Although it is part of my job to read books, I must admit that it fills a lot of my personal time as well, so I can  no longer pretend that I’m a social butterfly as I write this. Between my cats, Murder She Wrote reruns and books, I don’t get out much.

Also, you may see some odd book choices on this list, feel free to ask me anything about what I read in the comments section.

1. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
2. The Charming Quirks of Others by Alexander McCall Smith
3. A Memoir of a Good Death by Anne Sorbie
4. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
5. Let the Good World Spin by Colum McCann
6. The Blue Light Project by Timothy Taylor
7. Karma by Cathy Ostlere
8. By Love Possessed by Lorna Goodison
9. The Long Goodbye by Megan O’Rourke
10. Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby
11. The Canterbury Trail by Angie Abdou
12. Incidents in the Life of Markus Paul by David Adams Richards
13. When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman
14. Bad Medicine by John Reilly
15. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
16. Not Anyone’s Anything by Ian Williams
17. Funeral for a Dog by Thomas Pletzinger
18. The Quiet Twin by Dan Vyleta
19. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
20. Dogs at the Perimeter by Madeleine Thien
21. Mennonites Don’t Dance by Darcie Friesen Hossack
22. The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
23. Caesarion by Tommy Wieringa
24. Deadly Fall by Susan Calder
25. The O’Briens by Peter Behrens
26. The Cypress House by Michael Koryta
27. Various Positions by Martha Schabas
28. Say Her Name by Francisco Goldman
29. The Uncoupling by Meg Wolitzer
30. Day of Honey by Annia Ciezadlo
31. The Beggar’s Garden by Michael Christie
32. And Also Sharks by Jessica Westhead
33. The Water Rat of Wanchai by Ian Hamilton
34. Better Living Through Plastic Explosives by Zsuzsi Gartner
35. Games to Play After Dark by Sarah Gardner Borden
36. The Reinvention of Love by Helen Humphreys
37. The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
38. The Water Man’s Daughter by Emma Ruby-Sachs
39. One Story, One Song by Richard Wagamese
40. Anticipated Results by Dennis E. Bolen
41. One Child by Jeff Buick
42. We Had it So Good by Linda Grant
43. The Meagre Tarmac by Clark Blaise
44. Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
45. The Antagonist by Lynn Coady
46. Monoceros by Suzette Mayr
47. The World Beneath by Cate Kennedy
48. Rex by José Manuel Prieto
49. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
50. The Return by Dany Laferrière
51. This is Where it Must Have Happened by Hal Niedzviecki
52. River City by John Farrow
53. Irma Voth by Miriam Toews
54. Alone in the Classroom by Elizabeth Hay
55. Shatter the Bones by Stuart MacBride
56. A World Elsewhere by Wayne Johnston
57. A Good Man by Guy Vanderhaeghe
58. The Little Shadows by Marina Endicott
59. This Will be Difficult to Explain and Other Stories by Johanna Skibsrud
60. Natural Order by Brian Francis
61. Starting from Happy by Patricia Marx
62. Tell it to the Trees by Anita Rau Badami
63. Eating Dirt by Charlotte Gill
64. The Magician King by Lev Grossman
65. The Free World by David Bezmozgis
66. Death Plays Poker by Robin Spano
67. Autobiography of Childhood by Sina Queyras
68. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
69. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
70. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
71. Sage Island by Samantha Warwick
72. The Submission by Amy Waldman
73. Rescue by Anita Shreve
74. Greedy Little Eyes by Billie Livingston
75. Hand me Down World by Lloyd Jones
76. The Cat’s Table by Michael Ondaatje
77. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
78. The Measure of a Man by JJ Lee
79. Stories about Storytellers by Douglas Gibson
80. Hitching Rides with Buddha by Will Ferguson

Anne Logan is the Artistic Associate at WordFest: Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival. For over three years she has helped the Festival Director program the WordFest line-up, and can frequently be found at local readings scouting for new talent.  Anne attended the Humber Creative Book Publishing Program in Toronto and previously worked as a publicist for Cormorant Books. Anne spends most of her free time reading, but is also known to take time from her literary endeavours to enjoy the outdoors with her husband and two cats.

