Home from Paris

Festival des Ameriques

I stepped off a plan from Beijing and boarded another for Paris.

The "Festival des Ameriques" was the seventh festival Vincenne has hosted for authors from the Americas. Vincennes, in fact all France, has a vested interest in those far off lands that their ancestors were so attracted to and put so much into. Books offer an obvious and natural medium through which the French can scratch that "thirst for knowledge" itch.

I was one of approximately twenty invited Canadian authors. Most of us were francophone but not all were; Margaret Atwood and pictured here, Joseph Boyden.

We were wined and dined in exchange for workshops, debates and lectures. A large tent was erected for our publishers to display our work and for booksellers to do what they do. We were available for signings - daily and usually more than once a day.

One full day was dedicated to youth. I did one workshop for grade elevens and another for grade twelves. I was interviewed in the youth tent where I was asked to tell a story and play my flutes.

And in the midst of it all, my birthday. God Bless Joseph who told our audience it was my birthday and who led them in singing me happy birthday. The only thing missing was family and in life, there is nothing more important than family.

Group hug to you and yours...