Tag: Seanchai Library

Every year, on September 19th, people around the world celebrate International Talk Like A Pirate Day. However, as it this year falls on a Monday, when a lot of people will be busy at work, Seanchai Library, in partnership with Kultivate Magazine, will be holding a special Pirate Sunday Storytellers Sandbox at Kultivate’s in-world HQ of Water Haven.

Running from 3:00pm SLT through until 5:30pm SLT, the event will comprise 90 minutes of storytelling live in voice, including:

• Kayden O’Connell and Bryn Taleweaver reading selections from “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Caledonia Skytower reading selections from “Women Pirates” by Anne Myers
• Shandon Loring will read from Dead Men Tell No Tales a collection of stories from the Pirates of the Caribbean
• R. Crap Mariner reading various pirate tales from his 100 Word Stories collection.

An hour of music from Anek Fuchs will follow from 4:30pm, with dancing at the “shipwreck cove”.

Guests are strongly encouraged to come dressed for the occasion, whether as brigands or wenches or whatever outfit they’ve got stashed away in Davy Jones’ Locker.

The entire celebration, from X-marks-the-Spot to Pieces-Of-Eight, will benefit Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C).

An international movement, originally founded in the United States, SU2C takes an innovative  approach to ending cancer by focusing on forming “dream teams” of doctors and researchers who are directly involved in leading-edge cancer research and treatment, and then undertaking aggressive research programmes. 100% of all donations made through SU2C goes directly into funding cancer research and treatment and paying for these teams; none is lost to “administrative costs” or put aside for CEO or executive salaries, etc.

To mark the occasion, one half of Water Haven has been flooded and docks installed, and a flotilla of ships  – privateers and men’o’war, and merchant ships – to come alongside, having skirted the dangers of ghost ships, wrecks and a waiting Kraken in the bay beyond!

Sanchai This Week

And don’t forget that throughout the week, Seanchai Library will be presenting a range of stories in voice for our listening enjoyment, with all dominations and tips going to support  Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), a childhood cancer foundation dedicated to raising funds for research into new treatments and cures for all children battling cancer.  So, check out the schedule in brief below, and do be sure to visit the Seanchai Library website.

All events are at Seanchai Library headquarters at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated in the descriptions.

• Sunday, September 18th, 13:30: Tea Time at Baker Street – join Caledonia Skytower, John Morland and Kayden Oconnell as they continue to read from that most famous of tales from the pen of Arthur Conan Doyle: The Hound of the Baskervilles. Dramatised many times over the years on stage, film, radio and television, it’s a story told many times and in many ways. So what not settle into the lounge at 221B Baker Street, the University of Washington iSchool, and hear the chilling original?
• Monday September 19th, 19:00: A Spectre is Haunting Texas – Gyro Muggins reads Fritz Leiber’s 1969 novel telling of a world in which Texas had secretly run the United States from 1845 through until the Third World War, after which the former state conquered the entire North American continent…
• Tuesday September 20th, 19:00: The Old Country – Faerie Maven-Pralou concludes a reading of Mordecai Gerstein‘s 2005 novel of shape-shifting, magic, war, and discovery.
• Wednesday September 21st, 19:00: A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell #2) – return to 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington’s iSchool, for the latter-day adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes (retired) and his young orphaned protégé, Mary Russell, originally from the United States, as written by Laurie R. King.
• Thursday, September 22nd:
  • 19:00 Cutlass! Three Pirate Tales with a Twist  with Shandon Loring (In Second Life and Kitely. Check Kitely event announcements for specific grid location)
  • 21:00: Seanchai Late Night – late-night science fiction with Finn Zeddmore.

Additional Links

• Seanchai Library blog
• Seanchai Library in this blog
• SU2C Canada
• SU2C UK
• SU2C USA
• SU2C Germany Facebook page
• Second Life SU2C Team donation pages:
  • SL SU2C UK
  • SL SU2C USA

It’s time to kick-off a week of story-telling in voice, brought to our virtual lives by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, September 11th

13:30: Tea Time at Baker Street

Tea-time at Baker Street returns for the summer, featuring a new location – 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington iSchool in Second Life. Caledonia Skytower, John Morland and Kayden Oconnell invite you to join them as they return to what is quite possibly the most famous of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works, and present their fourth reading from The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The third full-length novel written about Sherlock Holmes, this is likely to be the one Holmesian story which – at least in outline – known to most, whether or not they have actually read any of Holmes’ adventures.

