Barnes and Noble Recommends!!!!

rain, mild, temps 20

What a few days!!! Now I can let the secret out...THE BRUTAL TELLING has been chosen by Barnes and Noble as their main selection! This is HUGE. I knew it was on the shortlist, but never dreamed it would actually be chosen. It means the book will be features prominently on the website and in the 700 B&N stores across the States. It is considered second only to Oprah in terms of impact.

I am beyond thrilled...ecstatic. Yippee.

If you go to B&N website you can see a Tagged interview. that's one of the main reasons I went to New York earlier this month.

It was SO hard to keep the secret. The only other person who knew about it, in my circle, was Michael. And everytime he threatened to say anything I poked him in the eye.

Wait a minute. you don't think....

We are in Toronto now, at the SoHo Met (great hotel) and enjoying the extraordinary time. I'm determined not to dull the thrill by worrying. But to hand it over and delight in this great, unexpected gift.

Can hardly wait until tomorrow when THE BRUTAL TELLING goes on sale across the States!! Beyond thrilling.

Had a fun weekend...visited Cousin Marjorie in Elora, Ontario - and did the Eden Mills Literary Festival, also in Ontario. It was a stunningly beautiful day (yesterday) and it was a stunningly beautiful location. this small town - a village really - of stone homes on a river. they closed the whole village to cars and made it pedestrian only - with four venues with authors giving talks and readings.

Mine was at the Mill - with another mystery writer, Terry Griggs, and a Canadian philosopher, John Ralston Saul. It was the first time I read from THE BRUTAL TELLING. Not convinced I did the best job, but have to start somewhere. It will get better and better as I practice and get in front of audiences. It annoyed me, I must admit, that John Ralson Saul - a quite prominent Canadian - didn't bother to show up until his time...wandering over and apologising by explaining he was just hanging around doing nothing, and forgot.

Not sure about Terry, but didn't make me feel a lot of respect for him. I've traveled the world doing literary festivals, often exhausted - as are almost all the other writers - but we still manage to show respect for our fellow panelists by at least listening to them, and not only showing up when we get centre stage.

Oh, well. Maybe I'll be like that one day.

Happily, it wasn't a big deal, just a sort of bafflement and disappointment. I'd heard good things about him. We still bought his book. It is important to support each other, after all.

We're in TO until Thursday...totally bouyant about the B&N turn of events!!!!

And can hardly wait until tomorrow (Tueday) when THE BRUTAL TELLING is on sale across the US. I feel quite emotional about it.

Be well - and thank you for sticking with me...and showing up, even when I had very little to say.