Monday, June 25, 2012

Thirteen years ago, I stopped every creative project I was working on and began writing a novel that I knew was "the one" I had to write. I didn't have any thoughts that it would change my life or that it would be published or anything else beyond the idea that it had to be the next thing I worked on, or else I would be wasting my time on this planet. After months of working every day at Hava Java coffee shop in downtown St. John's (I taught at MUN at 9 a.m., so I'd work for an hour on the manuscript before catching a bus to campus), I submitted the VERY rough manuscript to the Percy Janes award competition, and it won. I got $1,000, some advice from Kenneth Harvey, some introductions to very good people in the literary world, and some welcome encouragement. This is a longer story, but I'm sure I'll tell it eventually.

Every writer wants to write a story or poem that will say to the world: "This is who I am. This is what is important to me. If you read this, you will understand me and what I see when I look at the world." Or, in simpler terms: "This is what I have learned."

For me, Finton Moon is that book. Of course, I've learned other stuff since then. And the novel's plot has changed a lot in that time. It was five years ago that I began a complete re-write of Finton Moon, and so this is a new novel, fresh from my mind and onto the page. In every way, it represents what I want to tell the world. Or at least some of it.

If you're in the St. John's area tomorrow evening (cue Rick Mercer voice), why not come on down and join us for a very cool, gothic sort of summer evening in the intimate confines of the Newman Wine Vaults? There'll be food, fun, and readings by an author who has worked a very long time to make sure the story of Finton Moon, the person (he's very real inside my head) gets told. I can hardly believe the moment of his introduction to the world is finally here. And, on behalf of Finton and myself, I will be grateful to see you there.

Here's your invitation, with all the information you'll need.



And here's the complimentary ticket to the event to print and bring. (Creative Publishers is paying for the venue; the tickets let the NL Historic Trust know how many attended.)





No comments:

Post a Comment