Signal Boost — Canada’s Disappearing History

Signal boost. [original CC image by sqent]
We’re in federal election season here in my country, and for the most part I find myself stupified by the soporific level of debate between the major parties.

“TALK ABOUT WHAT MATTERS” I scream at the radio, but… I dunno. It’s not happening. Most of the media seems to just follow along in the ‘photo op, but no substantive analysis’ herd, and it leaves me discouraged.

So, yanno, I might just shout about it here when I think someone is getting it right, now and again. To that end, this is my first signal boost for someone who is talking about something that feels to me like it matters. I’d love to hear YOUR take on it, too.

For more than a year now, I’ve been listening to Jesse Brown’s CANADALAND podcast, and for the past six months or so, I’ve also been one of his supporters. More than his role within independant media, I appreciate the media criticism his show offers, which is sadly missing elsewhere. And this week, he spoke with Anne Kingston about her piece in Macleans magazine.

The piece itself is a must-read for every thinking Canadian, and Jesse and Anne’s discussion of it is well worth the listen. Her feelings when talking to a scientist about missing data on climate change while he’s having to run from a wildfire…? Listen for yourself.

Canadaland: Anne Kingston

Maclean’s: Vanishing Canada

Okay, there you have it. My first political signal boost. Full disclosure? It won’t be the last…  =)

And around here? Further great news about FINDING FRASER is coming!

More soon…

 

~kc

Writing Contest Deadline: 24 hours!

contestI’m not actually sure when I started coordinating the writing contest for Surrey International Writers’ Conference. I think…it was around the turn of the century. =)

At any rate, it’s been a yearly part of my life since then, and has given me the opportunity to work with a group of amazing writers who have volunteered as judges over the years. Jack Whyte, Diana Gabaldon, Anthony Dalton , James McCann, Bernice Lever, Shelley Hrdlitschka and many others.

This year, we are just running the fiction arm of the contest, called the Storyteller’s Award. The winner will get $1000 and an assessment of their work from Jack and Diana, our two stalwart judges. I am SO excited to read all the entries. As coordinator, I get to read everything [blind to the authors’ names, of course] …but all decision-making is left up to the judges.

There are a few more than 24 hours left before the deadline hits, so if you know a writer and they have an unpublished story that meets the criteria HERE, please encourage them to enter. I’d love to read their work!

Much news about the upcoming Surrey International Writers’ Conference here in the next few weeks. It’s number 23, and it’s gonna be amazing!

 

More soon…

 

~kc

Podcast fun…

fall leavesHey — happy fall!

Who’s drinking pumpkin lattes, yet…? I’ve just refilled my pumpkin spice chai tea tin, so… well, that’s pretty much cemented my hipster doofus status, yes?

While we’re on the subject of being a doofus, you can watch/listen to me wax rhapsodic about my job, the publishing process in general and self-publishing in particular on Tom Corson-Knowles Publishing Profits Vidoe Podcast right HERE.

I tweeted about this when it happened, but my chat with Tom was smack in the middle of  my tour and I didn’t have time to put it up here on the blog. So if you want to see me in my geeky podcasting headphones, now’s your chance.

So much is going on this season — stay tuned for updates!

 

More soon…

 

North Van signing a Labour [Day!] of love…

indigo north vanGreat day today at the Marine Drive Indigo in North Van. Signed a bunch of books for friends old and new and left a bunch of signed copies behind for those who couldn’t make it. Big thanks to the MARVELLOUS team at the store –Brett, Marie, Jesse and all their great booksellers who made me feel very welcome. I handed out a ton of postcards and buttons … and books, of course!

Sadly, for those of you who didn’t make it — you missed kiltapalooza, man. The mummy was kilted, and then, as documented below, Andy wore the mummy’s kilt to make his mum laugh. Then? Todd Wong showed up in his own kilt just to put a cherry on top of the day.

Kilted Andy and Liz

Thanks to everyone who came and bought books, and special thanks to Auralie and Todd and Sarah for coming out specially to see me — you made a great event even better!

Kilted Todd Wong

More soon…

 

~kc

 

Tour Signing — North Vancouver Kilted Mummy sighting imminent!

kc and kilted mummy
A sweet reader, kc and a kilted mummy-most-foul, in Terrace, BC.

This Saturday, September 5th I’ll be signing copies of FINDING FRASER at the Marine Drive Indigo in North Vancouver. I’ll have my best friend, the kilted and Scottish-woollens-bedecked mummy with me. If you are brave, you will wear a kilt. If you are truly Brave Of Heart, you will watch me denude the mummy and then YOU will try on the kilt!

There will be prizes for those who show up wearing their Scottish woollens! There will be prizes for kilt-wearing warriors of all genders! But mostly — there will be books. Reading FINDING FRASER is the perfect way to begin the fall season, cuddled up on your couch, adventuring with Emma through the Scottish highlands.

I’ll be at the top of the escalator, handing out buttons and postcards and signatures from 1-3 pm. See you there?

 

More soon…

 

~kc

It’s here…!

