Michael Crummey, born in Buchans, NL, is the author of three novels: River Thieves, The Wreckage, and most recently Galore, which launched at The Ship on Monday, August 31st.

This is his final entry as a guest blogger on Signal (though we hope to have him back again soon!).

Well let’s see. My mother was there. And my Aunt Helen. And about half the population of Sin City. At least that’s how it felt. Haven’t seen the Ship that blocked since Lisa Moore launched February a couple of months ago.

Before that it was a show by the Novaks, back when they were still Persona (am I dating myself here? Don’t get out much anymore).

In retrospect, the Ship seems like the perfect spot for the launch of a book about the lore of Newfoundland. Can’t think of another location where so many legendary/infamous events have happened.  There used to be a pair of crossed swords hung on the wall until they got some use in a bar fight. Gerry Squires painted the original Ship Inn sign to pay off his legendary bar tab. Saw Ron Hynes sing Away about two o’clock in the morning one Friday when there were only three or four people in the bar and I’ll never forget it.

Film producer Paul Pope dragged myself and Michael Winter and Mark Ferguson into the can just before we called it a night (it was the only place with enough light, he said) to get a photo. Lined us up in the same corner where he filmed Tommy Sexton for Codco’s “Ship Inn Man.” There was no flash and we had to stay still. We were having a good time, honest.

Michael Crummey, born in Buchans, NL, is the author of three novels: River Thieves, The Wreckage, and most recently Galore, which will be launching at The Ship on Monday, August 31st.

He joins us as a guest blogger on Signal.

Launch day for GALORE.

And just in case you were considering coming along, it gets underway at the Ship at 7:30. No cover and there will be some finger food.

If you can’t make it but were really hoping to hear me jabber on about the book,  here’s a clip posted on You Tube (they really will post anything, those guys).

Michael Crummey, born in Buchans, NL, is the author of three novels: River Thieves, The Wreckage, and most recently Galore, which will be launching at The Ship on Monday, August 31st.

He joins us as a guest blogger on Signal.

One day to the launch.

Thinking what a bizarre event a book launch is. How many other jobs in the world involve so much public celebration?

Went through Toronto last spring just after the Advance Reading Copy of GALORE was released. Stayed with Michael Winter and Christine Pountney and their little one, Leo. And they turned it into a little GALORE celebration, complete with flan. Michael sent along this little commemoration of the weekend.

Michael Crummey, born in Buchans, NL, is the author of three novels: River Thieves, The Wreckage, and most recently Galore, which will be launching at The Ship on Monday, August 31st.

He joins us as a guest blogger on Signal.

Three days to the launch. Packing up a few things to head out to Western Bay for the night.

Western Bay is my dad’s hometown. Holly and I have a little place there and we try to spend as much time out there as we can. So far this summer, that has amounted to four nights. So I’m anxious to get going.

Paul Pope and Lisa Porter bought an old church just up the shore in Ochre Pit Cove a year ago. They’ve put together a show as a fundraiser for the North Shore Volunteer Fire Department tonight and, along with the Old Perlican Step Dancers and Ray Johnson from Buddy Wasisname, my wife Holly is going to sing a couple of tunes.

I’m heading out early today, just to have a few more hours there. Stop in to see John and Mary Fitzgerald, old friends of my parents. It’s one of my favourite things about Western Bay, hanging out with those two. They’re as good as a concert.

It was John and Mary told me the story of some fellow up the shore who was about to be buried, sat up in his coffin during the funeral, walked home from the church. Built a daybed out of the wood from the casket and he slept on that for years before he died the second time.

And that little anecdote ended up shaping whole storylines in GALORE.

Michael Crummey, born in Buchans, NL, is the author of three novels: River Thieves, The Wreckage, and most recently Galore, which will be launching at The Ship on Monday, August 31st.

He joins us as a guest blogger on Signal.

Five days till the launch of GALORE at The Ship on Monday. Just got a call from Wallace to say he can set up the mic for me. Think that’s pretty much all I need.

Also just got word from my editor at Doubleday, Martha Kanya-Forstner, that she’s going to be flying in for the event with little Alice in tow. Martha and I have worked together on all three of my novels and having her eye on these stories has been one of my favourite parts of writing them.

River Thieves was the first book she took on as lead editor and she was pregnant with her first child around the time it was published. Remember getting a look at the sonogram of the little fishy (now better known as Susie) before she’d announced her pregnancy to the world at large and I joked at the time that she’d have to produce a baby for every novel I wrote.

Ha ha.

She was off on maternity leave when The Wreckage came out four years ago. That was Lucy. And she’s on maternity again now as GALORE hits the shelves. Welcome to the world, Alice.

I’m starting to feel a little bit guilty about the thought of writing another novel. Exactly how big a family are you planning on, MKF?

Susie and Lucy

The Idlers are premiering their very first music video tonight and Signal will be there with our blogging boots on (worn over our dancing shoes, of course).

The video was directed by Signal’s own Elsa Morena, who we’re all very proud of.

Once the video premieres live at the Ship tonight we will present it here on the blog. We have the technology.

Specifically, we’ll have Nathan Downey in the crowd T9′ing all the action to yours truly who will be translating it into blog form when the video gets posted.

We’ll also have Chad Young stealing souls at 10 megapixels a pop, to be bloggerized after the show.

And now, the poster.

While the launch party has come and gone, this only marks the beginning for Signal.

The spectacular space we put together last night has been dismantled, but our now brighter and shinier looking blog is here to stay.

Last night really was amazing. A very special and grateful thanks goes out to all the wonderful people who came, showing huge support and giving lots of great feedback, all the while partying their collective asterisks’ off.

Thanks to A1C for an amazing space, Janine Godwin for dolling it up Signal style, Leo van Ulden and Physical Patrick for surrounding us in sound, Quidi Vidi Brewing Company for hooking up the first people through the door with a frosty one, Ballistic (especially Jonathan Loder) for doing whatever it took to clad us in our stylin’ t-shirts just in time, Sois and Sloan for chukin’ up their art, Aaron Goulding for building our beautiful new site with his bare hands, Mark Bennett for freezing us in time, and Kerri Breen and Nathan Downey for their poetic justice.

And thank you for doing what you’re doing right now. Without you, last night never would have happened.

:::Darcy and Elsa:::

The first installment of SignalTV was launched at 9:00 tonight. Darcy’s and Elsa’s one-day efforts resulted in a hilarious take on St. John’s misconceptions.

Question to those readers who aren’t here with us and won’t see the video until latenight: Does George Street have the densest concentration of bars (per capita) in North America? Check out SignalTV; they attempt to probe this taken-for-granted issue.

Here at A1C, things are starting to get real. The DJs are breaking out their hottest tracks (sorry, no Chris Sheppard, but yes, this shit is off the chain for the Y2K).

Come down and check us out. We’ll be rocking out late-night style.

At 7:00 p.m, Signal officially went live. The launch was greeted by a warm reception from the growing crowd here at A1C.

Signal founder Darcy Fitzpatrick issued sincere thanks to all those who made the journey from the beta backwaters to live web 2.0 action possible.

There’s still plenty more to the evening. At 9:00 p.m, the first installment of Signal’s new video initiative, SignalTV, will be premiered. If that weren’t incentive enough, in the words of an elated Kerri Breen, there’s a whole new tray of springrolls.

Come on down and check out the rest of the launch party.

A1C has been transformed. You should see the place.

No, you really have to see the place. Get down here. The party’s already started and you’re missing all the fun!!