1. an excuse to help me avoid packing
2. alerting my two readers to the fact that we’re  moving locations (It’s ok Dad, our phone number will stay the same)
3. creating content that makes no mention of award season (because aren’t all book people sick of that by now?)
4. an excuse to help me avoid packing

If you’ve never moved an office before, this will be a wake-up call to you. I’m lucky enough to say that this is my second move as a WordFest employee, so I know what’s coming. Packing up our office is more than just rolling up my cat calendar and dumping my pens in a portable container, especially when you work in an office of only five, full-time female employees. You know that filing cabinet that people dump stuff into then forget about? Yah, you’re going to have to pack that. You know those weird Tupperware containers that no one wants to claim underneath the sink in the kitchen? You’re going to have to pack that too. And don’t forget the storage closet in the basement; the excuse that the old fax paper gives you hives is not going to cut it this time, you’re going to be in charge of making sure it gets packed!

Not only are you packing the things that no one gives a second thought to (or rarely wants to even touch), you’re also responsible for doing the hated task of emptying out your desk drawers. For example, what is that sticky substance that is holding together various paper clips, bobby pins, and post-it notes at the bottom of my drawer? I have no idea, but there’s no avoiding it now, I have to pack it ALL.

And where are we moving all this stuff to you ask? Luckily, only two C-Train stops from where we are now: Eau Claire Market! Say hello to accessible and cheap parking, an assortment of delicious treats for sale at the food court, and the upscale grocery store that is sure to make meal time at the Logan house a tasty affair. Best of all, WordFest will have a more public presence, due to the fact that we’re right next to the bicycle co-op store, and more than happy to see you. So, come drop by in the New Year, we can’t wait to show off our new digs!

 
6 – Days of WordFest
2 – Days inBanff
20 – Events I attended over the six days of WordFest
18 – Events I was on time for
7 – Different venues I attended a performance
 
38 – Artists and authors I saw perform
19 – Artists and authors I had a drink with
1 – Artists or authors I saw scam free drinks at WordFeast
 
25 – Sandwiches eaten in the volunteer lounge
1 – Times I misspelled sandwich in a blog post
7 – Amount of cheese eaten, in pounds
2 – Times I took the last piece of food from a tray, while looking around to make sure nobody would notice

 
5 – Nights that ended with a visit to the Artist’s Lounge
5 – Night the Artist’s Lounge ran out of beer
2 – Times I was told ‘…and you’re the only one drinking beer’

 
6 – Trips on the bus
3 – Cab rides
0 – Number of blocks portaged with a canoe; I guess I really…’missed the boat’ on this one!

 
29 – Blog posts
4 – Blog posts mentioning pizza
1 – Events throughout WordFest with pizza
4 – Times I’ve gone out for pizza since WordFest, to make up for the times I missed pizza during WordFest

 4 – Remaining WordFest events this year (check the website for more info!)

 349 – Days until WordFest 2012!!

 -Bryan

www.wordfest.com
@wordfesttweets
@TheRevBW
WordFest on Facebook

I have sort of a soft spot in my heart for the volunteers, as I used to be one.  It’s true. You can even check the guide, I’m listed as staff and as a volunteer. I’m in pretty lofty company being listed twice you know.  But seriously, my association with WordFest did begin through volunteering, manning a booth at last summer’s Sun & Salsa Fest, preaching the good word about…WordFest.  Just think, if I hadn’t taken that volunteer position, I might never have been asked to write this blog, and you might never have been treated to such entertainment.  The horrors.

