Tuesday 11 January 2011

American Library Association - Best Mystery!

overcast, mild, temps minus 6

A little windy, and, miraculously, it is always in our faces no matter which direction we're walking in.

You might have heard - I'm sure it led the World News (or perhaps that's the delusion talking, again) - that BURY YOUR DEAD has just been named the Best Mystery of 2010 by the American Library Association! The others nominated are magnificent - Tana French, Inge Ash Wolfe, John Verdon and William Kent Krueger (who I have a little crush on, as Michael knows).

I feel like the luckiest, happiest person on earth. Imagine, writing a book in a tiny Quebec village, and having it even noticed by the ALA, never mind chosen. Wow.

And, to add to my giddy state, the squirrel has been caught! Pat and Tony, who are staying at the house while we're in Montreal, checked the humane trap this morning and there it was. Glaring. Pat drove it way far away, released it, and now we hope it won't find its way back. Unfortunately we obviously haven't found the hole in the house. So, they've re-set the trap. This could become yet another addiction. De-squirreling.

Not quite as exciting as the ALA announcement - but sure got us cheering!

Michael and I are in Montreal, as I mentioned. We'd heard that a puppy and the mother of the abused litter were still available to adopt - apparently when the news first got out about the atrocious act all sorts of people called the spca in Granby (called the SPA Granby) to adopt...but when the time came, most of those offers evaporated. That's how Rhianna and her wonderful mother Joanne came to adopt their puppy. We decided to go by the SPA Granby on our way in to Montreal and see about adopting one or both of the remaining dogs. But when I called, when we were on the road, they said the dogs were all adopted. But - yesterday afternoon - Lise wrote to say apparently the mother is still there. She's a 2 year old lab - and one of the ones shot with a nail gun in the head.

We're stuck in Montreal, but Lise is going to Granby anyway, and said she'd check it out for us. But, she warned, she suspects the mother is probably quite emotionally damaged and might need a family that knows a lot about dogs, but doesn't now have any. She might need to be an 'only child'.

Lise is very wise, and I suspect she's right. But best to check it out. I don't know the SPA GRanby - and just want to make sure its a no-kill shelter. And if need be, make arrangements for the mother's re-habilitation and training. So she can one day be placed in a loving family.

Fingers crossed.

When we did get in to Montreal we drove to Outremont (a quartier of Montreal) and had lunch yesterday with my Quebec publisher, Louise Loiselle of Flammarion Quebec, and we celebrated the arrival of Sous la glace - the french version of Dead Cold/A Fatal Grace.

I'm going to be doing only one public signing of Sous la glace in Montreal, and that's on Friday, January 21st, at 1pm at Indigo Books at the Montreal Trust building. I'll also be signing copies of Bury Your Dead. If you'd like to drop by I'd love to see you!

Today Michael and I had breakfast at Nick's then walked a bit - then went and caught the 1pm showing of The King's Speech.

Oh, my Gaaaawd. A magnificent film. Can't remember when I've enjoyed a film more. Both Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were fabulous. In fact, everyone was. Loved it. We ate popcorn, drank diet coke, and sniffled our way through it. Four thumbs up.

And that's our news. Tomorrow we both have dentists, then lunch with the son of Michael's great friend John Buxton. Patrick lives in London but will be in Montreal for the day, and so we're meeting for lunch. Le Local - a great french restaurant in a not so great area of Montreal. At least, not a chichi area. A place Patrick would never, ever think to go to on his own.

I also have an interview with the popular Quebec magazine 7 Jours tomorrow morning.

Be well - and talk to you soon.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I laughed when I read your comment about the wind. It's amazing how that happens. And only when it's freezing. It's never a nice warm perfumed wind. I wonder why not.

Nancy said...

Big, huge congratulations on the ALA award. I'm not surprised - the book is my favorite so far! And, The King's Speech - it was outstanding.

Sue Mom of Two said...

a BIG Hooray! I have loved each and every one of your books but I especially loved Bury Your Dead.

lil Gluckstern said...

I commented on Facebook, but it didn't register, so here's a great big congratulations on your newest honor. this has been quite a year so far (I meant 2010), and the honor is well deserved. I found the book very moving, as well as a joy to read.

Diane said...

Congratualtions on the ALA! So well deserved. Viva Gamache.

Cheryl Bower said...

Your reward-so aptly deserved, Louise. Congratulations, outstanding work!

Marjorie said...

lil,

I just wanted to let you know that your comment is there on Facebook. There are two newer posts, one from Louise about the ALA news written directly onto FB and then a second one that is a link to her blog post about it. Yours is under the earlier post. (Unless there is another comment that you put up that went missing?)

Thanks.


--Marjorie from CT

Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Muses said...

Louise - I LOVE this!!!!!
Congratulations on yet another well-deserved honor!
Sending hugs!
Kaye

lil Gluckstern said...

Thank you Marjorie-I am a technological luddite, and Facebook just confounds me. The fact that 8yr olds use this does not help. Every time I think I have it down, it changes. I hope you get this message.

Donna K Wisconsin said...

Bless you a gazillion times for wanting to adopt the black lab mom.
(Although I have no official blessing status) I am glad I am not there. I am afraid what I may be willing to do to find the evil scumbag.Undercover..mortgage the house..... I suppose this is poor blogging language. Thank God for people like you, like many of us. RIng the bells....
Best wishes!
DonnaK

Marjorie said...

lil-- You're welcome. They change Facebook on all of us. It's lke the supermarket where they change the aisles all the time so you don't know where things are and are forced to look all over! --Marjorie from CT

Kath said...

Congratulations!
And can only agree with you about 'The King's Speech' - a truly wonderful film.

C. Robin Janning said...

I've only just discovered your Chief Insp. Armand Gamache mysteries and have just read the first two on my kindle and can't wait to download the others. You have created wonderful, wonderful characters. Congratulations on your best mystery award. I'm sure there are many more awards in your future -- and I look forward to reading all of your books.