Meanderings

Riverview Stop of Library Tour of Don Messer:The Man behind the Music

2011-01-06T21:37:00.002-04:00

Author Johanna Bertin enjoys writing about Canadians, and in particular, those who have not received the credit & recognition they deserve. She visited the Riverview Public Library on a snowy afternoon where she read from her latest book (this is her sixth) Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music & she also graciously signed those being purchased. Some interesting facts came to light about Don Messer – did you know, for instance, he was only 5’6” & that he got his business smarts from working his way up with Woolworth’s? Ivan & Vivian Hicks provided an enjoyable musical prelude that launched the beginning of a very interesting afternoon.

Courtesy: Moncton SNAP

Christmas Craft Sale at the DECH

2010-12-06T21:21:00.002-04:00

Every year the Doctor Everett Chalmers Hospital puts on a craft sale. The quality of the items is exceptional and ranges from jewellery to fudge, books to carvings, clothing to Christmas decorations. I was there with my six books and had a wonderful day.

Drumming for Women

2010-12-01T20:10:00.003-04:00

Just finished a four week drumming class with Dr. Ruth Morrison of UNB and 20 fabulous women. Wonderful experience.

CBC Radio Noon Newsmaker of the Year 2010 Nominations

2010-12-01T20:07:00.003-04:00

So cool. Was listening to the podcast of CBC Halifax Radio Noon and heard my daughter Catharine Pendrel, nominated for NB Newsmaker of the Year. She is pretty awesome and has just, in this month's Velo News, been named International Mountain Bike Woman of the Year. The 2010 season saw Catharine win gold at both the Offenburg, Germany World Cup and the Wyndham, USA World Cup, and silver at Val di Sole, Italy. Not too shabby child won the Overall Mountain Bike World Cup title as well as the Canadian National Mountain Bike Championships. Makes me feel like I need to work harder.

The Island Championships, Vancouver Island that is...

2010-11-24T21:42:00.003-04:00

Oak Bay Bicycles continues to make it's mark on the cycling scene on Vancouver Island.

Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music Library Tour

2010-11-21T19:41:00.003-04:00

It was a treat to have Ivan and Vivian Hicks play at the Riverview stop of the Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music". A good crowd and a wonderful new library.

National Cyclocross Toronto 2010

2010-11-21T19:29:00.002-04:00

Catharine and her husband Keith Wilson both competed at the National Cyclocross Championships in Toronto in November.

Haloween 2010

2010-11-21T19:24:00.002-04:00

Celebrated Halloween with friends at the Lougheed Pub in Harvey, N.B. Dressed up as "Eat Local", making a necklace out of brussel sprouts and radishes, a bracelet out of zucchini and carrots and one out of cauliflower and broccoli. Had dulse earrings and hair poof and a lettuce hat.
Also wore the beautiful "Eat Local" poster, but forgot to hold it up for the photo.

2010-10-26T07:11:00.001-03:00

Library Book Tour: A seven stop library tour with Don Messer: The Man behind the Music - see left of blog. What a lot of fun and great turnouts. Nackawic even had my name on a billboard at the highschool - a first for me and unfortunately my camera had died.

2010-10-26T06:56:00.002-03:00

September 2010
So sad to be leaving Tibet a country of boundless beauty and spirituality.

2010-10-25T21:50:00.001-03:00

August 2010.
Catharine Pendrel (my awesome daughter) wins the Overall World Cup Mountain Bike Series, finishing the season with an impressive win at Wyndham, New York.

2010-10-25T21:35:00.003-03:00

July 17, 2010
Catharine wins the Canadian National Mountain Bike Championships in Canmore, BC.

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July 18, 2010
Geoff Pendrel (my son) and Liz Johnson get engaged. 

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July 9, 2010.
Don Messer: the Man behind the Music has been on the Goose Lane top ten best seller list for the entire year since its release in July 2009.

July 9 – 11, 2010.
The Professional Writers’ Association (PWAC) Atlantic hosts its first regional workshop. Presenters were Akou Connel, Paul Lima, Marion Soubliere, and myself. The response to the workshop was terrific and we may do it again.

2010-10-25T21:26:00.001-03:00

June 2010.
Geoff Pendrel opens Oak Bay Bikes West with four partners. OBB is the bike store for recreational and competitive cyclists on Vancouver Island. Turnout for the opening was fabulous and the boys look set to make a success of the venture.

April - May 2010

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May 2010.
Wordsfest - a celebration of the Writers Federation of New Brunswick. Readings, workshops, book launches. What could be better?

