My final blog post is coming not from Paris, but from the town of Metz, about an hour and a half outside Paris, and scene of L’Ete du Livre, a book fair of literature and journalism. It feels slightly appropriate to sign off from here, the week my book,
Rain Dragon, comes out, because the town is known for a legendary dragon called “Graoully.” As myth has it, the town was long ago menaced by a giant snake and Saint Clement promised to help the villagers if they agreed to abandon their pagan gods for Christianity. They accepted the offer, and Saint Clement proceeded to tame the creature with the sign of the cross and cast him out into the river.
I can tell you, judging from the number of dragon sculptures, friezes, key chains, and t-shirts in this town, that the pagans didn't exactly keep their end of the bargain.
It's been a real pleasure blogging for Powell's, the greatest bookstore in the world. And as I head off in search of gifts for my girlfriend and kids (something better than the duty-free Toblerone I brought home last time), here are a few dragons from Metz: