Spent much of the weekend writing up an interview with photographer John Haney. His newest solo exhibition - Groundwork: Photographs from Terra Nova National Park - opens this Friday at the Leyton Gallery of Fine Art.

(This image is from an earlier series, courtesy www.emersongallery.)

You probably know about this - I'm sure you know about this - but isn't the Grand Concourse just superb? Yesterday evening I ran, or, rather, sort of ran a bit and then walked, around Quidi Vidi for the first time. It was all going on, a gorgeous dusk, every manner of people, a shared space that was all about nature yet also urban.

(Image: bitspot-Newfoundland.blogspot.)

On the cusp of the last weekend in August, and while we have some items on our To-Do list (hello 433s! you're about to hear from us about your sub), this weekend will see a little R'n'R. What can compete with the glories of Eastport and Woody Point, where the NQ has lately been gallivanting around handing out complimentary issues and hobnobbing with writers? Not much, so it's the cinema for us I'd say. Here's a neat take on this summer films (and btw, The Hurt Locker is currently screening in St. John's.)

(Image: bizland.com.)

Home Colouration

Since the NQ has made it safely to the printers, I've been out of the office a bit, helping my daughter wallpaper and paint her room (a project begun when she was, oh, in Grade 3 - she finishes high school this year). She had quite definite and cool ideas - black and white and silver wallpaper here, a gorgeous punchy green there - but if you are looking for a few pointers, try these do's and don'ts. (Hint: colour is your friend. Embrace it.)

(Image: www.wallpaperandborders.co.)

The End of Mystery

"There are parts of the world where the ocean seems incidental, a neighbor, a pretty picture out the window. Newfoundland is not one of those places. Here, the ocean has always been something else..."

The above is a quote from Chris Jones' article in Esquire, about the investigation into the March 12 Cougar helicopter crash. It's a must-read: here's the full text.

(Image: windsorstar.com.)

Wild Horses

Tornadoes to the west, hurricanes to the south...it's beginning to feel a bit intimidating out there. Here's a nice cool video to take your mind off things.

(Image: static.rateyourmusic.com.)

After an exciting interlude of thunder, lightening and hail this am, we seem to have returned to our, dare we say it, normal for this summer anyway, lovely hot weather. Here at the NQ our production status is nearing sign-off; we've been proofing and tweaking (and oohing and aahing over Granite Studio's superb work) for the past week or so. Got another big editing session for this evening, so it's time to fuel up with this trendy treat.

(Image: wordpress.com.)

Our fall cover - and maybe your prize

This gorgeous image is what we'll be mailing out September 4 - and it is the latest donation from the talented, not to mention extremely generous, Jean Claude Roy. Could be yours if you take or give a subscription, pretty nice prize if we say so ourselves.

Back from Woody Point, and what a great experience. The festival itself is a top-notch affair, of course, with readings (Lisa Moore, Greg Malone) and performances (Anita Best & Sandy Morris, Ron Hynes), on-stage interviews (Sheilagh Rogers & Michael Crummey), firehall breakfasts and wrap parties and everything in between. Not to mention that the weather was so gorgeous people were swimming in the ocean. I think my own personal highlight was on the last evening, as Duane Andrews was playing. I quietly left during his last song, to arrange myself near the door of the bookstore/craftshop/bar, all the better to greet patrons with a smile and a complimentary NQ - and there was a flash of lightening and a crash of thunder and the lights went out. "They're gone all around the sound," a man said, looking out the window. Duane Andrews kept playing. He didn't miss a beat.

(Image: radio3.cbc.ca.)

NQ to Woody Point

We're off on another exciting road trip - this time to the Writers at Woody Point Festival. Heard nothing but great things about this 'do. We'll be operating as a kind of mobile subscription booth, with lots of complimentary magazines to give away, and we'll be hitting all the main venues. So, as they say, we've got places to meet, and people to go, and we'll be back here next Tuesday.

(image: seeya-downtheroad.com.)

Winterset Connections

Among the readings, sightings, and performances the NQ caught at the Winterset in Summer fete, we had a moment with Elizabeth Murphy, author of An Imperfect Librarian. She mentioned her

webpage, which includes lots of fun stuff, even alternative endings. (Please note: I am hardly unbiased on this matter, having provided a 'blurb' for the book's cover.)

(Image: breakwaterbooks.)

Winterset in Summer

The NQ is off to this prestigious literary festival, where organizers have generously offered us space for a subscription booth. We'll be giving away some complimentary issues, and maybe drawing for a prize (lovely artwork by Brian Ricks, anyone?). So if anyone else is lucky enough to find themselves in fabulous Eastport, please drop by!

(Image: doctors-inn.nf.ca.)

If you ever think some music I'm listening to sounds good, guaranteed it was leant to me by my friend Neil Butler. His latest recommendation: Beirut; original, offbeat and really cool.

(image: melbomusic.wordpress.com.)

Like a lot of readers, I love to discover an author and then rush off to read everything they've published. My latest binge is

Jonathan Coe. His writing is deft, dynamically contemporary, often hilarious, and appropriately vicious regarding Thatcherite Britain. And really, how can you resist a title like The Dwarves of Death?

(Image: fantasticfiction.co.uk.)