Monday 29 December 2008

Yaba Daba Doo

Overcast, cool, temps minus 5

It's a kind of damp, cold day. But fun. Had to zip in to the village to get some things for lunch. Michael's former lab technician, Claudine and her 16 year old daughter Katherine were coming for lunch. Driving 2 1/2 hrs from the lower Laurentians.

We decided to do a tortiere with wild rice salad, lentil salad and a green salad, as well as fresh baguette. Picked all that up then dropped into the bistro to say hi to brother Doug and Joan, having coffee together.

Arrived home just in time to greet Nancy, who was there to fix Michael's computer, again. Damn servor keeps messing up. Poor Michael - very frustrating.

And just as I got the groceries in, Claudine and Katherine arrived. Such lovely people. Claudine worked in Michael's lab (working on childhood leukemia) for decades. They adore each other, so it was such fun to see her again and get caught up. And Katherine, who is lovely, wanted to interview me for a school project she's doing. So we sat in front of the fire and while her mother and Michael chatted we yakked as well.

Doug came by just as we were getting up from lunch to take the dogs for a walk. He was just settling in when the phone rang...his son Brian from the ski hill. He and Theo were ready to be picked up.

They're coming over in an hour or so. We'll have a spaghetti dinner. Easy. Everything in this house is easy. Claudine and Katherine brought their HUGE black dog named Ebony and we all agreed when you have dogs in the country you can't be house-proud. Hair everywhere. Toys. Slobber. Bones. Mud from outside (though we try to clean their paws). Honestly, it looks like Fred Flintstone's cave sometimes.

Finished the draft of THE BRUTAL TELLING. Still not sure which version I like best, but we're off to Hovey Manor for a few days next week and I'll take both along and read them there. I know whichever I choose it will still need editing and polishing and tweaking. It's a process that never ends. The Neverending Story!

Oh, more good news. The Murder Stone was chosen the top mystery of the year by Margaret Canon of the Globe and Mail, along with Giles Blunt's No Such Creature. The Murder Stone was also chosen as the top pick by the Hamilton Spectator.

Be well and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

2 comments:

Leinda said...

I recently found your books and I'm on a mission to read them all, so wonderful are your characters, language and plots. I found a new hardcover copy of The Murder Stone at Alibris.com. Amazon is sold out and features a couple of sellers who have used paperback copies for $26.95! What a wonderful compliment to have your book sell out.

I'm trying to stretch out my reading so I won't run out before the new book is ready. Thank you for writing such wonderful books!

Louise Penny Author said...

Dear Leinda,

So glad you found the books - and thank you for writing! And aren't you brilliant to find a hardcover of The Murder Stone. Hope you have many happy hours in Three Pines.