The Deep Freeze is Over and Just in Time for More Events at Books & Co

The deep freeze is over and just in time!  I don’t think anybody wanted to be housebound much longer and there are so many things happening in PG that cold or no cold we were going out anyway! And there’s many, many more things happening at Books & Co, Café Voltaire and ArtSpace in the next couple of weeks, too.

Just because the cold snap is over, doesn’t mean Coldsnap is over!  We’ve still got tickets for the rest of the fest and tonight (January 25) ArtSpace is hosting the FolkFest Reunion of Gordie Tentress and John Wort Hannam, the singer-songwriters who were crowd favorites back with Coldsnap was a summer festival!

Thursday, January 26 at 7:30 pm we’ve got the second Anthropology in Our Backyards Lecture!  This time it’s Dr. Mark Nuttall talking about Sheep Rustling and Cutting Slate: Genealogy & Movement Across, Within & Below a Welsh Mountain Landscape. Dr. Nuttall will be exploring family experiences of social upheaval and transition in late 19^th and early 20^th century Northern Wales.  The presentation talks about identity, storied landscapes and pathways, and about how slate only understands Welsh.

This week’s Friday Night Mic is a real treat provided by Eric Tompkins, Brad Hawke and Bruce Baycroft.  Come out for an evening of jazzy blues and bluesy jazz with this wonderful local trio!  Things kick off at 8:00 pm on Friday, January 27 and as always, this event is free!

Kick off the Red Cedar Readers’ Club (and the Year of the Dragon) in style with a chat about Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate!  Come into Café Voltaire at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, January 31 for a lively discussion of this Red Cedar pick and an art project related to the book! The Red Cedar Book Award is BC’s young readers’ choice award for students in grades 4 through 7.  It was launched by the Young Readers’ Choice Awards Society of BC in 1996 to encourage children to read, develop their ability to judge the quality of published works and create an awareness of the works of Canadian authors and illustrators.  Each year, 2 awards are given – 1 in the fiction category and 1 in the information book category.

And Wednesday, February 1 at 7:00 pm is the first in a 3 part series presented by the Prince George Toastmasters! This month’s workshop is on Communication. Communication might be the most important competency to master for your success.  Enjoy educational sessions on the art of communication & contribute to the conversations: Fred Punko, CGA and business owner, will be speaking on how to prepare and deliver an effective PowerPoint presentation; Laura Honeyman, employment councilor will be sharing with us how to manage nerves to communicate confidently; and Tom Ireland, Toastmaster leader and mill worker, will offer insights in how to begin a presentation effectively to wow and gain the attention of an audience. This session is the first of a 3 part series intended to raise the communication and leadership abilities of participants to make Prince George a better place to live.  To register: http://goo.gl/VBphp.  For more info, visit: www.pgtoastmasters.ca or 250-564-5191.

The Prince George Photographic Society will be in Café Voltaire at 7:00 pm on Thursday, February 2 to talk about who they are and what they do and to show us some of the wonderful photographs taken by their members on recent PG Photographic Society day trips and personal photographic expeditions.

Lauren Mann & The Fairly Odd Folks are coming to ArtSpace!  On Thursday, February 2 at 7:00 pm join us for a fantastic concert by the captivating Lauren Mann & The Fairly Odd Folks.  The energetic and authentic performance of their extraordinary indie folk-pop melodies will leave you enraptured.  You’re sure to be drawn into their music!  Tickets are $10 and are on sale now at Books & Co.

And on Saturday, February 4 at 11:00 am local author and retired teacher Glen Sargeant will be in to sign copies of his thrilling young adult mysteries: Slalakum and Finders Keepers.

The Lost Art of Letter Writing, Prince George Correspondents’ Club Meeting, is meeting again on Monday, February 6 at 6:30 pm in Café Voltaire.  Our letter writing club is booming, but we could always use more writers so come in (bring stationary, extra to share or trade if you want) and just write.  We don’t care who you write to, or what you write (and we won’t judge your handwriting) we just want people to start writing and sending (and hopefully receiving) letters again.  We’ll have coffee (free for letter writers) and stamps available (also free for letters sent to Canadian recipients) and we’ll make sure your letter makes it to a Canada Post mailbox.  We’ve had a request for pen pals from an incarcerated gentleman, so if you don’t have someone to write to, you could always write to him.

Books & Co also has tickets for An Evening of Musical Comedy starring Dawn Boudreau & Guests and hosted by Carter Horie on Saturday, February 18 in ArtSpace.  Tickets are only $15.

