Saturday 10 September 2011

Globe and Mail bestseller - and Cleveland!


rain - temps 65

first real rain of the tour so far....am having just the BEST time - and who wouldn't??

Just woke up in the hotel in Cleveland to the news that A TRICK OF THE LIGHT has made the Canadian Globe and Mail bestseller list! Came in at number 7. Wow! This is the very first time any of my books has made this list!!! It's the Canadian equivalent of the NYTimes list.

Wait, did someone say the NYTimes list???? Did A Trick of the Light make this week's list??? YES!!! At number 4!

But I digress....as a Canadian I can't tell you how overwhelmed with joy I am to see that the book made it. Wow. Honestly, I'm sitting here trying to catch my breath. So thrilled. so excited. So grateful to Minotaur in the US, for Raincoast in Canada - for the wonderful guidance and work of Rob Howard in Canada earlier in the year, for really setting the course for A TRICK OF THE LIGHT and Jamie Broadhurst and Dan Wagstaff of Raincoast for steering the book. right onto the list!

This is such an exceptional week. A once-in-a-lifetime week. A week I could never have dreamed of as a child, teen, young adult - older adult....as I dreamed of becoming a writer. I just wanted to finish a book. And now here I am, in a lovely hotel room in Cleveland, on book tour - being able to share with you this wonderful, wonderful news.

And - speaking of Cleveland - I had a fabulous time last night!!! As you can see by the photo (though I must admit, one man looks like he reeeally wishes he was anywhere else but there - but it might just have caught him at a bad moment. Yes, that must be it....) More than 200 people showed up to the community centre in Brecksville, just outside Cleveland!

the event was put on by this most amazing and dynamic of library systems - the Cuyahoga Library coordinated the event. Pam - a librarian - met me at the plane. Cathy - a librarian drove me to and from the event. Others hosted and prepared. It was magnificent.

And so many people. I can't tell you what it means to me to stand there and look out at your smiling, supportive faces.

Wow!

Denis is picking me up in a few minutes and we're driving to Michigan - for a 3pm event at Schuler's books in Okemos - with one of my favorite crime writers - Stefanie Pintoff. She's brilliant. I'm such a fan and can hardly wait. Hope to see you there.

Then tomorrow - on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 - I'll be at the Kerrytown Book Fair with the remarkable Robin Agnew. She and her husband Jamie run one of the finest independent bookstores I know....Aunt Agatha's in Ann Arbor. She was championing my books when no one else knew about them. And now she helps run this great festival in Ann Arbor. With all sorts of amazing crime writers - like Stefanie Pintoff and Maureen Jennings and Brian Freeman and Tasha Alexander. My event is noon.

have a great weekend - even as we all reflect on where we were ten years ago. And where we are today.

14 comments:

Lesa said...

Louise,

I'm from Ohio, so I'm glad Cleveland was good to you. Lots of good people come from Ohio - Jen Forbus, me.

Tell Stefanie I said hi!

Jodi said...

I went to school near Cleveland, so I know that rain in Cleveland is well, inevitable.

So glad you're having a fabulous time. Hope you managed to get a hairbrush.

Mary said...

I love the joy and delight you are having this week. You so deserve it!

Barbara said...

Louise, I am getting such a kick out of your delight from the best seller lists and your tour. I'm sure that unsmiling man had indigestion or something. :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the FANTASTIC talk last evening. You were funny and moving and inspiring. I nearly stayed at home at the last minute b/c my kids were so tired and needy after starting school this week but my wonderful husband pushed me out the door and reassured me he could hold down the fort - thank you, SuperDaddy. It was an unforgettalbe event. We were so fortunate to have you visit our little town - please come back and visit us in Brecksville again! Congratulations on #4!

Anonymous said...

You certainly shared your joy last night in Brecksville. What a fun and inspiring talk. Your books are wonderful and you are a delightful person. Thank you.

Jeanine Cronin said...

Dear HOT in Cleveland: I just finished reading "A Trick of the Light" -- I'm all weepy, but hopefully so. Best book I have ever read!

I am enjoying reading about the rest of your tour since leaving us in NH -- and am sharing your happiness in your well-deserved ratings!

Shillelagh said...

Whoopeeeeeeeeee!!!

Simultaneously in the top 7 of the two biggest North American bestseller lists... it's totally awesome!!

Ruth, who knows a thing or two about winning major writing awards, must be cackling...
I hope you realize how delightful this news is for us too.... and what a joy it is when you share your pleasure and thoughts at the accomplishment.
Travel safely... and enjoy the accolades.

[I have an inkling deep in the back of my mind that you aren't a lobster fan... obviously the only real failing we have discerned in your character to date... but have a superb time in PEI...
I'm envious but looking forward to your visit to Kitchener-Waterloo.. I do hope you're going to have time to slip up to St.Jacob's and the market.

Cheers.

Brenda Buchanan said...

Hooray for you Louise! Just catching up with this wonderful news about A Trick of the Light reaching fourth (#4!) on the NYT list and seven (#7!) on he G & M list. You must be floating on air (and I'm sure your hair is, too.) I hope you have a wonderful time at the Kerrytown Festival. In a couple of week's we'll be visiting Ann Arbor and plan a visit to Aunt Agatha's.

Best,

Brenda Buchanan

Anonymous said...

Louise, this whole tour and especially the primary reason for it is truly amazing. Just following the blog is almost as exciting as reading your books. Thanks for your daily entries in spite of time constraints. It surely goes a very l-o-n-g way. Have a great Sunday, or whatever is left of it as Tallulah Bankhead used to say when talking about herself, dahling. VT

Margie said...

While you're touring, I've been in Montana. Really beautiful places, like the Glacier national Park. Amazing to see deer cross a street in Helena and then help themselves to someone's apples.
Read your marvelous, wonderful book while I was on the trip. Louise, you're the best mystery writer today. Thanks for Inspector Gamache and Three Pines.

JeffB said...

So nice to finally meet you at the event in Brecksville! You had the whole room entertained with your talk about writing, your 'process' and the world of Three Pines. I think all we readers are just sorry now that we have to wait so long for the next book!

Anonymous said...

Your interview with the Globe was published Saturday, and a quickie review followed. On top of the NYT placement!
Let's face it, you are now officially a star.
Well deserved recognition for a joyful dedication and complex talent. My copy should arrive tomorrow, so I am looking forward to evenings in Three Pines for the remainder of the week.

Rick M
KIngston

Anonymous said...

@ Rick M:
Louise has already been a star for a while. Now she is just shining more. The whole thing is truly amazing. Why did I miss the G&M interview, will look for it now. VT