TD Book Week Day Four

Check out that fox atop the welcome to White Fox sign. Beautiful!

I could get used to this touring business. Today I had a rather boisterous group in Nipawin who kept me on my toes with lots of excellent (and quirky) questions. See my round-up below for examples. I also dropped by Tisdale to speak to grade 6 and grade 12 CanLit students before “Running Back to Saskatoon” (Guess Who reference!)*  And by ‘running’ I mean driving. There was a brief period where I could find only 3 radio stations: the french station, the country station, and the agricultural/farm news station. Needless to say I heard a lot of Faith Hill this afternoon.

In other news, I spoke to Braden Dupuis at The Prince Albert Daily Herald yesterday. Click here to read the article, in which I am almost eloquent.

Here’s a great TD Book Week recap by Melanie Fishbane at Indigo Kids Online, who attended the TD Book Week tea a few weeks ago along with Willow Dawson, myself, and Brian Deines, among others.

And lastly, I will be at McNally Robinson Saskatoon on Saturday, May 12th at 11am if you want to stop by, say hello, or get a book signed!

Number of kilometres driven: 418

Best roadside sign: ‘Eggs and Baked Goods.’ What more do you need?

Favourite singalong song: Footloose by Kenny Loggins

Number of slow-moving farm vehicles I had to pass: 3

Best food related question: What kind of cupcake would you be? This one was easy! The most delicious kind: vanilla with chocolate icing. I wonder if I can order cupcakes from room service…

Question I could not answer: What’s your favourite song? Seriously, can ANYONE answer this question?

Favourite student interaction #1:

The Scene: During a writing exercise I ask students to pull things out of a bag. A Young Writer  pulls a ring out of a backpack.

Me: A ring! What is a possible reason for this ring being here?

Young Writer: It’s a horcrux.

Now THAT’S something I hadn’t heard before!

Favourite student interaction #2:

The scene: I present a vintage purse and ask the group what their first impressions are. Mr. Nice Guy is frowning at me, so naturally I single him out and ask him what he thinks.

Me: You look like you have an opinion you want to share.

Mr. Nice Guy: I don’t want to say.

Me: Why not? 

Mr NG:  In case it’s yours.

Me: It’s not.

Mr. NG: I think it’s an ugly old lady purse.

Me: Fair enough! Was that so hard?

Mr. NG: It’s yours, isn’t it?

Me: I’ll never tell.

Of course the purse is mine! But don’t worry Mr. Nice Guy, my feelings aren’t hurt. I don’t expect many 9 year old boys to be interested in vintage clutches.

Tonight I’m going for a leisurely swim in the hotel pool to soothe my driving muscles and then one day more!

*Was my Guess Who reference too obscure for you? For shame! Here are the boys during their 1997 reunion tour: