Review-Mirror

10 – October 8, 2009 The Review-Mirror By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror After living with his protagonist for ten years novelist John Pigeau has sent his fictional misfit Finny McKee out into the world in his newly pub- lished first novel. The Nothing Waltz fol- lows the anxiety-riddled misadventures of McKee as he struggles to reconcile a perpetual adolescence— filled with fear, booze, and a string of bewildered ex- girlfriends—with his yearning for an adult rela- tionship. The novel and its main character have had a warm reception. "People have been ask- ing me- Is that it? They want more of Finny," said Pigeau who has followed the adage of 'write what you know'. Finny, like Pigeau has his struggles with panic disorder. Fear along with friendship and relation- ships are what the novel is about said Pigeau "I wanted to write it so people without panic dis- order could understand it a little better," he said. Fear is also the inspira- tion for the novel's title, The Nothing Walz. "Fear is like nothing. You can't touch it. You can't see it. It's there but it's not. The waltz is like life," said Pigeau. The novel is set in Kingston where Pigeau grew up and completed a degree in literature at Queen's. Writing has been a con- stant for Pigeau who was writing fiction in Grade school and was encour- aged in high school by his English teachers. He went on after graduating from Queen's to study journal- ism at Loyalist College in Belleville and worked pro- fessionally as a journalist and editor until 2005. "I think editing and being a journalist made me really think about every word I was writing," said Pigeau, who decided to take some time off to write fiction four years ago. A 40-page submission of part of his novel to an Ontario Arts Council Works In Progress 2005 competition netted him $11,500, as one of 15 recipients out of 115 appli- cants. "In my mind it was val- idation that it was good- at least 40 pages were good," he said. "I've been telling peo- ple that's the best mail I've ever got," said Pigeau of pulling the surprise cheque out of the envelope. Pigeau said the novel was written in spurts, which includes a winter sojourn living in Westport in 2007. I thought it would be a nice quiet peaceful place. I had cabin fever. I couldn't wait to get back to Kingston. I had trouble writing here," he said. After his novel was completed in early 2009, Pigeau was pleased to be approached by Hidden Brook Press. The regional press in Brighton has included the novel as part of the fourth set of books in their North Shore Series featuring writers from the Lake Ontario region. Pigeau is pleased the book is selling well enough that publisher Richard Grove is pushing to print a second edition. Stillwater Books is highlighting Pigeau's release Oct. 9 with a book signing from 2 to 5 p.m. By Margaret Brand The Review-Mirror This weekend stained glass artist Steven Boyd is sharing some of his small- er work with Fall Colours Studio Tour visitors on Friday, Saturday and Sun- day. The sun catchers and custom windows he'll be hanging at his studio on the Althorpe Road are tes- tament to his skill and cre- ativity but perhaps not to the depth of his care and patience. Boyd has spent much of his career spanning three decades restoring the beauty and integrity of heritage stained glass win- dows in churches and pub- lic buildings in North America and Europe. His skill has also been important closer to home in Canada where among other communities he's served he's completed restoration work for churches in Westport, Newboro, Elgin and Bur- ridge and Althorpe. In 1986 Boyd began learning his craft with stained glass with North- ern Art Glass in Ottawa where he worked on the restoration of the windows of Notre Dame Basilica. After what amounted to a four year apprenticeship Boyd set sail with the cre- ation of his own studio. "The restoration work is always there," said Boyd who also creates custom panels for home- owners to grace exterior windows, interior panels and cupboard doors. Unlike some materials stained glass can be around for centuries with proper care. Panes of glass are held together in panels with channels of lead cane with grout securing the slack between the two hard materials. A grid of rods helps to support the weight of the window in larger panels. In eighty or ninety years of expansion and contraction the grout which holds the lead chan- nel around the stained glass can loosen and require maintenance, just one of the problems restor- ers like Boyd can correct or prevent. "Windows in the cathe- drals in Europe have been around for centuries," said Boyd who spent four win- ters in Scotland with a restoration studio. The beauty of stained glass is something he enjoys in his own home where on a south wall in autumn the window's rose colour frames golden maples. "The way it catches the light it always changes with the time of the year," said Boyd. This weekend Boyd keeps up an architectural theme with his guest artist Philipsville's Rue Royale sculptor Doug MacDon- ald. Using inspiration of century old stone carvings MacDonald recreates architectural sculptures in cast stone. Boyd's open studio this weekend is part of a three- day event with studios opening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday when 23 artists will be on hand at 11 stu- dios. See pages 12 and 13 for the details. Brochures with maps are also available at local businesses and informa- tion is also available online at http://artatwork.ca/westpo r t _ s t u d i o t o u r s / f a l l - colours/index.htm. John Pigeau, a novelist and sometimes bookseller at Stillwater Books in Westport will be signing his new book The Nothing Waltz at a launch there this Friday. Photo by Margaret Brand Steven Boyd uses his expertise with stained glass to create and to restore. His unique antique log-built studio on the Althorpe Road north of Westport is one of 11 studios on the Fall Colours Studio Tour this weekend. Photo by Margaret Brand Fall Colours Studio Tour Artist's skills enhances the old and the new Authour returns to Westport for book signing Friday "I thought it would be a nice quiet peaceful place. I had cabin fever. I could- n't wait to get back to Kingston. I had trouble writing here" John Pigeau on his sojourn in Westport ONTARIO JUNIOR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY! THERE'S ONE IN EVERY CROWD Contact this newspaper or the Ontario Community Newspapers Association at www.ocna.org or 905.639.8720 Sponsored by: Coordinated by d by: by If you know a young person, aged 6 to 17, who is involved in worthwhile community service; a special person who is is contributing while living with a limitation; a youth who has performed an act of heroism; or a 'good kid' who shows a a commitment to making life better for others, doing more than is normally expected of someone their age – HELP US US RECOGNIZE THEIR CONTRIBUTION – NOMINATE THEM TODAY! Nominations will be accepted until November 30, 2009 Leeds and Grenville Family and Children's Services director retiring Family and Children's Service's of Leeds and Grenville will be engaging in a change of leadership in the coming year as their Executive Director retires. Robert Pickens, Executive Director of Family and Children's Services of Leeds and Grenville, announced today he will be retiring June 30 The Board intends to make full use of the upcoming nine months to complete the search and transition peri- od and has established a search committee to begin the process of finding his replacement. Pickens began his career in child protection in Lon- don in 1976 and came to Leeds and Grenville in 1994. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU EARN, IT'S WHAT YOU KEEP WE CAN HELP... • Minimize personal and corporate taxes • Solve your bookkeeping and accounting problems • Provide computer support BRENT J. BURNS CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 97 Stone St. N. Main Street Gananoque, Ontario Elgin, Ontario Monday through Friday Thursday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 382-4731 359-6615

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