Bob Burns recently passed away at the age of 80. In his honour, I am putting these stories about Laurentian Air Services from him up first. Jim Irvin was always the “nuts and bolts” of LAS and Air Scheff. When I joined LAS the first time in 1970, he was chief pilot and flewContinue reading “Bob Burns Remembers “Sir” Jim Irvin”
Author Archives: dmcadmin
Laurentian Air Services Personnel List
When my first book, For the Love of Flying: The Story of Laurentian Air Services, came out in 2009, I created a small do-it-yourself website to host additional ‘living’ information. Recently, I let that domain name lapse, so I am moving the photos and stories and data – like the below – over to this site soContinue reading “Laurentian Air Services Personnel List”
“The Job for Me” for Legion Magazine now up!
“Whiplash is how they described it. In 1980, when captains Nora Bottomley, Deanna (Dee) Brasseur and Leah Mosher walked anywhere in their Canadian air force blue flight suits, heads snapped around. The three women were the first in the country to receive their wings for active duty, and they knew they were under the microscopeContinue reading ““The Job for Me” for Legion Magazine now up!”
A Q&A with Dean Jobb, author of Empire of Deception
Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation (Algonquin Books / HarperCollins Canada). By Dean Jobb. Now available as Hard cover, paperback, and e-editions. I love historical true crime and creative nonfiction, so I was excited when I found out about this latest bookContinue reading “A Q&A with Dean Jobb, author of Empire of Deception”
Book Review: Separate Beds
Separate Beds is an excellent academic treatment of the system of Indian Hospitals set up in Canada. Dr. Lux says from the outset that she is focusing on understanding the government bureaucracy through the documentary record, but still balances this well with some oral histories from Indigenous Elders, leaders and former patients of the hospitals.Continue reading “Book Review: Separate Beds”
Houston Talk: “Writing Stories of Humiliation and Hope”
If you live in and around Houston, I invite you to come to this free talk through The Final Twist Writers Society on Saturday, January 7, 2017! “Writing Stories of Humiliation and Hope” January 3, 2017 is Humiliation Day and is observed worldwide on the same day each year. Humiliation Day is thought to beContinue reading “Houston Talk: “Writing Stories of Humiliation and Hope””
Community Blooms through Love Thy Neighbor Initiative
Ligi Varghese and her 3 year-old daughter clutched bunches of roses in front of the Maryam Islamic Center outside Houston, Texas before Friday prayers on December 2. They, along with a dozen or so community members of various faiths and backgrounds passed out more than 400 flowers to worshippers as they arrived at the mosque. TheContinue reading “Community Blooms through Love Thy Neighbor Initiative”
One young reader’s thoughts on In This Together
I read In This Together, and wow. There were stories in there that I connected with emotionally, stories in there where I could relate to what the author was saying, and stories that made me question myself. All the stories made me think. Thank you for this book. I honestly believe that it needs toContinue reading “One young reader’s thoughts on In This Together”
Liz Muir launches new books about Canadian aviation for kids this month!
The Charles Camsell Indian Hospital: From Haunting to Understanding
I was walking around my new neighbourhood here in Houston, Texas, and all the pumpkins, witches and ghosts decorating homes got me thinking about the Charles Camsell Hospital and how far we’ve come. In 2014, when I first started researching the Camsell in earnest, most news stories and internet hits talked about its status asContinue reading “The Charles Camsell Indian Hospital: From Haunting to Understanding”