Where's the Heat?

We've had a couple of fall-like days this week to remind us what is around the corner. The back to school sales promotions are gearing up in tandem - not sure I'm ready to give up hot, lazy summer days just yet. (Wasn't summer a lot longer when we were kids?)

Closing in on 9000 words on my latest Anna Sweet manuscript and hoping to get the first draft closer to completion by the end of this weekend. The third in the series To Keep a Secret should be out in a few weeks.

Book publishing is like movies in that you might finish the book or movie a year or two before it comes out. By then, you've moved on to another project, sometimes more than one. My first book Running Scared was accepted by Napolean Publishing about three years after I wrote it. The first opening in their publishing schedule was two years later! There's a reason most authors have another job.

I walked to Perfect Books on Elgin yesterday at lunchtime as a couple of colleagues asked for copies of my books. I was happy to discover that the store is getting ready to place another order since the books have been selling well. In fact, I picked up the last copy of In Winter's Grip from the shelf. The owner would like me to do another signing in February once Butterfly Kills is released. If you get down to Elgin Street, be sure to drop into this great little shop.

I'm going to organize a few other book events around the release of Butterfly Kills and am mulling over ideas for a launch - the release date is January 31, 2015, so not the best time of year for an event. I say that because curling is in full swing and we're already booked to go to Moose Jaw to watch our daughter in the Scotties in mid-February. However, I can also have my publicist see about a signing in Moose Jaw - I understand the town has a great bookstore, which looks to be close to where we'll be staying. Yeah, Moose Jaw in February. Seems counter-intuitive I know, but oh so much fun.

Not much new to report in this writer's life this week. I see a few more good advance reviews posted for Butterfly Kills. Other than this, I'm trying to plug away on the manuscript. Like the weather, I'm finding it hard to get things cooking. It's supposed to return to summer warmth tomorrow so hopefully my fingers will heat up on the keyboard too.

Enjoy the last half of August, everyone.