Many Hands...

Last week was my turn to say "I'm home! I'm home!" when I arrived back from presenting at the Vancouver International Writers Festival. After twelve years of writing and weeping and waiting,
From This Distance finally made it from the computer into my hands and out into the world. I finished the final draft in the summer of '05. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I didn't start the editing process until Aug. 28 of this year. Marc and I and everyone at Cormorant went on an editing and production blitz, working long weekends, to get it out in time for the festival. I got the email "books shipped!" to the festival on Oct. 15th. One was sent to me by Priority Post (no courier service here on Thetis) but it did not arrive before I left for Vancouver. I felt a little panicked because for the life of me, I could not pick out what to read from looking at the galleys on my computer screen - and therefore could not practice.

My good friend and art school confederate Mary Lou Riordon gallantly went down to the festival store and bought me a copy. That's how I saw From This Distance for the first time - on the seat of her car when she picked me up in Horseshoe Bay! We went to her place and had a martini. All of a sudden it didn't seem so vital to practice. There was always the next day...

My days at the festival were an intense. I'm still processing...will write about them later. I only began to sort it all out by facing what was waiting for me in the driveway when I arrived home - a mountain of firewood that had been delivered in my absence. Another art school friend, Suzanne Sarioglu and her husband Gurk, came over to give me a hand. Actually, they are so fast and efficient, they ended up doing the bulk of the work. Two full cords of wood in a little over two hours stacked in the woodshed. With the cord already in there, I should be good for most of the winter.