Welcome to the White Mountain Publications Newsletter
February 9, 2023
I know it’s been a long time, but here we are with an update.
In spite of all the incredible help we got packing and moving 800 boxes of books, all the shelving, desks, computers, we re-opened September 27th, not September 1st. The good news is that we did re-open and since the location is visible from our old location, people have been finding us with few problems, or anxiety attacks when they found the old store closed. .
The 24 foot sign on the front of the building is also a nice clue.
While the space is bigger and brighter, we don’t have all of the categories of books we had out at the old store. The shape and shelving logistics just don’t match. Also I had eight and a half years to figure out how to cram more books into the other place. But we are working to fix that. All going according to plan, we have the space to enlarge the store space to about 4 times its current size. But we need to build walls and ceilings, oh yes, some lights and heat would be good as well. And shelves for books. So it will take some time.
Actually to do all the things I’d like with this building it will take years. But that’s all right, because we bought it and won’t have to move again. It is a work in progress, as is most of my life.
Because the place is a blank slate outside of the store front and a couple of rooms at the back, it has been very cold. The recent cold snap down to -44°C made it almost too much to bear. Thankfully it didn’t last long and hopefully won’t come back. I knew this first winter would be cold inside, and we survived the first cold winter at the Coniagas when all the cold air under Cobalt was blowing up through the mine shaft before it was closed off in 2015. This too will pass.
Being this large, there is no way it is a one-person place anymore. Thankfully we have been joined with a sunny spirit who takes care of the store while I try to catch up on all the work that has been greatly delayed in the past year. If you want to experience the wonder that is Robyn, stop in at the store. Her love of books is exceptional, and she’ll have you laughing.
Speaking of delayed projects, in the 20 years we have been publishing the Canadian Writers’ Contest Calendar, it has never been released this late. Usually it comes out late November, early December. This year it was January. The good news is that it is out, and better still, we are already working on the 2024 edition so this won’t happen again.
Also later than expected was The Great Fire of 1922, A Centennial Retrospective. When we finally finished writing, assembling and indexing it, it came out to 368 pages with about 160 photos and diagrams. The soft cover edition is available now, and although there have been some technical delays with the hard cover edition, it will be here soon as well. It is as comprehensive as I could make it. This has been in process for about two and a half years. It’s a big baby, but finally delivered.
Also released, actually in the middle of this move in August, was a reprint of Kermot Moore’s Kipawa: Portrait of a People. I really enjoyed doing this book and learned a great deal about our history from a Native perspective. It is also available in ebook formats.
And, with your support, we continue. Thanks for listening.
Canadian Writers' Contest Calendar
It's still NOT too late to kick start your writing goals for 2023. The print copies are shipping now, and the ebook formats are ready also.
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.