After a hectic schedule half-a-world away, author Jay Scott Kanes has returned to Lamma Island in Hong Kong, weary but pleased at having launched a new book.

Island Toes A’Tapping profiles leading musicians and explores the music scene in Kanes’ birthplace: Prince Edward Island, Canada. A series of “back-home” launch events ran from late June until mid July, taking Kanes to P.E.I.’s capital city, Charlottetown, and to towns with names like Alberton, Borden, Montague, Murray River, Souris and Summerside.

“Promoting the book became enormous fun because local musicians stepped forward to play at each stop,” said Kanes. “The launch tour took me across the province with a really diverse soundtrack. Memorable songs included ‘Gumboot Clog A Roo’, ‘Lester the Lobster’, ‘Poor Bob’ and ‘Don’t Laugh Too Much’.

“My greatest fears swirled around the chance that someone might yell for the author to step onstage and sing. Luckily, that never happened.

"Honestly, I couldn’t warble a word without causing earaches for miles. Musical impotence gives me a tremendous respect for the real musicians, of which P.E.I. has thousands.”

Once the book arrived in its target market, Sandcastle Recording of Borden swung into action to create two Island Toes A’Tapping compilation CDs with 32 songs by P.E.I. singers and bands. “That delighted me,” Kanes said. “The CDs supply ear-pleasing examples from the book.”

Like the book, the CDs went on sale across PEI. Plans for Island Toes A’Tapping emerged from Kanes’ regular visits to Canada. In 2005, he conducted research there. The book-launch tour happened the next summer.

Island Toes A’Tapping represents Kanes’ first non-fiction book. Earlier, he published two novels, High Degree of Atrocity (2004) and Dog-Gone Cat Case (2005).

ARCHIVES

Kanes' book inspires compilation CDs
and bookmarks.


The Acadian-female band Chiquesa
finds cause for mirth.


A crowd gathers for the primary
book-launch party.


An all-star band plays,
and dancers step lively.


When signing books, Kanes heeds the
most basic rule: carry a good pen.


Musical fisherman Mike Martell (left) and
his wife Tami (center) risk ear damage, but
gladly Kanes (right) doesn't try to sing.