Hello everyone,
This past weekend we had the privilege of vending at the amazing Eden Mills Writers Festival. The festival was started 30 years ago by Canadian author Leon Rooke, who lived in the village at the time. It is a small village. There’s a population of around 300. It is settled in Niagara Escarpment country, so many of the buildings are limestone cottages. The mill itself is limestone, sitting on the beautiful banks of the lily pad covered Eramosa River. For 30 years the main drag of the town has closed for an afternoon for a deeply well-attended and impressive festival. Most of Canada’s major writers have read there. Jason recalls seeing the BEST reading of his life in the backyard of one of the houses — Dennis Lee, reading to a group of 50 or so children. That reading has set the bar of all readings since, and none have come close.
We have a personal history with the festival. London publisher and educator Win Schell, of Ergo Press and Central High School fame, used to take Jason along with him every year as a helper. Win would pick Jason up in the morning. They’d load boxes into his car. They’d drive the hour and a half to Eden Mills, Jason pitching him books most of the way. Win was gentle, smart, generous, and eccentric. He almost single-handedly established the tone we often take in our business. They’d hang out at the festival, talking to writers such as Don McKay and Dr. Lee himself. Jason would continue to pitch him books (overwrought young men are a patience tester, amirite?). Afterward, the two would retire to the Aberfoyle Mill and drink a few beers before heading back on the road. It was blissful.
Win has since passed but his name comes up often in our life. He was Vanessa’s English teacher at Central, and also a huge influence on her. He was the one who told her about Greg Curnoe, James Reaney, and the London Regionalists. He was the one who told her to visit Glen Curnoe at the London Room in the old Central Library on Queen Street. Vanessa recalls watching the pom-pom on Win’s toque bob along the sidewalk during his break, hovering over to City Hall where he could sneak a smoke off school grounds. She’d watch the pom-pom (the only thing visible of Win above the cafeteria window ledge) wander here and there, smoke rising beside of it. She loved this goofy old guy, talented, kind and encouraging.
We had a great time at Eden Mills. This summer has given us an opportunity to drive outside of town for a number of events. It makes us feel like we are Ontario bookdealers too. There are communities all over the province of readers and artists, excited to participate in our weird, portable way of dealing. The summer is basically over but we’ve been lucky to drive all over this city. We’ve been lucky to find places outside of it too, places to shut off the engine and just see what wanders by. Eden Mills was such a place. We saw old friends. We sat in the grass with Lenore and stared up at Ontario trees. We had an internationally recognized author tell us our daughter was beautiful.
We needed to get away. But our home base is London, and we love this city. Sometimes we love it like a drunk uncle (patience testing, radically unpredictable). Sometimes we love it like an old leather jacket or sweater. It is all of ours. We love to see you all at our stops where we can cheer each other on in this exhausting time.
See you all on the road.
Much love,
Jason and Vanessa
