Kathleen Molloy

When a title grabs my imagination, I’m inclined to stretch on tiptoe to grab the spine off the shelf. If the title is a little off, (offside that is, not offensive) I tend to put a lot of faith in the book as a presumed good read. A title is sort of like a round of speed dating; just a glimpse of what’s in store.

 I like that someone thought long and hard about the story and baptised it perfectly.

 The title doesn’t have to be a complex; it just has to stick. I guess I just like the idea of an author attempting to tell an entire story on a 1 inch spine.

I can forgive a good book with a bad cover. And I can forgive a good book with a bad title too. But if the title is a stinker – forget it, I won’t crack the spine.

On my To-be-read-before-the-kids-are-old-enough-to-drive-themselves-to-the-library List I’ve reserved 5 Canadian works with wonky titles.  

Eric McCormack’s First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women

D. R. MacDonald’s Lauchlin of the Bad Heart

Gail Anderson-Dargatz’s The Cure for Death by Lightening

M.G. Vassanji’s The In-Between World of Vikram Lall

Robertson Davies’ What’s Bred in the Bone

But this makes me wonder…if I loved a title but hated the story would I still love the title when I’m done the story? Probably. I’m sort of sentimental that way.

Mark Medley has interviewed Louise Penny at the International Festival of Authors for the National Post. His introduction of Canadian authors has been a treat. I particularly liked the interview with Louise Penny, in part because I love the way Louise communicates with readers via her blog posts and interviews.  She might have the best job in the world – being paid to drink café au lait while killing people with her pen.

Medley asked: Who is your perfect reader?

Penny responded: The wonderful Canadian crime writer, Mary-Jane Maffini and I shared a panel recently and she had the best answer to that question…she said, ‘Intelligent women with colds’.  I agree.

As an intelligent woman with a cold, I agree.To celebrate Canadian crime writers I’m giving away a signed copy of Barbara Fradkin’s Do or Die –an Inspector Green Mystery. The dedication reads: “To Susan, a great mystery lover, enjoy!”

To win it, post your favourite make-believe crime title for a Canadian content mystery here. The more outrageous the better! I offer up:

·         The Missing Moose

·         Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow

·         Parliament Hell

Okay, okay, I’ll leave Penny, Maffini, and Fradkin to do the crime writing. Submit your cancult crime titles before the end of November for your chance to win Do or Die.

CBC Ottawa recently did a piece on teaching the police about literacy. The radio program was about the Ottawa police force teaching officers how to deal with the varied levels of literacy they encounter when addressing the general public. It was a fascinating piece. It was also troubling. It got me thinking about the minor infractions a person could unknowingly commit because they couldn’t read the signs or instructions. A simple misstep could snowball into trouble: “no parking between 7 am – 7 pm”, “pay your parking ticket here”, “your court date is”.

I take literacy for granted. Sort of like how I take clean water and fresh air for granted.

Nancy Hunt doesn’t. She’s an outreach consultant with the West Quebec Literacy Council and a Reading Buddy at the Campbell’s Bay Community Learning Centre. As reported in the West Quebec Post, Nancy notes “My goal is to get social agencies, local business, and schools even more aware and engaged in the work of raising literacy levels across West Quebec.”

She is looking for ideas and suggestions and would welcome hearing about your success stories. Contact Nancy Hunt at the WQLC office 819-647-3112 and check out the website:

www.wq-literacy.org

I love surprises, well planned surprises, like birthday parties and practical jokes.  I like to believe that I’m game for anything but the truth is… I’m a bit of a worrisome Mom and when it comes to the kids – I’m not as carefree and spontaneous as I used to be.

But I’m a good sport.

This past weekend I put my trust in a couple blinded by love. Our family had been invited to attend their wedding in Repentingy and the invitation stipulated that following the ceremony there would be a dinner dance at an enchanted mystery location. We would need three modes of transportation to get there.

Mysterious location? How to mobilize the kids between 3 mysterious modes of transportation?

All the way to Repentigny we took turns guess ing what the three modes of transportation could be. 

My favourite suggestions offered up from the backseat were: camels, feet, and magic carpet.

Following the gorgeous ceremony we set out on a mad chase through town in a cavalcade of cars in the rain, trying to keep the yellow bridal car in our sights through the raindrops. We lost them and we didn’t have any idea where we were going because the couple merely (or merrily) announced “follow us” before they sped off.

