I’m very fortunate. First, the great and hilarious writer Ian Fergusonblurbed The High Road. Now, my ball hockey teammate, the amazing, Juno-winning, Blue Rodeo-founding, singer/songwriter Jim Cuddy, offers a wonderful THR blurb of his own. As I said, I’m one lucky writer. Both Ian’s and Jim’s contributions will appear somewhere on, or in, The High Road when it’s published in early September, 2010.
Here’s what Jim kindly wrote:
“It is a giant talent that can elicit so much fun from the dour world of backroom Canadian politics. Battling egos, smear campaigns, vigilante seniors and a dipsomaniac First Lady make for quite a romp up and down the Hill. MP Professor Angus McLintock, the never bending, free-thinking Scot, is the perfect foil for all that is inflated in the world of policy and polling. Doing battle with the prigs and prats that rule the halls of power has never been more enjoyable since…well, since The Best Laid Plans. Thought provoking and funny, here’s hoping there are more installments to come.”
Jim Cuddy, Blue Rodeo
And just to pre-empt any doubters that I play ball hockey, let alone with Jim Cuddy backing my up on the blue line, here’s our team photo.
That’s Jim in the back row in the middle. I’m on one knee, probably still gasping for air, to the right of the goalie. The other guy on the left of the goalie, who looks a little like me, okay, a lot like me, is my twin brother Tim.
When it came time to invite prominent Canadians to read the manuscript of The High Road and provide what they call in the publishing biz, “blurbs,” I thought of approaching Ian. He could not have been more gracious and readily agreed.
I was a little nervous when I knew the manuscript was in his hands. But he knocked me for a loop earlier this week when his official “blurb” arrived. Here’s what he wrote:
“In a perfect world, the federal government would establish a Ministry of Humour and put Terry Fallis in charge of that department. THE HIGH ROAD is brilliantly written and hysterically funny. You are cautioned not to attempt to read it in a public setting, since you will laugh – audibly - to a disturbing degree and many people will find this annoying. Trust me on this. And if you, like myself, enjoy reading in bed, be prepared for spousal banishment. Apparently loud bursts of laughter make it difficult for your bed partner to fall asleep. Who knew, eh? Worth it, though. Terry Fallis manages to top his first novel THE BEST LAID PLANS with this relentlessly enjoyable follow-up. No small feat, since the original won the Stephen Leacock Medal . Do yourself a favour and pick up this book, find a quiet place to read it, and enjoy…you will laugh out loud on almost every single page.”
Ian Ferguson author of VILLAGE OF THE SMALL HOUSES
How cool is that? Douglas Gibson and the team at McClelland & Stewart will likely use a portion of it to appear on the back cover of The High Road. The early suggestion is:
“In a perfect world, the federal government would establish a Ministry of Humour and put Terry Fallis in charge of that department. THE HIGH ROAD is brilliantly written and hysterically funny. You will laugh out loud on almost every single page.”
Ian Ferguson author of VILLAGE OF THE SMALL HOUSES
I had to sit down after reading Ian’s kind words. I’m humbled and honoured that he would be so supportive. Here’s a shot of Ian and me at last year’s Leacock Luncheon in Orillia.
As I’ve noted several times already in this space, Robertson Davies is one of my literary heroes. His novels were among the first to show me that literary prose, compelling stories, and deeply developed characters could coexist with a heaping helping of humour. John Irving also helped enlighten me on that score. That Robertson Davies and I appear together on the list of Leacock Medal Winners (he in 1955, for Leaven of Malice) still sends a tremor through me when I think of it. In December 1995, shortly after his death, my wife and I attended Robertson Davies’ memorial service in Convocation Hall at the University of Toronto. It was the first time I’d ever laid eyes on Douglas Gibson, Davies’ longtime editor, and miraculously, now mine. Last night, some 14 years later, my wife and I attended Robertson Davies: The Peeled I at the wonderful Hart House Theatre, just across the quadrangle from Convocation Hall. It was a one man show featuring Reed Needles as RD. He bears a striking resemblance to the great writer. We thoroughly enjoyed the play. It only runs for a couple days, so if you’re a Davies fan and are anywhere near Toronto, check it out.
Here’s the photo of Robertson Davies that hangs in our third floor library, supervising my writing. Whenever I hit a dry spell or am struggling with a sentence, I look up at this photo for inspiration. Then I get back at it…
Okay, so now it’s really official. The cover is out there on the M&S website and in online retailers. As well, I’ve just received the “proofs” of the novel, as it will appear in book form. A few copies of the “proofs” will be bound and sent to our list of reviewers from whom we hope to secure positive “blurbs.” So the publishing process continues apace. My next task is to have a new author photo taken by my twin brother Tim, who is quite accomplished with a camera, and send it in to M&S. I take terrible photos so I’m not looking forward to this but it has to be done.
