A Rambling Saturday Morning

I've been thinking about fame and privacy this week. Perhaps it was the sight of the new Royal heir George and all the hoopla aroung his birth. I'm conflicted knowing what is ahead for him. I'm very happy that I am not in his shoes or Kate's. A trick of birth really.

By the number of reality shows and the Youtube videos of bizarre shenanigans, you'd think everyone's goal in life is to be famous, whether with something worthwhile to offer or no. Do those who will do anything for a viral video believe it will validate their existence? Make them worthy people? It's painful to watch the lengths some will go to in order to hang onto fame once achieved. I'd warrent the attempts have destroyed a lot of people.

I used to like watching movies where I had no idea what the actors were up to in real life.
We know way too much about Tom Cruise.

Anyhow, just a litle Saturday morning pondering.

I've been up early. Started the day drinking coffee with Ted, then out to water the garden. Onto a bit of reading - I've discovered an excellent British author named Susan Hill who has created Detective Simon Serrailler. The book I picked up is The Shadows in the Street. Wow, what fabulous writing: effortless, suspenseful, intriguing characters. She breaks the pattern of starting with a murder but builds to the first, followed quickly by a second. I'm going to search out more in this series.

The Kobo I got for Christmas froze up a few weeks ago and I'm back to buying real hold-in-your-hands books. Nothing can compare, really. I missed the sound of the pages turning and the print on page. (I promise to never leave you again.)

I've started writing again after  a little break. I'm working on the next Anna Sweet mystery, due at the publisher's in November. I'm doing more plotting for these ones, and am finding the balance that works for me. I've been reading Elizabeth George's book Write Away, which gives a lot of insight into her writing process. She does extensive research and plotting before she starts writing. Her books are set in England although she lives in California. Many of her experiences and feelings mirror my own, such as reading and rereading Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Man, I loved that book as a kid and still do. I'm also a big George fan. I bought Write Away at Bouchercon in Cleveland and stood in line for a while to get her autograph, but gave up after a bit. Back in my hotel room, I discovered that she'd already signed it. Still, would have been nice to meet her if not for the afternoon spent standing in line.

Let me end this rambling blog this morning with an update on Ted's backyard project. The heat over the past few weeks has kept him from making any progress, but he's just headed out to rent a jackhammer. All of our neighbours are in for a treat as he pounds up the old concrete. I know I can hardly wait :-) Advil is at the ready. Aren't you happy that you don't live next door today?

(Destruction photos next week.)

Well, time is a-wasting. All set to get this gorgeous sunny day underway.