At a set of lights I hoped out of the car when I caught sight of a minivan ahead of us with the silhouettes of women wearing updo hairstyles. I figured that at 3 pm only wedding-goers wore updos so I tapped on their window.  A well dressed man lowered his window and I stammered in French to ask him if he is chasing the bride. “Follow us” he instructed and off we went.

We arrived in an empty parking lot. The women and kids (40 women and 4 kids) were herded onto a school bus with the bride and groom. The men were asked to wait under umbrellas as we zoomed away.

Our trip lasted 8 minutes. We were then told to wait at the dock of the marina for the barge. Because of the rain, all of the updos toppled into downdos and my kids huddled under my armpits until I found shelter of an awning. I was the only adult who didn’t have the good sense to bring an umbrella. I did however bring blankets and wrapped the kids snuggle.

A man in a green t-shirt popped out of a plastic beer tent, hustled the kids and I inside and scurried to his truck to fetch a gigantic golf umbrella for us. He instructed “Just leave it here when you come back.” Thing was, I didn’t know when we would be back from where we would be going. I tried to explain this and he smiled and waved us off, telling us the barge was leaving.

The kids and I hopped on the barge, amid giggles from the soggy female guests. We were off. Our destination – the gorgeous vignoble du Domaine de l’île Ronde de Saint-Sulpice. Even in the rain the winery estate was beautiful.

The concierge took the kids’ jackets and soaked blankets and tossed them into the dryer after handing me a glass of rosé. All the gals were giddy as the dj cranked up the music to start the party without the gents.

The boys arrived, doubly wet, already in great spirits and the dinner dance that followed was charming, sentimental, and full of games and stories. A memory maker.

But how to get back?

We learned that the barge to head back would depart at 11 pm. Just after eight we bundled up the kids and slipped away on the barge the workers use to get back to shore.  We still had to find our car and then the hotel. The adventure continued…

At the marina it was raining again when I handed the kids off to my beau and set out to find the man in the green shirt to return his umbrella. Arriving in the beer tent my glasses fogged up and I couldn’t see anything. When my eyes adjusted I was met by a lipstick-wearing bishop and playboy bunny with four o’clock shadow.

I couldn’t hear what they said. Porno music was blaring. The bishop pulled me by the hand and asked if s/he can help me find my way. I had a millisecond instant of panic, thinking I walked into a transgendered swingers’ party until I saw the white rabbit. And then I saw the zombies. And then the ZOMBIE hookers.

“What are you dressed as?” The hairy playboy bunny asked.

Umm, a soggy wedding guest.  “I’m looking for a man.” I tried in French.

“I’m a man.” The playboy bunny affirmed.

“The man has a green t-shirt. He had a green t-shirt.” I spotted 3 beautiful brides in the line-up for the buffet.

“What’s his name?” The bishop pressed my hand.

“I don’t…he drives a black pick-up. He lent me this umbrella.”

“Yes, yes, I know him.”

 I handed off the umbrella, uttered thanks and backed out.

In the olden days, the days before kids, I would have whooped it up alongside my new-found friends, and laughing Monday morning as I explained to friends that I spent the weekend with beautiful brides and zombie hookers.

These days, I have to consol myself that at least I’m still a good sport.

I had planned to get my eyebrows waxed. Mom planned to buy a new dress.  We were hoping to clink glasses with Quebec’s favourite authors at the Quebec Writers’ Federation 2008 gala awards. With nominations in three categories we anticipated have to buy control top pantyhose for the November gala.

Alas … a shut out.

But we’re still going to celebrate! See the shortlist below and raise a glass for Quebec writers of English fiction.

The prizes will be awarded at the annual QWF Literary Awards gala on Wednesday, November 19 at the Lion d’Or.

Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction ($2000)

Rawi Hage
Cockroach
House of Anansi Press

Andrew Hood
Pardon Our Monsters
Véhicule Press

Jaspreet Singh
Chef
Véhicule Press

McAuslan First Book Prize ($2000)

Adam Leith Gollner
The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce and Obsession
Doubleday Canada

Liane Keightley
Seven Openings of the Head
Conundrum Press

Saleema Nawaz
Mother Superior
Freehand Books (imprint of Broadview Press)Translation Prize ($2000)

Hélène Rioux
Les artistes de la mémoire
XYZ éditeur
A translation of The Memory Artists by Jeffrey Moore

Lori Saint-Martin et Paul Gagné
Big Bang
Les Allusifs
A translation of Bang Crunch by Neil Smith

Sophie Voillot
Parfum de poussière
Alto
A translation of De Niro’s Game by Rawi Hage

On her genealogy website, local author Elizabeth Lapointe invites us to the Irish Symposium 2008 at Library and Archives Canada.  As posted below…

—- 

The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is holding its second Irish Studies Symposium on November 3 & 4. The door will be open at 8:30 for the two days, and the sessions will be held until 5:00 p.m on the first day and until 7:00 p.m. the second day.

