EXCERPTS • REVIEWSFREE! • BOOK NEWS Word On Fall 2011 • No. 67 The Water Publications Mail Agreement HALIFAX BOOK AND 40038836 MAgAzINE FESTIVAL gOES SEASIDE, SuNDAy SEPTEMBER 25 Tanya Davis IS NOT SO LONELy: MuSICIAN, SPOKEN WORD ARTIST AND POET LAuREATE Inside her creative space WORDS OF WISDOM Advice all writers should take from Alexander MacLeod, Sheree Fitch, Steve Vernon and more! FEAST yOuR EyES ON Canadianbookshelf.com An all-you-can-read buffet. Page 16 CREATIVE NESTS: When musicians and authors flock together Atlantic Books Today COnTEnTs Contents Atlantic Books Today • Number 67 FEATuRES 16 Canadian Bookshelf An all-you-can read buffet 22 Creative Nests When the musician and the writer live under the same roof WORD ON THE COVER 24 Word On the Water Halifax Book and Magazine Festival on the water goes seaside, Sunday September 25 26 Words of Wisdom Advice all writers should take 28 The Antagonist Cape Breton native Lynn Coady on the origins of her new novel The Antagonist, creativity and her Atlantic Canadian roots 29 The Protagonist Newfoundland’s Edward Riche on the origins of his new novel Easy to Like, creativity and his Atlantic Canadian roots 30 Reluctant to Read Finding ways to engage and excite children are keys to igniting a love of reading The Word On The Street Book and Magazine Festival takes place on the Halifax waterfront surrounding the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and across the harbour at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth. A celebration of literacy and the written word tanya davis Cover image and Tanya Davis photo on this page: kelly clark fotography: typicalgirl.com in Halifax, N.S. Taken on the Halifax waterfront, home of the 2011 The Word On The Street Halifax Book and Magazine Festival in Halifax, N.S. 2 FALL 2011 Atlantic Books Today Atlantic Books Today COnTEnTs IN EVERy ISSuE Our contributors 7 Steven W. Beattie is the review editor at Quill & Quire. He administers Interview with an Author the literary website That Shakespearean Rag. Poet Sue Goyette completes ABT’s Proust Questionnaire Alec Bruce received two Golds in the 2011 Atlantic Journalism Awards: one for Magazine Article and the other for Commentary. 8 Book Excerpts Michelle Brunet is a freelance writer and ESL Teacher based in Halifax, N.S. Mind Over Mussels Paul Butler is the St. John’s-based author of Cupids and Hero. A Shores Mystery Stephen Clare is a freelance writer and musician living in Halifax, N.S. Nothing big ever happens in The Shores. Ceilidhs, yes. Jodi DeLong is a freelance writer whose sanctuary is Scotts Bay, N.S. Her Killings, no. That all changes when amateur sleuth Hy book Plants for Atlantic Gardens was recently published by Nimbus. McAllister trips over a body on the beach and stumbles Lisa Doucet is a children’s bookseller at Woozles in Halifax, N. S. head first into a murder case Margaret Patricia Eaton’s third poetry collection, Vision & Voice, in The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea collaboration with artist Angelica De Benedetti, was released in July by An-depth crime investigation by Steven Laffoley as he Eagle Wings Press, Moncton. travels the tough streets of 1896 Halifax to the courtrooms Sue Carter Flinn is the former arts and deputy editor for Halifax’s The of Boston in search of a killer. Along the way he discovers Coast, currently working in Toronto as web editor for Quill & Quire. that nothing in this case is what it first seems Skana gee is a Halifax-based freelance writer, editor and communications Danny Williams, Please Come Back consultant, who spends a week each summer at Argyle Shore, P.E.I. A collection of social and political commentaries written Maura Hanrahan’s novel, Sheilagh’s Brush (Inanna) won an Independent by Bill Rowe published from 2005 to 2007 in the St. John’s Press Award this past May. Telegram and the Corner Brook Western Star Ralph Higgins is a writer, columnist and book/movie reviewer living in 14 Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. Inside the Author’s Studio Sharon Hunt is a freelance writer and editor living in St. John’s, N.L. Musician and spoken word performer Tanya Davis takes to Sandy MacDonald is a Halifax-based freelance writer and a weekend the page with her debut collection of poems, At First, Lonely musician. 18 Rosalie MacEachern is a freelance writer living in Stellarton, N.S. Children’s Books Joanna Manning writes and teaches yoga in Moncton, N.B. The best of new children’s and young adult books Don McLeod is a retired Air Force Colonel with forty-seven years service 21 with the Canadian Forces and the Department of National Defence. Guest Editorial: On Canlit book blogging Laurie glenn Norris writes and lives in Lower Kingsclear, N.B. with her Steven W. Beattie tries to answer the question: husband, Barry, many cats and lots of books. why blog? Clare O’Connor is a freelance writer living in Halifax, N.S. 32 Elizabeth Patterson is a writer, musician and broadcaster based in Sydney, N.S. Book Reviews A selection of fiction, history, non-fiction and local interest Chad Pelley is a multi-award-winning author from St. John’s, and the founder of Salty Ink. 45 Jacques Poitras is the provincial affairs reporter for CBC News in New Events Brunswick and the author of Beaverbrook: A Shattered Legacy. His A list of upcoming Atlantic book-related events newest book is Imaginary Line: Life on an Unfinished Border. 