July 2008
Travels with dolley
Thank you to everyone who helped launch our Spring 2008 books by attending NeWest events held in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Gabriola Island, Burlington, and Camrose. And well done for organizing them all, Tiffany!
Just as the whirlwind launch season was winding down, NeWest took its books (and its dolley!) on the road in June, with a focus on highlighting our backlist. We started with a display at the Canadian Arctic Summit, held as part of the University of Alberta's centenary celebrations program during the first week of June. While there, we drew attention to our Northern titles and met with zealous meteorologists.
Soon after we packed books, dolley and hiking boots and headed to the Rockies to participate in Jasper Environment Week events. Back in April, after the dust from the wild ride of CBC Canada Reads 2008 had begun to settle, astronaut (and valiant Icefields defender) Dr. Steve MacLean surprised and delighted the NeWest crew by accepting our invitation to participate in Jasper Environment Week events.
The week started with Thomas Wharton giving his first reading in Jasper since Icefields was released 13 years ago. On June 6, a town-hall style panel discussion was held at the Jasper Activity Centre, entitled On the Rocks: A Discussion on Climate Change and Glaciers, featuring Dr. Steve MacLean, Thomas Wharton, and University of Calgary glaciologist Dr. Shawn Marshall. As a special surprise, Steve MacLean brought along exclusive RadarSat 2 satellite images of the Columbia Icefield, captured two days earlier, to show Jasperites how much the glacier had receded in recent years. For the participants, the highlight of Environment Week was a hike on the Athabasca tongue of the glacier. With one dutiful park warden in the lead and another in the rear, we were assured our party would return from the excursion unscathed -- without re-enacting the first harrowing scene in Icefields where the main character falls into a crevasse.
Left to right: Jacob Wakefield (science student), Lou Morin (NeWest Press), Thomas Wharton (author), Steve MacLean (astronaut), Mike Eder (Parks Canada)
With hardly any time to shake the glacier dust off our boots, we headed to BookExpo Canada in Toronto where we joined other publishers at the Literary Press Group's booth. Theanna Bischoff's Cleavage signing at the LPG booth drew a sizable crowd as curious BEC delegates lined up to meet the author and find out what exactly the "free C-cups" were. (Soon to be available on the NeWest Press website!)
Theanna Bischoff surrounded by Cleavage C-cups at BEC
We're happy to report that our dolley (and General Manager) made it to Toronto and back without a mishap! Which is a good thing, because she headed straight to the Western Canadian Studies Conference that same week, where we shared book fair space with four other western Canadian presses. The next day, we returned to the mountains for National Aboriginal Day in Jasper National Park. What a wonderful way to end the tour and meet with members of Aboriginal communities from across Alberta.
Lou des Rocheuses
Back in Edmonton, our dolley is parked in her usual spot by our front door, waiting for more book-toting adventures. I'm sure it won't be long....
Lou Morin, General Manager
Bix's Trumpet shortlisted for 2008 ReLit Award for Best Short Fiction
We were thrilled when the ReLit Awards announced their longlist two weeks ago, but we wondered whether we should announce that one particular collection of short stories made the cut.
Now, without question, we're even more thrilled to announce that Bix's Trumpet and other stories by Dave Margoshes currently sits on the shortlist for the 2008 ReLit Awards!
Winners will be announced at this year's Ottawa International Writers Festival in October. For more information on the ReLit Awards, visit http://therelitawards.blogspot.com/.
Garry Ryan celebrates San Diego Pride
In conjunction with this year's San Diego Pride Festival (July 19-20), Garry Ryan will read from his much anticipated September thriller, A Hummingbird Dance, the third installment of his acclaimed Detective Lane Mystery Series. Ryan will also be signing copies of The Lucky Elephant Restaurant, winner of the 2007 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Mystery.
San Diego, CA
Borders Gaslamp (668 6th Ave)
Friday, July 18th,
7 pm
"Lane and Harper are fine characters who deserve a series."
The Globe and Mail
"Ryan has penned a haunting, psychological drama of the first order."
Edmonton Journal
"Watching Lane and Harper unpeel the layers of this particular onion is an amazing experience."
The Star Phoenix
Click here to get to know Lane and Harper, this Fall's dynamic duo.
Books to read this Fall:
With the beautiful, crisp days of Fall just ahead, you'll want to consider these upcoming Fall titles when building your escape-the-cold-weather reading lists:
Any Other Woman by Monica Kidd
$19.95 / 5.5 x 8.5 / 144 pp / 1-897126-30-1 / 978-1-897126-30-1
Canadian Literature at the Crossroads of Language and Culture by Barbara Godard
$36.95 / 6 x 9.75 / 462 pp / 1-897126-36-0 / 978-1-897126-36-3
The Cardinal Divide by Stephen Legault
$22.95 / 5 x 8.5 / 464 pp / 1-897126-32-8 / 978-1-897126-32-5
A Hummingbird Dance by Garry Ryan
$11.95 / 4.25 x 7 / 240 pp / 1-897126-31-X / 978-1-897126-31-8
Listening to Trees by A.K. Hellum
$22.95 / 5.5 x 9 / 144 pp /1-897126-34-4 / 978-1-897126-33-2
Nightmarker by Meredith Quartermain
$14.95 / 5.5 x 8.5 / 80 pp / 1-897126-34-4 / 978-1-897126-33-6
Click here for more information on these great upcoming titles.
Don't miss next month's edition of new@NEWEST for more exciting literary updates in August. Media copies of all our books are available on request. Please contact Tiffany Regaudie at marketing@newestpress.com or at (780) 432-9427 for your pick of great Canadian literature.
Bookseller Ordering Information:
In print:
Cleavage by Theanna Bischoff ($17.95 / 1-897126-25-5 / 978-1-897126-25-7)
Icefields by Thomas Wharton ($18.95 / 0-920897-87-8 / 978-0-920897-87-4)
The Lucky Elephant Restaurant by Garry Ryan ($10.95 / 1-896300-97-9 / 978-1-896300-97-9)
Weasel Tail by Michael Ross ($32.95 / 1-897126-28-X / 978-1-897126-28-8)
Available to order Fall 2008:
Any Other Woman by Monica Kidd ($19.95 / 1-897126-30-1 / 978-1-897126-30-1)
Canadian Literature at the Crossroads of Language and Culture by Barbara Godard ($36.95 / 1-897126-36-0 / 978-1-897126-36-3)
The Cardinal Divide by Stephen Legault ($22.95 / 1-897126-32-8 / 978-1-897126-32-5)
A Hummingbird Dance by Garry Ryan ($11.95 / 1-897126-31-X / 978-1-897126-31-8)
Listening to Trees by A.K. Hellum ($22.95 / 1-897126-34-4 / 978-1-897126-33-2)
Nightmarker by Meredith Quartermain ($14.95 / 1-897126-34-4 / 978-1-897126-33-6)
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