Back on Tour -- to the Kootenays!

The blog tour continues...

Leapt across the province -- along with my scribe, kc dyer -- for a chat with writer, uber-mom and extremely cool dude Deb Anderson. Deb's blog, Prose Positive, can always be counted on for an inspirational read. And if you hop on over there RIGHT now, you can leave a comment and win, win, win!

See you there!

~Darby

Where We're Going...

...and where we've been. Let's start there, shall we?

Whew! What a crazy first week of the Darby Blog-odyessy! HUGE thanks go out to all the generous bloggers who have shared their space with me as these first seven days have rolled on.

A Novel Woman started the ball rolling with a trip to her cottage on Lake Louisa in le Belle Province, escorted, of course, by the gentle and welcoming Boris the Cat.

Next, I shot through cyberspace to visit Flying Feet author James McCann's site while he was off chasing down zombies. Fun -- and just a little scary.

Following hot on the heels of the zombie-man, I spent some time at the blog of Lee Edward Fodi, author and illustrator, and creator of Kendra Kandlestar.

Back from the land of Een, I schooshed across to talk 'fire' with author Tanya Kyi. Must have had a good influence on her, since she's apparently just finished a book on UNDERWEAR!

Next, I hit the ether all the way up to Terrace, BC to spend some time with author, editor and journalist Ev Bishop.

My most recent visit has been with author and illustrator Kirsti-Anne Wakelin, where we talked about secret elephants ...and looked at dragonflys.

At every single one of these stops we are doing a book draw, with a chance to win a copy of FACING FIRE and even a shot to win BOTH of my books, if you tweet about the post. So if you've missed one along the way -- show a little click love to my friends and check them out!

Looking ahead to the rest of October --  what does the future hold? A whole month of splendors awaits, with visits to the blogs of authors CC Humphreys, Diana Gabaldon, Arthur Slade, Marsha Skrypuch, Rachelle Delaney, James Bow, Helene Boudreau and many, many more.

And don't forget your chance to win BIG prizes in the 'Make a better book-trailer than kc dyer' contest.

Things are hopping here at Darby Central. Come back tomorrow to see where I'm off to next!

~Darby

Monday Mystery Guest -- Revealed!

Whoa!

That's a little hard on the eyes, isn't it? But there is a particular reason I pixellated this person. Can you guess?





Well, this author has won every science fiction award out there -- Hugo, Nebula, Campbell, Aurora, Galaxy and way too many more to mention. He is known as the dean of Canadian Science Fiction. He can be seen on his own show on tv, and right now they are filming a televisionpilot for another one of his books, FLASH FORWARD in Los Angeles, California.

Have you figured out who he is yet? Let's unmask him, shall we?






It's Robert J. Sawyer! Did you know that Robert J. Sawyer is one of only seven people in history -- and the only Canadian -- to win all three of the science-fiction field's top awards for best novel of the year: the Hugo Award, which he won for Hominids, the Nebula Award, which he won for The Terminal Experiment, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, which he won for Mindscan?

Darby Christopher: Wow -- I am so happy to meet you, Rob. If anyone understands about the stress of walking through windows to the past (or the future) it's you. My new book is all about how different people came to live in Canada. Where were you born?

Robert J. Sawyer: I was born in Ottawa -- but to an American mother; a graduate student who was only temporarily resident in Canada at the time. So I started out as a dual US-Canadian citizen.

DC: Where do you live now?

RJS: Right in downtown Mississauga, a city of 750,000 adjacent to Toronto.

DC: Hey, I'm from Toronto! Do you remember any special stories about your family that you heard when you were a kid?

RJS: My parents met at the University of Chicago, where they were both studying economics. My mom was from Berkeley, California, and my father from Toronto. They made a deal when they got married: if my father could find a good job in Canada, they'd live there; if my mother could find a good one in the United States, they'd live there -- whoever found the better job would determine where the family lived. Well, it was my dad who got the good job, in Ottawa, and that's why I'm a Canadian today.

DC: Ha! So, growing up in Canada, did you learn to ride a skateboard?

RJS: Nope. I can't rollerskate either.

DC: Well, that's okay. You can probably ride a mean jet-pack, with all the science fiction you write! Besides writing books, do you have a secret skill or talent you'd like to share?

RJS: I am, they say, a good public speaker, and I have a sideline of giving talks at business and government conferences, and am currently hosting and narrating the TV series Supernatural Investigator on Vision TV.

DC: It's so cool that you investigate supernatural stuff! I've had a few supernatural experiences myself. This window-walking thing, for instance. If you had a chance to walk through a window into the past, where would you go?

RJS: Back at least 65 million years to the age of the dinosaurs. I love dinosaurs, and right until my last year of high school though I was going to devote my career to studying them.

DC: Oh, me, too! Stegosaurus is my favourite. I love those back plates! Is there anyone special you'd like to meet today?

