Exciting End to September!

Tons of stuff to look forward to over the next couple of days. Tonight is the premiere of FlashForward, the tv show adapted from the Robert J. Sawyer novel. Exciting! The premiere got an incredible review in the New York Times, and from Time magazine, and  Rob's face can be found right now hovering on the pages of Time.com

How incredible is that?

On Saturday, I'll be on Bowen Island, celebrating the latest release from Bernice Lever -- a book of poetry called Generation.

On Sunday, it's Vancouver's Word on the Street. I'll be out pounding the pavement [in neon tights, of course] talking about the Surrey International Writers' Conference. I'll have posters and registration forms with me and will be tweeting throughout the day. Sign up for the conference and get your picture in our blog!

And speaking of the SiWC....


...something weird is trying to take over my blog at www.siwc.ca. Have a look at THIS. And what about THIS?

I'm really hoping it's just a prank, and not some kind of warning...

~kc

Today's Parent Hearts A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW

The August issue of Today's Parent Magazine gives a big thumbs up to Darby's relationship with her Nan and Gramps. Reviewer Stephanie Simpson McLellan sez:

Thirteen year old Darby is less than thrilled about spending the summer with her Nan and Gramps in Charlottetown. But then she finds a way to slip into Canada's past, where she meets her great-great-great-grandmother, and starts to understand her family's strength.

In other news, this week Darby interviews Caitlin Decter, star of Robert J. Sawyer's latest novel WAKE. You can win a signed copy of both WAKE and A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW by entering the contest here: http://tinyurl.com/mgrgwz

Tweet or blog about the contest for an extra chance to win!

~kc

Catching Up Whilst Battling Microscopic Demons

Hey -- cool news! Waterloo Public Library picked A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW as one of their Sizzling Staff Selections.

Just what I need to help me in my battle with this Epic Germ I have now been jousting more than a week. I am beyond behind in reporting events, so a quick precis follows...



Last night I dragged my sorry, coughing self out the door to catch Robert J. Sawyer's book signing at White Dwarf Bookstore in Vancouver. Rob read (in true SF form, from his Blackberry!) to a rapt group of standing room only fans. His new book, WAKE is the first in a planned trilogy. (This is a shot of Rob mid-stream in his reading -- see the Blackberry?)



After collecting my signed copy from Rob, I hightailed it over to Gastown to catch the end of this month's Shebeen meeting. Raincoaster (alias Lorraine Murphy) had facilitated a spirited discussion led by Monique Trottier of Boxcar Media on the subject of 'Old Publishers Have a New Think Coming.' I arrived too late for the talk, but in time to connect a bit with those in attendance. I'm excited to report that Monique and Lorraine will both be coming to SiWC this year for our special social media stream -- more on that later, she sez, mysteriously.



Working backwards, last Saturday I went with a group of CWILLers to help celebrate the nominations of fellow writers at the BC Book Prizes soiree. This year's event was partially sponsored by the Canadian Authors Association. Here is a shot of Kathie Shoemaker and Irene Watts -- the two nominated CWILL members in attendance -- along with Margaret Hume and Anthony Dalton, CAA members. (Left to right: Kathryn Shoemaker, Anthony Dalton, Irene Watts, Margaret Hume).



I admit to feeling very sad as I post these pictures. Last year, I sent the pics from this event to Derek Weiler for the Quill & Quire blog. Derek died suddenly last week at the unconscionable age of 40, and the wee publishing community of this country has been rocked by the loss. (You can read more details on the Q&Q site HERE.)




There is much more to report, but this blog post is as packed as I dare make it for now.

More soon, no doubt.

~kc

Battling the Germ...

... and I'm winning, so far, but at some cost to my energy levels. Thus, a brief (and yet somehow entertainingly informative) blog full of fascinating information, not all of it arcane.




Apologies to all whom I owe email. (There are at least 159 of you out there...) Will be back to you as soon as I can!

And now, the news...


Darby has a new contest up at her blog. Full details will emerge tomorrow, but apparently she's looking for a haiku -- featuring a skateboard. Prizes will be good, though, guaranteed! (I stole the cherry tree pic from her, too...)

A few April events to note:

April 18, 2009. My friend Linda's birthday. (She'd kill me for that, but she never reads my blog, so I'm safe. Ha! Some friend, eh?) Also the soiree for the BC Book Prizes. I'll be there along with a whole pile of other local BC authors who like free parties. (You'll need a ticket to attend the actual prize banquet). At the Metropolitan Hotel on Howe.

April 20, 2009. 7 pm. Science Fiction phenom Robert J. Sawyer will be signing (and reading, I believe) from his new book WAKE at the White Dwarf bookstore in Kits. 3715 West 10th Avenue.
I'll be there!

April 25, 2009. 11 am. Chapters is opening a new store in White Rock this month, and I'll be joining in as a part of the celebrations. Love to see you!


