in Traps and Chasing Alaska, and about the writing life in general. I’m grateful to Caroline for the opportunity.
Watch it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho36FRIDgws, and while you’re there, subscribe to the Blaze and browse through other episodes. So many good writers, so many good interviews.
Rhody Reads
Hey Rhody magazine’s Hugh Minor, who writes the monthly Rhody Reads column about Rhode Island books and authors, included Small Animals Caught in Traps in the April issue.
“First-time novelist and Rhode Island transplant C.B. Bernard knocks it out of the park with his gorgeous take on love and loss, Small Animals Caught in Traps: A Novel. Lewis, a fishing guide in Oregon, struggles to rebuild his life after a failed boxing career. When tragedy strikes, his survival depends on the one bright spot in his life, his daughter Gray. It’s a tale of love and redemption sure to capture your heart.”
I’ve found a number of great books through Hugh’s recommendations. Give it a look at https://heyrhody.com/stories/rhody-reads-six-selections-to-build-your-home-library,100653?
Dear Reader...
Last weekend I walked into a bookshop and, for the first time, got to see my novel Small Animals Caught in Traps on display. It’s not my first book, but it is my first novel, and that moment of joy marked both the culmination of a long journey and the beginning of a new one—one on which I’d like to invite you along.
The Best Literary Fiction About How Dark Things Can Get For People, And How Dark People Can Get
Shepherd.com asked me to recommend a few books on a theme. And of course, I went with “how dark things can get for people, and how dark people can get.” Read it here and spend some time browsing the site’s other recommendations.
New Novel Coming April 2024
Thrilled to be working with Blackstone Publishing again—and my amazing editor, Marilyn Kretzer—for my second novel, Ordinary Bear.
Set in both the Arctic and Oregon, Ordinary Bear is “a darky humorous story about a man on a brutal oddysey through the quirky and dangerous underworld of Portland in an attempt to save a child’s life and redeem his own.”
Find Ordinary Bear on bookshelves in April 2024, one year after Small Animals Caught in Traps.