RJS: Stephen Hawking -- the brilliant physicist. He's inspiring both as a genius and as a person who has dealt with physical disabilities most of us couldn't even imagine.

DC: So, when my Gramps throws a little spare change my way, I'm personally pretty fond of red licorice. What's your favourite treat?

RJS: Pepperoni pizza. I wouldn't eat it for every meal, if I could, but I would have it every day!

DC: Hmm. Now I'm getting hungry... How about if you tell me a bit about your latest project?

RJS: I'm writing a trilogy of novels about a 15-year-old blind girl who has an operation to restore her sight -- and, in the process, discovers she can see a being that lives in the background of the World Wide Web. The first volume, Wake, comes out in April.

DC: Now THAT is a book I cannot wait to read! If I want to learn more about you or your books on-line, where can I go check you out?

RJS: I've got a huge web page HERE at http://sfwriter.com and both Wikipedia and The Canadian Encyclopedia have good entries about me.

DC: Wow -- there is a LOT of information there about you! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today. And I promise I'll practice my jet-pack work if you get some work in on a skateboard!

If you'd like to win a copy of one of Robert J. Sawyer's story anthologies, leave your name in the comment section. Maybe you can let us know whether you'd rather ride a skateboard or a jetpack? (Or maybe just stay safely on the ground...)

Maurice the cat and I will do the draw on Friday, March 20th for Rob's book. Get your name in soon, and stay tuned for another interview tomorrow to celebrate the launch this month of my story, A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW.

~Darby

Prize Draw Day -- No Triskaidekaphobia here....

Hey -- happy Friday the thirteenth! Any Triskaidekaphobics out there?

Well, there is no fearing the 13th around here, because tonight I'm going to draw for book winners from the following interviews: Nikki Tate, James Bow, Kate Coombs, Lois Peterson, Deborah Hodge, Helene Becker and Marsha Skrypuch, plus a very special draw for signed launch-week copies of A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW and MS. ZEPHYR'S NOTEBOOK. It's prize draw day!

To win, all you need to do is leave a comment either in Darby's interview posts or in kc dyer's leftwriter posts for the dates of March 6th-12th -- and you could be a winner! Get your comments in by 6 pm this evening, and the winners will be announced some time after 8 pm PDT.

Now.

About this woman hiding behind a bear in the picture above. A bear, and a couple of owls and a whole passel of fish, to be exact. [Is a passel an exact measurement? Just how many in a passel, anyway?]

Why is she obscured behind these wild creatures? Is she a wild woman from the forests of BC herself? These are the questions she will face, as she undergoes the celebrated Darby interview.

But first -- the unveiling....

Hmm. Well, from the label on the picture, I'd say we have author Diane Haynes with us. And I have to say she doesn't much look like the wild woman of anything -- she's got a pretty civilized face, now that she's stepped out from behind that bear. Let's see what she has to say for herself.

Darby Christopher: Welcome, Diane! My new book, A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW, is all about how different people came to live in Canada. Where were you born?

Diane Haynes: Edmonton, Alberta. I lived there until I was all of a year old, so the only moments I 'remember' are the ones that appear in family photos.

Darby C: Hmmm. That does sound pretty civilized. Where do you live now?

Diane H: I live in a heritage building (1925!) in Queens Park, New Westminster -- the original capital city of British Columbia.

Darby C: Do you remember any special stories about your family that you heard when you were growing up in Edmonton that you can you tell me?

Diane H: My dad is a great storyteller, and there was always some special quality to his stories that made them memorable.

He often told the story of going swimming in the ocean for the first time as a young boy. He was playing around in the shallows, diving for shells and doing handstands and the like, and didn't notice that the tide was coming in. It had gotten quite deep, and when he did his next handstand, the water around him exerted so much pressure that he got stuck -- his legs in the air and his head upside-down under water. He wasn't old enough or experienced enough to know to just pull his hands up off the sand and go into a tuck. The water was like something solid holding him in place ... and he began to run out of air. Finally, when he felt his lungs were about to burst, he released the last of his air in a cloud of bubbles, and was about to take in a huge gulp of seawater ... when strong hands gripped his ankles and hauled him up and out of the water. His dad had been sitting on the beach watching his sons play in the waves, and realized little Donny had been under the water for far too long. He saved his life.

A few years later, my dad was left alone with his father one evening, and his father had a heart attack. My dad, only 14 years old, didn't know what to do, and ran to a neighbour's house to get help. When he and the neighbour returned, his dad had died. He wasn't able to save his father the way his father had saved him.

I didn't see the parallel between these two family stories until I put together a workshop last summer, and started thinking about why my books are all about rescue. When I looked back into my own family history, I realized that the theme of rescue and life-saving runs through it, obvious as a bright orange lifesaver ring.

Darby C: Holy crow, Diane. That is an amazing story about your dad. But very sad about your grandpa. And it's amazing how your family influences your subjects as a writer, isn't it? As for me, no one in my family except me rides a skateboard. I am unique in that respect. How about you -- can you ride a skateboard?