April 2010.
A meeting with Lorimer Publishing, Halifax NS and a decision to reprint my first four books. Looking forward to seeing if they change the covers.

Update February - October 2010

2010-10-25T19:49:00.005-03:00

February 2010.
Catharine and I participated as stand in athletes in the final dress rehearsal for the Vancouver Winter Olympics. We marched behind the Kazakhstan flag and were treated to a run through of the opening ceremonies.

National Downhill Mountain Bike Camp Held at Bootleg in Mid-January

2010-02-05T10:48:00.005-04:00

File photo: www.canadianyclist.com

Bootleg Canyon, Nevada, USA - Canadian National Downhill Coach, Geoff Pendrel (my awesome son), held a skills camp for four days in mid-January, at Bootleg Canyon, Nevada. Beneath stunning blue skies, Geoff gave the crew a good work out. Several of the riders were aspirants to the team, and it was an excellent opportunity for the coach to get to know some more up and coming talent from across Canada. Many Cycling BC team members were invited, but, unfortunately, several were either finishing up Grade 12 exams or working to cover upcoming season expenses.

Coach Pendrel was pleased with the results: “The Downhill Mountain Bike National Team's first winter training camp was a huge success. The riders worked incredibly hard and showed the type of work ethic that will make them future champions. I believe our riders will really benefit from this opportunity and will come into the race season with more knowledge and tools than ever before. This camp represents an exciting new direction for our National Team.”

Riders came away from the camp feeling they had put the time to good use and had learned valuable techniques. One Junior commented that, with Geoff's help, he learned to shave 30 seconds off his time from the beginning of camp to the last day - now that's considerable!

from: www.pedalmag.com , THE biking magazine

Catharine Pendrel carries torch in Blind Bay, BC

2010-01-28T10:33:00.005-04:00

On Wednesday January 27, 2010 Catharine (Kika), my daughter ran with the Olympic Torch in Blind Bay, BC. So proud of her and she looks as if she is having the time of her life.
Her Revelstoke fan club of Grainger, Jeff, and Sues Wilson made the placards cheering her on and I suspect that Matt Hadley and Catherine Vipond rode their bicycles to Blind Bay from Kamloops to add to the crowds. Keith Wilson, her stellar husband was on hand to encourage her.

December Update

2010-01-03T11:04:00.002-04:00

Saturday December 26, 2009
“New Brunswick’s Reading” in the Saint John Telegraph Journal “Salon”, lists Don Messer: the Man Behind the Music in third in the Paperback, Non-fiction category.

Sunday December 13, 2009
Goose Lane Editions list Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music in #2, behind Nicholas Guitard’s Waterfalls of New Brunswick. This is kind of fun, jostling for position. Reading by Lightning is in third spot.

Saturday December 12, 2009
Book signing at “Inprint Bookstore”, on King Street in Saint John, NB. What a wonderful book store this is. It’s got character, fabulous windows, and a great selection of books which allowed me to do my entire Christmas book shopping before I left. I had arrived an hour early and took myself off to Java Moose with The Cellist of Sarajevo and feasted on Mocha Coffee and chocolate/banana waffles. I mean, I know it’s fattening but what is a girl to do when she has almost an hour to kill?
Brian Atkinson (Miramichi: River of Character), Nicholas Guitard (Waterfalls of New Brunswick), and Lorrie Bell Hawkins (Jolicure Cats) were also at the book store and we swapped humorous and painful stories of signings and launches while we drank hot cider to ward off the chill of an offshore wind whistling up King Street.

Tuesday December 8, 2009
Lake Superior News book reviewer Elle Andra Warner says of Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music, “Bertin’s extensive research coupled with a wonderful storytelling style of writing has created a first-class biography of Messer.”

Monday December 7, 2009
The NB Country Music Hall of Fame web page refers to Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music as “the wonderful new book about Don Messer” and suggests Don Messer fans check it out. I had met the author of the web page at the Chapters Moncton signing many months before and it was one of those times when signings pay off in ways other than book sales.

Sunday December 6, 2009
Goose Lane Editions lists Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music as #1 in sales.

Tuesday December 1, 2009
The Canadian Historical Review, Volume 90, Number 4 lists Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music in its “Recent Publications Relating to Canada”. It’s so gratifying to see the book get recognition as a serious academic work.

November Update

2010-01-03T10:58:00.003-04:00

Sunday November 29, 2009
Goose Lane Editions lists Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music as its #2 bestseller. Nicholas Guitard’s Waterfalls of New Brunswick is in first.

