News

Historian John N. Grant appears in “The Laker”

/ Diane

Author and historian John N. Grant was interviewed for “The Laker”. Here is an excerpt.

EAST HANTS: Hidden on a side road straddling the Halifax and East Hants County line lives John N. Grant, an historian well-known and respected in his field, both in history and in genealogy.

The retired university professor has several books to his credit. Three of the most recent publications focus on school history and one provides details on ships patrolling Maritime waters during the First World War, ships that never existed according to the Canadian government.

One might say A History of Oldfield Consolidated School 1962-2017 hits close to home. In fact, it’s very near where Grant lives.

Continue Reading at “The Laker”: Local historian writes books on schooling, mystery war ships

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John N. Grant’s New eBook

/ Diane

Up until this week, A History of Oldfield Consolidated School 1962 – 2017 by John N. Grant had been available only from the author and only in paperback form. That has changed.

The booklet, which contains 50 pages of extensive research on the many schools that went into forming Oldfield Consolidated School, is now available as an eBook exclusively at Amazon.

This allows Kindle Unlimited members to access the book.

Download your copy today.

The eBook contains seven coloured images of the school. It also mentions staff, teachers, students and those involved in the consolidation process.

Continue reading →

Happy New Year

/ Diane / Leave a comment

With only hours left of 2021, Quarter Castle Publishing is wishing everyone a good night filled with cheer or peaceful reflection, whichever you desire. As with every new year’s eve, many are happy to see the old year end and eager to usher in the new.

We are planning an exciting 2022 with new opportunities and new ventures. We’ll announce one tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Until then, bring on the celebrations, and, please, don’t drink and drive.

Book Launch: Mary Kaulbach’s Normal School Diary 1892 – 1893

/ Diane / Leave a comment

David, of Little White Schoolhouse Press, writes,

We are delighted to have our Mary Kaulbach’s Normal School Diary book launch hosted by the library, the very building where Mary attended the Provincial Normal School. Mary’s diary is in our museum collection, and we are so grateful to two of our Board members, Melanie Ballard and John Grant, who have spent countless hours editing and preparing the manuscript for publication to bring Mary’s diary to life so it can reach a larger audience.

Details of Book Launch

  • Where: Colchester-East Hants Public Library, 754 Prince Street, Truro, Nova Scotia
  • Date: November 23, 2021
  • Time: 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Space is Limited – Registration is a MUST

If you wish to attend, call 902-895-4183 or email info@cehpubliclibrary.ca to register.

Continue reading →

Quarter Castle Publishing Services

/ Diane / 1 Comment

Over the past 11 years, Quarter Castle Publishing has met many writers working towards publishing their first book. These future authors were at various stages from first draft to finalizing the proof. While the journey is a solo one, writers on the path to publishing recruit individuals to help them create the best book possible. These individuals include editors, cover designers, interior designers and marketers.

Artistic and creative writers also take on some of these tasks, and we applaud them for it. However, not everyone has an eye for design and not everyone can work their way around computer programs. Some want to only write the book and co-ordinate the rest of the process, hiring people to do everything else.

That’s where Quarter Castle Publishing comes in. We are opening our doors to help writers see their dream of publishing a book come true. We pride ourselves in our book covers and interior design. After years of working with authors, we’re ready to offer our services to those looking for a personal touch.

We believe a book is a work of art, and we strive to produce beautiful works of art with every release.

To learn more about hiring Quarter Castle Publishing to design book covers and interiors, visit our Services page.

“Natural Selection” Nearing Launch

/ Diane / 2 Comments

Diane McGyver has penned her first dystopian novel and it’s set for release October 2021.

Natural Selection starts innocently enough: a young woman living an idyllic life with her uncle in a lush forest that provides the necessities of life. But the tranquility doesn’t last.

Here’s the description.

The wisdom of seeds grows naturally.

The year is 2050. Almost three decades have passed since the Devastation destroyed civilization. Only the strong and wise survived; the weak and intellects perished. New societies emerged, forging a future with skills from the distant past.

