misty all day, mild, temps 15
We're in England - specifically I'm sitting in the living room of the nicest Bed and Breakfast I've ever been in. It's in the village of Eye, in Norfolk and it is called Chamomille Cottage Bed and Breakfast. Stunning. Dates from the 1500's. And entire separate wing of the home for the B&B people...with our own living room, fireplace, wide plank floors, beamed ceiling. Our own kitchen with espresso maker, stocked fridge, etc...a solarium/dining area. And upstairs the bedrooms. Ours has beamed ceilings, a queen sized bed and floors our ski team could practice for the Olympics on! Very sloped...but charming. Breakfast is a choice of full english breakfast of sausages, grilled tomato, eggs, mushrooms, toast. Or scambled eggs with smoked salmon. Or kippers. Or eggs benedict.
All in stunning english gardens and walking distance to John and Moira's home, called The Guildhall.
By the time we arrived John was back in hospital. But another good friend of theirs and ours, Dick Oliver - who ran the Financial Times in Madrid - was arriving. So it was decided Michael and Dick and two of John's daughters would go to the hospital first. Then I'd follow with Moira and their son Nigel and daughter-in-law Rona.
It's been a very long and difficult day. We'd been getting mixed news before we arrived and had reason to hope maybe it wasn't as dire as we'd first thought. But when we arrived it was clear it was even worse, and it appears we have arrived on time, but just.
All the way over on the plane - overnight from Montreal to London, leaving Montreal at 9pm and arriving london 3am our time - 7am UK time - Michael read from John's diary of a seminal trip he, Michael, Dick and three others took when they were in Cambridge together more than 50 years ago. it was hilarious. Michael was laughing so hard he wept. Remembering those hellion, halcyon days. When they were young and immortal.
And this afternoon Michael and Dick went to the hospital to sit beside John. Michael kept vowing to be strong, but he was crying as he said it so I suggested he move to Plan B and not try to be strong, just be himself. Poor guy's exhausted. Resting upstairs now before dinner.
So we went in and took turns visiting with John. Holding his hand, talking about this and that. He was awake - had clearly revived at seeing his friends.
Always so moving to me, to see how much men can, and do, love each other.
It's been a long few days, but actually quite wonderful.
Started in the stunningly beautiful Vermont town of Norwich Wednesday...a really terrific event at the Norwich bookstore, thanks to owner Liza and Penny and the other people who work there. This is one of the great Independent bookstores I've been in. Vibrant, light. Amazing selection. And the place was jam-packed for my talk.
Thank you to everyone who came out. It was a rainy evening, and I know how hard it is to lug yourself out once it gets dark. I had such fun!!
Then after some sage advice I decided not to take Highway 91 back to Quebec (isolated and lots of moose on the roads. Hitting a deer is pretty bad, but if you hit a moose it will crush you - the body will fall right into the windshield, killing the moose and whoever is inside the car) So I went back the way I came - via highway 89. left about 9pm and was home by midnight. Very nice drive. Relaxing. A little fog, and was watchful of moose and deer, but that is life in Canada too.
Then Thursday morning we finshed packing, hit the road by 8:30...Michael had a morning eye appointment in Montreal. Everything is fabulous with both eyes!!! I had a 3pm dentist and a 4:30 hair appointment - and needed to buy walking shoes. By the time I arrived back at the apartment the limo to the airport had arrived...just time to go to the bathroom and with Michael we took the luggage down.
Got to the airport, got through security (ugh) - and onto the plane. Flight was packed, but happily uneventful, except when one of the flight attendents said, loudly enough for me to hear, 'I think we're going down.'
That got my attention!
It quickly bcame apparent what she meant was that we were beginning our descent for landing, but for a horrible instant it sounded like something else. But it sure woke me up.
The rest you know. As I said, this is a sad time - but there is also beauty. And simplicity.
I haven't had time to read any comments yet from the last post, but I will. I hope you are well, and happy.
Friday, 30 October 2009
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
ahhhh
rainy, cool, temps 10
I'm in Norwich now, tucked up in a four poster bed at the Norwich Inn.
Had the most wonderful time last night at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, Vermont. Evening started with dinner at 5:30 with Pat, the events co-ordinator and George who works at the store and at the library. he was the one who, a few years ago, discovered Still Life and told everyone about it.
Hand selling. Very powerful.
