HNT - Author Drop-Ins

Last week's HNT post, I talked about side-effect of getting to work with so many fantastic people who work in the book industry.

One of the other great side-effects of being a bookseller are author drop-ins.

Terry Fallis, McMaster graduate, was on campus yesterday evening to meet with the McMaster Alumni book club, who are currently reading his latest novel The High Road.

Terry popped in to say hi, and I, of course, took the chance to get him to sign copies of his books we had in stock, then slap the lovely CBA "Autographed Copy" book stickers onto the front of the book.

Then, after a 30 minute debate, a heated chess match that ended in stalemate and a furious arm-wrestling match, which I just barely won (but only because I had a fellow staff member distract Terry by grabbing his satchel and running away with it) I was able to convince Terry to pose with me for a picture. 

Naw, I'm only pulling your leg. Terry agreed to pose with me immediately after the 30 minute debate, likely because I finally broke down and cried when he said he'd sooner pose for a photograph with a pound of rotting meat. But whenever I pick up one of Terry's books , I'm inspired by the satire and wit of his writing, and often conjure up my own pale attempts to write something approaching humour.


But ah yes, author drop-ins are yet another fringe benefit to being a bookseller. Gotta love it.

A Sport For Book Nerds

Yesterday morning, CBC's Fresh Air featured an in studio chat that Jen Knoch and I (as "book boosters") had with host Mary Ito about Canada Reads.  You can listen to the discussion online by clicking here.

I couldn't help but describe the reason why I have been enjoying the annual contest in which each of the final books on the list are defended by a selection of celebrity panelists and eliminated one by one, leaving a single book and author standing as that year's champion as a "sport for book nerds" -- because that's kind of what it is for me.

With the exception of following the Olympics and perhaps the Stanley Cup playoffs, I'm not really into sports. But I do love a good contest. Similarly, I'm never really been into any of the "Survivor" type "reality" shows on TV in which people are eliminated or voted off on a weekly basis. Dancing with the Has-beens or whatever that show is called doesn't give me any sort of pleasure, nor does watching a house-full of the worst room-mates you're ever likely to encounter. With the exception of the first couple of seasons of The Apprentice (because I enjoyed something about the cut-throat business challenges the teams faced, but after a few rounds, I grew tired of that too), all of those shows have done nothing for me - they simply fail to provide me with enough stimulation and intelligent content.

But I can certainly get into a hearty discussion/debate and friendly competition about what book every Canadian should read.

I mean, as a bookseller, it's a challenge I face every day.

No, not just the challenge of what books to suggest or hand-sell to customers, but rather, which books that are suggested to me that I'll actually end up reading. Not a day goes by that I don't have at least one book recommended to me - so assume that's about 250 days and 250 books per year that are suggested to me (which might be a bit light since I'm sure that through other things, such as reviews, articles, blogs, podcasts, etc, that list of suggested readings easily triples. I'm not a fast reader, so I'm suddenly faced with hundreds more books than I can possibly read in a year that are recommended to me. I need as many options as possible to help me discern among those suggestions.

Canada Reads is that type of tool for me. It's entertainment and sport, but it's also helping create a short-list of books I should read. (And yes, though I'm into it, I still have a wonderful backlist of books to read from the previous year's contests -- just because I put a book on my "to read" list doesn't mean I've already gotten to them all --it often takes me years to get to a book on my own personal short-list. But what a great thing to look forward to)

As I mentioned in the interview, this year's Top 40 list (click here for one of my previous blog posts which includes them all) is certainly a fantastic option for anyone looking to check out the best in contemporary Canadian literature. Picking any one of them provides a wonderfully diverse range of "CanLit" which is not the "CanLit" that was likely forced upon you in school.  (For an incredibly wonderful, in depth and refreshing perspective on CanLit, check out my friend Steph's recent blog post called The Stigma of CanLit and How We Can Change our Outlook on her blog Bella's Bookshelves.)

For the record, this year's Top 5 contenders for Canada Reads are:


Essex County by Jeff Lemire
The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis
The Birth House by Ami McKay
The Bone Cage by Angie Abdou
Unless by Carol Shields

And the great thing about it is that,even among these 5 titles, you get a pretty decent range of styles of writing and subject matter.  As I said, there's virtually something for everyone here.

So if you haven't pick up a book, or specifically, haven't checked out what contemporary Canadian authors have to offer, start checking out the debates and see if that moves you to pick up one or more of these books.

What's the worst thing that can happen? You might even discover that you like reading and that it's nothing like that forced, repetitious and over-killed approach where a classic Canadian novel was crammed down your throat when you were too young to fully appreciate it.

HNT - Colleague Snapshot

I've long been blessed with getting to work with some great people over the years.

Recently, I was scrolling through some old photos and found this one -- a picture taken some time within the last few weeks I had been working in the IT department at Indigo's head office.  Circa mid summer of 2006.

It's a picture of me at my workstation at 82 Peter Street with Larry, one of the IT managers I'd worked on several projects with.  Larry was not my direct supervisor, but I still reported to him on several projects and tasks and learned a lot from him in the short time (less than a year and a half) we had worked together.

Seeing the picture reminded me of all of the amazing people I've been fortunate enough to work with and whom I continue to work with over the years. Folks like Larry. And folks like Samson (who took this picture). I haven't seen either of them in several years, but working with them was valuable and something to remember fondly.

