By the time you read this, I’ll be in the air (hopefully) and on my way to Canada. It’s a weekend break (well, five nights) to Toronto and Niagara Falls. I know… it’s a long way to go for five nights but what does it matter? I’m just determined to pack in as much as possible!

According to this month’s E-Zee Writer, Toronto is home to the world’s biggest bookstore – so that definitely could be on my list of places to visit. (Quick digression here: it might be the biggest but one of my favourite, and most quirky, bookshops is Barter Books in Alnwick, Northumberland. It’s located in the old railway station and you shouldn’t miss it if you’re in the area.)

If I don’t have a book to hand I get withdrawal symptoms and I’ve just finished a terrific one – The Children’s Book by A S Byatt. It’s beautifully rich and textured, a great take on turn-of-the-century history and culture – and very ironic. It’s made it to the Booker shortlist and I think it stands a good chance of winning. And apparently, A S Byatt is also one of the judges in the Sunday Times Short Story Competition that I had a swipe at last time.

But enough of that – I’d better get on with my packing. Looking at the weather forecast, plenty of warm clothing seems to be in order. In the meantime, if you’re a Writers Bureau student, start thinking about our ‘Writer of the Year 2010’ competition. Visit our website to see last year’s winners and I’ll let you have more information on how to enter next time!