November 29th 2022
I am now in my second year of retirement.
I continue to participate with the 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling Coordinating Committee. I am now a member of two storytelling boards and am still a co-producer for Her Voice Returns.
Slowly but surely, another storyteller and I are reaching out to people with lived experiences and listening to their stories. A production of a lived experience event is hoped for.
My Biblical storytelling is slowly developing.
So, all in all (except being a board member on two storytelling boards), my involvements are the same.
I continue to take classes and continue to enjoy learning. Right now, my focus is on telling stories to children below the age of eight. There is another storyteller who is providing the guidance for this. By this time next year, I should have completed some children’s performances. I have done several with families, but until recently, none solely with children. I say recently because under the guidance of the storyteller guiding me, I performed one story for children, and it was well received. Their attention was fixed on the story. No fidgeting.
I should say that for the fourth time in a row ( it could be more ) I have told at the Storytelling Toronto festival and I decided not apply for next year. The reason I did not apply is because I am on the board. There is nothing preventing a board member from applying. I just decided not to.
Also, this year, I was the lead for the Talking Stick ( part of 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling). Both Talking Sticks were online and both noted in the Storytelling Toronto festival brochure. It was a wonderful mixture of international, across Canada, and local tellers.
I continue to listen and tell stories in various parts of the world.
So retirement is still suiting me very well. The stories continue to come, and life is delightful.
Until this time next year…
Susan Ida
December 21st 2021
Where did the time go? I ask this, knowing we are in a very different time period. Why? Because COVID-19 came, and now its variant is taking over.
You would think that with COVID raging, my storytelling would have lessened, but quite the contrary. In my world, my storytelling has magnified. Yes, it has magnified. Amazing.
In 2018 and 2019, I mainly told stories and listened to stories in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. My tellings occurred at the Storytelling Toronto festivals and the 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling. Then COVID-19 arrived, and into my life came Zoom. The storytelling community in Toronto rallied around Zoom and members of the community who knew how it worked taught those of us (including myself) who did not know how to use Zoom. Because of what I was taught regarding Zoom, and since 2020, I have listened and told stories – from the comfort of my home – in Australia, England, India, Scotland, the United States and various parts of Canada. My community has expanded from 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling to multiple communities within many countries I have mentioned. It has been glorious.
I retired on April 1st, 2021 – after being a front-line Social Worker for over forty years – and with time now on my side, I have expanded my repertoire to include both traditional and original stories and biblical stories. This is a new development.
I enjoy telling stories published in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I continue to use Gutenberg to access those stories. Recently I have been given quite a few books published during those time frames, and I enjoy reading and telling from them. Within three years (I will be the ripe old age of 71), I will be telling family stories crafted from documents left in my home unopened.
The stories that chose me to continue to be mainly from the Brothers Grimm ( i.e. The Star Money ), Lucy Maud Montgomery ( i.e. Akin to Love), Abbie Philip Walker ( i.e. Dinah Cat and the Witch), Cyrus MacMillan ( i.e. The Fall of the Spider-Man ) plus many others. It has been such a privilege to do this. Praise goes to my loving God. The biblical stories I tell are contained within the New Revised Standard Version bible.
Not only am I telling, but I am co-producing. I co-produce Her Voice Returns. We have just finished producing our fourth show. The next one will be in April 2022. Here is the link:https://www.facebook.com/HerVoiceReturns/
Since 2019, I have written a second book, boucaud, in the story: Tales. Initially, I had permission to obtain stories from quite a few people, but in the end, four continued with their agreement. It is a book containing people’s true tales. The stories are raw in their presentation, and I enjoy the memories that flood my mind when I read them.
In the last three years, my learning curve has been on an extremely steep incline (as I suspect it has been for many of us my age) when it comes to technology.
My stories continue to be described as gripping, unsettling, and engaging, and people continue to report that they are being transported to another realm. What I find interesting is now that I am starting to tell biblical stories, I am getting the same feedback.
