Category Archives: Xtra: News and Reviews

News, reviews, updates and announcements.

Huldowget by B. A. McKelvie

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Shanon Sinn

Huldowget is a 1926 novel by Bruce Alistair McKelvie. It’s an entertaining read–in a historical sort of way–but it is also offensive. McKelvie was an editor for Victoria’s Daily Colonist. He is remembered for his involvement in the Native Sons (a … Continue reading →

Posted in First Nations, Vancouver Island, Xtra: News and Reviews | Tagged B. A. McKelvie, BC Native Sons, British Columbia, Bruce Alistair McKelvie, Chinook, Hepburn Stone, Huldowget, indigenous, Lost Kingdom of Mu, mesachie doll, missionary jargon, Nanaimo, necromancy, Witchcraft | Leave a comment

Exiles

Posted on November 22, 2020 by Shanon Sinn

Nothing brings me more joy than writing fiction. For this reason, I am excited to tell you about Althingi, Outland Entertainment’s newly announced Icelandic Viking game! More specifically, I am proud to tell you about the Althingi anthology I contributed … Continue reading →

Posted in Xtra: News and Reviews | Tagged "Exiles", Althingi, Althingi anthology, board game, card game, fiction, first person narration, Iceland, Joshua Gillingham, Kickstarter, Outland Entertainment, Outland Games, short story, Vancouver Island, Vikings | Leave a comment

Tofino in the Age of COVID

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Shanon Sinn

From carefully managed safety measures to mainstream COVID deniers, Tofino’s become a chaotic mishmash of policies and behaviours that feels more like a powder keg ready to blow than an anxiety-free tourist destination. This past Saturday, someone tried to pull … Continue reading →

Posted in Vancouver Island, Xtra: News and Reviews | Tagged Beaches Grocery, car campers, cat haunting, Co-op, Coastal Stewards, Common Loaf, COVID, COVID cases in Tofino, Daylight Cannabis, Esowista, ghost cat, Hotel Zed, illegal campers, Kelp Stout, Long Beach, Long Beach Automotive, Mackenzie Beach, Mermaid Tales Bookshop, Method Marine, Pacific Rim National Park, Slegg, Tacofino, Tal-o-qui-aht, Tofino, Tofino Brewing, Tofino COVID, Tofino COVID measures, Tofitian, Tribal Parks Allies, water taxi, Westerly, Wild Side Grill | 6 Comments

Ghosts of Mount Tzouhalem and Stone Butter Church

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Shanon Sinn

On July 21st, I was in the Cowichan Valley for the filming of Harold Joe’s new documentary, Tzouhalem. Produced by Les Bland Productions and by Harold himself, the film will attempt to unpack the oral stories and urban legends surrounding … Continue reading →

Posted in First Nations, Ghosts, Vancouver Island, Voices & Visionaries, Xtra: News and Reviews | Tagged appropriation, Chief Tzouhalem, Comiaken Hill, Cowichan, Cowichan River, Cowichan Valley, Duncan, Elder stories, First Nations, ghost story, Gravedigger, Harold Joe, Haunting of Vancouver Island, Headless Horseman, indigenous, Less Bland Productions, Mount Tzuohalem, Native American, Quamichan, racism in ghost stories, Stone Butter Church, urban legend, vampire, Vancouver Island | 6 Comments

Vancouver Island Booksellers Operating During the Covid-19 Outbreak

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Shanon Sinn

The following Vancouver Island bookstores are selling books online or by phone (free local delivery for some) while Covid-19 social restrictive measures are in place: Munro’s Books (Victoria) Bolen Books (Victoria) Russell Books (Victoria) Ivy’s Bookshop (Victoria) – now open … Continue reading →

Posted in Vancouver Island, Xtra: News and Reviews | Tagged Bolen Books, book seller, bookstore, Campbell River, Chapters, Coho Books, Coles Driftwood, Coles Tillicum, Coles Westshore, Comox, Courtenay, Duncan, Fireside Books, Indigo, James Bay Coffee and Books, Mermaid Tales Bookshop, Munros Books, Nanaimo, new books, Parksville, Qualicum, Russell Books, Sidney, Strong Nations Books, The Book Nook, Tofino, used books, Vancouver Island, Victoria, Well Read Books, Windowseat Books | 8 Comments

The Best Ghost Stories in Fiction

Posted on October 24, 2019 by Shanon Sinn

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 1843. Christmas used to be the time of year to tell ghost stories, both in Western cultures and in many other parts of the world during those longest nights of the year. Charles Dickens’ … Continue reading →