It may be because it usually takes me about an hour to tell the tale of what I often call my unorthodox journey to the published land, but I’ve fielded many requests for a brief and visual overview of the odyssey. “Put something on YouTube!” is a regular refrain at readings. So, in a spasm of self-indulgence, there now is such an offering. This is really just an animated PowerPoint presentation we pulled together against the backdrop of Jon Schmidt’s great piece of music, Winter Serenade (which, incidentally, opens and closes each episode of the podcast version of TBLP).
My thanks to Mike Edgell who helped turn it into a video.
Well, here it is, the cover design for The High Road. I have to say that I’m very happy with it. I particularly like how the designers captured the look and feel of The Best Laid Plans, leaving the bookstore browser without any doubt that this is a sequel to The Best Laid Plans. The same funky font is used, the same Peace Tower image is there, and the same snaking text curls its way between words and letters. At the same time, a few different elements signal that this is in fact a different book, distinguishing it from TBLP, including the blue background colour and the flash of red ribbon. A perfect balance between the familiar (TBLP) and the new (THR).
Okay. I know what you’re thinking. What’s with the cookies? Well, you’ll have to read the novel to appreciate the connection, along with the link to the red ribbon.
I’ve been sitting on the cover design for a couple of weeks now, getting used to it. It was tweaked a bit and was finally given the go-ahead yesterday after a big meeting at M&S. So this post is its coming out party. I’m glad to be unveiling it first on this blog. Hope you like it as much as I do, as you’ll be seeing at lot more it in the coming months. In fact, it should start to pop up on the M&S website and on Amazon.ca and ChaptersIndigo.ca in the next week or so. Now, it’s on to drafting backcover copy and nailing down the endorsement blurbs. We’re actually ahead of schedule…
You may recall a blog post I wrote at the end of December about being long-listed for the National Post’s Canada Also Reads competition. I was really happy to be among the more than 60 books on the list. So imagine my delight late this afternoon at finding The Best Laid Plans on the shortlist. What’s more, my old friend, Andy Maize, co-founder and lead singer of the great Canadian roots rock band the Skydiggers has agreed to defend the novel in the competition. I’ve known Andy for more than 25 years. He was the lead singer in our band at McMaster University. He was by the far the best of us, as his subsequent music career illustrates. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with Andy.
Starting on March 1st, the defenders will author articles about their designated books, extolling their virtues and urging Canadians to read them. There will also be a live online chat with the authors and defenders in early March. Finally, Canadians will vote for their favourite. So there will be a role for all of you in making sure TBLP has a good showing! There are some wonderful books in the running including Cathy Marie Buchanan’s The Day the Falls Stood Still, so check them out.
I’m over the moon that TBLP is a finalist. This is wonderful news, particularly with The High Road being published in September. Stay tuned and get ready to vote!
All of sudden, The High Road seems more real. The good folks at McClelland & Stewart have been busy. Both Chapters/Indigo and Amazon now feature preliminary listings for The High Road. It’s also listed on the M&S site. As soon as cover design and cover copy are completed, These listings will be filled out with graphics and more information. We’re getting there…
It’s hard to believe that January is over. Seems like the New Year’s Eve countdown was just a few nights ago. After a quiet January on the talks/readings front, there are two gigs planned in February. (I’d love to see you there if you’re in the neighbourhood.) Then events pick up again in May and June. You can see my schedule, such as it is, on the Appearances page.
In the last couple of years, I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve spent in Orillia at various Leacock-related events, and getting to know the folks at the Leacock Association who do so much to breathe life into the great Canadian humourist’s legacy. I’ve been to two Leacock luncheons, one Friday night soiree, two Leacock Galas, a couple of great parties, the Leacock Summer Festival, and even a local book club meeting. I’ve also had a piece run in the Orillia Packet & Times. I’ve enjoyed them all. I was already planning to attend this year’s luncheon and gala but it seems I’ll now have some additional responsibilities. I was thrilled some months ago to get a call from outgoing Leacock Association President, Wayne Scott, inviting me to serve as Master of Ceremonies for the 2010 Leacock Gala (!) on June 12th, on the shores of Lake Couchiching. I’m excited and nervous at the same time.
You see, I have big shoes to fill. Last year, the hilarious and talented writer, Drew Hayden Taylor, ran the show. And the year before that, the amazing satirical songwriter, Nancy White, was in charge. Tough acts to follow, to be sure. I’m honoured to have been asked and have embarked on a rigorous training regimen that includes 30 minutes in front of the bathroom mirror every day speaking into my hairbrush. So far, it’s going well. I hope to be up to the challenge by June.
“Testing, testing one, two, three, testing. Is this thing on?”
Welcome to terryfallis.com where award-winning novelist Terry Fallis blogs about his writing life and podcasts his first novel, The Best Laid Plans, winner of the 2008 Stephen Leacock Award for Humour.
