J.K ROWLING OPENS YoungIFOA

On a dark and rainy morning, October 23, the IFOA team was in the basement of Toronto's Winter Garden Theatre putting the final touches to the opening event of this year's festival for younger readers: YoungIFOA.

J.K. Rowling came in fabulous Prada boots to read at the opening event of YoungIFOA. More than 900 fans were there, having travelled from as far away as Nunavut and New Brunswick, B.C. and PEI. And all of the tickets were free!

After a morning press conference at which she fielded a dirth of questions about her recent outing of Dumbledore, Rowling read from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, took questions from fans less interested in the news angle and more interested in just finding out a little bit more about their favourite author (apparently, she likes otters, but is a bit anti-cat) and signed a book for every fan in attendance. IFOA can confirm that Ms Rowling has, in addition to a talent for enchanting readers of all ages the world over, a very speedy signature...

YoungIFOA runs now until October 26, with events for school groups every day.

http://www.readings.org

LET THEM EAT CAKE!

The House of Anansi Press hosted a fun-filled, star-studded event at Harbourfront Centre's Premiere Dance Theatre on Saturday night (Oct 20). The mammoth 2 1/2 hour extravaganza showcased Anansi talent past, present and future. Host Albert Schultz delighted the audience with a sharp, funny and Anansi-anecdote-stuffed speech as one by one authors Margaret Atwood, Roch Carrier, Graeme Gibson, Elyse Friedman, Shani Mootoo, Kevin Connolly and A.L. Kennedy took to the stage.

There was music by Jason Collett, and a giant birthday cake was sliced and served to one and all (sadly, there were no birthday candles).

TODAY AT IFOA

The Festival is well and truly ON, with scores of authors already having safely made their way from countries far and wide.

Unseasonably mild weather in Toronto means that though our theatres may be a little warm, (when you're dressing for an event, please don't bundle up...) Harbourfront Centre and Lake Ontario couldn't look more beautiful to our visiting literary friends. Come down and see for yourself!

TODAY AT IFOA ...

This week's NOW magazine cover girl Nikita Lalwani has checked in and is checking out the city. Nikita was unable to watch her home team lose the Rugby World Cup Final as she was engaged in giving a winning reading of her Booker-longlisted novel at IFOA. Books, for this author, clearly won over sports today.

This morning, Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) and Kenneth Oppel commended, to a younger-than-normal IFOA audience, their favourite movies: "The Lair of the White Worm" and "Jaws" respectively ... Kids: Don't have nightmares ...

In a round table discussing "The Reluctant Muse" author Janette Turner Hospital praised Joseph Conrad as a "consummate master of the English language". We at IFOA look forward to hearing more about said master when renowned biographer John Stape presents his new biography of the late great Conrad - Sunday October 21 at 2 pm.
(Thanks to Ms Hospital for the segue)

Sunday at IFOA has events starting at noon and finishing at 5pm. Some are ticketed; some are free.
First out of the block for the day:
Man Booker Winner Anne Enright interviewed by FinePrint's Carolyn Weaver!
(Anne Enright read to a rapt crowd at the Festival this evening - this interview is an event not to be missed)

And they're off! IFOA sprints out of the starting blocks ...

Scottish crime-writing superstar Ian Rankin is in town, and was the first author of the year to sign in at IFOA headquarters. He interrupts his North American tour promoting Exit Music to appear on stage in conversation with Margaret Atwood on the opening night of IFOA (that's today folks - October 17). The event is the annual benefit for PEN Canada. To everyone with a ticket - we look forward to seeing you there. To everyone without - sorry, it's sold out - but fret not, because this one is but the tip of the IFOA iceberg.

Rankin was welcomed to town with scotch, bagpipes and Exit Music T-shirts. He is pictured here with McArthur & Co. President and Publisher Kim McArthur, and Mayor David Miller.

EVERYONE'S GETTING INTO IT. IFOA programme engrosses book fans throughout the city

THE WORD IS OUT

The official IFOA guide is out there, and everyone in the know (and particularly those who want to be more in the know) is reading it. Grab your copy at a downtown bookstore or Starbucks near you, or pick one up at Harbourfront Centre. Which events have caught the eye of this eager reader...?

IFOA starts THIS WEDNESDAY! which means that some of the authors you've been dying to see are already packing their bags ready to take on the unpredictable Toronto fall weather. Not all authors will be packing mind you - Brit-lit bad boy Will Self will be travelling luggage free, we're told, and making his way from Pearson airport into the city on Shanks's pony. Drivers on the 427 beware wayward authors!

Even hotter off the presses than the IFOA guide is this last-minute addition: Thanks to a series of fortunate events, Lemony Snicket's official representative Daniel Handler and Kenneth Oppel discuss books, bats and other dark topics at 11 am on Saturday October 20. Unfortunately, due to the world-wide web of conspiracy which surrounds him, the elusive Lemony Snicket, bestselling author of A Series of Unfortunate Events and reigning master of life’s misfortunes, must often communicate with the general public through his representative, Daniel Handler. Fortunately, Kenneth Oppel, a bestselling writer since he was 17, author of the internationally bestselling Silverwing Saga, and recipient of numerous awards, is not hampered by such conspiracies, and will be representing himself.

Author and author representative discuss A Series of Unfortunate Events and Darkwing, answer questions from the audience and sign copies of their books. This one's for the whole family. Get your tickets at readings.org now!

http://www.readings.org/?q=ifoa/lemony_snickets_official_representative_daniel_handler_and_kenneth_oppel_discuss_books_bats_and_other_dark_topics