Yay - PW!

raining torrents - cool, temps 7

God - we had better weather in Montreal! But this new flat in London has a huge bath and I'm planning to brew up a nice cup of tea and take it, and some cookies, into a bubble bath with me. Bliss.

Had magnificent news, as some of you already know. BURY YOUR DEAD has been named one of the Best Mysteries of 2010 by Publisher's Weekly! There's a link:

Best Books of 2010
http://www.facebook.com/l/cb415ku-UVNTHwDimHb4NAFA09Q;www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/awards-and-prizes/article/45070-best-books-of-2010.html?page=1

Congratulations to everyone on the list. Such fun to think of the Publisher's Weekly editorial staff going to the bar (as they describe the process) and hammering out the top 100 books of the year published in the US. Amazing to think Bury Your Dead is one of them!

I was in the Tate Britain having lunch with my agent Teresa when John sent a message to Facebook. I'd gone to get my coat and picked up a few messages and saw his - read it - and then Teresa and I celebrated! It's an incredible feeling to be in the Tate, having lunch with my agent, when news like that arrives. The whole thing just feels too good to be real.

Wow.

In fact, the whole day was perfect...except the rain, but London has been known to have a drop or two of rain in the past, so that shouldn't have been a surprise. We woke early, headed out to Knightsbridge tube station to top-up our oyster card. (that sentence would not have made sense to me a couple of years ago). Basically an 'oyster card' is the transit system's credit card. You put money on it, then everytime you use a bus or tube you pay. Very easy and effective system. Then we hopped on the tube and went three stops to Green Park and walked the block to where we were meeting Michael's sister Carol and her husband David for breakfast. A fun block, made of almost entirely of The Ritz hotel.

Last time we were in London Teresa, Michael and I met my new editor there, for tea. Or were supposed to. But Michael wasn't wearing a tie, and was barred! Only at the Ritz.

Must say, while it was upsetting that we didn't know, I quite like places where there's a dress code. When we were in san francisco, staying at the Johns Hopkins InterContinental we paid for the upgrade to the club room...but found when we visited said club room that people were sitting around eating McDonalds (which smelled up the whole place) and walking around in bare feet. Now - I love McDonald's, especially their fries and milkshakes, yum - and God knows I love bare feet - and flannel pajamas. But I don't think the club room in a supposedly upscale hotel is the place for either. But perhaps I'm hopelessly old fashioned and rigid.

I digress.

Michael and I walked past the Ritz, to The Wolseley - this quite magnificent restaurant in what looks like an old bank. Massive open room with marble and pillars. It manages to look impressive without being ridiculous or way too pompous. Carol and David arrived and we had a great time catching up. Carol is stunningly beautiful and an immensely kind person. A published poet and accomplished artist. David is an opera conductor and is working on a few recordings (he already has many) and is now completing the last in a series of definitive books on the works of the British composer William Walton. such fun to hear David describe reading the scores and realizing Walton said something should be in G when it was clear to David it should be in C.

I, of course, nod and smile and completely agree. Huh?

The time flew by, and then it was time to leave. Pouring rain outside. David, Carol and Michael hopped on a number 19 bus and headed back home. I grabbed a cab and went to the Tate. I was early for lunch (as you see, our time in London really is pretty much uninterrupted eating...the only interruption is being transported to the next trough). so I wandered around and came upon the exhibition above. Two fighter jets in adjoining rooms. One lying on it's side (a jaguar fighter) and one suspended from the ceiling - as you see from the photos. It's a Harrier. Amazing, riveting. It actually looked not modern at all close up, but ancient...its hull like elephant skin, or some old, gigantic fish. A shark. And then to stop within inches of the floor. Very tense. I thought you might like to see it.

Then Teresa and I had lunch in the basement restaurant. Gabbing and enjoying each other's company.

Tomorrow is a day just to ourselves. Oh, heaven. Nothing at all planned. No commitments or appointments. Nothing to do, nowhere to be. Phew.

Wednesday is going to be such fun!!! Am having lunch with two of my favorite writers ever. Deborah Crombie and Ann Cleeves. and they're really lovely people too - of course, otherwise, quite frankly, I wouldn't choose to spend time with them.

We're sitting at home, reading the Times and the Telegraph. Trying to figure out how recycling is done here. All these little things that make having an apartment in a city fun and even exciting.