Of course, my work volunteering was nothing compared to the work put in by an army of people who do so not only during the six days of WordFest, both in Calgary and in Banff, but also throughout the year.  If you’re unsure of who the volunteers are, or rather were, they were the ones wearing the black t-shirts all week. They were the ones who sold you your ticket to Alberta (Un)Bound, or perhaps they showed you to your seat at Poetry Bash. Maybe they were Darlene and Colleen, taking tickets at ‘Persuasion’ who somehow convinced me to

This tray was overflowing before I arrived

mention their names in this blog. You might have bought a 50/50 ticket from a volunteer, working tirelessly to ensure WordFest is funded, while asking for nothing in return.  Some of my favorite volunteers were the ladies who looked after the volunteer lounge at the Vertigo.  They kept me fed with sandwiches, veggie platters, soups, desserts, and of course, cheese.  Lots and lots of cheese.  Michelle and Lauren, working the hospitality suite at Le Germain, also made sure I was getting a steady intake of cheese, and washing it down with an ice-cold bottle of beer.  These are the true heroes.

But volunteers aren’t just working the events, they’re also working behind the scenes, making sure everything goes off without a hitch. They’re the ones who serve as artist liaisons and the transportation staff, who work tirelessly to make sure each artist and author is not only looked after, but also on time for their event.  There are also the people who help out around the WordFest office throughout the year, manning telephones, stuffing envelopes and occasionally eating cake for Angela’s…27th birthday I believe it was.

All kidding aside, the volunteers are as important to the success of WordFest as the artists and authors themselves, and without them, there would not be a festival for us to enjoy.  Three cheers for the WordFest volunteers!

Don’t forget to follow the Official WordFest hashtag on twitter, #wordfest2011

-Bryan

www.wordfest.com
@wordfesttweets
@TheRevBW
WordFest on Facebook

My seat for the event was next to the window, and naturally, my head would turn to the West, as I stared down the valley, almost hypnotized by the scenery.  It was actually perfect for listening to a reading, because when watching the scenery instead of the author, I found myself fully immersed in the passage they read.  It was like listening to a book on CD, while sitting in a dark room.  Talking later in the day to someone about this, they mentioned how they were listening to Guy Vanderhaeghe the night before, with their eyes closed, as a way of creating that same effect.  I’ll have to try that sometime.  Or just ensure there is a hypnotic view available to send me into a trance.  But I’ll have to be sure I don’t cross the line and fall asleep.  And it’s a very fine line at that.

I was particularly interested to hear Thomas Pletzinger speak at this event.  His novel, Funeral for a Dog, was my most recent WordFest read, and since it is still quite fresh in my mind, I was curious to see how knowing the book would change my appreciation of a reading.  It does make for a little bit of a different experience.  When an author is reading a book I’ve read, I am already familiar with the characters and the story and so forth.  Unlike most of the readings I’ve heard this week, I wasn’t being parachuted into the middle of a story.  I also knew what was going to happen, so most of my concentration was focused on how the author read the passage, listening to their emotion and inflections.

I also had the opportunity to talk to Herr Pletzinger later last night, at the wrap-up party.  When I read his book, as is the case with any translated work, I wonder how much of the author’s work is actually in the translation.  At the end of the day, I’m not exactly reading what they wrote.  I was curious as to what role the author played in the translation and it turns out, at least in Thomas Pletzinger’s case, to be quite a substantial one.  Thomas said when he last checked his inbox for emails from the translator, regarding the book, there were 714 messages, each with “around 50 or so questions,” each pertaining to his thoughts on a specific word or sentence.  So, I guess that could be filed under, ‘quite involved!’

Following ‘Curtain Call,’ there was a bit of an empty feeling, which I always find with multi-day events, because you know that everything is almost over for another year.  I always find that happens each year at the Stampede when the crowd is a little more subdued on the final Sunday, as everybody realizes everything’s almost over.  It was still a great event of course, hearing from five great authors, with the majestic Rockies in the background.  Quite a nice afternoon really.

Technically, I suppose it wasn’t really the final event, as there was a wrap up party at The Banff Centre’s maclab bistro last night.  It was an opportunity for staff, volunteers, and artists to get together, have a drink and nibble on some food.  And may I point out that there was pizza.  Lots of pizza.  I did get a little anxious on my first trip through the buffet line, where there were only a couple of pieces left.  I was left with a dilemma; do I pile all four pieces onto my plate, and deal with the shame of my gluttony?  Or do I only take two pieces, and risk the chance of there not being any more pizza delivered, and thus passing up on potential pie?  I decided to only take two pieces, thinking that there was a good chance there would be more pizza, and if not I could indulge my senses with cheese and nachos.  The move paid off, as there was plenty of pizza to go around at the end of the night, even enough for a certain crime writer to take some back to her room to enjoy one of life’s greatest pleasures; eating pizza on a hotel room bed.

