When I first heard Judyth was going to appear in Toronto to promote her book, Me and Lee, for the first time, initially I thought sadly, "I won't be able to go." A day or two later I realized that I was willing to work around the difficult schedule I would face in doing so and take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet her and Kris Millegan in person. I then booked a flight to Toronto and a rental car and told Judyth I was coming. Immediately she wrote to say she had two beds, one of which I could use so we could spend more time together. It turned out to be what I will always consider as the most memorable experience of my lifetime.
It is not easy to determine the credibility of a person one has never met. After spending night and day with Judyth for almost a week, I will never doubt anything she says. I was present at 600 Bay Street in Toronto when she was interviewed at ThatChannel's offices by George Freund. Even though she was operating on an exhausting schedule several days before I arrived and all through my visit, she extended the interview with him from one hour to two. It was my favorite of all I saw her give while I was there. The receptivity of Toronto blew us away. The day after I arrived, Kris Millegan drove me and Judyth to the offices and studios of CTV, where Kris and I watched her on live television that morning. She then talked briefly with another journalist there for another TV clip that appeared on the evening news that night. Then it was back to the hotel for another radio interview, followed by another in the car as we drove to the Toronto Women's Bookstore for an 11 a.m. press conference. Several of Judyth's online friends besides myself had made their way to Toronto--one from Rochester, NY and another all the way from New Orleans--for this incredible opportunity to meet her. But the room was totally packed with people who had read the book already, accidentally, since it had never been promoted by her public appearance in the year that the hard cover had been out. There were also numerous journalists present from all over Toronto.
Kris Millegan, appearing quite interesting wearing so many hats,
kept revising the schedule of appearances, packing in more and more interviews as his phone rang continually. As each new journalist or talk-show host heard her story, they wanted to get in on the wave. The core of the publicity tour had been set for the evening of Tuesday, October 22, at the bookstore called Conspiracy Culture located southwest of downtown Toronto. This was the first book-signing appearance Judyth has ever had, and the large room was completely filled as people bought her book and had it signed. For more than two hours, people would leave and be replaced by new people who had heard her on the radio. Judyth was so gratified by the response.
As time permits, I will be writing more about the week on my blog,
www.quixoticjoust.blogspot.com, but I want to give the link to what I found to be the most inspiring interview I witnessed during my time with Judyth.
Please watch/listen to it, ignore all the critics, and simply judge for yourself:
http://thatradio.podhoster.com/index.php?sid=1746