Whenever people say 'We mustn't be sentimental,' you can take it they are
about to do something cruel. And if they add 'We must be realistic,' they
mean they are going to make money out of it. -Brigid Brophy, writer
(1929-1995)
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| Cover of Life or Death, Michael Robotham |
Up at 7:00 am after a pretty sound sleep. I was tired! Busy day today as our first shift starts at 3:00 pm. Planning to take in More or Less Solved: "Author of the Lily Moore crime series, Hilary Davidson presents a standalone crime novel, Blood Always Tells.
“There’s a kind of safety harness in place when you’re writing a
series. Writingthe standalone was like jumping off a cliff by
comparison.” Award-winning writer Michael Robotham’s new crime novel is also a standalone thriller. Life or Death, he says, is “a story that I’ve nurtured and turned over in my mind for more than 20 years.” Ian Hamilton introduced
readers to Ava Lee three years ago, and now she’s starred in six crime
novels. “I have even more affinity for my characters now than when I
started,” he admits. Three seasoned crime writers talk about keeping
characters as old friends, making new acquaintances, and the pleasures
and challenges of each."
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Terry Fallis, Photo Credit:
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Hi Galiano People! Tim's latest is Eyrie, "a compelling story in which, as in many Winton novels, the family is both sustaining and tragic." Must away as I'm hoping to attend More or Less Solved. Talk soon. Cheers, Patrizzio!
While I was waiting to see if I would be able to attend session I chatted with Terry Fallis and enjoyed the few minutes we spent together before we both were given tickets. Lonnie Propas did a wonderful job of both introducing authors and facilitating discussion. One of best panels I had seen, to date. While I had heard Ian at an earlier session, he is such an interesting person that it was a delight to listen to him once again. I'd never even heard of Hilary Davidson before so it was a delight to discover her. She has a long background in travel writing so it was was fascinating to hear her describe how she had always wanted to describe, if not the "underbelly", then the "darker" side of many of the places she had written about, in her other life, in a way that would, in those publications, (guides, magazine articles, etc.), encourage travelers to want to visit.
Her approach certainly resonated with me, having driven to just north of Puerto Vallarta, from Vancouver, in 2011, (against the wishes of friends and family, desperately worried about violence there), as well as knowing about the Banks' friend who had fallen off a trail near Machu Picchu , surviving but breaking most of the major bones in her body.
Michael Robotham was, perhaps, the crime writer "find" of the Festival. When he read he assumed the Southern US accents of his characters and the result was most dramatic, as one can well imagine. Funnily enough, for reasons he explained, although from Australia, none of his works have been set there. At the signing I chatted with him and he and Peter Temple are good friends. Without question, a session at its very best, as they are meant to be!
Back home to have a bite of lunch and then I hurried off to run a few errands that I knew I would be pushed to accomplish on Sunday. First to Go Green, then to MEC, for Nuun tablets and a new thermos, with nifty top, for drinking java, without spiling, on the coming road trip and finally to LCBBC for some Jura in case there isn't any at Duty Free. Fingare had specifically requested this malt so since he and Digitale are the keepers of my "wine stash" I wanted to ensure I could keep them happy!
Back just in time to be able to score a ticket for, Clearly Personal: "No matter if it is fiction or memoir, writing is often a compelling
drive to sort through and come to terms with personal experience. Miriam Toews’ All My Puny Sorrows was “emotionally gruelling”to write, she admits, but she used it as a way to work through her sister’s suicide. Angie Abdou’s own personal story is just under the surface of Between.
Born from her conflicted feelings about hiring a foreign nanny to care
for her children, she raises questions of privilege, class and culture.
And Alison Pick’s memoir Between Gods is an
outright grappling with questions of identity, religion, family and
secrets. How much of your own life do you put in your writing? Are there
boundaries? And what are the costs—and benefits—of writing so close to
the heart?"
Moderated, magnificently, by Shelagh Rogers, (and recorded for The Next Chapter), it was another incredible session. While it was about many things, "depression" featured large, both in the lives and works of everyone on stage. I, too my great embarrassment, did not know either Angie Abdou or Alison Pick. Alison's reading was extremely, extremely moving and I was completely enamoured of Angie, particularly by her incite-full comments and her passionate delivery of same. Aside from everything else going on, it was a pure delight to actually see Shelagh, in the flesh, as I have always been mesmerized by her mellifluous, ever so seductive, honeyed voice. Furthermore, felt more than pleased to hear Miriam again, as I'd missed her the night before.