And starting in February, ArtSpace will be hosting Graphic Novel Writing Workshops for kids and teens!

Teen Graphic Novel Writers’ Workshops – Understanding Icons & Visual Shorthand, Facilitated by Nicole Larson.  In ArtSpace on Wednesdays, February 8, 15, 22 and 29.  6:30 – 8:00 pm.  Join other graphic novel writers and artists aged 13 to 16 to improve your understanding of the process of graphic novel creation and discuss how writing a graphic novel is different from other kinds of creative writing.  Both writers and artists are welcome and we will be doing collaborative projects and exercises every week. Each week we will explore what makes graphic novels compelling and discuss why writers might choose the graphic novel genre to tell their stories.  There will also be time to work either collaboratively or independently on original stories.  The cost of this workshop is $50 and space is limited to 12 participants.  Please sign up at Books & Company before February 1^st.  For more information please email booksandcompanyevents@gmail.com or call 250-563-6637

Young Graphic Novel Writers’ Workshops – What Makes a Graphic Novel? Facilitated by Nicole Larson.  In ArtSpace on Thursdays, February 9, 16, 23 and March 1.  6:30 to 8:00 pm.  Join other graphic novel writers aged 9 – 12 to improve your understanding of the process of graphic novel creation and discuss how writing a graphic novel is different from other kinds of creative writing.  Both writers and artists are welcome and we will be doing exercises and projects every week.  We will be discussing popular graphic novels for kids including Jeff Smith’s Bone series and we’ll talk about the parts of a graphic novel and how they fit together to tell complete stories. There will also be time to work either collaboratively or independently on original stories.  The cost of this workshop is $50 and space is limited to 12 participants.  Please sign up at Books & Company before February 1^st. For more information please email booksandcompanyevents@gmail.com or call 250-563-6637

That’s it for today folks! Get out and enjoy the snow then come in and enjoy a book.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter and did you know we’ve got a blog?  Well we do, find out our thoughts on all things books related at booksandcompany.wordpress.com

 

 

Happy New Year from Books & Co, Cafe Voltaire and ArtSpace!

Happy New Year! (Well, almost) This week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is one of the strangest times of the year.  Yes, there’s World Junior Hockey, Boxing Week bargain shopping and you’ve got Christmas books to enjoy, but the rush of Christmas is over and the New Year hasn’t yet begun.  I think you should drop in to Café Voltaire to enjoy a quiet coffee or bowl of our delicious homemade soup and just recuperate from the holiday rush. Or come in and spend that Christmas gift certificate on those books you wanted (like The Legendary Betty Frank or Zachary’s Gold or Lillian Alling: The Journey Home), but didn’t get, for Christmas.

And right now all calendars are 50% off!  That means you get 6 months absolutely FREE!  I suggest every other month, but you can choose any 6 you want.

If you need help with the New Year’s Eve party planning you can always pop in to Café Voltaire for a Holiday Goodies Tray! Packed with fresh baking and made with love, these treats are perfect for any kind of get together. Drop in and pick up a menu today, or call 250-563-6637 for more information.

Or you could come to the New Year Multi Cultural Dance being held in ArtSpace on December 31^st.  Ring in the New Year with African, Latino, Soca and Hip Hop music.  Dinner runs from 8 – 9:30 pm and the dancing starts right after dinner at 9:30! Tickets are only $30!

January 9, 2012 (I know I can’t believe it’s almost 2012 either) at 6:30 pm the Prince George Correspondents’ Club (letter writing club) meets again in Café Voltaire! We suggest you write thank you letters for all of those wonderful Christmas gifts, but as always you can write whatever you want! Stamps (for letters to Canadian addresses) and coffee are free for letter writers.  Hope to see you there!

Do you want to work at Café Voltaire?  Yes! Well, then you may be in luck.  Café Voltaire is looking for a baker (nearly full time hours and some early morning shifts).  So if you’re interested and want to work in the best café in town, drop off your resume (Attention Brandy Jarvis).

May the New Year bring you happiness and joy!

Upcoming Events at Books and Co for November 16

It’s getting cold and snowy folks, but we’ve got hot concerts and events all month at Books & Co, Café Voltaire and ArtSpace.

This Friday, November 18, Café Voltaire is pleased to welcome Eric Tompkins to the stage for our Friday Night Mics series.  Eric, as most of you will know, is our usual host for our Friday Night Mics, but this week he takes to the stage (at 7:00 pm because of the Alex Cuba concert in ArtSpace at 8:00 pm) on his own for a selection of jazz and blues guitar classics.  This is an event not to be missed!