I remain in both the Storytellers of Canada- Conteurs du Canada and Storytelling Toronto directory. I continue to be one of the co-editors for the SC-CC newsletter. I continue to be part of the Co-ordinating Committee with 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling.
What else can I share with you? I am working with other members of 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling on curating an event. By the end of the second year-from now- I plan to produce or co-produce two more shows and continue to tell and meet storytellers worldwide. It is such a glorious world. I praise my God for all the goodness there is in my life. And with that, my dear reader, I will say adieu.
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The below information that was used for marketing the boucaudin the story :2013–2017 book up until January 2nd 2021.
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BOUCAUD IN THE STORY: 2013 – 2017
IN A RUT ? TIRED OF THE MUNDANE ?
Maybe this will help. The stories and poetry in “boucaud in the story : 2013 – 017” have been described as emoti ally charged. Why not see if you can enter into an altered reality and achieve small breaks from the mundane? Click now on the below link for an online e-book or print book purchase from Amazon ( Canada or US ) ,Barnes and Noble , iTunes and Indigo.
http://www.iguanabooks.ca/books/boucaud-in-the-story-2013-2017
(scroll to the bottom of the Iguana site to purchase )
Bio
The author of “boucaud in the story: 2013 – 2017 ” is of the opinion – as eerie as this may seem- that the stories and poetry choose the author.
This author ( SI Boucaud) is also a storyteller and a member of Storytellers of Canada Conteurs du Canada
http://www.storytellers-conteurs.ca/en/storytellers-directory/SIBoucaud.html
and
Storytelling Toronto http://storytellingtoronto.org/story/boucaud-si .
Further information about the stories and the author click on
- http://www.boucaudinthestory2013-2017.com
- https://www.facebook.com/boucaudinthestory7
- https://www.pinterest.ca/boucaudinthestoryfictionbook/boards
- https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=boucaud+in+the+storyinto
Should you like the stories and want them told or integrated into part of a function you are having, please email the author at
boucaudinthestory7@gmail.com
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TELLINGS
May 26th 2018
I have some exciting news I want to share with you. Since the last entry, I have received my first professional review of my book ( boucaud in the story: 2013 – 2017). Robert J. Wiersema, author of Before I Wake and Black Feathers is the author of the review. The review is – in full – as follows:
“Boucaud in the Story collects short stories and poetry from volumes published by Toronto writer and storyteller S.I. Boucaud between 2013 and 2017. Boucaud writes of the pieces, “It is time to lay them to rest, to be woken up by others.” While this may be true of the author’s intent with the stories, the pieces themselves are anything but at rest: most of the stories are churning and turbulent, twisting and writhing.
A slim volume, weighing in at barely a hundred pages, Boucaud in the Story contains over forty pieces. The stories, while slight (most would fit handily in the microfiction category), often punch above their weight. The collection is bookended with two stories that, in effect, mirror one another: both “A Very Shy Boy” and “Priya” follow an entire relationship between a husband wife, from their awkward introduction through marriage, children, grandchildren and death, in the span of only three pages. Key events occur in both stories, but the outcome is different, as a result of a secret kept, in one instance, and an intimacy affirmed and shared in the other. Read together – at opposite ends of a collection – the stories serve to underscore the force of secrets, the power of intimacy, and the costs of prizing one over the other (whether that concealment is due to personal interests, societal influences, or both).
In these stories, and others, Boucaud demonstrates a keen eye for precision and the power of the single word. Nothing is belaboured or overexplained, stories allowed to build meaning within the reader’s mind and imagination with the words as guideposts, rather than explanations.
Not all of the stories pack the same punch, however. Some are too skeletal, too spare, to allow for readers to build understanding.
