Sitting in the front row at the main stage listening to gifted writers speak about their craft was the icing on the cake for me at the Toronto International Book Fair. Reading has always been my favourite and most satisfying hobby, but there is something about actually listening to an author describe how and why they do what they do that makes the stories mean so much more to me. It’s like they actually share a little piece of themselves with you. And then to actually get to meet them and tell them how much you love their books, well that is the biggest thrill of all! Here are some portraits of the authors I was most excited to see.
Anne Rice, author of the famous Vampire Chronicles series.
Kathy Reichs, author of the hugely popular mystery series that the TV show Bones is based on.
It was an absolute honour to meet Margaret Atwood, who celebrated her 75th birthday this week.
Will Ferguson, author of the 2012 Giller Prize winning book, 419.
Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians Trilogy.
Maggie Stiefvater, author of many popular Young Adult series.
Amanda Lindhout, the Canadian journalist who spent 460 days in captivity in Somalia and lived to tell the tale in her book, A House in the Sky. This is an incredible book!!
Lisa Genova, a neuroscientist, who is the author of three hugely successful books, including Still Alice, the story of a woman with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease, which has been made into a major motion picture.
Last but not least, and the main reason why I bought my ticket months ago for this book fair, was to see one of my favourite authors of all time, Deborah Harkness. She is a fascinating and extremely intelligent author and university professor who manages to take fantasy, history, and science and mix them together in just the right combination to make you believe that maybe witches and vampires could actually exist, and in the process you get great history and science lessons. She is a very gifted writer, and if you haven’t read her All Souls Trilogy I would highly recommend that you give it a try. You won’t regret it!
Finally, here is a picture of Deborah Harkness, myself, and Grega, a new friend from the All Souls Trilogy Discussion Group on Facebook. What an incredible weekend!!
photos from the loonybin 
These are fabulous shots and perfectly exposed by the way! very nice
Thank you :). They were actually quite tricky to capture because not only did I have to really concentrate on keeping steady while taking handheld shots with my telephoto lens, but I also had to deal with authors who don’t stand or sit still at all while they talk LOL!
WOWWWWW!! What an amazing, exciting experience!
It truly was :). I can’t wait for next year!
No kidding!!!!!!!!!
Um, have I mentioned that I wish I was there?
Ditto, TBM. She’s trying to make us jealous, isn’t she? 😉
It’s working! But at least she is sharing the experience with us. Now she should send us some chocolate to help us cope with the feeling, “Why did I miss that!”
OMG, speaking of chocolate, did you hear that the world is heading into a chocolate shortage?!?!?! I have been devastated ever since I heard the news. I think I am going to start hoarding chocolate!! The problem is that if I buy it I will eat it – I won’t be able to save it :).
Oh damn… this looks such a wonderful fair… I’m so happy for your sake that you got to go there and to talk to authors of such caliber… wow and to get such good photos too… you look as though you are shining in the last photo… brilliant, so excited for you…
It was wonderful – I was on cloud 9 all weekend and had a permanent smile on my face :). I did get kind of tongue tied when face to face with the authors though. I’ve heard this from other people who attend book signings. You have all these wonderful things you want to say, and then they all fly out the window when this famous writer looks up at you and says hi. Thanks for always making such wonderful comments Bulldog. You make me smile too :).
I am so happy for you my friend, being in the company of the “greats” who help to complete your life with all those wonderful books! You couldn’t have found a more exciting place to be and it’s obvious you enjoyed every single delicious moment.
What a wonderful word to describe it – delicous!! It certainly was :). Thanks for sharing in my happiness Dor.