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The advocate and educator Rita Miceli discusses her new memoir Giaci and Me: A Mother’s Journey of Loving and Raising an Autistic Child (Pownal Street Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Giaci and Me: A Mother’s Journey of Loving and Raising an Autistic Child by Rita Miceli (Pownal Street Press, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Giaci and Me Text of introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. In a new memoir, advocate and mother Rita Miceli shares the story of her son Giaci’s autism diagnosis in early childhood through to his teen years and now into adulthood. In the book, Ms. Miceli, who joins me now, offers her innermost thoughts, fears, and narrates the challenges and victories she’s experienced raising her son, as well as advocating for other children with autism, and their parents. Her advocacy and lobbying of government officials for funding and support is also talked about in the book that Temple Grandin has praised because of the author’s practice of tolerance and procedural routine. I’ll ask Rita about what life was like for her family, and what the system in Ontario, then as now, is like for families with an autistic child. I’ll also ask her about what she’d like readers to get out of this book. Rita Miceli is an educator and an advocate for autism awareness. She teaches in the Autism and Behavioural Science Graduate Program at St. Clair College. She joined me late last month from her home in Windsor, Ontario. The book is called Giaci and Me: A Mother’s Journey of Loving and Raising an Autistic Child. It’s published by Pownal Street Press. Visit www.giaciandme,com for more. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Rita Miceli; Ms. Miceli, good morning.The post Rita Miceli first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The author and journalist Ron Base discusses the latest installment of the successful series of novels he’s written with Prudence Emery, Princess of the Savoy: A Priscilla Tempest Mystery, Book 3 (Douglas & McIntyre, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Princess of the Savoy: A Priscilla Tempest Mystery, Book 3 by Ron Base and Prudence Emery (Douglas & McIntyre, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Princess of the Savoy Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. One of the more popular mystery series is out with their third book. Princess of the Savoy: A Priscilla Tempest Mystery, Book 3 is the latest installment from authors Ron Base and Prudence Emery. Ron Base joins me now. Set in the swinging Sixties, we’re back at London’s Savoy Hotel, as Priscilla Tempest, the hotel’s publicist turned amateur sleuth finds herself in the heart of another thriller. And if you’re like me, and haven’t read the first two, you need not have, because as I’ve started it, they’re easy to get into engaging, fun and gripping. There’s glamour, danger, as well as international intrigue. I’ve haven’t quite finished the book, but it promises a lot of excitement, a murder or two, a fascist plot, threats from an American gangster, and a lot of old time Hollywood. I’ll ask Mr. Base about this new book, this series, and working with Miss Emery, who was the press and public relations officer at the Savoy Hotel. Ron Base is a former newspaper and magazine journalist and movie critic. His works include twenty novels, two novellas, and four non-fiction books. Visit www.ronbase.com for more. He lives in Milton, Ontario, but he joined me whilst on vacation in the South of France last month. This new book is published by Douglas & McIntyre. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Ron Base; Mr. Base, good morning.The post Ron Base first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and performer Sabrina Reeves discusses her debut novel Little Crosses (House of Anansi Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Little Crosses by Sabrina Reeves (House of Anansi Press, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Little Crosses Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. There’s a new novel out now, Little Crosses. Its author Sabrina Reeves joins me to talk about the relationship of a daughter to her complicated, narcissistic mother, who now lives with alcohol-related dementia. I’ll ask Sabrina about Cassie Wolfe, and her mother Nina, and about the struggles Cassie has in reconciling the mother she knew before dementia, and the woman that is now an alcoholic. She wasn’t always like this of course, she was an architect and builder, somebody with incredible charisma. We get a sense of who Nina was, as Cassie sits down prior to her mother’s intake at a detox facility, as she  write down a sketch of who her mother was. The book touches on the relationship between parents and children, addiction, as well as grief. I’ll ask Sabrina to tell us as much as she’d like about this book and what from her personal experience might have inspired some of the novel that is Little Crosses. Sabrina Reeves is a writer, performer, and co-founder of the inter-disciplinary performance collective bluemouth inc. This new book is published by House of Anansi Press. For more visit www.sabrinareeves.com. We spoke about three and a half weeks ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Sabrina Reeves; Ms. Reeves, good morning.The post Sabrina Reeves first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The bestselling author and journalist Elizabeth Renzetti discusses the new novel she’s co-written with Kate Hilton, Bury the Lead (House of Anansi Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Bury the Lead by Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti (House of Anansi, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Bury the Lead Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. Elizabeth Renzetti joins me now. She’s the co-author of one of the season’s best novels, Bury the Lead. We’ll talk about the book, which is a great homage to the murder mystery genre, as well as the setting of the small-town newspaper, which in this book is the professional home of our lead character, Cat Conway. Conway, who grew up in the cottage country town of Port Ellis, finds herself back there working on the local paper, the Quill & Packet. I’ll ask Ms. Renzetti about this character of Conway, why we’re drawn to her and what she represents with her professional experience, and the middle of life that she finds herself in with all its complexities. As the star of local theatre’s play, Eliot Fraser is murdered on opening night, Conway sets out to find out how, why, and importantly who did the deed, as well as whether Fraser had it coming. I’ll also ask Elizabeth about working with Kate Hilton, who was on this program earlier, and what to expect with this character in subsequent books. Elizabeth Renzetti is a bestselling author and journalist. Many will remember her for her many years as a reporter and columnist at the Globe and Mail. She is the author of the essay collection Shrewed: A Wry and Closely Observed Look at the Lives of Women and Girls, and the novel Based on a True Story. She’s got another book out later this year, What She Said: Conversations About Equality. Visit www.elizabethrenzetti.com for more. Bury the Lead is published by House of Anansi Press. We spoke about three weeks ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Elizabeth Renzetti; Ms. Renzetti, good morning.The post Elizabeth Renzetti first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and poet Judith Pond discusses her debut novel The Signs of No (University of Calgary Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. The Signs of No by Judith Pond (University of Calgary Press, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The Signs of No Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. Judith Pond is the author of the new novel The Signs of No. She joins me now to talk about the characters in the book, and the themes she tackles in the novel. The first character we meet as the story begins is Rose, a divorced, fifty-year-old, who we later find out is estranged from her daughter. I’ll ask her about Rose, this fascinating character who as our hero is relatable for the reader. I’ll also ask about other characters in the book, like Morrison, and Abbey, and what these characters go through. The book contends with guilt and grief, as the characters deal or don’t deal with loss in their lives. They also deal with parenthood, motherhood in particular. I’ll ask Judith about these themes that she explores and the characters that she spent a lot of time with as she wrote this book. Judith Pond has published fiction and poetry in a wide variety of literary journals. She is the author of four poetry collections, including A Shape of Breath. Visit www.judithpond.ca for more. The Signs of No is published by University of Calgary Press, as part of their Brave and Brilliant Series. We spoke about two and a half weeks ago, with Judith joining me from Calgary. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Judith Pond; Ms. Pond, good morning.The post Judith Pond first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The writer and poet Katherine Leyton discusses her new memoir Motherlike (Second Story Press, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Motherlike by Katherine Leyton (Second Story Press, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Motherlike Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. In a deeply personal memoir, Katherine Leyton tells her story as a woman, a feminist, and mother. Her personal experiences and her evolving perspective shine a light on the universal experience that mothers encounter. The book is called Motherlike and it’s honest, raw and candid. It illuminates for a lot of us what it’s like to bring life into the world, and all the changes that ensue. I’ll talk to Katherine now about the book, about the experiences she writes about. They start off as addressed to her child, her son. She talks about how her life has changed over the course of being pregnant, and not just her life but her outlook on life itself. She talks about what she’s lost and gained as a result of becoming a mother, and the changes emotional and physical. Men come into focus too, and not just her relationship with her son’s father, but through negative experiences from men Katherine has encountered; how that shapes her own thinking, affecting it negatively as well. She also does something in the book, that as a male, I’ve had no comprehension of heretofore, the sleeplessness as a result of giving birth, and the postpartum depression and how it manifests itself. Katherine Leyton is a poet, screenwriter, and nonfiction writer from Toronto. Her first book of poems, All the Gold Hurts My Mouth, received the ReLit Award. Her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, Hazlitt, and Bitch. She lives in Ottawa, but joined me earlier this month from Florida where she was visiting with relatives. This new book is published by Second Story Press. