Tuesday 25 February 2014

Report on Crux Book Launch


Thirty-one people (including two under-fives, but not the two sales staff and me) attended the Crux Books launch for Ceremony of Innocence at the University of Toronto. To my joy, the manager provided cookies alongside the coffee and tea, which made the launch extra-hospitable for the folks who had braved the icy wind and pavements to get there.

It was so amazing to look around the room and see people from different gangs: my old prom date, the poets, Les Girls (one of them with her husband and infant sons in tow, and another having brought six of her friends), three super-supportive professors, Seraphic Singles readers,Crux fans, my publisher at Novalis, a new devotee of Bernard Lonergan who had been encouraged to come, my brother Quadrophonic and my MUM.

It was also great to read from my book and answer questions because I really do love to stand in front of an audience and read my stuff to them. I also enjoy taking questions and making people laugh. I will be living off this book launch for a long time!

Here's a link to the Crux interview with me. For the theologians, where it says I said "remorse is prevenient to Grace," what I must have meant is that you have to repent of your mortal sins before your soul can be returned to a state of grace. Naturally Grace is what prompts you to feel remorse in the first place, so in that sense, Grace is prevenient to remorse. And as Grace is free, we should feel blessed when we DO feel remorse for our sins because it's terrible when that Grace is withheld and we don't repent. Eek!

Oh, and the lectures in Krakow this May will be mostly in English, simultaneously translated into Polish by a professional translator.

10 comments:

Jam said...

That looks like such a great dress!

Seraphic said...

Thank you! It's a vintage Scottish designer Mark recognizes. (The label is so stylized, I can't read it myself.) Brown velvet, and I found it on the "Vintage" rack at St. Columba's charity shop. Whoo-hoo!

Antigone in NYC said...

You really do look like a Pre-Raphaelite painting!

Gregaria said...

I love your hair!

Seraphic said...

Thank you! It was such a fun event!

Michelle_Marie said...

Your hair. Is. Awesome.

Heather in Toronto said...

Looks like the event went really well. A good turnout, and yes, great dress and fabulous hair!

I need to get me down to Crux again one of these days.

Julia said...

You look regal!

Anonymous said...

The dress is perfection on you. Congratulations on the successful book launch event. I


Clio

Seraphic said...

Thanks, everybody!