The Book Broads

I do not have the end of summer blues. Well, OK, maybe a aqua blue, but not a blue-blue. I will miss the kids when they head back to school. I will miss the on-the-go adventures that came over us in the afternoons. Heading to rivers, lakes, oceans and seeing friends.

Fall has it’s own rhythm and I enjoy it too. Lots of new projects coming up…. Word on the Street is around the corner and the new fall books get released. Heaven right there.

This summer I met a Nanaimo poet, named Kamal Parmar. I really enjoyed her words. She writes about her love of BC, The Prairies and her home of India. I liked how she had found all of her and put it into words. I am pleased that she did not stick to only Indian poems or poems of the Prairies and BC. I think the variety defines her. It is who she is and what she loves. That was very appealing to me and it was a joy to read her work.

I did a video interview with Kamal. We learn a lot about her past, how she started writing and more. I hope you enjoy it and the poem she reads. All about the end of summer.

Thanks – and keep reading,

Kim

Tweet This Post

Angela’s still thinking about this one.

Kim here. I think the book that best describes me is Alice, I Think by Susan Juby. Alice is lost, cynical and lives in a Northern town. It felt like me as a teen when I read it. It is also a very, very funny book.

I related to Alice and all she sees and deals with. She also found the humour in it all.

I had the great pleasure to meet Susan Juby in Nanaimo in March. One of the highlights of my career. I adore her writing and characters and I also adore her as a person. The whole Alice series is a great read for all teen gals. They will connect, relate and know they are not alone. What a good thing!

(Peg here) Dare I say Women Who Run With The Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes? This book has been grossly misunderstood: it’s about connecting with your inner creative power, whatever form that may take. Yes, I’m still learning, but at least now I know where the wolves are, even though I can’t run that fast – yet.

The Book Broads’ invite you to join their 30 Books in 30 Days Challenge. Blog, journal, tweet (#30Booksin30Days), or comment on our posts.

Tweet This Post

Kim Here… I had the great pleasure of taking my kidlets to Bookfest in Nanaimo. I love this event. Run by volunteers and lovers of books, this year celebrated 25 years. Party time happened on May 7 in Downtown Nanaimo. So many great venues and everyone was helpful and supportive. My kids and have the best time.

This year we had the pleasure to hear some fantastic authors speak about writing, books, illustrations and more. Sheree Fitch, Linda Bailey, Robert Heidbreder, Marie Louise Gay, Eugenie Fernandes, Robin Muller, Andrea Spalding, Arthur Slade, and John Wilson all took part this year.

I love all the authors – my kids loves the whole thing too. The Kerplunks played at noon hour and that was very fun… if a little wet. I wish the weather would work better for outside events. Books and rain, precarious.

One of the highlights is connecting with Sheree Fitch after many years. I took her out and about for a media day over 14 years ago, and it was a great day. She remembered it too. She is such a lovely woman… and a gifted writer for kids, teens and adults.

Here is a video chat we had this past Saturday. Sheree Fitch ROCKS!

Thanks for reading!

Kim

Tweet This Post

(Kim here) Peggy and I live in mid-Vancouver Island… really nice spot! We are also volunteer members of  Nanaimo-Ladysmith Community Literacy Council. One of the initiatives for the Council is a great website called, www.myreadingtree.com, it provides local information about events, literacy programs, resources, games and tools, cool links and there are audio books for all ages. One of the other things it does is it features community members and the book they are reading. This month the website features two local Mayors! Below are pictures of the Mayors taken by Nanaimo’s own, Lance Sullivan. Press release below too.

Mayor Hutchins

Mayor Ruttan

March 2011- Nanaimo, BC – What are our local Mayors reading? Lantzville to Ladysmith’s www.Myreadingtree.com, an initiative of Nanaimo-Ladysmith Community Literacy Council, finds out. This March we hear what Nanaimo Mayor John Ruttan and Ladysmith Mayor Rob Hutchins are reading… and why reading means so much to them.

Rob Hutchins tells www.myreadingtree.com, “I remember falling in love with reading while in grade five. I devoured books as a teenager and as a young adult. When our children were young we collected a small library of excellent children’s literature and now many of those same books are being read to our grandchildren. “  What’s Mayor Hutchins Reading? Plan B 4.0 – Mobilizing to Save Civilization by Lester R. Brown.

Mayor John Ruttan says. “The book that I just finished was Maps, Mountains & Mosquitoes by Nanaimo author Ms. Katherine Gordon. It details the history of the McElhanney group of surveying, engineering and mapping companies through years of service and work in Western Canada. It is a fascinating read of the growth of one of the largest surveying companies in British Columbia.”

