So... I went to a wedding this past weekend-- was gorgeous. It got me thinking about how gorgeous wedding are all similar -- it's the shoes women choose to wear, rarely worn again elsewhere. I was also shocked that 60 copies of Chasing Mercury were sold the next day -- love stories beget love stories?
Whoops forgot the photoDid you know each chapter in Chasing Mercury is named for a waterway.? I'm going to start with a photo of Chapter 1 - the St Lawrence seaway just out side of Montreal. Then, I will do the other 28th over time. You will see what Forest and Sicily saw.
Read MoreIn my on going devotion to see works of art as inspiration for my writing, I've recently visited and met Stol Len at his San Francisco exhibition. Sto Len is an environmental artist among other things. In the “Waste” print series. Utilizes a completely natural, if damaged, environment to create his work, navigating waterways by rowboat, Sto uses highly polluted areas like the Newtown Creek in NY as his medium by marbling what is floating on top of the water. Capturing both natural substances and a wide array of man-made pollutants, these prints contain the results of industrial pollution. Dumped oil, discarded toxins, litter and sewage overflow mix with algae, sticks, plants, dust, and dirt to create intricate patterns and painterly splashes. July 22 – Aug 31 2017 Opening Saturday July 22 6- 10pm: Runoff – A solo exhibition Parlor, 235 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94103
This past Saturday night, being pushed by artist friends, I saw two art shows. One with Marta Johansen's new installation at Ramon's Tailor Shop in down down san Francisco. It was a push to reach out to a new crowed -- the one fond by happenstance at a gallery and talk about Chasing Mercury with them. It turns out that Marta's fluidity of line and Sto Len's polluted with oil laden water cooler canvases are both works of people deeply tied to the environment -- A perfect place for a writer who names her chapters after waterways. Finding kindreds among fields of arts beyond literature is a good way to expand Chasing Mercury's readership
Chasing Mercury's debut reading, post publication, was in 'real good company' last night. James Warner hosted Inside Storytime at the Octopus Literary Lounge in Oakland. I was in love with the Octopus at first sight. A cafe and book shop with carefully curated shelves of the most progressive literature of our times. I was smitten when I saw the whole section of Haruki Murikami --
Read MoreGrassy Narrows First Nation is among the inspirations for one of the fictional locations of Chasing Mercury The Toronto Star Reports:'After decades of unrelenting pressure from Grassy Narrows activists and their supporters, the Ontario government announced last month that they had dedicated $85 million to the remediation of the English-Wabigoon river system, which was contaminated with 9 tonnes of mercury in the 1960s by a paper mill. This incredible step forward should be cause for celebration, but concerns remain that it can be undone by future governments. Too safeguard the cleanup commitment and dedicated funding, the Wynne government must put the funds into a trust that is accountable to Grassy Narrows.
These provisions are consistent with the those of the Minamata Convention to which Canada is signatory. However, like the convention, this settlement does not include provisions for the sick and other still suffering and in need of long therm care - so the Grassy Narrows struggle continues.
It has been my pleasure to work with Bearport Publishing and acclaimed author Meish Goldish as a consulting physician-writer and bioethicist. Bearport is a School Library Publisher (http://bearportpublishing.com/about) Its books are compelling and visually compete with the best of the superhero genre for interest. The publisher currently has an Ecological Disaster series for use in the Environmental Curriculum for schools.Toxic Water: Minamata, Japan is designed to expose children from Grades 3-5 to new vocabulary and concepts. However, the book is informative and compelling for all children and I dare say adults.
Read MorePeople who like to read, really like to read or really like to collect books --both are probably true. It gets expensive. I set up a giveaway of free copies of the Chasing Mercury ebook last night on Amazon. (While waiting for Good Reads ebook giveaway program to start.) I thought the giveaway would last two weeks. Six hours later, when I woke up, 30 free copies were gone! WHY????
Read MoreThe Chandelier Light bulbs have been dead for two years on the stairs between my first and second floors at home. Each night after turning off the lights downstairs, I would traverse the stairwell like the blind man in the cave trying to find an elephant. Using a painters ladder by myself, removing the large Henri Cartier Bresson photo and the charcoal self portrait of my son--both larger than my arms reach--alone seemed dauntingly stupid. Others had told me how they had failed to succeed.