Friday November 27, 2009
We headed to Cuba to visit friends and get some sun. During our week there we were fortunate to visit the World Heritage Site city of Trinidad, and then headed to Santa Clara, and Pina, where we celebrated both my and Rosa’s birthday with a roast pork (roasted for five hours in a barrel encased in cement). Dessert was a guava cake and Cuban espresso. We were again humbled by the generosity of Rosa and her husband Ernesto, and hope that at some point we will be able to host them at our home in Canada.
On my birthday, I went paragliding and was involved in the first ever paraglide/kite surfer collision at Cayo Guillermo. Both I and the surfer came out of it ok, but the kite’s lines were ruined.

Wednesday November 25, 2009
The Olympic Torch Relay reaches Fredericton, NB. I am a true Olympic Junkie and have been one for as long as I can remember. Having a daughter who has competed in the Olympics has cemented that devotion and I was tremendously excited to watch the Olympic torch make its way down Queen Street in Fredericton. The city put on good entertainment, but I was interested in only one thing – getting my photo taken with the torch in the Royal Bank kiosk.

Saturday November 21, 2009
“New Brunswick’s Reading” in the Telegraph Journal’s Salon lists Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music in 4th place in the non-fiction paperback category. Goose Lane’s Waterfalls of New Brunswick by Nicholas Guitard is in first.
Goose Lane Editions list of company bestsellers shows us in first and second place for this week.

Thursday November 19, 2009
Wordsworth Books, Waterloo, Ontario puts out its Christmas shopping organizer and Don Messer is pictured adjacent to Sean Connery. Now who would ever have thought to see those two on the same page? You have to love the independent book stores – they put in the effort to market books and produce wonderful catalogues every year.

Sunday November 15, 2009
Signings at Coles McAllister Place and Indigo Saint John, NB.Pouring rain marked this day but I had a blast talking to people at both malls. It’s hard to know the best place to sit at a signing. Mall stores like to put you out in the hall but then you look like a flea marker vendor and people seem unsure as to whether they should pay you or the cashier.
I tried to bring along a Don Messer CD to play to attract people, but apparently Chapters has a rule that the stores are only allowed to play the music that is programmed by head office. The Don Messer CD was not on their list unfortunately, so I sat in silence.

Friday November 13, 2009
Bruce Pendrel wins international award in China.Bruce is my long suffering husband, without whom I could never have finished the Don Messer book on deadline. But, he is pretty cool in his own right and was one of ten international scientists to receive the Changbai Mountain Friendship Award, one of the “Excellent Foreign Expert Awards” from the Province of Jilin, China for his work in restoring the forests of China. This is not a shabby deal – more than one thousand people were nominated for the Excellence awards.

Tuesday November 10, 2009
Canadian bookseller – Volume 4 2009 reports that “The blood sucking and attention starved have worn out their welcome with booksellers this year, as vampire themes and celebrity bios top the least wanted list.” Oops! But they do go on to list Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music as one of the “best books about (or from) your local community”.
They state that publishers are “looking for more books about Canada – Canadian history, culture/folklore, environment and even technical topics.”

Sunday November 8, 2009
Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music ranked #277 on Amazon.ca Sales. The Snowbird review has paid off in spades if the ranking on Amazon is any indication. I am constantly reminded that this number goes up and down by huge increments, but can still take pleasure in seeing it at such a high number. The 277 also means that the book is ranked #5 in Composers and Musicians and #5 in Biographies – Music.

Saturday November 7, 2009
Signing at Chapters Fredericton.I love doing signings at this store as so many of the people that shop here are acquaintances. Signings can seem endless if no one you know drops by to fill in the time between purchases of your book.
One lady picked up the book for her mum and then phoned her brother and found out he had already bought it for her for a Christmas present. She promised to tell me if her mum enjoys it. A gentleman came by to commiserate about the sale of NB Power. He once worked for the organization and distrusts both the deal and the spin put on the deal. Stanton Friedman, UFO specialist came by to talk about his upcoming book Science was Wrong, due out in June 2010.

Thursday November 5, 2009
Online review of Don Messer: the Man Behind the Music on the Canadian Snowbird Association Webpage www.snowbirds.org Issue 72. A lengthy telling of the contents of the book and some annoying misquotes, but the review will be read by a large number of people and for that I am grateful. She does slam me a bit for the amount of research i.e. “occasionally Bertin goes overboard with the extensive research”, but I pride myself on my research and it was very important to me that the book be credible. No comments about the book have pleased me as much as those that refer to the “meticulous research”.