Every month, the non-profit website, www.myreadingtree.com, highlights local people and what they are reading. Some great stories are shared by people like: Bruce Williams, David Gogo, The Kerpunks, Joelle Rabu and others!. The soon-to-be one year old, www.myreadingtree.com, also provides local information about events, literacy programs, resources, games and tools, cool links and there are audio books for all ages.

Tweet This Post

Here’s a fast podcast that captures a conversation we had this morning about literacy and kids, and the right and wrong way to encourage it.

 The Book Broads on Literacy for Kids: Download (125)

Tweet This Post

The Book Broads are proud to present ReadUP TweetUP. This literacy event will rock the house at the Nanaimo Museum (100 Museum Way, Nanaimo) on Thursday, January 27, 2011 as Nanaimo’s social media community comes together in support of Family Literacy Day.  From 5pm-7pm avid readers and aspiring writers will all have the chance to meet a variety of published authors, enjoy the hospitality of event sponsors and do some fun activities while exploring the amazing exhibits of the Nanaimo Museum.

You can RSVP to the official online invitation here: http://tweetvite.com/event/ReadUPTweetUP

At this kid friendly event, guests will mix and mingle with authors and fellow readers. Confirmed special guests include:

·         Nanaimo’s favourite kindergarten teacher and author of 123 Kindergarten, the celebrated Barbara Allisen (http://123kindergarten.com/), shares her knowledge on the important skills required to become a reader.

.           Gabriola Island, author and illustrator Dianna Bonder (http://diannabonder.com/) will share a bit of her magic.   Her  most recent book is The West is Calling.

·         Rachel Dunstan Muller has written many books for kids and tweens and is a popular writer based in Ladysmith. (http://www.orcabook.com/contributorinfo.cfm?ContribID=322)

·         Lantzville resident and certified yoga instructor, Kathy Beliveau is the author of The Yoga Game. Perfect fit for the theme of literacy and play. Check her out at http://www.kathybeliveau.ca/

·         Nanaimo’s Charity Gosling will be on hand to talk about her newly released novel, The Guardian. http://cjgosling.wordpress.com/shadowlands%C2%A0series/.

We have not left out the adults… we have authors for them too. We believe that if kids see parents read, they will too!

·         Website guru George Plumley (http://ahundredquestionstoask.com/)  shares his latest book Website Design & Development: 100 Questions to Ask Before Building a Website.

.        Nick Daniels will be there. He is newish to Nanaimo and was a science writer and is now working on novels. His book, The Gentlemen’s Conspiracy is a thrilling and deep read and fun for the adults in the crowd. (www.nickdanielsbooks.com)

·         Novelist Chevy Stevens (http://www.chevystevens.com/) will be there talking about her fabulous novel Still Missing.

Guests will also have the opportunity to do alphabet art activities with Tara Gray from 4 Cats Nanaimo (http://www.4cats.com/StudioHome.aspx?Studio=Nanaimo) . Attendees will also get to play with their food with an alphabet themed chocolate buffet generously provided by the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory – Nanaimo (http://www.nanaimoloveschocolate.com/)

All guests are asked to bring unwanted books for donation. Children who donate a book will be given a free ticket to pick a used book to bring home to read at bedtime thus continuing this literacy focused day. Remaining books will be donated to this Books for Kids, an organization that takes pre-loved books, sells them and puts the money made back into the school libraries.

Special thanks to the Nanaimo Museum (http://www.nanaimomuseum.ca/) for providing the venue and to former Nanaimo resident, Wendy D (http://wendyd.ca/) for donating her services as official photographer. The Book Broads (www.thebookbroads.com) are Angela Crocker, Peggy Richardson (from Gabriola Island) and Kimberly Plumley (from Lantzville).

To register for this free event, http://tweetvite.com/event/ReadUPTweetUP. The official hashtag is #ReadUPTweetUP. Please register for the tweet-up or call 250-390-9285. Check out the poster for My Story, Your Story it features some other great literacy events that are happening at local libraries.

My Story – Your Story

Check here for more information about Family Literacy Day across the country… http://www.abclifeliteracy.ca/en/family-literacy-day

-30-

For more information and/or to arrange an interview with any all of the authors and sponsors, please contact Kimberly Plumley at Publicity Mavens at 250-390-9285 or via email at kim@publicitymavens.com.