But how many of us know the story as it was originally written? Over the decades it has been adapted for film and television more than 20 times, starting as early as 1914/15 with the 4-part series, Der Hund von Baskerville, and continuing on through to Paul McGuigan’s The Hounds of Baskerville, featured in the BBC’s brilliant Sherlock series.

All of these adaptations have offered their own take on the tale. Some – such as McGuigan’s, have simply taken the title of the story and used it to weave a unique tale of their own; others have stayed true to the basics of the story whilst also adding their own twists and turns quite outside of Conan Doyle’s plot in order to keep their offering fresh and exciting to an audience.

So why not join Cale, John and Kayden as they read from the 1902 original, and discover just how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle unfolded this apparently supernatural tale of giant hounds and murder, and the pivotal role played by John Watson himself?

18:00: Magicland Storytime

It’s a Small World of Folktales at The Golden Horseshoe in Magicland Park with Caledonia Skytower.

Monday September 12th, 19:00: The Crucible of Time

Gyro Muggin’s takes his audience into the fix-up by John Brunner. First published as two-part story which appeared in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, it’s an ambitious tale of alien intelligence which grew to a series of six linked tales pushed as a single novel in 1983.

Far off in space is an alien race which is so much like us, yet so un-alike. From the birth of their earliest civilisation through to their attainment of star flight as their star system passes through the galaxy, we follow their development through the ages.

Aquatic by nature, this race presents some significant challenges well outside the realms of anything encountered by humanity. But they are also driven by all too familiar hopes, fears, desires, needs, wants, prejudices, impact of religious ideologies, and the quest for knowledge we have experienced in the growth of our own civilisation.

Charting six periods of time, each a thousand years after the previous, the six stories focus on the efforts of a group of individuals in each era as they face one or more challenges, their success in overcoming these challenges inevitably leading them towards a greater understanding of their planet’s plight, and ultimately, the ability to deal with that plight and the survival of their civilisation.

Tuesday September 13th, 19:00: The Old Country

“So this is what it’s like to have fingers,” the girl laughed, and pointed the bow at Gisella. “How does the world look from the other side of the crossbow?”

And so it is that Gisella learns the truth in the warning never look too long into the eyes of a fox, as she finds herself trapped in the fox’s body, as the fox makes off with her own. But such is the way of things in the Old Country, where “all the fairy tales come from, where there was magic – and there was war.”

Now she must cross a country torn by war, encountering magic, bloodshed and more as she seeks to find her own body and stare once again into the eyes of the fox possessing it, and so reclaim it. But such are her experiences in crossing the ravaged land, that once she finds her body, she faces a surprising revelation and choice about her own nature.

Join Faerie Maven-Pralou as she takes her audience through the enchanting pages of Mordecai Gerstein‘s 2005 novel.

Wednesday September 14th, 19:00: A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell #2)

Return to 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington’s iSchool, Second Life, for the latter-day adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes (retired) and his young orphaned protégé, Mary Russell, originally from the United States, as written by Laurie R. King.

Taking a trip to London, Mary encounters Veronica Beaconsfield, a friend from Oxford, who in turn introduces her to the charismatic and enigmatic Margery Childe, leader of something called “The New Temple of God.”

Sect-like, and seemingly involved with the suffrage movement, the New Temple and its leader offer both curiosity and intrigue for Mary, who is not convinced either are entirely above-board.

Her suspicions appear to be correct when several of the Temple’s wealthy young female volunteers and financial contributors are murdered. With Holmes keeping a watchful eye in the background, Mary turns her curiosity into an investigation; in doing so, she faces her greatest danger yet.

