For the Love of Books

At last, a string of hot, sunny days to make this feel like summer. I've been taking my laptop into the back garden with a cup of tea and writing through the afternoons. This being a full-time writer is a bit of all right.

I took the bus downtown on Wednesday morning and after a bit of shopping, walked down Elgin Street to Perfect Books, one of our few remaining independent bookshops. Jim, the owner, and Michael, the store manager, were both working but both had time for a chat. Apparently, they'd sold a copy of Cold Mourning ten minutes before I arrived! I topped up my Ann Cleeves collection for some summer reading before making my way back up Elgin to catch a bus home. Perfect Books has a fabulous selection of mystery books (in addition to every other genre) and very knowledgeable staff - well worth a visit if you're looking for summer reading suggestions. A friend sent me this photo on a visit to the store last year :-)

Cortez ringing up a sale at a signing last year! 

I was approached through email last week by a reviewer named Dimple, a young woman who lives in India. She had posted a review of Tumbled Graves asked if I would write a blog post and answer some questions to post on her site to follow up. I submitted both and you can read the blog post which is about writing believable characters. The interview will be posted soon. Dimple also posted a video on Youtube about her love for books that shows off her wonderful creativity. I'm so pleased to have contributed to her site!

I was also approached this week by Judith, a reporter from our local paper Kitchissippi Times to share my summer reading picks, and she'll be coming by Tuesday morning. Should be fun. Judith interviewed me a few years ago for an article, which made the front page. Here it is again for old times sake :-)

July is a month to slow down and enjoy the gardens and long, lazy days. I've been biking a lot and exploring the bike paths and pedaling to the shops to pick up supper most mornings. Waking with the birds and morning sun streaming in through the windows. Reading on the back deck late afternoon with a glass of wine. Watching the Blue Jays on tv in the evening.

Life is sort of like a .....

Happy week, everyone!