Welcome to the White Mountain Publications Newsletter
August 10, 2022
I keep telling people that I lead a life that makes people grateful for theirs.
We have been at the store at 50 Silver Street for eight and a half years. We have no more room, and the pre-loved books just keep coming in. Concurrently while I was thinking as to how I could fix this situation during my enforced vacation in the hospital, I got a call informing me the building the store is in was being sold. And it was likely I would be asked to move.
I suppose this is Someone Upstairs giving me a not-so-subtle message. Or a solution.
Cutting a long story short-again- we are moving the store about 200 feet to 8 Prospect Avenue in Cobalt. Compared to this place, it is HUGE. Formerly a grocery story among many other things, it is becoming our new home for White Mountain Publications.
And so Saturday August 20th will be the last day we are open at 50 Silver Street. All going to plan, September 1st we will be open at 8 Prospect Avenue. The signs are not going up until August 30th, so I will wait to post pictures until then.
And for all those who have inquired, I am doing fine. I have had half the town offer to help with the move, so we should be all right.
Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar
It's still NOT too late to kick start your writing goals for 2022 and NOT too early to plan for 2023. Time moves pretty fast; please don't wait. There are a few print copies left, and the ebook formats will be availble until Dec 31st.
The site has been configured for the pre-publication discount for the 2023 edition available until October 17th, 2022.
If you think that you'd ever have time to write and still know where to find all this information, collect it, and organize it, let me know. There are over 400 database lines to confirm each year, some found very few other places yet. Some contest information is not available on the internet. Geographically, the contests cover Canada from Whitehorse to Windsor, Victoria to St. John's. Every year there contests started and contests discontinued. And by far the changes are the addresses, email, mail and websites. Anyone who says they could compile all of this on their own, has never tried to do it. This is our 20th year compiling this resource for writers and there are always many changes each year.
New Offerings:
Just before the long weekend in May we launched The Curious History of Albert the Dragon We do not as a rule do children's books, but this one was from 1935-1936 by locally well-known George Cassidy. The story is delightful, the illustrations beautifully detailed. And we also have it available in ebook formats.
KIPAWA: Portrait of a People by Kermot A Moore. Although not quite here yet, this reprint of the HBS original was requested by the family, and I am so pleased that they did. I always learn so much, and this book gives an excellent perspective on our history from a Native point of view. It was very enlightening. It will also be available in ebook formats, probably after the move.
The Cobalt Historical Society has issued two more puzzles. This time they are reproductions of George Cassidy paintings of Cobalt mines: The Buffalo Mine and the Nipissing 96.
COBALT Where The Stories Are As Tall As The Headframes by Helene Culhane. Fascinating insights into the heart of this incredible town from the people who refuse to call anywhere else home, from interviews with long-time Cobalters. Also available in EBook formats.
The Legend of Caroline Maben Flower Lady Prospector of the Porcupine by Maggie Wilson. Caroline Maben Flower, a wealthy New York socialite in 1906, most certainly read the news of the fabulous riches in Northern Ontario. When she arrived in Cobalt, Caroline noted how the men made their fortunes at mining. She reckoned, if they could do it, so could she! Never one to let roadblocks stop her, she shouldered a pickaxe and set out to build a mine. Just as she did with her musical career, Caroline promoted herself and built a brand. In Cobalt, and later in the gold fields of the Porcupine, she traded on one notable asset: the fact that she was the only woman in the mining game.
Stephen Lafricain
Grand Old Man of the River
by Bruce Taylor
Stephen Lafricain was born in 1837, and in his 99 years witnessed much history in both Canada and the United States, including treaty signing, the decline of the fur trade, the opening of northeastern Ontario to great mineral wealth. Well worth the read, and the history.
Quarantine a novel by Terry Cassidy. Set in 1994, young Wat Moore is caught up in a devastating situation while visiting his father's laboratory in Ottawa. When it's believed that he has been exposed to a deadly and highly contagious pathogen, the government sends him into a quarantine that could last the rest of his life. A fast-paced story set in Ottawa, northern Ontario and north-western Quebec, Terry has given us another well-researched thriller.
Missing in Cobalt by Terry Cassidy is a murder mystery set in Cobalt 1949. A young woman's body is discovered in the ice in a Buffalo Mines adit, and from there, we have to discover who she is, how she got there, and of course, who did it. Have had rave reviews on this one. And yes, it is fiction.
Mining in Temagami A History of Discovery, Development and Production by Dustin Roy. Dustin collects the information about past mining activities throughout the Municipality of Temagami in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. Maps, diagrams and beautiful colour photos bring this history to the forefront.
They Stepped Into ImmortalityThe Stories Behind the World War I Veterans Listed On The New Liskeard Cenotaph by André Maheu. Limited edition hard cover-2 copies left at $79.95. Now as a softcover reprint. $49.95
Books are a great gift for any time of year. They stand the test of time, become part of your life. The good ones can change your life, your perception of the world. Consider a great book for your gift giving year round.
Yes, we have been busy. Hope all is well with you and yours. Be well, stay safe.