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Katherine Leyton; Ms. Leyton, good morning.The post Katherine Leyton first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The acclaimed vocalist Natalie Douglas discusses her new album Back to the Garden (Club44, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. Natalie Douglas joins me now. The acclaimed chanteuse has just released a new album, Back to the Garden. It’s a collection of golden age standards, pop gems from the Woodstock generation, with surprises along the way; all songs that demonstrate the vast range of Douglas’s talents as a singer, performer, and interpreter of song. There are new big band arrangements of Cole Porter’s “Begin the Beguine,” a tender version of the ballad “You’ll Never Know,” as well as a new take on the song “Who?” A rare song, “He Lives in a World of His Own,” written for Shirley Bassey by Lionel Bart, is on the album, and it’s just delightful to hear it for once, but also to wonder what might have been.  There’s also a rock-inspired interpretation of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” as well as a soaring anthem written just for Natalie by the founders of the Club44 label, who release this album, Wayne Haun and Joel Lindsay, “Love is the Power that Heals Me.” I’ll ask Ms. Douglas about this album, the songs therein, and the craft of performing before a live audience as she does. We’ll also talk about the incredible research Natalie does for her popular shows, which she performs around the world, and at her home base, New York City’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club. She is an expert instructor at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, the Sullivan Foundation, and the Mabel Mercer Foundation. Visit www.NatalieDouglas.com for more. We spoke nearly one month ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Natalie Douglas; Ms. Douglas, good morning.The post Natalie Douglas first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The bestselling author Kate Hilton discusses the new novel she co-wrote with Elizabeth Renzetti, Bury the Lead (House of Anansi, 2024), with Joseph Planta. Bury the Lead by Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti (House of Anansi, 2024). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Bury the Lead Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. One of the best reads of the season is the new novel from Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti, Bury the Lead. It’s a mystery set at the Quill & Packet newspaper, in small-town Port Ellis, where a former big-city journalist returns to a community full of secrets, and a murder. Ms. Hilton joins me now, with Ms. Renzetti appearing on the show in a few days. The lead character is named Cat Conway, and she’s a strong character with complexities that make her real and relatable. She’s assigned to interview the legendary actor Eliot Fraser, the lead in the local theatre’s season opener. He ends up dead on opening night, and soon it’s up to Cat to uncover the sleepy town’s secrets, and perhaps solve the mystery surrounding Fraser’s death. I’ll get Ms. Hilton to tell us as much as she’d like about the book, and the characters therein. I’ll also ask her about working with Renzetti, and the crafting of a narrative and mystery. Kate Hilton is the bestselling author of three novels, The Hole in the Middle, Just Like Family, and Better Luck Next Time. When not writing, she works in psychotherapy and life coaching clients in the area of transformational change. And she knows all about that, having re-invented herself to great success, which I’ll ask about. This new book is the first in a series, and is published by House of Anansi Press. We spoke about two and half weeks ago. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Kate Hilton; Ms. Hilton, good morning.The post Kate Hilton first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The late George Garrett is remembered by Joseph Planta with clips from interviews they did over the years. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. George Garrett died on Monday night. He was eighty-nine years old. Eighty-nine years is a long time, but in George’s case, I know so many people, family and friends alike, George himself, would have wanted just a little while longer. It’s a testament to a life well lived that eighty-nine years was not nearly enough. He filled those eighty-nine years with a lot. His career in reporting at CKNW and at BCTV is legendary. Much has already been said over the last day or so in the media, and social media, of his career that yielded so many awards and accolades. Each one delighted and perhaps stunned the product of middle-of-nowhere, Saskatchewan, who made his way west, and made a life and career that remain the envy of so many. It is, one should note a career that might not be possible today. It was cancer that hastened George’s life. It’s been a couple of years now since he was first diagnosed. He faced it, as he did his life and career, with dignity and enthusiasm. And as he taught us over the years how to live, in his own inimitable way, he taught us how to contend with the spectre of death. Again, with dignity, and he was gallant. Our mutual friend George Orr often describes Garrett as a gentleman. So many people have commented on his kindness as a reporter. His integrity is certainly oft-mentioned. But what made George Garrett so likeable and so good was because he was a gentleman, and a gentle man. You saw that in the compassionate lens with which he saw life and the problems of our society, in how he covered the good and the bad. And you certainly saw it in his family life, whether it’s his marriage to Joan, and the pride he took in his daughters Linda and Laurie, their families, and all those grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He’d beam when he talked about all the Garretts, Fields, and Watts. I think it’s in Proverbs that mentions something, and I’ll paraphrase