The view from the road...

Writing life: 42

I’ve been on the road promoting my ninth novel, A New Season, for the last week and have most of another week to go. I’m very lucky that, thanks to my publisher, McClelland & Stewart/Penguin Random House, I’m able to travel across the country when a new novel is released to help give it a push in the early stages. So here’s an update from my western swing.

Hamilton

Okay, I’m cheating a bit with this one. When my alma mater comes a calling, I answer. Just before I flew to Winnipeg, I was the dinner speaker at the McMaster University Master of Communications Management annual fall dinner with about 50 students at various stages in the program. My old friend Terry Flynn, who created the program, invited me. I spoke about my time at McMaster, my 34-year career in the communications agency world, the power and scarcity of good writing skills, and my unorthodox journey to the published land. The dinner was held in the venerable Hamilton Club, right downtown. It was a lovely evening.

At the Hamilton Club on Saturday, October 7.

Winnipeg: McNally Robinson

McNally Robinson is nationally renowned chain of independent bookstores in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. I’ve done talks with them in the past and have always been impressed with their commitment to CanLit.

It was a terrific event. The wonderful John Toews from McNally Robinson welcomed everyone. Then, after I made a few remarks and read a short excerpt, Deborah Bowers, who has reviewed nearly all of my novels for the Winnipeg Free Press—including A New Season—guided us through a thoughtful on-stage conversation about the new novel. Finally, I signed books afterwards. It was a great kick-off to my western swing.

Calgary: Wordfest

I think this is my third time attending Wordfest in Calgary, one of the premier literary festivals in the country. It’s always a thoroughly stimulating and enjoyable time. Whenever I’m invited, I will be there. I had two Wordfest events and both were a blast.

What a Pair: Linwood Barclay and Terry Fallis

Linwood Barclay is among the elite thriller writers in the English language, selling millions of books around the world. He also very kindly blurbed by seventh novel, Albatross with words that still make my knees wobble when I read them. (You can see them cycling across the top banner photo of my website homepage.) He’s also a friend and we’ve done a number of writerly events together over the years. So it was great fun sharing the stage with him for my first session at Wordfest last week. Moderated by CBC-Radio’s Jim Brown, we had a lot of laughs as we discussed our respective novels and took questions from the audience.

Having some laughs with Linwood Barclay and Jim Brown at Calgary’s Wordfest.

Signing books with Linwood Barclay.

Leacockians!!!!

My second session for Wordfest brought together four winners and finalists for the Stephen Leacock Medal for humour—Ali Bryan, Will Ferguson, Amy Jones, et moi. They are all good friends so we spent a very relaxed—not to mention hilarious—hour and a half together on stage alongside American stand-up comic and writer, Dave Hill.

Will Ferguson is a legendary Canadian writer. He’s the only three-time Leacock Medal winner who also won the Giller Prize (for his novel 419). And he’s a great guy to boot, oh yes, and—inside joke alert—“devastatingly handsome.” Ali Bryan and Amy Jones are both brilliant and funny writers whose novels I have loved. Wonderful writers. Wonderful people. Wonderful friends.

And what an evening it was. The sold-out capacity crowd was ready to laugh, and laugh we all did, for the entire 90-minute session. Then we all signed books and—yes—laughed some more.

Just a few minutes before we hit the stage.

On stage and then signing books with Will Ferguson, Ali Bryan and Amy Jones.

Striking the classic Will Ferguson pensive pose.

And Shelagh Rogers, too!

I also caught up with one of my favourite people in the Canadian book world—or any world—newly retired CBC Radio legend, Shelagh Rogers. She is brilliant, thoughtful and lovely in every way on the air and off. I miss her voice, wit, heart, and mind on the radio.

A few minutes with Shelagh Rogers.

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Hanging in on the Bestsellers List

While I’ve been on the road, A New Season has fallen from the #1 spot after a blessed three week run, but remains on at least some bestsellers lists, for which I am eternally grateful. Nothing was going to stop the brilliant Michael Crummey—who was also in Calgary for Wordfest—and his new novel, The Adversary. The Toronto Star justly called it a “masterpiece.” I’m just happy to be on the list—seven weeks and counting.

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Wrapping up…

I flew from Calgary to Victoria this morning for events this weekend and on Monday. Then it’s off to Pender Island for a final book talk in my western swing. Thanks for taking a peek at this.

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