Back from Chicago

So nice to be back home in my cozy house after a lovely trip to Chicago to pick up my Moonbeam Awards for The Smell of Paint and for What's That Sound in the City. Chicago is a fantastic place to visit. Everyone was friendly, and there was so much to do: museums, art galleries and jazz clubs. Way more than I had time for in my short visit. I did manage to fit in a visit to The Museum of Modern Art which was awesome.

The award ceremony was at the Harold Washington Public Library which was such a cool building with the most amazing gargoyles at the top of the building. Lots of authors were there, including one other Canadian, Ellen Jaffe whose Feast of Lights won the Multicultural Fiction Award. Since the award ceremony was held in conjunction with the Children's Humanities Festival I had the chance to hear Philip Pullman speak. The author of His Dark Materials trilogy, Pullman is one of my favourite authors, and he didn't disappoint. He spoke of the way characters take over and of how the most important responsibility an author has is to the story. All in all, a wonderful trip.