Diane H: Absolutely not. My ankles wobble as much as a skateboard does. Bad combination. Roller skates, however ...

Darby C: Roller skates are pretty cool, too. So besides writing books and rollerskating, do you have a secret skill or talent you’d like to share?

Diane H: I can tap dance. Quite well. I learned how in order to get a part in a Broadway-style production of 42nd Street.

Darby C: REALLY? I had no idea! I wonder if that will ever come up in one of your books. In my story, my special opportunity comes when I step through a stone window-sill. If you had a chance to walk through a window into the past, where would you go?
Diane H: For one, I would go to Israel and spend some time with the historical Jesus and his apostles (a lot of them were women). This would preferably be before things got ugly with Rome.

I would also go back to the literal and figurative crossroads where I gave up on my dream of becoming a professional dancer. I might also go back to my life in my late teens and twenties when I was struggling greatly, and let myself know what my life would be like a few years down the road. Especially that I'd accomplished my dream of getting published. And of being well loved. :)

Darby C: Wow -- I think you'd need a window like mine, to give you lots of opportunities. Anyone else special you’d like to meet?

Diane H: Karen Kain. She was the closest thing Canada had to a superstar in the 70s and early 80s, and she's probably the only person I've ever considered a hero. She was a prima ballerina with the National Ballet of Canada, and is currently presiding over the Canada Council.

Darby C: You are not the first person I have heard say that. Karen Kain is a popular choice. She is well-loved in this country! Diane, can you tell me a bit about your latest project?


Diane H: GAIA WILD is the third novel in Jane Ray's Wildlife Rescue Series, which I describe as "Nancy Drew meets Jane Goodall" -- mystery and adventure (and romance!) all in the context of rescuing animals. Like the other two, this one is set in Vancouver, and focuses on an elephant that's been loaned from the local zoo to a movie production.

The story opens with Jane recognizing the elephant (named Gaia) from a long time ago, realizing her trumpeting is actually an alarm call, and deciding with her two best friends to get after-school jobs on the movie set in order to investigate what might be going on. "Gaia" is also the Greek name for the Goddess of the Earth, and so beneath that main story runs the theme of wildness -- what it means to be a wild animal (including a wild HUMAN animal) on this planet of ours that we have cared for so poorly. And there are some pretty wild scenes in the book!

Darby C: It sounds excellent. So when you get a chance to take a break and have a treat, what's your favourite? I’m personally pretty fond of red licorice, myself.

Diane H: Dubble Bubble or FunDip, hello!

Darby C: Ah -- an author after my own heart. Diane, if I want to learn more about you or your books on-line, where can I go check you out?

Diane H: I blog (rather irregularly) at www.wildliferescueseries.com

Darby C: Thanks for speaking with me today, Diane. It's great to know a little more about the woman behind the wildlife!

If you'd like to win a signed copy of GAIA WILD, leave your name in the comments either here or on kc dyer's blog for today's post. The draw for this book will take place NEXT Friday, March 20th, in order to give everyone a chance to get their names in.

If you'd like to participate in the draw that takes place tonight, make sure to comment on one of the posts in this blog or kc dyer's blog from March 6th-12th. All the comments will be put into a hat and Maurice the cat and I will draw the winners after 8 pm tonight.

See you back here then!

~Darby

Launch Day Mystery Guest -- Revealed!

Today is my debut!

Yes indeed, yours truly -- Darby Christopher -- emerges from her cocoon tonight to greet the world from the pages of my new novel A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW.

In case you are interested in attending, here is the poster, one last time:
The time is 6:30 pm, the place is Kidsbooks in Edgemont Village (3040 Edgemont Blvd., North Van), and cupcakes will be enjoyed by all!

And to carry on the celebration even more, we have a feature interview today with a very special author.






Never one to make the same mistake twice, kc dyer has forsaken the bearded disguises of the past in favour of a butterfly today, if only to just stretch the whole cocoon analogy a leeeetttlle bit further.



And just who is the mysterious author behind those fluttery blue wings, anyway?



Let's have a look...

It's Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch! Prolific author, honouree of the order of Princess Olha and listserve mistress to the masses, she's authored eleven books. The latest, CALL ME ARAM just received a wonderful review in the Globe & Mail.

Darby Christopher: Welcome, Marsha! My story, A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW, is all about how different people came to Canada. Where were you born?

Marsha Skrypuch: I was born in Brantford, Ontario.

DC: And where do you live now?

MS: Brantford, Ontario.

DC: Okay -- so it sounds like you've lived in the same place all your life. But what about your family? Do you remember any special stories that you heard when you were a kid?

MS: The first stories I heard about why my grandfather came to Canada were pretty much that -- stories. I remember being told that he was a peasant whose owner was going to sell him for a chicken and a pig.

