Hi folks,

Well, the cat is out of the bag– Copernicus Avenue has made the shortlist for the 2012 Toronto Book Awards. Thanks to all those who’ve already heard the news and sent me messages of congratulation and support. It’s a great honour to be included with the other fine writers on the list. The announcement kicks off an eventful season and I hope you’ll be able to join me for one or more of them. On Tuesday, September 18, I’ll be joining novelists Antanas Sileika and Eva Stachniak for a reprise of our Writing Eastern Europe panel, presented under the auspices of the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Toronto. The time is set at 2–4 p.m. The exact location at U of T is still TBA, so stay tuned. I’ve got a big day planned for this year’s Toronto Word on the Street festival of authors and readers, Sunday, September 23 (which also happens to be my birthday!). As part of the Toronto Book Award celebrations I’ll be reading from and talking about Copernicus Avenue at the City of Toronto marquee at noon and 4 p.m. In between, and on the same stage, I’ll be hosting a block of readings by writers representing Toronto’s amazing diversity for Diaspora Dialogues 2–3:30 p.m. Then I’ll be signing at the Cormorant Books booth at 5 p.m. The TBA festivities continue on Wednesday, October 3, when I and the other shortlisted authors convene at the Toronto Public Library’s Yorkville Branch, 22 Yorkville Avenue, to read from our books, 6:30–8 p.m. The big night is the TBA Awards Ceremony which will take place at the Toronto Reference Library’s Appel Salon on Thursday, October 11. Quite a month coming up. Hope you can be there! Regards, Andrew Andrew J. Borkowski