Ottawegian Success

[mythteller]

I just spent the weekend in Ottawa at the 17th Annual Storytelling Festival. I had two shows on Sunday: The Devil's Details and City Tales (I was replacing another teller who couldn't make it).

Both shows were well-attended and we were very well received. I need to contact the festival organizers to find our what our reviews were like (and update the website with any comments we received). We sold 10 books (4 books were sold even before we told any stories)!

Whenever I go to these festivals, I'm excited and charged up. I meet all types of storytellers, some amateur, some professional, some full-timers who managed to make a living from it. These other tellers inspire me and get me dreaming of telling my stories in faraway places. We exchange news, tips, and (of course) stories.

It's also a great place to pick up new storytelling books. I've got lots of new reading to catch up on.

But when the festival is over, it's back to the real world of writing, contracts, and billsbillsbills. I always get a bit depressed after we pack our stuff up and head home for the final time, but it's great to have that time to really live in our artform with our fellow performers and our dedicated audiences.

A storyteller is who I am. A storyteller is who I want to be.

Comments

[mousme.livejournal.com]

So... let's say, hypothetically, that I had poked around your website, and thought "Gee! Storytelling! That sounds fascinating!" Especially to the English Major in me who's always had a fascination with mythology, folk tales, and the oral tradition.

What would, again hypothetically, be the next step in finding out more about what goes on at these events?

(I can't believe I'm thinking of fitting something else into my life. Dammit! Too many shiny interesting things out there...)

[jdhobbes.livejournal.com]

You could go to the next meeting of the Montreal Storytellers Guild that meet the fourth Tuesday of each month.

Ms.Carotte will be telling at the next meeting and if I can learn a new story between now and then, so will I.

You can find out more about it here:
http://www.mtlstorytellers.ca/

If you want to talk about storytelling, we could always discuss it over coffee or a pint.

[mousme.livejournal.com]

Both options sound neat, actually. I shall try to make the next session (sadly, the NaNoWriMo meetups are on Wednesdays, so I'm going to have to juggle priorities on that day). The prospect of Mam'zelle Carrotte telling a story is definitely an appealing one. :)

[jdhobbes.livejournal.com]

Actually, the Guild meeting in November is the 23rd (a Wednesday).

[mousme.livejournal.com]

So, what's your schedule like these days? It seems like the only time we ever see each other is at events organized by Taras (and Rose's wedding, of course). This ought to be remedied. :)

[jdhobbes.livejournal.com]

Nowadays, my schedule is so tight, I'm stressing in all sorts of ways. I have a major deadline to meet at the end of this month (not NaNo) and then I'll be off for a month.

So probably not this month. Can I get a raincheck?

[mousme.livejournal.com]

Geez, you thought I meant November?

Hahahahaa! It is to laugh. :P

I've got six million things to stress about too, not including NaNo. That's just my bonus stress to myself, so that at least one of the things I'm stressing about will have a tangible result at the end of the month.

Uh, no. I was thinking more, say, December. Or, you know, if I come to the meeting on the 23rd, we can talk then, if there's time afterward. :)

[jdhobbes.livejournal.com]

I think that particular meeting is the 27th of December, but I won't be there 'cause I'll be in the Northern Reaches of Ontari-ari-ario (where the Carotte brood hails from).

But please come in November. Pencil it in.

[mousme.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I meant the November meet. I should in theory be able to make it in December, but it's the day after Boxing Day, which means I might either have work or other committments. Boo.

I have already pencilled November in my calendar. :)