Here below is the advance publicity from Nimbus Publishing for the book of mine to be released in the spring of 2020.

ISBN: 9781771088480 ITEM: NB1459

Kings of Friday Night

The Lincolns

   Author:   A.J.B. Johnston  
   Publisher:  Nimbus Publishing

Early 1960s Truro, Nova Scotia, was a town divided: East/West, Protestant/Catholic, Black/White. Only one thing brought everyone together: a Lincolns’ dance. Over a span of ten years, Truro’s legendary “kings of Friday night” played their trademark rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and soul, not just in Truro but at dances and on campuses from Yarmouth to Sydney, Nova Scotia, and north to Sackville, Moncton, and Saint John, New Brunswick. In the process, The Lincolns changed the lives of small-town kids clamouring for a beat that would move their feet, their hips—and ultimately, their hearts.

Award-winning author A. J. B. Johnston brings personal recollections and nostalgic delight to the tale of Truro’s unforgettable rock stars. Through interviews and first-person stories, and featuring photos of the band’s evolution, The Lincolns will stir fond memories for the band’s countless loyal fans. Featuring a foreword by John MacLachlan Gray and an afterword by Frank MacKay.

Nimbus Publishing has completed its design for the cover of my 20th book. Hope you like it!

I have to say that I have never had as much fun researching or writing any book as I did with this one. It was the first time I was writing about a period I had actually lived through.

Hats off to Colin Smith for the fun cover design.

Heartfelt thanks to John MacLachlan Gray for the terrific “Foreword.”

And thanks to the spirit of Frank MacKay for closing out the book with his touching “Afterword.”

Dozens of people contributed stories and images to the book. Thanks to you all.

The rest of the book—the interior layout and back cover—have not yet been designed. Nimbus expects to have the book ready for the spring of 2020.

Last evening at the Dartmouth Sportsplex was a public engagement session for the Cornwallis and Indigenous Commemoration Task Force.

A second session takes place tonight at the Mi’kmaq Friendship Centre on Gottingen Street in Halifax.

Those of us on the Task Force are immensely grateful to everyone who has attended the different public engagement sessions. We are aiming to wrap up our work as soon as possible and make our recommendations to HRM City Council. My guess is that will happen before we have gone very far into 2020.

Public Engagement

Phase Two: October 2019

The Task Force on the Commemoration of Edward Cornwallis and the Recognition and Commemoration of Indigenous History is hosting phase two of public engagement to seek public input.

Residents are invited to join facilitated conversation circles to discuss how the Halifax Regional Municipality should recognize and commemorate Indigenous history. 

As part of this important discussion, participants will also be asked what we should take into consideration when commemorating history in general.

The sessions will take place as follows: 
Monday, Oct. 28 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Zatzman Sportsplex 
Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre
 
Both facilities are accessible.

A notetaker will be present to capture the conversation at each table. 

Those interested in participating are asked confirm their attendance as space is limited for these sessions. Please RSVP online:
RSVP for Dartmouth session at Zatzman Sportsplex
RSVP for Halifax session at Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre

Can’t make the engagement session? Share your thoughts via email to clerks@halifax.ca 

The Italian-born explorer who in 1524, on behalf of the French king François I, sailed along the eastern seaboard of what is now mostly the USA is greatly celebrated in Greve in Chianti, Italy.

I was in Greve recently — a delightful town — and saw commemorations of Verrazzano in several places, including in the town’s main square and on a wine label.