The wrap up party was more than just pizza bliss though; it was also a great chance to talk to the people I’d been working with all week, including other WordFest staff, volunteers, and the authors and artists.  It also ensured I’d only be awake for two or three minutes after my head hit the pillow.

Don’t forget to follow the Official WordFest hashtag on twitter, #wordfest2011

-Bryan

www.wordfest.com
@wordfesttweets
@TheRevBW
WordFest on Facebook

I was quite curious to hear Scottish author Stuart MacBride talk.  I haven’t read any of his books, but I spent quite a bit of time talking to him in the hospitality suite, both in Calgary and here in Banff.  Both times, I was left with a pain in my side from laughing so hard.  Not only is he a genuine character with a great sense of humor, but he also has a rather thick accent, which only adds to my enjoyment of hearing him speak.

Of course I wouldn’t expect any antics at a book reading.  This was a serious discussion about gritty crime novels that feature murder and intrigue.  Speaking third, MacBride took to the stage, and immediately had the audience laughing out loud.  When I attended my first WordFest event this week, ‘Lunch with Will Ferguson,’ I remember thinking that it would probably receive more laughs than any other event.  I guess I was wrong.  And I certainly wouldn’t have predicted it be the session on crime novels that would generate so many laughs.

The event began with an intro by host and author Trevor Ferguson/John Farrow, followed by a reading from each featured author.  First off was Ian Hamilton reading from his new book, The Disciple of Las Vegas.  Then it was Robin Spano read her book, Death Plays Poker, and then finished up with Stuart MacBride reading from a yet to be released book.

Following the readings there was a great discussion about the authors, their books, and the genre.  Audience participation usually works well, assuming you have a good set of questions being asked.  This event featured some particularly good questions, some of the best I’ve heard all week, and as a result the audience was also treated to some great answers.

The final day continues with ‘The Satirists’ this afternoon, and then the last event, Curtain Call.  But first, it’s time to go to The Banff Centre’s restaurant, Vistas, perched on the side of Tunnel Mountain, which is supposed to offer yet another spectacular view.

 
Don’t forget to follow the Official WordFest hashtag on twitter, #wordfest2011

-Bryan

www.wordfest.com
@wordfesttweets
@TheRevBW
WordFest on Facebook

Pizza.  Food of the gods.  I love pizza.  It doesn’t matter where the pizza is from, what’s on the pizza, or what temperature the pizza is.  There is no such thing as bad pizza.  Well there is, I did have one bad pizza, in Romania, where they used ketchup instead of pizza sauce, but that was the lone exception in my time on this mortal coil.  unfortunately, in this situation, I was forced to choose between the show and pizza.  Obviously I had to choose the show as my duties to WordFest had to take priority.  And naturally, I had assumed there would be pizza afterward.

Back to the break between Guy Vanderhaeghe and the Poetry Cabaret, and I am back in the Artist’s Lounge.  To my surprise and delight, three pizza boxes still sit on the table.  My pizza needs would be fulfilled.  But as I open the first box, I realized there wasn’t any pizza left, only three empty boxes, taunting me with tiny bits of cheese and crust, left over from the bounty that once called them home.  I was indeed going to be denied the pie of my dreams.  The lights began to flicker in the hallway, signifying the show was about to begin and that it was time to make my way to the theatre.  Out I went, slightly dejected.  Of course what do I pass on my way to the theatre?  Three more pizzas being delivered!  Pizza is my Ladyhawke.  I can’t be in the room when there is pizza, and pizza can’t be in the room when I am there.

