Category Archives: Uncategorized

Last year, as an act of Rememberance on November 11th,  I posted a listing of the 152 Canadian casualties in the Afghan conflict. [You can review the posts here, here and here, if you so choose.] Since that time, five more soldiers have died in combat. Cpl Steve Martin was killed by an IED onContinue reading “Remember”

So, here is a sweet story of just how desperate the situation for writers is these days… I received this letter today. [Transcribed as received, sics and all, with a single exception. Took out the site wherein they phished my name, to protect the innocent.] Respected Kc Dyer,  I am Prof. Justin Orton from King’sContinue reading “King’s College Wants…Me!”

Dealing with some interesting housing issues at the moment, so for today, I’d like to point you to a couple of posts I’ve put up for the Surrey International Writers’ Conference blog. I moderated a social media panel again this year, and mucho fun was had by all. But some great info came out ofContinue reading “On Social Media…a little link love”

…courtesy of the redoubtable Sean Cranbury and his gang at the W2! Here’s a chance to put some real fun into the celebration of all things literary in Canada, and to do it in the heart of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The W2 Media Centre is a beautiful phoenix that has risen out of the ashesContinue reading “Giller Light Comes to Vancouver…”

This year’s Surrey International Writers’ Conference has come and gone in a blaze of brimstone and nirvana; and from all accounts I’ve heard, was the best conference we’ve ever pulled off. the pope at the bar, photo by I. Monaghan I remember it only in glimpses, like a dream upon waking — being trapped onContinue reading “SiWC Success Stories…”

Going into the biggest, busiest week of my year — and this year, that’s saying something. It’s time for the Surrey International Writers’ Conference. Nineteenth edition. I’m not _quite_ sure, but I think I’ve been attending for thirteen of those years. [I have trouble remembering if the first year I went was 1998 or 1999….]Continue reading “Surrey!”

Part two of my tour last week involved a high-speed trip to Pentiction, where writer-whirlwind Yasmin John-Thorpe and her Raise-a-Reader crew had worked a few miracles. Authors Lee Edward Fodi and Kallie George had been there earlier in the week, signing hundreds of books and visiting elementary schools. I joined my buddy, author James McCannContinue reading “Raise A Reader…!”

Had a great book tour last week through the libraries of the Fraser Valley. I had the chance to meet a whole bunch of great kids, teachers and librarians while scooting along the back roads of Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Langley and Yarrow. This is just before my presentation at the Muriel Arneson Library in Langley, BC.Continue reading “Fraser Valley Regional Libraries Tour, 2011”

Said goodbye to a dear friend this weekend. Jan Furst, whom I have known for more than 10 years [which, as you can see, was a very small part of his life] left the world a better place than he entered it, almost 99 years ago. An author, a shipwright, an engineer, a dancer, aContinue reading “Goodbye Jan…”

…don’tcha know. Culture Week, that is, here in British Columbia, and Canadiana is breaking out all over. Here’s what’s happening in my wee village:   I’ll be one of the ‘live performances’, doing readings at the village library from 12:30 to 1:30pm, with the very poetically talented Mister William Kimmett also reading. There’ll be musicContinue reading “It’s Cult-cha…”