TRINITY ST PAULS

I pose with a few the children who attended the full day event of storytelling workshops from the TDSB sponsored storytelling festival, 2011.

STORYTELLING AT TRINITY ST PAULS

Kingston Writers Festival, September 22-25, 2011

I really enjoyed the Kingston Writers Festival which took me on an overnight trip to Kingston. I traveled by Via Rail, and was picked up by a nice lady who deposited me at the Holiday Inn where the festival was to be held. Everything about this festival was spic and span.I loved my hotel room and had a very good night's sleep. Throughout the next day of readings and panel discussions, I was very well treated in every sense of the word. I had my own host, a lovely lady, Carol MacDonnel who saw to my every need. She took me out to a lovely luncheon by the waterfront where I ordered gnocci, because I had read about it in Camilla Gibb's "Sweetness in the Belly". I just loved the walk along the water front where a naval boat was anchored for tours. Our Young Adult event was hosted by Susan Olding, herself a writer who did an awesome job connecting two books that were worlds apart. My panel partner was Y.S. Lee of the Agency series, another lovely and brilliant lady. Later that day I took a taxi some distance away to visit my good friend Rosemary for about an hour before I hurried back to catch my train for home. It was with pleasure that I found a memento in my woven Ghanaian scarf to give to my fantastic host, who assured me she would wear it. Indeed she wore it that very night to the J.M. Coetzee presentation, which was the highlight of the festival.

Nostalgia

I am returning to this blog which has been abandoned for a long while as I engaged in other blogs and especially Facebook. I read a few of the old posts and the old joy of writing this blog has returned. I believe am back. Am ready to write again. I shall be focusing on some of the highlights of the past year, and sharing them with you. What a joy as I love photographs. So, let it rip, as my Bay-blading kids used to say ten years ago.

The Year so far....

The year started with momentum. The January 18th performance of The Griot's Journey was preceded by the closest thing to a media frenzy that I have experienced. Interviews on TV, radio and for newspapers began early in the New Year and then at last the performance itself. This was very well received by my enthusiastic audience at the new Waterloo Region Museum. I have The Friends of Waterloo Region Museum, Mary-Eileen McClear and Anne Childs to thank for such a robust effort. In February my energy returned to me after two half bouts of Flu, just in time for me to begin a very busy season of performances in celebration of Black History Month. I think I may publish my list of activities close to the end of the month.

LAUNCHING BETWEEN SISTERS: December 4, 2010, Guelph

I am very excited to launch my book "Between Sisters," published in both hardcover and paperback, by Groundwood, House of Anansi Press. The date for my event is December 4, 2010 at 3 Watson Road South at the River of Life International Fellowship, at the intersection of York and Watson Rd South. The time is 3pm-5 pm. This book has been a labour of love and learning for a period spanning two and a half years. I will be talking about the book and my intimate connection to it. I will be selling and signing copies. Please be there to buy your own copy and purchase one for a friend. You will not regret it.

The story is set in urban Ghana, where Gloria, a sixteen year old struggles to find her way forward into the adulthood of her dreams as she is beset with the perennial problems of family poverty, difficulties in school, temptations in town and the true meaning of relationships.

This book is full of the flavours and aromas of Ghana but deal with universal themes that anyone can relate to. It is a step forward in African literature as pertaining to the Young Adult genre and also African Canadian literature. It is definitely well worth reading by youth worldwide and all those who have some interest in Africa, developing countries and the girl child.

Please come and celebrate with me. We have a wonderful program planned to give you a boost for December!

F.O.O.L. Festival in Toronto; October 23rd 2010

By 8:20 on Saturday morning, we were on our way to Artscape Wychwood Barn, 601 Chrsitie Street. It was a little chilly but at least it was dry. From time to time the sun reinforced its brilliance and warmth. It had been a tough week and I was hoping that I would have the right energy to perform for our audience.
Wychwood Barn was bustlng with the Saturday Farmer's market; food grilling and sizzling, families walking, talking and pushing strollers, and the occassional wheel chair. There was our stand in the middle, nicely decorated with vibrant fabric, for a back drop, rows of chairs and a microphone on a boom. Then I saw my favorite elder urban storyteller, Dan Yashinsky with a coffee cup in hand and a big grin of welcome. We hugged, I hadn't seen him in probably two years when I did a special storytelling night for the Toronto Storytelling Festival with Brad Woods and Great Wooden Trio at the Artscape Wychwood Barns performance theatre. Dan was looking good. I met Gurpeet Chana who was soon going to amaze us with his virtuoso percussive talent. He was very striking in black, from turban to trousers, a handsome man with sensitive hands who could call out percussive sound and emotion from the Tabla and the Hang. Celia Lotteridge Barker came in then, whom I hadn't seen since 2006 when we were guest authors at the Stratford Children's Literary Festival.
At ten o'clock we began. First Gurpeet, next yours truly and the Celia and then Dan. In the audience I recognized, Regina from Brazil, with whom I had performed in 20o6(?) at the auspicious Saturday Concert of the Toronto Storytelling Festival, alongside the amazing Jan Blake. We went with site specific stories, involving food, eating, hunting and cooking. Hodja or Mulla Nasruddin appeared twice, Ananse once and other stories. I also told a snappy story of the 3 Fast men.
We settled into part two with more from Gurpeet, this time on the Tabla. Two young brothers were next, carriers of the torch of the oral tradition in Toronto-wow! Then came spoken word artist, Dahlia Eagle Ellis, the rhythms of whose poetry inspired me. What a precious way to end with more of Gurpeet Chana on the Hang. It is clear that the market, on a Saturday, is a great place to tell stories. Way to go Dan....Dan is storyteller in residence at Artscape Wychwood Barns, keeping an open stall at the Saturday market.

F.O.O.L. Festival of Oral Literature, TORONTO

photo by Amiliah Goodrich

THIS October check out F.O.O.L. the new festival of storytelling. Find out more at:

http://www.foolfestival.ca/artists

I will be performing on Saturday October 23 at 10am ....at the market..
Market fresh storytelling...
very avant guard...
literally singing for my breakfast...
See you!

October: The first half

Wow, October is half way through already. I have written the second draft of the first book of a YA series that I am planning for Ghana. I am quite pleased with the speed of that. You've got to love October with the trees in full Fall colours and falling off. The days of a light jacket and a long walk are fast diminishing and you can expect the cold to arrive shortly. October goes into history this year for the incredible rescue of the Chilean miners. And so for me October speaks of hope and breakthrough solutions. I have a lot of work to finish by the end of the month including a trip to Toronto and the FOOL festival which I will be attending and participating in for the very first time. October is always great for the celebrations of birthdays, anniveraries and Thanksgiving, which brought twenty-two people in my home for turkey fun and fellowship.