Friday 22 October 2010

IFOA

Partly cloudy, cool, temps 10

Terrific flight yesterday...air canada. got the emergency exit - three seats in a row and no one in the middle seat, so Michael and I were able to share the row, just ourselves. What a difference that makes on a long flight. Well, not that long. 4.5 hours. But long enough. Air Canada has upgraded most of it's fleet, so on longer flights every seat has it's own television. So I watched Entourage and Modern Family all across the continent.

Smart enough to buy sandwiches and soft drinks...then we had a nice picnic at 39,000 feet. Quite fun. Arrived to minus 4 degrees in Toronto and a minor snowstorm just north of the city. Snuck in just in time!

The International Festival of Authors is a magnificent literary festival. The current artistic director, Geoffrey Taylor, began getting crime fiction writers on the schedule a few years ago, and has quietly added to their importance. Sending the subversive message that good crime fiction is good literature. that there is no border between literary fiction and crime fiction. And this year, bless his soul, he's made Noir a theme!

the other thing I adore about Geoffrey is he's one of the few literary types who recognizes that my books are on the surface bright and shiny...but beneath that is a streak of darkness. But at their heart - hidden under it all - is hope. And kindness. That noir and blanche live together, naturally. And need each other.

It's a great pleasure to be here, and be a part of this revolution. Peter Robinson, Lisa Scottoline, Giles Blunt, Jeff Lindsay, RJ Ellory, Peter James and others standing up and letting our literary voices join those of Michael Cunningham, Emma Donoghue, Jonathan Frazen etc.

Besides - it's just plain fun.

Have a noon signing tomorrow with Lisa Scottoline at the Indigo bookstore at the Manulife Centre - then a reading at 8pm at the IFOA. Then a roundtable discussion on Sunday at the IFOA with Anne Emery, John Lawton, and Lisa - moderated by a terrific Canadian crime writer, Andrew Pyper.

It's funny, but as wonderful, magical, generous as San Francosco was - there's something special about being here. It has surprised me. I wonder if it's just being back in Canada - or being at the IFOA... a familiarity issue. Being this close to home.

I think it might just be familiarity. As much fun as this tour, and as kind as everyone has been, what gets tiring for me is never being anyplace familiar. Every place is new. That can be exciting...but given my personality, after a while I really just want home. or, if not home, then places I recognize. Like here.

Of course, I might just be nuts.

Speak to you tomorrow. Hope to see you at one of the events. Have a great weekend!

4 comments:

donna said...

Hi Louise: Sounds like you will have a great day tomorrow. I read all of Lisa Scottoline's weekly columns and she has a great sense of humor which I am sure you will enjoy. I love her books too and, of course, Peter Robinson I adore. Glad you are now closer to home! Regards, Donna (from Connecticut)

Anonymous said...

I know exactly what you mean Louise. A few years ago I spent a year travelling internationally for work. While it sounds glamourous it was exhausting. Fun, enlightening, but exhausting. Every situation from restaurant to restroom was new and unfamiliar, every time, since more often than not I was in a new country after a few days. I too craved the familiarity of home. Of being able to walk into a grocery store and know exactly what to expect from the deli counter to checkout. Welcome back.
Alix L.
Williamsville, NY

lil Gluckstern said...

You've been traveling a long time, I'll bet home looks good to you now. You are in super talented company-sounds wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Louise,

I have just returned from three days of touring the Eastern Townships. What a beautiful region of our country. You have captured the essence and beauty of the region in your books. It seemed to me that there a bit if Three Pines in every town I visited.
I had the pleasure of hearing you in Ottawa last month. Was too shy to approach and tell you how much I have enjoyed your books. Will admit that I was a bit angry with you after reading A Brutal Telling. I was not pleased at all to find out who was the murderer. I really liked the character. To me a strong emotionial reaction to a book is a sign of a good writer. And I was emotional. When things simmered down for me my reaction was " I cannot wait for the next one" Looking forward to reading " Bury Your Dead" soon. Keep up the great writing!
David,
Ottawa