Phoenix

wispy high clouds - hot! temps above 100

We're not in New England anymore, Toto. What a miracle air travel is...and how astonishing is the United States. Went from too wet and very lush and green New England to the Arizona desert and it's reds, ochres, palm trees and cacti. And searing heat. Arrived yesterday from Atlanta - and went for a walk. Short walk. Was going to be longer but after about three minutes I was drenched (granted I was wearing jeans - but not the winter books Michael forgot to take off last time we were here - remember that? We had to head into town to buy him sandals! Got on the plane in snowy Burlington a couple years ago, and he forgot to leave his boots in the car...so we walked around phoenix, looking for a shoe store, in snow boots.)

LOVE, love, love Scottsdale. So different from anything I've ever known. So beautiful - and love the fusion of American and Mexican cultures. I know there're lots of tensions, and this has become a political issue hotter than the phoenix sun - scalding in fact - but as a visitor I just adore it. Reminds me of the French and english melange at home, and how we're so much the richer for it.

Am staying at the Valley Ho - Sarah, my publicist at Minotaur, managed to get me upgraded to this spectacular suite!!! Can you imagine - my god, it's wonderful. Unfortunately it came complete with partying neighbours last night. I was so looking forward to a long, relaxed evening and sleep - deep, uninterrupted sleep - finally. But their shrieks woke me up. I actually called security after a while and that quietened them down. Some noise I can tolerate and understand - people have a right to be happy, and laugh. But I think yelling and shrieking crosses the line. I love what Mark Twain said - 'Your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins'. They hit my nose with the screams.

But beyond that, this is a wonderful place! Having such fun. Will do a massage later this morning. Ahhhh.

And last night, while others partied - I have the best time of all. I did laundry!!! The suite has a washer and dryer. You can see 'me' lying on the lounger on the balcony.

Off for an event at 5pm at the wonderful Poisoned Pen bookstore in Scottsdale, with the remarkable Barbara Peters. Then she's driving me to the airport for a flight to Houston - arrive at 2am (thanks to the time difference - I didn't realize flights were allowed to land that late). Then luncheon talk tomorrow at noon - and another tomorrow evening at Murder by the Book, one of the great independent bookstores in North America. So looking forward to seeing everyone there.

I owe my writing career to many people. My agents Teresa and Patty - my publishers and editiors - Hope and Dan. But I know it would all have stopped after the first few books if it wasn't for the Independent Mystery bookstores - who found the little books set in Canada - and started handselling them. Telling others. So wonderful to get a chance to say thank you.

Am lying right now on the lounge chair - looking at the hills in Scottsdale and the palm trees...read my morning meditation (I bring a small book along with me on the road - to help keep me balanced and on track). Said quiet prayers of thanks - and now will begin the day. In clean clothing!!! If that's not a miracle, I don't know what is.

thank you so much for your comments, which I love reading - for your company, which sustains me - for your great good energy and humour...for your support with A TRICK OF THE LIGHT - for telling others about the books. And for coming out to the events and letting me know that I'm not alone. How beautiful you are. Thank you!

Food, glorious food

sunny, warm, temps 24

Not a hot day, but neither is it humid. Fresh and warm. Breakfast by the pool before the blackflies know we're there. Hardly any wind, so very peaceful too. Birdsongs...and the happy hummmm of the new heat pump. I find that very comforting.

Had a huge long, and hugely fun day yesterday. Joanne Sasvari, who is head of the Canadian travel writers association, came from Vancouver and is doing a story on the locations in the townships that have inspired the Gamache books. Well...