Thursday, September 15th, 19:00  Dark Agnes De Chastillon, Sword Woman

Shandon Loring reads from another of Robert E. Howard’s short series, focusing on Agnes de Chastillon in 16th century France. Spanning three stories, two written in full by Howard, with the third finished by Gerald W. Page. In Sword Woman is both the title of Agnes’ origin story by Howard, and the title of the volume bringing her tales together under a single cover. To discover more, join Shandon in both Second Life and Kitely (check Seanchai Library’s Kitely event announcements for specific grid location details).

---

Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.

The featured charity for September-October is Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), a childhood cancer foundation dedicated to raising funds for research into new treatments and cures for all children battling cancer.

Additional Links

• Seanchai Library blog
• Seanchai Library in this blog

It’s time to kick-off a week of story-telling in voice, brought to our virtual lives by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, September 4th, 13:30: Tea Time at Baker Street

Tea-time at Baker Street returns for the summer, featuring a new location – 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington iSchool in Second Life. Caledonia Skytower, John Morland and Kayden Oconnell invite you to join them as they return to what is quite possibly the most famous of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works, and present their fourth reading from The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The third full-length novel written about Sherlock Holmes, this is likely to be the one Holmesian story which – at least in outline – known to most, whether or not they have actually read any of Holmes’ adventures.

But how many of us know the story as it was originally written? Over the decades it has been adapted for film and television more than 20 times, starting as early as 1914/15 with the 4-part series, Der Hund von Baskerville, and continuing on through to Paul McGuigan’s The Hounds of Baskerville, featured in the BBC’s brilliant Sherlock series.

All of these adaptations have offered their own take on the tale. Some – such as McGuigan’s, have simply taken the title of the story and used it to weave a unique tale of their own; others have stayed true to the basics of the story whilst also adding their own twists and turns quite outside of Conan Doyle’s plot in order to keep their offering fresh and exciting to an audience.

So why not join Cale, John and Kayden as they read from the 1902 original, and discover just how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle unfolded this apparently supernatural tale of giant hounds and murder, and the pivotal role played by John Watson himself?

Monday September 5th, 19:00: The Crucible of Time

Gyro Muggin’s takes his audience into the fix-up by John Brunner. First published as two-part story which appeared in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, it’s an ambitious tale of alien intelligence which grew to a series of six linked tales pushed as a single novel in 1983.

Far off in space is an alien race which is so much like us, yet so un-alike. From the birth of their earliest civilisation through to their attainment of star flight as their star system passes through the galaxy, we follow their development through the ages.

Aquatic by nature, this race presents some significant challenges well outside the realms of anything encountered by humanity. But they are also driven by all too familiar hopes, fears, desires, needs, wants, prejudices, impact of religious ideologies, and the quest for knowledge we have experienced in the growth of our own civilisation.

Charting six periods of time, each a thousand years after the previous, the six stories focus on the efforts of a group of individuals in each era as they face one or more challenges, their success in overcoming these challenges inevitably leading them towards a greater understanding of their planet’s plight, and ultimately, the ability to deal with that plight and the survival of their civilisation.

Tuesday September 6th, 19:00: The Old Country

“So this is what it’s like to have fingers,” the girl laughed, and pointed the bow at Gisella. “How does the world look from the other side of the crossbow?”

And so it is that Gisella  learns the truth in the warning never look too long into the eyes of a fox, as she finds herself trapped in the fox’s body, as the fox makes off with her own. But such is the way of things in the Old Country, where “all the fairy tales come from, where there was magic – and there was war.”

Now she must cross a country torn by war, encountering magic, bloodshed and more as she seeks to find her own body and stare once again into the eyes of the fox possessing it, and so reclaim it. But such are her experiences in crossing the ravaged land, that once she finds her body, she faces a surprising  revelation and choice about her own nature.

Join Faerie Maven-Pralou as she takes her audience through the enchanting pages of Mordecai Gerstein‘s 2005 novel.

Wednesday September 7th, 19:00: A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell #2)

Return to 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington’s iSchool, Second Life, for the latter-day adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes (retired) and his young orphaned protégé, Mary Russell, originally from the United States, as written by Laurie R. King.

