Friday, September 14, 2012

Haunted Hamilton Book Launch

It has certainly been a great media week for me in the lead up to tonight's official book launch for Haunted Hamilton:  The Ghosts of Dundurn Castle & Other Steeltown Shivers.

On Wednesday Jeff Mahoney published a wonderful article about my new book in the Hamilton Spectator, and yesterday morning I had an in studio chat with Annette Hamm on CHCH Morning Live.  (And Barnaby made his first television appearance -- he was scared stiff: didn't say a word while Annette and I chatted)








One downside to the interview is that my son Alexander was watching it live.  And even though he knows I write scary stories, he hasn't yet heard me tell any (except for some funny creepy and funny tales I tell around Halloween) During the interview I relayed one of the stories in the book that creeped me out the most:  a couple waking in the middle of the night and frozen in fear as the specter of an old woman hovered above their bed, looking at them -- only to find out, ten years later, that there was a tombstone embedded in the wall of their home.

So when the interview was finished, Alexander turned to Francine with a worried look on his faceand said, "Mom, are ghosts real?" And for some strange reason, he had trouble falling asleep last night.  (Just like his father, who often lies awake trembling under the sheets)

My publicist at Dundurn (Karen) has been working hard at getting some attention for the book -- I don't think I could have gotten any better support from her, the HPL and the local media. I'm rather overwhelmed, in fact at the amazing support.

I was impressed at how many times CHCH showed this on air ("Tomorrow" = Fri Sept 14, 2012)

The book launch starts tonight (Friday Sept 14th) at 7:00 PM at the Hamilton Public Library Central Branch (55 York) -- it is taking place in conjunction with the awesome Supercrawl (a huge music & arts festival in Hamilton's downtown) and Bryan Prince Bookseller will be on hand to sell the book.

I will be doing a brief talk and then a book signing.  And the good folks from Haunted Hamilton Ghost Walks & Tours will be offering two free downtown ghost walks which will leave from that location and take folks on a wonderfully thrilling tour of some of some of the featured spots and incredible oral storytelling which inspired me to write the book. (If you miss out on these free tours, don't forget to check out Haunted Hamilton's website for details on where and when they'll be next - such as a longer, full-length tour on Saturday Sept 15th -- and book early, their tours and fun Halloween Costume Ball tend to sell out fast)

It should be a good time.

Hope to see you there.

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