IFOA 29: The Photo Diary (i.e., the evidence)

As promised, a photographic trip down memory boulevard, a visual diary of IFOA 29 in no particular order.

The festival begins with Don McKellar in "spirited conversation" with Roddy Doyle.

Chip Kidd interviewed by Christopher Butcher at the intimate Studio Theatre.

David Benioff (author/screenwriter/heartthrob) reads from his newest, City of Thieves.

Lee Henderson (the real Lee, that is), prepares to sign copies of The Man Game outside the Brigantine Room.

The funniest panel I saw this year. Hugo Hamilton, Dermot Bolger, Emma Donoghue and David Park discuss contemporary Irish literature, moderated by Bert Archer.

Junot Diaz, somehow managing to looks sneaky, seductive and brilliant all at the same time.

The menu for just one of the remarkable authors' dinners during the festival. This one was at Le Select Bistro. I had the cock's crowns and the lamb's neck. Believe it or not, I used to be a vegetarian.

Austin Clarke interviewed by CBC's The Scene at the IFOA/Hello! Magazine Welcome party.

Colm Toibin and Eugene McCabe trying to decide who's round it is at the IFOA/Hello! party. Fellas! The drinks were free!

2008 Harboufront Festival Prize winner Wayson Choy enjoying himself at the IFOA/Hello! party.


And finally, Moyez Gulamhussein (M.G.) Vassanji steals a moment of serenity before I annihilate him on the squash court... I mean, before he steps on stage.

DAY NINE: Call me Evil Lee

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to suddenly be transported into the body of a feted novelist? Have you ever thought, Gee, I wish there was a lever somewhere that I could yank and instantly become Colm Toibin, or Junot Diaz, or Nino Ricci, or Ethan Hawke?

Well, last night at the epic, shoulder-to-shoulder Walrus party (held, as usual, in the good ship Hospitality), someone yanked on said lever - for me, anyway. One minute, I was chatting with Joseph Boyden while simultaneously ogling Hari Kunzru's incredibly tailored suit. The next minute, I was being introduced to a glittering gaggle of influential publishing professionals as none other than, well... you'll see. I will change some names here, as I occasionally receive payment for "journalistic services rendered" that are signed by a few of these very people (which makes this even more unreal). But I will recount the scene for you in amateur, screenplay format:

Don (his hand on my shoulder) - Gerry, meet one of the brightest young stars of CanLit.
Me - Don, that's sweet of you, but please...
Don - No, really, I mean it. I've read your book.
Me - You... have?
Don - It's incredible! Virtuoso!
Me (quietly) - But it was only published two days -
Don - Gerry! You said you wanted to meet him. Here he is.
Gerry (poking me in the chest playfully) - YOU got me in S#!T with Sheila Heti!
Me - Ummm...
Gerry (still poking) - Five years ago.
Me - Yeah, you know what? I've never met -
Don - You drew those drawings?
Me - Drawings?
Don - The wrestling.
Gerry - She told me your stories were so good! I said, they can't be THAT good!
Me (inside my head) - Holy smokes, they think I'm Lee Henderson.
Don (laughing and slapping Gerry on the shoulder) - He doesn't want to admit he drew 'em.
Me (inside my head) - There's no way out. You'll just embarrass everyone.
Gerry - No kidding.
Me (inside my head) - Act! For the love of God, act!
Me (rather loudly, so that Kunzru could hear me) - Yep! Drew 'em myself.
Don - Great stuff.
Gerry - I shoulda listened to Sheila.
Kunzru (inside his head) - Yep?
Gerry (motioning to the woman next to him) - This is my friend, Janice. She's a budding fiction writer. I'm sure she's got some questions for you.
Janice (covering her mouth) - Oh, Gerry...
Me - No, no. I'd love to talk about fiction. I love fiction. It's what I write. Fiction.
Don (nodding) - ...
Gerry - Well, listen. Congratulations. I've got my eye on you.
Me (inside my head) - Of course you do. Everyone's got their eye on me. I'm Lee Henderson.
Me (outside my head) - Gerry, that's sweet of you.
Janice - Can you ever have two protagonists?
Don (backing away) - We mean it.
Me (quietly, while looking over my shoulder) - Janice, do I have a story for you.

~

Quote of the Day:
"You're Evil Lee."
- Lee Henderson

DAY EIGHT: Five deserving writers walk into a reading...

The Writers' Trust of Canada has got itself a heck of a fiction contest this year. Last night, the five finalists read from their nominated works, and each one stole the show in their own way. Rivka Galchen was very endearing with her short reading, and funny, and allowed the brilliance of her first novel's concept to emerge organically. Rawi Hage was quite expectedly quiet, and intense, dark, and superb. Lee Henderson, whom I have seen read many, many times in Vancouver, wowed with his inventive, pithy language ("the burial mound was zitted with purple potatoes," and "the dog snouted for treats"). Patrick Lane floored me with a pitch-perfect account of a boy trying to commit suicide in a river, an account that could have ended with any of his fifteen finishing sentences and been brilliant. And Miriam Toews gave a virtuoso reading from the Troutmans, speeding through the jokes that by the time the audience laughed, we were gulping our chuckles back in the face of perfect pathos.

I'd love it if Lee won. But I seriously don't have a clue as to who's gonna take it.

Finally! The first short-list of the season.

What better way to kick off the 2008 IFOA blog than by announcing the first award short-list of the Canadian book season. Let the debate and glass-throwing begin.

Early this morning (OK, it was 10am, but it felt way earlier to this guy), over tea and coffee at Ben McNally Books in downtown Toronto, the Writers' Trust of Canada revealed three high-profile short-lists: The Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, The Writers' Trust Non-Fiction Prize and The Writers' Trust of Canada/McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize. The lists of lucky finalists can be found here, here and here, respectively. Winners will be announced on November 17 at a (gala) event at the Isabel Bader Theatre. 

And by the way... there was only one Stephen-Harper-gala-related joke told during the entire announcement, and it was a pretty good one by Jan Wong. 

What does this mean for IFOA, you ask? Well, for the first time, the finalists for the Rogers Fiction Prize will be reading together at the festival on October 29. Get your tickets early, because this promises to be an electrifying evening. Rawi Hage v. Patrick Lane? Rivka Galchen v. Miriam Toews? With Lee Henderson tagging in? Are you kidding?

Woops. Sorry. I've been reading The Man Game. It's pretty engrossing. (Go Lee!)

ADW

PS. Only three weeks until IFOA begins!