On 5 October 2011, Jean Rae Baxter, author of The Way Lies North and Broken Trail, will be speaking at the Governor Simcoe Branch of the United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada.

The meeting takes place at St. David’s Church, 49 Donlands Ave., Toronto, and begins at 7:30pm.

The talk will be called “Two Nations: One King.” It will be about the situation of and role played by First Nations during the American Revolution.

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Jean Rae Baxter, author of The Way Lies North and, now, Broken Trail, had a great launch for Broken Trail on February 22.

First I heard from Jean, who said:
“It was great! Everybody looked interested in my talk and listened attentively to the reading. The refreshments were delicious. The place was full . . . which is always pleasant. Nancy’s arrangements were excellent. Good sound system. There was a warm, friendly atmosphere all around.”

Next, I received an email from Nancy:
“I just wanted to let you know that last night’s launch for Jean went really very well from our end and I think that Jean was very pleased. We had a full house and the sales were healthy. Now when the word gets out that it is a really great read I expect we will be selling a few more!”

I love hearing reports like these! Keep them coming!

Jean sent on some photos, which someone had kindly sent to her. It was a bit mean sending me the photo of the food, which just made me envious and hungry:

There were also some great photos of Jean:

Doesn’t she look radiant? I told her so, and complimented her on matching the book cover so well with her outfit. She replied:
“I was feeling radiant. The scarf was a Christmas gift from one of my daughters. I bought the top to go with it. It was only after I put everything together that I realized my outfit was a perfect match for the book cover.”
And here I was thinking she’d planned it all out…

Jean has a Kingston launch for Broken Trail as well. It’s on March 2 at Novel Idea. For more, see here.

On April 29, Jean Rae Baxter, author of The Way Lies North and Broken Trail, goes back to school. She’ll be returning to the Kingston area (specifically, Odessa) to speak to students at Ernestown Secondary School, where she used to teach.

A special Valentine’s Day contribution by Barbara Pelman, author of Borrowed Rooms. This event was sponsored by the Downtown Victoria Business Association, and was part of the initiative by Victoria’s Poet Laureate, Linda Rogers, to bring poetry to the city. This was done on the sidewalk in Bastion Square, Victoria, BC. According to Barbara, the chalky poem didn’t last long: “the rain washed it away a day later, but beauty is brief….”

On February 25th, Norma Charles, author of Chasing a Star and The Girl in the Backseat, will be reading at the Jewish Community Centre in Vancouver (950 West 41st Ave). The reading will begin at 9:30 am and is open to the public. The reading is sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts.

On February 24th, Norma Charles, author of Chasing a Star and The Girl in the Backseat, will be reading at St. John’s School in Vancouver (2215 West 10th). The reading will be at 1:00 and is sponsored by the Federation of BC Writers.

Day In, Day Out

facing those caged
like animals in the Prison
de la Santé, across the street
from me, I think of the one
finally caught, finally tried,
finally hanged in that yard,
whose death I cannot
mourn (though unable to take
even the life of the rat
I saved from my Maquis
comrades’ guns)

the one who falsely heard
the confessions of those whose
cell he’d infiltrated, whose
confidence he’d gained to betray
to the Gestapo, who were beaten,
tortured, killed, good men
and brave. Their crime? Trying
to thwart the Nazi occupiers
as he pretended to, or simply
the shape of their noses

killed as we would have been
had we not been warned in time
to run to freedom

freedom to sit here now, to look
at hands clutching the bars
of those cells and listen
to the inmates’ shouts,
their wailing and clamouring;
freedom to suffer with them.

Some wonder why, in my plays,
I have not used this setting
so conveniently there
for me, across from
my very house, don’t see
there’s no need: all of us
are behind invisible bars
and life itself a cage.

_____________________________________________________________________

*Robert Alesch, a French priest who infiltrated Gloria SMH, the Resistance
cell to which Beckett belonged, and betrayed its members to the Gestapo, was
hanged at the Prison de la Santé. From the studio of his house, Beckett could
see this prison. Using a mirror, he sometimes communicated with one of the
prisoners in Morse code.
_____________________________________________________________________

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From Beckett Soundings by Inge Israel, published by Ronsdale Press in 2011

Beckett Soundings was released on March 1, 2011.

To buy Beckett Soundings using PayPal:

Also available from Amazon

On Tuesday, March 1, Patrick Bowman will be celebrating the launch of his exciting new young adult book, Torn from Troy, at Mykonos Mediterranean Grill (881 Yonge Street) in Toronto. The event will be from 7 to 9 pm, and refreshments will be provided. RSVP to ronsdale@shaw.ca if you’d like to attend.

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On Wednesday, March 9, Victoria poet Inge Israel, will be at The Well on 821 Fort St, Victoria, BC.

This event will be the launch party for Inge Israel‘s spring 2011 release, Beckett Soundings, a collection that explores the life, mind and work of Samuel Beckett.

Entry is free and there will be refreshments available! The event begins at 7pm.

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Butter

Some nights Angus comes
in from the barn
so horny
even his feet are swollen.

Ida-Mae follows
the manured boots
that track his intentions
through the house.

Nights like these
she disposes of Angus quickly.
Butter should churn
so fast.

Actually,
Ida-Mae prefers butter
It’s softer, less clingy
and you almost always have something
to show for your time.

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From The Dead Can’t Dance by Pam Calabrese Maclean, published by Ronsdale Press in 2009

To buy The Dead Can’t Dance using PayPal:

Also available from Amazon