Taking a trip to London, Mary encounters Veronica Beaconsfield, a friend from Oxford, who in turn introduces her to the charismatic and enigmatic Margery Childe, leader of something called “The New Temple of God.”

Sect-like, and seemingly involved with the suffrage movement, the New Temple and its leader offer both curiosity and intrigue for Mary, who is not convinced either are entirely above-board.

Her suspicions appear to be correct when several of the Temple’s wealthy young female volunteers and financial contributors are murdered. With Holmes keeping a watchful eye in the background, Mary turns her curiosity into an investigation; in doing so, she faces her greatest danger yet.

Thursday, September 8th

19:00: A Gent from Bear Creek

Robert E. Howard is perhaps best known as the creator of Conan the Barbarian and Solomon Kane. However, in A Gent from Bear Creek, he presents a series of western stories narrated by Breckenridge “Breck” Elkins, his protagonist.

A native of the fictional Bear Creek in Nevada, Elkins is “mighty in stature, small in brain” – that is, a man given to brawn over brain. He is known throughout the west, together with his equally ferocious horse, Cap’n Kidd, for having something of a temper and for being extremely skilled with his fists.

Each of the stories in the book is self-contained, all told through the character of Elkins in the manner of “top rail” bullshippin’, and some in the west referred to very tall tales (so tall, they required the narrator sit on the top rail of the bull pen fence).

A Gent from Bear Creek actually formed Howard’s longest running series. They were initially strung together in an attempt to form a novel but Howard and his publisher, John Kline, shortly before Howard’s death in 1936. While the novel did gain publication in 1937 in the United Kingdom, it didn’t reach print in the United States until 1966, leaving first editions of the original UK publication highly sought-after by collectors.

Shandon Loring dons the character of “Breck” Elkins in both Second Life and Kitely (check Seanchai Library’s Kitely event announcements for specific grid location details).

21:00: Seanchai Late Night

With Gyro Muggins.

---

Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.

The featured charity for September-October is TBA.

Additional Links

• Seanchai Library blog
• Seanchai Library in this blog

It’s time to kick-off a week of story-telling in voice, brought to our virtual lives by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, August 28th

13:30: Tea Time at Baker Street

Tea-time at Baker Street returns for the summer, featuring a new location – 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington iSchool in Second Life. Caledonia Skytower, John Morland and Kayden Oconnell invite you to join them as they return to what is quite possibly the most famous of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works, and present their fourth reading from The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The third full-length novel written about Sherlock Holmes, this is likely to be the one Holmesian story which – at least in outline – known to most, whether or not they have actually read any of Holmes’ adventures.

But how many of us know the story as it was originally written? Over the decades it has been adapted for film and television more than 20 times, starting as early as 1914/15 with the 4-part series, Der Hund von Baskerville, and continuing on through to Paul McGuigan’s The Hounds of Baskerville, featured in the BBC’s brilliant Sherlock series.

All of these adaptations have offered their own take on the tale. Some – such as McGuigan’s, have simply taken the title of the story and used it to weave a unique tale of their own; others have stayed true to the basics of the story whilst also adding their own twists and turns quite outside of Conan Doyle’s plot in order to keep their offering fresh and exciting to an audience.

So why not join Cale, John and Kayden as they read from the 1902 original, and discover just how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle unfolded this apparently supernatural tale of giant hounds and murder, and the pivotal role played by John Watson himself?

18:00: Magicland Storytime

It’s a Small World of Folktales at The Golden Horseshoe in Magicland Park with Caledonia Skytower.

Monday August 29th, 19:00: The Crucible of Time

Gyro Muggin’s takes his audience into the fix-up by John Brunner. First published as two-part story which appeared in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, it’s an ambitious tale of alien intelligence which grew to a series of six linked tales pushed as a single novel in 1983.

Far off in space is an alien race which is so much like us, yet so un-alike. From the birth of their earliest civilisation through to their attainment of star flight as their star system passes through the galaxy, we follow their development through the ages.