Michael and Danie Beliveau of Tourisme Eastern Townships joined us for breakfast at the Auberge West Brome - then Joanne and I jumped into the beetle, put the top down, and started the road trip. First to Sutton and a stop at La Rumeur - this magnificent old bakery (where michael and I have an account and have apparently racked up 14-hundred dollars worth of charges over the years. And not for lettuce.) wonderful breads, pies (sugar pies!!) Cheese from all over the world, but specializing in small Quebec fromageries. Pates, quiches. Dear Lord. Our tour almost stopped there. But we went on to Muriel's chocolaterie - handmade Belgium chocolates...we bought two boxes - one for us, one for Michael. Then to the Atelier Bouffe - a lovely kitchen wares store just down rue principale.

then home for a glass of something cold on the screen porch, before heading the scenic route to Knowlton, and seeing Danny at Brome Lake books. Again, we stopped and had a glass of sparkling water and a basket of chips by the river that runs through town.

Then onto the Benedictine monastery of Saint-Benoit du lac...Brother Charles met us and as you can see - elevated us above our normal position. He literally, after the hellos, whisked us behind the locked doors and into an elevator where he brought out a key and got access to an area clearly not open to the public. As we went up he asked Joanne - are you afraid of heights?

My mind screamed...Joanne!!? Joanne??! Who cares if she is - I'm already faint with fear!! Me, me, me!!! And then the door opened and - voila.

You can see the photos and a sight few ever have seen. It's from the top of the highest tower, where there's a roof-top area, and then a sort of catwalk - to a glass enclosed turret. I made it to the stone balustrade, but no further. Brother Charles and Joanne strolled across the catwalk and I could see them inside the glass. He was pointing and describing and talking.

But I was perfectly happy where I was!

Can you believe those views? And the perfect day? It really was heavenly. And so peaceful. Breathtaking.

After we chatted with Brother Charles for half an hour or so it was time to head onward. We'd eaten half the chocolates, but offered the rest (about three) to him - and then noticed they'd all but turned to chocolate soup. We also made plans for Brother charles to perhaps visit us for lunch later in the summer and help with some of the editing of the manuscript. some large questions, some smaller...like the porter at the monastery. I have it as 'Porteur', but I noticed it is 'Porterie' - and the monk on duty is known as th 'portier'.

but I also have larger questions...it would be wonderful if he could visit us, we'd have a barbeque and a relax by the pool and I can pepper him with questions.

But, back to Joanne and me. Back into the car and off to Georgeville - a lovely, small village on the other side of Lac Memphremagog. Up and down and around the winding road around the lake - then we arrived and went into the general store, which is the inspiration for Monsieur Beliveau's general store in the books. Indeed Georgeville is one of the inspirations for Three Pines. We wandered around. I bought a warm blueberry pie to take home (they're famous in the area for their baking) - and Joanne and I each got an ice cream bar, for the road.

so far, lunch had been chocolates, potato chips and now ice cream. And she's a food writer. Oh dear. Still, I have to say, they were yummy!

From Georgeville we visited a place I'd never been - so it wasn't an inspiration for the books, but the Tourism woman seemed keen for us to go since we'd be in the area. and are we ever glad we did! It's called Bleu Lavandre. Blue Lavender. It's this HUGE lavender farm (ranch?). Absolutely gorgeous....acre after acre. Like landing in Provence.

They distill the flowers down to the oils and make soaps and creams and essential oils and even this wonderful hand sanitizer I also bought (Lise, are you reading??) two large lavender plants for our gardens. We actually already have a lavender 'bed' but I just couldn't resist.

It was getting late, so we scooted cross country and arrived at Hovey Manor around 5:30 - we were both pooped so while Joanne went to her room (a cabin right on the lake) I relaxed in the library and called Michael. Then we met for dinner at 6:30. She started with a frizzy salad with pate, and had the fiddlehead soup with lobster. They sent out an amuse bouche of cod on black garlic. then the main course for Joanne was venison and I had the halibut. Perfect! We had a window seat looking over the rose garden and Lac Massawippi.

for dinner Joanne had the poached pear and I did a strawberry and rhubarb aspic. And coffee and tea.

It was after 10pm and I still had an hour drive home. but it was a quiet, lovely night - an easy drive after a long, but very happy day. Joanne is wonderful company. We talked about the books, but mostly we talked about travel and food, great locations and great restaurants. How perfect.

