Gently Down the Stream

What a fun night. Too bad I missed Ray Robertson the last time he was in town for Moody Food. What was I thinking? Pick up his new book, Gently Down the Stream, I think you'll have a great time with it. Tonight was the official Ottawa launch of the book by the way. This book is published by Cormorant Books as was his first novel, Home Movies (1997). It's hot of the presses. It's filled with naughty words and has a dog story or two. The entertaining Ray Robertson is currenty working on a new novel. You can read a small portion of chapter one on Michael Callaghan's web site The Exile Quarterly. This is the first online appearance of Robertson's current novel.

You may also know Mr. Robertson from his many appearances on TVOntario (TVO). TVO stunned readers and its audience last week when they announced they are cancelling their popular book show, Imprint. What were they thinking?
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From Canadian Press:
"TORONTO -- TVOntario is cancelling two of its regular programs, the award-winning book series Imprint and the health series Second Opinion, resulting in the loss of between eight and 10 jobs, says the Canadian Media Guild. The provincial education broadcaster has made no official statement yet.
"Management has stated that its priority this year is to generate more revenue," says Carol Burtin Fripp, the union's TVO branch president. "At the same time, though, our capacity to produce programs is being cut back."
The union says TVO's eventual plan is to tighten its budget belt for the 2005-2006 fiscal year by cutting its work force by eight per cent, or 40 positions.
Created by the Ontario government 35 years ago and chaired by Isabel Bassett, TVO says it has more than 100,000 viewer members."

Ray Robertson's next reading will be March 31, 2005, 9pm at The Gladstone Hotel in the Melody Bar.

From the Gladstone Hotel website: "A book about dogs, monogamy, and karaoke. The Gladstone Hotel and karaoke in the Melody Bar play a significant role in Ray's latest book, so it is only fitting to launch it here. All are welcome to celebrate and belt out the tunes. From The Doors to John Denver - nobody is safe! At 9:30PM enter a karaoke contest with judges Ray Robertson, Ian Brown of CBC's Talking Books and Martin Tielli of the Rheostatics."