Aquatic by nature, this race presents some significant challenges well outside the realms of anything encountered by humanity. But they are also driven by all too familiar hopes, fears, desires, needs, wants, prejudices, impact of religious ideologies, and the quest for knowledge we have experienced in the growth of our own civilisation.

Charting six periods of time, each a thousand years after the previous, the six stories focus on the efforts of a group of individuals in each era as they face one or more challenges, their success in overcoming these challenges inevitably leading them towards a greater understanding of their planet’s plight, and ultimately, the ability to deal with that plight and the survival of their civilisation.

Tuesday August 30th, 19:00: TBA

Please check the Seanchai Library blog for updates.

Wednesday August 31st, 19:00: A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell #2)

Return to 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington’s iSchool, Second Life, for the latter-day adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes (retired) and his young orphaned protégé, Mary Russell, originally from the United States, as written by Laurie R. King.

Taking a trip to London, Mary encounters Veronica Beaconsfield, a friend from Oxford, who in turn introduces her to the charismatic and enigmatic Margery Childe, leader of something called “The New Temple of God.” Sect-like, and seemingly involved with the suffrage movement, the New Temple and its leader offer both curiosity and intrigue for Mary, who is not convinced either are entirely above-board.

Her suspicions appear to be correct when several of the Temple’s wealthy young female volunteers and financial contributors are murdered. With Holmes keeping a watchful eye in the background, Mary turns her curiosity into an investigation; in doing so, she faces her greatest danger yet.

Thursday, September 1st, 19:00: Rey’s Story from Star Wars the Force Awakens

With Shandon Loring (In Second Life and Kitely. Check Kitely event announcements for specific grid location).

---

Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.

The featured charity for July-August is WildAid: seeking to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns and providing comprehensive marine protection.

Additional Links

• Seanchai Library blog
• Seanchai Library in this blog

It’s time to kick-off a week of story-telling in voice, brought to our virtual lives by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, August 21st, 13:30: Tea Time at Baker Street

Tea-time at Baker Street returns for the summer, featuring a new location – 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington iSchool in Second Life, and a return to His Last Bow.

A 1917 anthology of previously published Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the volume originally comprised seven stories published by The Strand Magazine between 1908 and 1917. However, later editions of the book saw an eighth story included, The Adventure of the Cardboard Box, originally published in 1892.

But this week, we come to Holmes’ final adventure before retirement proper and bee keeping beckon, in the titular story of this volume of Doyle’s works.

The year is 1914, and Britain stands on the brink of war. In England, Von Bork, a German agent, has been gathering a vast amount of military intelligence over a period of four years. With his family already safely returned to Germany, he is now awaiting the arrival of his star agent with one more piece of information prior to making his own return home where he is assured he will be greeted as a hero.

His informant, an Irish-American by the name of Altamont who has been working for Von Bork for two years, duly arrives at his home that night, bearing the precious information. With their agreed exchange made, Von Bork takes the package Altamont present to him, the final piece of military intelligence Von Bork desires: the Admiralty’s latest signal codes. Could it be that all of Britain’s military secrets are about to be laid bare to a country that will likely be her greatest enemy come the outbreak of war in Europe?

Monday August 22nd:  The Lost Tudor Princess

Caledonia Skytower reads selections from Alison Weir ‘s biography of Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, favourite niece of Henry VIII of England, and the daughter of Margaret Tudor, Dowager Queen of Scotland through her second marriage to the 6th Earl of Angus.

Born in October 1515, Margaret grew up in exceptional circumstances to become an exceptional woman. She joined the household of her Godfather, Cardinal Wolsey, grew up with Mary Tudor (who became Mary 1st of England after Henry’s death), joined Anne Boleyn’s court as a lady-in-waiting. At one point, she was next in line of succession to the throne upon Henry’s death, the king having declared both his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, as bastards.

Margaret herself was often at the centre of intrigue and plotting – her skill for politics doubtless inherited from her mother, who was well-versed in the art of intrigue. Like her mother, Margaret was also subject to the demands of her heart, and this, together with her head for intrigue, landed her in the Tower of London no fewer than three times.

