Daybreak Alberta

Alberta author, Tom Morin, nearly died 3 times because of his work and so sometimes, it takes a while for a message to sink in. For Tom, it was clear he needed to rethink work and now he's a workplace consultant, hoping to help others with his new book, "Your Best Work: Create the Working Life That's Right For You."

This might be one of those summers where the only traveling we do will be the good ol’ family road trip and it could also mean we’ll likely not be heading too far from home. So, where to go? Debbie Olsen thinks she can help. She worked with a small group of nature writers to put together a new book called "150 Nature Hot Spots in Canada: The Best Parks, Conservation Areas and Wild Places." Olsen has been all over the country and can talk about places close to home you might want to check out, and some of her own highlights from all over the country.

We all do it, usually multiple times a day, sometimes actively, and other times when we don't even realize that it's happening at all. It can bring you pleasure, or it can be torture. Waiting. Peter Toohey has taken a good, long look at waiting for his new book, "Hold On: The Life, Science and Art of Waiting." Peter Toohey, a Professor of Classics at the University of Calgary.

The Calgary Underground Film Festival isn't able to invite audiences to gather at local movie houses to watch films for 2020, however, as we all know, watching movies at home is all too easy. If you've got the right set-up, you can even take a movie streaming from a website and share it on your big screen TV. The films run from June 22-28 and information can be found online at https://www.calgaryundergroundfilm.org/

This year’s CUFF festival includes three world premieres amongst the full line up of 22 feature films, one of which is a trippy horror and morbidly funny flick called "Dead Dicks." Jillian Harris stars as a young nursing student named Becca who receives a series of panicked messages from her suicidal older brother Richie, played by Heston Horwin. To chat more about the movie and her own roots in Alberta, actor Jillian Harris joined Russell from her home.

Bob Sandford holds the Chair in Water & Climate Security at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment & Health. He's also the author of books like "Rain Comin’ Down: Water, Memory and Identity in a Changed World" as well as "Quenching the Dragon: The Canada-China Water Crisis." Bob is concerned about water security during a time of Covid, but he also thinks right now is an opportunity to really think about our water supply.

Jess Knights says her latest album could be the perfect record for someone going through a break-up. The Calgary-born R&B singer had planned the usual things to launch her new album, but obviously Covid scuttled that. However on June 20, she is performing live on her Facebook page live at 7pm (MT) and to preview the new songs, Jess Knights joined Russell to play two tracks from "Best Kind of Light."

Sarah Kurchak has a new book out called “I 'Overcame' My Autism and All I Got was this Lousy Anxiety Disorder.” It's a somewhat provocative title and Sarah also has thoughts on the Autism has played in the Anti-Vax movement. She spoke with Russell about her life and the new book..

What would you consider to be a long run? 5k, 10k? A marathon? How about taking on over 200 kms ... in one go? Sam Dickie is about to set off from Lake Louise and will run to Jasper and he's doing it as a challenge for himself and as a fundraiser for a youth mental health program. You can follow along with his run on his website, samueldickie.com. Before he sets off on his run, Sam Dickie joined Russell from his home in Banff.

June 13 and 14 in Edmonton, as well as on June 20 in Regina, country superstar, Brett Kissel, has found a way to get back to performing live by staging the "Live at the Drive-In" concert series at the River Cree Resort and Casino at Enoch Nation where fans will pile into their cars to watch Brett and his band perform live in a drive-in theatre setting the concerts will be broadcast through car radios so fans will be able to watch in safety. The sold-out shows are also raising money and donations for local food banks and ahead of the concerts Russell spoke with Brett Kissel.

Daybreak's books reviewer, Angie Abdou (The Bone Cage, Home Ice) returns for the month of June to peer inside the pages of a new works of fiction, Jaclyn Dawn's "The Inquirer" from Newest Press.