Sunny, spectacular day, temps minus 14
Desperately beautiful day. A day to gasp. Not a breath of wind, so the fluffy snow that fell over the past two days is balancing on everything - tree limbs, power lines, fences. Every tiny thing is outlined in snow. And then with the sun on it it just looks brilliant. This is what glory must look like.
Am listening to the Barry Lyndon soundtrack - baroque music - haven't heard it in decades, so it is like discovering an old friend. Fireplace on...power on. Not a given this time of year. We lost power twice yesterday. Once in the afternoon just as we arrived home. Hadn't yet had time to fill the tub with water. When our power goes out, since we're on a well, the pump stops - so no running water. First thing we do when we hear a storm is approaching is fill the tub with water.
Am about to dive back into THE HANGMAN - and make a cafe au lait in the Gamache mug (product placement alert). Oh, saw Julie and Julia last night with Michael. I adore Amy Adams but agree that mostly I just wanted to be with Meryl Streep and the great Stanley Tucci in France.
Speak tomorrow.
Showing posts with label beautiful day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beautiful day. Show all posts
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
A perfect day
sunny, warm, temps 28
Absolutely stunning day. Slight breeze - enough to chase away most of the deer flies (which can take huge chunks out of you)...and finally warm verging on hot. Quebec is a region of extremes, as you might have noticed in the books. We veer from minue 30 in winter to plus 30 in summer...which is, very roughly, minus 20 fahrenheit to 90 degrees. Often colder and hotter on some days.
We have a fan in our bedroom, on the ceiling, that Gary installed that looks like an art deco propeller. And noiseless. And yet, while it's way better than not having one and really cools the room, I find my sleep restless with it on. Not sure why.
Sometime in the night it almost always cools down enough to drag the blankets back up.
Had a wonderful day...had a few idea for fine-tuning the book. A sentence there, and paragraph inserted over here. Nothing to do with the actual plot, really...mostly character development and a subtler way of saying something without actually saying it. I hope.
Wrote up the Bradley interview. Just a few fact-finding questions I need to clear up with him. But the majority is done.
Linda Lyall - the most magnificent website designer in the world - and I have been working on the home page, and got an updated one up and running. And the newsletters all written.
It would be great to get everything done before August arrives. Then the only thing I need do is write that novella for literacy. But that isn't due until February 2010...but I'd love to have it written, edited and accepted before Christmas so I'm not heading into the New Year with something hanging over my head.
Beverley Haun, who I stayed with last weekend along with her husband John Moss, has been bidding on and buying rugs for me over at ebay. Trudy, god bless her, has managed to vomit or eat (often one then the other) most of our rugs. She's spared, thank God, the best ones, but that was more dumb luck than design. Anyway, we're in need of new ones and I a) have no expertise in the area b) have no desire to spend thousands on something Trudy or Buttercup or some future family member might enhance... so while visiting Bev showed me her fabulous Oriental carpets she got off eBay, in some cases for very, very little.
So now she's on the hunt for us. Since she a) knows rugs b) knows dogs she's perfect. We've been having great fun with it.
Off for breakfast tomorrow with Danny and Lucy, of Brome Lake Books in Knowlton... they're friends, and have hosted the launch of almost all my books...so we're scheming the local launch for THE BRUTAL TELLING. Come if you can!
Off to fire up the barbeque...burgers and salad, and what's left of Pat's blueberry and pear crisp, with vanilla ice cream.
Exhale
Absolutely stunning day. Slight breeze - enough to chase away most of the deer flies (which can take huge chunks out of you)...and finally warm verging on hot. Quebec is a region of extremes, as you might have noticed in the books. We veer from minue 30 in winter to plus 30 in summer...which is, very roughly, minus 20 fahrenheit to 90 degrees. Often colder and hotter on some days.
We have a fan in our bedroom, on the ceiling, that Gary installed that looks like an art deco propeller. And noiseless. And yet, while it's way better than not having one and really cools the room, I find my sleep restless with it on. Not sure why.
Sometime in the night it almost always cools down enough to drag the blankets back up.
Had a wonderful day...had a few idea for fine-tuning the book. A sentence there, and paragraph inserted over here. Nothing to do with the actual plot, really...mostly character development and a subtler way of saying something without actually saying it. I hope.
Wrote up the Bradley interview. Just a few fact-finding questions I need to clear up with him. But the majority is done.
Linda Lyall - the most magnificent website designer in the world - and I have been working on the home page, and got an updated one up and running. And the newsletters all written.
It would be great to get everything done before August arrives. Then the only thing I need do is write that novella for literacy. But that isn't due until February 2010...but I'd love to have it written, edited and accepted before Christmas so I'm not heading into the New Year with something hanging over my head.
Beverley Haun, who I stayed with last weekend along with her husband John Moss, has been bidding on and buying rugs for me over at ebay. Trudy, god bless her, has managed to vomit or eat (often one then the other) most of our rugs. She's spared, thank God, the best ones, but that was more dumb luck than design. Anyway, we're in need of new ones and I a) have no expertise in the area b) have no desire to spend thousands on something Trudy or Buttercup or some future family member might enhance... so while visiting Bev showed me her fabulous Oriental carpets she got off eBay, in some cases for very, very little.
So now she's on the hunt for us. Since she a) knows rugs b) knows dogs she's perfect. We've been having great fun with it.
Off for breakfast tomorrow with Danny and Lucy, of Brome Lake Books in Knowlton... they're friends, and have hosted the launch of almost all my books...so we're scheming the local launch for THE BRUTAL TELLING. Come if you can!
