Aram whirlwind

I just got back from Ottawa a couple of hours ago. This has been an incredibly busy week, with Vancouver over the weekend and Ottawa yesterday. I had to get up at 3:30am on Wednesday to catch a 6:30am flight out of Hamilton. Did three school readings plus presented at a teachers’ meeting, then was driven to my hotel to freshen up, then was picked up again and taken to the Armenian Embassy, where the book launch of Aram’s Choice was being held.

Aram’s Choice isn’t even out in Canada until June 20th, but when I was going to be in Ottawa for these school readings, I contacted Aris Babikian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of Canada and he arranged this launch! My publisher got 30 or so copies of Aram’s Choice couriered from Hong Kong for the event. Leishman’s Bookstore of Ottawa was there to sell those and my other books too. They (as well as the others) sold out in a flash. Seeing as I didn’t have a copy myself yet, I grabbed one as my reading copy and told Leishman’s I was keeping it. The F&W rep was there too, so that was okay.

First, the Aram’s Choice is BEAUTIFUL! This is my second book out this month. They are both so BEAUTIFUL!!!

It was really neat to do this at the Armenian Embassy. The place was packed and I was the guest of honour. It didn’t finish until 11pm. I didn’t realize how exhausted I was until I got back into my hotel room.

Muriel Wood, the illustrator for Aram’s Choice, had a limited edition print made of one of the double-spread paintings in the book. She had that couriered to Stephen, the Ottawa Fitzhenry & Whiteside rep. I presented it as a thank-you to Aris.

The Committee gave me the diary of a survivor as a gift (one that I don’t have, which is great) plus an Armenian DVD that I don’t have, plus a dozen long-stemmed roses. The roses were packed really well so I took them on the airplane with me. The security people were intrigued by the flowers and also by my chattervox:

http://www.chattervox.com

which lit up their security lights. When they found out I had just launched a book at the Armenian Embassy, they all crowded round (it was not rush hour for them!) and wanted to see my books. It was pretty funny. They were oohing and aahing.

We’re doing another launch of this book on June 29th in Georgetown Ontario — Aram’s Choice is about one of the 110 Armenian orphans who are known as The Georgetown Boys. That launch will be held at Freckled Lion Bookstore:

http://www.downtowngeorgetown.com/freckled

Muriel Wood, illustrator extraordinare, will be signing too!

Author: Marsha

I write historical fiction, mostly from the perspective of young people who are thrust in the midst of war.

6 thoughts on “Aram whirlwind”

  1. Congratulations!

    How wonderful and thrilling – that must have been such a wonderful experience, both for you and for all the families and the Armenian community! I know I can’t wait to get my own copy – you must be so thrilled to have yours!

    Just reading some of the mentions of Georgetown twigged my memory – much of my dad’s family comes from just outside Georgetown in a village called Ballinafad! What a small world this really is!

    Julie

      1. Re: Congratulations!

        My dad’s grandfather moved out west at the turn of the last century, so I don’t think a direct connection is likely. Kentner is a pretty common name in the area, though, as much of the family stayed ‘down east’ .

        Still, it’s a small, small world!

        Julie

  2. I’m so glad it went well, Marsha. Thanks for the link to the Chattervox site. As soon as I sell a few more books, I’m going to get me one of those!

    1. Eeps. Again, this is Anita. Darn. On Blogger sites my sig shows automatically, and I always forget when I’m not in Bloggerland anymore.
      Anita

Comments are closed.