Let’s Get Writing

My guests this week are Saqamaw (Chief) Mi’sel Joe and Sheila O’Neill, the co-authors of My Indian published by Breakwater Books. Not only have they contributed to the creation of this book but they are each, in their own capacities, leaders dedicated to the empowerment of the Mi’kmaq First People in Newfoundland and Labrador.

On this Eve of Christmas 2021, please join me as I welcome Andy Jones (Jack and the Manger), Gary Collins (A Time That Was: Christmas in Newfoundland) and Bernice Morgan (Seasons Before The War), three of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most beloved authors as they share their writing and thoughts around Christmas.

In Search of St. Nicholas: My guest this week, Bruce Templeton, has been assisting Santa in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, for almost forty years. He completes almost fifty visits annually—from parades to hospitals, and seniors’ homes to special events. He has had over 1,500 visits with Santa. He is the only living Canadian Santa inducted into the International Santa Claus Hall of Fame. He is also a Knight of St. Nicholas.

You can order Bruce's book here: https://amzn.to/3J2VoUE

Today on Let’s Get Writing I have not one but three guests who are part of an anthology entitled Land of Many Shores: Perspectives from a Diverse Newfoundland & Labrador, a book recently published by Breakwater Books and edited by Ainsley Hawthorn. Do you think you know our province well? Perhaps, not as well as you think. My guests Ainsley Hawthorn, Ilga Leja, and Michelle Butler Hallett share their perspectives and ideas on this topic.

My guest discusses her self-published book Balsom’s Point, based on stories told to her by her grandmother Selina Maud Balsom. Light-hearted and reflective of her grandmother’s bright spirit, this book captures the essence of life in and around Clarenville, NL, in the 1920-30s. A heartfelt glimpse into a simpler time that is reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie. How does one begin writing such a beautiful memoir? We’ll learn all about that as I welcome Rhonda Rodgers to Let’s Get Writing!

My guests today are the talented team behind a beautiful a collection of treasured recipes, tales, and experiences that celebrate Newfoundland’s unique culture and heritage. Yes, it is a cookbook and so much more. It will take you a one-year food journey that explores the wild foods of Newfoundland and the land it comes from, encouraging everyone to put more traditional foods back on their plates. I’d like you to meet chef Lori McCarthy and photographer Marsha Tulk.

Governor-General Award Winner Kevin Major is the best-selling author of twenty-two books: fiction, literary non-fiction, poetry and plays. In my second conversation with him, we focus on what it's like to create a successful crime series. Sounds easy? We'll find out.

My guest today on Let's Get Writing is Santiago Guzmán, a writer, performer, director and dramaturge originally from Metepec, Mexico, now based in St. John’s, NL. He is the Artistic Director of TODOS Productions, the Artistic Associate for Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre and General Manager for Neighbourhood Dance Works in St. John’s, NL. He is a proud member of The Quilted Collective.

In this episode, I discuss writing horror with Kelley Power whose debut novel Tombstories was released in August 2021.