The first of these occurred under Henry VIII’s rule of England, and resulted from Margaret following her heart and seeking betrothal without royal permission. Her second and third visits to the Tower came under Elizabeth I’s reign, when Margaret’s intrigues, each involving her sons, Henry, Lord Darnley Stuart, and Charles, 1st Earl of Lennox, would be seen as a threat to the English throne. Nevertheless she survived all three incarcerations, and  her diplomatic abilities did much to pave the way for her grandson, James VI of Scotland, to ascend to the English throne as James I, twenty-five years after her death.

Want to know more? Then join Caledonia for a dip into Margaret’s world! Note that there will also be a discussion on this book at the Community Virtual Library on Wednesday, August 24th at 17:30 SLT. You do not have to have read the entire book to attend and participate.

Tuesday August 23rd, 19:00: Blueberry Summers: Growing Up at the Lake

Kayden Oconnell reads from Curtiss Anderson’s classic coming of age memoirs.

Born in 1928 in Minneapolis, Curtiss Anderson grew up in an extended family of Norwegian-Americans, among whom the highlight of the year was time spent among the lakes of northern Minnesota.

For young Curtiss, growing up in the 1930s and 1940s, these were especially idyllic years. Time spent in the farmhouse among this extended family presented an opportunity for him to escape the strained and troubled relationship he had with his parents and enjoy the company of others, aunts and uncles, the loving care offered by family friends Leigh and Clara, the companionship of the family dogs – and the chances to experience young love of his own.

Through the tales he relates of these summers, so Anderson also explores the notes and letters he wrote as a boy, carefully produced on a hand-me-down typewriter. Missives and notes which, although he never realised it at the time, were in fact his first forays into what would blossom in his adult life into a distinguished career as a writer, editor and publisher.

Wednesday August 24th: A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell #2)

Return to 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington’s iSchool, Second Life, for the latter-day adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes (retired) and his young orphaned protégé, Mary Russell, originally from the United States, as written by Laurie R. King.

Taking a trip to London, Mary encounters Veronica Beaconsfield, a friend from Oxford, who in turn introduces her to the charismatic and enigmatic Margery Childe, leader of something called “The New Temple of God.” Sect-like, and seemingly involved with the suffrage movement, the New Temple and its leader offer both curiosity and intrigue for Mary, who is not convinced either are entirely aboard board.

Her suspicions appear to be correct when several of the Temple’s wealthy young female volunteers and financial contributors are murdered. With Holmes keeping a watchful eye in the background, Mary turns her curiosity into an investigation; in doing so, she faces her greatest danger yet.

Thursday, August 25th

19:00:  Rey’s Story from Star Wars the Force Awakens

With Shandon Loring (In Second Life and Kitely. Check Kitely event announcements for specific grid location).

21:00: Seanchai Late Night

With Finn Zeddmore.

Saturday, August 27th

11:00:  Seanchai Kitely – Welcome to Gatsby

Seanchai Library is pleased to contribute to Kitely History Month with readings from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.  Join Caledonia and Shandon on the drive of Gatsby’s mansion in Seanchai’s EXPLORE region, as they whisk you back to 1922.

(grid.kitely.com:8002:EXPLORESeanchai)

15:00 Second Life: Lost in Austen

Jane Austen’s English Countryside on LEA 8 invites all Austen Lovers at the Riverside Reading Stage as Seanchai Library’s Caledonia Skytower presents selections from Miss Austen’s Mansfield Park.

---

Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.

The featured charity for July-August is WildAid: seeking to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns and providing comprehensive marine protection.

Additional Links

• Seanchai Library blog
• Seanchai Library in this blog

It’s time to kick-off a week of story-telling in voice, brought to our virtual lives by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, August 14th

13:30: Tea Time at Baker Street

Tea-time at Baker Street returns for the summer, featuring a new location – 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington iSchool in Second Life, and a return to His Last Bow.

A 1917 anthology of previously published Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the volume originally comprised seven stories published by The Strand Magazine between 1908 and 1917. However, later editions of the book saw an eighth story included, The Adventure of the Cardboard Box, originally published in 1892.

