Astonishingly, the slogan from the last post has not caught on among… anyone, really. It has not entered the popular consciousness or become a part of the cultural capital of those in the know. I can’t imagine why not.
I will fight on, firm in my belief that I will one day come up with a truly great slogan for something. In the meantime, I’m happy to announce the first in a series of Woefield-related contests.
I have (wait for it!) three advanced reader copies (ARCs for those of you feel more important when you use acronyms) of The Republic of Dirt. (Feel free to listen to that crowd sound again.)
To enter this contest, please send me your drawing of a mule (it doesn’t have to be good) OR tell me what Rodeo should “go as” for Halloween.
Hint: not this because it’s already been done. And too bad, because he’d look fetching in a mane.
Send me a scan of your mule drawing/sketch/painting etc., or cattle dog Halloween costume suggestion, as well as your name and address, and I will announce the winners on Halloween. (Please note that I have an exciting master plan for the illustrations. Well, at this stage it’s more of a apprentice plan, but let’s not quibble about terms.) Email your entries to: andfurthermore@shaw.ca
Oh, and one final thing. The only person who is not allowed to enter the contest is Jodey Wilson, a bookseller at Indigo in Edmonton South Common. It’s not because Jodey is a ringer when it comes to drawing mules, though she might be. It’s because Jodey is basically Woefield Farm’s fairy godmother. She and her fellow booksellers sold hundreds of copies of Woefield out of that single location. They hosted me in one of the loveliest book club meetings I’ve attended (and I’ve attended some dandies, including one that served Prudence Burns-style radish chips). Jodey will be receiving a The Republic of Dirt ARC and the final book with my compliments and undying gratitude and maybe a small framed portrait of Rodeo in his Halloween outfit. Thank you, Jodey. Seriously. You are the best.