Road trip!

 Two weeks ago, I blogged about promotion and my upcoming in-person book launches in Toronto and Ottawa. As could be expected in Ottawa in early February, the weather did its best to sabotage both events. The day of the Toronto event, the city (indeed much of the eastern half of the country) was in the deep, deep freeze, with a brutal wind and temperatures not rising above -20 C (about -5 F) not counting the wind chill. It snowed all day long. Torontonians are used to balmier weather and many don't even have snow tires, so I was sure no one would come. Although some were understandably deterred, many did brave the winter and we had a lovely event with a reading, book chat, and truffles. The Ottawa launch at Perfect Books had similar problems. After a lovely, sunny, warm morning, the skies suddenly clouded over mid-afternoon and dumped a mess of freezing rain, ice pellets, and snow on the city. Traffic ground to a snail's pace and parking amid the snowdrifts was a nightmare. Once again, I was afraid no one would come.

The incomparable Sleuth of Baker Street

I should have had more faith in Canadians. We're an intrepid lot. People slithered their way along roads and drifted in to the store swaddled in scarves and slush-covered boots. They filled every chair in the place. I am so grateful to all my readers, friends, and family for continuing to support me through ice, snow, and polar vortexes (or is it vortices?). Not to mention more than twenty book launches.

My next step was to arrange readings and signings both in the city and farther afield. These are always more fun with another writer friend, and who better than my long-time dear friend, Mary Jane Maffini, who also had a brand new book out in her very popular local Camilla MacPhee series? I have toured all over the place with Mary Jane over the years, from the east coast to southern and eastern Ontario to the northern USA. So we got our heads together and devised a list of libraries within manageable driving distance from Ottawa. We call the tour Thrills, Chills, and Laughter; an evening with two award-winning mystery authors. I'm more of the thrills and chills writer, while Mary Jane supplies most of the laughter. The libraries that we approached have been very receptive to the idea, as eager as we are to see real people again.

We are still finalizing a couple of libraries, but here's what we have so far:

April 26 - Mississippi Mills Public Library, Almonte branch. 6:30-8:00 pm

April 29 - North Grenville Public Library, Kemptville branch 2:00-4:00 pm.

May 9 - Clarence-Rockland Public Library, 7:00-8:00 pm.

May 16 - Brighton Public Library, 6:00-8:00 pm.

All these events are free and everyone is welcome. Books will be for sale on site.

If you're in the neighbourhood, come on by. WhooHoo, road trip!

Random Thoughts on Libraries and Books

We’re having a September heat wave here at the beach, not conducive to thinking. So today you get random thoughts on libraries and books, things I’ve heard about recently.

The fairly new Manhattan Beach Library

Earlier this month, I read an article about a new imaging technology that can read closed books. MIT is developing a terahertz wave camera that will eventually be able to read the text on a book without it being opened. There are books in libraries and research institutions that people are afraid to open because they’re so fragile. Once this technology is perfected, they’ll be able to find out what’s in these books without worrying about destroying them. So far it’s in the prototype phase. For more details, including a short video:  http://news.mit.edu/2016/computational-imaging-method-reads-closed-books-0909

Then there’s X-ray microtomography, similar to a CT scan, which scientists have used to read text in scrolls that are too fragile to unwrap. They discovered that the Ein Gedi scroll, discovered in a synagogue that was destroyed in AD 600 and looks like a lump of coal, contains the beginning of the book of Leviticus. This technique was also used on papyrus scrolls from Herculaneum, a city that was destroyed during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. http://www.newsy.com/amp/videos/how-scientists-read-ancient-scrolls-that-can-t-be-opened/

Pretty interesting and exciting developments.

Then there’s Benjamin Franklin. I had heard that he was instrumental in the development of the lending library here in the U.S., but didn’t know many details. Apparently, he helped found the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731, America’s first lending library and the predecessor of our free libraries. Franklin served as the librarian for the Library Company from 1733-1734. So, Ben Franklin was a librarian, however briefly!

While looking into Ben’s activities, I discovered this site, The Library History Buff. http://www.libraryhistorybuff.com/index.htm It’s full of all kinds of info on libraries and, yes, their history, including vintage postcards of libraries, and all kinds of links involving libraries.

And there’s National Hug a Librarian Day, which is August 25th. And International Hug a Librarian Day is March 1st, though there seems to be some confusion there. Anyway, I’m not sure I’d actually hug a librarian unless I knew them well, but we can show our appreciation by saying nice things to one. Then there’s Library Lovers Day on Feb 14th.

Those are my random thoughts for today. Hope you found some of them interesting.And if you happen to be in Manhattan Beach, CA on Monday, October 17th, I'll be on a panel there with Lida Sideris, Sarah M.Chen and Jennifer Chow at 7pm.