Two more schools tomorrow and two on Friday, then I make the long trek back home.

I've chosen Alicia's Pebble Face monster, a beast that has a face made of rocks and a body made of twigs. He blends into the ground and can grab people from below. I loved the creature because it could camouflage itself and because it can make a creepy rock clicking sound. I'm going to work this monster into the fourth book in the Barnabas Bigfoot series. Yay, Alicia! I will dedicate the fourth novel in the series to you.

Thanks to everyone else for creating your monsters. I'm going to keep them in my pile of creatures. If I need another creature, I just might dig into the pile and use your creation.

Once I've picked the top monster, I'll scan the drawing and post the winner on the website. I might even post the shortlisted creations and possibly use them in a future novel.

Thanks for your patience and have a wonderful long weekend.

Marty

Stay tuned for my results, which should be out by the end of this week.

Today, there's a new crop of talent performers and playwrights strutting through Old Strathcona, enjoying the adoration of reviewers and audiences alike. They've risen above the fray of over 150 productions to stand atop the festival as queens and kings of this year's Fringe. I applaud their success and celebrate the arrival of the new blood that will keep this festival going for another 30 years. I smile when I see familiar faces still producing great work at the festival. And yet, I know there are many others who have been and gone, like the original green onion cake.

Today's Fringe-goer might cast a sideways glance at me and wonder if I've lost my mind. Green onion cakes have gone nowhere. They are as much a staple of this festival as the indoor shows. And yet, they are different. The green onion cakes I knew and loved were crispy and light, and they were part of my daily Fringe diet. When the original vendor left, another came in to fill the void. The new treats weren't worse than the originals; they were just different. For those who remembered the original treats, something was lost. For those tasting these new green onion cakes for the first time, there was no difference. You could argue that even if these new eaters had the chance to taste the originals, they would say the new ones tasted better.

So it goes with Fringe artists. While some of the pioneers are still around and producing great work, others have gone elsewhere and the only evidence of their passing is a yellowed Fringe program in a basement box of summer souvenirs. Audiences embrace the new artists, never knowing who came before, only celebrating what is right before their eyes. And as I watch the new artists celebrate their time on stage at this never-ending party, I know some will stay and some will go. That's the way of the Fringe and the way of life. Things change.

Some would argue that you can never go back. Once the Fringe moves on, you either move on with it or you just move along. A large part of me has come to accept that the festival has changed. Some say for the better; others say for the worse. I say it's just changed, but as long as you can find one indelible experience that becomes a lasting memory, the festival will always have a place in your heart.

I experienced that magic moment the other day and, surprisingly, it was not on the main Fringe site. My show was in a downtown BYOV, far away from the party in Old Strathcona. Just before the performance, I checked out a downtown Chinese restaurant on a friend's recommendation. To my sheer joy, I discovered the chef was the maker of the original green onion cakes at the Fringe. As soon as I took my first bite, I was transported back to the early '90s when I was one of the many revellers celebrating the party that no one wanted to end. The treat was exactly as I remembered and for a second all was right with the world.

On our closing night, I plan to take one more trip to the restaurant to order a green onion cake, and then I'll head back to the theatre to strike the set. I'll look across the river and imagine that I can hear the applause at the indoor shows for the artists, old and new, and if I squint hard enough, I just might see a line-up for green onion cakes. Then I'll turn off the lights and go home. Until we meet again.

First of all, there's a show in the basement of the Stanley Milner Library. Obviously, you can't have a Fringe experience without a Fringe show. The play embraces the experimental nature of the festival.

Secondly, downtown offers a great opportunity for people watching in Churchill Square, which also features events.

If you're hankering for cool food, you can't go wrong with some of downtown's funky new eateries. Tres Carnales offers some awesome tacos. The Portuguese Cafe serves up my favourite paninis. And what about the ubiquitous green onion cakes everyone must have? Well, the Noodle Maker serves some up (and they taste just like the ones that used to dominate the Fringe).

Add to the mix the Saturday City Market, the Dragon Boat Festival and the opportunity to browse books in the Stanley Milner and you have something pretty close to the Old Strathcona Fringe, minus the crowds.

So, if you're looking for a break and want to enjoy a downtown version of the Fringe, make a trip to the Stanley Milner. Mothership Down has performances at 2:00 pm on the weekends and 7:30 pm on weeknights.

The great thing about listening to a read through is how quickly I can tell what parts of the script are overwritten. I found myself chopping about 3 or 4 pages worth of material by the end of the day. What's left after the cuts are the solid story parts and the character moments. I had a few revisions to do tonight to smooth things out and to clarify the story. I'm finished now.

Tomorrow, we start pulling apart everything scene by scene, unit by unit. Now the easy part begins... well, easy for me... terrifying for my actor. I get to sit back and watch him piece together the script into a riveting performance.

The cops arrived and put the man in custody. For just a second, I felt like a hero. I had defended my house. Then, the bottom of the earth opened and swallowed me whole. A cop came into the house and asked that I sit in the squad car. The fellow I had been wrestling went into cardiac arrest and was most likely going to die.

I went to the police station for questioning and I was even read my rights for the charge of manslaughter. Later, we learned that the addict died from an overdose of cocaine. But for about 9 months, I thought I was responsible for the guy's death.

Every year, around the anniversary date, I get ultra sensitive to noises in the house and I can't fall asleep. Once the date passes, my life sort of returns to normal, but until then it's a nightmare. I have another two weeks before the anniversary date, and it's going to be a long two weeks.

I still have a few more programs that are running at different branches. Just check the EPL website for dates and times.

Just keep in mind that the program is geared for kids ages 8 to 11. Some of the younger kids may find it too scary. I don't want to give anyone nightmares. Have a great summer.

Now I can switch tracks and focus on a short play for an education publisher. Once that's put to bed, I can get to my young adult novel. I know I'm staying inside a lot this summer, but between the mosquitos and the rain, there's no reason to go outside. Time to shut down the computer for the day and catch up on some podcasts.

Time: 8:30-10:00 pm

Place: The EDMONTON CEMETERY, by the Mausoleum, 118th Street and 107th Ave.

Tickets: $20, cash only, at the gate.

Age: Adults and Teens 14 yrs of age and older.

Edmonton Cemetery "Stories to Thrill and Chill"

Come to Edmonton's first and oldest cemetery for some frightening fun! Five T.A.L.E.S. storytellers will treat you to a ghastly good time. In the solemn setting of the Edmonton Cemetery, they will tell stories that draw you in, hold you captive, and make your hair stand on end!!!

Hostess: Stephanie Benger
Tellers: Pearl-Ann Gooding, Dawn Blue, Bethany Ellis, Laura O'Connor and Jennifer Kennedy.

*Parking available on the street, west and north sides of the cemetery. Enter on 107th avenue, by the sign "Municipal Cemetery Edmonton"

*Please arrive 15 minutes early so you can be safely ushered in.

*Bring a lawn chair, blanket and flashlight

For more information, call Stephanie at T.A.L.E.S. 780-489-9621