There’s still time to get tickets for Alex Cuba in ArtSpace for this Friday, November 18.  This hot latin concert will warm the cold night!  Tickets are available NOW (and only $30)!  Come in and pick them up so you don’t miss out on one of the most fantastic concerts of the fall!

On Saturday, November 19 at 2:00 pm in Café Voltaire, Phoenix Whylock will be launching her new short story collection The Good, The Bad and Everything Inbetween.  Her collection explores all aspects of the human condition and this young PG writer is going to be a voice to watch in the future!

And Ed Zaruk, is presenting the 3^rd in his Writing 101 workshops at 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 19 in ArtSpace.  Drop in for this week’s workshop: Developing Characters With Emotion and get some valuable tips on how to make your reader really care about you characters.  Each workshop is $15.

And on Sunday, November 20 at 3:30 pm in ArtSpace, we’ve got a special All Things Munsch storytime and crafternoon!  We’ll be celebrating the wonderful world of Robert Munsch (Robert Munsch not included) with stories and crafts including paper bag puppets for The Paper Bag Princess.  This event is open to kids of all ages so if you love Munsch, drop by!

On Wednesday, November 23 at 7:00 pm in Café Voltaire, come in and see realtor extraordinaire Trevor Bolin explain how to Take Charge and Change Your Life Today!  Trevor’s new book explains how he reached the top of his industry and provides techniques and skills to help you reach the top 1% of you industry.

And on Thursday, November 24 at 7:00 pm, Café Voltaire is pleased to welcome PG’s Outdoor Pool Open Mic hosted by Prince George Poet Josh Massey!   There will be 10 slots available for readers and you’re invited to come in beach attire! Come early and enjoy some of the best Prince George’s literary scene has to offer!

On Saturday, November 26 at 11:00 am, author and paramedic Michael Burzek is back to sign copies of his fascinating look into emergency medicine, Blood on My Shirt.  Mike’s book is an intriguing look into freak accidents, bar fights and heart attacks and provides an honest, eye-opening snapshot of a day in the life of an EMT!

And we’ve got tickets for some hot concerts later in November too!  On Saturday, November 26 Smithers musician Mark Perry, will be in ArtSpace with his unique brand of folk and BC favorite, Jill Barber will be in ArtSpace on Sunday, November 27.  Come in for tickets to both of these soon, ‘cause they’re going fast.

Books & Co and Café Voltaire are very, very pleased to announce our first Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 11 at 8:00 am.  Bring in your little ones for a special breakfast of French Toast Fingers (with berries and whipped cream of course), Fruit Salad, Bacon and Punch (and Coffee for Mom and Dad) and a visit from Santa and his elves!  There will be a Christmasy storytime, a holiday sing-along, crafts and lots of opportunity to tell Santa what you’d like for Christmas (and to take pictures).  Your $10 ticket includes your breakfast, but hurry because tickets are limited and on sale now!

No time for holiday baking and tired of Costco trays?  Look no farther than Café Voltaire’s Holiday Goodies Trays! These freshly baked plates of holiday cheer are perfect for office parties and family get-togethers.  The trays come in a variety of sizes to suit any office or family event.  They are sure to bring a smile to even the grinchest Grinch! Drop in and pick up a menu right away!

And remember, if you’ve got a club, group or organization that needs a place to meet, Café Voltaire has the perfect atmosphere!

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less), our blog and on our fantastic homepage!

Upcoming Books & Co Events for October 26th

There’s a definite nip in the air and it’s snowing like crazy…in Mackenzie, but that doesn’t mean hot things aren’t happening at Books & Co in the next couple of weeks!  We’ve got authors and parties and music and more!

TOMORROW: Thursday, October 27 at 7:00 pm we’ve got Bonita Forsyth, the fantastic children’s and young adult author who wrote the classic Snowboarding Bunny.  Bonita will be reading from her wonderful new fantasy novel Fire, the sequel to her marvelous Ice. 

Friday Night Mics is super psyched to present Folksinger Denis Straussfogel at 8:00 pm in Café Voltaire this Friday, October 28.  Come out for a fantastic night of classic covers of fabulous folk music!  As always this event is FREE.

Tickets are still available (but going fast) for the Navaz & Los Gringos show in Art Space on October 29 at 8:00 pm. All the way from Argentina to Iran, this show will blow you away with fantastic global music!  Tickets are only $15 ($10 for students) and available at Books & Co right now!

