Charis Cotter in Quebec

MONDAY: The foyer in a huge, weather-beaten old school in Outremont: I am dressed as the Silky Ghosts for my presentation, grey veils floating around me, a feather duster clutched in my hand. Three little girls hold up blue signs decorated with bright daisies and huge sparkly letters: Welcome ― Charis ― Cotter! The principal delivers an eloquent welcome speech, in French, and to my surprise, the Scottish Silky responds graciously in the same language.

TUESDAY: Gare Centrale, downtown Montreal, 6:30 a.m.: I am barely awake as an enormous wave of commuters rush up a staircase and flow around me as if I was a rock on a beach. I clutch my Ghost Ball to my chest and close my eyes until it subsides. Then I stumble down the stairs to the train that will take me to Pierrefonds. When I get off the train and wander into a parking lot, it’s cold. I’m lost for a while, but a stranger with a GPS in his phone helps me find myself again.


WEDNESDAY: Subway sandwich shop in a mall in Baie d’Urfé. My host librarian and I devour sandwiches. We have to be back at the school in 10 minutes. I’m still dressed in my Silky costume. No one pays any attention.


THURSDAY: High on a hill in Westmount, overlooking winding streets and stone mansions. I change into my costume in a tiny cupboard and then admire the view from the window of the cozy purple and orange library. 


FRIDAY: Knowlton, a pretty town in the Eastern Townships: Broome Lake Books provide smores and hot chocolate after my presentation. I sleep in an inn and I think it might be haunted. After telling ghost stories all week, I’m starting to think that EVERYWHERE is haunted!

During Book Week I visited six different suburban communities, two bookstores, two libraries, eight schools. The Silky dusted, told stories and disappeared fifteen times. I played 15 rounds of Ghost Ball and then turned out the lights and did my best to scare the wits out of more than 600 kids with my Really Scary Ghost Story from Newfoundland. I was whisked around Montreal by numerous taxis, trains, helpful volunteers and librarians. Every night I trundled back to the hotel and collapsed on the couch. Every morning I got up and did it all over again. I don’t think I ever stopped smiling. FUN? YES!!