NorthWords highlights

Quite the whirlwind last weekend, with all that was happening with the Northwords Writers Festival.

Highlights?

Writing a new work and reading it at the ghost story open mic . . . Nice compliment from a member of the audience . . . Sharing a mic with Saskatchewan writer Sharon Butala, storyteller James Pokiak of Tuktoyaktuk, local writer Jamie Bastedo . . . Meeting Deborah Webster, children's author, anthropologist and sister of my old friend, Linda . . . Annabel Lyons's fabulous shoes . . . Launch of Annelies Pool's book, iceberg tea . . . Launch of Mindy Willet/James Pokiak/Tessa Macintosh's new book, Proud to be Inuvialuit . . . Ivan Coyote's funny and compassionate stories . . . Bob Barton's children's tales, always told with flair . . . Hearing why Steve Sanderson decided to tackle the topic of suicide in his graphic novels . . . Novelist Cathleen With's gentle handling of characters on the edge . . . The ever-present Richard Van Camp, untiring booster of the northern writing community . . . Judith Drinnan, owner of the Yellowknife Book Cellar, making sure everyone had a chance to buy our books . . . busy . . . fun . . . looking forward to next year.

NorthWords this week

The fine folks who organize the NorthWords Writers Festival have a full line-up, starting this Thursday. Visiting authors include Giller Finalist Annabel Lyon, Novelist and Memoirist Sharon Butala, Storyteller Ivan E. Coyote, Children’s Author and Storyteller Bob Barton, Comic Book Writer/Artist Steve Sanderson and Novelist Cathleen With. Local authors include Richard Van Camp, Jamie Bastedo, Bren Kolson, Annelies Pool, Deborah Webster, Mindy Willett and James Pokiak . . . and me!

On Thursday evening I'll be reading a shiny, brand-new ghost story called "Haunted Hill Mine" at the "Woooooo, scary!" open mike at Javaroma, starting at 8 p.m. Free dessert and coffee, so come on down. If you have a ghost story you'd like to read, bring it along - we'd like to hear it.

Saturday morning I'm moderating a panel during which we will answer that perpetual and perplexing question: why short stories? ("Why the heck not?" is the short answer.) Panelists include Annabel Lyon, Ivan E. Coyote and Cathleen With.

Sunday morning I am on another panel that looks at what's new hot in the world of northern books.

Be sure to check out the full schedule on the NorthWords website. There are workshops with the visiting authors, lunch with the literary ladies, family barbecue and more, more, more!

Suddenly . . . it's summer

Or almost. I was out of town for a couple of weeks in mid-April, and returned home to find the snow melted, the winter gravel swept from the streets, and people riding their bicycles. My bike's all ready to go, so I'll be cycling to work as of tomorrow.

One thing though. Kayaks and canoes are sprouting from the roofs of cars and trucks all over town. I live next to the water, and I can tell you that no one's going boating any time soon. Even my little yellow kayak won't be able to make it through the narrow stretch of water along the thick winter ice. Our boating season is so short that hope springs eternal, I guess.

Just another spring weekend in Yellowknife

Gotta love Yellowknife - there's always so much to do. Yesterday morning I attended a workshop by award-winning poet Randall Maggs. This afternoon Pierre and I climbed to the top of Bush Pilots' Monument . . . watched a dog team return to town . . . saw a bush plane land . . . visited the Snow King's Castle, last day before closing . . . went for a walk around the Old Town. Why live any place else?

Reading at the public library on Thursday

I will be reading at the Yellowknife Public Library this Thursday with visiting poet Randall Maggs, and local writers Jamie Bastedo and Bren Kolson.

Thursday, March 25, 2010
Yellowknife Public Library Meeting Room
7:00 p.m.

In anticipation of spring (spring is on its way, isn't it?) I will be reading an excerpt from my short story "Fireweed."

The event is organized by the NorthWords Writers Festival.

See you there!

Caribou Carnival = cold, cold, cold!

Caribou Carnival weekend is now over, and Yellowknife is back in the deep-freeze.

There's a bizarre phenomenon in this town - it doesn't matter how nice the weather may be in early March (and it was great this year), the temperature always drops for Caribou Carnival. I went out to Frame Lake on Saturday and Sunday to take photos of the start of the Diavik 150 Canadian Championship Dog Derby, and the cold temperatures combined with a sharp little wind meant frosty fingers and toes. Many years ago, I was working a fund-raising bingo in a tent at Caribou Carnival and the dabbers froze - had to warm them up in front of the Herman Nelson heater before play could continue. Had the chills for days after that episode. I swear, if they held Caribou Carnival in June, the temperature would still drop to minus 30.

The carnival seemed a bit subdued this year. The two main attractions were the dog race and the French association's much-loved cabane à sucre (nothing like gooey maple toffee to keep you warm). No Ugly Truck and Dog Contest this year, which was a disappointment for me. Maybe next year.

Here's a photo I took during yesterday's race - one of the dog teams took a detour off the course, right in front of us. Oddly, another dog team did same thing in pretty much the same place a couple of minutes later. Wonder what they were after.

Now a member of The Writers Union of Canada

I am pleased to advise that I have recently been accepted as a member of The Writers Union of Canada. The union is a national organization that represents people who write books. And that's the key to membership - you have to have had a book published by a trade or university press to join. The publication of my short story collection The Ugly Truck and Dog Contest and Other Tales of Northern Life by Borealis Press means that I am now eligible. The union offers a variety of support services and information to its members. Needless to say, I'm happy to be accepted into an organization that will help me develop as a writer.

You can access my TWUC member page here.