Winding up November

In Winter's Grip is now in stores across the country and the U.S. Unbelievable really when I stop to think about it. I've been getting some very postitive reviewing from those who've read the book, including an unexpected note from Tim Wynne-Jones - award winning children's author - saying he was at the launch and really enjoyed the suspense and story. Good to get such good feedback from another author, especially one as well respected as Tim.

I spent the week curling - five games since last I blogged. Yesterday, I curled in the morning and then drove out to Beaverbrook branch of the Ottawa Public Library to teach kids a short story-writing workshop. This is part of the Awesome Authors contest - all of the judges teach a workshop before the entries are due. I've agreed to judge the English short stories again this year and expect to spend several hours reading stories in the new year. Thirteen kids attended the workshop and they were just a great group - enthusiastic, engaged and filled with good questions. After a fun hour, I rushed back to Westboro to curl in the B-side final, and am happy to report victory.

I also spent part of last week looking up lyrics and notable quotes from 1970 and 1971 for my YA manuscript set in the Vietnam era - 1971 to be exact. I decided to add a quote to the beginning of each chapter, so that meant rereading each chapter, coming up with a theme or link to a quote. I'm thinking I got some spot on, but will wait to see what my editor thinks. Anyhow, I feel a big lifting of weight with the final submission of this manuscript to Napoleon. It was called "After Annie" but the title has now changed to Second Chances. I rewrote the ending and think the story a lot tighter. On va voir.

I also heard from Orca that they will entertain the idea of a sequel to follow The Second Wife. I'm going to take a little breather to get Christmas together before tackling an outline. Give the ideas time to ferment, like good wine.

So now the season of parties, dinners, shopping and decorating begins. I've ventured out to neighbourhood stores and started the annual gift-buying dance. I imagine you are all involved in the same tango. It's an annual ritual that unites us one and all.

May the sales be with you.

So, In Winter's Grip is officially launched. The evening was hugely successful for Barb Fradkin and me as we launched our adult mysteries. Lots of people turned up to buy the books, listen to our readings and mingle over finger foods and wine. Most civilized although I have to say, I felt a little pang of longing for my pub launches of old. Thank you to all who came to help celebrate and who bought books. Your support means more than I can ever say.

My two curling teams waited patiently while I book toured, flew to Saskatoon for work and lounged sick at home - three weeks gone from my regular life. I've curled two club games this week and have a full day with my ladies' team this weekend at a spiel in Navan. It's good to have a balance between sitting at a desk typing and socializing over curling rocks and glasses of wine that follow the games. lately, I'm thinking some wine before the game might help me throw the rocks better, but the wiser course might be to get out and practise.

Also around this time of year, I start to get little twinges about Christmas. I don't know if others are the same, but by December 1st, the pangs turn into outright panic at the thought of all the work ahead - planning meals, baking, decorating, shopping, wrapping, socializing. Last year, my family escaped to Las Vegas for Christmas week and I have to say, I loved being away. Still, just like this week's launch away from the familiar pub, I also missed being home and doing all the traditions. Life can be poignant when you least expect.

I'm planning to finish editing my Vietnam era YA manuscript this week and think I've come up with a title. I agonize over titles. In fact, I spend more time coming up with one than I do writing a chapter, several chapters even. I had the same trouble naming my daughters. Books are kind of like children. You also don't want to send them into the world saddled with the wrong moniker, or worse, one that makes you wonder years later just what in god's name you were thinking.

Down but not out

A week ago at this time, I was on a plane flying home from the work retreat at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park, fifteen minutes outside of Saskatoon. I'd never set foot in Saskatchewan before and had my first look at the flat land that stretched for miles only ending when it ran into the robin's egg blue prairie sky. Anyhow, when my plane finally landed in Ottawa after midnight and I'd made it safely home, a sore throat decided to take hold. My body was of the opinion that I needed another week off work to pay for my travels. It might have tried for two weeks but for a trip to the doctor and some mighty fine antibiotics that are working their magic.

Before taking to my bed, I managed to complete a review of the edits from Orca for the Rapid Reads manuscript. Most of the changes were style and some were questions about plot details so it didn't take me too long. The next time I see the manuscript, it will be the page proofs. I'm also looking forward to seeing the cover - I've no idea what it will be.

I also fit in a coffee chat with Barbara Fradkin last Sunday morning before I crashed. We divided up a few tasks for our launch this coming Tuesday evening - 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Library and Archives on Wellington Street - everyone is invited. Mary Jane Maffini will MC and it should be a fun evening. We're even going to do short readings, not something I ever managed for my kids' book launches in Whispers pub. (Kids' books in a pub; adult books in a library - not sure I got the sequence right.)

Well, this promises to be another gorgeous November weekend with temps around nine on Saturday. I swear to you and my sick husband (whom I can hear coughing upstairs) that I am planting tulips tomorrow and washing the car. Enough procrastinating. If I don't get the bulbs into the ground, just what are the squirrels going to dig up for their mid-winter snack?

Catching Up

Home sweet home after nearly two weeks on the road.

I flew to Saskatoon on Wednesday for work and fit in a signing/reading at McNally Robinson bookstore. I was greeted by Nicole Berard and made to feel most welcome. The photo above is just some of the in-store publicity for the event. A few from the local community came out for the reading, including a girl from my old home town, whom I hadn't seen since we were kids. In fact, our families used to spend Christmas dinner together for a number of years. Hearing from people from my past is one of the most wonderful benefits of publicizing books. A number of my colleagues also came to the reading after a long day of work, many of whom I met on the trip. I was quite humbled by their support of me and my writing. A huge thank you to all who came out and bought books.

