Thursday 1 July 2010

Happy Canada Day!!!

overcast, rain, temps 16

Well, the weather is at least consistent. Spent this afternoon sitting in front of the fireplace...lit! With butter tarts and cafe au laits. Then had a bubble bath and watched an episode of Rome, season two.

Went off to Richford this morning....it's in Vermont...I needed to mail some stuff, get gas, and pick up a gift from the Pinnacle Peddler. That's a sort of Poste Restante...where mostly Canadians have things delivered because it's faster and cheaper.

As some of you know, today's my birthday. Fifty three. And you know, I've never been healthier, happier, more content, more aware of my good fortune...and I believe I've never been better at what I do. I'd nver, ever have thought in my twenties or thirties this would be the case. But how lovely that it is! I've LOVED my fifties. Forties were pretty darn good too. Clearly not wall to wall fun and joy...but peace and love and friends and contentment help get over the places where the ground suddenly falls out. And gummy bears, fig newtons, and butter tarts also help. Any port in a storm. And bakery in a crisis.

Stopped at the Abercorn Bakery on my way home to pick up Michael's favorite dessert of all time...their lemon meringue pie. To thank him for being such a wonderful life companion. I offered a kidney, but he preferred the pie. As, it must be said, did I.

His back is 99 percent better...phew.

Oh, did I tell you??? Bury Your Dead got two more starred reviews this week...

Booklist:

Penny’s first five crime novels in her Armand Gamache series have all been outstanding, but her latest is the best yet, a true tour de force of storytelling….Penny hits every note perfectly in what is one of the most elaborately constructed and remarkably moving mysteries in years.

And Library Journal came in today, with a starred review...

Superb…brilliantly provocative and will appeal to fans of literary fiction, as well as to mystery lovers.

So excited about this book.

And LOVING the casting discussions...and broadening it to other characters beside Gamache. Who do you think might play Reine-Marie? I actually think that will be difficult...and will probably be an actress I'm unfamiliar with, in that she should be Quebecoise and I'm not as familiar with Quebecoise actors.

I can see it will be a free-for-all when we do agree to a film/TV series deal...and then I ask you again. For real. Perhaps we can have a contest for walk-on parts...get a bunch of you as extras. I'm thinking if this goes on much longer I could play Ruth. Or, depending on the exfoliation, Gamache.

Hope you're enjoying the day. I sure am.

16 comments:

Cornflower said...

Happy birthday!

Susan Fish said...

Louise - I'm slightly embarrassed to admit this but my ARC of Bury Your Dead arrived yesterday and I read for seven hours straight. It was just that good. My poor neglected family coped and I got lost in a fascinating world. This is the best yet and I will certainly spread the word. Not sure about it curing male pattern baldness - but certainly it would make bald men forget their troubles for a good seven hours! Interestingly I realized we were in Carnival at the same time as you were researching the book.

Oh - and I yelped when I opened the mail. It was the first day of holidays and I couldn't imagine a better thing to arrive in the mail.

Bonne fete!

Candy said...

Happy birthday, Louise!

Debbie said...

Happy Birthday.

Jodi Kaplan said...

Happy Birthday!!

@Susan: 7 hours? How long is the book??

John said...

Happy Birthday, Louise, and congrats on all the kudos coming in for the new book; I can't wait to read it!! Hope to meet you face-to-face in S.F. at BoucherCon!

John.

Pat said...

Happy Birthday LouiseI am glad you had a good day. Well done on the starred reviews.

Don't be embarassed Susan. If I was an ARC that's what I'd do too. I stayed home from work one day after staying up till 2.30am reading a Diane Gabaldon book (had to get up for work at 4.30am)> Now I don't have that excuse since I'm 'retired'.
Can I be an Advanced Reader too...!!!

Reen & Kendall said...

Happy Birthday and Happy Canada Day-- what a lovely shared birthday!

Reen & Kendall

Reen and Kendall said...

And - oh yes - love your scarfy-beetle pic!

thomas reiser said...

Happy birthday and Canada Day to you.

Diane said...

Happy Birthday - and on Canada day -- how appropriate, for your writing is certainly a gift to Canadians -- and many, many more countries - mostly notably, our American cousins!!

And kudos coming in for your latest on your birthday, how appropriate. Can't wait to read this one. End of September, right? Hoping to be there for the launch and say hello in person.

Jeanine said...

Happy Birthday, Louise! LOVE the picture in your baby bug with the scarf billowing out behind you.

I would vote for both Geoffrey Palmer and Judi Dench (in younger days)to play Gamache and Reine-Marie. I think they made such a wonderful couple in "As Time Goes By", my favorite show of all time. I have watched it over and over again. Can almost say all the lines along with each character.

lil Gluckstern said...

Happy birthday, and Happy Canada Day-Happy confluence. I am really glad Michael opted for the pie. Much shorter recovery time. How wonderful these advance reviews are. I've already put in my reservations. Now, is Catherine Deneuve too old? She has the kind of spirit that I think Reine-Marie has. I'm sorry Lynn Redgrave died. She would have made an elegant Ruth. Is this really going to happen? Are you in negotiations, as they say? Fingers crossed for your dreams.

Louise Penny Author said...

Hi all,

Thnk you for the birthday wishes...it was a perfect day!!!

and thank you for these continued suggestions...i love trying out first this one, then that one in the various roles.

When last I spoke to my agent in London (earlier this week) she was waiting for the eight hour difference to return the call of some Hollywood producer interested in the film rights. But I have to say, this has happened before and we've turned them all down. Need a top quality production...not interested in simply taking the money and running. So not holding my breath...but it is fun. I'll let you know.

Anonymous said...

The idea of casting characters for film or TV is a lot of fun. I think Cloris Leachman would make a great Ruth!

Bobbie said...

Happy Birthday Louise! So delighted you are enjoying your age, that is a treasure. And Happy Canada Day! :-)

I love the new photos!

Bobbie