Heard & Overheard (Saturday and Sunday miscellany)
“I don’t think my book is on top of the Times bestseller list because of my blue eyes and sexual charisma, even though that is why you are all here tonight.” – Author Christopher Hitchens, addressing the crowd at Saturday night’s BOOKED! event.
“I just received galleys of my new book today, and there’s a typo in it where [Christopher Hitchens] refers to me as an ‘award-whining’ author.” – Naomi Klein, following Hitchens at the same event.
“Don’t let the vultures see….” - A publicist on the trade show floor, unwrapping some precious swag.
“I’d love to see a picture of Michael Winter next to that.” - A conventioneer looks up at the statue of the world’s tallest man in the Guinness World Records space, having some fun with the Q&Q July/August cover boy’s impressive height.
“What happens in Toronto stays in Toronto.” – A tired BEC attendee who explored the city’s nightlife until 5 a.m. (and clearly missed Quillblog’s BEC survival tips).
“See you next year? Maybe not.” – A sales rep looks at a poster for BookExpo Canada 2008.
“It has cute guys and fast cars and disgusting body bits.” – Author kc dyer hard-sells her new book, Mrs. Zephyr’s Notebook.
What an utter disappointment Saturday night June 9th, 2007 at the Enwave Theatre, Harbourfront was. The event was a complete waste of Christopher Hitchens’ time and talent. Overall the disjointed presentations seemed unrelated and dull.
Last month my husband and I spent a lot of money turning attending the significant debate between Hitchens and Sharpton at the New York Public Library on May 8th into a fabulous weekend in New York City:
http://richarddawkins.net/article,1050,Al-Sharpton-and-Christopher-Hitchens,The-New-York-Public-Library
When we came home from NYC and hubby saw that Hitchens was scheduled to speak in Toronto in June he of course complained saying that we could have saved a ton of dough as our cost out lay to hear him live here would be only $20 so yeah I groaned. However after the non-starter in Toronto on Saturday night I feel vindicated about making the trip to NYC in May and am really happy to have participated in an exciting, important evening where I also met Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Obviously the Toronto ticket sales were thanks to the headlining Hitchens. I wonder how many other people felt unsatisfied on Saturday night too (no brain foreplay & no orgasm). Hopefully Hitchens’ publisher will bring him back soon for a serious debate with any of those who whine about him and other Atheists for pointing out the obvious that we know where babies and gods come from and its time for all people to grow up intellectually/emotionally. BTW The MC on Saturday didn’t even introduce Hitchens’ book with the complete title which is ‘god is not Great, How Religion Poisons Everything. What’s up Toronto?
[…] I was happy to run into the gang from Quill and Quire and the ladies from the House of Anansi, this year’s Libris award publisher of the year! I even get quoted on the Quillblog. I’m the witty one making comments about Michael Winter. […]