Salon du Livres

partly cloudy - chilly day - but getting milder....rain on the way.

We're heading back to the country this afternoon....can hardly wait. We'll be staying in the cottage for another week, while the floors are being sanded and oiled. It's made of reclaimed teak and I'l so impatient to see how the oiling comes up. The sanding man, who is apparently terrific, forgot the bag for his sander and instead of taking the time to go back to his shop to get it, he sanded all Friday without it.

We were in Montreal and didn't see the mess...thank heaven....but I can imagine. Actually, I'm trying not to imagine. Bob, who is running the renovations, said he sealed everything....and he is terrific. So maybe it isn't as bad as I imagine. I'm sort of seeing a brownish desert - drifts of wood dust. Settling on the counters, shot into every crack and drawer. Stuck to the walls. In our bed. A sort of Three Bears of construction.

We're heading home tonight, as I say....we'll take a few deep breaths, then go in and see. The beauty of imagining the worst is the huge relief when it doesn't happen. I'll let you know.

The Salon du Livres in Montreal was terrific yesterday. As you can see by the photo...packed with people - loads of families and children almost hysterical at meeting authors of their favorite books. Quebec is a highly literate society....love books, of all sorts. There's nothing like the Salon du Livres in English Canada. It's a huge book fair. There was, a few years ago, a Book Expo in Toronto - but that was for industry insiders, and not open to the public. I'd love to see a book fair in the english world. There are book festivals, but it isn't the same thing. At the Salon - it's open for almost a week and basically the publishers put up booths and their authors sit at desks and sign books. It's a lot less structured and formal than a literary festival. All sorts of panels happening, and on stage interviews....but it feels like this huge, joyous celebration of reading. Wonderful. Invigorating.

My event was between 3 and 4 yesterday. Met lots of people. fun to see the lines growing, from last year. I'll tell you, sitting at a desk for two hours (as I did last year) when no one shows up is exhausting...far more tiring that speaking with, and signing for, hundreds of people. It really is very difficult - sitting alone and making it look like I don't care. So it's nice when it feels like that time is past here in Quebec.

Had fun doing the interview with Kathy Reichs. You can see the photo of us - with Elizabeth holding the microphone to Kathy and Alison holding the microphone to me. Alison is the producer of the CBC national radio programme C'est la Vie. They recorded a conversation between kathy and me on Saturday afternoon at the Salon. I'm just amazed her her stamina - all the calls on her time, and she's still standing and smiling. Such fun to talk with her.

I'll be at the Salon again this afternoon from 3 to 4, then Michael is coming to pick me up and we'll head back to the country. Our reclaimed teak Sahara.

nahh - it'll be great. Fine, even...