Monday November 2, 2009
Letter to Shelagh Rogers, The Next Chapter. I took the bull by the horn and wrote a letter to Shelagh Rogers. One of the people I had interviewed for the book had told me a funny story about her and Charlie Chamberlain and I was hoping to entice her to interview me for her show. I’ll let you know if I get a response – even a negative one. Shelagh has always been such a promoter of all things Canadian, and there are not many people more Canadian than Don Messer and his troupe. Don never got the accolade that he merited for his work in recording and preserving Canadian music. Shelagh Rogers is someone who could help him get that recognition.

Sunday November 1, 2009
Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music ranked third in Goose Lane Editions sales behind #1 Reading by Lightning and #2 Ideas on the Nature of Science.

Much of my time over the next two weeks will be taken up with organizing a fund raiser for a co-worker who is ill. Someone suggested asking for donations of “gently used jewellery” and I am amazed at the quality and quantity of the rings, brooches, necklaces, and bracelets that we are receiving.
P.S. In a four hour period we raised more than $2300, enough to cover travel expenses for treatment.

October updates

2010-01-03T10:51:00.002-04:00

Thursday October 29, 2009
This morning I mailed a letter to the editor about the proposed sale of NB Power to Quebec.I am so disenchanted with this government which is selling our natural resources to Quebec. The provincial politicians will tell you it is not a done deal, but they don’t act as if it were anything other than that. If Quebec wants New Brunswick’s hydro power and our corridor through to the States, let them purchase the power on a monthly basis and negotiate an annual fee for the corridor.

People are angry and that is good. The worst thing that we can do is to be passive and let this deal happen. Oddly enough, even though I sent the letter to the Daily Gleaner from my home email address, I received a Christmas card from the Premier at my office email address. Perhaps a gentle reminder that he knows where I work?

Saturday October 24, 2009
The feature article in the Fredericton Daily Gleaner titled “Endlessly Energetic” by Laverne Stewart made me a mini celebrity at work. Usually, I try and keep my work as a social worker separate from my writing life so few people at the hospital know that I am a published author. In the same way, few people from my “writing world” are aware that I am a hospital social worker. I have always compartmentalized my life and there is surprisingly little crossover even in a community as small as Fredericton. But for a week, I was greeted in the hall with, “I never knew you were a writer”, or more often, “When do you find the time to write?” as if writers have any choice in the matter.

Saturday October 17, 2009
The craft sale question.Is it worth lugging books to a craft sale or not? Not if you are interested only in sales of your books. I sold six that day in a four hour period. There was much consternation as it turned out that McAdam had scheduled a fund raising auction for the same time as the Lions Club sale, so we were severely down in attendance. But it was fun.

I talked to a number of people about the book. I learned that one of my neighbours had put the siding on our cottage, and another had carved his initials in the beams when he was part of the initial construction crew in 1954. I even got a recipe for fudge. Financially it was a bust, but the day was rich in other ways. There have been other craft sales where I have sold fifty books in an hour, so it is very hit and miss, but don’t go planning to make a lot of sales.

That evening I was invited to sell books at the NB Country Hall of Fame Gala, held at Fredericton High School. The building was absolutely frigid and by the time the performance started, I was ready to pack it in. But this is a friendly crowd and I had a wonderful time speaking with performers and attendees alike. Ivan and Vivian Hicks were there as was Joan Kennedy. I didn’t stay till the end – I was too cold, but it was a successful and fun evening.

Sunday October 11, 2009
Goose Lane Editions keeps its authors posted on sales rankings every two weeks. Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music is ranked number two this week, behind Reading by Lightning by Joan Thomas.

Wednesday October 7, 2009
Jazz vocalist Nikki Yanofsky is such a talent! Nikki was initially scheduled to perform on September 15 as one of the opening acts of the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton but illness forced her to reschedule. She is young – 14 or 15and at times that is very apparent as she chatters about her best friends and her school days and walks on stage wearing a party dress and running shoes. But her voice is that of an experienced and wordly woman. If you get a chance to hear this girl, don’t miss it.