Cereal Dregs

Dregs, the residue or last remains of an item, are often looked down upon or overlooked altogether. They're often considered worthless residue, something to be disposed of.

But how many times can you not just make the most of the dregs you're dealt, but instead, look forward to them and appreciate them as something unique and actually substantial?

Take Mini-Wheats, for example, which is a cereal from Kellogg's made of shredded wheat and covered in flavoured frosting. Once you finish all the little nuggets in the box and all you're left with are half an inch of dregs at the bottom, you think the cereal is done and ready to be tossed out.

That's one way of looking at it.

I actually prefer the dregs, the little broken bits of wheat mixed with the dregs of the frosting. Mixed with milk it makes for a wonderful breakfast cereal. I appreciate the texture, the taste, the experience.

Yes, it's a small thing, but it's an unexpected area I derive pleasure from.

I sometimes look forward to eating the dregs of Mini-Wheats more than eating the actual cereal itself.

Interesting, isn't it, how our approach to something considered negative can be flipped if you take a different perspective?  Or that one person's dregs might be another person's preference.

Just sayin.'

That Little Faggot's Got His Own Jet Airplane

I was disappointed to see the news that "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits was being banned for airplay in Canada because of a complaint about the offensive use of the word "faggot."

Really? It's offensive?

After a quarter century of being a staple of rock and roll, this song is considered offensive?

Get over yourselves, people.

For the record, I despise homophobia.

But this song isn't about homophobia and it's not an anti-gay song. It's a song written from the point of view of a labourer who is looking at a rock star, mocking him and being jealous of all that he has gained.

It's the perspective of the average one of us looking at celebrities and their lives and seeing that the "grass is greener" -- after all, actors, musicians, they don't work hard like us, do they? Naw, they get their money for nothing, and the rest of us work hard.

It's a simple as that. An interesting song with catchy lyrics and a fantastic guitar riff.

Okay, so according to the complain and the order, the use of "faggot" is offensive. Because fictional characters aren't allowed to voice their opinion, whether or not it is politically correct.  This isn't Mark Knopfler saying he has anything against gays -- if anything, he's mocking himself as a rock star.

But the use of "faggot" is offensive. So it needs to be banned.

So while we're at it, shouldn't we also ban the chorus itself? 

After all, you "get your money for nothing and your chicks for free" - that subjugates women, doesn't it? Shouldn't we be offended at that?  What about the fact that the singer makes fun of a primate by describing the drummer as "banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee?" Shouldn't animal rights groups take offense?

While we're at it, doesn't this song make labourers look like close-minded idiots? Shouldn't labour groups take offense to the song because it makes them all look like close-minded homophobes?

Shouldn't we just seek to ban the entire song altogether? Yes, we'll all be much better off with the song banned and forgotten all about as an important part of the 1980's cultural history. Let's let the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx decide all the artistic content that is safe for us to consume.

Yeesh!

I just logged on to iTunes and bought the song. That's my reaction to show my support of the song and the artists.

I.......waaaaant.........myyyyyy.......M....T.......V.......

HNT - Grade 13 Lounge

A friend I hadn't seen in many years contacted me recently after discovering my blog.

Apparently, I have the same zany sense of humour I had back in high school. (That's a relief to hear because I thought I was becoming a grumpy old man).

For kicks, she emailed a couple of pictures she had taken of me. They were both taken in our "Grade 13 Lounge" -- yes, we were the last official "Grade 13" class in Ontario. This was back in 1988. What used to be known as Grade 13 morphed into "OAC" the following year -- that, too is now gone, and instead of folks in high school getting the chance at that fifth year to try to figure out all their post-secondary options, they're forced to make that decision before the end of 4 years.

I valued Grade 13 not for the additional year of learning, but for the chance to sort a few things out and attempt to become better prepared for post-secondary life. At the age of 17/18 we really needed that extra year to try to find out what we wanted to do next.

But back to the "Grade 13 Lounge" at Levack District High School. This was a small room (perhaps 15 feet X 15 feet) located in a corner of the cafeteria. The room was usually filled with borrowed/thrown out furniture nobody in their right minds would normally sit in and gave the grade 13's their own special little "hang-out" separate from the rest of the school.  It was like a little oasis or place to escape -- I remember that from Grade 9 through 12 the "Grade 13 Lounge" was a seemingly magical place that one day we would get to enter. There was something special about being allowed in to it once you got to that grade. (Perhaps like the key to the executive bathroom)

Between classes it was the easy place to find almost anyone in Grade 13. We'd spend time there just hanging out, chatting, joking around, worrying about the future, gossiping, hiding from the rest of the school, sleeping and sometimes even studying.

In any case, here are a couple of shots of me taken in the Grade 13 Lounge back in 1987/88.

In this first one you can clearly see Steve, me, Lisa and Penny.

I seem to have my eyes closed in that shot, although I suspect, based on the hardcover and sheet of paper on my lap and the pen in my hand, that I was composing something -- maybe working on a homework assignment, or perhaps more likely writing a story about a middle aged man who was reflecting back on his high school years.

The second shot shows me wearing a lovely brown bathrobe and pajamas as I was entering the lounge. Lisa is also in this shot, as is a Top Gun movie poster and Pizza Pizza box.

