Keeping Track

It's been a cold, crisp November - gray skies and shivery mornings at the busstop at seven a.m., heading off to work. I even found myself in some stores Christmas shopping - not that I bought anything - but, I almost did. The annual panic should be over taking me soon. I'll begin hounding Ted to put up outdoor lights and we'll carry on that discussion until Christmas Eve or so when he figures it's time.

Me:  "I think it's time you put up some outdoor lights."
Ted:  "It's not cold enough."
Me:  "We're the only house on the street without any."
Ted:  "Lots of time."
Me:  "Just throw up a string. Doesn't have to be elaborate."
Ted:  "Is it Christmas Eve yet?"

Ah, the traditions.

I wrote a lot this week on my new manuscript for Dundurn as well as jotted down plot points for the second in the Anna Sweet series for Grassroots Press. While it's tempting to start writing the second Anna Sweet, I'm going to wait until I have a solid draft of the Dundurn book completed. With everything else on my plate, working on two manuscripts will just get confusing - and life is confusing enough as is.

I often plot in my head on my way home from work on the bus and many times, I lose track of where I am. Some day, I'm going to overshoot my stop and I'll have to back track. Maybe it's time to invest in a GPS or one of those tracking devices like they use in spy movies. Ted could monitor me from home and pick me up, if necessary. (Speaking of which, I hear the new Bond movie is excellent - looking forward to seeing it.) (I wouldn't be adverse to Daniel Craig tailing me too.)

Patrick Walton attended the launch of Second Chances in September and has just completed a two-minute video, which he's loading onto Youtube and will be available later today. I'll post the link on my Facebook site and this blog next week. He also recorded remarks from Ottawa City Councillor Katherine Hobbs and MPP Yasir Naqvi and my reading of the first chapter and this longer footage will also be posted. You can watch with a glass of wine and some cheese and crackers and you'll feel just like you're at the launch from the comfort of your computer screen.

Today, I will be at Books on Beechwood from one to three, signing copies of Second Chances. If you're in the neighbourhood, drop in and say hello. You could even get some Christmas shopping done and nip that annual panic in the bud.

Just six weeks till Christmas Eve.

Arrrrg