Writers Federation of New Brunswick presents WordsFall

2009-10-03T22:17:00.002-03:00

Saturday October 3, 2009
A wonderful full day of writing and readings at the WFNB "WordsFall" event in Florenceville, N.B. We were hosted by Anne Brennan, (one of the founding members of the WFNB) and her daughter Rayanne. Activities included a workshop on nature writing led by Deb Carr of Hampton, NB, readings by both published and unpublished authors, and a talk and reading by myself on my book Don Messer The Man Behind the Music. We then headed to the Andrew and Laura McCain Gallery for wine and cheese. Following that, we were treated to a lovely harvest dinner at the community centre. Kudos to the WFNB and Florenceville for hosting such a successful day.

Goose Lane Launches Fall Titles

2009-10-03T22:12:00.003-03:00

Friday October 2, 2009
A great evening of conversation and a chance to meet the other authors who have books in the fall collection.

Congratulations to Joan Thomas

2009-09-27T21:35:00.004-03:00

Joan Thomas, fellow Goose Lane Editions author has won the 33rd annual Amazon.ca First Novel Award for Reading by Lightning.

more and more reviews

2009-09-18T16:35:00.002-03:00

September 17, 2009. Review in California Bookwatch “Reviewer Choice” states “Any fans of old-time music or Canadian music history will find DON MESSER a fine survey, examining a family man and Calvinist and who was also a musical prodigy who built a wide audience with his TV show Don Messer's Jubilee. Anecdotes, photos and family recollections are shared in a fine biography of a complex musician's life.
They did call the book Don Messer The Man Behind the Mask, but we’ll forgive them for that.

September 6 2009. Review on Amazon.ca
Deb Carr calls the book “an insightful, evocative read; she (Johanna) hooked me from the opening chapter”… she tackles sensitive subjects with dignity and compassion, just allowing the story to unfold simply, but skilfully, on the page.

September 3, 2009 Feature article
Feature article in the Daily Gleaner by Brenda MacMinn, “Johanna Bertin writes book on Don Messer” in which I talk about Don Messer’s extensive collection of Canadian music.

September 1, 2009 Review in “The Buzz” on Arts and Entertainment in Prince Edward Island.
“Don Messer’s growing‐up years, early band years, public life, and family life are intimately examined for the first time… Illustrated with rare photographs and meticulously researched, Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music is a comprehensive narrative interwoven with personal anecdotes from his friends and relatives.”

Canada wins silver in team relay

2009-09-18T16:15:00.001-03:00

September 1, 2009. Canada wins Silver Medal in Team Relay at Mountain Bike World Championships in Canberra, Australia. This awesome result was achieved by the Canadian team made up of Geoff Kabush, Evan Guthrie, Raphael Gagne, and my daughter Catharine Pendrel. Check out her blog www.cpendrel.blogspot.com for all the inside information on the international mountain bike racing scene

August Happenings

2009-09-18T14:59:00.002-03:00

August 30, 2009
Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music ranked #3 in Nova Scotia by the Chronicle Herald, based on sales at Sangor’s in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

August 25, 2009
Don Messer The Man Behind the Music is ranked number 11 in “bestselling new and future releases” in the composer category on Amazon. This searching for the book is no doubt incredibly self indulgent but at the same time it is a bit of fun!

August 22, 2009
Don Messer The Man Behind the Music makes it to number 2 of Non-fiction paperback on “New Brunswick’s reading”, in “Salon”, in The Telegraph Journal.

August 20, 2009
Reading Amazon.ca sales number rankings is a dubious pleasure. There is something discouraging about seeing your book ranked 137,792 (out of the top 1,000,000 best sellers). But when you put that into perspective, a ranking of 137,792 is quite an achievement. To see that figure jump to a ranking of 1,651 as it did on August 20, 2009, was mind boggling. So, of course, I had to do a search of the other rankings. And there I was, ranked 80 in the list of top 100 memoirs and biographies. I had apparently been in the top 100 for five days and was only sorry that I had missed the fun of seeing the book there. I cut and pasted with a vengeance and sent out the ranking to friends, co-workers and family.

August 15, 2009
Book Signing at Indigo Charlottetown. A disappointing turnout until I realized that I had been scheduled at the same time as: the opening ceremonies of the Canada Games; a big purse race at the track; a charity bar-b-cue raising funds for orphans in Africa. Wonderfully, Ann Marie Chamberlain came by with several family members in tow and rescued me.

August 13 - 16, 2009.
The 19th Annual Hank Snow Tribute, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia was honouring Don Messer this year and invited me down to do a reading. The crowd of 800 was the most attentive audience that I have ever had: not a cough or a rustle, not a chair being scraped. Ivan and Vivian Hicks and The Fiddling Landrys were both there along with Bill Guest (who performed with Don Messer on tour), and Lukus Munroe, a young fiddler from Nova Scotia. Some of the attendees at this event have come for all nineteen years; many of them admitted to being there fifteen years in a row, driving from all over the States and Canada to pay homage to Hank Snow.

