Summer Book Reading Part One

Summer book reading part one is the topic for today’s Just TypiKel.

If you’re new here, welcome. If not, welcome back!

So, who’s the guy to my right? My brother, Michael Robinson. Mike happens to be holding his book, You’ve Been Referred. Traditionally published in 2021, he refers to it as a career memoir. However, as the jacket says, “It is much more than that. It is a series of 35 chapters that tell very human stories rooted in Indigenous, corporate and political cultures confronting change in the period 1978 – 2015.”

What are we doing sitting behind a table, holding our books and beaming?

Well, we’re about to launch into something “rare as hen’s teeth” as one attendee put it. A siblings book reading. Yes, we’re siblings and we’re both published authors.

Mike’s Friend Is To Blame

It all unfolded when Steve, Mike’s friend, discovered I’d published Never, Never, Hardly Ever. A longtime fan of Mike’s work, he was intrigued to learn I’d written a behind the scenes book about the decade I worked with Mom at her iconic Vancouver Asian antique store.

Bless him. Steve said reading NNHE was like eating topgrade chocolate. “It should be savored.”

And savor it he did. The man read one chapter a night.

Once he polished off the last chapter, Steve arranged for his local library – the stunning library in Sooke (rhymes with “duke”) to hold our book reading. We were delighted as it meant spending time together. Mike and I see each other rarely as he lives 119 miles or 192 km and two ferry rides away.

After some discussion, we decided to run the event as a conversation rather than a straight reading, using questions drawn up by Mike’s son – a talented writer.

A Siblings Book Reading

So, how did it go? On the whole, pretty well, thanks.

With one notable exception. I foolishly thought it wise to keep the list of questions on my phone.

Uh huh.

Why aren’t you listening, Kel?

Oops –  that “inattention” could be interpreted as disinterest. I interrupted Mike (smooth move, Kel) and announced to the crowd of 20 I wasn’t looking up Deadpool and Wolverine movie reviews, but rather working out what to ask Mike next. A round of “aahhhs” rocketed about the room.

Notes on cards next time. Lesson learned.

However, Mikey was a good brother. He listened attentively as I favored the crowd with a chapter.

In addition to limiting ourselves to two chapters each, we engaged in some chit chat about the differences between traditional and self publishing. A prominent one being promotion. Mike admitted he does very little promotion whereas I’m in charge of it all.

We also discussed whether there’s a trend to drop hardcover and paperback books in favor of e-books and audiobooks. Mike tends to think so. However, I believe each format has a place. Stuck in traffic? Listen to the audiobook. Flying? Pull out your Kindle. Lounging on the beach? Haul out your paperback.

Someone Asked If Our Father Plays A Role In The Books

He does.

Mike outlined a chapter of You’ve Been Referred that covers traveling with Dad, a pediatrician, to small, remote towns in British Columbia to spread the word about Vancouver’s innovative Children’s Hospital Diagnostic Centre.

My brother, at 17, is deeply touched by the “staggering beauty, resilient human culture and life-affirming spirit,” of the coastal community of Friendly Cove, or as the locals call it, Yuquot. Mike confessed this trip prompted him to choose the careers described within the book.

As for me, I shared a brief summation of the NNHE chapter in which Dad, volunteering as “Fred” the shop’s delivery man,  delivers a heavy rug on approval to a medical colleague. Not recognizing Dad, the doctor orders “Fred” to heft the carpet throughout his house, on the hottest day of the year. How did it end? Let’s just say Dad dined out for years on what happened next.

We wrapped up the event after a  lively Q and A.

So there you have it. Summer book reading part one. Is there a part two? You bet. All will be revealed here in due course.

In the meantime, if you’re not subscribed here, could you please subscribe? It really helps boost my visibility. As does an Amazon review. If you’ve read Never, Never, Hardly Ever I’d really appreciate it if you’d post an honest review on Amazon. Thank you.

Not yet read Never, Never, Hardly Ever? Get all the deets here.

Thank you so much – I’m off to tuck into some Olympics viewing. How about you? Will you be watching?