January Morning

I managed to make headway on a few fronts this past week. Writing went well enough - completed a few thousand words on the latest manuscript and spent some time thinking about the plot. I've got a killer in mind and have been working my story to set up the crime reveal, but I'm not sure if it's going to work.  So this one could be an adventure. I'll keep writing this weekend and hope some of the crime plot starts to gel.

Publicity work is leaping along. I was interviewed by phone by a reporter at the Moose Jaw Times Herald in advance of my visit to the Multicultural Council's class of adult learners in February. We will be in Moose Jaw to cheer on our daughter Lisa and Team Homan at the Scotties - should be a great time and I'm excited to be heading north (and west) for a week. We fly into Regina and have rented a car to get to Moose Jaw, which is about a 40-minute drive from all accounts. The Prairies have a beauty that draws you in.

I will be interviewed online on March 17th late in the afternoon on Bitten by the Book, a popular book forum in the U.S. They are also planning to review the Stonechild and Rouleau books around the same time. I filled in a questionnaire one evening in preparation for the interview. I'll share more about this as the event draws closer.

I'm also working with my friend and author Alex Brett on drumming up some local media interest and have quite a bit to do on this score today. Who knew that the hardest part of getting published would be the publicity work that follows?

Butterfly Kills is now up on Amazon and stock is being distributed across the country. My copies still have not arrived but should be this week. I continue to send out electronic invitations to the February 8th launch at Whispers and lots of people have indicated that they'll be coming to help celebrate. I have to check in with Books on Beechwood and Whispers this week to make sure everything is ready.

So much to do. So many balls to keep in the air.

January is half complete and our deep freeze continues. I think we hit -33 last night with the wind chill. I'm not looking forward to stepping outside today but have some errands to do. I'll put them off until I've had another cup of coffee...or two. My next car is going to have heated seats.

The hills grow wintry white, and bleak winds moan
About the naked uplands. I alone
Am neither sad, nor shelterless, nor gray,
Wrapped round with thought, content to watch and dream.

Archibald Lampman - 1888