Happy book birthday to Becky Blake‘s PROOF I WAS HERE, publishing today with Wolsak & Wynn Publishing!
From the publisher: “What’s the point of trying to leave a mark when everything disappears? This question is at the heart of Proof I Was Here, a novel that tells the picaresque coming-of-age story of a young thief and aspiring artist who attempts to reboot her life on the streets of Barcelona after an unexpected breakup. Hailing from Toronto, where she has criminal charges waiting, Niki is outside of Canada for the first time. The pickpockets, squatters and graffiti artists she meets challenge her to reassess her ideas about luck and art. With the help of a passionate Catalan separatist who dreams of building a new country from the ground up, Niki realizes that starting her life over from scratch could be an opportunity – if she can just find a way to clear her name.”
Pre-publication praise:
On CBC Book’s 28 Works of Canadian Fiction to Watch for in Spring 2019
On 49th Shelf‘s Most Anticipated: Spring Preview
“In Proof I Was Here, Becky Blake takes us on an extraordinary journey through Barcelona’s underbelly, exploring with empathy and insight the human need for belonging and security, and what it means to lose everything. Finely crafted and richly imagined, Proof I Was Here is an enthralling, intelligent and fast-paced novel you won’t be able to put down.”
– Ayelet Tsabari, author of The Art of Leaving and The Best Place on Earth
“Proof I Was Here is laced with grit, art and angst. This evocative novel explores the intersection of privilege and survival, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ behaviour, permanence and the ephemeral . . . it reminds us of the power of our choices, but also shows how serendipity can, in a moment, change what we think about ourselves and the world.”
– Leesa Dean, author of Waiting for the Cyclone
“Becky Blake has woven an adventure of identity so engrossing that you’ll feel like you lived it yourself.”
– Michelle Winters, author of I Am a Truck