No, we didn't take our "sleep time" in the Grade 13 Lounge that seriously. This photo must have been taken during one of our high school's theme dress-up days. If I'm guessing correctly, I'd say it was "pajama day" -- and I'm only guessing that because our "Dress Like Your Favourite Father of Conferation Day" didn't get all that many participants.

Interesting that I have my eyes closed for that shot, too.

Is this a reflection of reality, how, at that age, my eyes were closed to much of what was going on in the world around me, so consumed by my personal identity, by the things pertaining to me personally, that I just couldn't see? Could this be a reflection that, like Hamlet, I was just not seeing the "things beyond heaven and earth" that my pal Horatio was trying to inform me about?

Or was it merely that I had really bad timing and blinked at the same moment the photo was being snapped?

In any case, there's a small insight into that special place we called the "Grade 13 Lounge" and back to a time when I had a full head of hair and seemed to walk around with my eyes closed.

Carpe Glacies

There's a tendency for us to panic when things such as "snow days" get in the way of our scheduled daily tasks and duties. For example, with a potential "snow day" looming, we can panic and worry about all the appointments we had planned for, all the plans we had set.

A "snow day" can throw is into a tizzy worrying about it setting us a back a full day of productivity.

Alternatively, we can "Carpe Glacies!" -- I'm far from an expert in Latin, but if Carpe diem, which popularly translates to "seize the day" and suggests we make the most of each moment, I'll toss out my Canadian version of that for the winter months in which we might "Carpe glacies" or "make the best of a snow day."

Yes, we can fret and fuss and worry about all the things we won't be able to do during a snow day -- or, we can embrace it for what it is, take advantage of the chance to be snowed-in with family and friends -- enjoy an unexpected "mental health" break from the daily grind from the stress we inflict on ourselves and simply pause to enjoy the simpler things in life - like the fact that we live in a part of the world in which this beautiful white stuff falls from the sky during the winter months and allows us an opportunity to romp around and play in the moment just like we used to when we were kids.

In other words, we can chose to "carpe glacies."

Random Acts Of Books

It's been a while since I've paid more than casual attention to Bookcrossing, one of the first book social networking sites that I can remember.

Touted as "the world's library" the premise for bookcrossing is simple: Label, Share, Follow.

You label a book with a unique indentifier and sticker, leave it "in the wild" for someone else to find, and watch it's journey/travels as it moves around.  Bookcrossing was launched in 2001 and is a lot of fun for a book nerd. According to the bookcrossing website, as of today, there are currently 904,699 BookCrossers and 6,753,877 books travelling throughout 132 countries.

I haven't participated in it much in the past couple of years, but still get weekly reports of books that have been released in the Hamilton area. Yes, you can sign up to receive auto alerts -- though I haven't had the pleasure of following an alert to a book.

Here's an example of an alert you might see (this one's from several months ago)

The following 1 book(s) were released in the last 24 hours:

Town House by Tish Cohen
• Starbucks on Locke Street, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada at 8/13/2010 11:22 AM

I have a few books on my shelves that I'd love to release and see where they end up. We'll see if I have time to get them released, and where - most of my previously "in the wild" releases never resurfaced. Sure, they might have been found and read by people, which is cool, but I never had the pleasure of knowing where they got picked up and who got them.

Of note, Bookcrossing is one of the few social networking sites where I haven't used my own name nor the same profile pic that I use virtually everywhere else.

On Bookcrossing, my profile name is ParnasusHome - I had recently read a class book called The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley. The title attracted me, but there is no supernatural element in the book - rather, the title refers to the "ghosts of all great literature" that haunt libraries and bookstores. It was a fun book, and referred to Parnassus on Wheels (of which The Haunted Bookshop is a prequel to).

How interesting that, since these books by Morley are in the public domain, I can now easily print versions of them on the Espresso Book Machine at Titles Bookstore McMaster University - whereas the first time I encountered The Haunted Bookshop was by chance on a sale table at the back of a bookstore in Toronto - the version I'd picked up was a 2004 hardcover reprint of the classic.

Hmm, that gives me an idea. Perhaps I should print a special McMaster Innovation Press version of The Haunted Bookshop, label it and release it and see where it ends up. Ah, so many fun ideas, so little time.

Seen Reading Something

Julie Wilson has brought back regular updates to the popular "Seen Reading" website.

This is where Julie or one of her tribe sees a person reading, makes a note of the book as well as what page of the book the person is on, then heads to a local bookstore to make a note of the text and reports it all on her Seen Reading website.

 

Image clipped from Seen Reading website via Dear Toronto #33 (video)

It's all about celebrating reading and all the glorious elements that are part of it.

I think it is a brilliant way to get people excited about books and reading.  In Julie's words:  "Readers are cool. Authors work hard. Publishers take chances. And you all deserve to be seen!"

What I'm really curious about (and perhaps a tiny bit worried about), is, with the advent of eReaders now more popular than ever, will it be harder for "Seen Reading" sightings? I mean, it's one thing if I'm sitting on the GO train and reading a paperback or hardcover that the person across from me can easily see. It's quite another if I'm reading it on my ereader device (in my case, my iPhone)

For one, the person can't easily tell what book I'm reading.  For that matter they might think I'm just checking email or perhaps watching a movie or one of several other dozen activities that can have a person staring transfixed at their mobile device.

To me, the "Seen Reading" part of book culture is fascinating. Given that I usually have more than one book on the go, I've occasionally made a conscious choice as to which book to take with me when I know I'll be reading it in public.

