Category: Autumn

October 28. Issue #146

Post author By Paul Yanuziello
Post date October 28, 2022

Nature’s first green is gold. Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief. So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. Robert Frost 1874-1963

Hello all. Welcome to my monthly journal. A place for me to share with you what I’ve been up to this past month. In this month’s journal, Indie Author Book Festival, Toronto trails, books, music and more.

Samba in Switzerland is coming along. The illustrations by Joshua Miller are fantastic. Next month I will have some samples for you to check out.

There are lots of events planned for November. I have a few appearances scheduled. Reading my books for the children in local schools. Get in touch if you want me to bring Scratchy, Samba or Ariela to your school.

1. Indie Author Day is happening and on November 5th I will be at the Richmond Hill Central Library, 1 Atkinson St. The library is hosting an Indie Author Book Fair. Come out and meet local authors and buy some books. I’ll have Samba, Ariela and Scratchy with me. My books will all be on sale for the entire week.

2. Autumn leaves: the colour of the leaves is striking at this time of year. If summer wasn’t my favourite time of the year then fall just might be. The featured photo is one I took during a visit to the Scarborough Bluffs Yacht Club.

I went to the outer edges of Toronto and hiked through the Scarborough Bluffs. I had no idea this treasure existed so close to downtown Toronto.

3. What I’m reading this month is a couple of books, Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, an amazing read. I don’t know how he can make something so bizarre seem so interesting. Just a great storyteller.

Yoga and the Quest for the True Self by Stephen Cope. Fascinating! A first-hand account of a retreat at Kripalu Yoga Centre that turned into a life-changing experience.

4. I’ve been in Toronto these past couple of weeks, and the only thing I like about it, is visiting the martial arts dojos. Black Tiger Karate and Dynamic Martial Arts are my favourites.

This past week I took my partner Nina with me to Black Tiger and she taught a beautiful stretch class. The students enjoyed the stretching and learned some new exercises. We may make this a regular Tuesday evening class. Anyone for stretching?

5. My listening pleasure this month, well, when not practising jazz standards on my chromatic harmonica. The music of Cuba.

Master musicians such as Chucho Valdes and Paquito D’Rivera. The Toronto connection to Cuba via Hilario Duran and David Virielles. The trumpet masters, Alexander Brown, and Alexis Baro, an awesome performance by Alexis at Lula Lounge this past year.

Then there are the fantastic saxophonist, Luis Deniz, this Link is of a performance that features trumpeter Alexander Brown too. Yosvany Terry is another sax player whose music is wonderful. Just a couple of names that come to mind and have filled my airwaves with their sweet sounds this month.

Many of these musicians have new albums out now to get more information check: latinjazznet

Thank you for reading, if you think someone you know would be interested in my newsletter please pass it along.

All of my books are now available at your favourite bookstores, support local bookstores with your online purchases. Make sure you get out and about this summer. Visit a book store, or the library and pick up some books. If you’re looking for a great early reader chapter book get my book Scratchy the Squirrel: A Time for Friends. Or one of my picture books, Samba on a Snowy Day or Samba in Brazil.

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.

Tags Chucho Valdes, David Virelles, Hilario Duran, Luis Deniz, Paquito D'Riviera, Richmond Hill Library, Robert Frost

Autumn Children's Activities Music Reading

September 30 . Issue #145

Post author By Paul Yanuziello
Post date September 30, 2022

“The land is in a constant state of birth,
Giving life to all who live on Earth.
Our carelessness and fears
Have taken a toll over the years.
Her land is parched and scorched
As man continues to light the torch.” Sophia E. Valdez

My monthly journal, this month features end-of-summer events, book 3 in the Samba the Dog series, music and more. My featured photo is of the Rockwood Conservation Area by Nina Yanuziello.

1. New Earth Village and Lovefest in beautiful Adjala is happening this Sunday, October 2nd. Nestled amongst the trees in a beautiful valley and overlooking a pond, you are surrounded by nature.

This will be my third visit. A beautiful way to spend a Sunday. Come out and enjoy, I will be offering a reading of one of my books and I’ll have lots of books available at discount prices.

