Email Sins

I love my gmail. It has saved my life, working on the Surrey conference, and just in general. It filters most of the mondo amounts of spam I receive with ease.

But it also enables me to enumerate my sins.

I sent 107 email today.

Received only a paltry 37.

I'm a little tired of email at the mo...

The conference is now a week away, the onslaught is in full force, and I'll just ride this tsunami until I crash to the shore on October 27th or so.

See you on the other side!

~kc

Peanuts (though not Purple), Perambulations and Poetry*

(*with aPologies to Peggy Atwood....)



Silas found the Stellers Jays' peanuts last week.





He liked them. Apparently peanuts taste very good with a side serving of yellow duck boot.







As a result, I put him outside on the deck with his partner in crime. He felt the need to protest.








Please note these windows had been washed the day before by my dear friend Johnny, who loves washing windows and does a Very Good Job.


However, Silas likes to leave his mark.




When the howling didn'twork, he tried a fetching smile.
















And when that didn't work....











he ate a chair.






Does this expression look apologetic to you?








Silas is thinking of taking up acting.
In addition to mournful expressions, I believe he'll be a natural at chewing the scenery...

***

Had lunch in Bellingham yesterday with the SiWC Contest Assistants Rose Holck and Kathy Chung. (Rosie has another blog here, too. A blog-a-minute, that girl!)

The business part of our meeting went like this:
"You in this year?"
"Of course."
"Oh, yeah."
"Great!"
Not much standing on ceremony, I admit. But the contest is coming again, naturally, and the deadline will be September 5th this year. Check out the SiWC site for details.

The non-business part of our meeting was pretty fun, too. But since my camera was sitting on the kitchen counter, ready for dog-crime-scene documentation, I forgot it for the trip to Bellingham, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

***

And finally...





I just had word that Vancouver's Poet Laureate is launching his latest book. I met George McWhirter at SiWC last year, and he is a charming and highly accomplished writer. I LOVE the cover for his new book THE ANACHRONICLES, published by Ronsdale Press. If you are able to wish him well, you may do so at the Our Town Cafe (245 East Broadway, Vancouver), on Tuesday, April 22, from 7:00–9:00 p.m. This event is being held in conjunction with BC Book and Magazine Week.

Congratulations, George!

~kc

Spring Book Hatching, 2008

Spent much of the day emailing presenters who will be attending this year's astounding Surrey International Writers' Conference. Will soon be able to go public with the roster and some of the plans for the conference...but not yet.

I can say it will be held a week later than usual, October 24 -26, 2008, with (a stupendous selection, but you didn't hear it from me, of) Master Classes on Thursday, October 23, just to lead things off.

One other endeavour I am working on right now is the compilation of a list of authors and illustrators for this year's Spring Book Hatching. Featured books will have been published in 2007 and 2008, and will be put on display in a wildly enjoyable afternoon June 14, 2008. The event takes place at the downtown branch of the Vancouver Public Library -- exact location within said library to be announced shortly.

As soon as I have a complete list of participants, I'll be sure to post them here.

And to finish -- just because I can...




Have you ever seen a blonde sausage?

Check out the one on the right.



























Okay, maybe you have. But have you ever seen a sausage yawn?























~kc

Caution: Busy Summer Ahead...

It was a gorgeous day in my part of the world today -- sorta looked like this: A day to remember how lucky we are to live here and now. Important to remember these things once in a while.

Two great meetings tonight. The first was over my first Korean dinner (vegetarian, too!) with Joon Park and the teachers of CWC -- Creative Writing for Children, a creative writing program that has been developing over the past five years in Vancouver. I will be teaching at their summer school this year, with my CWILL BC buddies James McCann, Lee Edward Fodi, Kari-Lynn Winters and two other wonderful instructors -- Lori Sherritt (who is Kari's partner with the Tickle Trunk Players) and Shelley MacDonald, another amazing drama teacher.

We'll be teaching somewhere around 50 kids at the Summit Pacific College in Abbotsford for three days in July, and it sounds like it's going to be a great time. More details as they become available, but I think it's safe to say we'll be running away to the circus this summer.

After dinner, James and I went for coffee to sort out the details of our upcoming book launches. We have big plans in the works as soon as some of the finer details are confirmed -- like book completion dates!

My DEADLINE deadline is this weekend. DEADLINE or bust.You read it here first.

Finally, I had two conversations today with amazing writers -- Jay Clarke known to the world as Michael Slade, (http://specialx.net/)and Jack Whyte, (www.camulod.com) writer and raconteur extraordinaire. They will both be a part of the Surrey International Writers' Conference this year, which is rapidly evolving into the Go-To Event of the fall season.

I'm done for the day. Time only for a few words of The Chamber of Secrets to take me away...

~kc

Stars Shine in Surrey...

...this October.

This list is not complete as yet, but it's looking pretty good so far, I think!


Authors:
Kelley Armstrong, John Brady, Jan Burke, Anthony Dalton, Michael DeFreitas, Maggie deVries, Diane Duane, Hallie Ephron, Lee Edward Fodi, Dennis Foon, Diana Gabaldon, Stephen Galloway, Bruce Hale, Cecelia Holland, Bernice Lever Paul Lima, Phillip Margolin, Don McQuinn, George McWhirter, Jacqueline Mitchard, Peter Morwood, Anne Perry, Lois Peterson,Vicki Pettersson, Karen Robards, Wendy Roberts, Barbara Rogan, Michael Slade, Patricia Smiley, Timothy Taylor, Meg Tilly, Nancy Warren, Eric Walters, Jack Whyte, Daniel Wood.

Agents:
Donald Maass, Cricket Pechstein-Freeman, Jeffery McGraw, Kristen Nelson, Rachel Vater, Doris Booth, Janet Reid ,Nephele Tempest, Sorche Fairbank, Dan Conaway, Jenoyne Adams, Lauren Abramo, Michael Bourret, Jenny Rappaport.

Editors:
Elizabeth Lyon, Lisa Rector-Maass, Barry Jowett, Kaylan Adair, Jesse Finkelstein, Bob Tyrrell, Tonya Martin and Maggie de Vries


Registration opens in July. Watch the website at www.siwc.ca

Or better still, sign up for the on-line newsletter on the site. It's ONLY used to send SiWC news -- and it will keep you up to date with the latest.

~kc

Not Ready to Make Nice...

Spent the morning poolside, alternately watching my girl get a best time in 100 m breast stroke (who knew?) and continuing my quest to sort programming, invitations and vast quantities of Surrey Conference email .

Paused this afternoon to watch the boy's team get trounced in lacrosse [sigh -- but I think he had fun, anyway] and have a quick peek at SHUT UP AND SING, the documentary about the Dixie Chicks travails over the past few years.

Interesting viewing.

In spite of being born and reared a red-neck Albertan, I grew up in the age of anthemic rock, so country music was a closed book to me. However, today I enjoyed watching these women find their way through the morass created as a result of something that was originally meant as a bit of an attention-getting noise. It's fun to watch people stand up for their own convictions, particularly if they have to do a little soul searching along the way.

Good flick.

Back to work!

~kc