C'mon, admit it yourself. You sometimes decide that it's acceptable for people to see you reading BOOK X because it'll make you look smart or savy -- but you wouldn't want people to see you reading BOOK Y because it's either one of those "guilty pleasures" or might reflect badly on you. (IE, perhaps reading a book called "How To Get Rid of Your Herpes" on the subway as embarassing whereas "Remembrance of Things Past" by Marcel Proust might elevate someone's opinion of you)

From my own experience, when I was reading The Need To Kill: Inside the World of the Serial Killer by Steven A. Egger a few years ago (which is a fascinating look at serial killers and psychopathy, useful fruit for someone who writes horror fiction and needs to get into the head of some really sick people in order to create believable characters) I often wondered what people might think about me.  Interesting, isn't it, that I feel the need to explain why I was reading such a book -- that it was for research and not because I'm a sicko who gets off reading about murder. Imagine how many people sitting across from me quietly slipped away once another seat became available when they saw the title "The Need to Kill."

In any case, I'm curious to see how the anonymity of eReaders might affect the way people are "Seen Reading" -- will dedicated eReader devices allow users to add customizable "skins" that show their default prefered reading tastes (perhaps similar to iPhone and iPad skins)? Will there be an "out-facing" logo on the back of future dedicated eReading devices showing the front cover of the book a person is currently reading?

Or will we simply lose a small part of that wonderful experience us book-nerds have of taking that second look at the person across the aisle from us on the subway just to check out what book they're reading?

HNT - Three Amigos

Between Christmas and New Years I had a brief chance to hang out and have a few beers with two of my oldest buddies, Pete and Steve (Er, not that they're old, although we're all getting a little long in the tooth - but that I've been friends with them for most of my life)

In the middle of the shits and giggles, I tried to snap a picture of the three of us. I took a half dozen shots, most of which were either too blurry, had my finger in front of the lens or showed just me and neither one of them.

Here's the best one. (Sad, isn't it, that THIS is the best one of the lot)

And here's the best out-take - Steve laughing at my lack of photography skills, and a pretty decent shot of one of my fingers. There's no fooling around with just the corner of my thumb - if I'm going to ruin the shot, that misplaced digit is taking centre stage.

The thing I love best about getting together with Pete and Steve is the fact that we can be downright silly and laugh uncontrollably like a bunch of kids at the stupidest jokes and all the simple things like flatulence that send children into non-stop giggle fits.

It's good to be able to just let go like that, let the laughter take over, and carpe diem, just like we used to when we were kids.

A Beacon In The Mess

January brings the return of the "Rush" season at a campus bookstore - skids piled up with boxes and textbooks, huge groups of students beginning a new term and  looking for their required course materials.

As a campus bookseller, it means long days of doing our best to help students find the things they need, then ducking and covering as they see the retail price of the over-priced textbooks that we have no control over. (Except, perhaps, to bring in used books, which cause the publishers to shake their fists at us and then jack up the prices on their books to compensate for lost sales -- it's an endlessly frustrating cycel where nobody seems to win)

To top it off, I'm fighting off a nasty cold and cough that just won't go away. And there's no way I'm taking a sick day on these 12 hour plus days that are critical to a campus bookseller.

But there's the occasional glimmer of hope in these days, such as a student who is happy with the customer service they received, pleased that we took the time to explain things to them and helped them make an informed purchasing decision that saved them money or saved them time.

Or the customer who waded through the crowds the other day to browse through the general books fiction section to get a book to read for the sheer pleasure of it.

We somehow managed to connect for a a quick minute of talk, in which she pointed out a book she'd read and enjoyed.  A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cosse.

The book concerns the founding of a unique Paris bookstore called "The Good Novel" that will stock only masterpieces in fiction, selected by a secret committee of writers. The opening of the store is met with fantastic sales. Then it goes awry when attacks start to happen (people upset with the elitist attitude of the store) both in the blogosphere and in the real world and the novel evolves into a sort of mystery.

It looks like an interesting read, just the thing for a book-loving nerd like me.

So, amidst the chaos and frustration, a neat book recommendation rises up, offering me a beacon of light.

Got to love those little things that take just a matter of a few extended seconds, but add great value to your day.

Writing Resolutions

I tend to not make conventional resolutions each year (other than always attempt to re-focus basic efforts towards eating better, losing weight and reading more), but for the past few years I have set up some basic writing goals.

Before 2010 hit, I set up a few goals.  Here is what I resolved, writing-wise for 2010:

1. Finish the first draft of my novel A CANADIAN WEREWOLF IN NEW YORK
2. Continue to keep 3 to 5 stories into circulation at various short-fiction markets
3. Try my hand at writing a non-fiction article on the topic of fatherhood and sending that to a "parenting" market

Here's how I did:

1. I completed the first draft of A CANADIAN WEREWOLF IN NEW YORK, and have since put it aside to age a little before I take a stab at doing a second draft version of it.
2. A quick check of my writing submission journal reveals that I kept no less than 3 stories in circulation at all times this year. That seems to have worked because I did sell a few stories. (And you can't sell them if you don't submit them)
3. I did NOT write a non-fiction article on the topic of fatherhood nor did I send that to a parenting market.  (I did, however, write and publish 11 other non-fiction pieces, mostly publishing-related articles) and I did pitch a "customer experience" article to a food services retail magazine (they didn't take it, but the article was a nice stretch for me)

In terms of other things achieved outside of this list, in 2010 I sold 3 short stories and my novel I, DEATH, which is slated to be published in November 2012.