There is a grain of truth in the story. His family was tied to the land and had to work six days a week for the landowner and the church. At age 16, he was going to be drafted into the Austro-Hungarian army and he didn't want that. Ukrainians were used as cannon fodder in the Austrian army in WWI. He escaped to Canada, where he ended up being interned as an Austrian.


DC: That's quite a story! Now in my book, I get to have several adventures in the past. If you had a chance to walk through a window into the past, where would you go?

MS: 1520 Constantinople (now Istanbul)

DC: Whoo, that's pretty specific. Anyone special you’d like to meet?

MS: Sulieman the Magnificent. He was an amazing man. Very much a forward thinker.

DC: Plus he had a great name. But I wonder just how talented he was...like maybe he couldn't ride a skateboard, for example. I'm actually pretty sure there was no such thing as skateboards in 16th century Constantinople. But what about you, Marsha? Can you ride a skateboard?

MS: Yes.

DC: REALLY????

MS: Yes.

DC: Okay -- that is _so_ cool. So, besides skateboarding and writing books, do you have a secret skill or talent you’d like to share?

MS: I make Ukrainian Easter eggs. Check them out HERE.

DC: Wow. Those are truly beautiful. Marsha, can you tell me a bit about your latest project?

MS: I just finished writing Stolen Child, a historical thriller that will be coming out with Scholastic in 2010.

DC: An historical thriller, eh? I can't wait to read it. Of course, reading always makes me hungry. And when Gramps throws a little spare change my way, I’m personally pretty fond of red licorice. What’s your favourite treat?

MS: Mint ice cream.

DC: Hey, I like that, too! Marsha, if I want to learn more about you or your books on-line, where can I go check you out?

MS: www.calla.com

DC: Great! I see I can connect to your blog from there, too. Awesome. Thanks so much for joining me today, Marsha!

And if you'd like to win an autographed copy of Marsha's book DAUGHTER OF WAR, leave your name in the comments and you could be a winner. The draw will take place tomorrow night, Friday the 13th -- let's make it your lucky day!

~kc

Wednesday Wonder -- Revealed!

Who is this Wednesday wonder?

Nice 'stache!!!! And the whole braided beard thing -- Johnny Depp would be proud.

But, of course, Johnny Depp does not write books, so this is a MUCH more exciting guest today. Have you guessed her name yet?



Let's start with the unbearding...




Ah. MUCH cuter than Johnny Depp. It's Hélène Boudreau! Let's see what she has to say, shall we?

Darby Christopher: Welcome Hélène! A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW is all about how different people came to live in Canada. Where were you born?

Hélène Boudreau: I was born on a teensy island called Petit de Grat off the coast of Cape Breton. Petit de Grat was first settled by the Basque and the name of my hometown means 'little harbour, big fish'.

DC: Ha! Cape Breton is very near where my grandparents live, on Prince Edward Island. Where do you live now?

HB: I now live in Markham, Ontario, far away from little ocean harbours and big ocean fish.

DC: Landlocked! That's too bad, but I'm sure Markham is nice. Besides, Markham is pretty near Toronto, and that's my favourite city in the world. But can you remember any special stories about your family that you heard when you were a kid growing up on Petit de Grat?

HB: My grandparents had one of the first radios on the island, so they were in charge of reporting the weather for the fishermen in town. There is a rocky hill behind their house and on top of that hill were several flagpoles, visible from the harbour. When the weather report came in, they would climb to the top of the hill and raise flags, baskets and other signals to alert the fishermen around town of the upcoming weather. The ruins of that "Stormdrum" are still there and as kids, we spent hours climbing up, over and around the concrete base and remaining wooden timbers. The 'Stormdrum" became our pirate ship, airplane and clubhouse, plus it had an amazing view of the harbour and the ocean.

DC: That sounds like an incredible place to play. I guess it's pretty hilly there, though. Did you ever learn to ride a skateboard?

HB: I hope that isn't a requirement for participating in this interview. Otherwise, I'm in big trouble...

DC: It's all right -- sounds like you were busy doing other things. Besides writing books, do you have a secret skill or talent you’d like to share?

HB: Don't try this at home, but I can turn my eyelids inside out. Totally gross, but exceedingly entertaining.

DC: Okay, I so want to see you doing that! Maybe we can get a picture to put up on this blog! So, when you are hanging around, turning your eyelids inside out, what's your favourite snack to eat? I go for red licorice, myself.

HB: Speaking of licorice, what about those black pipes with the little red candy sprinkles on the 'lit up' part? Love those!

DC: Yep -- I definitely want a picture. Eyelids inside out, licorice pipe in mouth. Hélène, if you had a chance to walk through a window into the past, where would you go?

HB: I would walk through the porthole of the ship THE VIOLET during the deportation of the Acadians in 1758.

DC: Ooooh! That is SO cool! I have an Acadian friend named Gabe, and his story is going to appear in the sequel to A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW. Is there anyone special you’d like to meet?