A book launch of A Story to be Told: Personal Reflections on the Irish Emigrant Experience in Canada, which is a collection of stories of about 128 Irish Emigrants to Canada, will be held the second day from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m..

There will be six sessions and one roundtable panel that will cover :

The Irish in Quebec

- Famine and Commemoration

- Politics: Shifting Attitudes and Political Impact

- The 1911 Census of Ireland

- Irish Culture: Print, Music, Food, and Film

- Irish History and Modern Media

- Directions in Irish Canadian Studies

Some of the people attending will be Irish historian and noted author on Grosse-Île, Sister Marianna O’Gallagher from Quebec, Dr. Diarmid Ferriter from Boston College, and Dr. Catherine Cox, Director for the Center for the History of Medicine in Ireland.

The cost to attend the symposium is FREE but an RSVP is required.

To attend the symposium, call 613.992.2618 or e-mail <webservices@lac-bac.gc.ca>.

The webpage is <www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/ireland/033001-1001-e.html>.

What fun. Now that Prime Minister Harper is back on the Hill I wonder if Yann Martel will continue to help build the PM’s library.

What is Stephen Harper Reading?

Are you reading what Harper is reading?

Dewey Monster is. Dewey has created a challenge to read all the books sent to Harper by Martel.  Over the next couple of years you can read along too!

http://deweymonster.com/?p=936

I’m launching these 18 Canadian authors into the wild via Book Crossing. As always, I am happy to trade.

Note that I have two new copies of The English Patient – that’s the mak’in of a book club ! Seeing as we are still celebrating Canadian Library Month I’ll offer these up to any Canadian library that has a bookclub with an Ondaatje  fetish. Post your comment here and I’ll pop them in the mail for your readers.

 Tea and Pomegranatesby Nazneen Sheik Jacob Two-Two’s First Spy caseMordecai Richler Prayers of  a very wise Child

Roch Carrier

 The In-Between World of Vikram LallM.G. Vassanji What’s Bred in the BoneRobertson Davies The Englishman’s BoyGuy Vanderhaeghe Baltimore’s Mansion: A MemoirWayne Johnston The Cure For Death by LightningGail Anderson-Dargatz A Complicated KindnessMiriam Toews KlondikePierre Berton The Contest (Everest, Book 1)Gordon Korman The Climb (Everest, Book 2)Gordon Kormanon Spec –Summer 2008 #73 vol 20 no 2proof readers: issac calon, kelly shepherd Room 31.2 folk, fairy, and other tales editor: ana torres the new quarterly - Canadian writers and writing - the long and short of it -#102editor: Kim Jernigan Red China Blues: My Long March from Mao to Now by Jan Wong 

By the time the election results roll in tonight, there will be Canadians across the country sighing “Oh dear, … still no imagination in Ottawa.”

But let me assure you that there is imagination in Ottawa and it is apparently a renewable resource. So says the fall edition Writers Festival with the theme: Imagination is a Renewable Resource. 

Among the favourite Canadian authors touching down in the capital, keep your eyes peeled for Nino Ricci, Sandra Gulland, Kenneth Oppel, Paul Quarrington, Austin Ckarke, Rawi Hage, Bill Gaston, Joseph Boyden, Kenneth J. Harvey, and Gil Adamson. Keep your ears open for the Masters Series and poetry galore.

Oct 13-21 Ottawa

Library and Archives Canada

http://writersfestival.org/

Okay, so this isn’t Pinch-your-nose-CanLit.  But how stinky would CanLit be if it really was a cross between a fart and a whoppee cushion?Check out the country’s largest Zine celebration Sunday, October 26th, 2008 1pm-7 pm at The Gladstone Hotel. Hotel Canzine’s theme this year is COMEDY. The schedule promises:

“5pm to 6:30pm The Funniest Readings Ever!
You never knew CanLit could be so damn funny. The best of funny, featuring new writers with hot Fall books and some of Canada’s proven snarky meisters of poetry and prose. Watch them turn a boring reading into a cross between a fart machine and a whoopee cushion! Starring: Stacey May Fowles, Daniel Allen Cox, Derek McCormack, Sarah Steinberg, Jon Paul Fiorentino, and Elyse Friedman.”