As always, I got sidetracked incredibly from my writing this past year. For the past 6 months especially, I've been bringing a lot of work home with me (shall I call it homework?) that I've been doing in the late evening and early morning, and that has stolen much of my writng time from me.  Also, being heavily involved as a board member of Canadian Booksellers Association takes a fair portion of my free time as well.

However, those need to be recognized for what they are: excuses!

It might be nice to have excuses so as not to be held accountable for commitments. But let's be honest, excuses are only useful if the goals themselves aren't important to you. If you're serious about achieving something, you need to achieve them DESPITE good excuses.

A mantra for writers (or perhaps even a resolution for those who want to complete writing projects) might be:  ACCEPT NO EXCUSES! or I WILL ACCEPT NO EXCUSES FOR NOT WRITING!

We all willingly give up precious minutes every day to a ton of mundane tasks - I'm sure that even in the busiest days, the average person can find a simple 15 minutes to devote to an important task. 15 minutes a day focusing on writing might be all it takes to get a few things done. (That's not to say ONLY 15 minutes, because there are days when I spend hours -- but 15 minutes a day is a good start)

So with that in mind, here are 3 goals I'm setting for myself in 2011:

1. Sell a non-fiction article outside of books/publishing (I'm not going to lock myself down with a "parenting" article, because along with my "food services/customer service" article, I've been kicking around a "men's health" style article (from a complete novices' POV of course). This year I'll take the shotgun approach, scatter a few and see what sticks.
2. Complete the re-write for I, DEATH (since that version of the manuscript is due at the publisher by the end of the summer to begin the official publication schedule)
3. Get my novel MORNING SON back in circulation with publishers
4. Work on the second draft of my novel A CANADIAN WEREWOLF IN NEW YORK
5. Keep between 3 and 5 stories in circulation at all times.

Yes, I upped the ante this year - from 3 goals to 5.

Why?

Because in the background, I'm also working on a non-fiction book idea that Francine suggested I work on. And if I want to get that done, I need to be extremely focused in my approach and not allow myself to slack off.  Writing begets writing.  I've found in the past that the more I write, the easier it is to write even more. There's something about being in the "swing of things" or neck-deep in the flow of writing that simply generates more.

So there - the year is young and I'm filled with a commitment to get these goals done.

Have YOU set any writing/creative goals for yourself for 2011?

Best Reads of 2010

Since it's the last day of 2010, I thought I'd share my favourite reads of the year.

First, I should mention that this list is my favourite reads from the past year, and not a "best books that were published in 2010" - given that I'm really far behind in my reading, constantly playing catch-up, and continually going back to read classics I have missed, I doubt I'd be able to stick to just newly published books.

Here's an interesting stat. Of the books I read in 2010, 9% of the books I read were ebooks (the most noteable one being Stephen King's Under The Dome, which at 1000 pages, I read on the Kobobooks.com app on my iPhone, and which took me ten months to complete, reading mostly in 5 to 10 minute pockets of time), 25% of the books I actually listened to unabridged audio versions of, and 66% of the books were physical books that I read.

It seems that I have had less and less time to actually sit down and read (either physical books or ebooks), but that more and more of my reading is taking place during other times. I did a lot of running this past year, which was perfect for offering me more time to listen to audio books. Otherwise, the only time I tend to have to listen to books (and podcasts) would be when I'm commuting to work, which is typically less than half an hour a day.

So, in no particular order, here are my 10 favourite reads from 2010.

Room by Emma Donoghue
An amazing story told through the point of view of a 5 year old boy who is raised as a captive in an 11 foot square shed with his mother. This book was a beautifully scripted narrative in that the narrator himself isn't aware of the things going on, and yet the reader knows precisely what's happening.  Brilliantly done, a wonderful juxtaposition of innocence and evil.

Annabel - Kathleen Winter
This is a beautiful story about a child born with both sexes - the parents decide to give the child an operation and raise it as a boy named Wayne. But inside, the female, Annabel, still exists. It's a fantastic look at the conflict involved in identity

The High Road - Terry Fallis
Wonderful and hilarious, this great story continues from THE BEST LAID PLANS pretty much the next day after the end of the first novel. I loved the fact that you learn more about Angus and his relationship with his deceased wife.  It's a great follow-up novel that made me want to go back and read the first one again. Like in the first novel, there are gut-splitting scenes alongside deeply touching moments. Fallis deftly moves between the two quite effectively.

The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
This book was an incredible read, and not at all what I expected.  I'd thought that the content of the book was going to be Pausch's last lecture itself, but instead, it used the lecture as a central point to discuss his life, his illness, and the manner by which he completely accepted his fate and continued to want to inspire, encourage and teach.  This is an inspiring, engaging, life-changing sort of book.

The Passage - Justin Cronin
This post-apocalyptic story of survivors in a world over-run by vampires (known as virals) - yes, scary vampires, not the pleasant dignified and classy ones who hang out among mortals which are so popular in vampire literature lately - is an epic adventure of almost 800 pages.

