Phoenix Books (in Essex, Burlington, and Rutland, Vt.), with Brome Lake Books in Quebec and the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, hosted author Louise Penny (left, with CBC journalist Mellissa Fung) for the only U.S. stop on her tour for Black Wolf (Minotaur), the 20th book in the Penny canceled all her U.S. tour stops, including a launch at the Kennedy Center, in protest and solidarity with her fellow Canadians. The Haskell Library was chosen because it straddles the U.S./Canadian border, with entrances on both sides. "This is my moment [to resist], and I could, and if I didn't, then shame on me," Penny said. Some 800 people attended two sold-out weekend readings, and more than 450 watched a livestream of Saturday's event. Phoenix Books noted that it was "proud to support Louise, who has done events at our store twice in the past, and honored to promote American-Canadian unity at the Haskell and with Brome Lake Books."