If that’s not enough, Books & Co is having a Howling Halloween Party on October 30 at 2:00 pm in ArtSpace.  There will be a special storytime, games, crafts and prizes for kids who come in costume!

But wait, that’s not all!  Come on out for the special Warm-Up to Coldsnap Party on October 30^th at 8:00 pm in ArtSpace.  The entire Coldsnap 2012 Lineup will be announced and blues legend Colin Linden will provide a taste of the wonderful concerts coming up in the new year!  Tickets are still available at Books & Co, but don’t wait to get them at the door or you might miss out on a fantastic night!

And if politics is your purview, Books & Co and Café Voltaire are hosting an all Candidates Forum focused on issues near and dear to our hearts: Arts Funding and Downtown Business Development on Wednesday, November 2 at 7:00 pm.  Come in to find out each candidate’s ideas about how to keep the arts vital in Prince George and how to encourage people to shop, eat and just spend time downtown!  There will be time for questions and a chance to talk to the candidates!

On Saturday, November 5 at 11:00 am, local author Whisper Demoss is in to sign copies of her thrilling new book Escape from Manhattan.  Drop by and learn about this death defying tale of mystery, adventure and one family’s travels from New York to Alberta after the towers fell on 9-11.

Starting on November 5 at 2:00 pm in ArtSpace (and continuing on every Saturday in November) Quesnel author and writing instructor Ed Zaruk is offering a series of writing workshops!  Workshops are $15 each or $50 for all four ($10 each for students).  Drop in for one or all!  Topics include: Show Don’t Tell, How to Write Dialogue, Developing Characters with Emotion and Mistakes I’ve Made Along the Way.  For more information please contact Nicole at booksandcompanyevents@gmail.com

November 7 is a bit night in Café Voltaire and ArtSpace! Not only dies it see the return of Literary Karaoke at 7:00 pm, but Peter Katz will be upstairs for the Prince George leg of his “Live at the Music Gallery” CD/DVD release tour!

And we’ve got tickets for Joanna Chapman-Smith, the Canadian Songstress that CBC’s Q called “The slinky-voiced Canadian whose arch acoustic musings and fondness for the accordion come laced with a hint of Parisian cafes and East European Klezmer music.”  Tickets for her November 12 show in ArtSpace ($12 in advance, $15 at the door) are available NOW!

And who could forget: Alex Cuba (seriously, Alex Cuba)!  He’s going to be in ArtSpace on November 18^th.  Tickets are available NOW!  Come in and pick them up so you don’t miss out on one of the most fantastic concerts of the fall!

And remember, if you’ve got a club, group or organization that needs a place to meet, Café Voltaire has the perfect atmosphere!

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less), our blog and on our fantastic homepage!

What’s Happening at Books & Co Starting October 19

Cool and frosty mornings are ahead, but don’t let the chilly nights keep you from coming in to Books & Company, Café Voltaire and ArtSpace for some of our wonderful musical, community and literary events (and hot soup, don’t forget our wonderful, homemade soups)!

TONIGHT (October 19)!  Award winning Canadian author Wayne Johnston is coming to the store.  He’s the author of the wildly successful The Colony of Unrequited Dreams (among others) and will be at Café Voltaire to read from his wonderful latest novel A World Elsewhere.  Things kick off at 7:00 pm!  Come early so you get a good seat

AND if that weren’t enough, Roy Forbes is playing in ArtSpace on Friday, October 21 at 8:00 pm! We’re really excited to be the Prince George stop on this folk music legend’s 40^th Anniversary Tour! Come out and see one of BC’s very best, who are we kidding, Canada’s very best folk musicians!  Tickets are still available (but going fast) and cost only $25.

We’re also super excited to announce that we’ve got OPEN MIC NIGHT in Café Voltaire this Friday, October 21.  Come out and showcase your musical abilities on vocals, guitar, piano, trumpet or washboard!  If you can play it, we want to hear it!   But, if you’re not ready to unleash your inner diva, don’t despair, simply come out and support those on stage.  As always, things kick off at 8:00 pm and are FREE.

Monday, October 24, members of the Prince George Safe Water Coalition are hosting a Safe Water Panel in ArtSpace starting at 7:00 pm.  Come out and discover what’s happening in our aquifer!

