Ashore once more!

Ahoy Ghosters,

GHOST MESSAGES HAS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED!

Newfoundland was amazing! 

If ever you get the chance to put in at a port in Newfoundland, do it!  Never have I met such amazing and friendly people.  There are no strangers in Newfoundland, only friends you haven't met yet. 
The scenery was spectacular and the food worth investigating - even the cod tongues with a side order of touton, heavy on the molasses!

Plus - I saw ICEBERGS!  Amazing, tremendous, astounding and absolutely beautiful.

While there, Hurricane Maria blew threw and I decided to go to Cape Spear to see the waves crashing ashore.  Well, who can resist doing something a little wild and crazy, so... I flew a kite! 

Yup, flew a kite in a hurricane and I'll tell you, I almost ended up in Ireland!  Man, it was fun!

Enough about games, back to the real reason I was in the great province of Newfoundland.

Ghost Messages was launched and the fun commenced. 

Students from all over the Avalon Peninsula and Central Newfoundland came out for the presentations and many took home prizes, book marks and autographed copies of Ghost Messages for their very own.

The highlight of my time was when I went to the Heart's Content Cable Station, which was like going to Mecca for me, and had a day of history, enthusiastic students and presentations at the most incredible historical site in Canada.
It was as though I had stepped off the Great Eastern with Ailish and walked into a working Cable Station in 1866.  All the equipment is there, including a Galvanometer which let everyone know when the signal stopped.  The gleaming machines, polished brass railings, and knowledgeable staff made visitors feel as though they had stepped back in time.  The cables were there, for all to see, along with the teletype machines, the relays, the repeaters, the everything!

There are also active telegraphers at the site and you can 'talk' to people from all around the world who are still transmitting in Morse Code.  I was able to send a message to a fellow in Russia!  It was redonculous.

HOWEVER - here's a mission for all my faithful crew.

The Heart's Content Cable Station is a treasure, not for only Canadians, but for the entire world.  We need to send emails, letters, notes and cards to our MLAs, MP, and The Prime Minister, to have this site designated a  UNESCO World Heritage Site so that it may be preserved for all time.  This is the only one left and it is truly remarkable, but without our support to have it redesignated from a provincial site to a UNESCO one, there is the very real possibility that we will lose it.

Lets use all the social media we can to get the ball rolling.  The Heart's Content Cable Station is a world class site and should get the recognition and protection it deserves.

I'm off to Lethbridge to work with young writers there, but will be back soon.

Smooth sailing,

Jacqueline

We're setting sail for Newfoundland!

Ahoy young Ghosters!

We're off to Newfoundland to launch Ghost Messages! 

We'll be visiting Signal Hill Historic Site on the September 22nd and Heart's Content Historic Site on September 23.
Check with the sites for times of presentations. 
Perhaps we'll glimpse Ailish or even Davy hiding in the mists!

We'll also be visiting many ports and towns, spreading the good word on Ghost Messages and the voyage that started the communication revolution.

Stay tuned for more updates and information.

Jacqueline

Smooth Summer Sailing

Gather 'round Ghosters,

The Nan Boothby Memorial Library Ghost Messages Book Club was a fun event with way too many good things to eat!  One young prize winner asked  me to autograph her special GM T-shirt, which was a first and made the shirt very special for her.

The rest of the summer is stretching out before us and it looks like calm sailing on halcyon seas.
Stay on this wavelength for more news and information on events and updates.


Happy sailing,

Jacqueline

Upcoming Adventure on the High Seas!

Ahoy Ghosters!

We're about to set sail on another Ghost Messages adventure.
Join the crew on:

Thursday, July 28th,
1:30 - 3:30 P.M. at

Nan Boothby Memorial Library
405 Railway Street West
Cochrane, Alberta

Come with me as we enjoy a fun voyage into
the mysterious and supernatural world
of the novel Ghost Messages.
We'll have a Power Point Show, Prizes,
a Morse Code Contest with a special surprise for the winner,
Exclusive Ghost Messages Book Marks and Author Signings.

We'll also have refreshments for a hungry crew to nosh on.

For more information, contact the
Nan Boothby Memorial Library
at 403-932-4353.

It is not necessary to have finished reading the book
to enjoy the presentation.
Books will be available for sale
or you can check them out of the library.

Come aboard for some summer fun!

Morse Code Puzzler Question

Ahoy Ghosters:

Here's a GM question for you to puzzle over as you enjoy the great summer sunshine. 

All the answers are in the novel.

(Look for a helpful Morse Code Alphabet at the back of the book.)

.-- …. .- -   .. …   - …. .   -. .- -- .   --- ..-. 

 .--- .- -.-. --.- ..- . .-.. .. -. . …   -. . .--   -… --- --- -.-   ..-..

Let me know how you did!
Jacqueline

Full Crew Turn Out for Monkey Shines Book Club Meeting

Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Soda!
Captain Sue and her Pirate Crew made sure all the young Ghosters were well fed and watered for our Book Club Meeting at Monkey Shines Children's Book Store.  Thanks Sue!

We had a boat load of enthusiastic Ghosters who enjoyed over an hour of fun as we delved into the background of the book and the characters in Ghost Messages.
The PPT presentation showed young sailors what life was like on the Great Eastern and how laying a transatlantic cable was anything but easy.
The Morse Code Puzzlers turned out to be a challenge, but an answer key went home with each contestant so that they can figure out the questions while soaking up the sun.
Two lucky participants won an exclusive Ghost Messages T-Shirt sure to bring comments from all they meet.
Bookmarks added a special touch, as no one should have a new book without a new book mark.
Lots of questions and interest from all the crew made for a spirited afternoon.
I look forward to hearing from a whole boatload of new Ghosters as we continue our voyage across the foaming waves!

Jacqueline

Monkeyshines Book Club Meeting Today!

Ahoy Ghosters!

Today at 4:30 - Monkeyshines Children's Book Store will host our live and in person Ghost Messages Book Club Meeting.
Our high sea adventure will take us on a fun voyage across the Atlantic as we check out the facts behind the fiction.  We also have a piece of the actual 1865 cable, hauled up from the bottom of the cold ocean for my shipmates to wonder at.  Be ready for our Morse Code Puzzlers, insider reading of the 'good parts' and prizes for our lucky sea dogs.

I'm looking forward to seeing all my crew this afternoon!

Tomorrow - Enter our on line Blog Contest: A Mystery Message for you to decode using Davy's ghost message method! 
Caution - there will be prizes for the lucky winners.
Smooth sailing,

Jacqueline