Enjoying Whitehorse at Hill Country with Friends

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Amid an incredibly busy week–teaching a nonfiction book writing seminar on Tuesday at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, and attending Digital Book World (DBW) Wednesday and Thursday, it was fun to still get out and hear some live music, when Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland, aka Whitehorse, played at Hill Country, the fun BBQ restaurant and saloon in Manhattan on Thursday night. What made it even better was that I was able to bring some friends from DBW with me. Joining me were Peter Evans, CEO of Speakerfile, the Toronto company that connects conference organizers to author experts that do public speaking, whom I represent to the publishing industry; and Chris Howard and Jason Freeman of Libboo, an exciting new engine for book advocacy and discovery. We enjoyed an amazing dinner first and had a kinetic conversation that encompassed vintage guitars, music performance, emerging technologies, and whether Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) is the best beer to have with smoked wings. Before we knew it, Whitehorse was taking to the stage.

I had heard and met Luke and Melissa last year, so it was great to see them again, and this time turn some friends on to their music. Though they are ‘only’ a duo, they play like twinned one-person bands, supplying percussion, bass, keys, guitars, vocals, and foot-stomping to the sonic mix. Melissa’s voice is a powerful, arcing instrument, and Luke’s guitar work, mostly on a big, white Gretch Falcon, is consistently mind-blowing. Their ensemble work was especially powerful on such songs as “Wisconsin,” “Passenger 24,” “Devil’s Got a Gun,” and “I’m on Fire.”

I love it when spontaneous fun can be enjoyed amid a busy trade show. Thanks to Peter, Chris, and Jason for all the good company, and Luke and Melissa for the soundtrack to our evening!Luke & Melissa 2

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Speakerfile, on Stage at Digital Book World

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Thursday Update: Here’s a pic of Speakerfile CEO Peter Evans at the Digital Book World podium yesterday, just after the panel he was part of discussing innovation. Photo by Mercy Pilkington. Today I’ll be on the floor with Peter talking with publishers and agents about how Speakerfile can help their authors be discovered by more readers.DSC_0015

Wednesday Update: Speakerfile has sent out this press release on the wires about CEO Peter Evans’ appearance on a DBW panel later today about innovation:

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It’s not even the middle yet of what’s bidding to be a great week.

Today, Tuesday, I team-taught in a nonfiction book writing seminar at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

Wednesday and Thursday I’ll be attending Digital Book World (DBW), third year in a row I’ve gone to this conference that showcases the evolution of the book world in the sometimes lurching transition into digital reading. What’s more, tomorrow Peter Evans–CEO of Speakerfile, a Toronto company I represent to the publishing industry–will be part of a DBW panel devoted to innovation in publishing. Speakerfile, which has a click-through promo near the upper right corner of this website, is a software platform and website that  connects conference organizers, meeting planners, and members of the media to author experts and thought leaders who do public speaking.

WideSkyscraper(Authors)I began working with Speakerfile in 2012, and one of the first clients I brought them was Movable Type Management (MTM), a literary management firm. Last summer MTM put two dozen of their author clients in to a mini-speakers bureau that resides on Speakerfile’s website, with the same bureau also appearing on MTM’s site. MTM president Jason Ashlock has just recorded a brief testimonial video about Speakerfile in which he says, “Within the first week we had a couple of bookings . . . we’ve now booked over a dozen events for our clients, each of which has paid our clients well and promoted them across the audiences that we’re really hoping that we’ll reach.”

With publishing clients I’ve introduced to Speakerfile finding many new speaking engagements for their authors, I am convinced that this smart Canadian company can become a dynamic engine of discoverability for publishers, bringing authors and their books together with motivated audiences. I’m very pleased that Peter Evans will have the opportunity to share Speakerfile’s story with the questers for innovation at Digital Book World.

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Earl I. Turner, a Happy Man

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Earl in CA Rockies, 1082My late father Earl I. Turner (1918-92) on a trip he made to the Canadian Rockies, 1982. He went by himself and had a great adventure. On the back of the photo is written in his familiar printing, “10 Peaks, Moraigne Lake, July 1982”. Dad loved dramatic scenery, maybe one of the reasons I’ve always been partial to landscapes like this one in Canada, as well as Scotland, the Southwest, and New Hampshire’s White Mountains, where I went to Franconia College.

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Announcing #R3NYNJ, the NYC/New Jersey CBCRadio3 Fan Group

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NYNJR3With my friend Steve Conte–owner of FunnyBooks, the comics store in Lake Hiawatha, NJ–we are today announcing the launch of R3NYNJ, a fan group in the NYC metropolitan area to celebrate Canadian indie rock n’ roll, borrowing our name from CBCRadio3, the fabulous Internet radio station based in Vancouver that is such a rich portal for the work of 100s of great Canadian musicians, many of whom have international followings, or will have fans worldwide. Under the banner of this new logo (inspired design by Steve), and the Twitter hashtag, #R3NYNJ, we will
* promote upcoming live shows, post showtimes & info;
* spread word of US releases of new albums by Canadian artists;
* share coverage from The Great Gray Bridge blog of shows we’ve attended;
* invite new fans–denizens of Gotham and Canadian transplants–to join us in the group and at live shows;
* be a rallying point for Canadian artists touring in the NY area;
* cover the venues where the bands often play;
* inform Canadians in the NY area who want to stay connected with all the great music now being made by the seriously great bands, singer-songwriters, and performers of our dear neighbour to the north.
More details on #R3NYNJ will follow in coming days. We’re starting to use the hashtag and logo today. For contact with us, please follow me personally on Twitter and contact me there. My handle’s @philipsturner. This would be a big help, as I will naturally be using Twitter to make the hashtag hum and grow. [Please note, this is an “unofficial” group, not formally affiliated with the CBC.]

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The Arkells’ Great Show in NYC Jan. 9

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PST & Max
Hanging w/Max Kerman, charismatic lead singer of the Arkells, after the band’s great live show in NYC Jan. 9, Webster Hall. Please click here to see four more photos from their show.

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More Coverage of Friday’s #IdleNoMore Rally

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Subscribers of this blog who read my report yesterday, Spirited NYC Demonstration Supporting First Nations Rights & #IdleNoMore, will also be interested in indie journalist @Stopmotionsolo’s comprehensive report on the demo, with good pictures and video, including a brief interview he did with me. Viewing that footage, I realize now how cold I had become after hours outside, as my speaking on camera seems to have been slurred by my cold lips.

The response to my post since I put it up last night has been extraordinary, with tons of retweets on Twitter and shares via the Internet. Thanks for reading and sharing my report, and the new one from Stopmotionsolo, who tweets here and livestreams here.

Here’s a favorite picture of mine from yesterday and the handbill that organizers handed out:

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