OK, this one has me clasping my head. We’re looking at a multi-media project two years in the making. It’s going to showcase photo-portraits of  150 Canadian authors. Yup: 150 from across the country! The photographer, Mark Raynes Roberts, traveled 20,000 km to take 22,500 photos . . . and the story hasn’t hit the mainstream media? Picture me clasping AND reeling around the room. Roberts is renowned for his intricate, hand-engraved crystal art . . . and a dozen

pieces will turn up at one of the three Toronto venues slated to showcase Illumination, as the show is called. Those crystal masterpieces will form part of the exhibit at the Gardiner Museum (Oct. 26 to Nov 11).  More author portraits turn up at the Toronto Reference Library (Oct. 11-Nov 1) and the International Festival of Authors at Harbourfront (Oct. 22 to Nov. 1). But look around: here we have Sarah Sheard (on horse), Miranda Hill (thinking), Dave Bidini (hat and piano), Jonathan Kay (on stairs), Ray Robertson (hat and stare) and Michelle Berry looking Scandinavian for good luck . . . AND there are 144 more where these come from (143 if we count that one in the lower left). Find out more from the man himself: info@markraynesroberts.com. Honestly, I think we should spread the word.