August 7, 2009
Signing at Fredericton Chapters store. There I was at a lovely table in the children’s section. It was a quiet night and not a lot of people came by, but I learned a ton of jokes from a child who had just bought a joke book and wanted to practice them on me. E.g. “What did the father buffalo say to his child when he left for college?”
“Bison.”

I did meet some rather wonderful people who wanted to talk books and writing. There was also a lady who kept saying “I have never met a writer before.” I felt quite humbled to be the object of her wonder and behaved very well.

August 3, 2009
Review on Amazon.com. “Music Enthusiast” writes “To take his (Don Messer’s) journey through Johanna’s words and reflections based on countless hours of interviews with family and friends is to live a part of his legacy.”

August 1 – 6, 2009
The Don Messer Centennial Celebration was a huge success, bringing more than 3000 people to the community of Harvey Station, New Brunswick. The parking lot at the community centre told the story with cars from New Jersey, California, Maine, Connecticut, Florida, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. It was obvious that Don Messer fans are still interested in his music and his style of entertainment.
The week’s celebration had something for everybody – fiddlers and fiddle competitions, lutiers and crafters, square and round dance lessons, and an archival display showing Don Messer from the age of two until his death. The Scott Woods band was there as was Ned Landry, The Fiddling Landry’s (Ned’s great grandchildren), Ivan and Vivian Hicks, Matilda Murdock, Johnny Forrest, Marge and the Boys, La Famille Arsenault, Katherine Moller, Patrick Kelly, Kathleen Gorey- McSorley, and so many other talented musicians. The crowd loved it and have asked us to make this an annual event.
Wilfred Everett, proud present resident of the Messer Homestead had 650 people through the house during the week.

On the Monday of that week, August 3, 2009, McAdam, NB played host to NB Day. I was invited to do a reading in the tent, accompanied by the Don Messer Jubilee singers from Harvey Station. Greg McDonald, manager of the McAdam Train Station was gracious enough to let me sell books in the station dining room, just one of the rooms being redone in the revitalization of this heritage building.

August 1, 2009
Launch of Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music at the Don Messer Centennial Celebration at Harvey Station, New Brunswick. We had 500 people show up for the afternoon’s entertainment which included Ivan and Vivian Hicks, Katherine Moller, A Touch of Celt, and in the evening, The Scott Woods Band. Never have I heard a violin respond so differently to various players.

The Don Messer celebration continued all week with some gratifying comments from readers of the book: “I took it to bed with me at 11:30 and the next time I looked at my watch, it was 4:30 in the morning. I couldn’t put it down.”; “You got it right. It was exactly the way life was back then.” And my personal favourite; “You said everything that needed to be said and you didn’t waste any words doing it.”

People seem to be genuinely enjoying the book which is so gratifying. It was a huge amount of work and I tried so hard to be objective and respectful, and to tell the story the best way that I could.

Trying to catch up

2009-09-18T14:30:00.008-03:00

July Happenings

July 29, 2009 Book review in The Sun Times titled “Canadian Music Good Enough to Read”. Andrew Armitage writes “For the first time in print, Don Messer’s growing-up years, his early struggles in the world of old-time music, and his public and private life are examined, all accompanied by rare photographs and meticulous research… It has been 38years since Don Messer’s Jubilee went off the air but Bertin brings him back in quiet dignity.”
That almost makes up for him describing the biography as “homespun’.

July 27, 2009
Interview on Live at Five. This was a huge amount of fun as I had never done a TV spot before. I had a fascinating time watching the CTV news team get ready for the show. I sat in the green room (which is actually painted blue) and watched this very professional group of people prepare and present the news stories of the day.
I did a signing that night at Bayers Lake Chapters. Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on which way you look at it), the store had had a big rush on books with all the promo re: my interview on Live at Five that day and they only had four copies left in stock. Despite sending over to the Dartmouth store for more copies, we were still sold out in 25 minutes but I had a lovely chance to visit with Ron Noiles, one of Don Messer’s biggest fans. Dawn Attis (Don Messer’s daughter) came by as did Blain Henshaw who will be Master of Ceremonies at the Don Messer Celebration at the Hank Snow Tribute in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia August 13, 2009.