And that’s not all, you’ll have the opportunity to shop locally and support sustainability in the community on sacred land. Some of the incredible offerings include tallow balms, tarot readings, community acupuncture treatments, pine needle tea, health and wellness products, and so much more — all intentionally charged with love and wellness.

2. My draft version of book 3 in the Samba dog series is coming along. Samba in Switzerland, Samba the Bernese Mountain Dog and his best friend Ariela explore and have fun near Samba’s hometown of Bern, Switzerland.

At our last meeting, illustrator Joshua Miller and I went over the draft sketches, and we tweaked and fine-tuned the visuals. I think it’s looking fantastic. I can’t wait to give you all a glimpse at this wonderful artwork.

3. Some of my end-of-summer adventures have included these events, SweetWater Music Festival in beautiful Owen Sound.

A fantastic festival featuring world-class musicians playing the classics. Outstanding piano, strings, clarinet and french horn.

Elephant Thoughts, the event I had planned to attend was cancelled but I was invited to tour the Riverstone campus. Incredible space and I’m looking forward to contributing in some manner or another.

4. My first writer’s festival, the Eden Mills Writers Festival was a smashing success. I did it large, renting an Airbnb and spending time at the nearby Rockwood Conservation Area. Canoeing, swimming, snorkelling and hiking. So great!

The next day, a tour of Guelph’s Arboretum. A beautiful 400-acre garden and spending time enjoying the sites, the sounds and the food in the University City of Guelph.

Sunday, an early start and off to the festival to set up our table. Meet some other small press authors, meet the book-buying public and generally speaking have a grand time.

5. What I’m listening to this week Donnè Roberts Band. I caught them at the Markham Jazz Festival and then once again a short time later at a private event.

Energy, excitement, spirit, enthusiasm, love, peace, and kindness are some of the words that come to mind in the makeup of this 2 time Juno winner. A part of the band’s performance from the recent Markham Jazz Festival.

Thank you for reading, if you think someone you know would be interested in my newsletter please pass it along.

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.

Tags Donné Roberts, Eden Mills, Guelph, Markham Jazz Festival, Rockwood

Autumn Children's Books Writing

October 1 . Issue #111

Post author By Paul Yanuziello
Post date October 1, 2021

Hello all and welcome to my weekly journal where I share with you 5 things that captured my interest during the week. This week is a first, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a new training regimen, kids books and more…

1. This week, September 30th, here in Canada, we observed our first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a national holiday for Canadians of all backgrounds to recognize and reflect on the horrors of Canada’s former residential school system and honour the lost children and the survivors.

The holiday grants a paid day off to federally regulated employees and public servants, and some provincial governments have done the same for their workers, although not here in Ontario.

The law to mark September 30th as a holiday was given royal assent just weeks after 215 unmarked graves were discovered on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.

2. For my viewing pleasure this week the family watched a new version of Cinderella. A fun family classic re-imagined in a modern manner With hip hop and classic pop songs, Broadway-style song and dance and an all-star cast that carries the film through with some fantastic scenes.

3. River training and lake training filled my mornings with enjoyment. The featured photo is of me working my core and my balance while doing some long staff exercises. I am balancing on a fallen tree that is suspended over a river.

The morning lake training consisted of cold water swimming and canoeing around beautiful Lake Eugenia near Blue Mountain.

4. My book promotion, Exciting Reads For Children, is still happening and you can pick up some wonderful children’s e-books for free for a limited time, including my book Samba em um Dia de Neve.

5. My new book Scratchy the Squirrel – A Time For Friends, is now in the capable hands of the editor. The illustrations by Joshua Miller, are almost complete. I have chosen the front cover illustration. Have a look at the sample above and let me know if you like it.

Thank you for reading. If you think someone you know would enjoy my newsletter please share it with them. If you are looking for a great children’s book check out my new book, Samba in Brazil; Paperback version, on sale for a limited time.

Or one of my other books, Samba on a Snowy Day or the Brazilian/ Portuguese version Samba em um Dia de Neve.

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.

Tags Cinderella, Exciting Reads For Children, Lake Eugenia