Aurora Awards

Martin Springett’s Jousing with Jesters: An ABC for the Younger Dragon was nominated for the Prix Aurora Awards in the Best Work in English (other) category. Martin is also nominated for Artistic Accomplishment and Fan Achievement, for his fabulous filk (science fiction folk music). Learn more about Martin’s music and art at www.martinspringett.com.

The Auroras were awarded at VCON 32, an annual fan-run science-fiction, fantasy and gaming convention running in Vancouver.

Out of Order Launch

Out of Order was launched last week at the Cornerstone Cafe in Victoria, BC neighbourhood Fernwood, where the book takes place.

Robin’s editor, Sarah Harvey, hides behind Out of Order at Robin’s book launch.

Robin Stevenson signing her new book, Out of Order, at Cornerstone Cafe.

Klutzhood Launched

Chris McMahen signs his new book, Klutzhood, for fans of all ages at the
Armstrong Branch of the Okanagan Regional Library. The evening featured a
performance by a women’s choir and skits from the school where Chris is a
teacher-librarian.

A five letter word for “Happy Trails”

I think the next question I will ask on my Facebook site is this.  If there were one word you would use to describe a more obvious or dominant aspect of your personality, what would it be?

I think my word would be “Frenetic.”

According to Onlinefreedictionary.com, “frenetic” or “phrenetic” is an adjective which describes someone as being “Wildly excited or active; frantic; frenzied.”

[Middle English frenetik, from Old French frenetique, from Latin phrenticus, from Greek phrentikos, from phrentis, brain disease, from phrn, mind; see gwhren- in Indo-European roots.]

Brain disease, huh?  Well I suppose that depends on whether you feel being frenetic is a good or bad state, as having an actual brain disease couldn’t be good.

A frenetic state works well for me, given what fills my days.  Take this morning, for instance.  It began at about 6 am, with my cursing the Scrabble gods, as it was my move in my online game-in-progress, and I was sitting with a tray full of vowels.  While musing over letter scrambles, I managed to take out the garbage and recyclables in time to meet the truck, toss a load of laundry in my washing machine (I love its mumble-mumble…very soothing), respond to several emails, read the news, bake a batch of dog kibble, and finally settle on a word.  A very good one, as it turned out.  67 points, mwah-hah-ha!

While sipping tea, and mentally preparing myself to settle in for some book writing, I carried on with research begun yesterday on gender differences in regards to how Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) manifests itself in girls, as compared to boys.  Did you know that in girls the “hyperactivity” part of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) sometimes shows itself through hyperverbalization and emotional excitability?

Ahhh!  So much information, so little time!  It’s quite wonderful, really.

Through the morning I also browsed favourite news sites, checked bus schedules, and was momentarily sidetracked by an account of the Sex Pistols playing a tour warm-up-show in Los Angeles.  It seems Johnny Rotten is just as lovely and charming on stage as he was back in the late 70s.  The fans will be ecstatic.

As fascinating as all this has been, it is time for me to set aside my morning, and my almost finished next chapter, and look to the rest of the day. I must prepare to head out to the barn, where a beautiful two-year-old gelding waits to head-but my belly, and prance in a ring.  After that it will be a quick shower, and then out to a play.  Our Town.  Can’t wait!

Perhaps after that, it will be my turn again in Scrabble.

Frenetic is how I get things done.

It’s been a fun week of guest-blogging.  Thank you Orca, and thank you to all who have popped by.  However you get things done, I wish you well with it.

Stay in touch.

Rock and Roll!

Whew, what a morning!  Oh wait…where I sit it’s actually mid-afternoon.  In any case, I feel like I’ve been around the world and back.  In a way, I have.

I began the day sending family members safely and properly prepared here, there, and there, and then settled myself into story—my “now” book.  Like one or two of my others, this one is set in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

In between writing bits I also managed to sort details for a launch, and a possible research trip.

The launch is for Two Foot Punch, my previously mentioned teen sports thriller which features parkour, a sort of “extreme running” you most certainly have seen on film, even if you are not familiar with the name.  It should be arriving at my door any day now, and will be launched on November 15—eek!  Oh sorry…I’m not actually worried, or anything.  I just can’t believe the date is almost here.  After all, November 15 is only a few days more than three weeks away—eek!

I am so excited about what we have planned that I can hardly stand to wait…which is why I suppose it’s a good thing I spend quite a lot of time sitting.

Once again, McNally Robinson Grant Park in Winnipeg will host the event (drop me a note if you’d like an invite).  This time, besides the usual author reading and anecdotes, we will have a demonstration by the Winnipeg Parkour team (http://www.winnipegparkour.com ), for which I am extremely grateful.  These very nice—and very fit—young people helped me out quite a lot with my book research.

Following the demonstration, and during the mingling, munching, and book signing, we will have another treat.  I’ve just received permission from two extraordinarily talented Mikes (Mike Christie and Mike Smith), producers, directors, and writers at Carbon Media (London, UK), to show a portion of their most excellent parkour film, Jump Britain.  Hurrah! It features Sebastien Foucan, one of parkour’s acknowledged founders, and a few of his friends, as they fearlessly “tackle some of the UK’s most iconic sites.”  Perhaps we should also prepare a batch of popcorn.

Besides my “now” book, and my “three weeks from now” book (eek!), I’ve also been thinking ahead to my next project, which will be a second book in my Junior Canadian Ranger series for young readers—a sequel to Racing for Diamonds.  For this one I hope to get up to Tuktoyaktuk, Nunavut, for a bit of research.  I’ve just sent off a letter requesting travel sponsorship.  Cross your fingers and toes for me.  If all the planets are properly aligned I may be heading up to the Arctic coast in January.  A very dark, very cold January.  Woo-hoo!  Can’t think of anything more exciting than that.

Except maybe my next launch…which is only a few days more than three weeks away—eek!