I had a reading in the beautiful rural Ontario town of Uxbridge yesterday afternoon, as part of the Blue Heron Books “Books & Brunch” reading series. Shelley Macbeth of the bookstore did an outstanding job (yay, Indies!). My on-stage interview after the reading by Susanna Kearsley was very enjoyable. Her questions were interesting—in large part, I think, because she’s an historical author herself. (See her books here.)

I heard some wonderful stories from fans. One woman told me that her husband threatened divorce if she read another book by “that Josephine woman” (because she disappeared into the books). Another young woman told me her boyfriend had the same complaint. One woman said she reread Josephine once a month!

There were a number of mother/daughter couples in attendance. Below, Kathryn and Emma, Teri and Margaret, and Judy and Eleanor. (My apologies if I do not have the names in the right order.)

Kathryn (top left) had a full set of the hard-cover first editions of the Trilogy—very hard to find now. She’d gone to some trouble to find them and had them beautifully protected in plastic covers. I love those first books, and I get quite emotional seeing them all in a set like that and so clearly dearly loved.