In the Land of Ice and Snow

Can the cold weather finally be lifting? I've seen cardinals this past week darting through the trees and take this as a good sign. Not much longer before we'll be drinking coffee on the back deck and pulling the shorts out of the closet. A girl can dream.

Yesterday, I appeared on 1310 News - The Power Lunch with host Mark Sutcliffe. Another guest and I receive five topics with multiple choice answers in the morning in an email. We have a couple of hours to research the topics if we're not familiar with the issues, then we chat with Mark about our choices from noon to 12:30. When I know that I'm going to be on, I make certain to watch a lot of news that week to familiarize myself with major stories. It's sure keeping me on top of what's going on in the world!

When I returned home from the radio station, I had an email request from my local Coles to do another signing as well as an email from my Grass Roots editor with her initial thoughts on the Anna Sweet manuscript, which is book eight and entitled Close to Home. She commented on the bittersweet feel for this book as it will be the last in the series. I've spent the past eight years working on this series and the Stonechild series. I'm feeling oddly rudderless but know I'll get into a new project soon once I finish getting my tax information together. Maybe I'll get some house cleaning done too. Open up some of the cupboards and do a cleansing. Within the realm of possibility ...

So this weekend, I'll be writing another blog post for 7 Criminal Minds blogspot, which you can read on Monday. This week's question asks about how I felt the first time I read from my work in public. I'll have to dig around in my brain to come up with that memory. Check in to see how I do :-)

And final plans and information are coming from the Left Coast Crime planning committee. Only a few weeks before I'm off to Vancouver. Barbara Fradkin is on the same morning flight and Katherine Prairie, my roommate for the conference, will be arriving later that day. It's going to be a busy weekend and I'll try to update you on the goings-on.

Barb Fradkin, Katherine Prairie and me at a Chapters signing

Clocks are springing forward tonight, another sign that spring is waiting in the wings. I'm off to watch my daughter Julia curl in mixed play downs this morning so not embracing the season change just yet. Time to slow down and enjoy the moment ... even if I'm still wearing my parka and trying to see past the snowbank at the end of the driveway when I ease the car onto the road.