HB: I'd love to meet my ancestor, Marguerite Gallant. She was an Acadian deportee, en route to France on THE VIOLET. When I first chose the name for the main character of my middle grade novel, ACADIAN STAR, I had no idea she shared the same name as one of my ancestors. Sadly, Marguerite Gallant drowned when THE VIOLET sank off the coast of Cape Breton, never making it to her destination. It would be fascinating, and frightening, to experience just a few moments on that ship. As long as I could walk back out through the same porthole, that is.

DC: You know, even if (very sadly) Marguerite didn't make it, a number of Gallants must have survived. It is a common surname in PEI, even today. Now, what can you tell me a bit about your latest project?

HB: My latest middle grade book, ACADIAN STAR, was published by Nimbus Publishing last fall. Here's the 411:

The Acadian Star competition is the biggest thing to ever happen in Meg Gallant's small Cape Breton town. Meg dreams of performing onstage with her best friend Nève. If they're lucky, they might even make it to the finals in Halifax. But Meg's weird old aunt, Tante Perle, has been acting stranger and stranger-and just before the finale of the competition, she whisks Meg away from everything she knows. Meg suddenly finds herself trapped in the time of the tragic Acadian Deportation-and she has to choose between escaping to her own time and saving a girl who looks remarkably like Nève. Why is she trapped in the eighteenth century? Will she be able to save this stranger, so quickly becoming a friend? And where does Tante Perle fit in with all this? This book for middle readers introduces us to contemporary Acadian characters, and also offers a young girl's perspective on the Acadian Deportation.

DC: Geez -- that sounds so cool. And I really have to introduce you to my friend Gabe. I think you guys could share a few stories! If I want to learn more about you or your books on-line, where can I go check you out?

HB: You can check out my website HERE, read the first chapter of ACADIAN STAR here and see me make a fool of myself, while soliciting Diet Coke endorsements HERE.

DC: Okay -- that is one of the funniest vlogs I have ever seen. You rock, Hélène! Or maybe I should say ...you walk.

HB: Thanks for inviting me, Darby! This was a lot of fun.

Now, if you'd like to win a copy of Hélène's wonderful book ACADIAN STAR, leave your name in the comments below.

But first -- go watch her vlog. Really. Just do it.

And stay tuned tomorrow for another mystery author to help celebrate the launch of my book A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW!

~Darby

Monday Mystery Guest

Here we are on a Monday morning. For some of you it is Spring Break, and to that I say -- hurray! I wish you fair weather and clear roads -- time to break out the skateboard. (NOT literally -- just take it out and coast around on it a bit, okay? No breaking involved...)









The first actual party-type launch of the new book A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW, (in which I play a pivotal role, she says modestly) is taking place this Thursday in North Vancouver, British Columbia. For details, check out leftwriter, the blog of author kc dyer.

She handles all my press.

I'm too busy interviewing authors, and today is no exception.

Check out this mysterious creature. The crown is a bit of a hint, because this author was not actually born in Canada OR the United States. She's recently published her first book for kids and has a second one ready to go, hot on the heels of the first. But this author has had ink-stained fingers for a lot longer than that. Let's unmask her first, and then find out more, shall we?


That's better! Please welcome Lois Peterson to my blog today.

Darby Christopher: Hi Lois! A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW is all about how different people came to live in Canada. Where were you born?

Lois Peterson: I was born in a small market town called Hailsham in Sussex, England. The only thing the town was known for then, was that it housed the factory that made rope for the hangman's noose. Now that hanging is abolished in England, the most interesting about Hailsham is that it still holds a livestock market - as it had done since the Middle Ages.

DC: Ooooo -- the hangman's noose is pretty creepy! So, where do you live now?

LP: I came to Vancouver in 1972 after living in New York for a year. I came to check it out. I never consciously made the decision to stay, but here I am. Now I live near the sea in White Rock, BC. Which is 4,752 miles from Sussex, or 7,647 km.

DC: Since you come from England, you must have heard some cool stories about your family when you were a kid. Can you tell me one?

LP: Because we don't all live close to each other, when we do get together we tell a lot of stories that we've all heard before - I think to reassure each other that we do belong together. My favourites are:

The Day Lois Ran Away from Boarding School in Her Housecoat
(I walked about four miles before I was 'retrieved' by a policeman whose car I tried to outrun - in my slippers. The story has been around so long, and I've made up so many versions of it, that I'm not sure anyone can really be sure what did and did not happen.)

The Day Grandad Was Stopped Going Home from Work By a Policeman.
He not believe Grandad lived in the neighborhood. (My grandfather's family was evacuated in the war from London to a very posh part of Eastbourne in Sussex - the family was a rough lot, so must have looked very suspicious and out of place.)

Why Bill Peterson is Allergic to Pears (that's my dad, and he's not!).

My Family Was So Poor We Could Not Afford to Have Parents - one of my father's many tall tales.