Tweet This Post

Mid-Island Business Blender – Think of it as speed-dating for your business. You get access to four consultants in a single event, one-on-one! BLOGGING – PUBLICITY – SOCIAL MEDIA – PODCASTING – eBOOKS – WORDPRESS – All blended into one day. Event takes place on Saturday, June 26th at Origins (6205 Oliver Road) from 9 to 4 pm. Book your spot at http://midislandbusinessblender2010.eventbrite.com/.

We’re excited to have Lantzville resident,  George Plumley, who is a WordPress specialist and blogging expert, giving his WordPress blogging workshop in the main room (3 hours plus to focus on websites). Then, in the breakout areas attendees have a chance to have mini-consulting sessions (one-on-one) with publicity chick and Lantzville resident, Kimberly Plumley, social media Mamma, Angela Crocker and e-Book and affiliate marketing geek, Peggy Richardson.

In less than 7 hours you will have a whole new outlook, clarity on where to spend your time, fresh ideas to rejuvenate your idea, project and product, tools to explore… and the guts to make it happen.

George Plumley, author of Wordpress 24-Hour Trainer (Wiley) is available for interviews to talk about websites, blogging, the Mid-Island Business Blender, his new book all about improving websites and what a great wife I am, please contact Kimberly Plumley at Publicity Mavens at 250-390-9285 or via email at kim@publicitymavens.com.

There’s a lot of information out there about using new technologies to promote businesses, but how do you actually apply it to your business, your needs?

Getting specific is the goal of a new type of marketing workshop developed by three local consultants.  The Mid-Island Business Blender takes place on June 26th in Nanaimo and it aims to give participants unparalleled access to information in four key areas of marketing today:  blogging, social media, publicity, and e-book publishing.

Peggy Richardson, Angela Crocker, and Kimberly Plumley – who also work collectively as The Book Broads – have each conducted and been to numerous business workshops, but one of the limitations of the typical workshop is that information is very general.  They wanted a way for owners to sit down and talk one on one with a variety of marketing experts as well as participate in a small group workshop.

Enter speed-dating.  The Book Broads say the idea of talking one on one with a variety of people in a single evening seemed like the perfect format for a business function, and that’s when the Business Blender idea was formed.

A small number of participants is divided into two groups.  One group spends half a day in a workshop setting, where the limited seats allows for specific questions, while the other group spends twenty minutes one on one with three different consultants as well as working individually at special training stations for various technologies.  Half way through the day the two groups switch.

The result is that participants have plenty of opportunity to get specific ideas for moving their business forward, while covering a lot of ground in one session.

Tweet This Post

I think most of you know that The Book Broads are parents to young-ish kids. We love to read books to them, have them read to us, and we also love to play music in the house and in our vehicles – music uses words, and that is what we love! Angela’s son loves Signing Time and he is amazing at sign language, Peggy’s daughter loves listening to The Bee Gees (want to see her disco moves), my kids by default listen to Neko Case, The Dr. Horrible Soundtrack etc. We do however, all agree on two favourite kids bands… The Kerplunks (we hope to talk to them soon) and Bobs and Lolo.

I had the chance to talk to Juno-nominated Bobs and Lolo last week, and talked to them about music, words and their Juno nominations for Best Children’s Album.  Here is our video out on the street – it was cold, but be thankful you could not smell the decaying herring roe. See, video does have its advantages! The ladies are lovely and my kids were star-struck. Check out www.bobsandlolo.com for more about them and their shows.

Tweet This Post

Last week I had the honour of being asked to attend the launch of a great community literacy source called My Reading Tree (www.myreadingtree.com) here in my place of habitation, Nanaimo, BC. I ate a mighty fine lunch, met some fascinating, motivated people, and got to hear Lesra  Martin inspire us to dream.

Lesra Martin was once an inner-city kid dismissed by society, who rose from a poorly-educated Brooklyn teen to a highly respected attorney. His heartrending story, which was the subject of the major feature film The Hurricane, has inspired millions, including its’ star, Denzel Washington. Also inspired by his experiences, The National Film Board of Canada produced the documentary The Journey of Lesra Martin, a compelling film that was screened at numerous film festivals around the world. Among many other notable appearances, Lesra has addressed world leaders and General Assembly Delegates of the United Nations. He has been featured on countless television and radio shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live.

He currently has a new book out called,” The Power of a Promise: Life Lessons Encountered On My Journey from Illiteracy to Lawyer“. http://www.lesra.com/the-power-of-a-promise I was lucky enough to get an extra copy for a Book Broads giveaway. Watch for it soon. Oh, and we get a scoop about Lesra’s story being made into a tv movie.

Interesting man, great passion and it was a pleasure to hear him speak. He did take some time out of his busy schedule to have a quick video chat with me. Here it is.

Tweet This Post