Today is actually a day 'off'!!! No social engagements. Not much work. Sunny day. Laundry on the line. Heat pump on. Michael beside me. Georgeville General Store blueberry pie in the fridge.

All is right with our world.

Hope it is peaceful and gentle and kind in yours too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

sunny, unseasonably warm, temps 24

It's Canadian Thanksgiving! Michael and I are finally together. Met at the airport in Regina (Saskatchewan) Friday night. with my older brother, Rob. What an amazing feeling. Two men I love standing there, waiting. And to get huge bearhugs from both. Made being away worth it!

What wasn't waiting was my luggage! It got lost. No big surprise, really. I'd booked it through from Houston, to nashville, to Denver to Regina. I've been extremely lucky with my luggage. Can't remember ever losing a bag. What made this a little stressful was that I'd lost the baggage tag!

Fortunately there wasn't anything irreplaceable in it. Jewelry, and this really nice embroidered evening coat I was hoping to wear to a formal dinner in Calgary on Tuesday and the bouchercon opening ceremonies and all the cocktail parties (and dinner with my US agent) Thursday. Bit of a shame, but not a disaster.

Fortunately it showed up the next day...yay. I can't begin to tell you how it feels to be with my family. Rob and Audi and their children, Kim, Adam and Sarah. Doug and Mary and two of their kids...Roslyn and Charlie. And Michael.

One of the photos above shows the cousins together, most in their Saskatchewan rough Rider green jerseys...on their way to the big football game...Saskatchewan vs Toronto. (toronto won). A friend of Adam's - Andy - is visiting from the UK, and he's spending the holiay with us. the other photo shows the kids, minius Kim - wearing the 'freebee' from Rob - little yellow rubber 'hardhats'. Very proud. Not many could carry off this look.... (no, don't say it).

I'm sitting right now at the dining room table, writing. all around me people are laughing, joking, talking, making bagels and serving fruit salad, pouring coffee...rob and audi have just moved to Regina (he's the deputy minister of transportation with the government here). this is the first time we've seen their home. Great, open-concept kitchen, living room, DR. So we're all together. Rob is basting the turkey...that's him up there too. The place smells of turkey. (and with six guys in the house, that's a blessing)

When our mother died ten years ago we realized unless we made an effort we ran the risk of drifting apart. All with busy lives. And that would be terrible. So once a year, around Thanksgiving, we get together.

The event at Murder By the Book was such fun!!! Saw old friend Catherine and Ron after decades! Saw Cay and Billie and the 'two J's'. FAbulous Dean (whose latest book stayed THREE weeks on the NYTimes list!!!) and handsome, generous, brilliant John, who works at the store and interviewed me. It was standing room only - and everyone was so welcoming.

But, of course, as wonderful as it was to see everyone there, the most glorious was McKenna. The owner of the store. Who recently lost her husband, David. Such a beautiful young woman. We talked about David. Not about his death, but about his life and his plans. McKenna's mother, Brenda, was there - so supportive. Making sure her daughter knows she's not alone.

McKenna and her friend and co-worker Anne will be at Bouchercon. when McKenna and I embraced and kissed we both leaned in the same direction - and almost lip-kissed. then spent the night kidding each other that 'people will talk'.

Early flight Friday morning to Nashville. Beth met me at the airport and we zipped into the city...like most people I only think of country/western music and the Grand ol Opry. which is tribute enough. But it became clear immediately that Nashville is that, and much more. A very, very beautiful city.

I was there for the Southern Festival of Books. One of the photos above shows the amazing state building, where the festival is held. Wonderful group of people. Very warm reception.

thank you to everyone who took time to come out! I just loved seeing you all.

then back to the airport...flight to Denver....then to Regina. Arriving about 10pm.

Phew. And now home. With Michael.