The Poetry Cabaret was great though, even though I wasn’t able to feast on some ‘za.  Performing last night were Ian Williams, Rosemary Griebel, Ann Scowcroft, Anne Simpson, and Jeramy Dodds.  As at the Thursday Showcase, the authors were accompanied by the WordFest House Band.  I really enjoy the dynamic and find the music really adds to the poetry.  I also had added admiration for the music after talking to the band in the Green Room earlier in the evening.  While a few notes are taken, most of the music is improvised, feeding off the emotion of the poetry being read.

After the show, it was back to the Artist’s Lounge for some hob nobbing, eating, and a drink.  The hospitality room at Le Germain in Calgary was great, with a nice atmosphere, good food, and wonderful hostesses.  But last night the hospitality room here in Banff was really rocking.  I suppose a lot of that has to do with the room being quite a bit larger, allowing a lot of people to mingle quite comfortably.  And what was on the table, sitting like a beacon of hope and cheese?  There was still pizza.  And not just pizza boxes, but real, live pizza.  The night was now complete.

The party in the suite went well into the night, with pizza, beer, wine, cheese, and crackers, all of which were accompanied by the musical stylings of DJ Rutledge, who manned the ipod well into Sunday morning, much to the delight of the many people dancing.

 
Don’t forget to follow the Official WordFest hashtag on twitter, #wordfest2011

-Bryan

www.wordfest.com
@wordfesttweets
@TheRevBW
WordFest on Facebook

Now obviously this event was going to be a hard ticket to get, being the premiere event. While I have a pass, which allows me access to every event, it becomes a little more difficult when there are not tickets left.  It seems John Law has determined that only a set amount of people are allowed in the theatre at any one time.  I understand this, and am happy to wait until the very end to take my place inside to watch the show once it is known there are a couple of open seats.

But last night, there weren’t any last-minute no-shows, there weren’t any extra tickets, and as a result, it was looking like there would not be any…me.  Then just as my fate seemed sealed, someone came up with the idea of having me watch in the green room.  Down into the bowels of the Banff Centre I went, to take my place on a couch.  From there I was able to watch the proceedings on a TV.  Naturally this isn’t the same as sitting in the theatre, but it does have a lot to offer.

To begin with, there is wine in the green room.  Secondly, there is cheese.  So while I was not watching the performance live, I was re-fuelling and rehydrating.  Life is full of trade offs, and that was mine for the day.  I also had the pleasure of hanging out with some of the artists who were participating in the Poetry Cabaret event that followed, as well as the WordFest House Band.

I’ve always been curious about green rooms.  I wonder things like, why are they called green rooms?  Then I wonder why they so often aren’t green.  I know at CBC radio in Calgary, the green room is actually just a couple of couches off to the side of the studio.  It’s really more of a green alcove.  Except the walls are off-white.  I suppose it’s really an off-white alcove.  Of course everybody still calls it the green room.

Here at the Banff Centre, there is an actual room for artists ro relax in before a performance.  And, it has green walls to boot!  It is truly a green room.  And because of my access to wine and cheese, it made some who were not fortunate enough to visit the green room, green with envy.  If you have the chance to watch a show from a green room, I suggest you do it.  Also, if you are looking for a great place to host a St. Paddy’s Day party, green rooms would probably be a nice fit. 

Basically, it was a great event, which I enjoyed from the next room, while drinking wine, eating cheese and getting to know a great group of artists.

Don’t forget to follow the Official WordFest hashtag on twitter, #wordfest2011

-Bryan

www.wordfest.com
@wordfesttweets
@TheRevBW
WordFest on Facebook

Before driving out to Banff this afternoon, and after I took the opportunity to sleep in a little this morning, I stopped at the Signal Hill Library to partake in Franklin Family Fun Day.  I’ve attended around a dozen WordFest events these past few days, but today’s had quite a different feel, no doubt because of the 200 children running around the library.  The noise and exictement far exceeds anything I’ve see at the grown-up events.

Brenda Clark and Paulette Bourgeois

The biggest attraction, without a doubt, was the main turrtle himself, Franklin.  Parading around the library, Franklin was administering hugs for anybody who wanted one, as well as posing for photo after photo.  Also present were Franklin’s creators, Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark, who signed books from a seemingly endless line of parents and children.  There was also face painting and games to keep everybody busy.