here, a faithful man being abound in blessings. And George was faithful, and blessed. And he always remembered his son Ken. I still weep for George when I think of him imagining what sort of man he’d have turned out to be had he lived. I first met George Garrett about ten years ago. But it was as though I knew George Garrett my whole life, having grown up listening to CKNW. It was always time to perk one’s ears up if at the top of the hour, he was leading the newscast with something breaking, something exclusive, or both. It was through George Orr, that I first met Garrett. Orr suggested I interview George on my podcast. It is because of both of the Georges generosity, that I am proud to have called each of them friend. When it was, we three, other than lunch, great conversation was always served up. We’d alternately solve the world’s problems, catch up on life, and remember what was necessary about the past. I remember fondly the funny stories, and the lessons I learned, not just in diligence and hard work, but in kindness and decency. We all learned that. George Garrett’s reverence for the value of family, faith and friendship; his infinite curiosity made him the peerless reporter he’s been celebrated for throughout his career, and long after. It’s that same curiosity that’s made him look with wonder at the world as it’s evolved over his nearly ninety years. I was asked over the last day or so what I would miss most about George. Those are myriad and unimportant, because what I’ll miss for George is all the things he’ll miss. Just after Christmas, he mentioned that he’s expecting a third great-grandchild in the summer. He was particularly happy that Linda would be a grandmother. Despite the bleakness of the diagnosis from his doctors, I asked if he wanted to stick around for that. Without missing a beat, he said, “You bet.” So, I’ll miss that for him. I know he’ll have wanted to know how the Surrey Police situation would turn out, and of course, the rest of this Canucks season. It was soon after his first interview with me on the show, that he mentioned that he wanted to write his memoirs. I said it was a fantastic idea, and though I can’t take credit for it coming into being, I was fortunate to read an early draft and honoured that he asked for suggestions. The book became a bestseller, and George delighted in book signings and appearances, with all the proceeds from sales benefiting the Volunteer Cancer Drivers Society, an organisation he helped found and was a staunch spokesperson for, for many years. It’s one of the many charitable endeavours he supported. He always looked for a way to better the community, and that too involved getting involved politically. His endorsement, I know meant a lot to the candidates and issues he supported. It’s almost as if, after a lifetime of reporting, fairly and honestly, he was allowed to be a partisan. And it wasn’t just loyalty that guided his views, it was a careful study of the issues. There is so much more to say about the life of George Garrett. I’ll commend to those who haven’t yet read his memoir, his book Intrepid Reporter, which gives one a sense of the man and the many stories that filled his eighty-nine years. I’ll also suggest you listen to Eric Chapman’s podcast Eric’s Living Room, which has at least one episode featuring George and the story of him infiltrating the towing business for a story. It is what I believe was George’s last interview, and Eric did a great job adding colour to George’s reminiscences. Here now are some clips from conversations I had with George on this podcast. He appeared on this show six times. He often remarked, when asking as to who the latest guest on the show was, that he still had several more appearances until he reached the number of my most frequent guest, Rafe Mair. You’ll hear Garrett talking about the heights of his professional career, as well as the personal. It’s a great way to remember George. I’ll remember him often, and I’ll miss him. But the best tribute is to be just a little bit like him, and just perhaps, life will be a little bit better for you, and those around you.The post Remembering George Garrett first appeared on thecommentary.ca.

The composer, author and educator Andrew Gerle discusses the new concept album of a show he wrote the music and lyrics for Whisper Darkly (TBIC Music Group, 2023), with Joseph Planta. Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta: I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca. Whisper Darkly is a new concept album out now. It’s an immersive electro-swing musical, with music and lyrics by Andrew Gerle, and book by DJ Salisbury. Mr. Gerle joins me now to talk about this piece that’s set during Prohibition, and which combines 1920s and 1930s jazz and Vaudeville with infectious 21st Century EDM beats. The piece is set in the 1920s, but like a 2020s show with a fresh sound. This album features Kayla Davion, Claybourne Elder, Keri René Fuller, Alli Mauzey, Aléna Watters, Brad Oscar, and Howard McGillin, among others. The album is from TBIC Music Group, and available now. Andrew Gerle is a multi-faceted theatre creator, musician, author, and educator. He has served as a conductor, accompanist, and musical director for some of Broadway’s biggest names. He was a member of the faculty at Yale University for ten years, teaching songwriting and musical theater performance. He became a founding faculty member of the musical theatre department at the Manhattan School of Music where he currently teaches. Visit www.andrewgerle.com for more. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Andrew Gerle; Mr. Gerle, good morning.The post Andrew Gerle first appeared on thecommentary.ca.