What a whirlwind last week was.
Beginning on Tuesday, the phone calls started coming. First, CJCS radio, then the Stratford Beacon Herald. Next thing I knew, I was waking up at 5 am for a live radio interview with CBC's Ontario Morning. It was surprising, strange, and very exciting to become a 'media darling' for a week... but most importantly all these interviews spread the word about the book and helped the launch pick up some fantastic momentum!
Check out the results of all those interviews in my new Press section.
The book launch for Gather by the Avon could not have been more perfect. The evening sunlight was streaming in the tall glass windows of the Stratford Campus as guests began to arrive. I was delighted to see familiar faces in the crowd- many of the book's subjects and their families, my own family, friends, former teachers, neighbours, and mentors were in the audience. However, it was equally exciting to see many unfamiliar faces- community members whose interest had been piqued by newspaper or radio interviews.
My growing nervousness surrounding my impending speech was heightened by the arrival of Kitchener CTV cameras. However, when I stood before the huge audience the jitters dispersed. I felt a lot of gratitude towards all the people who helped me see this project through. The sweetest part of the evening was witnessing the excitement of interviewees and their families at seeing their story in print. After the speech, I was whisked away to the signing table where I remained the entire night.
Thank you to all those who attended the event! It was truly an unforgettable experience for me.
And if you couldn't make it- don't fret! I'll be updating this page soon with a list of future speaking engagements I'll be doing in the area. The book is, of course, still available online or in local stores.
Also, thank you to Wayne Chang, Paul Kroes, and Kamil Rexton for snapping the photos above.
Beginning on Tuesday, the phone calls started coming. First, CJCS radio, then the Stratford Beacon Herald. Next thing I knew, I was waking up at 5 am for a live radio interview with CBC's Ontario Morning. It was surprising, strange, and very exciting to become a 'media darling' for a week... but most importantly all these interviews spread the word about the book and helped the launch pick up some fantastic momentum!
Check out the results of all those interviews in my new Press section.
The book launch for Gather by the Avon could not have been more perfect. The evening sunlight was streaming in the tall glass windows of the Stratford Campus as guests began to arrive. I was delighted to see familiar faces in the crowd- many of the book's subjects and their families, my own family, friends, former teachers, neighbours, and mentors were in the audience. However, it was equally exciting to see many unfamiliar faces- community members whose interest had been piqued by newspaper or radio interviews.
My growing nervousness surrounding my impending speech was heightened by the arrival of Kitchener CTV cameras. However, when I stood before the huge audience the jitters dispersed. I felt a lot of gratitude towards all the people who helped me see this project through. The sweetest part of the evening was witnessing the excitement of interviewees and their families at seeing their story in print. After the speech, I was whisked away to the signing table where I remained the entire night.
Thank you to all those who attended the event! It was truly an unforgettable experience for me.
And if you couldn't make it- don't fret! I'll be updating this page soon with a list of future speaking engagements I'll be doing in the area. The book is, of course, still available online or in local stores.
Also, thank you to Wayne Chang, Paul Kroes, and Kamil Rexton for snapping the photos above.
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