Originally, I had planned to give a talk entitled Nothing is More Fun Than Chasing the New History. But then came the finding of the Erebus. And participating in the documentary called Franklin's Lost Ships. And people saying, well, this latest discovery is fun. But what does it mean? Why does it matter?
So I've narrowed my focus. I'm still Chasing the New History. But I'll talk, more specifically, about Searching for Franklin: The Lost Ships, the Discoveries, and the Woman Who Created a Legend. Above, we see one of the slides that will turn up in my presentation.
The occasion is the celebratory May Dinner of the Aurora/Newmarket branch of the Canadian Federation of University Women. The venue is the DiamondBack Golf Club in Richmond Hill, just north of Toronto. The date and time: May 12 beginning at 6 p.m. Can you afford to miss it?

which authors will be where. Here in the Beach Village, known for having Ontario's Best Small-Town Main Street, a bunch of us, Beachers all, will put our shoulders to the wheel at Book City (1950 Queen Street East). Wander into that well-stocked bookstore and you might run into Lee Gowan (The Last Cowboy), Tish Cohen (Town House), or Kim Echlin (The Disappeared). And that's just for starters. Yours truly (Fatal Passage) will be hanging out from around 2 p.m. And, hey, don’t be surprised if I try to sell you a book. Gotta love those indies.
Book City in The Beach: Authors: Ken McGoogan, Lisa de Nikolits, DJ McIntosh, Kim Echlin, George A. Walker, Lee Gowan, Tish Cohen, Brian Panhuyzen, Dr. Vera Tarman

Hats off to Andrew E.M. Gregg! He produced Franklin's Lost Ships, an extraordinary new documentary that turned up April 9 on CBC-TVs The Nature of Things. And finished in such a short period! The most impressive thing may well have been how smoothly the narrative unwound, cutting back and forth between the contemporary search and the history of the tragedy. So many figures winding in and out without a hitch: very sophisticated, very polished.

The seamless intermingling of documentary footage and credible reconstruction was terrific. Also, we got some exciting views of the sunken Erebus we have never seen before. Oh, and the CGI was great! I know, I know: the aficionados will be clamoring for more history: what does it all mean? But I expect that the longer version of this documentary, coming soon to PBS and Nova, will deliver more of that. Meanwhile, Franklin's Lost Ships will air again this Saturday on CBC News Network, starting at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Honestly: this doc is the perfect primer for what promises to be an outstanding season of dives, discoveries and revelations. Don't miss it. 
[Here is the CBC link for online viewing: http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/franklins-lost-ships]

This is happening at Mount Royal University in Calgary, where he is spending a week as writer-in-residence.  Last night, all kinds of old friends turned up for a talk entitled Our Story Begins in Calgary. And the introductions and expressions of thanks left even our grizzled road warrior blushing. This photo comes courtesy of Michelle Bodnar. Word has it that she has taken a few more to illustrate a looming article. Can you rely on Our Hero to keep you apprised? You betcha.
A FEW DAYS LATER . . . . Did I mention a looming article? Check it out: Click here.

The days fly away like wild horses over the hills. The poet Charles Bukowski said it first. But I've been feeling it as I get set to spend a week as writer-in-residence in Calgary.
I'll be at Mount Royal University from March 23 through March 27, courtesy of the English Department. For my public presentation (March 25), Our Story Begins in Calgary, I've been sorting through photos from my days as books editor at the Calgary Herald.  Above, we find me and Mordecai Richler . . . drinking coffee! To our left: Mavis Gallant in Banff with my old beater, aka the Silver Bullet. She was spending time at the Banff Centre and asked me to take her into town for groceries. She hated the elk! Could not understand why such dangerous animals were allowed to roam around freely. Below we have Tim Findley and his partner, William Whitehead, at Mescalero, one of my old favorite haunts. Richler, Gallant, Findley: giants of Canadian literature . . . all of them gone. That's what struck me. That's what called up those horses. But not to worry: my subtitle is An Adventure in Creative Nonfiction. We'll venture beyond nostalgia. Even so, eh?

The hue and cry is deafening. Where can we see Our Hero? Where is he appearing next?
Last night, Ken entertained the Canadian chapter of The Explorers Club. He talked about Chasing John Franklin into the Northwest Passage. You missed that? Not to worry.
On the evening of March 4, Ken will give a presentation at the Badminton and Racquet Club in Toronto. This time, he'll talk about How The Scots Invented Canada and, for the first time ever, preview Celtic Lightning: How the Scots and the Irish / Created a Canadian Nation.  He treats Oscar Wilde and Flora MacDonald in that book, which will appear this fall courtesy of Patrick Crean Editions / Harper Collins Canada. Then, on March 25, while spending a week in Calgary as writer-in-residence at Mount Royal University, Ken will go public about the Franklin expedition and the Scots and the Irish in Our Story Begins in Calgary, which would appear to be shaping up as a tour-de-force.