They were very kind and took me out to dinner at a restaurant called The Black Door. Terrific meal. Then we scooted across the street back to the bookstore. The place was packed. Standing room only. After spending some tours speaking to myself and the janitor, this is always a relief and a delight!
They were so welcoming, so warm. I felt completely comfortable. After the talk and questions I signed books, then headed up the hill to the Montpelier version of the old Hadley house.
Barely slept. I actually turned the room light on. The place gave me the willies. By 2am I still hadn't slept so I read some more then tossed and turned until it was time to call Michael. I'll tell you, he almost got a call at 3am.
Breakfast was a dreary affair with a television going in the background and a single table set for guests. The other guests, though, were delightful. A young couple from England, an older couple from Syracuse, NY, a tug boat captain on his way to South Carolina. We could not, of course, discuss our various experiences in the Bed and Breakfast since the owner and her surly help were listening, and had knives at their disposal. I wondered if everyone found it as dreary as I did. Like a rundown boarding house.
I leapt in the car just after 9am and headed south, toward Norwich. Michael, lovely man, had programmed our GPS for all my stops, so I just put it in and off I went. My 'plan B' - hatched amid the brocade curtains and screaming wallpaper of the B&B, was to go to Quechee and maybe do a massage somewhere. But I adjusted that plan in the night.
We were now on plan C. Which was, to find the Norwich Inn, book a room for the day, and finally get some sleep. But since I left so early I dropped into the village of Quechee, Vermont to visit the Simon Pearce glass factory. It's in an old mill...and is stunning. Beautifully renovated into a showroom for this hand-blown glass, but also local pottery and wood work...all sorts of beutiful pieces for the home. I bought Michael a Christmas gift then filled the car up with gas and headed to Norwich.
Found the bookstore...which looked absolutely picture perfect. White clapboard, traditional. huge windows, comfortable chairs, wooden bookcases...and warm, friendly staff. Apparently my event tonight is sold out. Such a relief to hear that!
By noon I was in a room at the Norwich Inn, reading, then napping.
Sleep would not have been an issue except after the event tonight I need to drive the 3 hours back to Sutton...hoping to arrive home by midnight. This is never optimal, but with very little sleep the night before it is even worse. And, God knows, tomorrow will be a long day.
But the people at the Norwich Inn could not have been kinder...finding me a lovely room and even giving me a reduced rate.
So now I'm awake, showered...and lying in bed writing to you. Not sure if I can blog tomorrow. We're heading to Montreal first thing. Michael has an 11:30 eye appointment, I have a 3pm dentist, then off to the airport and fly to London. We're being picked up by a car service at Heathrow and driven to John and Moira's village in Norfold - Eye. Hoping to see John that afternoon...then we'll take it from there.
Thanks for keeping me, and Michael, company. Hope you packed the hot water bottle for England - we're going to need it!
I'm in Norwich now, tucked up in a four poster bed at the Norwich Inn.
Had the most wonderful time last night at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, Vermont. Evening started with dinner at 5:30 with Pat, the events co-ordinator and George who works at the store and at the library. he was the one who, a few years ago, discovered Still Life and told everyone about it.
Hand selling. Very powerful.
They were very kind and took me out to dinner at a restaurant called The Black Door. Terrific meal. Then we scooted across the street back to the bookstore. The place was packed. Standing room only. After spending some tours speaking to myself and the janitor, this is always a relief and a delight!
They were so welcoming, so warm. I felt completely comfortable. After the talk and questions I signed books, then headed up the hill to the Montpelier version of the old Hadley house.
Barely slept. I actually turned the room light on. The place gave me the willies. By 2am I still hadn't slept so I read some more then tossed and turned until it was time to call Michael. I'll tell you, he almost got a call at 3am.
Breakfast was a dreary affair with a television going in the background and a single table set for guests. The other guests, though, were delightful. A young couple from England, an older couple from Syracuse, NY, a tug boat captain on his way to South Carolina. We could not, of course, discuss our various experiences in the Bed and Breakfast since the owner and her surly help were listening, and had knives at their disposal. I wondered if everyone found it as dreary as I did. Like a rundown boarding house.
I leapt in the car just after 9am and headed south, toward Norwich. Michael, lovely man, had programmed our GPS for all my stops, so I just put it in and off I went. My 'plan B' - hatched amid the brocade curtains and screaming wallpaper of the B&B, was to go to Quechee and maybe do a massage somewhere. But I adjusted that plan in the night.
