Introducing the "Guess the Giller" Winners...

When Laura Trunkey, herself a debut children's author, found out she had won last year's Guess The Giller Contest, she tried to keep things quiet. She'd found out by cellphone while riding a city bus to work in Victoria, and she didn't want to cause a scene.

But earlier that morning her partner, photographer and teacher Mike McLean, had received the initial congratulatory phonecall from Toronto, and he had been decidedly more excited.

"It was very early. I was still a bit groggy. I thought they'd said Laura had won the Giller Prize!"

Once the confusion was cleared up, Laura and Mike were left with a decision: which literary festival should they attend? They could chose any festival in Canada. They could even choose their hotel. For the two of them, the decision was simple. They chose IFOA, and the Gladstone, and I met up with them last night to see how their week has been.

"We've had so much fun," said Laura. "It's been amazing."

They've had a fantastic week, attending multiple events nearly every day and reveling in the comfortable, cozy atmosphere not just of the Canadiana Room at the Gladdy, but of the festival as well. "My favourite event, if I have to choose, was Eleanor Wachtel interviewing Amitav Ghosh. It was like we were in a living room having a conversation. But really, so many events were amazing. "

Laura and Mike may have traveled farther than any other audience members just to attend events at IFOA.

"We've never been to this festival" said Mike. "But we'll definitely come again."


Laura Trunkey and Mike McLean outside the Fleck Dance Theatre.

To enter this year's Guess the Giller, click here.

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Quote of the Moment:
"The last time we stayed in Toronto we had bedbugs. This time was the exact opposite."
- Laura Trunkey