The Best Laid Plans Terry Fallis
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Welcome to the podcast version of The Best Laid Plans, the winner of the 2008 Stephen Leacock Award for Humour. It's a satirical novel of Canadian politics, written and podcast by Terry Fallis. It recounts the unlikely and eventful alliance between a 30-something burnt out, jaded political staffer, and an older, cantankerous, engineering professor. Driven by a federal election and the life of the resulting minority conservative government, the novel moves between Ottawa, the national capital, and the small town of Cumberland, Ontario on the shores of the Ottawa River. While the characters and their exploits are often comical, serious ideas on politics and democracy underlie the fun.
Listener comments are welcome via the blog (www.terryfallis.com) or e-mail (tfallis@gmail.com).
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A special announcement about The High Road, the sequel to The Best Laid Plans
Terry Fallis announces the start of the podcast version of The High Road, the sequel to his award-winning debut novel, The Best Laid Plans.
The music that opens and closes this podcast is Winter Serenade by Jon Schmidt and is available through Music Alley. The voice at the very beginning belongs to Roger Dey. -
Terry Fallis discusses his novel on CBC Radio's The Next Chapter
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Several weeks ago I went into the CBC Radio studios in Toronto to record a segment for Shelagh Roger's wonderful book program called The Next Chapter. Well, it hit the airwaves today. Here's the three and a half minute segment. Many thanks to producer Tom Howell, and host Shelagh Rogers at CBC Radio. -
Special Edition: My strange journey to the published land
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It's been about 16 months since the last special episode of The Best Laid Plans podcast but so much has happened in my side-line life as a writer that it's high time I brought all of you up to date. So here's a talk I did recently at the Women's Canadian Club of Toronto about The Best Laid Plans and my unorthodox and unlikely journey to the published land. I hope you enjoy it. It's been quite a ride and I'm grateful for all the support along the way.
Comments are invited on the blog or send me an e-mail to tfallis@gmail.com.
The great music featured in the podcast is by Jon Schmidt and is called Winter Serenade. It is available from the Podsafe Music Network. My friend Roger Dey
provides the voice that opens the podcast. -
Special Edition: TBLP is now a book!
In this special edition, Terry updates listeners on the publication and availability of The Best Laid Plans as a book.
Comments are invited on the blog or send me an e-mail to tfallis@gmail.com.
Thanks so much for listening. It's been a thrill for me to podcast my
humble novel. Your comments have been very generous and encouraging.
I'm grateful. The sequel is in the works.
The great music featured in the podcast is by Jon Schmidt and is called Winter Serenade. It is available from the Podsafe Music Network. My friend Roger Dey
provides the voice that opens the podcast. The photo at the top of the
blog page was taken by, and is used with permission from, Mr. Ron
Boisvert. -
The Best Laid Plans: Chapter 19
This week, the final installment, Chapter 19 including: The snow storm
brings Ottawa to its knees; the Government House Leader pulls a fast
one; the call goes forth for MPs to brave the storm and make it to the
House for the mini-budget vote; Angus and Andre Fontaine share a wild
ride to Parliament Hill; Angus writes in his diary.
Comments are invited right here on the blog or send me an e-mail to tfallis@gmail.com.
Thanks so much for listening. It's been a thrill for me to podcast my
humble novel. Your comments have been very generous and encouraging.
I'm grateful.
I will keep blogging as I continue down the road to publishing The Best Laid Plans.
At this moment, it seems that the novel will be available online at
Amazon and Chapters-Indigo in the summer. I will keep you all posted
here on the blog. Thanks again, it's been a blast.
The great music featured in the podcast is by Jon Schmidt and is called Winter Serenade. It is available from the Podsafe Music Network. My friend Roger Dey
provides the voice that opens the podcast. The photo at the top of the
blog page was taken by, and is used with permission from, Mr. Ron
Boisvert -
The Best Laid Plans: Chapter 18
This week, Chapter 18 including: Environment Canada and the media pay a
visit to Ottawa River Aggregate Inc.; Reaction to the mini-budget rolls
in; Debate rages in the House; Angus and Daniel confront UFDs
(unidentified flying doughnuts); Daniel and Linsday tour the National
Gallery and then are snowed in at the Chateau Laurier; Angus writes in
his diary.
Comments are invited right here on the blog or send me an e-mail to tfallis@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. Stay tuned for the final episode, Chapter 19.
The great music featured in the podcast is by Jon Schmidt and is called Winter Serenade. It is available from the Podsafe Music Network. My friend Roger Dey
provides the voice that opens the podcast. The photo at the top of the
blog page was taken by, and is used with permission from, Mr. Ron
Boisvert.
Ressenyes del públic
Wow! Witty witty witty
This is an excellent book/podcast. I can’t believe it took me so long to find it. No wonder it won Canada’s highest award for humor. Terry’s writing style is smart and witty, and you need to listen closely, or you might miss a real gem. I love this book. I hope you keep on writing Terry!
A work of art
This book is a work of art, and it was pure joy to listen to this podcast. Recommended by my sister, I had read the prologue - aloud, to my family - and was instantly hooked.
I was very happy to learn that Fallis wrote a sequel, I will listen to it starting immediately.
An Audio Treat
Listening to Terry Fallis read this novel via the podcast is an incredible audio treat and almost as good as having a chance to hear him read live at a book signing. I've had the pleasure of seeing Terry live at a book event, and this podcast comes really close to the experience.
Fallis introduces each chapter and reads from the novel as if you were seated comfortably in a lounge with a dear friend. Even the musical selection used at the beginning of each chapter eloquently sets the mood. Get cosy, settle down and prepare to listen to a superb storyteller who is absurdly funny. Think John Irving meets Rick Mercer and you come close to the combination of literary skill and insider political knowledge combined with a low brow and broad reaching humour.
And one last bit of advice -- Do try to sit securely in your seat because there are many moments in this novel in which you might be laughing so hard you'll fall right out of it.