Off to fire up the barbeque...burgers and salad, and what's left of Pat's blueberry and pear crisp, with vanilla ice cream.
Exhale
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Headache, in Pig Latin
sunny, hot!!! temps 28
this would be considered a hot day at any time of the year! Wonderful, gorgeous, blessed day! Just back from the village - groceries and a few things - everyone smiling!
Day started off not so good. A woke with a headache...one I recognized...stress. And I can even fine-tune it. Book stress. Something wasn't right with the manuscript. As the morning wore on the headache worsened, but I kept hoping it was something else, something trivial. Like a brian tumor, or a stroke. But no such luck. I knew it was because I was unhappy with yesterday's writing.
I went back to it, read the chapter before and while I did some minor fiddling, I actually really liked the chapter. Then I started on yesterdays...the first part was fine...then I hit it.
It's immediately obvious. The writing is fine, all good words...but not perhaps in the right order. It's funny how clear it is when it doesn't work. Not that i start writing in Pig Latin, though that would make the bad writing more obvious...but it just doesn't "work".
But I didn't know what would work. So I fiddled and messed and played around...and suddenly wrote a sentence that took me off in the right direction.
Again, it's funny how clear it is when it's right!
Phew.
A huge relief. I ended up taking 500 words out and re-writing the whole thing, but now I really like it. It serves all the purposes it needs to serve. Character development, richness of setting, and advances the plot. Yay.
Lovely day.
and, happy birthday, Anny!!!! A day late, but there you have it...
this would be considered a hot day at any time of the year! Wonderful, gorgeous, blessed day! Just back from the village - groceries and a few things - everyone smiling!
Day started off not so good. A woke with a headache...one I recognized...stress. And I can even fine-tune it. Book stress. Something wasn't right with the manuscript. As the morning wore on the headache worsened, but I kept hoping it was something else, something trivial. Like a brian tumor, or a stroke. But no such luck. I knew it was because I was unhappy with yesterday's writing.
I went back to it, read the chapter before and while I did some minor fiddling, I actually really liked the chapter. Then I started on yesterdays...the first part was fine...then I hit it.
It's immediately obvious. The writing is fine, all good words...but not perhaps in the right order. It's funny how clear it is when it doesn't work. Not that i start writing in Pig Latin, though that would make the bad writing more obvious...but it just doesn't "work".
But I didn't know what would work. So I fiddled and messed and played around...and suddenly wrote a sentence that took me off in the right direction.
Again, it's funny how clear it is when it's right!
Phew.
A huge relief. I ended up taking 500 words out and re-writing the whole thing, but now I really like it. It serves all the purposes it needs to serve. Character development, richness of setting, and advances the plot. Yay.
Lovely day.
and, happy birthday, Anny!!!! A day late, but there you have it...
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Great Company
brilliant sunshine, mild, temps minus 2
A stunning, perfect, Quebec winter day. Indeed, it started out slightly colder, but so clear and without a hint of wind that even at minus 8 it felt mild. And now it's warming up. Michael and I did some charoes this morning (breakfast in Cowansville - some mailing and banking, then shopping at our favorite store, Canadian Tire)then got home and fed the birds, or whatever those flying pigs are. Honestly, how they manage to eat so much and still take off is a mystery. But what a gorgeous day to work outside. The dogs were playing in the snow and Maggie was even chasing Trudy and wrestling for the ball.
Had wonderful news...the third book, THE CRUELEST MONTH, has been nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Novel in the US!!! The award is given away (and voted on) at Malice Domestic, at the beginning of May. Malice Domestic is a convention of readers and writers of Traditional mysteries...ala Agatha Christie.
And a huge congratulations to everyone on the shortlist...it's a VERY strong list of nominees, which I love because, honestly while I would always prefer to win I am totally happy to applaud for any one of them if they win...and feel they deserve the award. The other nominees are:
Donna Andrews
Rhys Bowen
Anne Perry
Julia Spencer-Fleming
Isn't that wonderful company??? Indeed, Rhys is the guest of honour at this year's Left Coast Crime convention, starting in a few days in Hawaii!
Must be off - want to write the March Newsletter. And put in more calls inviting people to Michael's 75th!
Hope you're well...speak tomorrow.
A stunning, perfect, Quebec winter day. Indeed, it started out slightly colder, but so clear and without a hint of wind that even at minus 8 it felt mild. And now it's warming up. Michael and I did some charoes this morning (breakfast in Cowansville - some mailing and banking, then shopping at our favorite store, Canadian Tire)then got home and fed the birds, or whatever those flying pigs are. Honestly, how they manage to eat so much and still take off is a mystery. But what a gorgeous day to work outside. The dogs were playing in the snow and Maggie was even chasing Trudy and wrestling for the ball.
Had wonderful news...the third book, THE CRUELEST MONTH, has been nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Novel in the US!!! The award is given away (and voted on) at Malice Domestic, at the beginning of May. Malice Domestic is a convention of readers and writers of Traditional mysteries...ala Agatha Christie.
And a huge congratulations to everyone on the shortlist...it's a VERY strong list of nominees, which I love because, honestly while I would always prefer to win I am totally happy to applaud for any one of them if they win...and feel they deserve the award. The other nominees are:
Donna Andrews
Rhys Bowen
Anne Perry
Julia Spencer-Fleming
Isn't that wonderful company??? Indeed, Rhys is the guest of honour at this year's Left Coast Crime convention, starting in a few days in Hawaii!
Must be off - want to write the March Newsletter. And put in more calls inviting people to Michael's 75th!
Hope you're well...speak tomorrow.
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