“I
am not going to disclose any passages from Alan's book, not yet, not anything
more than what he chose (or perhaps what Shelagh Rogers chose, since moments
before the interview began he himself still hadn't picked a passage) for this
Reading, though I will confess to being sorely, even desperately tempted to do
just that. There are so many passages I could quote, that I want to quote…We’ll Go Into the Rising’ Horizon” Part One –As Familiar As
Truth The Boy’s Story” (Alan Doyle’s First Book Reading, Writers At Woody
Point. 22 August 2014. Between the
Rock and A Hard Place
Good news first @lyndahere. Just in case you missed it. ‘Where
I Belong’ will be available in digital format for Canadian and American fans as
well as international fans from the 14 October 2014 on Google Play and Amazon.
I have pre-ordered mine. So therefore you don’t need to copy huge passages from
the book. Alan Doyle is an educated, articulate man who has been speaking not
only for himself, but also for Great Big Sea and Newfoundland to the world for
years. Yes, we have seen Alan Doyle's many wonderful interviews on YouTube and he gets
his message across perfectly without your assistance or interpretation.
Over the past couple of weeks @lyndahere has been
continuously on social media tweeting and posting about Alan Doyle’s new book and
the Woody Point Writer’s Festival. She was one of the first fans to find
and read the book at the writer's festival and
tweeted a photo to valid her claims. Then there was the bootlegged video of his
talk (which I didn’t watch), the blog post (which I only kind of read) and the
many photographs. Next, she won a contest at Random House and now she is
reviewing the book for them. (Although on Google play where I buy things anyone
can write a review).
On her blog @lyndahere wrote about her need to copy large
passages from the book and write about them. But as she has told us on so
many occasions, what a kind and thoughtful soul she is (when receiving one of
her many exclusive firsts) not to spoil it for others. However, in the next
breath, she went back on her word and described a delightful and intimate
story between a grandmother and her grandchild, to those of us who chose to
venture into her blog. A sign of things to come.
“I
am not going to disclose any passages from Alan's book, not yet, not anything
more than what he chose (or perhaps what Shelagh Rogers chose, since moments
before the interview began he himself still hadn't picked a passage) for this
Reading, though I will confess to being sorely, even desperately tempted to do
just that… There are so many passages I could quote, that I want to quote - deftly
crafted jewels whose brilliance dazzles in attention's spotlight (much like
their Maker):…An insider's view into a way of life which is both irretrievably
lost and irrefuseably enduring, rare in its vantage point and priceless in its
perspective.
There
is so much that could be said, that should and will be said when more than a
scant handful of folks have had the opportunity to read this book. To dwell
overmuch on the specifics now could diminish the thrill and joy of discovery in
reading Where I Belong, and I took far too much of my own pleasure in
that reading to risk undermining it for anyone else. But I will most certainly
make a Literary Jewel Dazzle Date for immediately after the publication date.
October 15th it is, then”.
Fans throughout Canada, America and around the world have very kindly
pre-ordered the book and are waiting patiently for it to be released in October
2014. @lyndahere to me, seems to be more interested in the thrill of the chase,
being the first and only fan to do this or that and to write about it on social media.
Then there is the exclusive interaction and personal knowledge shared with Alan Doyle
on Twitter before moving onto the next thing in his career. She seems to be unable to live in the present
and enjoy whatever is on offer, very rarely sharing and engaging with other
fans, even those who like her and validate and reinforce her activities. @lyndahere
is too busy off on the next thing repeating the cycle. She misses the point
that when fans create a community and a sense of belonging that in turn
determines and sells products. But hey what do I know.
I have just read the review of Alan Doyle’s book Where I
Belong on the Amazon and Google Play sites. On the Amazon site there are a
range of reviews from his colleagues in Great Big Sea and his friends and
fellow Newfoundlanders and Canadians. A great review.
I am wondering what could she possibly offer on a review
(other than to disclose content from the book). She is not a Newfoundlander and
she was not born or raised a Newfoundlander. Nor does she seem to have done any
serious study on Newfoundland, its people and culture other than to attend
various music functions, charity events and spent a considerable amount of time
down the pub with her trusty companion Christina. Her social media sites indicate
she is not an insider or accepted by the community by anyway due to the fact
that very few members of the Newfoundland community have ever contacted her despite
the amount of time she has lived there.
“…I
promise to put up reminders and links when this interview is broadcast come
Fall. And I can certainly be counted on to remind the wide world outside about Where I Belong's publication.
The above statement says a lot about what @lyndahere thinks
about fans and the people who are running this story and that she is in her
mind an intimate and necessary part. But we know differently and have heard that all. We will be there when the time is right.
This review was copied from Amazon.com (No copyright
infringement intended).
From the lead singer of the band Great Big Sea comes a
lyrical and captivating musical memoir about growing up in the tiny fishing
village of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, and then taking to the world stage.
Singer-songwriter and front man of the great Canadian band
Great Big Sea, Alan Doyle is also a lyrical storyteller and a creative force.
In Where I Belong, Alan paints a vivid, raucous and heartwarming
portrait of a curious young lad born into the small coastal fishing community
of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland, and destined to become a renowned musician who
carried the musical tradition of generations before him and brought his
signature sound to the world. He tells of a childhood surrounded by
larger-than-life characters who made an indelible impression on his music and
work; of his first job on the wharf cutting out cod tongues for fishermen; of
growing up in a family of five in a two-bedroom house with a beef-bucket as a
toilet, yet lacking nothing; of learning at his father's knee how to sing the
story of a song and learning from his mother how to simply "be good";
and finally, of how everything he ever learned as a kid prepared him for that
pivotal moment when he became part of Great Big Sea and sailed away on what
would be the greatest musical adventure of his life.
Filled with the lore and traditions of the East Coast and
told in a voice that is at once captivating and refreshingly candid, this is a
narrative journey about small-town life, curiosity and creative fulfillment,
and finally, about leaving everything you know behind only to learn that no
matter where you go, home will always be with you.
“In Where I Belong,
Alan uses his natural ‘master storyteller superpower’ to draw you in as a
reader in much the same way he does while holding court in the pub or in his
own kitchen. This book shines a light on a very particular place and time in
Newfoundland’s history, as seen through the eyes of one of the province’s
greatest talents.”
—Allan Hawco, co-creator/star of Republic of Doyle
—Allan Hawco, co-creator/star of Republic of Doyle
“To many people, Petty
Harbour’s geographic isolation, bleak surroundings, and limited economic
opportunities would have placed limits on their lives, limits from which they
would have never recovered. To my friend Alan Doyle, they were just a challenge
to overcome, and this strange and eccentric village would offer a well of
experience, enough to fuel a lifetime of creativity. Newfoundland has changed
immensely in the past decades, but Petty Harbour held onto its past for much
longer than most places, and Alan was lucky enough to remember how wonderful it
could be.”
—Bob Hallett, of Great Big Sea
—Bob Hallett, of Great Big Sea
“Doyle [is] a master
storyteller in a land rich in that resource. Where I Belong brought back some
amazing memories of growing up in a small fishing community and what was to be
life outside our hometown. From the first time I laid eyes on him, Alan’s been
that guy, the funny, charming dude cursed with charisma, with the talent to
back it up. This book gives great insight into that super-talented, creative
and insightful mind of a true entertainer.”
—Perry Chafe, co-creator/writer of Republic of Doyle
—Perry Chafe, co-creator/writer of Republic of Doyle
