I'm not really a talk show host, I just play one on tv!
We're finally here. Cogeco studios on McLeod Road in Niagara Falls and our first guest is David Hemmings, noted local historian and author. I had heard about David through the St. Catharines historical society with regard to the book he had written on Laura Secord, "Laura Ingersoll Secord: A Heroine and her Family".
I took a drive out to the Niagara on the Lake historical museum and picked up a copy. Before I was even half way through it, I knew I wanted David on the show. The question was, how to convince him! I sent him an email explaining who I was, and a little bit about the show and asked if he would be interested in being our first guest! I suspected it was the first time he'd received an email asking him that. We went back and forth for a bit, and I did my best to answer his questions, and we finally decided we should meet and talk in person. I invited him to lunch. [for a look at how the morning went leading up to that lunch, check out http://nancyr-meetme.blogspot.ca/2011/09/you-know-you-should-have-stayed-in-bed.html]
Well, we hit if off like gangbusters!!! Not only is he a great writer, but he is charming as well!! Lunch absolutely flew by and before I knew it, I had to get back to work. But the best part was, having met me and deciding I wasn't really crazy after all, David agreed to do the show.
We taped on a Saturday morning. None of us had ever done anything like this before and we were all a little nervous. When they were showing me how to attach the microphone properly, I started feeling a little sick. Jacquie and Mary were both giving me the look. You know the look. The "I can't believe I let you talk me into this" look! When they counted us down and the red light came on, I completely forgot what I was going to say, but just for a second. It came back to me and I introduced myself, my co-hosts, and of course our guest, David.
David said later that he'd been nervous too, but he is so passionate about his subject matter that once he started talking about Laura Secord, we all forgot to be nervous anymore, and a great conversation ensued.
Of course, we all think we know the Laura Secord story, but I'm willing to bet that most of us don't really. And David presents it in a really unique way in his book. He looks at Laura as a spy behind enemy lines, which is exactly what she was. I just never thought of her that way before. David really brought her to life.
We discussed not only her story, but what it might have been like being a woman in those times, in those circumstances.
At the end of the show, David mentioned the walk that is planned for the anniversary: a 32 km hike from Laura's home (now a museum) in Queenston Heights, to Decew House in Thorold. After learning so much about her and what she had gone through, we decided that we will do the walk this summer ourselves, to really experience it through her eyes...or feet I guess!
Please look for David's book at the NOTL museum or online at
I took a drive out to the Niagara on the Lake historical museum and picked up a copy. Before I was even half way through it, I knew I wanted David on the show. The question was, how to convince him! I sent him an email explaining who I was, and a little bit about the show and asked if he would be interested in being our first guest! I suspected it was the first time he'd received an email asking him that. We went back and forth for a bit, and I did my best to answer his questions, and we finally decided we should meet and talk in person. I invited him to lunch. [for a look at how the morning went leading up to that lunch, check out http://nancyr-meetme.blogspot.ca/2011/09/you-know-you-should-have-stayed-in-bed.html]
Well, we hit if off like gangbusters!!! Not only is he a great writer, but he is charming as well!! Lunch absolutely flew by and before I knew it, I had to get back to work. But the best part was, having met me and deciding I wasn't really crazy after all, David agreed to do the show.
We taped on a Saturday morning. None of us had ever done anything like this before and we were all a little nervous. When they were showing me how to attach the microphone properly, I started feeling a little sick. Jacquie and Mary were both giving me the look. You know the look. The "I can't believe I let you talk me into this" look! When they counted us down and the red light came on, I completely forgot what I was going to say, but just for a second. It came back to me and I introduced myself, my co-hosts, and of course our guest, David.
David said later that he'd been nervous too, but he is so passionate about his subject matter that once he started talking about Laura Secord, we all forgot to be nervous anymore, and a great conversation ensued.
Of course, we all think we know the Laura Secord story, but I'm willing to bet that most of us don't really. And David presents it in a really unique way in his book. He looks at Laura as a spy behind enemy lines, which is exactly what she was. I just never thought of her that way before. David really brought her to life.
We discussed not only her story, but what it might have been like being a woman in those times, in those circumstances.
At the end of the show, David mentioned the walk that is planned for the anniversary: a 32 km hike from Laura's home (now a museum) in Queenston Heights, to Decew House in Thorold. After learning so much about her and what she had gone through, we decided that we will do the walk this summer ourselves, to really experience it through her eyes...or feet I guess!
Please look for David's book at the NOTL museum or online at
posted by Unknown | 5:46 PM
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