This blog is really a celebration of books, but first a wee progress photo of
Faith. Stitched on 28 count hand dyed Queen Anne's Lace Jobelan. I
decided to switch the colour on the boarder. It was suppose to be the
magnolia colour, but I decided that I wanted the boarder to have a bit
more of a presence in the piece so I used Rosy Glow instead. Since this
project is for my friend I can always stitch it again for me using the
called for colour on the boarder, if I want to.

And now onto my day yesterday...devoted to books!!! I was unable to
find anyone able to join me for a trip into Toronto to see Diana Gabaldon,
so I was considering not going at all. Then DH asked if I'd go if I didn't
have the almost 4 hour bus ride (total) to contend with. When I said
yes he offered to drive me to Yorkdale mall, and to pick me up from there
at the end of the day. I was so thrilled and touched that he would waste
a couple of hours of his day doing that, and contending with traffic on the
401 highway, just to get me closer to the city, and save me time and
expense. He's a keeper folks!!

So we left here at 9:45 in the morning, and got to Yorkdale mall at 10:30.
From Yorkdale I took the subway down to the Eaton Centre, where the
bookstore was located, arriving there around 11:00. No sign of activity
regarding the signing at that time, so I asked someone what the set up
would be, and where in the store it would take place. Indigo book stores
are usually two story affairs. Once I knew more or less what was going
to be happening I realized that I had time to kill, so began wandering around
the store, browsing.

It was lovely to just walk around, picking up books and reading the sleeves
for descriptions of the story inside. Seeing what was new out, and poking
through the sales tables looking for buried treasures. And finding them.
Indigo also sells book related, and relaxation related home stuff, such as
cozy blankets, lap desks, candles, some scrape book materials, small
storage stuff for desks, and stationary. I kept an eye on the area where
they'd begun to set up for the signing as I wandered.

By 12:30 rows of chairs, in two sections, were set up in front of a small
stage, and people began to sit down. There were chairs five across in
each of the two sections, and maybe six rows down. Once those were
full people who arrived later had to stand. I had a front row seat. Since
the signing wasn't to start until 2:00 there was time to kill, but I'd
bought a magazine, a couple of books, as well as the new Diana Gabaldon
book, so I browsed through the magazine for awhile. Then I began
chatting with my neighbours, discussing books, and then we all got
chatting with the sound man, and a representative from Ms
Gabaldon's publishing house and time just flew by.

Then it was 2:00 and Diana G. was on stage, greeted by enthusiastic
applause, and she began to talk. She read a couple of excerpts from
book seven in the Claire/Jaime series which she is writing now.
There will definitely be a book seven and a book eight, for those of
you who are wondering. Then she answered a few questions from the
audience.

The books have been optioned again for a movie, but things
are still in the early stages there. She's also working on a modern day
murder mystery and that's coming along. Book three in the Lord
John series is coming out in November, which was a surprise since
book two just came out in August. Not that we're complaining.
She's also working with an artist on a graphic novel which will tell a
story that takes place during the time of Outlander, from Jaime and
Murtagh's point of view.

Then, once the questions were done, she settled at a table to sign
books. I had the new Lord John book to be signed, and I'd brought
my treasured hardcover copy of Outlander, first edition, to be signed
as well. I didn't know if she was signing more then one book, but she
did, so I chose to have her sign Outlander for me, and the Lord John
book for my friend Mary.

And here is a picture of the two of us, taken by an obliging store employee
on my camera. As always when meeting a person who's body of work,
either musically or in the written word, I admire I went somewhat
catatonic. I babbled (I think) in answer to her questions. I managed not
to trip going up onto the stage, and getting down again. I may have been
shaking, just a wee bit. She's a lovely lady, with a sparkling personality
and a great stage presence. It was a great pleasure to meet her in person.
I left the store and proceeded to hyperventilate out in the privacy of the
very busy main mall.

With time to kill until I had to return to Yorkdale to meet DH, I then
made my way to the World's Biggest Bookstore, where I browsed and
shopped for over an hour. Then I took the subway back up to Yorkdale,
where I still had time to kill, and did so in the Indigo bookstore there.

When DH picked me up at 5:20 I had the above stash in my bags....
Love Pauline Gedge and her historical fiction. This is her latest. The book
next to it is a first time novel by this author and takes place in Japan. It
has some good reviews by some heavy duty authors, including Elizabeth
George, so I was intrigued and decided to get it. I love books on Japan.

These two hard covers were on sale. I've read Practical Magic by Alice
Hoffman, so was pleased to get another book of hers. The short stories
in the second book include some of my favourite authors, writing about
the mythology of Ireland.

I don't know if anyone remembers the lovely Victoria magazine which was
around for about 15 years or so and abruptly ceased publication about
four years ago. I've been collecting books published by them and now have
around 8 of them. Lovely, well written, exquisitely photographed books on
wide ranging subjects, from exploring Britain or France, to writing letters,
to drinking tea. I found these two books, and they were on sale for really,
really cheap.


I collect Mary Engelbreit related books too. This one was on a sale table.

And finally, this book was on sale, and I love it. There are lots of beautiful
pictures of coach houses around Toronto, both interiors and exteriors. It's
a great book if you like old architecture, gardens, interior design or Toronto
and it's history.

After DH picked me up we drove back to Georgetown, and went to the
Copper Kettle pub where I treated him to dinner and a pint of his favourite
brew, as a small thank you for being such a wonderful DH.

It was a perfect day. And after all that walking, and hauling of heavy books
I slept like a log last night.

Hope I haven't bored you all too much. I'm still walking on air today.

Hi Choko, commenting all the way from Japan. A cross stitcher, and an
incredible sewer. She makes some amazing clothes for herself. I'm just
reading her blog for the first time too.

As always, it's so nice to hear from everyone. Cheers all!!