In this episode, Holmes and Watson find their break in Cornwall interrupted, apparently by none other that Satan himself, in The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot.

Having gone to Cornwall on account of Holmes’ health, the two friends find their holiday interrupted by an unexpected visit by a local gentleman, Mortimer Tregennis, who is accompanied by the local vicar, Mr. Roundhay.

A distressed Tregennis reports how, after visiting his two brothers and his sister the previous evening, he had returned to their house in the morning to find all three still at the table where they’d all played whist the night before, his sister dead and his two brother apparently insane.

It had been the housekeeper who had first discovered the three, prior to Tregennis’ return, and she had fainted shortly after her discovery. Similarly, a doctor called to the house also collapsed for a short while. Tregennis, who has been living at the vicarage, is insistent what has happened is the work of the devil. Then, the following day, comes word that Mortimer Tregennis is also dead!

15:00: Magicland Storytime

It’s a Small World of Folktales at The Golden Horseshoe in Magicland Park with Caledonia Skytower.

Monday August 15th To the Vanishing Point

Gyro Muggins continues his Monday Night treat of sci-fi with the conclusion of Alan Dean Foster’s To the Vanishing Point.

When Frank Sonderberg insists his family make their annual vacation a road trip, his wife and kids are less than impressed. When he pulls over to the side of the road to pick up a beautiful young hitch-hiker apparently stranded in the desert, his wife definitely isn’t impressed.

But no sooner has the young woman, calling herself Mouse, boarded their motor-home than reality changes – and not necessarily for the better. Mouse, it turns out, is an alien on a mission and in picking her up, the family is inextricably joined with her in that mission. The universe, with all its many realities, is coming apart because the Spinner, the creator of those realities, has a headache. Mouse has the cure, but in order to give it, she must reach the Vanishing Point – and she needs the Sonderbergs to get her there.

Tuesday August 16th, 19:00: Blueberry Summers: Growing Up at the Lake

Kayden Oconnell reads from Curtiss Anderson’s classic coming of age memoirs.

Born in 1928 in Minneapolis, Curtiss Anderson grew up in an extended family of Norwegian-Americans, among whom the highlight of the year was time spent among the lakes of northern Minnesota.

For young Curtiss, growing up in the 1930s and 1940s, these were especially idyllic years. Time spent in the farmhouse among this extended family presented an opportunity for him to escape the strained and troubled relationship he had with his parents and enjoy the company of others, aunts and uncles, the loving care offered by family friends Leigh and Clara, the companionship of the family dogs – and the chances to experience young love of his own.

Through the tales he relates of these summers, so Anderson also explores the notes and letters he wrote as a boy, carefully produced on a hand-me-down typewriter. Missives and notes which, although he never realised it at the time, were in fact his first forays into what would blossom in his adult life into a distinguished career as a writer, editor and publisher.

Wednesday August 17th: A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell #2)

Return to 221B Baker Street at the University of Washington’s iSchool, Second Life, for the latter-day adventures of Mr. Sherlock Holmes (retired) and his young orphaned protégé, Mary Russell, originally from the United States, as written by Laurie R. King.

Taking a trip to London, Mary encounters Veronica Beaconsfield, a friend from Oxford, who in turn introduces her to the charismatic and enigmatic Margery Childe, leader of something called “The New Temple of God.” Sect-like, and seemingly involved with the suffrage movement, the New Temple and its leader offer both curiosity and intrigue for Mary, who is not convinced either are entirely aboard board.

Her suspicions appear to be correct when several of the Temple’s wealthy young female volunteers and financial contributors are murdered. With Holmes keeping a watchful eye in the background, Mary turns her curiosity into an investigation; in doing so, she faces her greatest danger yet.

Thursday, August 18th

Seanchai is taking the evening off to allow Shandon attend a family birthday celebration.

 

---

Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.

The featured charity for July-August is WildAid: seeking to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns and providing comprehensive marine protection.

Additional Links

• Seanchai Library blog
• Seanchai Library in this blog