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The folks at The 49th Shelf have inaugurated a new series of essays called "Talking History" about "the notion of history as a compelling form of storytelling."

The series kicks off today with a contribution from yours truly.

The 49th Shelf is the go-to website for information about Canadian books and writers.

All modesty aside, my friends at BC Bookworld have some nice things to say about the Mayor's Arts Award, coming up next week.

I was down at CBC Radio this morning recording a couple of interviews about the new book. Ric Cluff, host of the morning program, kindly allowed me to carry away this lovely mug which I have added to my odd assortment in the cupboard. I have old Geist mugs so well-used that the logo has worn away, mugs that I acquired at pottery shops now forgotten, mugs that were Christmas...

If you are in Vancouver on Wednesday, October 8, and looking for something completely different, why not join Will Woods and me on a walking tour of some of the city's illicit historic sites?

Will is the founder and chief storyteller at Forbidden Vancouver, a tour company that specializes in the offbeat and the slightly exotic side of Vancouver history. He has allowed me to tag along as a guest co-guide for one night only to talk about...

I am really chuffed about the fact that I am receiving this year's City of Vancouver Mayor's Arts Award for the literary arts (which means writing and publishing).

There have been so many worthy recipients since the awards began in 2004, when my pal Stephen Osborne was the inaugural winner, that it is very exciting to be one of them. I choose to view it as welcome recognition of the importance of history writing...