Award-winning Book & Musical on TOUR: Ontario!

Yes, the apples are ripe on those trees already, as I look out my bay window from my writing nook at Blue Belldon Farm, New Brunswick, Canada. Looking out and pondering in amazement that I just got my author copies from Just A STILL LIFE a year ago this week …and already the prequel Just A STALE MATE has been winning awards since before its release at the beginning of summer! AND we’ve been at markets, libraries, Zooms and a mini-tour with both books all summer, as well. So busy! But now (drum roll, please) we’re about to leave on the big-long tour…! OFF TO s-w ONTARIO, where ‘Stale Mate’ is mostly set. If you’d like to see a humorous vlog of our mini-tour of southern New Brunswick last week, it’s here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kxf_JXZkw8 Richard introduces a theme I didn’t expect, and you find out what I REALLY do with an ironing board (hint – NOT IRONING CLOTHES!)

The above is a fun pic. I made for the thumbnail ‘cover’ of that 11 min. vlog (that stands for ‘video blog’). I’ll probably keep using it for any upbeat video diaries we make of the touring with both the books and the musical Rough Notes. While it’s been mostly rain, rain, rain all summer here in the Appalachians of New Brunswick, there HAVE been some gorgeous moonlight nights – which fits right in with both novel’s front covers and the themes within too…

Thrilled and shocked that ‘Stale Mate’ won the Runner-Up for the 2023 Mystery/Crime Maxy Award (I think you last heard from me on this blog when it was still a finalist!) And it’s since snapped up a 5-Gold-Star Literary Titan award as well! Plus a review from them that just thrilled me! They also interviewed me. Here’s the 2 links to those, should you be at all interested:

Review: https://literarytitan.com/tag/just-a-stalemate/

Interview: https://literarytitan.com/2023/05/20/some-mysterious-muse/
There’ve been a number of other interviews this summer as well. You can find those links on my https://linktr.ee/J.Ivanel, but if you’re keen on the equine-related/therapeutic riding one at all, it’s here, called “Bridled Passions” on The Mystery of Writing: https://www.themysteryofwriting.com/2023/06/08/j-ivanel-johnson-guest-post/ Thank you to Elena Hartwell Taylor for that privilege.

Want to see another real-quick (under 2 min.) video about some of my ‘odd’ transportation-themed appearances? In a remote area like this, you have to take whatever chances come up, and make them relevant to your work! It’s not like I can just go sit at a few bookstores down the road… So, do check it out here: ANTIQUE CARS, HORSES AND TRAINS! ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Emk1IxceI and if you just want to see the upcoming fun planned around trains/trestles, see near the end of it.

But more on the Ontario Tour. My grandmother lived in Straffordville most of her life and did her own writing there. That’s where, in 1947, she first drafted an outline of ‘Still Life’, which I promised her on her death bed I’d keep working on until it found a publisher. It did – Black Rose Writing in Texas, who also immediately published the prequel to it, which I set in and around Straffordville Ontario, where my paternal granny, her son, my father, and I grew up. (The first novel is mostly set in New Brunswick, something I’m sure my grandmother would NEVER have expected!) So – Straffordville Library had to be the first stop on this tour~!

Three of my four grandparents were also raised in and around that area, just outside of Tillsonburg, as were both parents, and my sister and I. So of course Tillsonburg (where another cozy mystery author Kelly Young was also born and briefly resided – look her up on our Facebook page of TEN cozy or traditional mystery authors here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/849864953391956 Join Us to have lots of discounts, puzzles and more offered specially to members, too! Yes, Kelly’s mysteries are ALSO set in Ontario, but there’s quite a collection of Atlantic Canadians, Americans and an Irish and Indian also! )

“Stay on TRACK’ !! Tillsonburg. Right, I was talking about Tillsonburg. And yeah, before you make the joke – Stompin’ Tom’s famous song IS mentioned in my book! Want to see more about that area in ‘Stale Mate’ – go to the bottom of this page on my website: https://mckencroftproducti.wixsite.com/jivanelauthor/still-life

Here’s the Tillsonburg info:

As you can see, there’s lots happening here, incl. a contest (with Sept. 6 deadline!) for budding artists – or any level! – who’d like to submit their work, of any medium. See the Station Arts website page here: https://www.stationarts.ca/jivanelexhibit for more on submitting works that are related to TRAINS = TOLERANCE! (or just about historic trains/trestles or railways, even if NOT symbolic!)

And also, this is where my musical Rough Notes comes in – as its first scenes are set at a train station, and it has much cultural diversity as well. Have you seen/heard the latest trailers and demos for it? Some done by the professional workshop cast from last October, and some by some great Sheridan Musical Theatre students this spring! Check them all out at the next blue link below. Because Equity/ACTRA will only allow the Official Trailer and the short Teaser to be ‘public’ until October 28th of this year. Go watch ’em now! I just love how they turned out! https://www.youtube.com/@mckencroftproductions5100

Thank you so much for your support and kind interest in my work! The diverse characters in my novels thank you too! If you’re in s-w Ontario, hope you’ll come out and meet them. And me! Looking forward to it! Choo-choooooo!

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