I often write about aviation history these days and am invariably asked if I’m a pilot. Back in university when I was focused mostly on First Nations history and missionaries, people also made assumptions about my religious background (although interestingly few wondered if I was FN, even though I fit right in at Kahnawake andContinue reading “Murder in Life and on the Page”
Category Archives: Writing & Publishing
Margaret Atwood and Me
The last few days a bad cold meant I could barely hold my head up, let alone sit at my desk. But I could read, and luckily I was in the middle of Rosemary Sulivan’s fascinating biography on Margaret Atwood’s early years: The Red Shoes (1998). I have always been ambivalent about Atwood and IContinue reading “Margaret Atwood and Me”
Passing the Conch
Last Friday I spent the morning as one of the speakers at a Young Readers Conference in Edmonton. During each of the two 40-minutes sessions, I worked with 25-odd students ranging in age from 10 to 15, talking about aviation history. It was terrifying. Exhilerating. Fascinating. I got an email about this “gig” out ofContinue reading “Passing the Conch”
Up-Ending the Pile
Blogging has unfortunately dropped to the bottom of the writing pile. Before it comes tweeting, facebook status-updating, grocery-list writing, emailing, powerpoint slides, website copy, grant applications, and magazine articles. But this blog entry still comes before poetry and my book projects, which sit in boxes on the highest shelf, just out of my reach. SnippetsContinue reading “Up-Ending the Pile”
Berton House Top Ten
It’s that time of year. The time of year when magazines, tv shows, internet sites, and everyone else make top ten lists. So I will too. About my time up north (although it’s very hard to pick just ten!). Here they are in no particular order: 1. Working, reading, watching tv, chatting, and napping atContinue reading “Berton House Top Ten”
A Season of Goodbyes
A season of goodbyesOf memoriesFalling like snowSettlingOn Me. So many promisesHopes tied togetherFinger in the middleHolding placeMaking sureWishes wrapped up tightAs arms around waists.
Yukon Reads and Writes!
I’ve met some neat writers, historians, and storytellers during my time in the Yukon and I wanted to share some of their 2010 works with you (while I sit in the Whitehorse airport awaiting my flight home to Edmonton!): 1. Michael Gates’ History Hunting in the Yukon is a collection of essays from this localContinue reading “Yukon Reads and Writes!”
Beaming into the Berton House Gala
When technology works it’s a glorious thing. No, the Writers’ Trust of Canada hasn’t managed to snag a Star Trek teleporter, but they did use Skype to successfully beam me all the way from Dawson onto a 15-ft screen at the Berton House Gala in Toronto last night – which, if you’ve had any experienceContinue reading “Beaming into the Berton House Gala”
Dawson Walkabout
I love to walk, and since arriving in late September I’ve tried to get out and explore the town of Dawson (and environs) on foot as much as possible. Heading out my door and across Eighth Ave I can join up with the 9th Avenue Trail behind Robert Service’s cabin, which links up to theContinue reading “Dawson Walkabout”
Doing it All in Inuvik
Flying from Old Crow to Inuvik I managed to snag a window seat away from the wing, but it was an overcast day so I wasn’t able to glimpse the scenery below too often. When I did, somewhere over the border between the Yukon and the NWT, it looked pretty unforgiving and I couldn’t helpContinue reading “Doing it All in Inuvik”