While the line was a lengthy one, meeting and greeting Franklin was still the highlight of the event, and I’m proud to say that I was the only person there, taller than Franklin!

Franklin and Friend

 
Don’t forget to follow the Official WordFest hashtag on twitter, #wordfest2011

-Bryan

www.wordfest.com
@wordfesttweets
@TheRevBW
WordFest on Facebook

But following the Showcase, the night was far from over, as ‘Poetry Bash’ took place, also at the Vertigo, half an hour later.  Between the two events, I tried to get a little writing done, but failed miserably, and headed back to the volunteer lounge to make sure all the sandwiches had been eaten (they hadn’t, but I fixed the problem).  At most events, I’m always content to sit or even stand in the back, as it gives me a good vantage point, where I can observe not only the artists on stage, but also the audience and their reaction.  As this was to be a packed house, I waited to the very last minute to head over to the theatre, where I could quietly slip into a seat in the back.

As I approached the door, I was taken aback by how quiet it was.  There wasn’t even a peep coming from beyond the theatre door.  Sure, it was a poetry reading, but it’s nearly impossible for a group that large to be that quiet.  I figured it must be some kind of moment of silence, or a long pause in a performance, so I decided to wait before entering.  But the silence continued.  Not sure what to do, I put my ear right up against the door, trying to hear any evidence of human activity.  There was none.  How could so many people  be so quiet, it simply wasn’t possible.  After several minutes, I decided I would enter anyway, and just try to be as quiet as possible.  As I slowly opened the door, I noticed there was a lot of light coming from the theatre. And by the time I had fully opened the door, I realized the theatre was empty.  A quick glance at the ticket told me that Poetry Bash was being held in the Vertigo ‘Studio’, which is different from the ‘Theatre.’  I’ve only been at Vertigo for seven or eight hours a day for the past four days, how could I know such a thing?

After finding the Studio, I headed inside, took my place in the back, and enjoyed hearing some great poets read their works.  Featured were Tim Bowling (fully recovered from the Art Gallery Brawl earlier in the day), Patrick Lane, Sina Queyras, Ann Scowcroft and Ann Simpson.  Now obviously nothing could be as quiet as the empty Theatre next door, but I have to say, I was amazed at how quiet a poetry audience could be.

Following Poetry Bash, it was over to Hotel Le Germain to see what was happening in the Artist’s Lounge.  After a quick stop at the volunteer lounge of course.  Don’t worry, I didn’t have any sandwiches this time (there were none left), instead it was only a couple of cookies and a chocolate bar.  The party upstairs was surprisingly full.  Surprising because I figured everybody would either still be at the Theatre, or too tired to keep the night going.  The lounge again featured a mix of authors, artists and onlookers, as the room rocked to the soothing sounds of DJ Lauren and her collection of Hall & Oates music.

But the night was still not over, and soon it was time to head over to Beatniq for WordFest’s Late Night, featuring Justin Rutledge.  I was lucky enough to walk over with two of last night’s showcase authors, Jose Manuel Prieto and Marth Schabas.  I awkwardly pointed out Calgary landmarks and talked about the weather, like a stammering teenager, trying to impress a girl.  Who wouldn’t be impressed by Chinooks and historical snowfall averages?

Now I’m pretty cool, or “groovy” as the kids like to say, but I’ll admit I’d never been to Beatniq before.  The jazz club, downstairs below a street level restaurant, is a small, intimate room, with a stage, a bar, and a few dimly lit tables.  In a word, it was perfect for a show such as this one.  Justin took the stage shortly after 11:30 and treated the audience to his mix of music and poetry.  I spent a good portion of his set contemplating whether or not I could return to the hospitality suite before going home.  I couldn’t.  Perhaps I’m not a “groovy” as I thought.

 
Don’t forget to follow the Official WordFest hashtag on twitter, #wordfest2011

-Bryan

www.wordfest.com
@wordfesttweets
@TheRevBW
WordFest on Facebook