Once Upon a Bookshelf

I’m totally not participating in the third Canadian reading challenge, because I’m really horribly lousy at reading challenges, but! I totally wanted to participate in this little meme that’s been going around, and that was put together by John.

1. Favourite Canadian author? Easy. L.M.Montgomery.
2. Favourite Canadian novel? Oh, there are so many! Rilla of Ingleside (L.M. Montgomery). Fifth Business (Robertson Davies). The Murdoch books (that I’ve read)! Spanish Fly (Will Ferguson)! And more!
3. Favourite Canadian nonfiction? I’ve only read a few, but I really did enjoy Pierre Burton’s Vimy.
4. Favourite Canadian picture book? I love Robert Munsch – anything by him. In fact, I totally woke up in the middle of the night last night singing the song from Mortimer – “Clang clang rattle bing bang! Gonna make my noise all day!” TRUE STORY. It’s like my subconscious knew I was going to do this meme.
5. Favourite Canadian YA or juvenile chapter book? I loved Megiddo’s Shadow by Arthur Slade. His Jolted was pretty awesome too.
6. Favourite Canadian science fiction or fantasy book? O.R. Melling’s The Hunter’s Moon was pretty awesome. Haven’t read too many non YA or children’s fantasy or scifi by Canadian authors, though.
7. Favourite Canadian romantic fiction? Today it’s L.M. Montgomery’s The Blue Castle.
8. Favourite Canadian mystery? Murdoch! Murdoch Murdoch Murdoch! I love Maureen Jennings’ Murdoch books.
9. Favourite Canadian graphic novel? Haven’t really read any that I can think of, so I’m not too sure.
10. Favourite Canadian book blog? Oooh, there are a lot that I read! Kailana’s, Sassymonkey’s, Rachel’s Five Million Blogs, and a lot more.
11. Favourite Canadian fictional character? Rilla Blythe without a doubt!
12. Favourite movie based on a Canadian novel or story? Ummm…. movie? Ummm…. The first two Anne of Green Gables ones were pretty good… a couple of the things that Kevin Sullivan has done that I’ve actually enjoyed.
13. Favourite Canadian short story? The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier. Wonderful wonderful wonderful!!!
14. Favourite Canadian poet? I don’t really read any poetry.
15. Favourite Canadian poem? See above answer.
16. Favourite Canadian play? NOT Anne of Green Gables the musical. Ooooh! OH OH! The Drowsy Chaperone! (YES, I’m totally counting that!)
17. Favourite novel by an established Canadian author? Does LMM count as an established Canadian author? Because I’d totally have to pick Rilla of Ingleside again.
18. Favourite novel by an up-and-coming Canadian author? Ummm… not sure.
19. Favourite Canadian book award? Scotiabank Giller Prize, I guess. I don’t really pay attention to book awards.
20. Favourite Canadian publisher? Raincoast Books.
21. Favourite Canadian humorous book? Really, any of Will Ferguson’s humour books. I especially loved How To Be A Canadian (Even If You Already Are One), which he cowrote with his brother Ian Ferguson.
22. Favourite Canadian newspaper? I don’t read actual newspapers anymore. I get my news from the CBC website.
23. Favourite Canadian magazine or journal? Don’t read any Canadian magazines.
24. Favourite Canadian dystopian novel? I don’t know what dystopian fiction I’ve read that is by Canadians. Hmm.
25. Favourite Canadian epistolary novel? I don’t usually like epistolary novels.

This is a continuation of Shannon’s post (total fake and completely Internet meme/bandwagon thing) about the beginning of Puny Express. (The completely fictional) Puny Express consisted of Shannon and Paul on guitar, Erin on bass and myself on drums.

After a few years on the local scene, and after a couple of more EPs recorded, we hit the big time – somehow, Tooth and Nail Records heard one of our EPs. I have my suspicions that Shannon sent it to them, but she denies the whole thing. We were soon signed, and released our first studio album, Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting. For some reason (which I’ve never figured out), critics loved it. We were hailed as fresh, original and the next big thing.

The track listing for this album was:
1. Mostly Harmless (inspired by The Hitchhiker’s Guide… this may also have been adapted by Shannon for the use of her blog.)
2. Make it Sad (emo as it should never be attempted)
3. Sara, Take Me Out (a sweet, melodic song with a bit of attitude)
4. Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting (the title track of the album)
5. Misbehave (you may remember this as our first big single)
6. Your Last Words (NOT as emo as the title would make it sound… driving rhythm with this kick ass bass riff going on)
7. August in Bethany (a cover of the song by The Juliana Theory)

Despite the critics (or perhaps because of), our first record never made the charts, but we still considered ourselves quite successful. We got to open for some pretty big bands for the first little while, and I would say that this was best time of my life. We had fun, saw some things that we can’t talk about on here, and did some things that some people may be ashamed of.