It’s possible that this variation may be due to a largely undiscussed distinction, the difference between writing and storytelling. While we often consider these two approaches to story as largely the same, they are, in fact, crucially different. Oral storytelling (Boucaud appears regularly at storyteller events in Toronto) is a communal form. Listeners approach a story not as isolated individuals (as one does when reading a text) but as part of a larger community. Meaning, therefore, builds in a different way when a story is told, rather than read: the community creates meaning as a group, along with the storyteller. It’s often the case that this approach to story doesn’t translate as powerfully to the written (and solitary) form, and rightly so.
This is certainly the case with the poetry in Boucaud in the Story. While it’s easy to imagine the force of these pieces as spoken/performed, they appear somewhat awkward on the page, with forced rhyme schemes and straightforward “meanings” that often take on the feel of morals. Again, this is natural, as anyone who has ever loved a song will likely be able to understand. When sung, the lyrics of a song have the power to penetrate directly to the heart. On the page, those same lyrics often seem trite and contrived, robbed of their force by being translated into what is, essentially, a different form.
At its best, Boucaud in the Story bridges these two disparate worlds, bringing the strengths of both the written and performed aspects of story together to tremendous effect. Even when that synergy doesn’t quite occur, however, one can feel the echoes of the in-person, communal power of Boucaud’s storytelling. I envy anyone who has been able to be a part of such an event.”
So excited.
I am working on expanding my repertoire and will include the list at a later date.
Update until April 15th 2018
I have continued to tell stories at 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling. Wonderful community.
As of this date, I have updated this website and a website called https://www.boucaudinthestory2013-2017.com .
It seems my book “boucaud in the story : 2013 – 2017” is very attractive for those that have lived experience and are somehow offended by the mundane. Very interesting to me , the author. Quite interesting.
I now have a Facebook https://www.facebook.com/boucaudinthestory and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.ca/boucaudinthestoryfictionbook/boards account ( huge , huge , time consuming ordeal…but worth it ) and am targeting that group . The Pinterest -given the demographic – targets a narrower target group. Still on a learning curve with Pinterest and Facebook and expect I will be for a few more months.
The YouTube https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=boucaud+in+the+story continues to move in a steady forward direction. Since the last update, a children’s video has been created entitled ” boucaud in the story: Maler and the Troll”.
I have told – since the last update – two stories at the 2018 Toronto Storytelling festival and got paid. Quite an experience and one I will welcome again into my life. Am now reviewing different public domain stories for the next festival.
I was part of the Master Storytelling class which concluded this year. The teacher was absolutely amazing. Those classes/courses at Storytelling Toronto are fantastic.
My goal now is to expand my repertoire; one new story every week or two is what I will be ( and have already started ) telling at 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling. Ever mindful of copyright, so I am using the Gutenberg site. One day I will list all the stories I have told for this year – maybe in the fall- and where I told them. Not too sure how to get online public domain books from the library. I am learning technological skills online from the library. Thank God for libraries…thank God.
I did have one more radio interview but the interviewer told my full name and she cannot delete her telling of the name without negatively impacting the whole interview so there have been no podcasts made of it. I will be retired in a little over two years from now so I will have it posted them. All’s well. Lots of learning going on. Lots of learning.
