It’s time for another writing update. I finished reviewing the galley. eXtasy Books has scheduled a release for Blessed on Friday, June 29, 2018.
Logline: A mixed-blood Catholic seminarian struggles to discern his true calling: the priesthood or his ex-lover, a proud but damaged Ojibway man.
Blessed by Maggie Blackbird
Seven Fallen Fathers by Tanya Talaga
During Sunday weekly brunch with my parents, my dad told me about a book he had read. Since we have the same reading tastes, I wanted to hear more about Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga. What can I say other than I’m knee-deep in this book. It’s so good, I had to place on hold the book I’m currently reading.
The author brings to life the Northern City she speaks about, as if she’s a local, but she states she’s from Toronto. Although she’s a journalist by trade, she could pass for a fictional author with her vivid descriptions of the setting, the people, and the hard truths.
Here is the blurb courtesy of Goodreads: In 1966, twelve-year-old Chanie Wenjack froze to death on the railway tracks after running away from residential school. An inquest was called and four recommendations were made to prevent another tragedy. None of those recommendations were applied.
More than a quarter of a century later, from 2000 to 2011, seven Indigenous high school students died in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The seven were hundreds of miles away from their families, forced to leave home and live in a foreign and unwelcoming city. Five were found dead in the rivers surrounding Lake Superior, below a sacred Indigenous site. Jordan Wabasse, a gentle boy and star hockey player, disappeared into the minus twenty degrees Celsius night. The body of celebrated artist Norval Morrisseau’s grandson, Kyle, was pulled from a river, as was Curran Strang’s. Robyn Harper died in her boarding-house hallway and Paul Panacheese inexplicably collapsed on his kitchen floor. Reggie Bushie’s death finally prompted an inquest, seven years after the discovery of Jethro Anderson, the first boy whose body was found in the water.
Using a sweeping narrative focusing on the lives of the students, award-winning investigative journalist Tanya Talaga delves into the history of this small northern city that has come to manifest Canada’s long struggle with human rights violations against Indigenous communities.
Buy Links: Amazon.ca; Chapters/Indigo; Kobo; McNally Robinson; Amazon.com; B&N; iBooks.
Over the weekend, the wonderful artist at eXtasy Books sent me a copy of my book cover for Blessed. The potential release date is June 15th.
Blessed by Maggie Blackbird
It’s been a long time since I’ve last done a writing update. I’m happy to say I’ve contracted the first book of my Ojibway romance trilogy with eXtasy Books.
As I go through the editing process, I thought I’d share my logline and blurb.
Shhh. Writer at work.
A mixed-blood Catholic seminarian struggles to discern his true calling: the priesthood or his ex-lover, a proud but damaged Ojibway man.
American Indian Movement
As I mentioned in my previous post, the American Indian Movement was formed in the summer of 1968, Minneapolis, Minnesota by Dennis Banks, Clyde Bellecourt, Eddie Benton Banai, and George Mitchell, all from surrounding Ojibwa Nations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
I already covered the autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs of prominent members of AIM. For this post, I’ll introduce you to books about the movement by writers, journalists, professors, and a retired FBI agent who was in charge for the first two weeks of the Wounded Knee occupation in 1973.
What’cha Watching?
Looking for something new to watch on TV? Enjoy period shows with a supernatural twist? Then The Terror is for you. My husband came across this show on AMC one evening. I watched for a bit. Then Lady Silence made her appearance and I was hooked. I couldn’t believe an Indigenous woman was starring in a TV series with a cast of men.
Lady Silence is a member of the Netsilik people and the shaman’s daughter. She’s given her nickname “Lady Silence” by the crew. There is mystery to her and wisdom. Some of the crew fear her while others want to use her knowledge to kill what is terrorizing them. As for Lady Silence, she seems to want no part of them, or the creature that is stalking the crew.
Fore!
Woohoo, The Masters is this week. If you don’t follow golf, The Masters is one of four major golf tournaments with players from the PGA, European Tour, Asia Tour, etc. (who qualify), competing for the prestigious green jacket.
Born in 1934, The Masters is the youngest golf major, with The Open Championship (formerly known as The British Open) being the granddaddy of them all with its birth in 1860 at the Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.
I play Fantasy Golf. Here are my picks from the European Tour:
American Indian Movement
The American Indian Movement was formed in the summer of 1968, Minneapolis, Minnesota by Dennis Banks, Clyde Bellecourt, Eddie Benton Banai, and George Mitchell, all from surrounding Ojibwa Nations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. According to the late Dennis Banks’ autobiography, Ojibwa Warrior, AIM was created to address the oppression of native people in the twin cities. It grew from there to a national level.
Many books were written about the American Indian Movement and its members. For this post, I’m listing books about the members or books written by the members.
Movie Night!
I don’t watch movies like I used to. But when I find one I enjoy, I must share it with the world. So I thought I’d create a new category about the latest movie I popped into my DVD player, or recorded on PVR.
I’m a HUGE Mad Max fan. I have been ever since I watched Mad Max II: The Road Warrior. So when Mad Max: Fury Road came out, I was skeptical. In my eyes, only Mel Gibson could play Max. Plus, I kinda go “hmm” at CGI. I’m glad to say George Miller (director) proved me wrong.
Fore!
