Barrie Summy: world's biggest bookstore

I spent my birthday morning with Random House Canada. (That really is my cake, BTW!)

Around 9 a.m., a very upbeat and chatty (my favorite personality combo in a new friend) publicity person from Random House Canada knocked at my sister's front door. Taylor and I talked for the entire taxi ride to the World's Biggest Bookstore. Biggest in terms of volume of books moved, although it wasn't too shabby in the square footage department either. (This store used to be a bowling alley.)
Here's Taylor standing outside the World's Biggest Bookstore with an ARC of I So Don't Do Mysteries.

Once inside, Taylor introduced me to the manager and various booksellers and handed me a Sharpie and a box of ARCs. I wanted to call a time-out, freeze everyone in the moment and step back to take it all in and commit it to memory. So many firsts. First time to be introduced in a bookstore as an author. First time to sign a stack of books (albeit ARCs). First time to hand my first book out to real live book-loving strangers.

And to think the last time I stood in this bookstore was on a winter evening near the end of an uncomfortable date. I knew things weren't going to work out with this particular guy. I'm not sure if he sensed it by this point or not. There was a hole in the bottom of my boot and I'd stepped in a slushy puddle when crossing Yonge Street after our dinner at a Chinese restaurant. My foot was like a block of ice.

Life is so full of strange twists and turns.

I'm signing ARCs before entering Chapters Indigo at The Eaton's Centre.

Me and Marlene (sounds like a book, eh?)

At the Chapters Indigo bookstore in The Eaton's Centre, there is a very enthusiastic and animated and knowledgeable bookseller in the children's section. Her name is Marlene. Seriously, I'd buy a math text book from her. And pay full price. Just so you know, Marlene, I did take your advice and visit those other Chapters Indigo stores!

And then it was on to the Random House Canada downtown office which is located in a tall building near the St. Lawrence Market. I don't always feel comfortable in office buildings. Probably because I spend most of my time in my house or my backyard or at my children's school or on pool decks (watching children swim or play water polo, not sun tanning!). There's something very special about a office building filled with books and people who love books, though.

Here's Nicola Makoway, Publicity Manager. We talked kids and books and cab rides. She's the type of person you'd like to try a new restaurant with. Fun and witty and interesting and smart. Nicola had me sign many ARCs. Handwriting is so not my strong suit and I'm embarrassed to admit that a few of the signatures actually have three r's in Barrie.

Sorry it has taken so long to get this post up. Blogger was misbehaving.