On Thursday, October 27 at 7:00 pm we’ve got fantastic young adult author Bonita Forsyth (the author of Snowboarding Bunny) reading from her wonderful new fantasy novel Fire, the sequel to her marvelous Ice. 

And don’t forget the special Navaz & Los Gringos show in Art Space on October 29 at 8:00 pm. All the way from Argentina to Iran, this show will blow you away with fantastic global music!  Tickets are only $15 ($10 for students) and available at Books & Co right now!

If that’s not enough, Books & Co is having a Howling Halloween Party on October 30 at 2:00 pm in ArtSpace.  There will be a special storytime, games, crafts and prizes for kids who come in costume!

But wait, that’s not all!  Come on out for the special Warm-Up to Coldsnap Party on October 30^th at 8:00 pm in ArtSpace.  The entire Coldsnap 2012 Lineup will be announced and blues legend Colin Linden will provide a taste of the wonderful concerts coming up in the new year!  Tickets are available at Books & Co right now!

Things are really humming here this fall!  Starting in November author and instructor Ed Zaruk is offering a series of writing workshops every Saturday afternoon in ArtSpace.  For more information please contact Nicole at booksandcompanyevents@gmail.com  and check future coming events emails!

And we’ve also got tickets for Alex Cuba (seriously, Alex Cuba)!  He’s going to be in ArtSpace on November 18^th.

We’ve also got plans for a City Councilor Candidates forum on Arts Funding and Downtown Business Development, book clubs for kids, and lots and lots of author visits!

And remember, if you’ve got a club, group or organization that needs a place to meet, Café Voltaire has the perfect atmosphere!

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less), our blog and on our fantastic homepage!

October 5th Cafe Voltaire and Books & Co Events Email

Autumn is officially underway at Books & Co

As we stare across the river, through the mist to the golden trees beyond, it’s clear that our not-so-summery summer is truly over.  But it just means chilly nights and foggy mornings are made that much better with the homemade soups and warm drinks in Café Voltaire!  We’re open late every weeknight and that makes us the perfect place for an intimate coffee or a rousing discussion!

And of course, we’ve always got something happening!

This Friday in Café Voltaire as part of our wildly successful Friday Night Mics, we’ve got Ben Beattie (one quarter of the much missed and completely delightful The Delightful Gang) performing his own brand of acoustic jazzy pop in a special going away show before he leaves Prince George!  Ben Beattie’s Going Away Show kicks off at 8:00 pm and is free, as always!  Come see him now, so that in a couple of years when he’s up on stage receiving that Grammy, you can tell people, I saw Ben Beattie in Café Voltaire and it was incredible!

And, of course we’ve also got our weekly storytime every Saturday morning at 10:00 am.  Leave your little loved ones in the care of our marvelous bookster Asia while you browse for your own reads or enjoy a coffee with other parents.  At the end of the month (and the last Saturday of every month from now on), October 29, we’ve also got a 2^nd special French Language storytime at 11:00 am with bilingual bookster Taylor.

Sunday, October 9 and Monday, October 10 we’re closed so we can give thanks for the past summer (despite is uncertain weather) and share a meal with the ones we love.  We encourage all of you to do the same.

Tickets are still available for Western Roots music legends Valdy & Gary Fjellgaard’s magnificent show on October 13!  Come out for this fantastic opportunity to see some of Canada’s best loved folk and country artists combined for a wonderful night of music.  Valdy & Gary Fjellgaard will be playing Art Space starting at 8:00 pm on October 13.  Tickets are $25 and available now!

Coming up the following week it’s all about authors: Stan Chung comes by on Sunday, October 16 at 2:00 pm to talk about his new book Global Citizen, local poet GP Lainsbury launches his latest collection, Versions of North on Monday, October 17 at 7:00 pm and Wednesday, October 19 at 7:00 pm award winning, popular and fantastically funny Newfoundland author Wayne Johnston will be here to talk about his wonderful new novel A World Elsewhere.

AND there are more wonderful concerts coming up for Art Space this fall, too!  We’ve currently got tickets for Adrian Glynn on October 16^th, Roy Forbes on October 21^st, Colin Linden as part of Coldsnap on October 30^th and Alex Cuba (seriously, Alex Cuba) on November 18^th.

And don’t forget the special Navaz & Los Gringos show in Art Space on October 29 at 8:00 pm. All the way from Argentina to Iran, this show will blow you away with fantastic global music!  Tickets are only $15 ($10 for students) and available at Books & Co right now!

We’ve also got plans for writing workshops, book clubs for kids and a Howling Halloween Party so stay tuned for future updates!

