Terry Fallis - Best Laid Plans

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?”

Early in the fall, I was asked to write a piece for the fall/winter edition of WRITE, the official magazine of the Writers’ Union of Canada (WUC). The magazine is now out there, with Paul Quarrington on the cover, and focuses on Canadian humour. I was only too happy to oblige. I joined the WUC in the fall, figuring a contributor to the magazine better be a member. I wish I could actually reproduce the article here, but the magazine is only available to WUC members, and I wouldn’t want to be drummed out of the organization within a few months of joining! After all, membership has its privileges! Other contributors to this humour edition include my friend and fellow Leacock Medal winner, Mark Leiren-Young, the hilarious Drew Hayden Taylor (whose new novel I’ve recently blurbed), and the very funny Erika Ritter, among others. The magazine is great, and well worth reading, even with my piece! (Psst! The article I contributed is quite like the essay that ran on the Globe and Mail books site last spring.)

Another threshold crossed in my unexpected literary journey. I was directed to the Random House/Knopf Canada website today where I found Drew Hayden Taylor’s new novel listed. It’s due out in March. Drew is a very funny guy and an accomplished writer. I’ve shared the stage with him several times in the last year at various readings and authors festivals and I’ve always enjoyed our time together. The folks at Knopf Canada, his publisher, contacted me earlier in the fall to see if I would read Drew’s manuscript for his new novel, Motorcycles and Sweetgrass, and provide a suitably supportive sentence or two. I was thrilled to be asked. They sent me the manuscript and I thoroughly enjoyed his brilliant new novel.

A few weeks ago, I sent in my “blurb.” When I reached the website today, I saw that my comment is sandwiched between wonderful quotations from Joseph Boyden (last year’s Giller winner) and Ian Ferguson (2004 Leacock Medal winner). What amazing literary company I’m somehow now keeping. Very cool. As I read Drew’s manuscript, I couldn’t help thinking about a line my friend and fellow writer Mike Tanner kindly wrote to help promote TBLP before it was published. It seemed to fit how I felt about Drew’s writing. So I modified the sentiment but felt I owed Mike at least a footnote.

This past Friday night, I particpated in the Headwaters Arts Festival in Caledon, Ontario.  What a wonderful evening it was.  Billed as Armchairs, Authors and Art, I joined two very accomplished authors, Joseph Boyden and Drew Hayden Taylor for an evening of talking and reading before an audience of over 200 book lovers.  Then afterwards, our books were on sale and there was a book signing.  What a wonderful group of people.  Nancy Fater and the good folks at BookLore put on a great event.  Here’s the ad that ran in the local magazine: