Update: The winner of the Canada Day Contest is Brian O'Rourke, who answered the questions on Twitter (in three parts!) since he couldn't comment on Blogger. Email me, Brian, with your mail address!
Today is Canada's Birthday. I expect the masses to march past my house tonight to take in the annual Newmarket fireworks at the end of my street. Maybe I'll go there, too, armed with bug spray, a blanket and my camera. This, when hockey ended only a couple of weeks ago! I already can't wait for next season.
Today also marks the fifth birthday of my hockey romantic suspense, Bad Ice. I've always been fond of this story, which kept me awake nights while I wove Jason's tragic past around his burgeoning relationship with Christina, while Sheila's jealousy threw a wrench in the works.
I have a single trade paperback copy of Bad Ice in my study. I'd love to celebrate Canada Day and Bad Ice's Birthday by sending the copy, personally signed, to somebody out there. International is okay.
Five years ago, I held a Canadian trivia contest for the e-book release. I'd like to do that again today with the paperback. You don't have to get all the answers right. In fact, humour (with a U) is welcome. After the fireworks tonight, I'll draw from the comments that answer the following questions.
Okay, let's drop the puck:
1. Give me a unique Canadian word. Example: Toboggan.
2. Who wore No. 99 in the National Hockey League?
3. Give me an alternate name for the Canadian Niagara Falls.
4. What Canadian was known as 'America's Sweetheart?"
5. Canada is a bilingual country, but what is the only official bilingual province?
6. What is the Canadian term for a sweetened carbonated beverage?
7. Name a Canadian invention.
8. What is the oldest walled city that still exists north of Mexico?
9. What is the Canadian word for sofa?
10. What is the alcohol content of typical Canadian beer?
I'll take answers until 10 p.m. Eastern tonight. Come on in, have a beer and a laugh. I'll drop in often. Good luck!