I just got back from my book tour in Toronto, Canada, and had a blast! Upon arrival at the Pearson International Airport, my brother and sister in law picked me up and graciously hosted me in their home north of Toronto. I didn’t realize just how gracious they were until I got there and discovered that they were in the midst of redecorating their home. But they were cool with me staying there an
d my sister in law even offered to act as my guide through Toronto’s maze of highways and suburban sprawl—so long as I didn’t mind visiting a hundred bathroom and tile shops between bookstores. I congenially agreed and settled into the groove. I even picked up a few tips along the way. Did you know, for instance that 1/2” thick cementitious ceramic tile backerboards are recommended over greenboard sheetrock for tub and shower enclosures, because the latter aren’t sufficiently water-proof in areas subject to heavy amounts of moisture? Well, there, you learned something just as I did.
As for Toronto…I saw it all…and I can tell you where every single Chapters-Indigo-Coles bookstore is, too! Toronto is really a network of many smaller historical “villages” with unique character, ethnic culture and history, glued together by a “connective tissue” of highways, urban sprawl and shopping malls. Toronto (t?’r?nto?/, local pronunciation [tr?no?]) is the largest city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. Located on scenic Lake Ontario, the city is the fifth-most populous municipality in North America, with over 2.5 million residents. Considered one of the world’s most diverse cities, Toronto is also a global city and one of the top f
inancial cities in the world. It’s come a long way from “the place where trees stand in the water” (Iroquois meaning for “Toronto”).
In the next several days, my intrepid sister in law and I meandered from one 
end to the other of greater Toronto’s sprawling network of villages and towns in search of bookstores. Our trek took us through 40 km winds, horizontal sleet and freezing rain and ice. Undeterred, we pushed on, confident with the knowledge that most Chapters-Indigo-Coles were equipped with a Starbucks where we could sample their latest gingerbread latte.
After doing the mall scene in suburban Toronto, we took the subway on Friday downtown to the funky part of Queen Street West where we had lunch at East, whose designer washroom was more attractive than most people’s livingrooms. As the sun briefly broke through the clouds, we walked to Bakka-Phoenix Science Fiction Bookstore. It was just what I’d expected, located in an old building complete with brick façade and casement windows. Inside, I found a friendly staff, headed by Chris S
zajo, the manager. As I autographed the last two books, Chris assured me that more books were on the way.
My sister-in-law then tirelessly led me through the downtown core from Eaton’s Centre to the Largest Bookstore in the World and then, as the darkness fell over the city and the city lights reflected the falling snow, we ended up in the business section where Darwin’s Paradox was also for sale in several bookstores tucked in among fancy cafes where Toronto business men and women discussed the stock exchange and the coming environmental crisis.
u live in or are visiting Toronto, please consider visiting this independent bookstore dedicated to good science fiction, and support the independent bookstore industry by buying something from the knowledgeable and friendly staff (well, you know which book I’m going to suggest!).
… I was heartened to see some old friends from my community, who’d responded to the article in the local paper, the Delta Optimist. People showed up from … well … all over (as far away as Coquitlam!) to buy my book. WOO! HEE! Again, as with the previous signing, friends and family coaxed me to leave with rhe promise of drinks and appetizers… Do you see a pattern emerging here? … (Nina grinning from ear to ear). Next is Toronto, to several Chapters-Indigo-Coles bookstores.
… She bestowed upon me the “You’re an Amazing Blogger” award.
This blogging community is indeed a diverse, many coloured community of friends. And I am so glad to be a part of it.
Yesterday’s book signing at Chapters in Richmond, B.C. was incredibly fun and truly a blast! A second only to that kraglet swimsuit competition on Rigel 9. Despite the fact that I’d sold and published two books prior to “Darwin’s Paradox”, this was my first big bookstore signing! And I was jazzed. I knew ahead of time, though, that many of my friends couldn’t make it; I’d informed them with too little notice. Likewise, my relatives are few and far away (well, being an alien…). Given that friends and relatives are–with the exception of J.K.Rowling, that is– customarily where an author gets her audience for a signing, I was prepared for a solitary experience, a sole journey. Instead, I got a soul journey…
hand, I donned my sales robes and made a point of greeting my stranger friends. We all had something in common, after all: we all liked books. Determined to sign off all the books Chapters had been kind enough to get for this event, I hailed the merits of my book (“Look at this beautiful cover!) to one and all like a French market vendor…and soon–to my surprise–my off-key singing voice actually brought people flocking forward and I made friends with some wonderful people (who probably don’t sing). There was Mark, for instance, a young Vancouver student who studied evolution; there was Karyn, an avid science fiction fan and another Karin, also an avid reader; there was Jacek, an aspiring writer who is writing a very interesting YA novel, who came with his son; there was Craig Bowlsby, a local TV show producer (who I wangled an interview with…you’ll see my interview of him here live on this blog later!); there was Kuldip, who wanted to talk philosophy during the whole three hours I was t
here; and Brenda Carr, another wonderful writer who is currently marketing her mythic fantasy novel (look for it soon!); and so many other wonderful people. My sole journey had become a soul journey. And I did manage to reduce that huge pile of books into a small rubble. It would have dwindled to nothing except that my husband and son wanted to celebrate and successfully lured me away with promises of wine and rich food.
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