And to finish, a dogblog, of course. I've seen canine singers, but never one who accompanies himself on the keyboard... (tip of the hat to a Raincoaster tweet for this one)




~kc

Daffodil Yen & Other Artsy Nonsense

I've had a yen for a few days to get a pic of the newly bobbing daffies by moonlight. I'm pretty sure they don't close at night like the tulips do...

Anyway, here's the proof; not by moonlight, but by streetlight, outside Palki in North Van on a fine (if overcast) April evening.




It's an iPhone pic, so a trifle grainy, but still, proof of spring in the nicest possible way. Hoping for some cherry blossom pix tomorrow -- the trees were awash in bloom downtown tonight, but out here in the more mountainous coastal environs, our cherries are just now taking a first peek skyward.

Speaking of pictures, I want to upload this one of Jian Ghomeshi, interviewing singer Divine Brown on the set of Q live. Jian survived an interview from hell with Billy Bob Thornton today with grace and good humour. You can see the interview HERE. Personally, I think Jian should have thrown the bum out -- his bandmates were clearly mortified -- but he kept his cool. Here's to you Jian!



(Once again a crappy iPhone picture -- must remember to bring my Pentax with me to these things!)

In other news, author Robert J. Sawyer is embarking on a North American tour to celebrate the publication of his new novel WAKE. Here are his dates -- check it out to see if he's coming to a venue near you...


Borderlands Books
866 Valencia Street
San Francisco, California
Monday, April 13, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
http://www.borderlands-books.com

White Dwarf Books
3715 West 10th Avenue
Vancouver, British Columbia
Monday, April 20, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
http://www.deadwrite.com/wd.html


Sentry Box
1835-10th Ave SW
Calgary, Alberta
Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
http://www.sentrybox.com


Audrey's Books
10702 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
Thursday, April 23, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
http://www.audreys.ca


Librairie Paragraphe Bookstore
2220 McGill College Avenue
Montreal, Quebec
Tuesday, April 28, 2009, 6:30 p.m.
http://www.paragraphbooks.com

Ottawa Book Launch Party!
The Clock Tower Brew Pub
575 Bank Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Hosted by Perfect Books
http://www.clocktower.ca
http://www.perfectbooks.ca/index.html

Toronto Book Launch Party!
Dominion on Queen (pub)
500 Queen Street East
Toronto, Ontario
Thursday, April 30, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Hosted by Bakka Phoenix Books
http://www.dominiononqueen.com
http://www.bakkaphoenixbooks.com


McNally Robinson
1120 Grant Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Saturday, May 16, 2009, 2:00 p.m.
http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/winnipeg-events


Waterloo Entertainment Centre
24 King Street North
Waterloo, Ontario
Thursday, May 21, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
Hosted by Words Worth Books
http://www.wordsworthbooks.com


Chapters
1425 Kingsway Road
Sudbury, Ontario
Monday, May 25, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/home/storeLocator/storeDetails/935


McNally Robinson
3130 8th Street East
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Thursday, June 4, 2009, 7:30 p.m.
http://http://www.mcnallyrobinson.com/saskatoon_events

Book & Brier Patch
4065 Albert Street
Regina, Saskatchewan
Saturday, June 20, 2009, 2:00 p.m.
http://www.bookbrier.ca

I'm planning to be at the White Dwarf event in Vancouver -- see you there!

~kc

Trying Hard to Cheer ...

...for all the Canucks in China. The swim team is breaking Canadian records all over the place -- 13 at last count -- but this is bringing them nowhere near the podium.

Canadian athletes are so polite -- yesterday Leighanne Hobson stood in the pouring rain, her lips blue and shaking, to answer the CBC reporters questions on her 17th place finish. And today, 57 year old Susan Nattrass teared up as she talked about failing to advance in her 6th Olympic Games, but she held it together for the cameras.

Go team Canada!


Speaking of Canadians, I just last night finished Robert J. Sawyer's terrific book ROLLBACK. Sawyer has won every spec fiction award out there -- the Hugo, the Nebula and the Campbell (the only Canuck to have done so) and he's racked up a ton of other awards to boot.

ROLLBACK, itself a Hugo AND a Campbell nominee, is the story of a scientist, who in pursuit of a conversation with the denizens of another galaxy, is offered the gift of life -- a rollback of 60 years -- to give her more time to complete her task. When things go awry, both she and her husband are faced with the biggest dilemma of their lives.

It's a great read, and I loved every Canadian nuance that Sawyer worked into his setting and his characters, from listening to the CBC to being stuck at Union Station waiting for the TTC. It's fantastic to see spec fiction stories emerge out of a Canadian landscape and Sawyer is a terrific story-teller.

He'll be at SiWC 2008 this fall, where, along with the usual workshops and panels, he'll be offering a Master Class AND a keynote speech.

I'm really looking forward to hearing him talk about his craft.

~kc