NQ to West Coast

First, apologies for a slightly static blog. Ran into some trouble getting at the posts - but I hope this is working, because we're gearing up for the West Coast Craft Fair, and you can find us in the city's new art space this Friday-Sunday, and, yes, we have our gorgeous subscription prize, Jean Claude Roy's Winterton

, on display. (Image: artbeads.com.)

And now we prep for the Fair ...

... curated and organized by the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, five days at the St. John's Arts and Culture Centre, starting Wednesday, maybe we'll see you there?

(Image: marthastewart.com.)

30 Hours @ Ottawa

We pretty much went from the airport to the set-up for the Alumni Dinner at the Chateau Laurier - which was packed, and well sprinkled with dignitaries - but had time the next morning to meet some of our MPs, bearing NQs and calendars. (And, because we had to sign in and be processed for each office visit, we got to hang out with the security guards a bit, too.)

(Image: Ottawa Collage, wikipedia.)

Bright lights along the Rideau

Plan is we'll be in Ottawa this Thursday night, set up at the Chateau Laurier for the MUN Alumni Affinity Dinner, maybe we'll see you there? We have magazines and other nifty giveaways, plus it seems a good time to introduce ourselves at the NL MPs, so Parliament Hill here we come.

(Image: vacationideas.me.)

Our deadline Monday

OK, their schedule was a little tighter than ours - we've got seven days until our material for the Winter issue is due - and our fashion sense hasn't kept up - those suits! her hat! - but the principle is the same. File, edit, print.

(Image: His Girl Friday, blogspot.com.)

Seeking a Fair Before December

Just after we posted last week, we learned the Craft Fair in Corner Brook has been canceled. We'll still try to get out there, and we'll be contacting all our subscribers and gift givers by phone and email - but the Fair is such a great way to meet everyone, we're still hoping some alternative can be arranged.

(Image: simonsaysstamp.com.)

A flying stop in Ottawa

On the eve of the Corner Brook Craft Fair (Nov. 2-4, Pepsi Centre) the NQ's scheduled for an appearance at the MUN Alumni dinner, Chateau Laurier. We'll have complimentary magazines and bookmarks, and a nifty poster. We're looking forward to a nice evening (and a mad rush to the airport - but hey, isn't everyone busy this time of year?).

(Image: planetware.com.)

To move towards the Fairs

And it is already time to start thinking towards the Christmas Craft Fairs - a month and a day from now we'll be setting up in Corner Brook, then two weeks later in St. John's. So anyone looking for a really great Christmas gift, you can find us, just next to the beautiful Jean Claude Roy painting Winterton.

(Image: botanical.com.)

Monday at the office, post-hobnob

The NQ got around TO a fair bit - a The Once concert here, a Jean Claude Roy opening there. We met lots of people and handed out batches of complimentary issues (and our new nifty bookmarks - get 'em while you can!). Next tour will be Ottawa in November, followed pretty much instantly by the Craft Fair in Corner Brook. We'll have more info on those events, as the dates come closer; meanwhile, it's back to the Winter issue drawing board.

(Image: graphicdesignjunction.com.)

NQ promos on the move

We're on the road this week, heading to Toronto, beautiful subscription prize painting in tow, all for display at some NL cultural events including The Once, this coming Thursday, 6pm at The Arcadian Loft, 401 Bay Street. If you're around you should try and catch it, they're really fine.

(Image: thecoolist.com.)

Hatches & the battening down of

A forecasted hurricane has added a few items to our to-do list (see above) but we're still full steam ahead on bringing together our Winter issue. Already have some great material filed, reviews commissioned, and interviews tentatively scheduled. Maybe even an idea for the cover. In the meantime, let's all keep safe over the next day or so.

(Image: trizworld.com.)

NQ on CBC Monday

Posting on the eve of this long weekend - everyone have some fun plans? - to let you know we'll be on CBC Radio's On the Go on Monday, chatting up the Fall issue with Ted Blades, host extraordinaire. Enjoy the holiday; we'll be back early September. And get ready for your NQs, because we'll be shipping and delivering them next week!

(Image: blogspot.com.)

Sneak preview of our insert:

(Photograph by Brian Ricks.)

Copy edits 105.2

Bit of a rush on the go, what with our special MUN Reunion insert adding a dozen (full-colour) pages to our editing and proofing (and the printing schedule was abruptly bumped up a week - but that's another story). We're through two rounds of it now, always finding something: an extra space, a misplaced comma, a repeated word. What's most difficult is becoming honestly puzzled at the sight of properly spelled words - after a certain number of reviews, "acquisition", for example, just looks plain odd. (Surely it's not spelled with a "c" ... is it?)

(Image: blogspot.com.)

NQ at the Reunion

We'll compile a special insert of imagery from the first-ever MUN Reunion, but our focal point will be 'the man of a thousand songs', Ron Hynes, Newfoundland artist and icon, who performed at the Variety Show, his last scheduled appearance before entering treatment for throat cancer. Trust us, it was amazing, we'll show you...

(Image: cbc.ca.)

Copy deadline 105. 2

How will things come together, and will the magazine emerge as some unexpected whole out of its distinct parts? Let the building begin...

(Image: decorhacks.com.)

As in a string around one's finger -

this was an old memory trick, meant literally to tie an idea to oneself - people use a variety of tactics to keep appointments and tasks in their mind. The NQ office, for example, is rather full of post-its with vital to-dos inscribed upon them. First item today: remind our writers that we are one week, yes, one week, from our next copy deadline.

(Image: wordpress.com.)

NQ half empty/full?

With two weeks to copy deadline, and maybe 40% of our content already filed, this is the moment in our production cycle when we, and by "we" I mean "I", start trying to gauge the level of content. Do we have enough? How much is enough? Do we have too much? Forgetting about an entire section of the magazine is one thing (it has happened), but ideally the issue is a beautiful balance of words and images, ideas and space.

(Image, from smart-kit.com; how many blue faces are needed to balance scale #3?)

A little Shakespeare for your park?

We're past the official midsummer's night (which is around the solstice), which shouldn't stop anyone from sitting in a sunny park and reading the play, should they wish - in fact what a lovely complement to a summer working day. We all have our to-do lists; we're working through our submissions here; but there's nothing wrong with a like-to-do list, considering the rare and lovely weather.

(Image: The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania, blogspot.)

Blue skies, and nothing but...

It can be hard to concentrate when it's all sun and breeze and let's-sit-in-the-shade-and-have-a-cool-one outside. But, rest assured, here at the NQ we have not lost our focus, and are working hard towards...was that a butterfly? is someone drinking sangria? what?...well, maybe we are having a few seasonal distractions. But honestly we're getting tons of stuff done, as you'll see in September.

(Image: blogto.com.)