One Step Ahead

This writing week can be summed up in a word: editing.

I received Shannon's edits for the Bleeding Darkness manuscript to look over on Tuesday end of day with a deadline of Thursday afternoon. Friday morning at the latest with the manuscript due to Dundurn by end of day Friday. I knew that the earlier I got my review done, the more time Shannon would have to go over my suggestions and one last read through. I was rolling along pretty well but Thursday morning, I found a time problem with one of the chapters, which meant moving a chunk of writing to a later chapter, renumbering chapters and rewriting various sections to match up.

Arggg.

I worked from early morning through lunch and got the manuscript back to Shannon early afternoon, allowing her extra time since I'd made a major change to the draft. I didn't get any emails from her on Friday so I think made the final deadline. Then I went for an hour walk to clear my head :-)

Now, I'm back going through my latest manuscript, book six in the series, making notes and rewriting little pieces of the story to make it align before I tackle the last 20,000 words. Another couple of months, I think, to finish this one up.

I've been approached to moderate an author chat at the Ottawa International Writers Festival in Ottawa on October 10. I'm not sure that the two guest authors have been announced yet so I won't say who they are, but keep your eyes open. This should be a great evening. I've begun preparing already and will be putting in more time over the upcoming weeks. Very exciting fall ahead!

It's beginning to feel a bit like autumn these days, especially as the sun goes down. Good sleeping weather they say. My daughter Lisa is curling tonight in Fredericton in a new format bonspiel called the Everest Challenge and you can find the game on TSN beginning at 6:30 EST. My other daughter Julia begins her competitive curling season this Friday in Oakville and I'll follow her games online. Where oh where did the summer go? I'll be on two club teams this year and a third after Christmas to replace someone going south. You can guess what we talk about around the Sunday dinner table.

But it's a sunny and warm morning and I'll put thoughts of winter out of my head. Today will be a good day to work in the garden and sit outside to read a book (when I'm not watching curling).  These are the kind of days that you have to store up like a squirrel stores nuts for the long dark days ahead. (I know, can I get any cheerier?)

Enjoy the last Saturday in August everyone :-)

Pedal to the Metal

A busy week. I completed my edit of my editor's edits late Monday and returned the document to her. Now, she gives it another going over before sending it back to me like a hot potato. I'll spend another couple of intense days rereading, addressing comments and making final tweaks. All of this needs to be finished by August 25. You can understand why I'm losing perspective on whether the story is any good or not. There comes a point of saturation. But I still believe this is a good one and can't wait for you to read it.

My second task this week was (believe it or not) to write a cover blurb for book six, not due out until 2019! This is the manuscript that I'm currently drafting on the first go through. I also had to come up with a title, which took me a couple of days. Titles are hard. Especially my titles for this series since they all have to be two words. The working title that I was using has also recently been used by Rick Mofina and Denise Mina in slightly different forms so I knew I had to come up with something else ... and I did :-) The title of book six in the Stonechild series is: Turning Secrets. I think it works!

And the last thing I've been turning my hand to this week is making chapter notes for the manuscript as I've gotten to the point where I'm unclear what happened to whom and in what order. I'm not the most organized writer and had been promising myself that I'd do this one day. It is a painstaking process but I know I'm going to be happy that I've put in the time. I worked two days already and am only a third of the way through. Once I get myself sorted, I'll write the ending to this book as I have about 25,000 words to go.

I had a lovely surprise this week in my mailbox. A man named Tim Power who went to the same high school as I did, and who lives in B.C., made me a pen from the wood of a lilac tree growing in his yard. He'd read the first three books in the Stonechild series and thought I might like one of his fine pens. He sent the pen to my publisher who forwarded it to me. Such a thoughtful gift that I'll use at signings. You can see the pen on my desk below the box Tim made out of a beer carton, which my neighbour tells me is a popular brand out west. So cool.

Summer Respite and Lots of Wine

So Ted and I are on a road trip. And what should we come across on our travels in Brockville, but this mother of a ...

The big duck was grounded yesterday but apparently to be in the St. Lawrence by today. All the hotels in Brockville were booked for the weekend. Kind of bizarre. Not something I'd organize my holiday around but some people must be. We can be a strange lot.

I finally received the editor's edits for the Bleeding Darkness manuscript Tuesday late in the day. I spent that evening and all day Wednesday and Thursday going through the manuscript and addressing her comments. Some of this involved rewriting a sentence or adding a line or two. Nothing major although she's asked me to consider adding two scenes, which I'm leaving until the end. I have to have this done on Monday so I'll be at it when we return to Ottawa tomorrow.

We're in Prince Edward County now at Huff Estates and just completed the first wine-tasting of the day with a tour starting shortly - a driver will be taking us to five wineries, and while the weather report says it's raining in Ottawa, we're having a lovely sunny day here. I'm thinking the gods are smiling on us :-)

Last night, we went into Picton and had a very tasty meal at Clara's restaurant in this old inn. We sat on the covered verandah while a few bouts of rain moved through. The storm settled in over night with heavy rain, thunder and lightning rumbling overhead all hours, but sun this morning. All this to say, no writing or editing for me today - viva des vacances!

 Clara's restaurant is upstairs looking out over the back garden.

Down the hill from Clara's with night settling in

Excitement in July

A very good week that was.

Yesterday, the Globe and Mail posted a review of Shallow End on their site and it was terrific! Margaret Canon is the best known Canadian crime fiction reviewer with a wide reach. Also pleased to see my new crime-writing buddy Rachel Greenaway got a great review as well - might call for another celebratory drink next time we get together :-)

The Chapters Rideau book-signing last Saturday went very well. My favourite moment was when a mother bought Running Scared (first in my YA series) for her daughter. About half an hour later, they were back to buy the rest of the series. The Mom said that her daughter was a reluctant reader but she started reading the book in the store and refused to leave until she found out what happened in a particular chapter. They were heading off in search of a reading spot after they bought the books. Also, thank you to Joey Taylor and Derek Nighbor for coming by to say hello and to purchase a copy of Shallow End. I've been delighted to have friends come out to almost every book store signing this year because of social media postings, some coming great distances. Thank you to everyone for your support.

Also thank you to Gayle Jabour who sent these photos from the North Kawartha Library. How great is this!

The editing for Bleeding Darkness was delayed a few days and I'll be getting the Dundurn editor's changes to go through on Monday. She was a third of the way through the manuscript mid-week and said it was in good shape so hopefully my review won't take too long. She was enjoying the story so first comments are good. Until then, I'm plugging away on my latest manuscript, now into the last third.

We're into the August long weekend and hard to believe the summer will soon be morphing into autumn. I received the names of the other authors on my police procedural panel at Bouchercon in October and looks like  a most interesting group that includes, two Scots, three Americans, one of whom lives in Greece, and one Canadian (me).  October isn't that far off!

But for now, still lots of long summer days to enjoy....

Last week, Ottawa was host to a giant mechanical spider and dragon. I came upon the dragon in the Byward Market after my Saturday signing. Mighty impressive!