The Backstory on Gar LaSalle

By Gar LaSalle | April 22, 2013

Have been on the East Coast (Knoxville, Nashville, Orlando) since the beginning of March.  This next week I present an overview of our Patient Safety Organization for the AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) in Washington DC.  Will return the PNW briefly to Walla Walla then return finally for a few weeks in May and June when I will be doing some readings at bookstores (University Bookstore in Mill Creek and Bellevue, Vashon, Seattle) – will post the dates of the engagements as soon as they are finalized.  For information folks can contact Teresa Stahnke at 800-336-8614 x 3937.  I lecture about leadership, risk management and patient safety in Las Vegas, once in April and later in May.  In early June I attend executive level meetings in Chicago for TeamHealth and then our professional liability insurance company board meeting in Toronto.  Am looking forward to being home to Seattle, even if for only a few weeks in my new house,  getting out of the blue power suits and red striped ties and finally relaxing a bit.  Want to take up the flying lessons again so I finally can learn to fly a float plane and start exploring some more of the Vancouver, Southern Alaska and BC Haida Gwai areas.

Nashville is a new town from the last time I lectured.  The downtown area still has all of the wonderful live music in every bar and cafe, but the streets have been cleaned up and the city has built itself up with beautifully designed public places, new hotels and a massive convention center.  I believe it will become very competitive as an attractive destination place for conventions.  Like Orlando, the flight to Nashville from Seattle is easy.  Knoxville requires a stop in Houston, Denver, Salt Lake, Chicago, Cincinnati Atlanta (where they always seem to be late and lose my luggage).  Am returning from Orlando where I had the opportunity to lecture on interdisciplinary hospital based service risk management in anticipation of Accountable Care Organizations in the new health care era.   I always get a cold from Orlando.  Multiple inoculations from lots of kids in every elevator and restaurant.

IMG_0495

In Panama overlooking the Rio Chagre as I research Isthmus

I write whenever I have a bit of free time.  Am almost complete with the first draft of “Act One” of Isthmus and have structured the three acts.  Most of the cast of characters have been invented.  Now it is time to delve into their souls.  Thanks to John Soennichsen for this great review.!  Read more about John here: http://johnsoennichsen.weebly.com/johns-bio.html

“Widow Walk is one of those rare combinations of a first-rate story enhanced by three-dimensional characters and told with historical accuracy. Author Gerard LaSalle deftly weaves the stories of many compelling characters into a single cord that pulls the reader through an exciting time in the history of the Pacific Northwest.
From characters such as militia colonel Isaac Evers and his doting wife, Emmy; to native American Anah-Nawitka, whose reputation as a fierce warrior both precedes and follows him throughout his life; we view the setting through numerous eyes and hear the overriding story through a diversity of voices.
We who live in the Pacific Northwest are well aware of the rich history that preceded white settlement and the encroachment of civilization upon a once untamed land and the proud peoples who occupied it. Widow Walk does justice to this colorful, exciting, yet sad tale of settlement in this wonderful part of the North American continent.”
–John Soennichsen, Author of Death Valley and Bretz’s Flood
Posted in Isthmus, Widow Walk