By the Rivers of Brooklyn has been nominated for Best Atlantic Published Book in the Atlantic Book Awards, to be announced in Halifax on April 14. I’ll be there for the awards ceremony, so wish me luck!!
January 16, 2010
Upcoming Events
Some By the Rivers of Brooklyn events coming up here in St. John’s for 2010 (I’ll update as more are planned):
Thursday, April 1, 7:00: I’ll be reading and discussing By the Rivers of Brooklyn at the Water Street Book Club at the Gallery Space, Heritage Shop of Newfoundland and Labrador, 309 Water Street. Admission is free, and tea and coffee are provided!
Wednesday, May 5: The public library book club at the A.C. Hunter Library will be discussing By the Rivers of Brooklyn as their monthly selection, and I will be their guest. As far as I know this event is open for anyone to drop in, but for more information you can call the library at 737-2133.
And, looking a little further ahead, I will be one of the featured writers at the Writers at Woody Point festival, August 18 – 22.
December 23, 2009
A Christmas Reading …
… just for my blog-readers!
Thanks for your support and enjoyment of By the Rivers of Brooklyn. Watch for more news and events in the new year.
October 25, 2009
Book Clubs
One bit of shameless self-promotion I really do enjoy is visiting book clubs. It’s a very different dynamic from a reading or a signing, where you’re essentially trying to sell the book to people who may not have even heard of it. As a writer, it’s great to sit down with people who’ve actually read the book and talk about what they liked and didn’t like, which characters they identified with, and to answer any questions they might have.
I visited one local book club in October and am looking forward to visiting with another in November. I’m pleasantly surprised to learn how many book clubs are active in St. John’s. It’s encouraging that in our electronic day and age, people still get together to read and talk about books. In the new year, my book will be one of those available as a “book club kit” through the local library, and it will also be one of the featured selections for MUN’s Lifelong Learning book club where they discuss the works of local authors.
If you’re part of a book club and are interested in reading By the Rivers of Brooklyn, click on the “MORE” tab above, where I’ve added some questions for book club discussion. And if you’re in St. John’s or anywhere nearby, I’d be happy to visit with your book club if you like!
August 31, 2009
September/October Events
I’m back in town after summer vacation and back to the book biz (among other bizzes). A couple of events worth noting in September:
Sunday, Sept. 20, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Signing at Costco, St. John’s.
Thursday, Sept. 24, 7:00 p.m. Reading with Tina Chaulk at the Newman Wine Vaults in St. John’s.
Sunday, Sept. 27, 1:30 p.m. Reading at The Word on the Street in Halifax.
Sunday, Oct. 11: Signing at Chapters, St. John’s.
August 4, 2009
Back from the Road
My cross-Newfoundland mini-book-tour is over, and what a great week it was. My daughter and I drove all the way to Corner Brook, then back home by way of Gander and Trinity. I met so many interesting people and had wonderful conversations about By the Rivers of Brooklyn. And, of course, I got to sell and sign lots of copies of the book.
I wish I could thank everyone who helped us out, and everyone who bought a copy of the book, by name, but that would take forever! I’m so grateful to the store owners at Newfoundland Emporium and Island Treasures in Corner Brook, The Bookworm in Gander, and Trinity Mercantile in Trinity. The library staff in Corner Brook and Gander were also helpful, and Darrell Squires from the Corner Brook library (with his wife Dara) went above and beyond the call of duty in inviting us over for supper. I also had some great talks with media people, including Dorothy King of CBC Corner Brook (that link will take you to an mp3 of the interview) and Randy Larcombe of CBC Grand Falls, and Andrew Robinson from the Gander Beacon.
Best of all, of course, were the readers and book-buyers I met, like the tourists in Trinity who were so interested — especially Roberta from Brooklyn, who was so excited to see a book about Brooklyn, NY, in Newfoundland!
July 21, 2009
Cross-Newfoundland Book Tour!
Next week (July 27-31) I’ll be on the road, promoting By the Rivers of Brooklyn in Corner Brook, Gander, Trinity and possibly a few other places. Confirmed times and places are listed below, and I’ll update as more information becomes available. If you’re a blog-reader I haven’t met yet from outside the St. John’s area, I’d love to see you at any of these events.
Tuesday, July 28
12:00 – 1:30: Signing at Newfoundland Emporium in Corner Brook
2:30 – 4:00: Signing at Island Treasures in Corner Brook
7:00 – 8:00: Reading at Corner Brook Library
Wednesday, July 29
2:00 – 4:00: Signing at Bookworm in Gander
7:00 – 8:00: Reading at Gander Public Library
Thursday, July 30
3:00 – 4:30: Reading/Signing at Trinity Mercantile
July 13, 2009
Hardship
I love book signings because it’s fun to meet people who’ve read the book, or people who are thinking about reading it and want to chat about it a little. My favourite encounter from yesterday’s signing at Costco was with a woman who bought a copy for her mother. “Mom is from here, but she lives away, and I try to give her a Newfoundland book every year,” the woman said.
“Oh, well if she lives away she’ll probably find this interesting, since it’s all about Newfoundlanders going away,” I said as I autographed her copy.
“Yes, and also it sounds like there’s a bit of hardship in the story, you know?” the buyer said. “Mom loves a bit of a hardship in a book.”
“Oh yes, there’s a nice bit of hardship in this one,” I assured her.
Maybe I should use that as a new promotional tagline? “By the Rivers of Brooklyn: a nice bit of hardship!”
Yesterday’s signing at Costco marks the end of the weekly string of Sunday-afternoon signings I’ve been doing at stores here in the city, but there will be more news to come soon … watch this space!
June 25, 2009
In Brooklyn (and Manhattan)
This week I made a flying visit to the Big Apple to try out for Jeopardy! Since By the Rivers of Brooklyn doesn’ t have a US publisher yet, it’s a big soon to do much book promotion down there, but I did get to visit and drop off copies of the book (in hopes they’ll want to carry it) at three great independent bookstores: Book Court and WORD in Brooklyn, and McNally Jackson in Manhattan.
June 21, 2009
Upcoming Events
Had a great signing at Chapters today; it was fun meeting lots of new people as well as a few old friends who dropped by to pick up copies of the book.
A few dates to keep in mind if you’d like to get a signed copy of the book in St. John’s:
Sunday, June 28: Signing at Costco, 1-3 p.m.
Sunday, July 5: Signing at Coles in the Avalon Mall, 2-4 p.m.
Sunday, July 12: Signing at Costco, 1-3 p.m.