Right now I’m watching the South African Open (when I am also supposedly writing). Most would think, “What? Golf? Seriously?” I love golf–watching and playing. To prove anything can happen during a tournament, I present you with golfers who’ll do the unthinkable to save par or even a birdie…literally!
Here are six gents who stripped down to almost nothing in the name of the game.
I suggest viewing at home. NSFW=Not Safe for Work.
The Storyteller Trilogy by Sue Harrison
I’ve been knee-deep in non-fiction for the past couple of months. The other day I downloaded some fiction…finally. How I’ve missed reading fiction–especially historical fiction. I did a previous post about Sue Harrison‘s Ivory Carver Trilogy. I’m finally starting her Storyteller Trilogy.
Here are the blurbs for each story:
Song of the River: Eighty centuries ago, in the frozen land that is now Alaska, a clubfooted male child had been left to die, when a woman named K’os rescued him. Twenty years later and no longer a child, Chakliux occupies the revered role as his tribe’s storyteller. In the neighboring village of the Near River people, where Chakliux will attempt to make peace by wedding the shaman’s daughter, a double murder occurs that sends him on a harsh, enthralling journey in search of the truth about the tragic losses his people have suffered, and into the arms of a woman he was never meant to love.
Wishing you a wonderful 2018!
Happy 2018!
I thought I’d post today in case it gets a lil crazy to get online tomorrow.
A Canuck Christmas
For my blog, I came up with the idea of listing my 12 favourite Christmas songs.
I got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!
Muah!
In Canuckville, we’re still without snow (just because I said that, a blizzard will whisk through here). We got dumped on at the end of October and enjoyed the white fluffy stuff for a couple of weeks since the temp was hovering around -12 Celsius. Then a warm spell wooshed in and stole all our snow. Do I sound like I’m complaining? Maybe a little bit. I do enjoy walking through a winter wonderland with the Mals. They are arctic freighting dogs, so snow for them is an exciting time.
Anyhoo, this is when I list some of my fave Christmas movies. In the spirit of the twelve days, I’ll supply twelve that I’ve enjoyed over the years. Keep in mind I’m not a big watcher of Christmas movies. These are ones that stayed with me through my youth.
What’cha Watching?
And her name is Frankie Drake. The producers of Murdoch Mysteries have developed a new TV series starring a female sleuth and her savvy sidekicks. Follow Frankie, her partner Trudy, morality officer Mary, and morgue attendant Flo, as they take on cases the police won’t handle, or can’t handle, in 1920s Toronto.
Be on the lookout for reporter Ernest Hemingway, who always wants the inside scoop on the latest scandal, and Nora Amory, Frankie’s unorthodox, back-from-the-dead mother.
Airing after Murdoch Mysteries on CBC on Monday nights, The Frankie Drake Mysteries is a new series not to be missed, as the women take on Toronto and its criminals.
This is a great place developed by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, creators of Writing Helping Writers and their most famous tool for a writer out there–the Emotion Thesaurus.
One Stop for Writers
One Stop for Writers is what it says. You have access to all of the thesaurus’ written by Becca and Angela (besides the Emotion Thesaurus), such as: colour and pattern, physical features, setting (urban or rural), shapes, textures, emotion amplifiers, and a host of others. All are a click away as you write. Even better? Members get first crack at the newest books developed by Becca and Angela. Currently, they are working on an occupation thesaurus, and when it’s finished, as a member I get access to it before the general public does.
Heads Up!
Looking for a new author? Enjoy contemporary romance set in Canada? Why not give V.J. Allison’s Stricken a buy?
Blurb: Love deserves a second chance…
Ewan Campbell once thought he had it all – he was a rising star in the real estate field, popular with his peers, and engaged to his employer’s cousin, the shy and quiet little Marti Marlowe.
A heartbeat later, he was alone – shattered, confused and suicidal. Why had Marti walked away from him?
Years later, in another place, and a new chapter of Ewan’s life, fate brings them face to face again. They start building a friendship, but Ewan wants more. He wants Marti as his wife, and she seems to prefer their current status as friends.
Can he convince her that taking another chance at their failed future will be the start of the best part of their lives?
Stricken is available at: Extasy Books, Amazon, Amazon.ca, Kobo, Smashwords, iBooks, and Nook.
At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th Month
Remembrance Day
Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and owned by author Louise Erdrich, this book store is a great place to shop for Native American and First Nations fiction such as Crazy Horse’s Girlfriend by Erika Wurth, Dirty Copper by Jim Northrup, and a host of other exciting titles. If you’re looking to learn more about the Anishaanbe and Dakota people, try the non-fiction selection, including Chippewa Customs by Frances Densmore, Dakota Life in the Upper Mid-West by Samuel W. Pond, and lots more. There is also a great selection of memoirs and biographies: Crazy Dave by Basil Johnston, Portage Lake by Maude Kegg, and too many others to name.
Birch Bark Books
Available for purchase is a selection of Indigenous jewellery, crafts, and art. The store also hosts reading and book release gatherings.
If you can’t get to the Twin Cities, check out Birch Bark Books online shop. If what you desire isn’t available, contact the staff, because they’ll order it for you.
Although I’ve never visited the store in person, the knowledgeable staff provide me with great service through their online store.
Maggie Blackbird 