Writers Festival pics

Jim Morrow, publisher at the Victoria Standard, has shared two photos he took the night of the Cabot Trail Writers Festival Literary Gala. The top photo is of the Poe Trio (acting as a quartet that night). The second photo shows Douglas Arthur Brown, me, Donna Morrissey and Bill Conall.

An Hour On the John

Our son, John Watt, resident of Dawson City, Yukon, is hosting a radio show at CFYT, called An Hour On the John. You can pick it up at www.cfyt.ca Click on "listen online" and sit back and enjoy! The program will be broadcast on radio and streamed online every Friday from 3 - 4 PM Yukon time, that's 7 PM Cape Breton time, and you can figure out the rest.

Red Dog, Red Dog & Sunny Side Up

I have finished reading Patrick Lane's Red Dog, Red Dog. The stunning language propels even as the violence in the story had me holding my breath, gritting my teeth. There is no good ending -- only one ending and you know it all along -- but it is impossible not to finish. I was compelled by the fine writing to move straight through to the end. I know some of these people, and I wish I didn't. The natural world functions as a character, the most lovely one.

As an antidote, from my blog friend Karen Hemion, listen to sweet Paolo Nutini: Growing Up Beside You, or Candy, or anything at all.
http://www.paolonutini.com/

Writing and French drain clearing and digging

I'm back at my desk and the novel is slowly appearing. When I finish work, I head outside to clear the silted over French drain, victim of the construction. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_drain) When I have the existing drain cleared, I'll begin to dig a trench along the back of the house for a new drain that will connect with the old one. The writer part of me thinks I should be able to manufacture some association to the drain clearer/maker part. Maybe after a glass of wine...

First snow

We awoke in the night to thunder and lightening, and slush falling from the sky. This is what was left of the snow by morning.

Onward!

The first Cabot Trail Writers Festival was a resounding success, and we hope to make it an annual event. Photos are Donna Morrissey's Friday night reading with the Poe Trio. Set aside the Oct. 1st weekend in 2010 and keep an eye on our website for details.