Happy thanksgiving!!!

eh?

mainly sunny, unseasonably hot - temps 30

Tour is buzzing along. yesterday was a full, and happy day. The kingston Writer's Fest is always a highlight. Terrific authors and amazing volunteers - which really is the key element in a literary festival. passionate, effective, happy volunteers. Spent the morning relaxing on the balcony, looking out over lake Ontario. Then at noon I got dressed and packed and headed to the first event of the day. Thankfully the writer's fest was in the same hotel...so we all met in the Writer's Lounge on the top floor, and then went downstairs...Peter Robinson, Eric Friesen and me.

I'm always afraid that the room will a) be empty...no one will have bought tickets b) those who are there are there for the other author and I'm just an annoyance.

But fortunately the room was packed with readers of both peter and me - which is exciting because there's a cross pollination that happens - especially since we write somewhat similar styles of book. In fact, the book seller ran out of copies of Bury Your Dead!

After the signing I was whisked by 3 librarians about an hour down the road to the Belleville Library, for an event from 6 to 8. Again, stressed that no one would be there....but again the room was packed and they had to bring in more chairs. It is such a pleasure to look out and see friendly faces. And to realize, this is my job. This is what I do for a living. Write books I enjoy for friendly and kind people. And myself. How lucky am I?

Then caught the 9pm train to Toronto, arriving about 11pm...and fell into bed.

The big event today was the 'Eh Series' talk at the Toronto Reference Library...spectacular building in the centre of the city. Jose Latour - a really gifted writers of crime fiction, with a cuban tinge, 'interviewed' me. We had great fun, and he had very thoughtful questions, which makes a big difference. It's always hard to interview a crime writer, without giving too much away. And this book is even trickier, since there are really three deaths or events intertwined. But Jose did a masterful job.

And again, the place was packed! such a difference from the first couple of books, where I pretty much spoke to janitors and people who'd wandered in by mistake and then were too polite to leave.

Am back in the hotel now....beautiful, sunny day out....should go for a walk, but instead I plan to just relax. Marshall my energy. That's the excuse for being just plain old lazy!

Tomorrow between 4 and 6 I'll be at Sleuth of Baker Street in Toronto...a wonderful mystery bookstore. Hope to see you there.

Enjoy your weekend!

I'm baaaack

cloudy, mild, highs plus 4

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt

The tour is almost over - Burlington, Vermont on Wednesday. But I'm home!!! Made the tight connection in Chicago and arrived back last night. And Michaerl surprised me by being at the airport - and I burst into tears. Didn't expect him - and didn't expect to cry. But I fell into his arms, the tears already flowing. Poor guy. We talked a lot (as St Martin's will find when they get the phone bills from the hotels!) but it wasn't the same as being able to stalk him in person. He gave me all these cards to open at each stop - then even sent one to the hotel in Houston (my last stop) but it didn't arrive. Lovely, lovely man.

And I read his beautiful blogs. Just noticed what a dreadful word 'blog' is - I realize it comes from weblog - but doesn't sound as lovely as many, many blogs actually are - including Michael's.
As I tolod people on the tour, despite a lifetime as a pediatric hematologist (he's the doc you NEVER want to have to meet) and sitting at the bedside of desperately ill and sometimes dying children, Michael is the most joyous man I know. Actually, it's not despite his work, but because of it, I believe. He knows what tragedy is, and he knows what a blessing and gift life is. He sees children denied it - and knows what a betrayal it is when people turn that gift of life into a self-manufactured misery. Like Gamache, Michael is happy not because he's never met loss and sorrow, but because he has.

But now I've kicked him out of the 'blogging' chair and reclaimed it! Haha. The power. Whaaahaha.

I'll write about the tour as the days progress - don't want to make this first one an essay - but I do want to say what a joy it was to meet some of you - and how genuinely grateful I am for your support - Donna and Lesa - and Kay, I read what you wrote Michael (as did others) and I'm moved.

St Martin's Minotaur has asked me to write their blog next week - so I'll actually be cheating (not for the first time - you should have seen the size of the pizza we had for dinner last night, disgusting) and using this blog as theirs - but you might notice some odd things because I'll be introducing myself a bit - saying things I realise you've already heard. So my apologies in advance. This is what comes of sloth.

