Sunday, March 23, 2008

some recent rob mclennan adventures; Ottawa, Edmonton, Red Deer...

It's been pretty busy around here lately, what with travel to Ottawa for the weekend, a Factory (West) Reading back in Edmonton, and then a reading the next night in the Red Deer College Library. At least the long weekend is allowing me to breathe...

Ottawa: March 15, 2008; the launch of Ottawa: The Unknown City (Arsenal Pulp Press);
When launching anything, it's best to do it on your birthday (see my birthday post here), so people bring gifts. For some reason, there are no photos (apart from this) of the launch itself, at Nicholas Hoare Books (check out the link to me being interviewed for such, on early-morning Breakfast Television), but lovely Jenn Farr took some photos of some of the after-hijinks. We started at the Earl of Sussex Pub, and ended up at Pubwell's, my very own local.
Lovely Jenn Farr (check her green hair for St. Patrick's Day) and her pal Eliza Von Baeyer, sitting at Pubwell's. I also learned, that day, that the Pope had decreed my birthday the official Feast of St. Patrick, so it wouldn't interfere with Holy Week (just so you know, the "snakes" were, ahem, Protestants, Druids & other "heathens"). Another reason to hate the Irish; bad enough they had the parade on my birthday and refused to acknowledge me. Oh, Irish people, what have I ever done to you?
Max Middle (the one on the right), who turns 38 but three weeks after I do, flipping through my Ottawa: The Unknown City (but paying attention to Jenn Farr)
(photos by Jenn Farr; one by Max Middle)

Edmonton: March 18, 2008; the Factory (West) Reading Series;

Already some have been talking about how much they'll miss this reading series when I leave, the little monthly I started in January (see info on the next reading here); worry not! Trisia Eddy and I have been preparing for her to take over the series, and continue it in June (& beyond).
Calgary author D.M. Bryan (on the right) with her husband; an adorable couple, to be sure.
We aren't sure what NeWest Press' Tiffany Regaudie is staring off at, but here's PEI-resident (& Red Nettle Press co-hort) Patti Sinclair talking to Douglas Barbour (note the Bill Cosby-like sweater).
D.M. Bryan presenting the world premiere of her first book & first novel, Gerbil Mother (NeWest Press).
The lovely bookseller; why didn't I learn her name?
Kristy McKay, looking very cute (as always);
(photos by Lainna)

Red Deer: March 19, 2008; rob at the Red Deer College Library;

I did a reading at the Red Deer College Library, lovingly organized & hosted by my new best friend & Brick Books author, Joan Crate. Even though she handed me the cheque before the reading got started, I stayed & even read to a good group of interested students & non-students alike (despite my attempts to get a few of them, pre-reading, to run off with me).
This is me answering questions; somehow I ended up having to explain to 20-year-olds that, yes, telephones used to have bells in them, & the "party line" had nothing to do with actual parties. Oh, youth. The reading was plenty fun, & we even went out for drinks after; even further, went to a kereoke hotel bar (the kereoke guy sick, so wasn't happening) & managed to close the place. I'm getting to old for this stuff...

(photos by Anne Marie Watson, Red Deer College)

Edmonton: March 22, 2008; rob and Lainna at West Edmonton Mall (part three);
Why do we keep going back to the Maul (see a picture here from our first visit)? I mean, really, why not? It's the most fun anyone can have in a day (at least in Edmonton); although the WEM apparently isn't big enough to have a store inside where one might purchase a pork-pie hat... (if only we were in Beijing!); but still, isn't this photo of the bottles behind the bar at Earl's magnificent? (I posted a pile of WEM photos on facebook today...);
And then there were these things, that shoot water from the front (I want one);

(photos by Lainna)
Oh, what hijinks will I get up to next...?

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