Publicists have very clean cars. This observation may score low on the profundity scale, but it did make me realize that I could never do what they do. Not only could I not keep my car that clean, but I also lack the grace, patience and persistence required to trot authors around all day.

I have just finished the first leg of the Moolala media tour and I loved it. It was like spending three weeks at Disney World, in large part thanks to these great publicists. All I had to do was show up and I was escorted around, fed, watered, entertained, introduced and protected. I’m usually a very independent traveller and didn’t think I’d appreciate that level of service. But I did. To a seasoned book tour veteran I’m sure I sound completely naive, even deluded. But for now I’ll relish in the newness of seeing the book in an airport, hearing its title mangled by TV hosts, and being chauffeured around in a nice clear car.

[editor's note: If you missed Bruce Sellery on tour, check out these great videos featuring tips from Moolala.]

One of my greatest pleasures as a writer, besides the work of writing itself, is sharing the result in public. Maybe it’s the vestigial acting gene I got from my father’s side of the family, or the other gene I think I can trace there, having to do with a taste for applause. Whatever the underlying factors, it’s simply true that I love giving readings. Writing is all about connecting with a reader, and sharing what you’ve written with an audience makes that idea real.

There’s a lot a writer can do to make the most of a public reading. Embracing the experience means really caring about giving people a good show, choosing passages from the book that give listeners an arc to follow and a feeling of reward for having listened, and actually practicing the reading for a good hour or more prior to the event. The writers who give more to a reading event usually get a great deal in return.

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Christian Lander came to Toronto for media for his very funny new book Whiter Shades of Pale. I’d worked with him on his first book, Stuff White People Like, and since Toronto is Christian’s hometown, we’ve worked together often. He’s as smart and funny as his books, so the media schedule was very good - two full days of interviews, events and bookstore visits.

Anyway, he flew into Toronto from New York in the morning on a Wednesday, one of the busiest travel days of the year due to the impending holidays, which was made even busier with the introduction of the infamous body patdowns (don’t touch my junk) or full body scans. MORE…

Before it got light on the 24th of September, I was already awake to finishing my packing and set off for Toronto. My second book, Voices in the Dark, has just come out in Canada. Doubleday Canada were the first publishers to sign my books, four years ago when I had just finished The Eyes of a King, and I was looking forward to finally meeting some of the people who have been working on the trilogy since then. It was also an exciting trip as I hadn’t taken many flights before - I’d only travelled within Europe, and there was usually a greener way of going the few hundred miles, but this time it was too far to go by train!

The flight went quickly, and we landed in Canada while it was still light, which was confusing as by the time I reached the hotel it was already nearly midnight back at home. My first impressions were of the towering buildings, the wide roads, the beautiful lake, which looked more like the sea - everything was on a bigger scale than the UK. I’ve hardly seen any skyscrapers in London; in Toronto they were everywhere.

I had half an hour to get ready before the tour officially started, so I had a quick cup of tea then went downstairs to meet Nicola from Doubleday, who was organising the trip, and my editor, Amy. The tour was planned out very carefully, as I only had two days in Canada. First there was a dinner, then early in the morning we would be setting off to meet staff at ten different bookstores. I had a really good evening talking to everyone, then headed back to the hotel to get some sleep after nearly 24 hours!

I set off at eight the next morning, with Nicola and Mike from Doubleday, and several boxes of books, in Mike’s red Jeep. The plan was to travel around Mississauga and Toronto to visit bookstores, meet staff and sign copies. Some of the highlights of the day were…

Talking to Chapters and Indigo staff - lots of them had read The Eyes of a King, so it was exciting to hear their impressions of the book. I also got to find out about what their side of the book trade involved - everything from advising a fan of fantasy, drama or graphic novels on what to read next to organising young adult book clubs. Seeing the teen fiction sections in the bookstores; in the UK they tend to be much smaller. It was also a big moment to see my own books on the shelves, as I don’t usually go and look at them when I’m in a bookstore back at home.

Talking to library staff over lunch about our favourite books - we’d read a lot of the same ones.

Finding out how much the staff have to read, in order to choose the books for the independent stores. I had tea with staff at the Flying Dragon Bookshop and they told me that most of the books there have been read and selected personally. I study English at university and sometimes have to read two 400-page novels in a week, but in comparison that looked quite simple.

After visiting the last bookstore, I said goodbye to Taylor and headed back to the hotel. There was just time to walk around Toronto the next morning before going back to the airport. On the plane journey home I tried to remember everything that had happened on the trip. During the two days I had travelled over six thousand miles, signed hundreds of books and met more than fifty new people. That was what remained most clearly - they were all interesting, friendly and very passionate about books and stories. And I liked the thought of the copies that I’d signed remaining with readers in Canada, as a kind of link between the two.

I flew to Toronto on the back of a great global wave of optimism and enthusiasm sparked by the publication of my new book - The Optimist: One Man’s Search for the Brighter Side of Life. Strangely enough, this coincided with the inauguration of America’s new pres, Barack Obama. I wonder if - deep down - Obama knew what he was doing, scheduling his launch so as to dovetail with mine. Still, even I was surprised to note the impact that my work seemed to be having. When I arrived in Toronto after my short flight from London everyone I encountered seemed cheerful, upbeat - despite the so-called ‘ecomonic meltdown’. The customs officials came across as courteous and polite; the taxi drivers talkative and warm. It was as if the section of their brains reserved for cynicism and impatience had been surgically removed. Was it the US election? Was it my book? I had no idea. Perhaps it was just Canada. It was my first time in the country.

The tour itself was wonderful: So much attention, so much conversation. There I was, staring at the great face of George Stroumboulopoulos, on TV, happy that I had not yet peed myself from stage fright. And he had actually read my book! Let me tell you something - in the UK, even if you are one of the most fashionable writers in town - people don’t have time to read your stuff before interviewing you. They’re way too busy planning their next piece of business. Believe me, even Obama has this problem. And it makes a big difference. There’s nothing like having a proper conversation to distract you from your stage fright.

We went to Niagara. We stared down on the primal beauty of the crashing ice. I sighed with envy as the icy water plummeted to its end in the chasm below. Ah life, ah death… I could already feel the next book forming itself in my mind. It would definitely have something to do with Canada, and Obama and… Why was my publicist tugging my arm? Is there something wrong with stripping off your clothes in the face of so much raw beauty?

Ah, Canada!

Alan Alda made his only Canadian appearance last week in Toronto to promote his new book Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself. I dutifully listened to his audiobook on the six hour trip back from Montreal. Note to self: don’t drive and listen to Alan’s book on audio. He had me in stitches so many times I thought I would drive off the road. More than that, his stories were poignant and thought provoking as he struggled to answer the questions: What is a good life? What do I value?. A story that he shared about his childhood pets had me sobbing at the wheel. When we finally met, Alan Alda was everything I thought he would be: charming and gracious. And that’s exactly what he was to the crowd of 300 people that came out to see him. I had such a great time meeting him and can’t wait for his next book. But that one I’ll be reading from the safety of my sofa!