Vancouver Folk Music Festival

Had a wonderful time in Vancouver visiting my girls and going to the Vancouver Folk Music Festival.  Here are a few pics from the Folk Festival.  As you can see, the crowds were huge, the weather gorgeous, and the setting superb.  The music was pretty awesome too.  Hard to beat.

Below are one of my favorite groups, Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens.  Some of the other groups that were totally awesome were The Malahat Revue with Adidan Knight from Victoria, the Peatbog Faeries from G.B., Sarah Harmer, Tao Seeger (grandson of the great Pete Seeger), Nathan Rogers (son of the   late great Stan Rogers), and the United Steelworkers of Montreal, and these were just a few.

Have a great summer

It's been quiet around here for a while; been working on a new book.  Tomorrow I'm over in Vancouver for a bit, and then off to visit friends on the Gulf Islands so probably won't post for a while.  Have a great summer, and drop me a line if you read a really good book.

Later...

Best Books for Kids & Teen in 2010

Hurray.  I just received The Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids & Teens in 2010.  I can't wait to read it.  This is a fabulous resource for anyone stocking bookshelves in schools, libraries or at home.  It includes information about award-winners, interest levels, reading levels, and thematic links like sports or science or history.  It has a section for audio and magazines and even includes resources for teachers and librarians.  It's easy to get too.  All you have to do is be a member of the Canadian Children's Book Centre which supports and promotes Children's Literature in Canada.  The cost is $60 a year, and from my perspective, it's the best deal going.

A heads up for those of you south of the border, or overseas:  Best Books for Kids & Teens only covers Canadian material, so if you what to know what's up in the Canadian publishing scene for kids, this is the place to find it.

Salish Sea

Image via Wikipedia

It's amazing how important language is to all of us.

On July 15, the area that is now called the Strait of Georgia, Juan de Fuca Strait, Haro Strait and Puget Sound, will all be christened the Salish Sea in honor of the original First Nations who paddled these waterways.  Lieutenant Governor of B.C. Steven Point (a former provincial court judge and chief of the Skowkale First Nation) will be honoring the name change with an original song and a canoe he carved under the guidance of a master carver. 17 canoes, some from as far away as Alaska and the Oregon coast are expected.

There has to be a story in this people.  Get writing.

Coming soon

Spent a bit of time this morning writing the script for a book trailer for The Smell of Paint.  In some ways it's a lot like a pitch, using 6 or 7 lines of script, but in other ways it's quite different because the visuals can do so much, especially for a novel.  When you think about it, it's a little bit like picture books.  You start with a story in very few words, and then  the artist comes along and tells the bits between the lines.  So, now I'm looking forward to seeing the end product.  I'll post it when it's all finished.

Happy 4th of July

Image via Wikipedia

Happy 4th of July to all my south of the border family and friends.

Happy Canada Day Happy Reading

Happy Canada Day.  It's raining so no bike ride for me today.  I may just stay in bed all day and read one of the 3 or 4 books I have on the go and drink copious quantities of tea.  Life could be worse...Happy reading.

...Or if you happen to live in a place where you actually have summer happening, unlike here on the west coast... Happy bike riding.