My shift was to start shortly after the session was over so I walked next door to Studio 1398 to find Cora Lee already taking inventory. Needed to collect ice from Cats Socialhouse so did just that. After putting soda, San Pellegrino, (five flavours), beer, GI IPA and Lager, and wine, (red, Tinhorn Creek Merlot, 14.9%), Pinot Gris, on ice, I strolled home to have a quick shower. Once I'd changed I put together a bit of a bag lunch for the both us as we'd not eaten since lunchtime.
First session was Ad Men: "Move over, Don Draper. Two new (m)ad men are in town, minus the cigarettes and scotch. Terry Fallis,
a PR man himself, is a winner of the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for
Humour. His fourth novel features a middle-aged New York City
copywriter named, unfortunately, Earnest Hemmingway, with an extra “a”
and an extra “m.” But when Hem decides to launch his own writing career,
he turns to a support group of other unfortunates who also share names
with the famous. Arjun Basu’s novel stars a New York
City ad exec who is increasingly dissatisfied with his long list of
marketing coups. On the instructions of a “voice,” he sits on his front
steps to wait, accruing a media circus and mass following in the
process. It’s a contemporary world of ad men gone mad."
It was a delight to hear Terry read after I had met him briefly, earlier in day. Unfortunately, Arjun was unable to do so as he was suffering from the beginning of a migraine so Terry immediately offered to stand in. He did another wonderful job and Arjun announced he would be bringing Terry along, on future book tours, to be his reader! Andreas Schroeder moderated and I have always thoroughly enjoyed his style. The session was lively, informative, and simply rollicking. What a treat to discover two new, new to me, voices. In particular, I was much taken with Arjun's analysis and take on advertising and social media. Terry is extremely articulate and perceptive and his comments on "technical" writing, (speeches, annual reports, news releases, and the like), was most elucidating.
Final session of the night was An Intimate Evening with Thomas King: "Thomas King’s The Inconvenient Indian, a
reflection on the Native experience, was a sensation in 2012. It won the
RBC Taylor Prize for Non-Fiction and the British Columbia National
Award for Canadian Non-Fiction and was shortlisted for the Hilary Weston
Writers’ Trust Prize. Now King returns with his first literary novel in
15 years. The Back of the Turtle is set on an abandoned reserve
after an environmental disaster has killed all the inhabitants.
Gabriel, a Native scientist working for a company called DowSanto,
believes his work may have led to the catastrophe and returns to the
reserve to take his own life. There he is drawn into a mission to save
lives, rather than take his own. Come hear King bring his brilliant
characters to life, with his trademark wit and wordplay."
We had heard King speak at an earlier Festival and we both know some of his work so when Kathryn presented us with two tickets to event, we were almost beside ourselves, especially since session was sold out! If you know him you know Thomas cuts quite an imposing figure. Tall and handsome and genuinely friendly and open, he possesses a delivery that is almost frighteningly intelligent and articulate, without a shred of pomposity. His reading was hypnotic, his characters leaping off the page to join us in the theatre. Session wasn't really moderated as Thomas simply answered question after question, from the rapt audience, once his reading was over. How fortunate I felt to be able to attend this event, to hear his extraordinary, crucial voice.
Back home by 10:30 pm, tired and sleepy but nonetheless still reeling, both emotionally and intellectually, from the absolute wonderment of the past week. Hard to keep my eyes open but I did manage to read a few more chapters, trying to help Sean solve the two murders, and possible third, which have certainly complicated his life, both personal and professional. Quite an ending to a glorious week of new books and new authors while catching up with ones we've known for some time!
Good Morning Island inn, No doubt you are already preparing breakfast for some freeloaders or attending a red carpet event!.
In Talking further to colleen re the Scotch tasting I / we realized this is the long weekend and apparently I am not allowed to tie up said weekend with an event in town on Saturday night as Colleen would like to go to the cabin. With Jake being in school we do not get many long weekend we can take advantage of so it is understandable.
With that being said we welcome you to join us there for a night or two depending on your schedule, let us know and talk to you soon. Cheers, Al
Hi Big Al and She Who Must Be Obeyed! Sorry that it has taken me a bit to send along these snaps but have had a wonderful time at VWF all week so pretty busy,as you can well imagine! . Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Ian and friends!
Sandy told me today that Ken is coming to visit and make dinner. What he didn't mention is that he needs a place to stay that night and then he flys out the next day. He was going to take a cab to a hotel, so I am sure you would/could offer him the spare room for the 1 night. PM
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