Never Look Away - Linwood Barclay
Another phenomenal thriller from Barclay - this one begins with a missing child at a local theme park, but explodes into something that is far more interesting and unexpected. Here's one way I can describe how "unputdownable it is": I picked it up after someone stole THE PASSAGE from me and I had only about 60 pages left -- I started reading NEVER LOOK AWAY but, even after I bought THE PASSAGE again, I had to keep reading this one.  When I finally could put it down (because I had finished it), I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Ouroboros - Michael Kelly & Carol Weeks
A wonderfully haunting and beautiful love story of two close couples and what happens when one of them loses a spouse. This is one of those books that is so beautifully written that you don't want it to end. Weekes and Kelly are masterful at playing with the reader's emotions, both the sense of loss and the atmosphere of horror. As a reader, you can't help but be drawn deeply in to experience both and to be left haunted by the time you put the book down.

Drive - Daniel Pink
A look at what really motivates people, based upon statistics and facts that have been known for years, but which we tend to contiually overlook. People are NOT motivated by a higher salary, they're not motivated by a potential cash bonus -- people are ultimately motivated by interesting work and by being able to embrace autonomy, mastery and purpose. Pink brings it home repeatedly through the book in a captivating and interesting way.  This is a phenomenal book -- definitely a MUST READ for managers.

Watch - Robert J. Sawyer
The incredible continuation of the WWW trilogy, even better than WAKE. Sawyer manages to create an character unlike any I have read before -- the WWW itself actually becoming conscious, and showing how, nurtured in the proper way, by Caitlin, the blind girl whose eyes it first sees the world through, it isn't a scary thing at all, but something to marvel at, something to continue to nurture and protect. A secret government agency doesn't see it that way, and is determined to "shut it down" before it can harm humanity.  The novel,  beautifully questions who the real "monster" is and is another brilliant story by Sawyer that entertains and makes you think.

Linchpin - Seth Godin
A phenomenal book, inspiring, worth reading again - worth giving to people. Godin talks about work as being an art, and about the importance of work that you can put your heart and soul into -- thus resulting in becoming the Linchpins he keeps refering to (those whose work and efforts are indispensable). The world has become too competitive for a person to just plod through their days, and to continue to listen to the "lizard brain" (the part of the mind that is the main source of resistance in a person - the part that allows them to not give 150%, to just give up)

HNT - Favourite HNT From 2010

This week the HNT theme is your favourite post from the year.  I spent a bit of time looking back at the HNT posts for 2010, and, while I can say that I certainly enjoy the weekly ritual and all of the personal things I reveal during HNT each week, it's tough to pick a favourite.

So, instead of highlighting a single one, I'll highlight the three F's of 2010 that I quite enjoyed.


HNT - Frightenstein (Originally posted Feb 18, 2010)

This is a post which reveals quite a bit about me - the fact that I'm a big chicken and that's part of what draws me to write scary stories.  The picture my Dad took of me being choked by Frankenstein's monster in Niagara Falls is among my favourites and it also represents one of my favourite memories of family vacation from my childhood.


HNT - Flashblackout (Originally posted June 10, 2010)

I quite like this self-protrait of me pretending to blackout while reading the novel Flashforward by Robert J. Sawyer as part of celebrating the world-wide effort by fans of the TV series based on the novel to get ABC to change their decision of cancelling the show. Though I'm an amateur photographer and lack the basic photography skills, there's something I really like about the simple setup and framing of this shot, especially since I took it myself without any assistance nor a timer.


HNT - Father And Son BBQ (Originally posted October 14, 2010)

This post was a look at the simple joys of a father and son BBQing, and I compared my own experience of BBQing with my Dad to the joys of BBQing with my son.


So there are three of my favourite HNT posts of 2010.

Snowmen All Year

I recently bought a fun book for my son by Caralyn and Mark Beuhner. It's the third in their "snowmen" series, that started with Snowmen at Night, (click link to read my blog post about it back in 2006) a fantastical look at what snowmen actually do at night while everybody is sleeping, which explains why they look all droopy and disheveled.

It's a fantastic book and still one of my favourite kids books, which Alexander and I enjoy re-reading regularly.

Their second book was Snowmen at Christmas, a look at how Snowmen celebrate Christmas.  It follows the same theme, exploring what happens in the Snowman's secret world and all the celebrations they engage in once the rest of the world is asleep.

The latest book in that series is called Snowmen All Year and is a fun return to the snowmen theme, but this time with a different approach.



This time, while the art is as beautiful as in the first two books, the premise isn't a look into the secret snowmen world at night; instead, it wonders what it would be like if your snowman could be with you the entire year.

It's a beautiful book, again told in rhyming verse -- I initially bought it for Alexander to give it to him as a Christmas gift. But I couldn't resist giving it to him early, and it has been a story that we've enjoyed reading, and talking about, plenty of times.

All three books also contain images hidden within and blended into the scenery. Little snowmen, Santa, a cat, a dinosaur, a rabbit.  So, after reading them, there's still a lot of fun to be had trying to find the images. (Alexander makes it a point to find EVERY hidden picture every time we read the book)

Two of my more popular (ie, I've received the most reader emails and comments about) horror short stories involve snowmen. Though different takes and approaches on the same premise (the concept of the relative shortness of the season and the inevitable melting), both stories were well received and I'd always wondered if I would ever return to write another snowman story. After all, I'm from Northern Ontario - snow is practically in my blood.

My story "That Old Silk Hat They Found" is a story told from a snowman's point of view upon first waking up. It's a dark humour look at what it might more realistically be like for "Frosty" to come alive.  You can listen to the entire story for free by clicking this link.

