There’s a lot of book buzz in The Big Apple this week! The largest annual book fair in the United States is being held May 23 to 26 in New York City. Commonly referred to as BEA, BookExpo America is the book industry’s premier trade show in the USA. Locations sometimes vary but each spring booksellers from across the country are provided with an opportunity to preview publishers’ upcoming titles, as well as take part in education and information sessions, author breakfasts and lunches, and other special events. Networking rules! In addition, authors, editors, librarians, buyers for book retailers, and the literati in general get to immerse themselves in a three-day bookfest visiting booths and exhibits and socializing with colleagues. Somewhere in that mix and amongst thousands of other books, The Bridge Club is being exhibited on a bookshelf and in catalogues. It’s a thrill and an honour! Perhaps one of these years I’ll actually get to be there as well. It never hurts to dream!
Click here to read about all of the exciting events.
self-deliverance
2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Well, this was a great start to my day! I opened my e-mail to discover the following message from Indie Book Awards.
“Congratulations! Your book has been named a Finalist in the First Novel (over 80,000 words) category of the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Congratulations! Your achievement will be published at www.IndieBookAwards.com along with the other Finalists and Winners in the next few weeks. Also, we will be sending out a press release within the next month announcing the Grand Prize Winners and advising media and others where they can see a complete list of Winners and Finalists.
Additionally, The Bridge Club will be listed as a Finalist in the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards catalog which will be distributed at Book Expo America (“BEA”) in New York later this month to thousands of attendees including book buyers, library representatives, media, industry professionals, and others. Our intention is to promote the Winners and Finalists to as many people as possible.”
Being notified last month about The Bridge Club being a Finalist in the ForeWord 2010 Awards, this is more icing on the cake. I’m thrilled and delighted and wanted to share my good news! Thanks to all of you who continue to give me such great support and feedback for The Bridge Club. On we go!
Let’s begin 2011 by answering some questions
Ok – the decorations have all been carefully put away for another year. The suitcases have been unpacked. The last of the shortbread has mysteriously vanished. It was a wonderful holiday season and now it’s time to get back to business.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE READERS WHO TAKE THE TIME TO WRITE TO ME. I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW REWARDING IT IS AND HOW MUCH I VALUE YOUR FEEDBACK AND YOUR STORIES ABOUT YOUR OWN GROUP OF FRIENDS.
I’ve decided the first challenge I’m going to tackle in 2011, from a very long list, is to answer some of the questions I’m receiving from readers about different characters in The Bridge Club. Today let’s talk about Cass!
Yes, her character in real life did in fact live on a sailboat on the other side of the Atlantic for eight years with the man in her life at that time. Her experience was very much as described in the novel and she and I spent many long hours talking and reminiscing as I developed the chapter. She did indeed make tapes and send them to us from time to time which we then returned to her. It was a fantastic way to stay connected and of course long before the days of computers. If only we had been able to Skype! The journey came to an end as described and she did meet her current employer a few years later when she worked as a cook on his yacht. Even though she made some very unconventional choices in her life, everything somehow worked out. Her relationship with her son is strong and he is a fine young man. To the rest of our group, in her real life the model for Cass really does exemplify the saying to “dance as if no one is watching”. She is proof that for some women, thinking outside the box is the way to go. It has certainly worked for her! If you have a dream, pursue it.
Thanks again Dan!
In the blink of an eye we are back in Toronto. The nine wonderful days in Whistler flew by. Christmas with some of our family out there was a very special time and Mother Nature co-operated by providing a magical winter wonderland. Ski conditions were fabulous even though the upper mountains were closed because they had TOO MUCH SNOW! Oh for that problem at our southern Ontario ski areas! Thanks once again to Dan and his very helpful staff at Armchair Books in Whistler Village for hosting a book-signing for The Bridge Club. It was a most enjoyable afternoon full of friendly, interesting people – locals and tourists alike. Great fun! More and more book clubs are discovering The Bridge Club and its many points for discussion. Thanks for letting me know!