We were now on plan C. Which was, to find the Norwich Inn, book a room for the day, and finally get some sleep. But since I left so early I dropped into the village of Quechee, Vermont to visit the Simon Pearce glass factory. It's in an old mill...and is stunning. Beautifully renovated into a showroom for this hand-blown glass, but also local pottery and wood work...all sorts of beutiful pieces for the home. I bought Michael a Christmas gift then filled the car up with gas and headed to Norwich.
Found the bookstore...which looked absolutely picture perfect. White clapboard, traditional. huge windows, comfortable chairs, wooden bookcases...and warm, friendly staff. Apparently my event tonight is sold out. Such a relief to hear that!
By noon I was in a room at the Norwich Inn, reading, then napping.
Sleep would not have been an issue except after the event tonight I need to drive the 3 hours back to Sutton...hoping to arrive home by midnight. This is never optimal, but with very little sleep the night before it is even worse. And, God knows, tomorrow will be a long day.
But the people at the Norwich Inn could not have been kinder...finding me a lovely room and even giving me a reduced rate.
So now I'm awake, showered...and lying in bed writing to you. Not sure if I can blog tomorrow. We're heading to Montreal first thing. Michael has an 11:30 eye appointment, I have a 3pm dentist, then off to the airport and fly to London. We're being picked up by a car service at Heathrow and driven to John and Moira's village in Norfold - Eye. Hoping to see John that afternoon...then we'll take it from there.
Thanks for keeping me, and Michael, company. Hope you packed the hot water bottle for England - we're going to need it!
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Either this wallpaper goes, or I do
overcast, mild, temps 14
Am in Montpelier now, at the Bed and Breakfast. Dreadful place. All heavy Victorian wallpaper and furniture. Glum landlady. Dark and dreary room. I was hoping to arrive early and spend a few hours relaxing in the room before the event. But could not wait to get away. Especially when I had to take a broom to this huge cobweb on the wall.
Happily I'm only here overnight, and this has convinced me that sometime in the future, when Chief Inspector Gamache et al are investigating a murder away from Three Pines (if such a thing exists), they need to stay in a dreary, sullen place. So, actually, this is great! Wasn't really looking forward to yet another stay in a spectacular, large, lovely, clean hotel room, with flatscreen TV, jacuzzi, spa and no spiders. How antiseptic.
I'm feeling itchy...bed bugs? ugh. Still, I have to say this really is part of the book tour territory. I've stayed in some horrible places and some astonishingly fabulous places. Crap shoot, really. The publishers do their best, and Sarah - the publicist - sent me links to three places here inMontpelier...and I chose this one. D'oh.
not that long ago I was at a book festival and my room was so small my feet went off the end of the bed and were in the bathroom. The walls were also made of paper so I could hear everything anyone said in the corridor. I was at another book festival and the hotel was infested with young americans who streamed across the border (this was a Canadian border town) because the legal drinking age in Canada is lower than in the US. So on Friday night the kids booked into the hotel with the sole purpose of getting drunk. And running riot. At least they had the great good sense to book into a hotel and didn't try to drive home.
Had a great drive down here to Montpelier...two and a half hours. Denis in Cowansville had put the winter tires on the volvo this morning...lovely man made space for us in his hectic fall schedule. But I'm driving the other car since it has GPS. Arrived with three hours to kill before going for dinner with the BEar Pond Books people. As soon as I saw the B&B room I wanted to flee. A reader who will be at the event tonight suggested place called La Brioche, on Main Street...it is an off-shoot of the New England Culinary Institute, so I skidaddled out of the B&B and raced over to La Brioche for a medicinal Cafe Latte and eclair. Yum.
but am back at the B&B now. Hoping, with familiarity, it will seem less dreary. It seems to be working. At least I don't have to share a bathroom. And the place, despite the cobwebs, actually seems clean. Just dark and dreary.
Loved the comments from yesterday's blog - and all the odd placenames...I thought no one could ever beat the Brits, but I have to say Intercourse, Michigan, just down the road from the town of Blue Balls is pretty good. Though, as I said in the comment, in Quebec it would be Saint Intercourse. And Saint Blue Balls. We put a saint in front of everything. We have a Saint Louis de Ha Ha. Can't imagine what he is the patron saint of.
Off to Bear Pond Books for a dinner at 5:30 then the event at 7pm. Then driving tomorrow (probably crack of dawn) to Norwich for an event at the Norwich Bookstore at 7 tomorrow night.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Am in Montpelier now, at the Bed and Breakfast. Dreadful place. All heavy Victorian wallpaper and furniture. Glum landlady. Dark and dreary room. I was hoping to arrive early and spend a few hours relaxing in the room before the event. But could not wait to get away. Especially when I had to take a broom to this huge cobweb on the wall.