"Ides of March" is another snowman story, this one told by a man who witnesses two snowmen in a stolen truck rushing around to rescue their kin and drive north to escape the approach of spring.  You can read the opening of the story by clicking here.  Very soon I'll be recording a reading of it and pushing that out into the world.

Of course, the concept of a snowman surviving beyond spring -- well that just opens up entire new possibilities for this writer. Hmmmmmm.....

HNT - 3 Wishes 2010

I've been posting HNT, or Half-Nekkid Thursday, pictures for almost as long as I've been blogging. For those who don't know what HNT means, it's a weekly post which is meant to be a celebration of exposure. The basic rules are simple. You expose yourself, through a photo of which you should be the subject.

Interpretations of "nekkid" are varied when you look at HNT participants around the globe. In many cases, the "nekkid" refers to "naked" and translates into sexy and risque photos. I've dabbed into that occasionally over the years on Thursdays. Others simply chose a fitting photograph of themselves taken for the occasion - their new hair style, new nail polish, a picture of them in a unique setting, etc. And others often "exposure" something about their inner selves.  In that way, it's a wonderfully open creative pursuit, allowing interpretations far and wide. And it all started with a single blogger known as Osbasso, a musician from Montana.

HNT has introduced me to some pretty awesome people from all over the world, and even some folks I now know in my own city. It has been a way for social media to bring people together through a common fun theme. Because part of the ritual of HNT had been to go visit other HNTer's sites and leave comments.  When I first started I would often browse sites for hours, trying to visit as many people as I could and leave a comment. Over the years I'll admit to not doing that so much -- there's only so much time in the day, and sometimes those 4 to 5 hours of precious sleep are more important to this middle-aged guy.

Osbasso, the central blogger in HNT, delights in watching HNTers around the world interpret the Thursday ritual their own way. But on certain occasions, he suggests themes. The annual Three Wishes HNT post has been a way Osbasso has helped encourage HNT participants to get to know each other.  The suggestion is to find 3 HNTers that you don't know, read their blog, learn a bit about them and suggest a gift you'd give to them, if you had the actual means to do so.  It has been a great community building excise, and something I've done for several years now:  2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.

Looking back, I've broken the rules pretty much every year. Let this year be no exception.

This year, my three wishes are for readers of this blog.  May you, dear reader, have these three things in 2011 if you don't already have them. These are three things that I have and which I cherish from the bottom of my heart. If I could pass these three things on to everyone, I would, because these three things are critically important to me, and something I would share with the whole world if it was within my means.


Someone Who Loves You
May you be blessed with someone who loves you, truly, simply and without any doubt. I am fortunate to be loved and to feel loved each and every day. Obviously by my beautiful wife and son, but it goes beyond that, because I'm not just talking about the deep and committed love of relationships that close, but a more general love, a feeling of camaraderie and friendship -- a "love thy neighbour" sort of love. Our pets are often the purest example of this type of unabashed and unalterting and committed love. When you return home, the simple lick, nudge, chirp or whatever your pet offers by way of greeting you is a typical sign of that love.

Not a day goes by that I don't try to pause and reflect on what it means to be loved and feel loved, by my dearest family and friends, but also by the multitude of colleagues I interact with on a daily, weekly, monthly and sometimes less often basis. But knowing that love, that collegial respect is there, helps lift my days.  So may YOU have that, and if you don't, may you find that in the coming year so you can embrace it.

Someone To Love
This year for Christmas, my son is learning first-hand that the giving, the loving, the caring, can be more fun, exciting, and fulfilling than the receiving. Having someone to love is, in itself, rewarding. And, again, I am blessed to be able to love and embrace my wife and son and dear family members, attempting to not let a day pass without ensuring they know that love, a love which doesn't just fill my heart, but regularly overflows in it's endless supply, exists.

And there's the beauty of giving love. You never run out. And again, I'm not talking about a passionate and soap opera type romance, here (although I'm not poo-pooing that). I'm just saying it's not the "be all and end all" when it comes to someone to love. In a similar way as mentioned above, there are likely people you encounter daily, weekly, etc. May you find ways, even if they are simple, subtle ones, to let them know you appreciate and love them. No, the mailman whom you recognize and have seen regularly for years, but whose name you might not know isn't going to react too well if you stop and tell him how much you love him (especially when he brings fun things that aren't bills), but perhaps you'll find ways to let that love, that appreciation be known.

John Lennon evoked the simple concept of that type of love in his song "Imagine" -- though he doesn't so much as use the word love. But what he's talking about is simple. The world is made a better place the more that each of us is able to pause and demonstrate that "brotherhood of man" -- gender terms aside (because we all know what he really meant), the concept is simple -- we're all on this planet together. Every single small thing you can do in your day to day life can be a demonstration of love and respect. Those little things can make the world a better place -- may you find simple and easy ways to embrace that whenever and wherever you can.

A Vocation To Love
I was going to say "job" here, but it goes well beyond that. Yes, I am blessed to have a job that I love; but I'm also blessed to write, a pastime I do in my "non-working" hours which I sometimes earn income for, but which is more of a "calling" for me.  Some folks aren't as blessed as me to have jobs they love, and suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune by toiling in a job they despise.