But it wasn’t long before it started to have a toll on us. We weren’t used to this kind of rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. I would have to say that this was about the time when things really began to spiral out of control for us. We partied All The Time, our music started to suffer, and I think that spending all that time on a tour bus just really got to us.

Not that that was the only album we released, but I believe that Erin wants to continue on with our story.

The Rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

And so, the questions I received from Shannon:

1. It’s a two parter here. You have just been cast as the new companion on Doctor Who. Also, the actor who was slated to take over from David Tennant was tragically incapacitated and must resign from the show before he films a single second. What is your backstory and who will play the Doctor?

Let me get to the important part of that question first – who would play the Doctor. Jamie Parker! Mind you, I would love to see Miranda Richardson or Stephen Fry play the Doctor… BUT it would simply have to be Jamie Parker. It may just be due to a slight obsession with this lovely Brit. Because he is QUITE lovely. But he is a totally brilliant actor as well. Plus, he was a History Boy.

As far as backstory goes, well… The character I theoretically would be playing would be a flapper from the 1920’s. I cannot tell you more about her backstory as she has amnesia, and so does not know that sort of information herself. (Am I just saying that as I can’t think of something fun? It is QUITE possible.) But what I can tell you is that she does NOT fall in love with the Doctor (because the companions are more fun when they aren’t all head-over-heels about the Doctor).

2. Which of these completely
ridiculous sports would you most like to play and why?

Well. Considering my hand-eye coordination is so horrible that I can’t even catch something tossed to me from 2 feet away, I would have to say that Buzkashi, Chessboxing, Underwater Rugby, Unicycle Hockey, and Sepak Takraw are eliminated. I would also have to eliminate the Hot Dog Eating Contest as hot dogs are completely disgusting, and Wife Carrying as I have no husband to carry me.

That leaves us with Extreme Ironing, Cheese Rolling, Bog Snorkelling, Sport Stacking and Man vs Horse Marathon.

Tough choice that. I think from those, however, I would have to pick Cheese Rolling. There is, after all, very little I wouldn’t do for good cheese. You should see me make a dash for the snacks/appetizers/etc at family holidays when they put out the cheese. It can get quite dangerous, and I will not be held accountable for any injuries suffered by any parties.

3. What mythical/sci-fi creature do you think Stephen Harper
most closely resembles in looks or actions?

Are we talking Greek mythology? Roman? Egyptian? And then you had to add the sci-fi aspect into it to! Golly gee! There is so much to choose from!

I was thinking about the creature from the Black Lagoon, but after much debate, I would have to say that he most resembles Slimer from Ghostbusters. I mean, I look at that man and his actions, and all I can think of us how slimey he acts and looks. It’s just … that man disgusts me.

4. It can only be one… ninjas or pirates?

Pirates. Obviously. Arr!

5. Stolen in concept from Erin. You are stuck on a
desert island with the collected works of one living authour (and the
authour him/herself). Who is that author?

One living author. Huh. I can think of any number of deceased authors I would choose if I could make them alive again (Jane Austen! And ummmm…. that’s actually the only one that springs to mind at this moment). Except if I couldn’t make them alive again – well, I wouldn’t want to have to deal with their decaying bodies if I’m stuck on that island for a very long time with a deceased author.

So, a living author.

Wait! Do comic book writers count? If they do, I’d totally have to say Joss Whedon. Without a doubt. Firstly, I love the stories he tells in his comic books. And comics are such that you can read them over and over and over again and there’s always so much more than just reading words going on – the pictures! Ah! The lovely pictures in comics! (This could all be extremely influenced by the fact that I’m currently reading Joss’s Runaways stuff right now.) Plus, if he were there in real life, I could pick his brain about Firefly and Serenity.

If comic book authors don’t count, I would have to say Catherine Webb. Mainly because I could read and reread the Horatio Lyle books over and over again. As for the wonderful girl herself, she is a Doctor Who fan, so I’m sure we would have PLENTY that we could talk about to keep us busy.

(How’s that for making the interview end on the same note it started on – yay Doctor Who!)