So… what do you think?

We’ve been working on the new site design for months. Tried to create a fun, clean interface, with black print on white pages to protect your eyes, imagery to reflect my books and a feel that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Please poke around and have a look. I’m still adding photos from back posts [and likely will be for months] but just about everything else is in place. You can find and order all my books, link through to Emma’s website and connect with me via email or comment form.

This new incarnation was designed by Crystal Hunt of CCS-Crystal Clear Solutions. She is, as you can see, a genius at this stuff.

Love to hear your thoughts! And, as always,

 

More soon…!

 

~kc

Tour Wrap-Up… and Something NEW!

hooked on booksThe final day of this book tour took place on a sunshiney Penticton morning, outside the wonderful Hooked On Books. Big thanks to Judy for inviting me, and to my signing companion, children’s writer Rie Charles for keeping the day interesting! We chatted with folks walking through the Saturday market and had a lovely morning. And then…? I hopped in the jeep and hightailed it for home!

It was a wonderful tour filled with crazy, magical moments and a wide assortment of the MOST interesting people. Thank you to all the readers who came out, bought my books and provided a peripatetic writer with interesting conversations and more stories to tell.

So.Many.Stories!

The dangling logger in Campbell River…

Chatting with dear friends on Pender Island…

Kissed by James Fraser in Powell River…

Crowds in Calgary…

Trailrunning in Edmonton…

Abootlanders ALL THROUGH Alberta…

Kilted Bookface Friday in Nelson…

Skyping young writers in Radium…

Chillin’ with artists and elk in Jasper…

Armchair heatwave in Whistler…

Fifth-wheeling in Williams Lake…

Rollicking readers at the Terrace Library…

Hazelton’s incredible beauty and AWEsome readers…

Prince George readers in the rain…

Random encounters in Vernon…

FF fans in Kelowna…

Street Market madness in Penticton…

And I’ve not even touched on all the wonderful people who made my trip so much fun.

Thank you ALL — see you next time I’m on the road!

To finish, a little news. This website has been undergoing an overhaul behind the scenes, courtesy of the marvellous CCS-Crystal Clear Solutions [whose hand is all over FindingFraser.com], and the magic will debut before you know it. In fact, the very next blog post will appear on the new site. So stay tuned… I LOVE the new design and I hope you will, too.

More soon…!

Magical Mosaic

Mosaic booksMosaic as in Mosaic Books, of course, found on the main drag of Kelowna, BC. My visit there was lovely, thanks to the terrific staff and amazing readers who came out to meet me. A big thank you to Alicia and all her girls.

It was a steamy day, and the cool aisles of Mosaic were a welcome respite to Kelowna readers. [My car thermometer read 41 as I drove out of Whistler, so I thought it wouldn’t get worse than that. Wrong. Kamloops? 43.]

I so enjoyed meeting and chatting with all the Kelowna gang!

Had the very exciting experience of awarding a prize to this lovely lady for Scottish Knitwear Worn In Summer — you’ll notice her cane is lovingly yarn-bombed — the first I’ve ever seen!

Mosaic yarn bomb

A wonderful penultimate day to my tour — thank you Kelowna! And tomorrow? On to Penticton!

 

More soon…

 

~kc

Vernon!

Vernon winnerThe final leg of this amazing book tour takes me back into the Interior, and the first stop is in Vernon at the marvellous Bookland. Bethany led a great group of booksellers, and I had such a fun visit.

Nearly one of the first people to walk in the door was this lovely lady, Leila — who had JUST won a copy of FINDING FRASER from CBC Radio.

[I did a fun interview a few days earlier with Rebecca Zandbergen of CBC’s Radio West afternoon show.]

It was great to meet and chat with Leila in person!

I had a lovely time visiting with other local readers, and my day was totally made by the unplanned arrival of a group of my sister’s friends who showed up and then loyally bought books en masse!

vernon friendsThanks for the support Linda, Gary and Val!

It was a wonderful visit to Vernon, and after a cool Bookland afternoon I headed out into the scorching heat and off to my next stop — Kelowna. See you there?

 

More soon…

 

~kc

Wonderful Whistler…

armchairArmchair Books, man. This store has been here in Whistler, run by the same family for 35 years!

Named for a nearby glacier rather than a piece of furniture, this wee store is a focal point for all things literary in town.

As Whistler is a skiing and biking destination spot, I expected there would be a few tourists. What I didn’t expect was Crankworx…

Crankworx is a mountain-biking event held annually, and it brings riders in from all over the world. It was fantastic to meet people who were there for the festivities.

Also? We had a prize winner, with the FIRST sighting on the tour of a Utilikilt!

IMG_7417

Congratulations to TJ Anderson!

TJ also introduced me to the work of Jennie Breeden, a webcomic artist whose work I plan to check out soon. I love learning about new writers and artists from readers I meet on tour!

Many thanks to Dan for hosting my visit, and to all the lovely denizens of Whistler [and the wide world!] who came to chat and buy books. Next stop: Vernon!

 

More soon…

~kc

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