December 24th 2017
Name of stories: Remember; Jeep Drivers; The Loving located in a book called ” boucaud in the story:2013-2017 ” authored by SIBoucaud the telling occurred at Radio Regent Stories with Pal link: https://www.mixcloud.com/storieswithpal/2017-12-24-storieswithpal-with-si-boucaud/
December 10th 2017
Name of poems: Driving on the Rims of God’s Eyelashes”, “Before the Shared Path” and “Whisper Spirits.” located in a book called “boucaud in the story: 2013 -2017 ” authored by SIBoucaud the telling occurred in YOU TUBE video form and was produced on December 10th 2017 by Micheal B Productions. The video is entitled “BOUCAUD IN THE STORY: Three Poems “
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFicKfT6wvk&t=58s
December 1st 2017
Name of story: Move Them Bones published by SIBoucaud in YOU TUBE form November 11 2017 and created by SIBoucaud in October 2017
the telling in song form occurred at Shab-e She’r (Poetry Night) in Toronto, Ontario with Nick Miceli playing the tongue drum and sing the refrain
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSUn0dsL3-U&t=68s
November 12th 2017
Name of the story: I Ain’t Goin Down No Rabbit Hole located in a book called “boucaud in the story: 2013 -2017 ” authored by SIBoucaud the telling occurred in YOU TUBE video form and was produced on November 12th 2017 by Micheal B Productions. The video is entitled “boucaud in the story : I Ain’t Goin Down No Rabbit Hole”
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9UstPkWsYo&t=52s
October 31st 2017
Name of story : Them Lovely Hips located in a book called “boucaud in the story : 2013 – 2017 ” authored by SIBoucaud the telling occurred at Shab-e She’r (Poetry Night) in Toronto, Ontario
October 30th 2017
Name of poem: In The Passing located in a book called “boucaud in the story: 2013 -2017 ” authored by SIBoucaud the telling occurred in YOU TUBE video form and was produced on October 30th 2017 by Micheal B Productions. The video is entitled “boucaud in the story : in the passing “
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_qs_ClmyFw&t=158s
October 19th, 2017:
Name of story: “The Young Little Dog ” located in a book called “boucaud in the story : 2013 – 2017 ” authored by SIBoucaud the telling occurred at 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling in Toronto, Ontario
The purpose is to provide a chronicle regarding this creative process.
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Posting: October 20th 2016
See above for the beginning of a list of all stories that I have told. Indigo has approached me regarding the paper selling of the book “boucaud in the story: 2013-2017.” Stay tuned for further information. A van is traveling around the city advertising the aforementioned book and I have been busy reading about social marketing. People keep asking me about the book, how to order it etc. etc. Today a member of the family came over regarding a video he created. We reviewed it and with some changes ( really very little changes ) it should be able to be published next week.
Posting: October 17th, 2017
Well, out went the email blitz announcing the book, not once but twice . Spelling mistake. A dear friend will be proof reading everything in the future.
Posting: October 8th, 2017
I have obtained a professional level storyteller status ( feel very good about this ) and the book ” boucaud in the story :2013-2017″ has been published by Iguana ( see homepage ). From now on I will be posting the stories I tell here ( paid and unpaid ). In January 2019 I will be noting who obtains parts of the 10 percent net tithe I will be giving to charity.
For those of you new to this process of publishing I continue to learn. I have downloaded books on social media. It is my intention ( when all the online publishers – Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Indigo – have both print and eBook version of the book available ) to enter into marketing.
Just so you know what I have right now; I have about 150 email addresses and last month I learned how to set up Facebook. I am still learning about Facebook. Quite a process…gotta be in your passion to do this, gotta be in your passion.
SIBoucaud
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Posting: August 7th, 2017
Since the last entry, I have decided to obtain the designation of professional storyteller and for my stories and poetry to be published professionally.
I obtained the name of a publisher called Iguana Books (http://iguanabooks.ca) from someone I highly regard. Iguana Books will soon publish a book entitled “boucaud in the story: 2013 – 2017.” It is a collection of nearly all of the stories and poetry I wrote during and between the years 2013 and 2017.
I told them that what I submitted to them ( minus the pictures I created ) had already been written and self-published. I explained to them I wanted a very professional look to the book.
I think processes, specific times in history, are extremely important so I have decided to dedicate a page to chronicle the what and the when not only of the books I publish but also the storytelling.
The Home page will focus more on the marketing, business aspect. I have also decided to tithe 10 percent of what I net to a Public Library Foundation. The contribution will be noted in this section of the site.
I am in the process of developing another website (I will be keeping this one for historical purposes ) and a Facebook page strictly for marketing purposes. The chronicle notes regarding my process will remain here.
SIBoucaud
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Posting: April 16th, 2017
The creativity has continued. The stories continue to come from a place deep within. They are still choosing when to appear and the feeling that I am a channel for them continues.
I am becoming more experienced as a teller and receiver of the stories and look forward to a time when I can give myself to this one hundred percent.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all the storytellers who have been a source of encouragement for me. I doubt very much that I would have been able to come this far without their help.
The new e-book ( boucaud in the story: 2017 ) contains some of the poems and stories I have created from 2015 – 2017.
Thank you to all.
It feels like a privilege to be part of this community and to be entrusted to tell some of the stories.
si boucaud
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Posting : March 1, 2015
Since the last posting ( September 2014 ) I have created and published three Amazon Kindle e-books. They are entitled:
1. boucaud in the story : 8 short stories, for older teenagers and adults
(ISBN 978-0-9940665-1-0)
2. boucaud in the story : stories to art – expressionistic , 2013 – 2015
( ISBN 978-0-9940665-2-7 )
3. boucaud in the story : 7 plus 1 stories, for older teenagers and adults
( ISBN 978-0-9940665-0-3 )
I also created the art pieces that you will see in the books. The pieces of art were needed to complete the stories; they evolved from the stories.
The art can be displayed as long as
1. the art is displayed with the stories
2. the art and the stories are not displayed for profit
Any variation of the above requires the permission of s.i.boucaud. The contact information for s.i.boucaud is on this website.
Acknowledgements:
Thank you to Diane Davy who gave me the language for describing the style of art and stories I created.
Thank you to Avivah Wargon for editing boucaud in the story: 7 plus 1 stories for older teenagers and adults.
A big thank you to all of you who have read the stories, seen the art and have informed people about the books, artwork and the free oral stories published in www.youtube.com boucaud in the story.
The next posting will inform you of other e-book publications. I will be creating new stories in 2015 and posting them in 2016 or 2017.
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September 2014
Welcome
The stories you are about to hear or have heard (youtube.com ) come from a place deep inside.
They chose to appear. I am simply their channel.
The channel they have chosen is one that has attended 1001 Friday Nights of Story Telling for about three years. The oral communication of these stories has found story telling-safety within 1001 Friday Nights of Story Telling’s 8 pm – 10 pm time-frame for about two of the last three years. The stories were written and told within that time frame.
Other storytellers have asked permission to tell the stories. The creation of the YouTube videos has occurred so that the stories can be heard outside the channel that they have chosen to bubble up from. For those of you who have not heard the stories simply go to YouTube.com and enter into the YouTube.com search engine one of the following – boucaud in the story , boucaud in the story September 2014 or boucaud in the story September 2014 Part 2. YouTube video entitled ‘boucaud in the story September 2014’ contains the first six stories and ‘boucaud in the story September 2014 Part 2’ contains the seventh story (refer to the below list ). There are conditions for those who chose to be the channel for the stories.
These 7 very short oral stories were written in 2013.The author (s.i.boucaud) permits them to be retold in the oral storytelling form and in storytelling venues as long as the stories are not recorded or told for profit. The name of the author, s.i.boucaud, spelling of the name boucaud and title of the story are to be told by the story teller prior to the telling of the story. For any other storytelling form of communication and or any other storytelling venue the teller must email the author at boucaudinthestory7@gmail.com and the author will, in writing, outline the conditions ( if permission is provided ).
The 7 recorded stories are as follows and telling time is about
- Once Again Sound Rescued Truth 2 minutes and 40 seconds
- Arriving at the We 1 minute and 40 seconds
- The Man with the Hound Dog Face 3 minutes and 59 seconds
- Driving On The Rim of Gods Eyelashes 37 seconds
- Jeep Drivers 55 seconds
- In The Passing 1 minute and 15 seconds
- Done With You 5 minutes and 39 seconds
Thanks to Google YouTube, Word Press, Tyler Moore’s you tubes (regarding his various creations of websites etc. ) and 1001 Friday Nights of Storytelling (where it all began for me ). To that not technological savvy, set aside several months of plugging away bit by bit and it will happen.
boucaud in the story™ is now a trade mark name