"We All Become Stories" fresh off the press.
I had a satisfying and successful celebration of the launch of We All Become Stories on Wednesday Aug 21. The launch was co-sponsored by Nicole Weppler, director of the Gore Bay Museum and Margo Little, director of the Manitoulin Writer’s Circle, and publicized throughout the island and Sudbury communities by The Manitoulin Expositor, The Manitoulin West Recorder and Bonnie Kogos’s column “Window Seat” In the Sudbury Star.
I talked about how I came to write the book and read précis of 3 of the 12 conversations that illuminate a “new take” on aging, old age and memory. The audience of 25 was attentive and curious and quick with “right on” questions after the reading. I had the sense that we could have continued our conversation well into the night—and was able to do so for a while with quite a few during Nicole’s bountiful buffet.
The launch of WABS is the fourth sponsored by Nicole and Margo and warmly received by the Manitoulin community. I am grateful for their encouragement and support—it has inspired me creatively over the last 20 years and I know will do so for many years to come.
Blue Denim Press will launch WABS at the Rivoli in Toronto on Sunday September 29, from 3:00-5:00, along with Paradise Revisited by Shane Joseph and the The Alphabet Stones by Ursula Pflug. Reader Gianni Patriarch and musician Max Layton will enliven the program. Throughout the fall and winter, I will be doing readings at many venues as you can see from my event listings, including 5 library readings with Ellen Jaffe.
I am also looking forward to a collaborative performance on Sunday October 27, 2:30-4:30 at Essentia, 2180 Queen St East, (647 348 0321) with artist Holly Briesmaster, Jennifer Kenneally, who created the wonderful illustrations for WABS, and well known musician Peggy Mahon.
On November 6, 2:30-4:30, at 115 The Esplanade, the Older Women’s Network is hosting UNLEASHED WORDS, a presentation of two new books by OWN members—my We All Become Stories and Dancing Lessons by Olive Senior. Olive and I enjoy reading together and look forward to an afternoon at OWN who welcome members and the general public to our reading.
I will be back in Toronto mid-September. In the mean time, I will be enjoying the last few sunny days left on the island, and also the last few days of my fundraising campaign.The support both online and offline has been amazing in terms of financial contributions and words of encouragement. It’s not easy to put one’s work out there, but the positive and warm reception so far has made it all worth it.