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less), our blog and on our fantastic homepage!

September 28th Up Coming Events Email

GOOD MORNING PRINCE GEORGE!

So, things are humming at Books & Co, Café Voltaire and Artspace!

This evening, (Wednesday, September 28 at 7:00 pm), historian and storyteller Lloyd Jeck will be in to talk about his new book British Columbia Trails Heading North, which tells the tales of BC pioneers who traveled from across the globe to settle throughout the north.  Come in for the personal details that bring our history to life.

Friday, September 30 is a big one!  Andrew Nikiforuk and Charlotte Gill are going to be in Artspace at 7:30 pm to talk about their books Empire of the Beetle: How Human Folly and a Tiny Bug Are Killing North America’s Great Forests and Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe and give us some insight into what happening in the forests around BC.  If you want to know what happened to all of the pine and spruce and why the bark beetles ran rampant through our forests, you will not want to miss this event!

Remember Nitty-Gritty Non-Fiction Book Clubbers: This month’s pick is Empire of the Beetle and we’ll be meeting an hour before the event starts to discuss the book and then head on up to Artspace to listen to Andrew Nikiforuk talk about the ideas we’ll have just been discussing!

And at 8:00 pm, in Café Voltaire, our Friday night just keeps getting better!  Raghu Lokanathan is back with his particular brand of musical genius!  Come in for a concert by a certified Prince George musical celebrity and enjoy his gritty, achingly beautiful songs.

Saturday, October 1^st we’ve got another musical treat!  Kate Reid will be in Artspace at 8:00 pm for the CD Launch of Doing It For The Chicks.  Her often funny, sometimes tragic folk-roots music has earned her accolades from across the country and we’re excited she’s stopping by Artspace to share the launch of her fantastic new album with US!  You’ve still got time to pick up advance tickets for $12, and as always tickets will be available at the door ($15).

Monday, October 3 (at 7:00 pm) is the beginning of Prince George’s New Favorite Evening: Three Minutes and a Microphone: Literary Karaoke at Café Voltaire!  For the Café Voltaire debut of literary karaoke – a fantastic idea borrowed from the amazing Word Bookstore in Brooklyn, NY –  Books & Company and Café Voltaire invite you to share a portion of your favorite debut work!  It can be a particularly stirring passage from a novel, play, short story or poetry collection by an author who has international renown or is almost unknown. You’ve got 3 minutes, a mic and an audience to entertain! What Will You READ! For more information please contact Nicole at booksandcompanyevents@gmail.com or 250-653-6637

And last but certainly not least, Barbara Stewart¸ will be in Cafe Voltaire on Tuesday, October 4 at 7:00 pm, to read from and sign copies of her book, Campie.  What’s it like to be the lowest rung on the big oil ladder?  A view from the bottom of the oil barrel into work-camp culture, Campie is an entertaining, compelling account of how an ordinary person survives when things fall apart and there’s no “eat pray love” holiday to put them back together.

Stay tuned here for event info on events with Stan Chung (Global Citizen), and Wayne Johnston (A World Elsewhere, The Colony of Unrequited Dreams)!

Also, tickets are currently available for concerts with Valdy & Gary Fjellgaard (October 13) and Roy Forbes (October 21^st)

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less), our blog and on our fantastic homepage!

 

September 20 – Upcoming Events Email!

Hello Prince George, we hope this note finds you well!

Local percussionist Tony Tabora will be in Café Voltaire on Friday September 23^rd at 8pm with vocalists Zona and Gail!  This will be a fabulous showcase of Prince George’s local talent!  We can’t wait to see you at Books & Co. for this amazing, 100% free show!

Canadian darling singer-songwriter Garnet Rogers is returning to Prince George on September 21^st and will be at Artspace at 8pm!  You won’t want to miss this gentleman and his “smooth, dark baritone” and “literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful” music.  There is a reason Rogers has been lauded “one of the major talents of our time” – come down to Books & Co. and discover that reason on Wednesday!  Tickets are $20 each and are available at Books & Co.!

Please join us in welcoming local wordsmith Vivien Lougheed to the Artspace stage as she launches her new book Sidetracked: The Struggle for BC’s Fossils from 7-10pm on Thursday September 22^nd!  On her visit, Vivien will talk about this thrilling new book in which she “tells the fascinating tale of the [Monroe Dinosaur Trackway]’s discovery and, in the telling, weaves in stories of other major fossil finds in British Columbia and across North America, many of which demonstrate how egos, turf wars and a lack of resources diminish the science of palaeontology.”  Exhilarating indeed!  You do not want to miss this event!

