Vancouver writer David Tracey has made the switch from old-school publishing to full-on-digital, releasing his new book electronically earlier this week.

The book’s called The Miracle Tree, and as of Monday, it’s been available in seven different digital formats.

Even if you don’t have a fancy e-book reader, you can still read it on your computer or ipod.

For $5.00 (USD)  you can pick the format of your choice, and download it instantly.

Actually, SmashWords lets you download more than one format, and there’s no annoying DRM so you can take the copy you bought and use it on various devices.

To find out more about the book, and his switch to digital, I called David to pick his brain about this (and see how many times I can say ‘fantastic’) …

Click To Play

Runs 11:13
podcast ISBN: 978-1-926758-07-7  © Bigsnit Media Consulting Inc.

David Tracey’s book is available on SmashWords.com.

Read more about his book Guerrilla Gardening: A Manuelfesto

• His website is DavidTracey.ca
• You can follow him on Twitter
• Make him your friend on Facebook (which also give you a chance to see his various bio photos)
• Read his blog at www.davidtracey.ca/blog

I’ve known Teri for a long time.

In the late 80’s I was dating EB, an actress, and producing an arts reportage show for CBC. Teri welcomed me into the Vancouver theatre community with open arms.

At the time, she was the artistic director of Tamahnous Theatre, and her pre-Jessie Awards parties were as legendary as her productions.  (Until she sent me her bio, I didn’t even know there was a Jessie Richardson Award for Innovation in Theatre.  There is, and Teri’s won it.)

She was doing location based, interdisciplinary theatre in the downtown eastside before anyone ever imagined that the old Woodwards building would become an arts and culture hub.

Later, when EB and I got married at The Cultch, Teri was the unofficial official photographer, and put together a beautiful album we still treasure.

About 5 years ago she decided to follow another life interest, and went to Emily Carr University to study film and video.

After graduating, she produced and directed a number of films and interactive video installations and now works for the National Film Board.

One the few things Teri didn’t do was write a blog.

Then, last June, she launched Sugarlove Girl.

I’m a big fan, so decided it was time to pick her brain about why, after all this time, she decided to start blogging.

Listen in…

Click To Play

Teri Snelgrove publishes her blog, Sugarlove Girl at Blogspot.
She Twitters, infrequently, @terisnelgrove .
And you’ll find her on Facebook.

I first met Eric Karjaluoto five years ago when I cold called him at his office at SmashLab.

I was looking for a panelist for the SFU summer publishing workshops my then business partner Emma Cochrane and I were producing.

I had read some of Eric’s thoughts on branding in the age of the internet and thought he’d be a perfect panelist.

He was.

Flash forward five years.  For some reason the SFU publishing folks have put me on the bus, but Eric and I continue to stay in touch.

Eric Karjaluoto is a designer, writer, entrepreneur and above all, a thinker.

Just have a peak at his blog, ideasonideas and you’ll see there’s more here than just another pretty, bald headed, digital media guy with glasses  – there’s a brain in there.

On top of that, he talks to him mom almost every day.

All fine and well -  but -  the reason for my call today ?

A picture he posted on Facebook.

Here, listen in…

Click To Play

You can find out more about Eric’s book at SpeakHuman.com.

Along with his blog ideasonideas, you can find Eric’s company online at SmashLab.com, and Eric also hangs out here:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/karjaluoto
• Twitter:  twitter.com/karj

Spring Gillard is a Vancouver writer and former advertising executive who one day saw the light and headed towards it.

She spent 14 years working at Vancouver’s City Farmer, gaining untold insight into compost, sustainability and all things organic.

She’s been a regular on CBC Radio, and has written numerous articles for Audubon, Organic Gardening, the Vancouver Sun and the Globe and Mail.

She’s best known though for her book Diary of a Compost Hotline Operator, Edible Essays on City Farming.

All that’s very impressive, but what prompted my phone call today was her article titled Embreaded.

It’s an homage to, of all things, bread, in particular Vancouver’s Terra Breads.

Have a listen…

Click To Play

You can follow Spring on Twitter, or visit her web site for the latest news on what she’s up to.

You’ll find her article, Embreaded, on her web site, The Compost Diaries

He’s @TheBraz on Twitter and just plain Jay Brazeau on Facebook.

He’s one of Canada’s busiest actors, just back from playing Man in the Chair in the Drowsy Chaperone at the NAC in Ottawa, a role he also played in Edmonton and Vancouver recently.

He’s also the main character in a number of classic Richard Condie animated shorts, including The Big Snit and Getting Started.

He’s a Winnipeg man, from Winnipeg, Man.

It’s worth picking Jay’s brain anytime, but today I called him to see what’s up with his latest Facebook posting.

Have a listen…

Click To Play

You can follow Jay on Twitter -  twitter.com/thebraz or see if he’ll make friends with you on Facebook.