Happily indiscreet author meets readers

On November 10, East York’s S. Walter Stewart Library hosted author Joy Fielding as part of the “The Eh List” author series organized by the Toronto Public Library.

The series continues to showcase the most brilliant Canadian authors of 2010. It also gives readers and authors a chance to meet each other face-to-face, which Fielding called an encounter like no other.

“Meeting my readers is always a very thrilling opportunity for me because writing is a very solitary profession,” she said. “For the audience, I believe the experience is special because it puts a face to the voice that you hear in the book.”

Fielding spoke and answered questions about her new book, The Wild Zone, at the event. She exhibited her “indiscreet” nature while interacting with the audience, not withholding any information from her readers.

“I will tell you anything you want to know, so just fire away,” Fielding laughed.

Most of the questions concerned how Fielding created her storylines and characters so vividly. She expressed how important it is to her, as an author, to create relatable characters for her readers.

“In a novel I just recently read, I hated all the characters. I said to myself, ‘Who are these people? I don’t know any women like these,’” Fielding said. “I want you to come away from the books and feel that you have spent a couple hours with people you recognize and maybe see a little of yourself in.”

Although Fielding’s new book is based in South Beach, Florida, as are a great number of her novels, and much of her work is done out of the U.S., she feels that the relationship between Canadian authors and Canadian audiences is special.

“We really do tend to revere our authors here, which is very gratifying,” Fielding said. “For a country this size in relation to the number of people who live (here), we really do have a number of very talented authors (as well as) intelligent and interesting readers.”

The fall Eh List series ended on Nov. 25. but the series resumes on March 10 with author Andre Alexis reading from his novel, Beauty and Sadness.

For more information on times and locations for the spring series, visit the Toronto Public Library’s website: www.torontopubliclibrary.ca. under classes, programs and exhibits.

About this article

By: Courtney Kraik
Posted: Dec 8 2010 4:14 pm
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Filed under: Arts & Life
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