I have just returned from a few splendid days in Toronto.
I <3 Toronto. It was my third trip since September so it is starting to feel familiar and friendly.
The main point of the trip was the Toronto Public Library’s Book Lover’s Ball which was all fancy-dress and sparkly. I mostly flounced around sparkling with the delightful Lesley Livingston so I hope she will not mind if I snag her photo to share and if she does mind I can make it up to her when I buy her that drink I owe her.
I still don’t think something should really be called a Ball when there is no dancing but there was mingling and lovely people and then a seated dinner with a designated author per table. I really did get the best table, full of delightful, interesting people that were also somehow six degrees of my Canadian publicist. I would tell you the giraffe story but I think you had to be there. Also, during the cocktail hour I basically accosted Ami McKay to gush over her gorgeous vintage gown. There was a fashion show with splendid book-inspired collections and bonus swordfighting and the more I talk about this evening the more I think it probably sounds even more surreal if you weren’t there but I had a splendid time.
The other highlight of the trip was the Random House Blogger Love Fest, which was a fantastic afternoon with local book bloggers invited over to Random House to be appreciated and I got to serve as a surprise special guest along with the aforementioned Ami McKay and also Paula McLain, they are both absolutely delightful and I kind of want us all to go on tour together. In my imagination we would do this looking something like The Andrews Sisters. I was doubtful beforehand that we would actually be a complete surprise but apparently we were and it made the entire thing even more fun. Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers and to everyone who put the event together!
In between official obligations I actually had some time to get to see more of the city and have fantastic food (I am a teensy bit obsessed with Origin) with good company. Friday night there was that perfect snowglobe snow and it was all warm-feeling in winter cold wonderful. I took this photo of the CN Tower, though it doesn’t quite capture the snow:
Hopefully I will be back soon.