The Okal Rel Universe in evolution and in the world.

 


Many thanks to Steph St. Laurent of OnReel Productions for this excellent bit of video documentary for the ORU event at the Bridges Festival last week at the University of Northern B.C. And to Jennifer Lott for helping organize, and David Lott for getting the performers there and updating the NEWS page on the ORU website with all the latest happenings.

Labels: Bridges, Stephen St. Laurent

posted by Lynda at 17:43   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
Jennifer Lott stage-managed and rehearsed actors Holly Altmeyer, Mel Farrow and Tegan Lott in a skit performed at the Bridges Festival June 11, 2009, at the University of Northern B.C. Shown here are Holly Altmeyer as Vretla Vrel and Tegan Lott as Samanda O'Pearl at the point where I have been hauled up from the audience by Amel (played by Mel Farrow) to break up the argument inspired by their exposure to Saturday morning readings of Part 6: Avim's Oath, which is currently in-press. I have more lovely pictures and memories to share from the Bridges Festival June 11-13, 2009 at the University of Northern B.C. I am also behind on SF Creatives and Saturday readings pictures. But I will be chugging away mornings again now Bridges is over and promise to share the visuals! Including the cover of Part 5: Far Arena which made it to be shown off at Bridges. Many thanks, Brian and Justyn! Now I am going to reply to one anthology author before I head off to the day job. :-)

Labels: Brian Hades, Bridges, Holly Altmeyer, Jennifer Lott, Mel, Tegan

posted by Lynda at 07:49   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Today's Okal Rel Universe presentation: "The Creative Campfire of Science Fiction", will take place at 3:30 pm today in the beautiful Bentley Centre of the University of Northern B.C. Many, many thanks to the organizers, especially Dr. Robert Budde and Bridges convener Joanna Smythe; to the Bookstore in the person of manager Mardeana Berg; the awesome Barry Wong of copy services at UNBC; Publisher Brian Hades for putting books on a Greyhound for us last night; David Lott for taking the day off to help and wearing his Ann T-Shirt!; Jennifer Lott for helping me organize; performers Tegan, Holly, Jennifer and Mel for working up the role-play skit; Paul Strickland for organizing bios of Okal Rel contributors and supporters; Steph or Conrad for agreeing to video the event; Elizabeth Woods for organizing the readings by anthology authors on Saturday and Janet Marren, Community Outreach Librarian of the Prince George Public Library, for making the Saturday readings part of Bridges.

For more about the Bridges Festival celebrating community and the arts see:

• Bridges Poster


• Bridges Schedule

Labels: Angela Lott, Appearances, Brian Hades, Bridges, David Lott, Elizabeth Woods, Jennifer Lott, Paul Strickland, Tegan

posted by Lynda at 07:57   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 


Many thanks to Paul Strickland, we have bios coming in from people whose invaluable contributions make the Okal Rel phenomenon possible. Today I've been working on the one for Brian Hades, collected by Paul, and prepared as a PDF document for sharing in print at Bridges, June 11-13 2009 at the University of Northern B.C. The Edge launch for their next batch of books - including Okal Rel titles - conflicts with Bridges dates, or I might have been able to lure Brian out to Prince George to appear in person. Maybe another day!

Labels: Brian Hades, Bridges, Paul Strickland

posted by Lynda at 08:30   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 



The schedule is up for the Bridge Conference at UNBC. Featured here are screen shots from it that link to the Bridges Homepage. From there, click on the words Bridges Festival Schedule.

Labels: anthology, Bridges, Elizabeth Woods

posted by Lynda at 16:45   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
ORU anthology contributors living in Prince George get their own half hour slot 12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Saturday June 13 in room 7-158 at the University of Northern B.C. Author Elizabeth Woods has agreed to MC the half hour and sign people up for readings. The "local author marathon" is organized by Janet Marren of the Prince George Public Library, and is taking place in parallel with the Bridges community arts conference. Many thanks, as well, to Paul Strickland for organizing the creation of bios featuring some of the great people behind the Okal Rel Universe.

Labels: Bridges, Elizabeth Woods

posted by Lynda at 07:11   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Backgrounder on Friend of the ORU Kathy Plett in DOC format

For a long time I've wanted to honor the awesome people who get behind the Okal Rel Universe in such diverse ways. I've talked about collectable people cards, an "ORU in the World" book (which Marie Bilodeau still have dibs on doing) for the Okal Rel Legacies collection, and sundry other half-baked ideas. Finally, thanks to friend-of-the-ORU Paul Strickland, it is going to start happening in time to have a handful of deliverables for Bridges at UNBC in June! Thank you SO much Paul! The Okal Rel Universe is very fortunate to have your support and the loan of your talents for this project. Paul was a reporter with the Prince George Citizen for many years, and has a masters degree in history. He's been a literary friend and fellow lower of all the many oceans of knowledge "out there" to swim in since we met years ago at a Citizen get together in The National (the nearest bar) where I was visiting with then news editor Peter Miller. I worked as reporter for the Prince George Citizen when I was fresh from my B.A. in Liberal Arts, before going back to school. KP, as Kathy Plett is affectionately known by her colleagues and staff at the College of New Caledonia and on boards and working groups across town, the province of B.C. and beyond, is one of the most awesome librarians and administrators I know. And a real friend. She personifies good things, for me, about post secondary education and the role of libraries in particular: a friend of the ORU, indeed, but so much more as well. A true friend of knowledge, creativity and scholarship. Among the many accomplishments she'll never brag about herself, she is the engine behind CNC Press.

Labels: Backgrounder, Bridges, Paul Strickland

posted by Lynda at 08:23   2 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 2 comments links to this post

 

• Exchanged e-mail with Paul Strickland who is working on a few profiles for Bridges to feature a handful of the wonderful people who intersect the Okal Rel Universe. Paul is struggling through the painful work of sorting out family estate business, as well. Remember, Paul, Rel pilots make dock! That's my way of saying somedays it is winning just to survive.




• Received a nice "hail" from ORU-friendly contact Tatjana Takseve (formerly Chorney), who teaches English at Saint Mary's University in Halifax. She has passed along my call for ideas about taking part in Bridges in June and the invitation to take part in anthologies to her students. She says life has become more complex for her her in a good way, which intrigued me! But that's all I got. I do know she's spending time in Europe this year for work-related reasons. She is a renaissance lit scholar. I recommended her to Marie Bilodeau as a possible inclusion in the first book of people who intersect the ORU. I am hoping Paul's profiles will contribute to Marie's work, too.




• Also heard from Reg Feyer of CFIS FM 93.1 about my offer to bring copies of Part 3: Pretenders to the interview for his station next Monday, as gifts for callers. He says "Sure. Bring some books. We don't often get callers, but you never know." So if you know someone who wants a copy, get them to tune in to CFIS FM 93.1 Monday March 9, 2009 at 6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time and give us a call.

Labels: Bridges, Marie Bilodeau, Paul Strickland, Reg Feyer, Tatjana Chorney

posted by Lynda at 08:08   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post