BC Book Prizes

Eagle Returns

Arrived in Prince George full of sound and fury (but really just getting tired now).

What sticks in my mind at this point is something that happened in Prince Rupert. I read a poem called “The End of Flight,” which tells the (true!) story of a strange incident: while building a playhouse in my back yard (with fellow poet Jordan Scott), an eagle fell from the sky and landed dead at our feet (omen, anyone?). In Rupert, at the Museum of the North, I was reading this poem with my back to large windows overlooking the harbour. I’m told that as I did so, an eagle flew into view behind me, circled, and then, catching a thermal, spiralled up out of sight. So I guess that eagle is back. Thanks Prince Rupert.

I’m blogging for the first time on this trip. Not sure about this! My wife, however, is the real blogger: check her out (shameless plug, I know, but how else to make up for being away for a week!).

Posted by Stephen Collis | Filed under: Northern Leg 2011 | 0 Comments | Permalink

If it’s Saturday We Must Be In Prince George

We had an excellent reading at Books and Company last night here in Prince George. There was a big group out to see the authors including lots of kids. The book store sold out of books and I had to give them some of the books we had with us to keep up the demand. We have a day off today and will start again tomorrow visiting school here in Prince George before heading off to Quesnel in the afternoon.

Posted by Bryan Pike | Filed under: Northern Leg 2011 | 1 Comments | Permalink

Too Much Hot Chocolate

I’m having a wonderful time here in Prince Rupert….even if it’s cold, raining and I’m on my third mug of hot chocolate. I’ve just come from a presentation at a great school called Lax Kxeen and the 100 or so students were a wonderful audience. One boy even said I was “cool”. You gotta feel good with that kind of compliment. 

Tonight we’re doing a reading at the museum here. It’s a beautiful building and looks like a traditional First Nations longhouse. The two authors I’m with, Gary Kent and Stephen Collis are great travelling partners. I’m learning lots about fishing from Gary (he wrote a picture book called Fishing with Gubby) and getting really ticked off about the tar sands, oil companies and our over consuming society from Stephen (his book of poetry is called On the Material).

Posted by Gina McMurchy-Barber | Filed under: Northern Leg 2011 | 2 Comments | Permalink

Roaring into Rupert

Loving Prince Rupert: it’s like Tofino, minus the rich people. Read at Charles Hays Secondary School—great audience (thanks guys). Best question of the day: ever write a break-up poem? You bet I have! (But it’s been a while, that’s for sure.) I even tried to read it, from memory. I’m sorry about that. Back to railing against oil and mining companies for me!

Posted by Stephen Collis | Filed under: Northern Leg 2011 | 2 Comments | Permalink

Elementary fun

Three gigs so far from Terrace to Prince Rupert. Buckets of clean and crisp Rupert rain. I was up first at Lax Kxeen Elementary with a fine bunch of 8 year-olds of potential gubsters. Gina’s crowd of 80 totally devoted students were a real pleasure to behold and Stephen over at the secondary school wrapped willing teenagers in his beautifully crafted poems. Next up the Museum of Northern BC.

Posted by Gary Kent | Filed under: Northern Leg 2011 | 1 Comments | Permalink

First reading in Terrace

We had a great flight up from Vancover. Our first reading of the tour was tonight here in Terrace for a nice group. We are all looking forward to the drive to Prince Rupert in the morning.

Posted by Bryan Pike | Filed under: Northern Leg 2011 | 0 Comments | Permalink

One Week Away from 2011 Tour

I can’t believe that I leave in just over a week for the 8th annual BC Book Prizes On Tour. I have had the pleasure of being the Tour Driver/Director every year and I thoroughly enjoy it. Getting to know new authors every year, exploring the province, and sharing reading, writing and literacy with communities and schools; nothing beats it.

This year we’re excited to return to Salmon Arm in the Sushwap. We visited schools there several years ago, but will be having an afternoon event at the public library on Saturday, April 16. I’m looking forward to meeting the people of Salmon Arm and exploring the town after the event. Let us know the best spot to have dinner!

I also have some favourite things to do each year, especially when the authors haven’t travelled within BC extensively. The event at the Museum of Northern BC in Prince Rupert is stunning. The museum staff make us feel so welcome and we present in this gorgeous room with tall totems and floor-to-ceiling windows. The view and the sunset from that room is breathtaking.

Another highlight is the drive between Smithers and Prince Rupert on the Yellowhead Highway. The Skeena River, Coast Mountains, and northwest Native culture are all incredible sights on this journey. It may seem like a long drive to be stuck in the car with relative strangers, but it is actually these long drives that strengthen our new friendships.

So, to close, I hope to see you all at the Soirée on April 5th, and I’ll be headed out on the Northern Leg bright and early on Thursday morning (April 7).

Posted by Bryan Pike | Filed under: Northern Leg 2011, Okanagan Leg 2011, Lower Mainland Leg 2011 | 0 Comments | Permalink

Final Photos from the Southern Tour

We had a great last few days in Southern BC and here are some lovely photos. To view all our photos, visit the BC Book Prizes Flickr Photostream. It’s been organized into albums and we’ll soon be posting Gala photos.

Sylvia reads from Counting on Hope at the Oliver Public Library

Myself (Tim), Fred and Sylvia enjoy the Osoyoos view after an excellent dinner at Passa Tempo restaurant, Nk’mip Winery.

Fred signs a copy of is a door for a fan at Cafe West Books in Rossland.

Posted by Tim Carlson | Filed under: Southern Leg 2010 | 0 Comments | Permalink

Final tour days & Gala tonight

So I’m in Victoria today, Saturday, after finishing off schools and readings in Osoyoos, Oliver, and Sidney.
I have found a new enthusiasm for talking with 14-yr olds. How out of touch I’ve become from those teen years that, finally, spurred my own poetic investigations and diatribes.
My book, is a door, leans much on my interest in hybridity and senses of “betweeness.” Talking about difference, identity, marginalization with the students has been surprising and interesting. Of course many of them are at that crucial turn in life when identity first offers its confusions.
The teachers, those brave educators who work in the trenches (not towers), have been likewise open and caring about the social, and more aware than I about issues of difference and confidence.
Traveling with Sylvia Olsen, whose life on a reserve informs all of her books on the interface between aboriginality and whiteness, has been an incredible pleasure. Tim Carlson and I have listened throughout the long trip to some amazing and informative stories about her life as a “white Indian.” In fact, our conversations have been so central to our trip that Tim didn’t dip into his box of cd’s he so thoughtfully put together.
So, again, the great thing about the BC Book Prizes has been the school visits. Since BC doesn’t have a “writers in the schools” program, this tour has been, I think, the most useful and productive aspect of the Prizes. I hope it grows (without the bed bugs).

Posted by Fred Wah | Filed under: | 0 Comments | Permalink

Final Leg

The week has flown by. We leave shortly on the final leg of our tour. We’re bound for Sydney where we’ll meet up with Sylvia Olsen and Fred Wah (and Tim!) of the Southern Leg.  Fred and Ehor will give presentations at the high school while Sylvia and I visit Sidney Elementary to talk with the younger set. I’m hoping we arrive in time for me to catch some of Sylvia’s presentation, as I particularly enjoyed her book Counting on Hope and would love to hear more about her approach to writing it and how she made her interesting format choices.  It looks like another gorgeous Island weather day today.

Posted by Fiona Bayrock | Filed under: Okanagan / Vancouver Island Leg 2010 | 0 Comments | Permalink