Librarians? Surely not...

sunny, hot, humid - temps 30 C

A beautiful day! Sunny and not. Spoke to my UK editor on the phone, took Trudy for all sorts of walks, got the place ready (or partly ready) for the family reunion later this week. pennys tumbling in from all over. VERY fun. Some arriving from Edmonton and Regina on Thursday afternoon - the rest driving from Toronto. Brian gets back from Spain just in time. We expect (and hope) that he'll be insufferable. Salads, barbeques, swims, concerts, trips to Burlington, VT, golf all planned and discussed. But mostly we end up by the pool, eating and getting caught up.

After our mother died we realized there was a danger we'd drift apart. She tended to be the gravitational centre of the family....we'd all meet at Mom's, for special occasions. But without her?

So we made a solemn pact that we'd make sure we got together once a year, at least. The three central siblings (Rob in Regina, Doug in Toronto, and me in Quebec) - and whatever spouses and children could make it. The numbers go up and down - especially when the kids were younger and going to camp...but the siblings all moved heaven and earth to make it. I once had to interrupt a booktour to get to Regina. But we all know what's most important.

This year we'll be 11! Almost all the kids can come. Just Sarah and Roslyn left behind with other commitments - but next year!

I'm also really looking forward to the launch of THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY! Almost there - less than a month now. Hard to believe - I've waited so long, and I know many of you are anxious too (so happy to hear that!).

In anticipation, and celebration, I'm picking quotes from previous Gamache novels....today it's A RULE AGAINST MURDER/THE MURDER STONE. In fact, today I'm cheating and choosing two very short quotes from book 5 in the series:

“She was about to be devoured by Ruth Zardo, who ground up good people and turned them into poetry.”

And -

“But you want murderous feelings? Hang around librarians,” confided Gamache. “All that silence. Gives them ideas.”

I'm having so much fun going back over the previous Gamache books - with the help of Jeanne-Marie at St Martins Press. Hope you're enjoying it too! 25 days and counting to the launch of book 8 - THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY.