Marking National Book Month

October is National Book Month in the US. Do you have any plans to celebrate the month?

Brenda here.

National Book Month is a terrific idea, and I'm not certain if Canada is following the U.S. lead, but we should be!

I personally have a lot of celebrating to do in October, but none that specifically involves this being book month:-) 

Last week saw Ted's and my wedding anniversary, which coincidently is the same date as our friends who live across the street. We decided this called for a road trip and crossed the border to White River Junction, Vermont for a night at the very old, very stately Coolidge Hotel. Then, on to Cooperstown and an inn overlooking a lake with the following morning spent touring the Sports Hall of Fame. From there, back into Canada to an inn near Milford, Ontario in the terrific Prince Edward County, which happens to be wine country - the next day was spent touring vineyards before we hiked it to Westport for supper at The Cove and a final night at our friends' cottage. A whirlwind few days but great fun.

Me and Babe Ruth having a chat

On a personal note since I'm talking Hall of Fame, we will also be celebrating my daughter Lisa Weagle's induction into the Nepean Wall of Fame on October 26 - she is a two-time Olympian and World Champion curler and we couldn't be prouder. 

Now back to our road trip, we did make a stop at a terrific little bookshop on the way home in Bath, Ontario called Books on Main, so that does kind of mark book month. The woman working in the store was delighted we stopped in, posted my photo on their social media and talked about a future signing. They have a fulsome mystery book section and she said crime fiction is the biggest seller. Independent bookshops are the best.

I've got three book events in October on the horizon that could fall under the celebration portfolio. This Monday, I'll be interviewing the NY Time best-selling author Kathy Reichs as she introduces her latest Temperance Brennan book The Bone Hacker. The event is part of the Ottawa International Book Writers Festival. Then on Saturday, I'll be visiting a book club, which is actually two clubs merging for the morning at my local curling club. Finally, next week, I'm guest speaker at our local Canadian Authors Association's October meeting. And I can't forget that my own book club meets in two weeks and we're discussing Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. I'm a third of the way through and enjoying it immensely.

(This is also my birthday month which seems kind of fitting with the book celebration theme.) Come to think of it, for me, every month is book celebration time! 

Cheers, all my fellow crime fiction readers and writers. I raise my glass to you in a toast. May we all have reason to celebrate during this lovely autumn month before winter settles in.

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