BookShorts Newsletter December 2007

Randall Maggs' Night Work Slated for Film Prod

We finally get to work with BRICK BOOKS! Kitty Lewis has a wonderful energy and sincere love of publishing, and its infectous. So its a particular pleasure to be able to collaborate with her and her most engaging author, Dr. RANDALL MAGGS on the film adaptation of his book NIGHT WORK: THE SAWCHUK POEMS.

Only a poet who can really skate, one who knows the game with his body, could have written so accurately and eloquently about hockey. The poems are kinetic, lithe and athletic.

The film will be made by two multi-award winning filmmakers -- Director JUSTIN SIMMS based in St. John's, NL with a screenplay by GREG SPOTTISWOOD, himself no slouch in the winners circle. We've posted their respective bio's on our production page cause the list of kudo's is far too long for our little newsletter!

With a premiere planned at the Hockey Hall of Fame February 29, can the stars be any more aligned? Weeeellll, I think they just might ... follow the production play-by-play at BookShorts >> http://www.bookshorts.com/watch_nightwork

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Paul Quarrington up to his hat tricks again

You've heard he does it all and he's doing it all again -- with us!

PAUL QUARRINGTON has been a champion of BookShorts ever since we met in Calgary 2004, when he was touring his Giller-nominated book Galveston at WordFest. As host of our TV series Moving Stories, as co-director on the BookShort "Angel Takes All" and as story consultant official and unofficial on any number of other productions, he's been right in there.

Now he does his own hat trick with BookShorts - as author, screenwriter and director for THE RAVINE (Random House of Canada) scheduled for BookShorts production in February and release in conjunction with the book's pub date in March.

Dare we say this is "The Year of PQ" for more triumvirate reasons. Paul's novel "King Leary" is one of the chosen for Canada Reads; he and his North Country blues band Porkbelly Futures release their next CD in March too. Books, Music, Film - the quintessential PQ hat trick.

Follow the film production at the BookShorts page bookshorts.com/watch_ravine.htm

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Script to Screen Media Releases

New to the BookShorts BiblioBlog:

Sean Cullen on HAMISH X AND THE HOLLOW MOUNTAIN (Penguin)

Donald Ziraldo on ICEWINE (Key Porter)

Karloyn Smardz Frost on I'VE GOT A HOME IN GLORYLAND wins the GG (Thomas Allen Publishers)

Coming in January: James McCreath and RENALDO

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Meisner & ddg Publicity Become One

It's a power duo if ever there was one - Susan Meisner, Debby de Groot -- look out press here they come! And by all accounts it was welcomed by all at their joint Holiday Party and announcement this past Monday. The two firms intend to join forces as of January 2, operating out of the Meisner offices on King Street East in Toronto.

Biased though we are (BookShorts is and continues to be a client) we did our own video survey of guests at the fete -- what a hoot to turn the cameras on the gals usually behind the scenes!

Click here >> "MEISNER + DDG HOLIDAY PARTY" >> to view the ruckus video shot by yours truly (thus the charmingly authentic camerawork - d'oh!) and watch the web for the full-on, ahem, well let's just call them "words of encouragement" from their guests when we post the reall deal on their new site in January!

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Coal Lumpers Holiday Party Rocks (pun intended)

I am constantly humbled by the talented artists who have lent their expression to the projects we undertake. I am doubly humbled when others agree. Take the BookShorts holiday party for instance. These folks have not only made films with us, they step off the screen and out from behind the cameras to entertain a capacity crowd at the Gladstone Hotel. We laughed, we drank, we played ... and we got naughty :)

IRENE DUMA opens proceedings with a rousing introduction to the show and kudos to sponsors INNISKILLIN WINES, COME AS YOU ARE and The Gladstone Hotel.

In a slinky red skirt and devilish grin, SUE KENNEYre-enacts a version of "The Night Before Christmas" custom-written by she and director/screenwriter and Gent Bruce Pirrie.

THE GENTS had the audience rolling in the aisles with skits on the plight of the modern male.

PORKBELLY FUTURES return for the second year, and we heard it live ourselves folks, some of the audience came back this year just for the band. I think the general feeling was, and I quote, "they rock!"

Click here >> "COAL LUMPERS ROCK THE GLADSTONE" >> to view the video shot and edited by multi-talented IRENE DUMA of Bitter Tonic.