From 7-10pm on Friday, September 23^rd the contributing authors of British Columbia’s Inland Rainforest: Ecology, Conservation and Management will be at Artspace for an evening celebrating the paperback edition of their landmark book and they want you to join them!  Please come up to Artspace and meet the authors of this exciting book, which “illuminates the unique ecology of BC’s other rainforest, the one 500km inland, and provides  insight into the physical, social and ecological dimensions of the rainforest.”

We have another author event for you!  At 7pn on Friday September 30^th please join us in Artspace for a visit from Andrew Nikiforuk and Charlotte Gill as they give a reading from their books Empire of the Beetle: How Human Folly and a Tiny Bug Are Killing North America’s Great Forests and Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe!  Very poignant, very timely subject matter!

Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard will be taking the Artspace stage on October 13^th at 8pm!  How many times have you walked passed the registers at Books & Co. and chuckled at the staff as they sing along to the Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard classic VLT?  Too many to count – absolutely!  Tickets for this spectacular show are $25 each and are available now at Books & Co.!

One of our very favourite performers is returning to the Artspace stage!  That’s right folks, Roy “Bim” Forbes is coming back to Prince George at 8pm on October 21^st!  You won’t want to miss this Canadian musical juggernaut who truly needs no introduction!  Tickets for this event are $25 each and are available at Books & Co.!

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less), our blog and on our fantastic homepage!

 

 

 

September 9 – Upcoming Events Email!

To Prince George and beyond,

This Friday (September 9^th) evening Books & Co. and Café Voltaire are proud to announce that Prince George’s very own Karl Standeven will take the Friday Night Mics stage at 8pm!  This singing and song-writing Blues guitarist is bound to knock your socks off!  Please c’mon down to the café, grab a coffee and a seat and take in this absolutely free performance by one of PG’s finest!

Retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant Charles Scheideman is proud to announce the printing of a sequel to his wildly popular Policing the Fringe: The Curious Life of a Small-Town Mountie!  His new book Tragedy on Jackass Mountain: More Stories from a Small-Town Mountie is chalk full of the same wry humour and irresistible small-town-Canada stories you loved in Policing the Fringe!  Better yet – Scheideman is visiting Books & Co. at 2pm on Saturday September 10^th to chat with you, swap shop talk, read from his new book and sign your dog-earred copies of his books!  See you there!

Come down to Café Voltaire Tuesday September 13^th at 6pm and join members of the Prince George Safe Water Coalition as they come together for a Safe Water Panel to discuss water safety in Prince George and its mighty region.

The very next day, Wednesday September 14^th, we are hosting another epic instalment of Café Scientifique!  Come down to the shop for 7pm for a scientifique discussion (we have not been advised of the topic yet, but we’re sure it’s going to be fabulous . . . and we’ll let you know as soon as we do)!

Your favourite Booksters have something very special planned for you and your family on Sunday September 18^th at 2pm!  Come down to the shop for the Roald Dahl Day Peach Party!  Did you know that James and the Giant Peach was first published 50 years ago!?  Join us for a reading from that epic young adult novel and stay to play and make new monsters like those that menace your beloved Dahl heroes!  AND!  Your monster masterpieces will be posted and strung all around Books & Co. to strike fear into the hearts of customers and staff alike . . . or you can take them home to play and scare the wits out of your siblings, parents and friends!  This is going to be a super fun (and free) event – please c’mon down!

Oh family, friends and fans – we have some amazing musical acts lined up for you in the coming weeks!  We’re starting on September 21^st at 8pm with “one of the major talents of our time” Garnet Rogers (tickets are $20 and available now at Books & Co.)!  Then, on October 13^th at 8pm, we are so excited to present Canadian greats Valdy & Gary Fjellgaard (so excited – how many times have you walked passed the Books & Co. counter and saw your favourite Booksters singing along to VLT?  Too many to count – you’re absolutely right) – tickets for this event are $25 each and also available now!  Finally, on October 21^st at 8pm, Canadian musical juggernaut Roy Forbes is returning to the Artspace stage!  That’s right, we have tickets for that show available for you now for $25 each!