Today is a day to recover...we're staying in Montreal because we have a series of appointments (not least with FRank, our accountant about the taxes) early this week. Might do some writing this afternoon. Took my notebook, sat on the plane, and made notes... scheming. Very healthy. Thank God Homeland Security didn't see any of the things I wrote. Murder on the mind.

It's so good to be back - but such a real joy to meet so many of you.

Be well, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

haircuts for the radio

overcast, storm warning, temps minus 3

It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I had become too famous.
Robert Benchley


Did you know it's Daylight Saving Time? 2am tomorrow, March 9th. We set our clocks forward. This is my public service announcement for the day.

Am in Montreal. Didn't order pizza last night - quote a victory. Instead had pasta primavera and keylime pie. Yay!

Snowed last night, but this morning it's fairly clear. Forecast still calling for 35 cms of snow today. But tomorrow is supposed to be okay.

Had my hair done yesterday - new place. Very scary, escpecially just before the big American tour. Can just see them shaving my head, and me being too stunned or too polite to stop them. Happily people quite expect writers to be a little nuts, so there is leaway for a bad haircut or bad judgement.

Laptop all set up - coffee brewed - bowl of fruit by the computer. It's a writing day. I'm determined to get to the revelation before I heave tomorrow am.

I've asked Michael to do the blogs while I'm away since the scedule is very packed. Added a Vermont NPR radio interview for next week, in anticipation of the South Burlington Library event on the 19th...getting difficult to squeeze the events and interviews in. Good problem to have. When I first toured with STILL LIFE no one wanted to know about me. Things are changing. Probably the haircut.

I'll report in when I can, in the mean time - be well.

I think I can, I think I can

sunny, cool, highs minus 6


A man's life is what his thoughts make it.
Marcus Aurelius

The calm before the storm. Huge one expected to hit Quebec tonight, tomorrow and perhaps in to Sunday. Wouldn't you know it?

Am flying to NYC Sunday to start US tour. Not sure the planes will be flying, but not much we can do about that. As some of you know, I wasn't always happy about flying but have gotten over it, for the most part. But must admit when faced with flying and a major winter blizzard, I feel that 'ol time anxiety.

the trick, I've learned, is to pretend I'm someone who is not afraid.

Works in other areas too.

Well, am driving in to Montreal today, to avoid the roads and the storm. Will try to post tomorrow.

Be well, and speak tomorrow!

To do list: #1 - Kiss up to Janet Evanovich

Brilliant sun, calm, cold, temps minus 16

Today really is cold - but since it's so calm it's actually very nice. In fact, it's more than nice - it's spectacular. Sun gleaming off snow - everything crystal and sparkling, the snow looks pink and blue depending upon the angle.

We've just returned home after a day at Hovey and two in Montreal. The city got quite a bit of snow, but nothing compared to here. There must be a foot of fresh snow. It's hard to write about it without slipping into 'purple prose'. Suffice to say, we feel like weeping, it's so beautiful.

Great to be home. Ran around doing small chores. Dry cleaning, appointment for Maggie at the vet, recycling. We have a composter out back - sometimes needs to be dug out before we can dump the scraps in. Amazing the difference composing and recycling has made to our garbage. And, of course, we don't use grocery store plastic bags anymore - except when I forget to take the canvas bags into the shop - which is about half the time.

Last minute organizing of media and events for the book tour. The big drama is trying to get to the Arizona television morning show studios in time, since I'll be flying in from Detroit that morning. Time difference on our side, but airline schedules aren't. Best we can do so far is 6am flight out of detroit to Phoenix. that gets me in at 8 or so. Rush hour. Sadly, I don't yet rate the St Martin's Minotaur private jet (I think Janet Evanovich is using it) or the chopper (probably Janet again). But one day!

Must run - there's a whole lot of lying around and doing nothing to be done.

Be well and I'll speak tomorrow - and if you haven't yet, you might want to sign up fast to the Newsletter (it's free). I have a couple of give-aways for the launch of THE CRUELEST MONTH in the March issue.

Take care of yourselves.