“How wonderful to come to Quebec and hear someone who understands the problems of anglophone Canadians,” said Talonbooks publisher Karl Ziegler on Thursday at a Montreal public diplomacy conference organized by the Canadian Conference of the Arts.

When Ziegler spoke up, Marcel Masse – the former Progressive Conservative communications minister, who also served as culture minister in Quebec – had just outlined more than 40 years of effort by Quebec governments to gain recognition internationally for Quebec art and culture. Which clearly resonated with the Vancouver publisher: anglophone Canadians have got to learn “to distinguish ourselves from invading American culture,” Ziegler said, just as the Quebecois carved a place for themselves in the francophone world.

One answer might be a Canadian version of the British Council, suggested Antoni Cimolino, general director of the Stratford Festival. Cimolino said he’ll be meeting new federal Heritage Minister Josée Verner next week to present a plan for a $150-million project to promote Canadian culture abroad, worked out by an informal committee of cultural leaders at the invitation of former federal Heritage Minister Bev Oda.

– Mary Soderstrom

“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.

“People coming into the store said, ‘It’s so spacious and calm. It’s like walking into Canada.’” – Bookseller Sarah McNally recalling customers’ first impressions of her Manhattan McNally Robinson store.

“It’s kind of like going to someone else’s cottage without a book and learning to live with what’s there.” – BookNet Canada CEO Michael Tamblyn on the poor state of e-book selection.

“If BNC [weekly data] is the firehose, how do we give everyone a drink without getting their lips blown off?” – Tamblyn puts in a strong showing in the Metaphor of the Show sweepstakes.

“There’s no reason not to be a platform slut. You want to be everywhere.” – Wayne MacPhail recommends Internet promiscuity in the quest for better promotion.

“Who’s that I just waved at and said ’see you soon’ to?” – Author.
“That’s someone from your publisher.” – Friend of author.

“My son told me I was the only black man in North America with a combover.” – A balding Christopher Paul Curtis explains why he dropped his dreadlocks and got his hair cropped short.

“It’s so nice to see so many of you here.” – Bill Richardson, before gamely reading and singing The Aunts Come Marching to five kids Saturday morning in the CBC Atrium.

“We seem to be ahead of time, so I think I’ll read you some of my poems.” - Nick Pashley, wrapping up the author lunch featuring Richard Wright, Elizabeth Hay, and Rona Maynard. (He didn’t.)

On Saturday morning, the Canadian Crime Writers’ Association put together a group of notable mystery authors to chat about “What’s Hot and What’s Not in Mystery” in the Speigeltent, next to Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, as part of the BOOKED! event. Participating were authors Linwood Barclay, Lyn Hamilton, Maureen Jennings, José Latour, and Louise Penny. Author Rick Blechta acted as moderator.

Rick Blechta, encouraging audience participation in the discussion: “Obviously, we don’t have all the answers, or else we’d be selling as much as J.K. Rowling.”

Linwood Barclay, on what distinguishes Canadian mystery writers from their international brethren: “Lower sales.”

Louise Penny, on what comes first when starting a new novel, plot or setting: “The chicken…. I was chicken for many years!”

José Latour, on the publishing industry’s Achilles Heel (and perhaps thinking of the Stephen King event the night before): “We are, unfortunately, part of an industry in which publicity is in its infancy. Most of the publicity dollars go to authors who sell in the millions – the ones who don’t need it. It’s a contradiction.”

Louise Penny, on the resistance to Canadian-set novels: “The only people I have ever got that from are Canadian publishers.”

Penny, on whether she would agree to set her books elsewhere, given enough financial incentive: “I would like to say I would stand firm…. [but] for a gazillion dollars I would set it on the moon.

For more photos from the event, click here or on the photo above.

Author Michael Winter, getting stuck while describing Jack Award winner Richard Bachmann’s A Different Drummer bookstore: “Is there still a cat?”

Richard Bachmann, on receiving the award, a hefty, metal jack: “Where’s the ball?”

On being this year’s winner: “This is very gratifying, though I can’t feel entirely humble about it.”

On why he opens his store up to so many authors and events: “I get to spend a lot of time with very smart people.”

On his old bookselling philosophy: “If we know what works, we do it again.”

On his new one: “Nothing works, but everything does help.”

On the relative gentleness of his acceptance speech: “I’m only giving you one barrel tonight.”

Harbourfront’s Geoffrey Taylor, on whether he was nervous before the first-ever BOOKED event: “There’s a lot of good bars around here; I don’t know if you’ve noticed.”

Ray Robertson, on reading from a novel that won’t be published for another two months: “I’ve never read from a book where there are no books available…. I can try anything, and it doesn’t matter, cuz you can’t buy the book.”

David Gilmour: “I can never imagine listening to four different readers in a row. I can barely stand listening to myself.”

David Gilmour, on a frequent theme of his writing: “I have a lot of practice getting over women.”

Bakka-Phoenix Bookstore’s Chris Szego, on her busy Friday night: “I’ll be at the Jack Awards, then the Penguin party, then I’m running back for the Stephen King [event, where Szego will be selling books] … I think I won’t be going in to work Saturday morning.”

Nick Pashley, on his days at The Book Cellar in the 1970s (and, perhaps, on the perseverance of indie booksellers): “No fewer than three of my workmates at the store are not only still alive but are also here this evening.”

On buying a necktie in 1978: “$1.99 was an average week’s pay for a Toronto bookseller. So much has changed since that time – except that.”

On some early career advice: “She said, ‘I don’t see you working in a bookshop.’ Oddly enough, many of the people I’ve worked for over the years also haven’t seen me working in a bookshop.”

On his advice for young people in the business: “Get out.”

More advice: “Marry someone with a good job in the real world.”

On having followed his own advice by marrying wife Anne: “It’s a little game we play. She is the Gerry to my Heather.”

Peter Waldock picks up the theme: “We’ve always known Anne by her initials, RRSP.”

Peter Waldock on the state of Pashley’s office: “You were supposed to retire at the end of this month, but they have now asked you to clean out your office first, so your revised departure date is Nov. 12.”