So for those who are unable to break free of that, may they at least find a hobby, a calling, a volunteer effort, a thing to do in their spare time that they are truly passionate about, because that activity is likely to be what helps fulfill them in as powerful a way as loving and being loved.

And, of course, there are those who either aren't in the working world for whatever reason. Retired, in school, stay at home Moms, Dads, spouses, folks who are independently wealthy. My wish is that whatever "vocation" you are currently in that goes far beyond a job, may it be something that brings you joy and helps fill your days with a passion.

---

So there are three simple wishes. Three wishes that I would offer to anyone and everyone, but in particular, right now, directly to YOU, dear reader. 

And to illustrate my own incredible fortune in knowing and acknowledging that I have all three, here is a shot from a few years ago of me and Alexander hanging an ornament on our Christmas tree. It should illustrate, quite simply, all three things:  That I am loved by my son, that I love my son, and that I love the calling of fatherhood. (And let's not forget our pure joy in loving the task of decorating the Christmas tree, something Francine, Alexander and I love doing together -- a simple task that brings us so much joy)

So, Happy HNT and Merry Christmas to you and may you embrace love in all its glories.

The Laughs Are So Delightful

This time of year I like to read books that include some sort of Christmas theme. There's something magical and special about the Christmas season that I quite enjoy.

And while I enjoy serious and inspirational writing, I will, of course, regularly return to humour.

This year, I'm enjoying two different yet funny Christmas themed books.

Last year I treated myself to Holidays on Ice, a collection of humourous essays by David Sedaris. Of course, I never got around to reading it last year so I'm enjoying it this year. (It's like a gift to myself that keeps on giving)

The book immediately caught my attention when I spotted it on display, as I hadn't previously read anything by Sedaris, but have long wanted to.  Of course, the little hard-cover languished in a large pile of "oh I've got to read this" purchases I made late last year for the longest time. I think I discovered it some time around February and then kicked myself for not having picked it up to read during the Christmas season.  Of course, I'm rather pleased with myself for reading it now, striking the Christmas-reading phase while the proverbial iron is hot.

I'm still on the first essay "Santaland Diaries" which recounts his experiences as a Macy's Santaland Elf. It contains an incredible number of humorous bits about the experience, as anyone who has worked retail at Christmas time can imagine. But here's a quick sampling of the type of observations Sedaris makes.

Then there are the multimedia families in groups, who say, "All right now, let's get a shot of Anthony, Damascus, Theresa, Doug, Amy, Paul and Vanity -- can we squeeze them all together? Santa, how about you let Doug sit on your shoulders, can we do that?"
     During these visits the children are rarely allowed to discuss their desires with Santa. They are too busy being art-directed by the parents.
     "Vanity and Damascus, look over here, no, look here."
     "Santa, can you put your arms around Amy and shake hands with Paul at the same time?"
     "That's good. That's nice."
     I have seen parents sit their child upon Santa's lap and immediately proceed to groom: combing hair, arranging a hemline, straightening a necktie. I saw a parent spray their child's hair, Santa treated as if he were a false prop made of cement, turning his head and wincing as the hair spray stung his eyes.

- Excerpt from "Santaland Diaries" - David Sedaris, Holidays on Ice

It's certainly a good book, and even though I've just begun it, I know I'm going to continue to love the rest. I've already falled into his prose and escape into the good humour of the tales as if he is sitting across a table in a coffee shop recounting them to me.

The book is out in paperback this year with a different cover (although I'm a bit partial to the cover on the HC, with it's short glass filled with ice and what appears to be a vodka drink, the snowflake speckled glass sweating so tantalizingly.

And I'm also enjoying re-reading Michael P. Spradlin's It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies: A Book of Zombie Christmas Carols.

The humour in this one is, as you would expect, a bit more low-brow and dark.

I read this last year, having to regular read bits aloud to Francine (careful to make sure our five year old son was not within ear-shot).  Illustrated by Jeff Weigel, it's a cute and hilarious little spoof of Christmas Carols, all to the zombie theme.

I blogged about this in detail last year (check it out for a video trailer and further ramblings from me about the book), but thought I'd share the opening of a carol sung to the tune of "Winter Wonderland"

Undead moan, are you listening?

In the lane, blood is glistening.

A horrible sight,

We're screaming tonight,

Runnin' through a Zombie wonderland.

Already turned, is our neighbor!

Zombies here, I belabor.

They moan their own song,

As we scream along,

Sprintin' through a Zombie wonderland.

- Excerpt from "Zombie Wonderland" - Michael P. Spradlin, It's Beginning To Lot a Lot Like Zombies

The book is just chok-full of morbid and delightful zombie carols, the perfect antidote for when you tire of hearing the same songs over and over again from about the end of October.  (Flipping the lyrics in your mind helps give you a new way to enjoy the same old classics)

So there you have it.  Two great ideas for humorous Christmas reading. It's not to late to nip into your local bookstore and check them out, either for yourself or as a special "stocking stuffer" treat for a loved one who needs a good laugh.

Or, if you get a gift card for your favourite bookstore for Christmas, hopefully these are two ideas that help you spend it (and will, of course, help the bookstores and publishers if any stock of these are left AFTER Christmas -- you'll also be doing YOUR part for the environment by purchasing it after Christmas, as you'll help reduce carbon footprint emissions of the books being returned to the publishers at the end of the season)

The books are also available in ebook format - Kobobooks.com has them, check them out by clicking Holidays On Ice or It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Zombies.