Election Day in Canada

overcast, warm, temps 23

Unseasonably mild. Even warm, but the wind has been picking up all afternoon and now I see black/blue clouds heading this way. A storm, I expect.

Great day - relaxing. Heard from Sherise, the UK editor. THE MURDER STONE was reviewed in The Guardian newspaper this past weekend. here's the excerpt she sent:

'The red herrings are expertly deployed, and the solution is ingenious and unexpected’.

So that's very nice.

Had breakfast in Cowansville, dropped Michael back home so he could work on his book while I went into the loft/office to fill the car with stuff to bring home. Then to the post office - had tons of books to mail out - internationally. The went to a local cafe with the manuscript of book 5 and a red pen and went over some sections that needed a little more fine-tuning.

Heard from my brother Doug last night. He'd spent the weekend reading the manuscript and called to say it was the best yet. I know him enough to know he's very kind, but he also knows it's no kindness to not be honest at this stage. So I choose to believe him.

What an amazing thing Doug did for me. Imagine spending the whole weekend reading this manuscript because he knew I'd be worried. Like me, he's a slow reader, so it's work. I'm just so lucky to have a brother like him. Especially since I spent most of our childhood telling everyone he was adopted, and wishing he was dead. I think it was mutual. As is our love for each other now.

I'm very relieved. I'm so close to this book it's very, very hard to know if it's any good. I think it is...but then sometimes.....

So I had a cafe au lait, a raisin scone and made some changes. Then came home. Tony was bringing wood in for the winter, Gary was working on the downstairs bathroom, Michael was writing. So I unloaded the car (with Michael's help) and came upstairs to put the changes into the computer.

Then sent it off to Bob to be printed out. Will mail it to Teresa, my agent, by Friday.

Dear God. This is a terrifying part of the process. But it's also quite freeing. It is, literally, out of my hands.

This is Federal election day in Canada. We have a Conservative government - with a strong Liberal and NDP (social-democrats) opposition, and a Green party that's gaining strength. Here in Quebec there's a separatist party that has been extremely strong for many elections called the Bloc Quebecois.

We voted in an advanced poll a couple of weeks ago. As I drove past the Canadian Legion Hall in Sutton I saw the cars and the long, long line-up. So happy to have already cast a vote. Won't tell you for whom, but perhaps you can guess.

Will make a pizza for dinner and watch the poll results.

Talk to you tomorrow...be well.