Vertigo with Beach, Bautz, Harris and Villalta

Great entertainment at the Vertigo Series on Monday night — readers from Alberta and Saskatchewan, with music from El Salvador. 

I try to attend this monthly event in Regina, Saskatchewan, to cheer on the writers (this week Kimmy Beach, Sheila Bautz and Susan Harris), and see what treats host Tara Dawn Solheim has in store for us. 

And so musician Danilo Villalta was a wonderful surprise. 

An artist, poet and researcher of traditional Central American music, Villalta is currently in Regina with his collection of hand-crafted ocarinas, clay wind instruments that capture the sound of wind, birds and trees, and echo with eerie resonances. 

(And yes, he made these himself... He demonstrates the process in a YouTube video on making ocarinas. And yes, I understand Spanish, so his performance made me very happy.)

L: Hand-crafted clay ocarina, made by Danilo Villalta, playing at R. © SB

And the writers were also highly entertaining, just as I'd hoped...

Kimmy Beach (she's the Alberta guest) read several pieces, including "The Last Temptation of Miss Moneypenny" (a tale of virtual reality simulation from The Last Temptation of Bond...) Well, let's just say, Hot.

Kimmy Beach reads Bond. James Bond. © SB

Susan Harris read from her new history of (and eulogy for) the Canadian penny, Little Copper Coins. (Good to meet you, Susan!)

And Sheila Bautz read from Walking the Cutline, her in-progress memoir/investigative non-fiction book on workplace safety laws and the work-related death of her husband.

(If memoir/investigation is not a category yet, it should be! And good to see you again, Sheila!)

In all, a fascinating evening with a wide range of creative talents on display, and thought-provoking stories to tell — in English, Spanish and more.

Sheila Bautz

Susan Harris

  ~~~~~