Please join us in welcoming local wordsmith Vivien Lougheed to the Artspace stage as she launches her new book Sidetracked: The Struggle for BC’s Fossils from 7-10pm on Thursday September 22^nd!  On her visit, Vivien will talk about this thrilling new book in which she “tells the fascinating tale of the [Monroe Dinosaur Trackway]’s discovery and, in the telling, weaves in stories of other major fossil finds in British Columbia and across North America, many of which demonstrate how egos, turf wars and a lack of resources diminish the science of palaeontology.”  Exhilarating indeed!  You do not want to miss this event!

From 7-10pm on Friday, September 23^rd the contributing authors of British Columbia’s Inland Rainforest: Ecology, Conservation and Management will be at Artspace for an evening celebrating the paperback edition of their landmark book and they want you to join them!  Please come up to Artspace and meet the authors of this exciting book, which “illuminates the unique ecology of BC’s other rainforest, the one 500km inland, and provides  insight into the physical, social and ecological dimensions of the rainforest.”

Books & Co. is very proud to announce the birth (so to speak) of another new project of our own!  We have a brand new book club for all of the new parents in the crowd!  The Shhhh, Mommy’s (or Daddy’s) Reading book club has been designed for new parents who need to get out of the house to chit-chat about new literature and who are curious about new titles their new little bundles of joy would enjoy listening to just before bedtime!  While the books discussed won’t just be about babies and parenting, we may just throw one or two in for fun!  Our inaugural meeting is scheduled for Monday September 26^th at 10am in Café Voltaire, where the books The Help by Katherin Stockett and Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin will be discussed.  Please come out and socialize over books, coffee and scones with us!

We have another author event for you!  At 7pm on Friday September 30^th please join us in Artspace for a visit from Andrew Nikiforuk and Charlotte Gill as they give a reading from their books Empire of the Beetle: How Human Folly and a Tiny Bug Are Killing North America’s Great Forests and Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe!  Very poignant, very timely subject matter!

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less) and on our fantastic homepage!

July 27 – Upcoming Events Email!

Welcome to the end of July and (hopefully) beginning of some summer weather!

We have a pretty special treat for you on Thursday (July 28^th), folks!  Grassroots and gypsy blues Queen Miss Quincy is going to be stopping by the Artspace stage on her way to Artswells!  She’ll be here at 8pm – be here, you will not want to miss this show!  Tickets are $10 each and are available at Books & Co.!

Alas, we are loathe to inform you that there will not be any music in Café Voltaire this Friday.  However!  In lieu of your regularly scheduled café concert, our fabulous Friday Night Mics host Eric Tompkins has booked the Artspace stage for a night of Navaz!  This Persian fusion group is always a treat, featuring the sufi singing of Neda Jalali with setar virtuoso Ali Razmi, and we highly recommend you stop on by!

On Sunday August 7^th, from 2-4pm, we are hosting a special and super exciting event at Books & Co.!  To celebrate Winnie-the-Pooh’s 90^th birthday we’re inviting all of you to come down for an afternoon of card making!  Once your greeting card masterpieces are complete our favourite Booksters will collect and send them to the New York Public Library, the home of the original Winnie-the-Pooh doll set, for the festivities later in the month (Pooh’s actual birthday is on August 21^st)!  This is definitely something to attend with the family!  See you there!

Then, on Wednesday August 10^th, we’re calling on all of our writers, wannabe-writers and anyone entertaining the thought of someday putting a pen to a piece of paper for any reason whatsoever to come down to Café Voltaire for a meeting with the members of the Federation of BC Writers for some fun and an introduction to the Federation!  This event will be hosted by PG darling Vivien Lougheed (FBCW’s Northern Representative), will feature an introduction to the Federation by FBCW President (the honourable) Craig Spence, and will be graced by readings from local legends Jacqueline Baldwin, Joylene Lowell Butler (who you may remember from this month’s author visit to Café Voltaire) and a host of other awesome homegrown talent!  Another amazing event you do not want to miss!

Books & Co. is also excited to announce the incarnation of a brandy new book club!  The Nitty-Gritty Non-Fiction Book Club, brainchild of Bookies Erin and Asia, is as it sounds: a study of sometimes controversial, but always interesting non-fiction.  This club will be studying some of the best non-fiction to hit our shelves, starting with Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals (available in the shop now for $16.99).  The inaugural meeting will take place on Sunday August 28^th from 3pm until 5pm in Café Voltaire.  If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us via our handy-dandy Facebook page, through 140 fantastic characters (or less) on Twitter, telephonically ((250) 563-6637), or just stop on by!

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less) and on our fantastic homepage!

Have a fantastic week!