46 Jon Tattrie is a freelance journalist and the author of Black Snow and The Book News Hermit of Africville (Pottersfield Press). All the latest from the Atlantic book world Len Wagg is the author of Nova Scotia Landmarks, Wild Nova Scotia and 48 Nova Scotia. He is a photography columnist for The Chronicle Herald. Book Giveaway Kate Watson is a freelance writer and theatre critic for The Coast living Enter to win a beautiful basket of Atlantic Canadian books in Dartmouth, N.S. Atlantic Books Today FALL 2011 3 Atlantic Books Today WHERE TO FinD Us ABT can be found in many libraries, bookstores and cafés throughout Atlantic Canada and here are a few: nEW BRUnsWiCK • Newfoundland Public Library • Woozles Children’s Bookstore Atlantic Books Today is published by the BATHuRST • The Bookery on Signal Hill • Writers Federation of Nova Scotia Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association • Bathurst Book Gallery • Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland KENTVILLE DIEPPE and Labrador • R.D. Chisholm Ltd. (www.atlanticpublishers.ca), which gratefully • Chapters, Champlain Place STEPHENVILLE LIVERPOOL acknowledges the financial assistance of the FREDERICTON • Beavercraft • Snug Harbour Books & Canada Council for the Arts and the Canada • Chapters, Regent Mall nOva sCOTia Gourmet Shop Book Fund of the Department of Canadian • Maritime Writers’ Workshop AMHERST LuNENBuRg Heritage. Opinions expressed in articles in • Owl’s Nest Bookstore • Amy’s Used Books • Admiral Benbow Trading Company • Read’s Newstand United Book • Coles, Amherst Shopping Centre • Bluenose II Company Store Atlantic Books Today do not necessarily reflect Exchange • Pugsley’s Pharmacy Ltd. • Elizabeth’s Books the views and opinions of the Board of the • Strange Adventures ANNAPOLIS ROyAL • Salt Store Gift Shop Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association. • UNB Bookstore • Bainton Tannery Outlet/ • The Black Duck • Westminster Books Mad Hatter Books MAHONE BAy • York Regional Library ANTIgONISH • Biscuit Eater Books and Café FuNDy guILD NATIONAL PARK • Antigonish 5c to the $1.00 • Bluestone Magik • Fundy Guild Bookstore • Bookends • Simple Things Booksellers and PuBLISHER MIRAMICHI • Coles, Antigonish Mall Gift Shop Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association • Books Inn • Word by Word Bookstore NEW gLASgOW Peggy Walt, Executive Director MONCTON BADDECK • Coles • Centre d’Etudes acadiennes • Blue Heron Gift Shop Ltd. • Downtown Book Exchange • Moncton Public Library BEAR RVIER NEW MINAS MANAgINg EDITOR • Rags of Time Books and Crafts • Bear River Bargains and Books • Coles, County Fair Mall Heather Fegan • Read’s Newstand United Book BEDFORD PORT HAWKESBuRy Exchange • Coles, Bedford Place Mall • The Nautical Institute Library EDITORIAL ADVISORy COMMITTEE OROMOCTO • Smithbooks, Sunnyside Mall SHELBuRNE • Sharla Books BRIDgEWATER • The Whirligig Book Shop Heidi Hallett PLASTER ROCK • Coles, Bridgewater Mall STEWIACKE Kristina Parlee • Blue Mountain Pharmacy/ • Sagors Bookstore • The Ridge Shop Book Gallery DARTMOuTH SyDNEy ADVERTISINg SALES RIVERVIEW • Chapters, Mic Mac Mall • Coles, Mayflower Mall Regional: Peggy Walt • Cover to Cover • Coles, Penhorn Shopping Centre • Reynolds Bookshop ROTHESAy • Tattletales Books • Cape Breton University (902) 420.0711 • Benjamin’s Books DIgBy Bookstore [email protected] SACKVILLE • Magasin Campus Bookstore • Cape Breton University Library • Rags of Time Books and Crafts EASTERN PASSAgE TATAMAgOuCHE National: Michael Wile • Tidewater Books • Dockside Treasures • Hanna’s Books (416) 531.1483 SAINT JOHN ENFIELD • Tatamagouche Centre • Chapters Indigo Point • NS Tourism and Information Booth TRuRO [email protected] • Coles, Brunswick Square • Relay Books • Bookstore of the Nova Scotia • Coles, Lancaster Mall gREENWOOD Agricultural College DESIgN • Coles, McAllister Place • The Inside Story • Coles, Truro Mall Meghan Rushton – [email protected] • Inprint HALIFAX • NSCC Bookstore • Saint John Regional Library • Atlantic News • NSCC Library Printed in Canada. This is issue number 67 • Scheherazade Books and Music • Back Pages • The Book Nook • The Museum Shop • Bookmark II WOLFVILLE Fall 2011. Atlantic Books Today is published • Trinity Enterprise Bookstore • Buy the Book and More Ltd. • Acadia University Bookstore three times a year. All issues are numbered • UNBSJ Bookstore • Carrefour Atlantique Emporium • Box of Delights in sequence. Total Atlantic-wide circulation: ST. ANDREWS • Chapters, Bayers Lake yARMOuTH 60,000. ISSN 1192-3652 • Boutique la Baleine/ • Coles, Halifax Shopping Centre • At the Sign of the Whale The Whale Store • Coles, Scotia Square • Coles, Yarmouth Mall WOODSTOCK • Dal Tech Bookstore • Mast Head Gift Shop One-year subscriptions to ABT are available for • Owl Books and Gifts • Dalhousie University Bookstore PRinCE EDWaRD isLanD $15 ($17.25 including HST).