You can see we're a rather boring lot - no great dramas or adventures in our family. But we do love to tell the same stories over and over again, and contradict each other when we change the smallest details. When we're telling stories, our family motto is "All that follows is true. And that that isn't, ought to be."

DC: Well, maybe your adventures are of a more physical kind. Can you ride a skateboard?

LP: Oh, I wish! I was a whizz at roller skating when I was at boarding school - every night after supper about 40 of us would put on our skates and skate around the netball court. There was not much room for fancy footwork, but I could skate backwards really well. But that was a long time ago...

DC: I think skating backwards on roller skates is pretty adventurous! Do you have any other secret skill you’d like to share?

LP: I used to boast that I could knit, drink coffee, watch TV, read and smoke a cigarette all at the same time. I quit smoking years ago, and haven't had a TV since about 1995. But I could still do the other three things at once, I think. If I had to. If I could find my knitting needles.
I am very good at Jacks. Does that count? I can't think of much else.

DC: I played jacks when I was in PEI at my grandparents' house. I also had some other adventures there. If you were like me and had a chance to walk through a window into the past, where would you go?

LP: This sounds very odd, as it was a grim time. But I'd like to go back to the East End of London in Victorian times. I love to know how people lived - not the rich and famous, but working class people. And although they were hard times, there was a lot of community spirit and energy in the streets of terrace houses, street markets, churches and pubs. And working class children had a lot of freedom in those days, so I'd imagine they'd have many interesting adventures, especially around the docks where ships came from all parts of the world carrying exotic cargo.

DC: I'm kinda fond of the grim times, myself. Anyone special you’d like to meet?

LP: Grace Darling was a young Victorian girl whose father was a lighthouse keeper. During a bad storm, she persuaded him to rescue sailors aboard a ship that had run aground, even though the weather was far too dangerous to go out. She went out in the lifeboat with him, everyone on board was saved, and Grace became a heroine - known all over England, sung about in Music Hall songs. Apparently, she didn't do much very interesting after that, and died quite young. So I'd love to have the chance to meet her to find out what life was like after such a huge adventure, and how it might have changed her.

When I was thinking of writing a book based on Grace's story (there have been three or four already), my research yielded one bit of strange information - everyone on that ship that night were men, except one woman (it was carrying cargo - not passengers). The writer in me would also like to know who that woman was, and what was her story, too.

DC: Whoa -- that sounds really exciting! Can you tell me a bit about your latest project?

LP: I have a bit of a grasshopper mind, so I juggle several stories at once. One is called ELSIE AND THE SILVER RAIN about a young girl whose mother, during the Depression in Vancouver, signs up for a dance marathon for a chance to win some money - which the family badly needs. But as Elsie's grandmother would not have approved, her mother tells her and Elsie that she's going to stay with a sick friend in New Westminster. The story is about how Elsie finds out, and how her mother's deception and desperation changes her, and the rest of her family.

Another is a YA novel about a boy who is stalked by the man who accidentally killed his father.

And another is an adventure story set in the Marshes of Southern Iraq. I was brought up in Iraq, but never got to visit the Marshes. But I've always been fascinated by that part of the world.

My next book comes out in Spring 2010 - right now it's called THE BALLAD OF KNUCKLES MCGRAW but that might change. It's about a boy who mentally adopts the persona of a cowboy called Knuckles McGraw and has a horse called Burlington Northern.

DC: Burlington Northern...that's a good name for a horse, especially an Iron Horse! So, when Gramps throws a little spare change my way, I’m personally pretty fond of red licorice. What’s your favourite treat?

LP: Wine gums. Miss Stella in MEETING MISS 405 likes them, too. I'll send a bag of them to whoever wins the copy of my book.

DC: Yum! I may have to enter the draw, myself! If I want to learn more about you or your books on-line, where can I go check you out?

LP: My website is at www.loispeterson.net and I do write a blog at http://lpwords.blogspot.com/

DC: Thanks for joining me today, Lois.

Now you heard the lady. If you'd like to win a signed copy of MEETING MISS 405 and a bag of wine gums, just leave a comment, below. I'll do a draw on Friday, March 13th -- here's hoping it's your lucky day!

~Darby

Launch Week Mystery Guest -- Reigning the Reins

Our mystery guest today is looking very regal in that crown and fiery mask, but take it all off and she still Reigns the Reins.

Have you guessed her name yet?





Let's unmask her and see!



Why -- it's Nikki Tate!

Nikki lives on Vancouver Island with some of the most beautiful horses I have ever seen. (She takes a pretty mean photograph now and then, too! To check 'em out, look HERE.) But she doesn't stop at just horses. Over the years her menagerie has included dogs, cats, birds, snakes, squirrels, rabbits, rats, gerbils, spiders, crayfish, goats, pigs, hamsters and koi. Whew! She's been writing since she was 8 years old, so I figure she's pretty good at it by now.

Darby Christopher: Welcome, Nikki! My story, A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW is all about how different people came to live in Canada. Where were you born?

