Clara Hughes!!

overcast, mild, blustery, temps plus 2

Oh dear - we might be losing all the magnificent snow we had yesterday. About two feet of the stuff. Gorgeous. Anthony's back, doing some more shoveling. It's such fun - there's so much of it that walking out our back door is like walking into a snow fort - with high, carved walls of snow on either side. There was so much snow we couldn't see our car...it was buried.

But then, unexpectedly, Michael came and said we had to go into the village - to the post office. Something needed to arrive at the government by Monday. Fortunately Tony had already dug the car out so we all just brushed it off, and we headed into town.

Honestly - thank God for all wheel drive, and snow tired. The plow had been by in the last hour, but only one swing, so our road was one lane wide. Had we met any other demented people on it we'd have had a bit of a problem. But no one, as it turns out, was quite as nuts as us.

We got to and from the post office just fine. Even climbing the very big series of hill to our home. We're pretty much on a plateau snuggled on the top of some mountains, but between a few higher ones. It will be snowing at our place but rain in the village. And we can see the temperature (as measured by our car, which is clearly smarter than we are - now that would be a good game show. Are You Smarter Than Your Car? the answer is, no.) but you can see the temperature drop as we climb the hills to our home.

it was actually quite fun - except it mean the almost inconceivable...I had to leave the couch by the fireplace.

I saw Clara Hughes win bronze. What a remarkable woman - indeed person - she is! You know she's won SIX olympic medals...most in speed skating, but one in the Summer Olympics in biking. And she works hard for others - raising huge amounts for a cause called 'Right to Play' - for children in developing nations. Lovely woman.

I cannot believe we've never actually met. She's been training in Vancouver for the past 18 months, but still - before that...even in the IGA for groceries. You'd have thought... I must send her a congratulatory note. And when she gets back see if we can't get together for a coffee...though I suspect she'll be very busy.

We also watched Canada defeat (easily) the Russians in hockey. They looked a different team than the one that lost to the US on Sunday night. So - we're still in it. Tonight it's the women's long programme in skating. Go Joannie! And that delightful young American...Flatt is her name? Actually, though I really will be cheering Joannie, I have to say for the most part I just love seeing all their performances. Such poise under unbearable pressure. Can you imagine standing alone at centre ice in the Olympics in that silence before the music begins.

Wow.

Having a quiet day. Fine-tuning the newsletter...answering Michel's questions about the french translation for Dead Cold/A Fatal Grace. Doing bits and pieces. Trying to really clear the decks before starting to write book 7. hard to believe I'm actually at book 7.

In answering some of Michel's translation issues I needed to go back to Dead cold/A Fatal Grace. Always afraid when I do that I'll hate the book - be embarrassed by it. But, you know, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. A huge relief. One day, perhaps when I'm 90, I will sit by the fire and re-read all the books (all 45 of them). I look forward to the day I can do that. Right now I can't re-read a book already published. Bits and pieces, yes...but not the whole thing.

But, when the time comes that I have the time and distance to do it - and my internal critic had died and gone to Hell - I will pour a cafe au lait, get a croissant and read. And remember this amazing, blessed, glorious time in my life. When I have Michael and this lovely career.

In the meantime - forward!

Thank you

clear, cold, highs minus 14

GREAT news! The paperback sales of A FATAL GRACE are booming in the US! Just heard from the publishers - and they're thrilled. And if they're happy you can just imagine how I feel. Wow. It's so exciting to think of people hearing about the series then buying the books.

I mention this for a couple of reasons - it's a huge event in my publishing life and I wanted to share it with you. But equally important I know people hear about the series through you. I know how many of you have been spreading the word - in some cases accosting complete strangers - well done! And I'm SO grateful.

It's so difficult getting the word out. I've been extremely lucky, but even so it's hard work. And a shattering number of wonderful books bob to the surface then sink from sight. There are just so many books out there.

that's still, of course, a possibility with the Three Pines series. We haven't quite hit the 'tipping point' yet. But I think we're close. And I know it's because you're such great support.

Thank you! And I'm afraid I'll be calling on that support again in a few weeks when the third book, THE CRUELEST MONTH, comes out in the United States. But, you know I hope, that I don't expect you to do anything. And don't feel badly if you don't tell anyone about the books. That's not expected, not what this blog or this experience is about. It's not necessary. Some people are good at it, and some not. Frankly, I'm not so good at it. It's excrutiating for me to approach a stranger in a store and tell them about my book. I feel like I'm melting.

I still try to do it (though don't always find the courage) - but then they're my books. I really don't want any of you to feel you should do the same thing. But I also do know most of you have told family and friends and that is massive.

I'm going on too long about this, and feel I've been a little flat-footed - but I'm thrilled and wanted to share the delight!

Great news too - I've finished the party scene. Will spend today going back over it...already I see a few small holes or wrong words. Things that occur in the night, or while watching the primary returns, just before my mind goes numb.

Had to decline an invitation to tour Canada's Northwest Territories next winter. I;'ve never been there and I hear the Arctic is amazing. I'd have loved to go but amazingly I seem quite booked already and just couldn't find the time. Next winter I'll be researching and writing the next book, in Quebec City, then doing the next US tour, the Hawaii (yup) for Left Coast Crime, then UK for British stuff. This is all a year away. But what fun. Still, I asked if they'd mind inviting me again the next year and I'll make time. It's not book sales there, it's a literacy push.

I was in the bath yesterday afternoon (where else) and heard a squirrel trying to get in through the roof. They can be quite destructive. My options were to call out for Michael, get out of the bath, or phone Anthony or Lise (only because she's our external common sense).

I stayed in the bath. Once out I noticed that the TV antenna was missing. Not a tiny rabbit's ear contraption on the roof, but quite a large tower planted in the ground next to the house. Either our squirrels know Roger Clemens or that scratching sound wasn't them.

As you probably know, a good writer notices things - so it's both humbling and disconcerting to realize someone could walk off with our communications tower and me not even notice.

Of course there's also the humbling evidence of laziness. Oh, well. At least I'm clean and hydrated and that's all that matters.

Off to the office today. Hope you're well and I'll write tomorrow.

An audie book, it's true.

more snow expected, but sunny now, highs minus 5

Glorious day at home. Had some snow last night, not much but enough to smooth everything out and have it cling to the trees. And now this brilliant day with sun almost blinding off the snow. The only break in the field is where the dogs have played this morning.

I mentioned yesterday that A FATAL GRACE is just out in paperback in the States. Well I'd also like to mention that it has been nominated for a prestigious AUDIE award in the US - for Ralph Cosham's reading. I know I mentioned this before - but what I didn't have at the time was the list of the other finalists. Here it is...

Hollywood Station by Joseph Wambaugh, narrated by Adam Grupper
Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger, narrated by Buck Schirmer
The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke, narrated by Will Patton
Up in Honey's Room by Elmore Leonard, narrated by Arliss Howard
A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny, narrated by Ralph Cosham

I know all the norminees are as delighted as I am. I'm especially pleased, of course, for Mr. Cosham. Well done!

And - great personal news - the laptop is working again. A lovely reader wrote with some suggestions, and one was about the keyboard template. Well I pressed a bunch of buttons - turned the thing off overnight - looked at new laptops from DELL - then re-booted...and the keyboard worked again.

Off to continue the book on my favorite (very old) laptop by the fire.

How lucky am I?

The next book calls. Speak soon.