Purchase both titles online at:
CanLit is Sexy, an anonymous blog, has just popped up twisting the titles of selected Canadian novels in rather suggestive ways. Now, the National Post has jumped on board, too. Some of these are hilarious. Have a scroll through and perhaps suggest others. I’m honoured to have been included in this august list. Although, I figure with the word “laid” in the title, it was an easy call… (creepy photo of me too, which seems kind of appropriate under the cirsumstances.)
I’m more than halfway through my stint as this year’s Canada Reads resident blogger. Each week I’ve written a post for the Canada Reads site, which partly explains why I seem to be posting on my own blog less frequently lately. I’m enjoying the role after surmounting the weekly moments of anxiety as I try to figure out what to write about that week. Erin Balser at CBC Canada Reads has been very helpful in suggesting ideas for posts and has made my life much easier. In fact, she’s just done it again. Erin has created a page on the Canada Reads site that aggregates all of my posts to date. Thanks, Erin.
Not coincidentally, my final five posts will be about the final five books, tackling each one in turn, starting on January 4th.
I’ve been sitting on this news for a few months now, but it’s finally official. The Best Laid Plans is in development as a six-part mini-series to be aired on CBC television. Jian Ghomeshi made the announcement as part of the big reveal this week of the five finalists for this year’s Canada Reads crown. A hugh crowd was gathered in the atrium of the CBC Broadcast Centre. It was a great event, but I confess my heart was pounding as Jian told the assembled throng that The Best Laid Plans was headed for television. What a thrill.
The director/producer of the mini-series, Peter Moss, is a very experienced television and theatre veteran having adapted the works of others writers including Mordecai Richler and Timothy Findley. The writing team is in place and they are true professionals. I’m honoured to have the story in their hands. You’ll hear more about them and the cast when all of the pieces are in place.
Jian Ghomeshi announces the TV mini-series.
This all began back in the summer when Peter approached my agent, Beverley Slopen, and me to secure the film and TV rights to the novel. It’s incredibly exciting to contemplate the story coming to life on the small screen. I’ll get to stay involved in the project throughout as a “story consultant,” not so that I can jealously protect my work, but really just to indulge my curiosity about the whole process of adapting a novel to television. I think it’s going to be a fascinating experience. I couldn’t be happier about how it’s all come together. I”ll keep you posted as we cross certain thresholds in the production. But it’s going to take a while. We’re probably at least 18 months away from seeing Angus on television. Be patient, art takes time! Thanks for all your kind words since the news broke, and stay tuned…
Jian Ghomeshi had me stand up at the Canada Reads launch after announcing the mini-series.
Not every one of my friends and acquaintances knows that I actually have an engineering degree, and at one point in my life, planned to make engineering my career. Much has happened since my university days, but I still wear my iron ring with pride. A month or so ago, I spoke to a group of engineers about how I felt my engineering education prepared me for life as a political advisor, public affairs/public relations professional, and a novelist. Those of you who have read my first two novels will understand that even though I’ve never worked as an engineer, engineering is still a part of me. So when the editor of The Voice, the magazine of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, invited me to write a piece about my engineering education, I was very pleased to accept. You can read the article by clicking here, or on the graphic below, and scrolling down to page 14:
Okay, you know when I wrote in an earlier entry that I would try not to be quite so self-indulgent in my blog posts? Well, I’m still committed to that, but am requesting special dispensation to record the good news that The High Road has for the first time, cracked the BookManager Canadian Fiction Bestseller List, checking in at number eight. Undoubtedly pulled along by The Best Laid Plans, which is still basking in the Canada Reads afterglow. It’s a thrill to see both of my novels in the Top 10.
I promise a humbler writing update on novel number three shortly…
I’ve been scanning The Mark ever since discovering that my friend Mark Lefebvre is a regular contributor. Last week, they called and we did a Q&A that went live this morning. We covered a fair bit of turf in the interview and I hope you find something of interest in it. My thanks to The Mark.
Coincidently, the photo they’ve used is from the 2007 launch of the original self-published edition of The Best Laid Plans in the McMaster University Books Store, graciously organized by none other than Mark Lefebvre (who writes and blogs under the name Mark Leslie).
What a thrill. The Samara Foundation and the Writers’ Trust of Canada have joined forces to find the “Best Canadian Political Books of the Last 25 Years.” Over the last couple of months, nominations were sought from Canadians and nearly 200 books were submitted. Yesterday, a shortlist of 12 finalists was unveiled. Canadians are now invited to read the twelve books and vote for our favourite. Early in August, the winning book will be announced. Somehow, The Best Laid Plans made the cut and stands as the only novel among the twelve finalists. There are some terrific reads on the list including my friend John Duffy’s award winning book Fights of our Lives. I don’t know whether being the only work of fiction in a collection of wonderful nonficition books about politics works in TBLP’s favour, but I can tell you that it is a singular honour to be anywhere near the shortlist, let alone on it.
So, veering dangerously close to “pimping mode,” you can vote for the book of your choice here, or click on the graphic below. As always, my thanks for your support…
I think of my blog partly as a digital scrapbook of this wild and wonderful writing journey I’ve been on since finishing the manuscript for The Best Laid Plans back in 2005. So when I come across news items that help to put my experience into some kind of context or perspective, I’ll post it on my blog so I’ll have a record of it. This is one such time, so bear with me.
My literary agent, Beverley Slopen, discovered via Quill & Quire a week or so ago that for the first time, both The Best Laid Plans and The High Road made it onto BookNet‘s extended Canadian Fiction Bestseller’s list. I never dreamed this might happen so I’ve captured it here for posterity in case it never happens again!
I’m very happy to announce that last week, my wonderful literary agent, Beverley Slopen, and I agreed to a publishing deal with McClelland & Stewart, under the Douglas Gibson Books imprint, for my third novel. I could not be more thrilled to be staying with M&S, the only publishing home I’ve ever known. I’m grateful to M&S Publisher, Doug Pepper, and my editor Doug Gibson for their faith in me as I write my as yet unnamed novel #3. If all goes well, it will be on book store shelves in September, 2012. Here’s the official announcement straight from M&S. Now back to my writing!
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