Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m a huge book nerd. So big in fact that my dining room has become a library and books have invaded every room in my home.

When I heard that two of my favourite authors are coming to Calgary within a week of each other, I almost fainted. And it’s all thanks to the wonderful organization WordFest for making my literary fangirl dreams come true.

BOOK NERD VALHALLA: This is my library. Love it or leave it, books have taken over my entire house including those by Lemony Snicket and Will Ferguson, two authors heading to the Calgary Public Library’s John Dutton Theatre in November thanks to WordFest.
Photos by Amy Jo Espetveidt, Quadrophonic Image

First up is Lemony Snicket, perhaps one of the strangest authors living today and the mind behind A Series of Unfortunate Events. He’s heading to the Calgary Public Library’s John Dutton Theatre (616 Macleod Trail SE) on November 7 at *CORRECTION* 6:30pm to present Who Could That Be at This Hour? – the first book in the new series All The Wrong Questions. The new series is an autobiographical account that follows a young Snicket as he begins his apprenticeship in an organization nobody knows about.

I fell in love with Unfortunate Events a few years back when I started the series on vacation in Hawaii. With 13 books read all in a year, Snicket dominated by book list for 2010. Yes, I keep track of every book I have read since 2005 in my Book Book and it goes to show how big of a nerd I actually am. I wrote, just after finishing the series, “Good read. Took all year. The End didn’t finish off by answering any of the questions the books left hanging. The reason? Because that’s the way the world works.”

The series was listed under my guilty pleasures column and has grown on me with time. One day I hope to reread the entire series aloud to someone important in my life.

Although the Snicket persona is a pen name for American author Daniel Handler, he often comes in character to author appearances but has been known to show up as himself who is “Lemony Snicket’s handler,” so it’s bound to be interesting.

After the appearance there will be a signing and his books will be for sale there, for those who don’t already have them in their collection.

Then it’s Will Ferguson, Calgary’s own short-list nominee for the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

He’ll be presenting his nominated thriller 419 on November 13 at 7pm (also at the John Dutton Theatre) and will be signing copies following the event.

The Giller Prize will be presented on October 30 in Toronto, and I’m routing for him to win, so by the time this event comes around, we’ll know the outcome and be able to (hopefully) celebrate with him.

Even though I haven’t had a chance to read 419 yet, a whole chunk of Ferguson’s books sit prominently in my library including my prized autographed copy of Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw – a book I picked up in Winnipeg on my own haphazard year of traveling throughout Canada in 2005.

It’s funny how a book can connect with your life so completely if you read it at the right time.

I have shared my love for his writing with anyone who will listen including my father who read Coal Dust Kisses in one sitting (a first I believe).

419 is a thriller that takes readers into one of the world’s most insidious Internet scams and the lives it intersects. It all sounds pretty interesting if you ask me.

So although WordFest 2012 has wrapped, the literary fun is showing no signs of slowing down. And I say keep it up and take my money (each event is very affordable with tickets $6 and $10 respectfully). Now, if only you could get Irvine Welsh and Jasper Fforde I’d owe you my heart forever. Hint, hint.