BY WGO Staff
Usually around this time of year, or since 2014 at least, Breton Books would be launching a new book full of stories and memories of Cape Breton Christmases with a celebration at McConnell Library in Sydney. This year this are different, of course, and in lieu of a holiday gathering, the launch of Cape Breton’s Christmas – Book 7 will take place on CBC Radio when Wendy Bergfeldt hosts authors reading their stories on Mainstreet —December 16 from 4 to 6 pm.
“This year we cannot launch at the McConnell Library,” said editor Ronald Caplan. “We all will miss the packed house, and the cookies and punch, and the holiday fellowship the library staff always makes possible. I’ll miss that—but I’m grateful to CBC for launching Cape Breton’s Christmas on air.”
The on-air party on Mainstreet, December 16, will include readings by six of the 55 authors in Cape Breton’s Christmas – Book 7. Barry Forrest will call in with absolute proof of the reality of Santa, and Rose Poirier will share her story about the meaning in her life that come-from-aways brought to Cape Breton. Donna Ferguson and Ursula Dufour will read their very different stories that show how life’s little things can make such a difference, and Belle MacIntyre will offer up the inspiring story of a family who, against the odds, were determined to have a wonderful family Christmas.
“I’m really pleased with the success of Cape Breton’s Christmas,” says Caplan. “For seven years I’ve been collecting these marvelous but fragile personal stories that are rarely remembered and almost never shared. We’ve saved over 350 stories that might have been lost. And since the royalties from all sales of the books are donated to Feed Nova Scotia, the sales so far have produced over $6000 in donations.”
Caplan says that he is particularly moved not only that people are willing to share their stories but that they take the trouble to write them extremely well. It has made for a lasting series of books that people want to collect and send as gifts.
Cape Breton’s Christmas – Book 7, sells for $17.95 and is available in stores across Cape Breton and North America. It is also available online at capebretonbooks.com and capebretonbookcatalogue.com, by phone at 1-800-565-5140, and by mail at Cape Breton Books, Wreck Cove, NS B0C 1H0.