Happily I'm only here overnight, and this has convinced me that sometime in the future, when Chief Inspector Gamache et al are investigating a murder away from Three Pines (if such a thing exists), they need to stay in a dreary, sullen place. So, actually, this is great! Wasn't really looking forward to yet another stay in a spectacular, large, lovely, clean hotel room, with flatscreen TV, jacuzzi, spa and no spiders. How antiseptic.
I'm feeling itchy...bed bugs? ugh. Still, I have to say this really is part of the book tour territory. I've stayed in some horrible places and some astonishingly fabulous places. Crap shoot, really. The publishers do their best, and Sarah - the publicist - sent me links to three places here inMontpelier...and I chose this one. D'oh.
not that long ago I was at a book festival and my room was so small my feet went off the end of the bed and were in the bathroom. The walls were also made of paper so I could hear everything anyone said in the corridor. I was at another book festival and the hotel was infested with young americans who streamed across the border (this was a Canadian border town) because the legal drinking age in Canada is lower than in the US. So on Friday night the kids booked into the hotel with the sole purpose of getting drunk. And running riot. At least they had the great good sense to book into a hotel and didn't try to drive home.
Had a great drive down here to Montpelier...two and a half hours. Denis in Cowansville had put the winter tires on the volvo this morning...lovely man made space for us in his hectic fall schedule. But I'm driving the other car since it has GPS. Arrived with three hours to kill before going for dinner with the BEar Pond Books people. As soon as I saw the B&B room I wanted to flee. A reader who will be at the event tonight suggested place called La Brioche, on Main Street...it is an off-shoot of the New England Culinary Institute, so I skidaddled out of the B&B and raced over to La Brioche for a medicinal Cafe Latte and eclair. Yum.
but am back at the B&B now. Hoping, with familiarity, it will seem less dreary. It seems to be working. At least I don't have to share a bathroom. And the place, despite the cobwebs, actually seems clean. Just dark and dreary.
Loved the comments from yesterday's blog - and all the odd placenames...I thought no one could ever beat the Brits, but I have to say Intercourse, Michigan, just down the road from the town of Blue Balls is pretty good. Though, as I said in the comment, in Quebec it would be Saint Intercourse. And Saint Blue Balls. We put a saint in front of everything. We have a Saint Louis de Ha Ha. Can't imagine what he is the patron saint of.
Off to Bear Pond Books for a dinner at 5:30 then the event at 7pm. Then driving tomorrow (probably crack of dawn) to Norwich for an event at the Norwich Bookstore at 7 tomorrow night.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Monday, 26 October 2009
Toad Suck Ferry
mainly sunny, crisp, beautiful late fall day temps 7
Frost on the ground...melting where the sun hit it this morning, but staying in the shadows so the grass was a patchwork of green and crystal white. Deer hooves in the frosty grass this morning by the pond. A picture perfect Quebec autumn day. Walked over to the guest cottage where Gary is putting on new siding. To get there we needed rubber boots and to walk along winding paths through the forest. It smelled so sweet. I said to Michael that I wished I could describe it, do this justice. but I realize I can't because it isn't a sensation. It isn't a sight, a fragrance. It's a feeling.
How much I love this place.
And thank you so much, all of you who sent good wishes for Michael and his John. Lifelong friends. How wonderful to have made a friend like that.
We arrived back in Sutton yesterday and immediately 'hit the ground'...mail, phone messages, letters to respond to, packages to get ready to be sent, laundry, laundry, laundry.
I'm heading to Bear Pond books in Montpelier, Vermont, for an event at 7pm tomorrow. Staying the night, then off to Norwich bookstore, in Norwich for a 7pm event Wednesday...then driving home. Arriving, I hope, about midnight. Then off to the UK Thursday. So I need to pack today. and have all the details worked out.
I think most are done. Even managed to make an appointment for tomorrow morning with the garage to put the winter tires on the Volvo!
So far so good...not a lot of wiggle-room for something to go wrong. So I will have to put that at the top of the 'To Do' list. Make sure nothing goes wrong.
huh huh.
Once again, thank you for all your thoughts. I'm REALLY glad so many of you are listening to the pronunciation guide too. yay. It was a lot of fun to do.
