B is for Book Launch

Yesterday I attended the book launch of my favourite author and inspiration.  Of course I'm talking about my mother, Sylvia McNicoll. Crush. Candy. Corpse. is Mom's 30th book, so it's a big deal.  The event was held at A Different Drummer Books, a cozy independent bookstore that I fondly remember frequenting as a child. During today's visit, however, I saw no sign of the temperamental cat who lived there back in the day.

The turn out was perfect, enough people that the place felt full, but not so many that it was hard to move around. Also Mom baked cookies and squares.  She is multi-talented.  My kids spent most of the time upstairs in the children's department, with some of their friends who came to show their support.  Jadzia descended periodically to sneak a cookie, and William saw enough of my Mom's talk to proclaim loudly that it was boring.  I disagree. Mom spoke confidently, her jokes perfectly timed, and the sections she read really captured  the flavour of the book.

But you don't have to take my word for it. I filmed the whole thing.  If you watch the video below, you can feel like you were there! (minus the squares and cookies, unfortunately).

The Pin Cushion Plant

On Wednesday I went to the launch of Cleavage, the anthology where my first published fiction appears. In addition to the other esteemed authors and their guests, my mother, brother, and sister-in-law were in attendance, as well as my darling husband, and show-stealing son. William has a talent for getting groups of random people (some relations but mostly strangers) to entertain him with food, books and toys. There were mocktails, pizza, and cupcakes and everyone was schmoozing, and asking me and the other authors for our autographs. We were rockstars.

Near the end of the night all the authors that could make it read from their stories (the rest live out of province and couldn't attend). Miraculously, I did not stumble over my words, and people actually laughed at the funny bits.

As a thank you present and souvenir we (the authors) were each given a teeny tiny plant. I was told that this was a pin cushion plant and not to put it in direct sunlight and to water it from the bottom. Clearly, I am not the only one who considers herself more of a word person than a plant person, as I caught more than one of my colleagues eyeing their gift incredulously.

Today I looked up my doomed plant and found its wikipedia page. Apparently there are lots of plants called pin cushion. Mine is a nertera granadensis and, indeed, one should water it from the bottom and keep it out of direct sunlight. I also learned that it is a tropical plant, that would not survive a winter outdoors.

Also the wiki page says "Nertera granadensis is somewhat difficult to maintain, and it is not recommended for beginners." Luckily, I am no beginner. I have killed many many plants.

BTW: Now that I am a serious professional, my talented husband designed me a new serious professional website. www.jennifer.filipowicz.ca