Michael's Arms

partly cloudy, have no idea of the temperature, I'm happy to admit!

Michael and I are together in Toronto, at the International Festival of Authors. If there's one HUGE perk to being a writer, this is it. We get put up in a luxury room at the Harbour Castle Hotel, all expenses (even spa treatment's, drinks, food) paid. We get to hobnob with some of the best writers on the planet, as well as publishers, agents, editors. And all I have to do is a 20 minute reading tomorrow night and a panel discussion on Saturday.

Heaven.

Had a fab time in Muncie. Yesterday morning was the last panel, and a lunch. And it was Jim Huang's 25th birthday (or something like that - he's preternaturally youthful). Then JD and I drove back to Toronto. Or, he drove, I did nothing. But we had a great time. I don't know him well - or didn't. But I feel, after 9 hours together with him in traffic jams and other stuff, that I know him fairly well. It was the sort of 'intimate' experience that can be intimidating. But I decided to think of him as a brother - and that worked very well. We were both relaxed and the hours flew by - until JD asked me to choose a line for the Canadian Customs and I chose the one with the car broken down. It was already packed, and we were stuck.

Oh well. But what a nice man JD is - he's one of the owners of Sleuth of Baker Street in Toronto - a marvelous bookstore.

Arrived at the hotel about 9:30 pm - and there was my Michael. Oh, it felt so great to be in his arms and hold him in mine. We had dinner (though Michael had already been to a cocktail party at Random House) then went to bed. Spent this morning at the breakfast buffet (everything you could want and more) then crawled back in to bed.

Had a wonderful message from Teresa - My agent in London. She's read the Brutal Telling and is over the moon - adores it. Thank the Lord. Hope she isn't drunk.

And a message from Hope Dellon, my US editor, to say A RULE AGAINST MURDER is one of Sarah Weinman's Pick of the Week on her site, Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind. Amazing review.

So great news all around.

Now, I must run...there's the Opening Party for the IFOA (the festivsal I'm at) and I need to get into my party frock.

What a great day - made great the moment I awoke in Michael's arms.