Nikki Tate: I was born in Birmingham, England. When I was still a baby, my family moved to Australia. We lived there for seven years before we moved to Banff in Alberta. After that, we lived in various different places in Canada before I finally settled here on a farm near Victoria.

DC: Wow -- you've really moved around. Where do you live now?

NT: I live on a tiny farm on the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island, about 20 minutes north of Victoria.

DC: I've heard it's pretty over there, and the pictures on your website look amazing! When you were growing up all over, do you remember any special stories about your family that you heard when you were a kid?

NT: Oh boy - there are so many! I have a very wacky family. And, like most families, we have lots of stories. My favourite stories were always about when my parents and grandparents were kids.

My Omi (my mother's mother) spent part of her childhood in the jungle in Brazil. When she was a little girl she was running around barefoot in the jungle and she stepped on a poisonous snake. The snake bit her in the calf and the wound left a spectacular scar. That incident wound up in one of my books. I thought the story (Grandparents' Day) was pretty good, but when I read it to my six year-old niece she started bawling her eyes out and buried her head under the pillow. She had snake nightmares for weeks after that. I really, really hope that this did not happen to too many children who read the book because I actually quite like snakes. I once owned a snake called Sebastian - but that's another story.

DC: A snake called Sebastian, eh? Nikki, I am beginning to believe you are not afraid of anything. But here's the true test: can you ride a skateboard?

NT: Yes. But only on reasonably smooth surfaces. I don't do any tricky stuff like skidding sideways down stair rails or leaping off curbs or ramps.

DC: Well, I have been working on my ollie, and it's getting pretty good, but I haven't tackled any stairs or railings yet. My Nan would kill me! So, other than wrangling snakes and writing books, do you have a secret skill or talent you’d like to share?

NT: I am very good at goat whispering.

DC: Okay, in my whole week of interviewing authors, no one has EVER told me they were good at goat whispering! One of the things I am good at is walking through an old stone window with my friend Gabe. If you had a chance to walk through a window into the past, where would you go?

NT: Mongolia in the time of Genghis Khan. But only if I could be a Mongolian. For one thing, everyone in those days rode horses everywhere and a finer mode of transportation has yet to be invented. Having lots of fast, tough horses was one of the reasons why the Mongolians took over the world. Genghis Khan was a ruthless guy and he basically killed off all his enemies -- that's the other reason I'd like to be on the Khan's team - not because I'd enjoy killing people, but because it was a much better idea to be on his side than to try to stand up to him. Generally, arguing with Genghis Khan didn't work out too well for the other guys.

DC: I've read about him. Once again, I'm thinking you are One Brave Author! So if you went through to the past, anyone special you’d like to meet?

NT: Despite all I just said about Genghis Khan and wanting to be a Mongolian when he was in charge, I'm not sure I'd actually like to meet him. Even though he's been dead for a very long time, he still scares me! Instead, I would be quite happy to meet Johnny Depp. Or Barack Obama. Or kc dyer.

DC: I've met kc dyer. She's a bit of an odd dresser. If I were you I'd stick to Barack Obama. Not much chance he'll show up for the interview in neon yellow stockings... Nikki, can you tell me a bit about your latest project?

NT: Well... I'm always working on several projects at the same time. Would it surprise you to know I'm working on a book about Mongolia and you-know-who? I'm also writing a book about the lives of the RCMP Musical Ride horses, working on a new series of horse novels, and finishing up a book for teenagers about - you guessed it - horse racing. Do I have a one-track mind? Perhaps I do. My current non-writing project is training two of my horses...

DC: I love all the horse stories, and the one about Ghengis Khan sounds exciting! I like to give the horses I meet a carrot as a treat, and I’m personally pretty fond of red licorice. What’s your favourite treat?

NT: Chocolate. Or fresh pineapple. I really love pineapple.

DC: Me, too! Especially on pizza. So, I'd really like to learn more about you and your books. Where can I go check you out?

NT: www.nikkitate.com

DC: Thanks, Nikki, for sharing all your secrets with me today. Good luck on your new projects -- and see you in Mongolia!

If you'd like to win a signed copy of one of Nikki Tate's books, put your name in the comment section and you'll be entered to win. The draw will take place on Friday the 13th -- will that be YOUR lucky day?

See you tomorrow as our mystery author extravaganza continues!

~Darby

Launch Week Mystery Guest #3

So just who is the guy behind the hockey helmet, anyway? I can tell you that he is a great guy who wields a mean hockey stick. He's also an awesome writer, and was generous enough to agree to an interview with me today.


But before I tell you any of that -- you need to watch this: quite possibly the funniest book trailer ever made:




See what I mean?

Now, you've seen him on Youtube, but here he is, unmasked and ready to talk.


A big Darby welcome to author Donald Calame!

Darby Christopher: So Don -- A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW is all about how different people came to live in Canada. I know you were born in the United States -- where exactly were you born?