Ahhh, London.

Falling in love, with NYC

sunny, hot, humid - but wonderful!!! temps 85

We're in New York City. Heat wave broken, for the most part. Now it's just hot, but not sizzling. Everyone here is sighing with relief and saying, "you should've seen it earlier in the week.'

I'll tell you, 85 and humid in NYC is hot enough for us fragile Canadians. Very delicate.

We're having such a great time. Arrived via Jet Blue from Burlington at about 1pm, at hotel by 1:45. W Union Square. Did the usual and asked for an upgrade, and they were happy to give it to us. Very gracious. But (oh dear) the room they gave us while very big was more than a little dreary and had a sliver of a window with a kind of turret wall blocking out half the view.

Sooo - I was in the embarrassing (though not unfamiliar position) of asking for an upgrade on the upgrade. They were lovely and sent a manager right up who showed us to a slightly smaller room on the 15th floor - with a huge window and a view over Union Square.

Now, Union Square (as we're learning) is a fabulous location in New York...just at the border with Greenwich Village and the East Village. The park used to be very scary - drug deals, prostitutes, violent crime. But now it's great...trees, benches, a market Friday's to Sundays. Lively without being frightening. After we'd unpacked we asked the concierge where to have lunch and she pointed us across Union Square to the Blue Water Grill. Off we went and had a great meal. Michael had the watermelon gaspacho and I had a fruit and cheese salad. Then he had the grilled cod and I had grilled shrimp.

Oh. Jesus, take me now.

Then we walked back across the park, to the hotel, and had a nap. First good sleep in days - thanks to the air conditioning. Ahhh.

Up by 5pm, dressed and into a cab to the Hyatt Regency in Times Square for the St Martin's Press/Minotaur cocktail at Thrillerfest. Met loads of people...very fun, and loud. Then Hope, Michael and I hopped back into a cab for dinner at the Gotham Bar and Grill. Michael had seafood ceviche salad as a starter, I had the corn chowder. Hope resisted. She had the grilled steak as a main course, Michael and I both had halibut. Delicious. Michael topped it off with the Gotham chocolate cake. The boy was lost beneath a sea of moans.

Home to the hotel by midnight - an easy walk. And a lovely night for a short stroll.

Then up by 7am - breakfast at a nearby bistro - l'express - with Sarah Melnyk, my publicist at Minotaur, and a really terrific writer for Publisher's Weekly named Lenny. Michael was there too. So it was cafe au laits, and talking, for two hours.

Then off to the Flatiron building, and a taped interview with Laura, the head of Macmillian Audio. Ralph Cosham, who narrates the audio books, was supposed to be there, but wasn't able to. Disappointing, but I know we'll meet one fine day.

Then off to a nearby greek restaurant for lunch with 14 people from Barnes and Noble, as well as my publisher, Andy Martin and a number of others from Minotaur. A fun, relaxed lunch. though I realize it's a Friday and normally these people would scoot out of the city at noon - so I'm very grateful they delayed that to sit down for lunch.

And now Michael and I are relaxing in the lobby bar of the W, with lemonades (well, I have a Shirley Temple). Michael's finished the latest draft of his brilliant book, so I'm taking him out tonight to celebrate. I asked where he'd like to go...and do you know what he said???

The Blue Water Grill! He loved it so much he wants to go back!

Tomorrow morning we plan to wander the Union Square market...then I'm off for a birthday celebration with my friend Dan (taking him to the Union Square Cafe) while Michael enjoys himself in quieter pursuits.

We are growing to LOVE this amazing city. If you've been following the blog since the beginning you know it's been very slow boil. NYC intimidated us at first...and we'd creep back with some trepidation. We realized after a while that we weren't helping things by staying in large mid-town hotels. We need a sense of community, of NYC as smaller neighborhoods. So we've re-located south...to this area. the area of villages. And now, finally, we feel at home. And we still feel how dynamic and exciting this city is. Indeed, we're even considering finding a very small pied a terre in this area, and maybe renovating it. Not to live it, but to be here when we visit.

Probably won't...but fun to dream. And such a blessing to be falling in love with this wonderful city.

Off now to walk around, stop for ice cream, find a quiet place to read the Times. Then off for Michael's celebration dinner. So glad you could come with us!