In Green Wood, Eloise has lived in seclusion with her uncle for the past 12 years. While they receive visitors to Larkspur Cottage, the number of friends they have can be counted on one hand. When strangers arrive and capture her uncle, she is forced to run, but who can she turn to when she doesn’t know the land outside Green Wood or where those friends live?

More news to come as production continues.

Print Local – Buy Local – Support Local

/ Diane / 3 Comments

Last year was extremely difficult for small businesses. Many were forced by government orders to shut their doors temporarily, and this caused many to shut them permanently. Those surviving into 2021 need our help more than ever. It’s vital we support local businesses that in turn support our communities and our country.

Supporting local means buying from small businesses in your community, the ones just down the street. It means buying products and services from your province and when you can’t find what you need that close to home, buy within your country.

In the big picture, if what you’re looking for is not in Canada, look to the rest of North America.

Quarter Castle Publishing has always supported Canadian businesses. We buy office supplies from local shops, and our books are printed in Canada. The only exception is when readers buy from Amazon. Then Americans are supporting their printers because the books are printed in the USA.

Quarter Castle Publishing will never ship our printing business overseas, and we certainly won’t do business with communist countries. We do NOT support communist regimes in any way, that includes financially.

The next time you consider buying a book, first ask, “Where was this book printed?” If the book was printed by a country governed by a communist regime, put it back on the shelf and buy another, one printed in Canada or the USA. If you don’t live in one of these countries, buy one printed in your country.

This year, it is vital we support local. It’s no longer just a gimmick; it’s a necessity.

Let’s keep our money as close to home as possible. Look for Printed in Canada and Made in Canada.

A History of Oldfield Consolidated School 1962 – 2017

/ Diane / 2 Comments

John Grant Oldham Consolidated School historyHistorian John Grant, author of Historic Guysborough, is the author of A History of Oldfield Consolidated School 1962 – 2017. It’s a 36-page booklet jam-packed with details of the schools that existed before the consolidation and the events leading up to and following the building of the new school in Enfield, Halifax County, Nova Scotia.

The back of the book contains a list of principals and vice principals who taught at the school.

In 1962 the school sections of Goffs (Guysborough Road), Oakfield, Oldham and Enfield Border were dissolved and Oldfield Consolidated School was built to serve the new school district. School consolidation is never easy. This is the story of the process and the life of the new school.

Grant opens his history lesson:

On Wednesday evening, 1 May 1963, almost 100 people attended the formal opening of the new Oldfield Consolidated School on Hall’s Road, Enfield. The ceremony was chaired by Councillor Mary T. King-Myers, and Lt. Col. Kendrick C. Laurie of nearby Oakfield was the guest speaker. The students of the new six-room school, already in regular use, also participated in the opening by performing “a number of musical selections.” The ceremonial presentation of the school’s keys saw them passed from the school’s builder to the representative of Halifax County and then to the district school board. They were then received by J. Douglas Fleming, the Chair of the local Board of School Trustees, who presented them to the school’s first principal, Mrs. Jean McManaman. The school’s plaque and a Union Jack were also given to the school during the ceremonies which were opened and closed by the prayers of local clergy.

To purchase a copy of the book, please contact Quarter Castle Publishing.

Not Enough Blood

/ Diane / Leave a comment

Diana Tibert admits upfront that, “I am NOT a doctor. I am NOT a nurse or a medical practitioner of any type. I have no formal education in the medical field.”

But she has a problem, one that started in her late 30s. In her upcoming book, she tells her story in simple terms because there is no need for text-book language when the message is meant for the common person.

Continue reading →

Clue to Our Big Announcement

/ Diane / Leave a comment

Big Announcement ClueIn December 1917, Canada was at war with the Central Powers in Europe (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey). The ice-free harbour of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was strategically placed, making it a vital link to the conflict overseas. It was the perfect staging ground for trans-Atlantic convoys. Military personnel from across the country congregated in Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford. They either prepared to be shipped overseas or remained at military facilities to help with the war effort on this side of the Atlantic. Civilian men and women also came for many reasons, including to work as labourers.

Continue reading →