And now, down to the business of Barb Fradkin and my book launch on November 16th. We have details to sort out and people to invite. It promises to be a fun evening with my road trip mate Mary Jane Maffini as MC. I hope all can make it. Who knows what road stories she'll tell :-)

Also waiting in my in box is an edited version of "The Second Wife", the Orca Rapid Reads book due out this spring. That makes two manuscripts I'm editing for publication next year. Luckily, I have until December for the second one. Whew. Lots to do!

I never did get those tulip bulbs planted. Let's hope the snow holds off for a while.

Almost Home

We arrived back at Shelley's in Chagrin Falls just after five-thirty this evening. This morning, I was part of a second panel, which dealt with early book, movie and tv influences on our writing. It was like a trip back down memory lane. We drove straight here after the panel and book signing ended.

All in all, it's been a great experience. The fans who come to these conferences are knowledgeable readers who love sitting with authors and talking about books and writing. I met so many lovely people, including two retired school principals whom I sat with at dinner last night. It turns out one has a review column on kids' books, and she was keen to get my book info for the YA books. I left two copies of In Winter's Grip with two other reviewers this morning. Not only do the people at these conferences expect you to promote your writing, they demand it - they are looking for new authors to read!

Tonight, we are heading into town to a wine bar and then back to Shelley's for the meal prepared earlier today (it smells like ambrosia). I'll be rounding up Mary Jane early tomorrow to get on the road before 7:30 as we have about a 10-hour drive ahead of us. Mary Jane is not an early morning person so we'll be fueling up on coffee as we cut across the states to Watertown. All in all, this has been a great road trip - we've spent a good deal of our time laughing - if you know Mary Jane, you'll understand how that happened! Looking forward to home . . . .

Murder in Muncie

Well, we're nearing the halfway point in the conference. We pulled into Muncie around five o'clock yesterday and realized we had no idea where the six o'clock dinner was to take place, or the conference for that matter. Oops. Also turns out we are the only two authors in this particular motel. So, another mad scramble to change clothes, trowel on the make up (Mary Jane's expression, not mine) and careen over to the conference centre after only losing our way I once. You'll be glad to know they were short four dinners so we had to wait another half hour anyhow while they cooked new dinners for our entire table.

We've met many great readers and authors since then. This morning, I was interviewed for a PBS and Utube clip as were over twenty other authors, then had my panel on creating setting. It went well, and I even sold some books. Now, we're back in the motel resting up for the banquet and a night of networking.

As promised, Mary Jane has agreed to be my first ever guest blogger, and here she is to say a few words!

I am glad to be here and even more glad to be alive. Brenda is a great travelling companion, although our third passenger, Jeeves the GPS, tends to misbehave. One of the best parts of this trip has been the discovery of a reading America in the most unexpected places. On our way to Muncie, driving through Ohio (a very wide state it seemed to us) we needed to have a rest break and lunch. We were on a highway (don't ask us which one) surrounded by fields which seemed to stretch forever. Brenda and Jeeves got us off in search of a place to eat and we went backwards and sideways and through (big surprise!) fields when we got to the Village of Bluffton, which was nicely picturesque. At the Common Grounds Cafe, we discovered not only that the manager has Canadian friends, kids who are voracious reader, is a reader herself and also runs the cafe book club. Who knew? We got a great reception there and exchanged bookmarks, cards and promises of Facebook, blogs and more.

For me that was almost as much fun as being 'carded' in Muncie (a highlight of the trip) when I bought a replacement bottle of wine. I guess the drinking age is 62.

Now we are off to the dinner to schmooze and laugh. My big challenge is getting Brenda to wear the witch's hat that our good friends John and Toni at Foul Play gave us. I may have to blackmail her into it, so wish me luck. The adventure continues. And it is Brenda's birthday, so who knows what will happen.

It was a dark and stormy night

Good morning from Chagrin Falls just outside Cleveland, Ohio. Mary Jane and I drove upstate from Columbus yesterday and landed in this picturesque town where we are staying with local author Shelley Costa and her husband Michael in their lovely home at the end of a cul de sac.

Ohio is a beautiful state - rolling hills and autumn colours with a lot of farm land and large homes. It's been warmer here than in Ottawa and most of the leaves are still on the trees - shades of yellow and orange.

The librarians from the Cuyahaga County Public Library took Mary Jane, Shelley and I for dinner last night at an Indian restaurant before we headed over for a talk and reading. We couldn't have been made to feel more welcome. Wendy Bartlett, Chris, Paula and Laurie - thank you for all the work you did to make the evening special. I know I've missed other names from your team and we thank them too. There were between thirty and forty mystery fans who came to hear our talk in the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Branch, which is a converted mansion. The room that we read in was stunning with a fountain and dark woodwork. With the rain lashing down outside, the evening had a mysterious feel - perfect for two Canadian mystery authors.

This morning, we are heading back into town for breakfast with Shelley at a local, very American diner. Then, Mary Jane and I are heading to Muncie, Indiana for the Magna Cum Murder mystery conference. It begins with an author dinner tonight. Heading into the final leg of our road trip!