The Strange Questions I Get Asked

Happy Easter Everyone!

One of the things that I have never anticipated in my career is having fans.  Now all of a sudden, people I do not know are stopping me on the street in St. John's–and they tell me they enjoy my writing.  Other than "thank you" I never know what else to say.  And I am not usually at a loss for words.

I talk to a great deal of people in my line of work.  I consider it one of my joys in life. I love to interview people and it doesn't matter if they are hit men or the school janitor–they are all fascinating.  (Yes, that was too many sentences that begin with I.)

Lately however I am not the one asking the questions.  And the questions are getting strange.  In this past week I have been asked: whether I dye my hair; how many languages do I speak; and how many countries have I visited.  I have been told I am a "smart dame" and twice called "a socialite".  I have been asked why don’t I write fiction.  And this seems to be the most popular "what are you going to wear to the Governor General Awards?"  It has gotten to the point where I feel like I am trapped in a bad TV reality program.  Or at least one with a bad script.  That reminds me, I'd like to write another script for video again.  Yes, that's me Ms. Words for Fun and Profit.  The one who dropped out of Journalism school because it was boring.

Please do go and see the WILD show while it is still up at the Craft Council.  The artists really gave it their all.

OK, so here are the answers to the questions.  I put highlights in my hair four times a year.  I have never counted the number of languages I speak nor the number of countries I have visited (or lived in for that matter).  I get told I am smart far too much for my comfort.  I am happy to see the word "dame" get put back into common parlance.  I am sure as hell not a socialite.  I will be wearing a floor length, black skirt and a green silk jacket to the awards.  The reason I do not write fiction is because I could never invent anything better or weirder than the stuff that happens to me in real life.  I mean really when was the last time you got asked out to an S&M bondage workshop as a first date?

From the Champagne Toast event at Eastern Edge.  Look at all those smiles!