Snow Drifts

Ottawa was not spared from the massive snowstorm spiraling up the Eastern seaboard.  All day yesterday, blowing snow made travelling a chore while the wind chill kept temperatures below twenty. As I rode the bus to work, I remembered a poem that I studied in university. In fact, I often think of it as we trundle along Scott Street and the high rises of the downtown come into view with plumes of smoke hanging in the sky on a cold winter morning. Let me give you a few lines of "A January Morning" written in 1900 by Archibald Lampman.

The glittering roofs are still with frost; each worn
Black chimney builds into the quiet sky
Its curling pile to crumble silently
Far out to westward on the edge of morn,
The slender misty city towers up-borne.

Beautiful words still.

Writing has been going well. I finished the synopsis for the manuscript I'm working on and got that into the editor. That took me most of Sunday. I also came up with a title but will wait a bit before sharing it with you - one never knows.

I'm now working on filling in an author grid for Dundurn, which is used for publicity. I'm also plugging away at the manuscript because I'm going to have a new task beginning Monday when the Awesome Author short stories will be arriving for me to judge. Last year, I had 150 stories in three categories to read and ponder over. This year, they'll be sent electronically instead of as hard copies. I think this will be easier in the long run. I only have a few weeks to finish the judging, which is probably a good thing. I'll have to focus.

I also received some images for the cover of My Sister's Keeper - the adult literacy mystery for Grassroots Press. I'm excited to see the designer's creation. I believe the title will also include An Anna Sweet Mystery. My next project is to write the second in the series. I've got some ideas perculating.

So, I had this dream last night that Michael Connelly and I were at a party and he offered to write a blurb for the cover of my next book. After all, he passed within five feet of me  at Bouchercon, so that makes us what? Almost acquaintances? I think he appeared in my dream because as I listened to the news about that LA cop terrorizing other cops and the manhunt underway this week, it seemed like a plot out of a Connelly novel. Even a snowstorm to hamper their search. Too bad Harry Bosch isn't real. Too bad my dream wasn't real either.