Since lots of vacationers tend to hit the bookstores for summer reading material, I thought I’d share with you my suggestions from Dundurn’s catalogues. So, if you’re planning on curling up and doing some long weekend reading, consider these titles:

Before You Say Yes by Doreen Pendgracs
Lots of charitable organizations plan summer events and look for volunteers to sit on their board of organizers. It’s a great opportunity to get involved with your community and help out with worthy causes… just make sure you know what you’re getting into before you take the plunge. This book will take you through everything you need to know about volunteer boards. So whether you’re going to help organize a local fundraiser, help out with your child’s sports team or join an event planning committee, educate yourself on what to expect.

Wolfe Island by Barbara Wall La Rocque
I love this book! I spent four years in Kingston attending Queen’s University and frequented Wolfe Island often. This book details the awesome history of the area and the unique spots that make it one of the most popular destinations in the 1000 Island region, for both tourists and residents alike. It’ll give you great ideas if you’re planning a roadtrip this summer… and if you’re not, it just might inspire you to do so.

Now You Know Baseball by Doug Lennox
Baseball is the official sport of summer, and while support for the Toronto Blue Jays may be waning, there are so many quirky facts crammed into this book. (Random Factoid: Did you know Babe Ruth hit his first homerun in Toronto? Now you know!) Fans and baseball newbies alike will gobble up the stories inside. A must read for any one who strives to become the ultimate Trivial Pursuit champion.

Jalna by Mazo de la Roche
Way back in the 1920s, Mazo de la Roche was impoverished and struggling to survive. Then she won a $10,000 prize from a magazine for her book, Jalna, and she was thrust into great Canadian celebrity. Jalna is the first book in the series chronicling 100 years of the Whiteoak family. Revisit this Canadian classic and become more familiar with Renny, Adeline and the entire Whiteoak clan.

Happy Long Weekend!

How did you come up with the idea for this work?

How did you come up with the title?
That was easy! The whole intent of the book is to give current and would-be directors the information they needed before they would say yes to taking on important volunteer responsibilities. So Before You Say Yes … was a natural choice for the title of the book.

How did you research your book?
Most of the content comes from my own experiences as a director on a wide variety of non-profit boards. But to augment my own thoughts and experiences, I interviewed more than 20 individuals who I either know personally from my work as a director, or who I’ve met or encountered via other means. The result was amazing in that each chapter contains words of advice and experience from people who have “been there; done that” so that others don’t have to make the same mistakes or encounter the same difficulties we discuss in the book.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received as a writer?
Write what you know. And that’s what I’ve done with this book. After more than 25 years on numerous boards, I really feel that I can speak to any issue or situation a new director might encounter. I’ve found that most of my strongest writing has been on subjects with which I am intimately familiar or about people, places or things about which I am passionate.

What is your next project?
A book about chocolate and travel! As I mentioned before, I love writing about things about which I am passionate. Travel and chocolate are certainly two of those things, and my next book will share some of my best chocolate experiences and discoveries with my readers. Stay tuned for that!

Before You Say Yes … will be available in March. Doreen Pendgracs is an award-winning writer, author and public speaker based in Matlock, Manitoba. Her website is Wizard of Words.