Read MoreHow can you live with a space like this and not want protect?
Read MorePUT THIS IN YOUR CALENDAR and come 'round and hear us.:
InsideStorytime the theme is RESILIENCE, at Octopus Literary Salon, 2101 Webster Street, Oakland, will feature September Williams (Chasing Mercury), Fisayo Adeyeye (Cradles), Andrea Passwater, and others! Join Us!
PUT THIS IN YOUR CALENDAR and come 'round and hear us.:
InsideStorytime the theme is RESILIENCE, at Octopus Literary Salon, 2101 Webster Street, Oakland, will feature September Williams (Chasing Mercury), Fisayo Adeyeye (Cradles), Andrea Passwater, and others! Join Us!
What inspired Chasing Mercury?The people of Minamata Japan and Grassy Narrows and (then) White Dog Nations of Canada. I'm so excited that Chasing Mercury is being sold in Japan. (http://books.rakuten.co.jp/rk/f166bc7b03b030dc867fa0bca21b5c8d/) It is the heroic people of Minamata Japan over the past 50 years who have fought to clean up the mercury contamination and demand environmental Justice. They have shown us all how it is done. It is those of Minamata who inspired the fictional love story of Forest and Sicily, and the others who came to gather to make the world better.
Read MoreOh Lordy... I spent most of the day crafting a press release, learning about the rating system of Amazon, setting up my authors account on Good Reads. Searching for good reviewers for the book, answering my one reviewer on Amazon, and writing a press release for the reading at Inside story at Octopus Lounge in Oakland on 7/20.
Read MoreCHANGE IS SLOW But it happens. The Minamata World Convention goes into force April 16, 2017. 40 years the need was recognized. Something to Celebrate!!! Chasing Mercury by September Williams awaits you. The novel is a soaring cross cultural romantic suspense saga. CHASING MERCURY by September Williams E-book is at these outlets: AMAZON, APPLE IBOOKS, BARNES & NOBLE, GOOGLE PLAY, KOBO, also soon at libraries using OVERDRIVE and BIBLIOTECH IF Chasing Mercury consider reviewing it. ( Especially on Amazon or Good Reads.) It turns out what you think encourages others to read the book.
In the the throws of of helping the publication of Sarah Kornfeld’s “What Stella Sees” I saw the original certificate of copyright for that book. It was signed by the same person as who signed that of Chasing Mercury. I realized that it was just over a year ago when one of the finest public servants the nation has known resisted collaboration with —well— what we have in our government today— Are is the piece form last year. piece — the “Canary in the Tunnel.” I’ve republished it for you here today.
“I had a very strange experience today. I went to the drawer where I keep my copyright certificates for film and written works. I couldn’t remember the date I received the copyright for Chasing Mercury. I needed it for the front matter of the book as we prepare to publish. I opened the drawer, in the space which we laughingly refer to as my desk. The copyrights are there so my kids can find them when I die. I fished out and unfolded the certificate. Then I saw it—”
Read MoreI'm excited to do my first twitter chat with the AMAJournal of Ethics. TodaySeptember Williams Author of "Chasing Mercury" TODAY AT 12 NOON PT -1:45 On Twitter Chat talking About Bioethics, Film and Chasing Mercury! On twitter go to #EthicsChat at noon. ( Photo by Unique Real see on FB)
September Williams Author of "Chasing Mercury" TODAY AT 12 NOON PT -1:45 #EthicsChat
This is sunset over Minamata Bay. It may take a long time for the Minamata Convention to be enacted despite being international law as of August 16, 2017 but something is better than nothing!!! and 148 countries made this happen in all. The last 54 signed to ratify ( only 50 were needed.) Next steps are the negotiating to implement - beginning the outlining of the same in September 2017 in Geneva.
Read MoreLake Michigan has always been important to me. It comforted me after long nights on call when seeing it the next evening as I headed home. I looked out at it with my first cup of morning coffee from my balcony. But Environment Illinois explains, Lake Michigan has been something of a dumping ground for years.
Read MoreIn Chasing Mercury there are a lot of contextual references to pieces of art that were not well accepted because they were thought risqué or inappropriate for the stature of the subject. One of those is the sculpture of Louis Riel, a Metis man. It used to sit on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature with Louis naked to the rath of the wind and those who killed him.
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