Free story from Moonlight Sketches!



"Break, Break, Break"



There's been a lot going on with Moonlight Sketches and me since last I blogged, but for now, I just wanted to make you aware of a FREE short story that's just been published in the online journal New Atlantic Canadian Literature, which does exactly as it promises. Run by Salty Ink, NACL posts a variety of features and free writing samples from newly published fiction and poetry in Atlantic Canada. What better way to decide if a book or author is worth your time and money? They've just posted, in its entirety, "Break, Break, Break" from Moonlight Sketches, along with a short write-up and review of the story. I'm very pleased to have my story published by NACL and Salty Ink, as I consider them to be the most impressive book blog in all of Canada. I may be a little biased, but I wouldn't say it if I didn't think it was true. In fact, I'm sure you've heard me mention them before.

"Break, Break, Break" is one of my favorite stories in Moonlight Sketches, as it comes from a place of pure imagination, but inspired by the real life event of the Ocean Ranger tragedy, which killed 84 men off the coast of Newfoundland during a savage storm in February 1982. The story was written after a sleepless night of hearing voices inside my head--and yet outside of me, somehow--and the next morning sitting at the computer before I'd even had breakfast and writing for about 4 hours straight. This story is what came out and, in fact, it only required a minimal amount of revision before it was published in an anthology called Hard Ol' Spot (Mike Heffernan, ed.).

So if you haven't read this one yet, check it out--just click on the link beneath the NACL logo at the top of this blog entry. If you've already read it, you can check out the feature itself, as well as the NACL journal and Salty Ink. There's a lot of good stuff there, and you might want to bookmark the site because it regularly adds new features on very fine writers and poets. It's just one of the places you can go. :-)
Talk to you again soon.

Gerard

Fridged

Talented poet Kerri Cull runs a book blog called The Book Fridge which features mostly Newfoundland writers. It's by far one of the most creative websites of its kind, especially from the East Coast of Canada--ranking right up there with the indisputable king, Salty Ink, which is owned and managed by another excellent Newfoundland author, Chad Pelley. The Book Fridge and Salty Ink are two glorious examples of why I long ago chose not to turn my own blog into a book blog--there are just too many people who do it so much better, and with more love and knowledge of Newfoundland and Canadian literature, than I could ever aspire to. That and, well, it needs to be said, it's too late now and you can't teach an old blog new tricks. It takes a lot of dedication--hours spent reading and managing a website--that I truly admire. Such bloggers perform a great service not only to new and established writers in this country, but also for readers who are voracious in their appetite for news about their favorite--and perhaps soon-to-be-favorite--writers. There's inside information and insight here that you just can't get anywhere else. Makes me think there ought to be a Book Bloggers Day in honour of those who do it and do it so well.

I did an interview with The Book Fridge a few days ago and it went live on Sunday, same day as my reading at Chapters. If you click on the link you can read my answers to her provocative questions. And, I must say, I love talking to an interviewer who, not only has great interviewing skills (Kerri Cull has been writing for years and once wrote a regular column in The Express that was one of my favorites), but took the time to read the book before the interview. I realize that's not always possible, and I don't mind if they don't read it, but it makes the questions and discussion all the better when everyone's on the same page, so to speak.

The link: The Book Fridge

And if you wanted to check out Salty Ink: http://saltyink.com/ There's tons of great discussion about high quality East Coast writing and writers.

Literary event of the week

Time: Sunday, May 15 · 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Location:  Chapters bookstore, Kenmount Road, St. John's, NL


Signing copies of Moonlight Sketches

This Sunday, I'll be reading selected passages from Moonlight Sketches, followed by a signing session. It would be great to see you there. It will be my first public reading after the launch of my short story collection, and I'm hoping there might even be some questions from the audience. All signs are that it will be a fairly well attended event, but it will be a cozy afternoon with some chairs set up at the back of the store, and I'll be at a podium, speaking to the group.

I'm looking forward to talking to some people who have read the book and might have questions about certain stories. Like, do you wonder how I came to write "Break, Break, Break" from the perspective of a sixteen-year-old girl, especially after I once swore I'd never write a story about the Ocean Ranger? Maybe you'd like to ask about the inspiration for the evil Crowley family, or what happens next for Winnie in "Hold Out"? If you've got a burning question about any part of any story in Moonlight Sketches, now is your chance to ask--and I promise a straightforward answer in my own special way. :-)

After the reading, there'll be a booksigning--whether you previously purchased a book or you're buying one Sunday afternoon, I'd be happy--and privileged--to sign it and to personalize it.

Of course, you need not stay for the whole two hours. If you just want to stay for the reading, or you'd like a book signed, that's up to you.

Meanwhile, this is an event that I'm really looking forward to, since it is my first public reading as a published author and because the thing that I've absolutely enjoyed the most about publishing a book is having the chance to meet people, especially people who read, not just my words, but books in general. In the past month, I've already had some memorable moments that will have an impact on me for years to come. I'm sure Sunday afternoon will produce a few more of those.

So that's from 1-3 p.m Sunday afternoon at Chapters in St. John's. Bring a friend or two. And if you can't come along, by all means send a proxy.

Gerard