The Brandon Public Library will host a public reading with award-winning author Craig Russell on Monday, October 17th, 2016, 7:30 pm. Craig will read from his newest novel, Fragment, published by Thistledown Press, and will discuss the art and craft of writing. For more information about the event please contact Shelley at the Brandon Public Library at shelley@wmrl.ca. Fragment | $19.95 | 9781771871112 | paperback Prominent Canadian science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer describes Fragment as “A wonderfully thoughtful eco-thriller from one of Canada’s best writers.” Praise for Craig's previous novel, Black Bottle Man (Great Plains Publications, 2010): “An extraordinary book. A story of profound love, of commitment to family, of humility, of grace under pressure; so rich with metaphor and allegory, depth, complexity.” — Nikki Tate, CBC Radio: All Points West Black Bottle Man won the 2011 American Moonbeam Award gold medal for Young Adult Fantasy and was a finalist for the Prix Aurora Award for Best Canadian English Novel, as well as for two Manitoba Book Awards in the same year. CRAIG RUSSELL, award-winning author of Black Bottle Man (2011), has directed a variety of theatre productions and his short play, The Unintended Consequences of Love, was performed at the 2006 Carol Shields Festival of New Works. Craig is a lawyer, and lives in Brandon with his wife. If you would like more information on Fragment, would like to request a review copy, or set up an interview/event with Craig Russell, please contact: marketing@thistledownpress.com Phone: (306) 244-1722 Fax: (306) 244-1762 www.thistledownpress.com

Concert goers and music lovers in Brandon best start saving their pennies, and cashing in their empties, as The Trews have indicated on their web site that they will be playing the North 40 on Friday, November the 4th in support of their time Capsule Tour. The Trews' concert liting is the 4th concert announcement for the month of November in Brandon joining the previously announced Bryan Adams, Mariana's Trench, and Charlie Major shows. The Trews are a Canadian rock band from Nova Scotia who have released five studio albums, one compilation album and three live albums. Singles include Paranoid Freak, Hold Me In Your Arms, Coming Home and Highway of Heroes. In 2004 they were nominated for a Juno award for Best New Group and in 2009 they were nominated for Best Album of the Year at the Junos for No time for Fear,  

A pair of Yuk Yuks comedians are coming to Brandon to make people laugh at the Prairie Firehouse for three great shows in November. Canadian Comedians Jonathon Baum and Todd Ness will be performing at Prairie Firehouse starting Thursday, November the 18th thru to Saturday, November the 20th. Jonathan Baum is a Vancouver/Whistler comedian who published a book in 2015 titled My Impaired Moral Compass. Todd Ness was the winner of the 2014 Yuk Yuks Chase Your Butterfly Contest featuring up coming comedians from across Western Canada. Tickets for all three shows are on sale at Prairie Firehouse. Ticket price is $35.00 per person.

As in any industry, there are terms and buzzwords that are unique to residential real estate. When you put your home on the market, you should know what those terms mean. Here are definitions for the most common ones: Fair market value: This is an estimate of how much a specific home will sell for in today’s market, taking into account what similar properties in the area have sold for recently. Seller’s Agent: That would be me, the REALTOR® who is helping you sell your property. I would also assist you in finding and buying your next home. Buyer’s Agent: This is the REALTOR® who is representing the buyer of the property you want to sell. Pre-approved Mortgage: This is a statement (often in the form of a certificate) from your bank or other lender that states that you qualify for a mortgage for a particular amount of money. A pre-approved mortgage adds credibility to any offer you make on a new home. Staging: This is a strategy where a home is purposely prepared so that it appeals to potential buyers. Staging may involve cleaning, de-cluttering, rearranging furniture, redecorating, and more. Survey: This is a document that defines the boundaries and measurements of your property and any structures on it. Offer: This is an offer of purchase, in writing, for a particular property. Conditional Offer: This is an offer to purchase, but with conditions – such as “conditional on a satisfactory home inspection” or “conditional on arranging suitable financing”.

Canadian Country music legend Charlie Major will hit the Houston's stage on Thursday, November the 24th. Charlie has recorded seven solo albums and has released more than twenty singles over that span. He has won 3-Juno awards for Canadian Male Vocalist of the year and has twice been named Male Artist of the Year by the Canadian Country Music Association. Notable singles include: I'm Somebody, The Other Side, Some Days Are Better and I'm Here. Joining Charlie on the 24th will be Frannie Klein a Canadian singer songwriter who continues to travel across Canada and the U.S playing shows as often as she can.   She has just been nominated again for several awards for her work by the Manitoba Country Music Awards.  Tickets for this event are only $20.00 and can be purchased online here.