Bill is in the mail

Well, Hurricane Bill was barely worth getting out of bed for. The sun is already out in southern Nova Scotia after fierce rain and wind this morning. Still grey here in Halifax, but the rain has basically stopped. We were without power for an hour or so. We shared a cheese-tomato-homemade pesto sandwich. Had a vodka and soda. Sat in the living room near the window and read. It is the most relaxed we’ve been in months, and that includes while we were on vacation. More tropical storms and hurricanes for me, please.

I am reading Which Lie Did I Tell, and it’s awesome. I am learning tonnes about movies from it. Plus, it’s super entertaining. Kev is reading Shakey, the book about Neil Young. Kev is now fast asleep. Speaking of relaxed.

Sadness yesterday. Frog Hollow Books locked its doors for good. I’d been trying to go in there for two weeks to say goodbye, but I just couldn’t make myself do it. Managed to get my act together ten minutes before closing. Went in and had a good cry with Heidi, drank canned wine from a Tim Horton’s cup, bought three books I don’t even know what they are, just to buy them, cried some more, and got the hell out. I will miss that place, and I wish I’d thought to go in there every single week to spend thirty bucks. If there’s an independent bookstore where you live, go there. It makes a difference. My book was always on the shelf at Frog Hollow, but I’ve never seen a single copy in Chapters. At Frog Hollow, they read my book, they loved my book, they put my book in the hands of hundreds and hundreds of readers. At Chapters, I’m just someone who might spend eight bucks on a roll of wrapping paper. Frog Hollow gave me my first job in Halifax and kept the wolf from my door. Then they recommended dozens of good books to read over the years, and finally, they hosted my book launch when Homing came out, and did the aforementioned hand selling that is so very vital to any author’s success. And I will miss the hell out of that place. So don’t delay. Go see your local independent bookseller today. PS: Costco is not an independent bookseller.