July 26, 2009
Book review in the Chronicle Herald Books titled “The story behind the persona. N.B. writer traces life of Don Messer, from farm roots to Canadian musical sensation.”
Stephen Clare writes that “Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music is a compelling and re¬vealing portrait of both the man and his times.”

Review in "This Week"

2009-07-23T20:36:00.000-03:00

July 23, 2009
Tony McGarrigle review in “This Week”
Don Messer The Man Behind the Music “is a fitting tribute and welcome addition to all the other honours that Messer received after his passing in recognition of his career.”

Interview Heaven

2009-07-22T22:47:00.001-03:00

July 21, 2009
Interview with Tom Young, All News Radio 88.9 FM. A very odd experience, speaking with a radio station via a cell phone and getting an echo throughout the interview. Rather like having a three way conversation with myself and Tom. But Tom was genuinely interested in Don Messer the man.

July 21, 2009
Interview with Phlis McGregor, CBC Arts Producer, Halifax. What a treat this was – a far ranging conversation about Don Messer, the family man and the band leader.

July 8, 2009
I forgot to mention this last week. I can’t say enough about Paul Castle, host of CBC Shift (Saint John, NB) and his producer Elaine Bateman. They are the best interview and research team and wonderfully supportive of New Brunswick authors. I had a chance to speak with him about Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music." (14:58) July 08, 2009
www.cbc.ca/shift/interviews.html

Interview with Tony McGarrigle

2009-07-17T20:11:00.004-03:00

June 16, 2009 . Interviewed by Tony McGarrigle for the "Kings County Rrecord" and "This Week". Tony lives in Sussex,New Brunswick, home of Marg Osburne for many years.

2009-07-14T16:44:00.004-03:00

July 16, 2009 Westminster Books, Fredericton, NB
Book launch went incredibly well with fifty people showing up for the meet and greet, and all leaving with books under their arms. It was wonderful to see such a cross-section of members of the Messer family, friends from work, other writers from the Professional Writers Association of Canada, and members of the Fredericton British Sports Car Club, including Dave Nielsen who brought his violin and played a medley of Messer tunes. Thank you David!
I spoke briefly to the ethical issues involved with the writing of biography. Suzanne Alexander, Susan Baker, and Laurel Boone were all there from the Goose Lane family.

The advantage of having a famous daughter

2009-07-14T16:30:00.003-03:00

Pendrel's Mom Releases Book - Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music

by pedalmag.com

July 10, 2009 - Top Canadian MTB XC star Catharine Pendrel (NB) Luna Pro is preparing for a big day on Saturday, July 11 when she faces off against defending champ Marie-Hélène Prémont (QC) Maxxis-Rocky Mountain at the 2009 Tim Hortons MTB XC Nationals for the Elite women's title. Prémont has been the perennial winner but Pendrel came close last year, so all eyes will be on the two titans of Canadian women's MTB XC racing. (Good news! Catharine won the Canadian National Mountain Bike Championship.)

But Pendrel's already beaming as her Mom, Johanna Bertin, is a celebrated writer and recently penned Don Messer: The Man Behind the Music, published by Goose Lane Editions. While Pendrel currently lives in BC her roots are in New Brunswick and the book launch begins with a personal book signing by Bertin in Fredericton on July 16 with more signings to come (stay tuned).

Bringing you up to date

2009-07-14T10:49:00.010-03:00

Tuesday July 14, 2009
Interview with Rod Mackey, CKEC East Coast FM, New Glasgow
Rod Mackey has been the host of Sweet Music, a traditional music programme on CKEC/East Coast 94.1 FM for 30 years. He tells me that Don is still much requested and loved in his listening area. The interview about Don Messer, the man and the musician will air on ecfm August 16 and August 23 between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Friday July 10,2009 "Don Messer has arrived"
On July 10, 2009, Don Messer: The Man behind the Music was scheduled to arrive in book stores throughout Canada. It has actually been in some of the independent bookstores and Chapters for a week and is doing well, making the list for New Brunswick Reads, a compilation of best selling books published in the Telegraph Journal. One huge frustration is that Chapters Fredericton has been sold out for ten days. You would think that the publisher (located in Fredericton) would be able to restock, but that is not the case. Chapters is stocked through their Toronto office and so we wait for Toronto to decide to send more copies of the book.

Wednesday July 8, 2009
Interview with freelance writer Stephen Clare, writing for the Halifax Chronicle-Herald Sunday Books Section. Portions of the taped interviews will air on The Book Club on CKDU 88.1 Halifax.