Donald Calame: I was born in Queens, New York (but grew up in Hicksville, New York. Yes, there really is a place called Hicksville).

Darby C: Hey -- I just realized you are the coolest author ever, because we share initials! D.C. Darby Christopher and Donald Calame. Double Cool. So, where do you live now, Don?

Donald C: I live in Vancouver, British Columbia (maybe one of the most beautiful places on Earth).

Darby C: I'm a Toronto girl, myself, though I have to admit Charlottetown, PEI (which is where I was forced to spend the summer with my grandparents) turned out to be pretty beautiful, as well. My Gramps was a big storyteller when I was there. Do you remember any special stories about your family that you heard when you were a kid? Can you tell me one?

Donald C: I'm trying to think of a special story that my family told to me but it's difficult because they didn't tell too many stories, which is kind of sad because I'd love to know a bit more family history. The only one that comes to mind is a story my mom tells about how when I was around four years old my parents decided to take us on a trip to Disney World in Florida and apparently I threw up the entire plane flight down. But that's probably not the kind of story you were thinking of. Let me mull this one over and I'll try got come up with something better.

Darby C: That's okay. I like a good barfing story. I was sick when I fell off my skateboard once and hit my head, but that's another one of those stories best left to another time. Can you ride a skateboard?

Donald C: Yes, I can, though I don't do it much any more. When I was growing up my best friend and I used to have skateboard races down our driveways and we would do skateboard stunts (often with painful outcomes). This was before people insisted on everyone wearing helmets (which is a very good idea - we just didn't think we could ever get hurt when we were kids. We were wrong. There were many bumps to my head - which might explain my warped sense of humor).

Darby C: Well, I love your sense of humour, so skateboarding brought good things to you, for sure! Your new book SWIM THE FLY is a total laugh riot from start to finish. But besides writing books, do you have a secret skill or talent you’d like to share?

Donald C: Skills? Hmm. Okay. I can play the guitar a bit. I've also found I'm pretty good at teaching my dog silly, pointless tricks (which I've shamelessly used to promote my books on my website). I'm a pretty decent cook. I have passable hockey skills.

Darby C: Ha! I knew there was a reason I diguised you in that hockey helmet! If you had a chance to walk through a window into the past, where would you go?

Donald C: All right, so I probably should say I'd go back and hang with Jesus, See what his whole deal was - really. Or maybe around the times of the pyramids to see how they built them. Or during the 1920s before the Great Depression when times were flush. But honestly, I would probably go back to 1981 to watch the New York Islanders win their first Stanley Cup. Still, it's a tough decision because you wouldn't want to waste it in case you only had one shot. Maybe I'd go back to the 1960s because it was a huge period of turmoil and change. It's really quite difficult to choose.

Darby C: I like your hockey choice. As for me, I couldn't ever figure out how that window worked, so I had no control in the matter. I got to meet some pretty amazing people, though. Anyone special you’d like to meet if you could go back in time?

Donald C: I'd love to meet Van Gogh. Or Hemingway. Though I worry I wouldn't like them in real life and it would shatter the illusion.

Darby C: Yes, that might be a bit of a problem. But you don't know until you try, right? So, after you've been out playing hockey, what's your idea of a great snack?

Donald C: I'm partial to Butterfingers or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Darby C: Yeah, I like those, too. I hope you don't eat them near the pool -- I've heard stories.... Speaking of pools, can you tell me a bit about your latest project?

Donald C: My debut novel SWIM THE FLY will be release on April 15, 2009. It's the story of Matt Gratton and how he tries to swim the 100 yard butterfly to impress a girl he has a crush on (even though he isn't a very good swimmer). It's also about how Matt and his friends set themselves a goal to see a naked girl by the end of the summer and how their attempts go horribly wrong.

I'm currently writing the sequel to that book which will hopefully be released in the fall of 2010.

Darby C: I've been lucky enough to read an advance copy of your book, and it is one of the funniest I have read in a LONG time. I can't WAIT for the sequel! If I want to learn more about you or your books on-line, where can I go check you out?

Donald C: You can go to my website www.doncalame.com. There's more information about me and my books than you will ever want to know.

Thanks so much for chatting with me today, Don. And for those of you who are interested in reading Don's book -- you've got a special treat in store. I have an ADVANCED copy and we (me and Don) are giving it away. And since it's a book about swimming, Don will also throw in a very special swim cap for the winner. Just put your name in the comments below -- and let us know why you want to read Don's new book.

I'll do a draw on Friday and notify the winners then. So you've got until this Friday, March 6th to get your comment in. (And if you need a reason to read the book, go watch Don's book trailer -- my favourite scene is when his dog Scooter is trying to steal his soul at night!)

Many thanks again to author Don Calame! And get your name in for our free draw!

~Darby

UPDATE: We have a winner! Check here: http://tinyurl.com/c2c7xy to see if it is you!