And fun to hear of other odd place names, like Truth or Consquences, which I believe someone said was in Arizona. And another US names - Toad Suck Ferry. Unless someone was kidding...
Will try to post from Montpelier tomorrow. Off we go again!
Frost on the ground...melting where the sun hit it this morning, but staying in the shadows so the grass was a patchwork of green and crystal white. Deer hooves in the frosty grass this morning by the pond. A picture perfect Quebec autumn day. Walked over to the guest cottage where Gary is putting on new siding. To get there we needed rubber boots and to walk along winding paths through the forest. It smelled so sweet. I said to Michael that I wished I could describe it, do this justice. but I realize I can't because it isn't a sensation. It isn't a sight, a fragrance. It's a feeling.
How much I love this place.
And thank you so much, all of you who sent good wishes for Michael and his John. Lifelong friends. How wonderful to have made a friend like that.
We arrived back in Sutton yesterday and immediately 'hit the ground'...mail, phone messages, letters to respond to, packages to get ready to be sent, laundry, laundry, laundry.
I'm heading to Bear Pond books in Montpelier, Vermont, for an event at 7pm tomorrow. Staying the night, then off to Norwich bookstore, in Norwich for a 7pm event Wednesday...then driving home. Arriving, I hope, about midnight. Then off to the UK Thursday. So I need to pack today. and have all the details worked out.
I think most are done. Even managed to make an appointment for tomorrow morning with the garage to put the winter tires on the Volvo!
So far so good...not a lot of wiggle-room for something to go wrong. So I will have to put that at the top of the 'To Do' list. Make sure nothing goes wrong.
huh huh.
Once again, thank you for all your thoughts. I'm REALLY glad so many of you are listening to the pronunciation guide too. yay. It was a lot of fun to do.
And fun to hear of other odd place names, like Truth or Consquences, which I believe someone said was in Arizona. And another US names - Toad Suck Ferry. Unless someone was kidding...
Will try to post from Montpelier tomorrow. Off we go again!
Saturday, 24 October 2009
John
rainy, mild, temps 13
We're back in Montreal...wow does it feel good to be home. But I have to say we had just a riot on tour. Let me catch you up. thursday night was the launch and signing at Sleuth of Baker street...a fabulous mystery bookstore in Toronto...with Marian and JD. Loads of people...readers who have been with the series from the beginning and some new people. Loads of friend - lots of people who know my brother Doug - and are his friends...and have become friends of mine. So it felt very warm and comfortable. Had dinner before with an old friend, Margaret. We yakked and got caught up even though we hadn't seen each other in years. Wonderful to have friends like that.
Then yesterday we were picked up at the hotel by Kelly Bernstein, of the Keswick library and whisked to one of Ontario's fine Inns...the Briars. This magnificent old home - rambling...with small, initmate, lovely little sitting rooms all over the place. Our room looked over Lake Simcoe and had a fireplace and a canopy bed. While Michael napped I took the newspaper down to this small sitting room with a muttering fireplace and a sofa facing it. There was a coffee machine so I brewed myself some, sat there quietly and peacefully for an hour, read and looked out the window at the rain, and into the lovely fire. Can't remember the last time I felt so at peace.
Then Mary and her sister Patty picked us up for dinner. We met Kelly and her husband at the restuarnt. This is all part of the One Book, One Community celebrations. The idea is that a community choose a book and over the course of the year they get as many people as possible to read it. Now, I thought they'd chosen Still Life, but in fact they decided to choose the entire series. They had a Three Pines themed dinner earlier in the year, and a car rally with clues from the books!
All this culminated in my visit last night to talk to the town, answer questions, etc. A wonderful glass artist had made the most exquisite stained glass window of Three Pines, with the trees, the Northern Lights, the village. Auctioned off to raise money for the library. I bid - and lost!
But after I spoke they presented me with a glorious necklace, made by the same man, with a scene from Dead Cold/A Fatal Grace...of Three Pines in the winter...with stars twinkling. So beautiofully and very moving.
Went back to the hotel and slept like a baby...though woke up in the middle of the night and thought maybe the place was haunted. Odd, that. But eventually went back to sleep. If it was haunted they seemed very pleasant ghosts.
Mary and Patty picked us up and took us to the train to Montreal. And Michael and I subsided into our seats...spent the 5 hours listening to music, staring out the window, dreaming. Very peaceful, again.
