Blog

Welcome to the blog page of my website. This is where I tell you about the latest happenings in my writing life and express my opinions on things going on in the world of Canadian writing, arts and politics. I’ve been blogging since 2004 and have created an index to the posts that have stood the test of time, which you can access by clicking HERE.

To receive notifications about new posts, and join my very select list of subscribers, I invite you to enter your email address in the “subscribe to blog via Email” box down the page at the right. I post infrequently, and I promise I will never send you spam! Make sure to enable Reader View to make for easier reading when you view the posts. Happy reading!

Remembering Greg McIntyre, 1943–2018

Posted by on Aug 4, 2021 in Brian's Blog, Newspapers and Magazines | Comments Off on Remembering Greg McIntyre, 1943–2018

I owe him a great debt of gratitude for bringing me back to newspapers when I saw my future in radio.

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NYT obit writer makes her exit

Posted by on Jul 1, 2021 in Books, Brian's Blog, Canadian history, Irish history, Irish poetry, Journalism | Comments Off on NYT obit writer makes her exit

Writing newspaper obits brings many rewards. Writing books brings even more.

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Remembering John Ashbridge, 1946-2018

Posted by on Jun 7, 2021 in Brian's Blog, Journalism, Radio, Victoria | Comments Off on Remembering John Ashbridge, 1946-2018

He was an accomplished and experienced radio newsman by age twenty-four, and taught me everything I needed to know about becoming a news announcer in Canada.

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Why I’m leaving The Writers’ Union of Canada

Posted by on May 26, 2021 in Books, Brian's Blog | Comments Off on Why I’m leaving The Writers’ Union of Canada

I joined because I believed in its goals, which included support for freedom of expression. I’m quitting because it moved to silence me after I submitted for publication a story its magazine editor had commissioned me to write.

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Remembering Jack Tennant, 1935–2018

Posted by on May 23, 2021 in Alcoholism, Brian's Blog, Journalism | Comments Off on Remembering Jack Tennant, 1935–2018

The veteran newsman was booked to tell an audience stories from his journalistic past. Instead he revealed a dark secret that he had never spoken publicly about before.

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