The Fly on the Wall

The Fly on the Wall
Jim Westergard, wood engraving 2006

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Reading at Audrey's Bookstore in Edmonton & then Red Deer launch




First blogs of 2008 -- ridiculous!

Wow, where has the year gone? I have been a very delinquent blogger, I'm afraid, but this is my attempt to catch up. Well, the book (Fly on the Wall) hit the shelves back in April in beautiful hardcover, and we had an incredibly successful local launch here in Red Deer and a couple great radio interviews -- one with Ken Davies, host of Bookmarks on CKUA radio, and another with CJSW radio. We've had very positive feedback on the book, which has surprised both Jim (the artist) and myself, considering how unusual the concept was and how dark and twisted some of the subject matter is. Turns out there are more warped people like us out there than we thought, including the mayor of Red Deer and his wife (Morris & Hazel Flewwelling) who have been great supporters of the book!


Another interesting tidbit to report... our publisher, ECW Press, informed us that they've sold the foreign rights to Romania, so I'm pleased to inform that we broke into the Transylvanian vampire market! Pretty cool -- can't wait to get a copy translated in Romanian.

Blurb from ECW Press about The Fly on the Wall

Privy to the details of all your secret moments, all your misdeeds, private conversations and indulgences, the fly on the wall is neutral. It doesn't care that you cheat on your income tax, it won't stop you from jumping and it won't call the police when you eliminate the neighbour's cat. It sees you spike the punch, touch yourself, curse your spouse, and switch your Scrabble tiles when your opponent leaves to pee.


Fly on the Wall is a finely illustrated collection of short "punch fiction" stories intended for adults. Inspired by the age-old expression, "Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall for that conversation?" the creators have teamed up to explore what some of these private conversations, moments and encounters might be like.

The short stories and pen-and-ink drawings throughout Fly on the Wall are dark and subversive by nature, with an inherent wry humor prevalent throughout. Along with the fly, the reader eavesdrops on church confessionals, jail visits, funeral homes, assisted suicide, hitch-hiking, cross-dressing, alcoholism and murder...to name a few.

With arresting visuals and reminiscent of the storytelling in a Robert Altman film, Fly on the Wall is a collection that is sure to provoke, shock and inspire.

To listen to an interview on CKUA (Bookmark with Ken Davis) with the author and the artist, visit the CKUA website.