The only difficulty in our lives now has prompted a major change to the tour schedule for the next two weeks or so. I will still go to Vermont next week and do Tuesday's event at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, and then Norwich Books, in Norwich, Vermont the next night. I was going to spend Wednesday night in Norwich, but now will drive home to Sutton because the next day...this coming Thursday, we suddenly have to head to England.
Michael's best friend, John, is in the last stages of cancer. We spoke with him and his wife Moira about two weeks ago, just before I headed out on tour. We knew he had cancer, but it had been in remission for 14 years. But in that call he said it was back, but the docs were going to treat it. We talked about seeing them in April, when we plan to be in the UK. But then, last week in Toronto, we heard from John's daughter - Michael's goddaughter, that her father had taken a very bad turn and to come quickly.
So, we've re-scheduled everything from next Thursday on, and will get to England asap.
This means I won't be able to speak at next Sunday's Books and Breakfast, put on by Paragraphe Books in Montreal. Nor will I be at the Phoenix bookstore on Tuesday, Nov 3rd, or flying to Arizona for an event at poinsoned Pen bookstore Nov 5th.
But I have managed to re-schedule most things and will let you know about them soon.
How kind people are when told. I know they've put a lot of effort into making the event a huge success and then to have me pull the plug at the last minute is upsetting. But everyone, to a person, was supportive. How kind people are. And clearly I will try to make up the dates.
We've decided to get to London - then head to the village of Eye (I'm not kidding, that's what it's called!! only the brits - though in Canada we have Kicking Horse Pass and Come-by-chance so we can't really claim higher ground) - but we'll get to the village - see John and Moira for a few days, then head to London and stay there for a couple of weeks...going up every now and then to see John.
Michael's sister Carol is also recovering from a big operation so this will give us a chance to see her and David, and perhaps do some small chores, like getting food. Details like that.
I also need to do the final (I hope) edits on Bury Your Dead (books 6) and staying in London will allow me to do that.
We just don't know, do we, what life has in store. As Michael said the other day after we'd hung up the phone...we need to make every moment count. And know how lucky we are.
Speak soon - off on another journey.
We're back in Montreal...wow does it feel good to be home. But I have to say we had just a riot on tour. Let me catch you up. thursday night was the launch and signing at Sleuth of Baker street...a fabulous mystery bookstore in Toronto...with Marian and JD. Loads of people...readers who have been with the series from the beginning and some new people. Loads of friend - lots of people who know my brother Doug - and are his friends...and have become friends of mine. So it felt very warm and comfortable. Had dinner before with an old friend, Margaret. We yakked and got caught up even though we hadn't seen each other in years. Wonderful to have friends like that.
Then yesterday we were picked up at the hotel by Kelly Bernstein, of the Keswick library and whisked to one of Ontario's fine Inns...the Briars. This magnificent old home - rambling...with small, initmate, lovely little sitting rooms all over the place. Our room looked over Lake Simcoe and had a fireplace and a canopy bed. While Michael napped I took the newspaper down to this small sitting room with a muttering fireplace and a sofa facing it. There was a coffee machine so I brewed myself some, sat there quietly and peacefully for an hour, read and looked out the window at the rain, and into the lovely fire. Can't remember the last time I felt so at peace.
Then Mary and her sister Patty picked us up for dinner. We met Kelly and her husband at the restuarnt. This is all part of the One Book, One Community celebrations. The idea is that a community choose a book and over the course of the year they get as many people as possible to read it. Now, I thought they'd chosen Still Life, but in fact they decided to choose the entire series. They had a Three Pines themed dinner earlier in the year, and a car rally with clues from the books!
All this culminated in my visit last night to talk to the town, answer questions, etc. A wonderful glass artist had made the most exquisite stained glass window of Three Pines, with the trees, the Northern Lights, the village. Auctioned off to raise money for the library. I bid - and lost!
But after I spoke they presented me with a glorious necklace, made by the same man, with a scene from Dead Cold/A Fatal Grace...of Three Pines in the winter...with stars twinkling. So beautiofully and very moving.
Went back to the hotel and slept like a baby...though woke up in the middle of the night and thought maybe the place was haunted. Odd, that. But eventually went back to sleep. If it was haunted they seemed very pleasant ghosts.
Mary and Patty picked us up and took us to the train to Montreal. And Michael and I subsided into our seats...spent the 5 hours listening to music, staring out the window, dreaming. Very peaceful, again.
