Love Means Always Having to Say You're Surrey

What do Anne Perry, Hallie Ephron, Diana Gabaldon and Susin Nielsen - have in common?  We were all authors/presenters at the Surrey International Writers' Conference this past weekend. I know, I know - lil' ol' me, with the likes of them! And they're just the tip of the iceberg of talent that convened at the Sheraton Guildford starting Thursday night.

On Thursday afternoon I packed my bag. Here it is. 

 

I did remove the cat before I left.

The organizers of SIWC treat their presenters like kings and queens. I was driven out to the conference on Thursday night because I live so far away (that's a joke - my house is about a 45 minute drive). I was told there was a hospitality suite, so I nervously made my way to it. You know when you were in high school and you got the crappy lunch time that none of your friends had, and you had to walk into the cafeteria by yourself and scan the room to see if there were any friendly faces? That's what I felt like, walking into that room. And who immediately took me under his wing but one JJ Lee.

 I hope JJ doesn't mind that I lifted this image from the web. It's such a handsome photo and well-represents his personal style. We hit it off immediately. He's written a memoir, "The Measure of a Man," that was nominated for the GG in 2011. I bought it the next day. He signed it. Heart soared.

Later I met ZsuZsi Gartner, and had a great, free-flowing conversation with her. I bought her Giller-nominated book, "Better Living Through Plastic Explosives." She signed it. Heart soared, squared!

A true delight was meeting Hallie Ephron. She's been to the SIWC a number of times, and she was immediately so welcoming and warm. We kept running into each other, or having breakfast at the same table.  She writes delicious-looking novels of suspense. She also runs, along with a group of other authors, an amazing blog, called Jungle Red Writers.  How's this for a logline? "8 smart and sassy crime fiction writers dish on writing and life. It's The View. With bodies."

I love it! Seriously, check out the blog - it's my new favorite. Anyhoo, I bought "Never Tell a Lie." Hallie signed it. Heart soared cubed!

It's an intense conference - they keep you busy with panels, workshops and blue pencil sessions. All very interesting, and I met some great conference participants. The meals were really good, and the wine in the hospitality suite, plentiful. On Saturday morning I had to give the keynote speech - nice and short, just 10 minutes. My heart was pounding in my chest, but it went over really well. At lunch that day, the esteemed and regal-looking Anne Perry stopped by my table and said, "Nice speech, dear. Everyone can use some encouragement." (My speech was encouraging to all the writers in the room). I said, "Anne, I understand you've written 81 novels." "Something like that." "Do you still need encouragement?" "Oh, heavens yes!" I was in awe! 

Anne Perry - I think she attends SIWC every year, and clearly loves her time there.

I also met Ivan Coyote and wished I'd had more time to talk to her - that gal's got a great vibe. And Katie Lane! No, not the romance writer, quilter or porn star - Katie told me she shares a name with all three - but contract negotiator for artists. She lives in Portland with her wife Dylan Meconis, a graphic novelist (who gifted me with her great book, "Out Foxed"). Again - just good eggs. Had a lot of fun and laughs with them. And Eileen Cook! She lives right on the north shore, she's a bestselling YA novelist, I think she's a warm and funny and lovely person - and our paths hardly ever cross. We are going to work to change that.

 Eileen Cook, moi, Katie Lane

Then there were KC Dyer, Crystal Stranaghan and PJ Sarah Collins, all fellow CWILL BC members. I'm sure I'm missing the names of many other wonderful people I met. It was a great conference, and I hope to be invited back.

What a "Week That Was." First the Vancouver International Writers' Festival, then this. I heart autumn and writers' events!

Stalking Scott Turow 'n Other Adventures at the Vancouver International Writers' Festival

Oh, how I love this time of year. We tend to have beautiful fall weather - the calm before the storms, so to speak - here in Vancouver. AND we have the Vancouver International Writers' Fest. I have had a blast the past few days, meaning I've managed to get no work done whatsoever. 

On Monday, my dear pal Ross King came to town, for said festival. Now here's where I "event-name-drop," because Ross and I met at last year's Governor General's Literary Awards, and we totally hit it off (he won for best non-fiction, for "Leonardo and the Last Supper"). Husband and I had him over for supper, where we plied him with vodka and tonics, his drink of choice. It was a great evening. And stupidly, I didn't get any photos, so I'm cheating and attaching one from the GG's last year (better yet, I should pretend it's from our Monday dinner, and that we always wear gowns and tuxedos in our home to dine). 

On Tuesday I moderated a panel with the lovely Teresa Toten and Viola di Grado. It went really well. 

Tuesday night Husband and I went to see Ross King's event, which was terrific. Then on Wednesday evening, my friend Michelle and I went to a reading moderated by my dear friend and fellow author Ian Weir, called "Up All Night," featuring Lisa Moore, Scott Turow and Jo Nesbo. It was also supposed to feature Marisha Pessl - I was actually most excited about her because I've read and loved her novel, "Special Topics in Calamity Physics," but she had to cancel due to a family emergency.

(I had briefly run into Scott Turow the night before in the Quarterdeck Lounge, which is where authors meet to walk to their events. We were meeting Ross there. When I realized Scott Turow was standing beside me, I gushed, "Oh, Scott! We're seeing your event tomorrow night!" He was kind to the goofball (me).)

Anyway, it was a fantastic event, great readings by all three, and a great Q and A afterward. They were all warm and funny and generous. Afterward it was time for the Random House party. I brought my friend Michelle. She'd had her book signed by Jo, but she was desperate to have a photo with him. He is very funny, very dry - and very, very handsome. So, when he showed up with my pal Ian, I asked him if it would be okay.

And it was. Look how ecstatic Michelle looks. Her evening was made. We wandered the room, spotting other Canadian luminaries like Steven Galloway, Merilyn Simonds, Wayne Grady and Joseph Boyden (Joseph and Jo could go head-to-head in a "Men Who Are Too Handsome to be Authors" contest). I felt like I kept bumping into Scott Turow, or being very close to his personal space (it was a very crowded room), and began to worry he might think I was stalking him.

When we left, Scott was (coincidentally, I swear) leaving at the same time, being walked back to the hotel by festival director and all around lovely man, Hal Wake. We clacked along behind them in our heels. I finally had to tell Scott I wasn't stalking him, because it was really beginning to look like I was. He told me "There would be worse people to have as a stalker." 

 

Evening = made!

This is a wonderful festival. I've launched two of my three books there and moderated a panel every year for about 4 years now. I only wish I could go to more events this week, but tonight I am off to Surrey for the Surrey International Writers' Conference, to sit on a couple of panels and do a keynote. I've never participated before - I'm sure it will be fun. Too bad Scott Turow won't be there. :-)