Two Weeks to the Launch!

I'd say the drought is officially over in the Ottawa Valley. I feel like a cat, waiting to see when the rain will let up so I can stick my paws outside.

In the meantime, I'll catch up a bit on the writing news.

Two weeks to the launch at Collected Works and I've been busily inviting people. I think of these as a kind of coming out party for the book. Sort of like sending them off to university to see what they can do (hoping they don't return to live in my basement).

Launch details:  Saturday, September 22nd at Collected Works bookstore (Holland and Wellington) from 2:00 to 4:00. Councillor Katherine Hobbs is MC. Refreshments will be served and all are welcome :-)

So, I'm most pleased to talk about the two-book deal I just made with Grass Roots Press out of Edmonton for an adult literacy mystery series. I finished the first manuscript in this new series and the publisher is very happy with it. I'll now be working with an editor to make sure all the language is on target for this market. My heroine is named Anna Sweet and the books are set in Ottawa. I'm really excited about this project. The first book is scheduled for release next fall.

I went on a tour of Joliette Prison for women (just past Montreal) on Thursday as part of my work for the federal government. The institution has a little school set up there for the women, who often come in without a grade eight education - it is hard to imagine, I know. I taught adult learners in my previous career as a teacher and some could barely read. I remember wishing that there were books available at an adult comprehension and interest level but at a lower reading level. I never would have believed that I'd be writing some, but I'm very glad that I am.

I'm now returning to working on my full length adult murder mystery for the general market (sequel to the upcoming Cold Mourning) and will try to get back into my pacing of 500-word minimum a day. I've taken the last week off to recharge and do some publicity stuff. There are a few events on my horizon that will interrupt the pace, but it's all part of the business.

I've been hearing from old colleagues and friends whom I haven't been in touch with for years and love that about the writing. I'm grateful for everyone's continued support - from Janice Murdoch who bought signed copies of the Jennifer Bannon series for her friends' kids in PEI to Carole Gage who volunteered to make cookies for my launch to Kathy Adair who always 'likes' my Facebook posts . . . and so many of you who support me by buying and recommending my books. It's good to be sharing this journey with each of you - they say it takes a village to raise a child so if we go back to sending my little book off to university analogy, you're all helping to keep my offspring from living on my couch and eating me out of house and home . . . .