The only difficulty in our lives now has prompted a major change to the tour schedule for the next two weeks or so. I will still go to Vermont next week and do Tuesday's event at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, and then Norwich Books, in Norwich, Vermont the next night. I was going to spend Wednesday night in Norwich, but now will drive home to Sutton because the next day...this coming Thursday, we suddenly have to head to England.
Michael's best friend, John, is in the last stages of cancer. We spoke with him and his wife Moira about two weeks ago, just before I headed out on tour. We knew he had cancer, but it had been in remission for 14 years. But in that call he said it was back, but the docs were going to treat it. We talked about seeing them in April, when we plan to be in the UK. But then, last week in Toronto, we heard from John's daughter - Michael's goddaughter, that her father had taken a very bad turn and to come quickly.
So, we've re-scheduled everything from next Thursday on, and will get to England asap.
This means I won't be able to speak at next Sunday's Books and Breakfast, put on by Paragraphe Books in Montreal. Nor will I be at the Phoenix bookstore on Tuesday, Nov 3rd, or flying to Arizona for an event at poinsoned Pen bookstore Nov 5th.
But I have managed to re-schedule most things and will let you know about them soon.
How kind people are when told. I know they've put a lot of effort into making the event a huge success and then to have me pull the plug at the last minute is upsetting. But everyone, to a person, was supportive. How kind people are. And clearly I will try to make up the dates.
We've decided to get to London - then head to the village of Eye (I'm not kidding, that's what it's called!! only the brits - though in Canada we have Kicking Horse Pass and Come-by-chance so we can't really claim higher ground) - but we'll get to the village - see John and Moira for a few days, then head to London and stay there for a couple of weeks...going up every now and then to see John.
Michael's sister Carol is also recovering from a big operation so this will give us a chance to see her and David, and perhaps do some small chores, like getting food. Details like that.
I also need to do the final (I hope) edits on Bury Your Dead (books 6) and staying in London will allow me to do that.
We just don't know, do we, what life has in store. As Michael said the other day after we'd hung up the phone...we need to make every moment count. And know how lucky we are.
Speak soon - off on another journey.
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Pronunciation Guide
overcast, mild, temps 14
Still in Toronto - had a fabulous time last night in Orangeville at the Millcroft Inn. I gave a talk and reading and answered questions, as a fundraiser for Alzheimers...all organized by the amazing Nancy Frater, the owner of Booklore in Orangeville.
First had a glorious dinner with nancy, heather, Sandy and Michael at the millcroft...yum. Then the event. Then poor Nancy had to drive us back to Toronto, through rain and heavy fog. Blech.
But there were loads of people and great questions, and they made us feel very welcome.
Wanted to mention that I recorded the pronunciation guide, with Lise's help...and the help of the local community radio station - CIDI. And Linda has put it up on the website.
Off for dinner with a friend - Margaret - then to the event at Sleuth of Baker Street tonight. Always love that...get lots of friends and acquaintances out. And love Marian and JD. Then off tomorrow to Keswick, Ontario. The area took part in the one town, one book event...where the community chose a single book to read...as many read it as possible...events were planned around it...culminating in a dinner with the author. They chose Still Life...how wonderful is that?? So we're off for the final event tomorrow night. Then home by train Saturday.
Be well, must fly.
Still in Toronto - had a fabulous time last night in Orangeville at the Millcroft Inn. I gave a talk and reading and answered questions, as a fundraiser for Alzheimers...all organized by the amazing Nancy Frater, the owner of Booklore in Orangeville.
First had a glorious dinner with nancy, heather, Sandy and Michael at the millcroft...yum. Then the event. Then poor Nancy had to drive us back to Toronto, through rain and heavy fog. Blech.
But there were loads of people and great questions, and they made us feel very welcome.
Wanted to mention that I recorded the pronunciation guide, with Lise's help...and the help of the local community radio station - CIDI. And Linda has put it up on the website.
Off for dinner with a friend - Margaret - then to the event at Sleuth of Baker Street tonight. Always love that...get lots of friends and acquaintances out. And love Marian and JD. Then off tomorrow to Keswick, Ontario. The area took part in the one town, one book event...where the community chose a single book to read...as many read it as possible...events were planned around it...culminating in a dinner with the author. They chose Still Life...how wonderful is that?? So we're off for the final event tomorrow night. Then home by train Saturday.
Be well, must fly.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
Diet? Does Jenny Craig know about this???
Cloudy, drizzle, but mild, temps 14
We're in Toronto...off to an event in nearby Orangeville tonight. It's at the Millcroft Inn and is organized by Nancy Frater, the owner of Booklore Stores - a truly great Canadian independent bookstore - and the local Alzheimers Association. A fundraiser.
Love doing fundraisers.
Limo will pick us up at the hotel and take us there...dinner with Nancy first, then to the event where I will talk, read, answer questions, sign books, and drive back to Toronto...in by midnight. Tomorrow there's the launch at Sleuth of Baker Street...always a hoot.
Still wrestling with the company name...great suggestions from readers, though. Thank you!!
Village Green Inc.
Steak Frites Inc.
Lord Love a Duck Inc
Pine, Pine and Pine, Inc
Oink ink
Pennywise Inc
A Wee Plan Inc
Spiderweb Inc
And lots more. Someone suggested that Quel Cochon - my original idea - might also translate as 'What a pervert" not just 'Porn Productions'...she said if I went with that as a company name she'd design the logo for free. Almost worth it...if only to see the lawyer, Richard's face.
Adding, perhaps, to his impression I'm up to no good must be a typo in an earlier blog from last week, where I describe meeting a friend - Tony Bidalka - for a drink in the Bouchercon bar in Indianapolis. I wanted - according to my blog - a diet cock.
Now, some kind soul did email and say I might want to edit that...but she was too much of a lady to say what I had written and I thought, really how bad could it be?
That bad. Finally, last night, my brother Doug wrote and, like brothers, was quite explicit and delighted.
Here we are, at the world HQ of Porn Productions, ordering Diet Cocks. THIS is how you get onto the New York times bestseller list! I now wonder if the suggestion of A Wee Plan Inc was a euphemism.
Another company name I love that someone sent (Marjorie) was an anagram of Armand Gamache... A Managed Charm, Inc.
Do you have other ideas? Any preferences? Honestly, this is just for bookkeeping and will never be in neon lights. But it is nice to choose one that has meaning. I actually am leaning toward Oink Ink. Can't imagine that isn't taken, though.
Oh, by the way - the pronunciation guide is finally up on the website...will try to write more about that tomorrow, and highlight it. But thought you might like to know.
Be well. And thanks for all these fun suggestions...WAY more creative than I am!
We're in Toronto...off to an event in nearby Orangeville tonight. It's at the Millcroft Inn and is organized by Nancy Frater, the owner of Booklore Stores - a truly great Canadian independent bookstore - and the local Alzheimers Association. A fundraiser.
Love doing fundraisers.
Limo will pick us up at the hotel and take us there...dinner with Nancy first, then to the event where I will talk, read, answer questions, sign books, and drive back to Toronto...in by midnight. Tomorrow there's the launch at Sleuth of Baker Street...always a hoot.
Still wrestling with the company name...great suggestions from readers, though. Thank you!!
Village Green Inc.
Steak Frites Inc.
Lord Love a Duck Inc
Pine, Pine and Pine, Inc
Oink ink
Pennywise Inc
A Wee Plan Inc
Spiderweb Inc
And lots more. Someone suggested that Quel Cochon - my original idea - might also translate as 'What a pervert" not just 'Porn Productions'...she said if I went with that as a company name she'd design the logo for free. Almost worth it...if only to see the lawyer, Richard's face.
Adding, perhaps, to his impression I'm up to no good must be a typo in an earlier blog from last week, where I describe meeting a friend - Tony Bidalka - for a drink in the Bouchercon bar in Indianapolis. I wanted - according to my blog - a diet cock.
Now, some kind soul did email and say I might want to edit that...but she was too much of a lady to say what I had written and I thought, really how bad could it be?
That bad. Finally, last night, my brother Doug wrote and, like brothers, was quite explicit and delighted.
Here we are, at the world HQ of Porn Productions, ordering Diet Cocks. THIS is how you get onto the New York times bestseller list! I now wonder if the suggestion of A Wee Plan Inc was a euphemism.
Another company name I love that someone sent (Marjorie) was an anagram of Armand Gamache... A Managed Charm, Inc.
Do you have other ideas? Any preferences? Honestly, this is just for bookkeeping and will never be in neon lights. But it is nice to choose one that has meaning. I actually am leaning toward Oink Ink. Can't imagine that isn't taken, though.
Oh, by the way - the pronunciation guide is finally up on the website...will try to write more about that tomorrow, and highlight it. But thought you might like to know.
Be well. And thanks for all these fun suggestions...WAY more creative than I am!
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