BookLemur.com

Yvonne Blackwood is the author of four adult non-fiction books, Into Africa: A Personal Journey, Will That Be Cash or Cuffs? Into Africa: the Return, and College Life of a Retired Senior: A Memoir of Perseverance, Faith, and Finding the Way. She has also published three children’s picture books: Nosey Charlie Comes to Town, Nosey Charlie Goes to Court, and Nosey Charlie Chokes on a Wiener. An award-winning short-story writer, Blackwood has contributed stories to several anthologies, including Human Kindness, Canadian Voices, and Wordscape. She has published articles in magazines including More of Our Canada, Adelaide, InTouch, and Green Prints and has written columns for the Toronto Star, Pride Newspaper, and The African Connection.

A remarkable and intriguing story about a journey to West Africa, the land of Blackwood’s ancestors. Into Africa, a Personal Journey begins in Nigeria with exposure to the tight control by the military that causes Blackwood to experience fear as never before. The journey takes her on an exploration of a new mysterious world where she experiences joy and wonderment as she shares in the lives of family members, friends and new acquaintances.

In Ghana, her respect for human beings, and her sense of adventure along with destiny, lead her to meet Adamson. Determined to see it all, she finds herself in desperate situations, each mysteriously resolved by strangers. Peppered with nostalgic flashbacks to her native Jamaica, and colourful descriptions of West Africa, the memoir resonates with unique poignancy, a love of people, and Blackwood’s growing spiritual quest for her African roots among the proud Ashanti people. Down to earth, vulnerable yet fearless, Blackwood shares with us a small part of her life as it unfolds.

Kindle Price: $3.99

Category: History; Travel

Seven years after she retired from a lengthy career in banking, Yvonne Blackwood surprised her friends and family by returning to school at age sixty-four to pursue an English degree. Her purpose was fueled by four powerful reasons—to add texture to her writing; to ward off dementia; to enhance structure in her life; and to inspire her two young grandsons to continue their education after high school. But as she stepped onto the campus of Canada’s third-largest university, Blackwood had no idea of the hurdles she was about to face.

In a retelling of her journey into a new beginning, Blackwood details how, after enrolling in York University, she struggled to maintain her established lifestyle, attend class with hard-to-connect-with millennials, and face a series of challenges that included two strikes at the university, a campus lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a shocking health diagnosis in her final year of studies. While leaning on the university’s motto—the way must be tried—Blackwood tells an inspiring story of how she persevered and learned to rely on her faith as she bravely conquered her fears and vulnerabilities to eventually achieve her goal.

College Life of a Retired Senior is the true story of a former bank manager’s experiences as she returned to college in the third act of life to earn a degree in English.

Kindle Price: $2.99

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

Meet Nosey Charlie, a spunky little squirrel who grew up in the country. He became an orphan and moved to the city to live with his aunt, uncle, and his cousin, Pete. Charlie desperately wants to know everything about the people and strange objects in the city, and he doesn’t understand that he can’t always go wherever he likes.

Mama Leticia (his aunt) tries to teach Charlie to be careful, and asks Cousin Pete to keep on eye on him. But Charlie is too nosey, and curiosity gets the better of him. He goes where he shouldn’t—checking out garbage bags in the park—and this time poor Cousin Pete gets hurt.

The Nosey Charlie adventures will make you laugh and cry, and sometimes cheer Charlie along as he explores his new environment and finds himself in desperate situations.

Kindle Price: $1.99

Category: Children's eBooks

Blackwood’s remarkable story, articulated in Into Africa: a Personal Journey, told about her first journey to West Africa, land of her ancestors. She travelled alone and her exposure to Nigeria’s tight military control caused her to experience fear as never before. In Ghana, destiny led her to meet Adamson, who became her guide, doctor and more….The story left you breathless, wanting more.

Into Africa: the Return describes Blackwood’s second journey to West Africa. This time accompanied by two American cousins – Peabody, 70, reunites with Theresa, her Ashanti friend after 40 years. Theresa’s brother dies the day before they arrive in Ghana and plans go awry.
In Ghana, Blackwood meets her protégée Frieda and the dashing Pastor Ray for the first time. Frieda must overcome her bashfulness and try to warm up to her sponsor. A plan to visit Mali is shelved and Togo substituted. But is it safe to travel there without a native? Pastor Ray volunteers to accompany them – a blessing in disguise.

The cousins explore a mysterious world with alien cultures and experience wonderment, joy and heart-wrenching sadness. Into Africa: the Return resonates with intrigue and discovery that keeps you riveted to the last word.

Kindle Price: $1.99

Category: Biographies & Memoirs

This amazing Nosey Charlie Adventure will make you laugh, and sniffle, and hold your breath when Charlie disappears. It begins from the first day Charlie came to live in the little park in the city and became fascinated with the gleaming white building next door. From then on curiosity ran away him and he just had to find out two things: Who are the men in black bellowing robes and white wigs? What is going on inside why so many people come in and go out of the building daily?

Charlie had a secret plan to find out…

Kindle Price: $1.99

Category: Children's eBooks