Monday July 6, 2009
Interview with freelance writer Sharon Jones, preparing an insert on the Don Messer Centennial Celebration (August 1 – 8, 2009), for the Daily Gleaner.

Monday June 29, 2009
Review in "Scene and Heard with Will McGuirk"
"Johanna Bertin writes about the gifted fiddle player from New Brunswick in a direct and entertaining manner. It's a pleasant read ..."

Saturday June 27, 2009
"Don Messer: Canada's first television Star", Review in The Daily Gleaner
Anne-Marie Hood writes that "Bertin merits recognition as a Canadian writer who aspires to ensure that stories like Messer get told."

Thursday June 18, 2009
"What you didn't know about Don Messer", Review in the Telegraph Journal
Gerry Taylor in "Down Home Music" writes that "Front cover to back, Don Messer The Man Behind the Music is a handsome book, the life story of a Canadian icon told with beautiful simplicity and feeling... reading this book you will inderstand Don Messer and the passions that drove him, the stern principles that guided, yet restricted him." "Johanna Bertin has written as well-rounded a biography of Don Messer, his private and public life as will ever see print. Illustrated with rare photographs." Wow!

Tuesday June 16, 2009
"Remembering when Don Messer's fiddle ruled TV", Review in The Northern Light
Greg Mulock writes, "Don Messer The Man Behind the Music is an in-depth look at the New Brunswicker whose namesake program ranked third in the ratings ... it all makes for an interesting tale."

Thursday June 11, 2009
Visit to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Today, I was presented to the members of the NB Legislative Assembly by her MLA Carl Urquhart, (York). It was quite an honour to be seated on the floor of the assembly during question period. This is the same room in which Premier Robichaud in June 1969 offered his support for the continuation of Don Messer’s Jubilee.A copy of "Don Messer The Man Behind the Music" was given to the library of the NB Legislature.

May 29, 2009
"Biographer reveals different side of Messer", Courier Weekend. Article by freelancer John Gardner, illustrated with a photograph that may send me for a face lift. :(

"Don Messer has arrived"

2009-07-13T22:30:00.009-03:00

On July 10, 2009, "Don Messer: The Man behind the Music" was scheduled to arrive in book stores throughout Canada. It has actually been in some of the independent bookstores and Chapters for a week and is doing well, making the list for New Brunswick Reads, a compilation of best selling books published in the Telegraph Journal.
One huge frustration is that Chapters Fredericton has been sold out for almost two weeks. You would think that the publisher (located in Fredericton) would be able to restock, but that is not the case. Chapters is stocked through their Toronto office and so we wait for Toronto to decide to send more copies of the book.

Putting a Personal Face to Don Messer

2008-05-15T20:18:00.002-03:00

In the summer of 2009, our community will be celebrating the 100th birthday of Don Messer. Though other provinces have claimed Messer as their own, he was truly a child of New Brunswick, born at Tweedside, on the outskirts of Harvey Station.

Many Canadians feel they know this man. For many years they listened to him on the radio, watched him on the television or attended live performances.

But there is more to Don Messer than the one dimensional man portrayed on the show. A musician of renown, he was also a great supporter of Canadian musicians and talent. He had a family, was a savvy businessman and an innovator.

My goal in writing a book about him is to present to Canada a more personal view of the man behind the music, to tell the story of Don Messer the person, not just Don Messer the musician and TV personality.

I ask for your help. I am looking for stories about Don Messer, personal anecdotes that speak to the nature of the man and the era. They can be entire stories, or simply a memory of a single event or conversation. I am looking for stories from people who went to barn and house raisings where fiddling went on into the early morning hours. And stories from people who liked the Don Messer show, or who thought it was corny. And stories from people who lived through the Depression and know that $1.85 went a long way.

donmesserbook@hotmail.com
or Box 348, Harvey Station, N.B. E6K 1W9

Welcome!

2008-02-10T15:41:00.000-04:00

Thank you for visiting my blog today. Blogging is new to me, so please bear with me as I work out the intricacies of the blog world.

In the coming weeks, I will update it with reviews of, and excerpts from my books. I will include an order form so you can purchase books from me directly, allowing you to have the book inscribed to yourself or to whomever you are gifting it to.

Over the coming months, I will take you on a tour with me as I start a new writing project. There is no better way to get a glimpse into the work that goes into writing books, columns and articles.

Please feel free to leave comments on my blog. I would especially love to hear from people who have read my books or have an interest in Canadian history.