Touring!

very foggy this morning, as you can see by the picture of Trudy. Now it's raining heavily. Huge thunder storms yesterday. What a May! Temps 12

Pretty gruesome day. Rain and fog. Oh, dear. It would be wonderful to have two days of sun in a row. Just teeming with rain right now. yesterday there was a rain warning out for the townships of Quebec. Expected between 60 and 100 millimeters of rain. Normally a big rainfall is 15. It was insane. For those of you on the imperial scale, 100 millimeters is approx 300 inches. Well, perhaps not quite that. But it's tons of rain.

As you can see by the photos, Trudy got her summer buzz cut. She's ready for the marines. It's what's called a puppy cut. And she sure does look like a puppy. the photo in front of the tree in bloom was taken yesterday, when she first got home from the groomers. The other one was taken by Michael this morning, on their post-breakfast walk.

Lots of writing - into a good patch. I still worry there is a whole lot of story still to tell, and I'm piling up the word count. But then I remember that that's what first drafts are about for me. just getting everything on the page....the cherry picking what's good in later drafts.

the big thing for me, is to be finished writing this book before I start touring with A TRICK OF THE LIGHT. Because if I'm not, I'll have no time to write, or even to think about it. And then, if I have to write when I get back, I'll be worlds away. Pretty much a creative disaster. So that's the deadline I'm heading for.

We're firming up the fall tour. Very exciting. A TRICK OF THE LIGHT will be coming out at the same time in the US and Canada (perhaps a day apart) - so the publicists are organizing a North American tour that will last just over a month. It's very complex, and while I've been consulted on the broadstrokes, I haven't yet seen all the specifics.

It is amazing to me, though, just how many details there are. Many to do, of course, with travel. And since I'm far from the only author on tour this September, it also means coordinating and negotiating with bookstores.

the other thing that has struck me over the years is how meaningful a direct flight it. Not to have to connect. And a nice hotel room. Doesn't have to be the Four Seasons, but a good room is wonderful. As is having someone meet the plane, and drive me to events. Not necessary of course - I'm a big girl and can take a cab easily enough - but it's just one less thing to think about, if someone else is in charge.

For me touring is amazing...getting to finally meet all of you, who read the books, many of you since the very beginning. And many of you have read all of them, several times. I can't tell you how wondeful it is to stand at the front of a room and feel it's filled with sisters and brothers.

but it's also tiring - or can be. It's a marathon, not a sprint. So when we discuss the tour I also scan it for time off - often it's just a couple of quiet hours in the hotel. to regroup. Sometimes 'time off' is a long flight, with extra legroom. That's pretty great.

so we're now at that stage with A TRICK OF THE LIGHT. A sort of 'coming out party'. Hope you can attend! I'll put the schedule up here, and on the website, as soon as it's all confirmed...

though I can tell you that the US launch, on Tuesday, August 30th, is in concord, New Hampshire. At Gibson's Books. yay!!!

Oh, a note to those who still have not contacted me with their coordinates....please do before Monday, otherwise I'll just have to give the arcs to someone else. I notice that a Toni has posted on Facebook, but isn't sure if it is her, since I never contacted her. And I won't. mostly because the toni who won gave me no contact info.

Toni, and Sandy (of Gamache buy marriage) please check the blog post that announced the winners, to see if it is you, then contact me. Before Monday, please.

thank you.

Housekeeping

rainy, cool, temps 19

We actually had the fireplace on! Didn't actually need it, except as atmosphere. So typical of a Canadian summer, though I think this one has had more wild temperature swings than usual.

When I title this post Housekeeping - I don't, of course, mean it literally. Poor Pat and Deanna - when they come to clean they'll sometimes ask about an attachment for the central vac and I just look blank. Never used it. But I do do laundry. And cook. Sort of. I mean really more like bits and pieces of publishing housekeeping.

Spent most of the day on the edit of book 7. Slow going - but I'm liking it, a lot. Only up to page 70 of 245. But added a thousand words or so today...and adjusted quite a few too. Then needed to do some mailings, some books and cards. Replying to emails too...and a critique...and a web interview.

Then re-jigged the home page for the website. Wanting to put the emphasis on BURY YOUR DEAD.

And finally, I selected the winners of the Facebook draw for the arc of bury your dead.

Tomorrow we get up at 5am to get the car in to VW. More small things that need to be done. Have a 7am appointment - takes about an hour and a half to get there. While they work on the car we'll take a loaner to Hovey for breakfast. Then pick up the beetle and head to Granby for coffee with friends. Then home by 1pm, I hope.

And, for the rest of the week, sweet nothing...

Hope you're well. Speak tomorrow.

Does that storm system look like a muffin to you?

overcast, mild, windy, temps minus 1

Just came back from a wonderful lunch with Lise. I do like her so much. She gave me five handmade Armand Gamache bookmarks to take to my events in Arizona - to give one out per event. So it you're there, we'll see about doing a draw or something.

We chatted away at the Cafe Floral - saw a bunch of people we knew. Had fish chowder. Yum. And stopped by Lucy and Danny's bookstore in Knowlton - Brome Lake Books. They'd just shipped a signed copy of The Murder Stone to Hilary in Medicine Hat Alberta. Fun idea.

This morning Michael and I headed off to Cowansville for breakfast, stopping first at Denis's service station to replace a burned out headlight in the volvo. Then breakfast of french toast, bacon and fruit.

As you see, my life has become very simple, as has my conversation. I have two topics. You can choose from either the 'weather' column or the 'food' column. Sometimes I can be persuaded to talk about travels and airlines.

Just looked outside - in the five minutes I've been writing this a storm has blown up! Almost a white-out. And HUGE winds. Unfortunately we need to head into Sutton to do some banking and so Michael can get his beard trimmed.

He hinted, quite broadly, the other day that maybe I wanted to get my hair cut too. Now, Michael wouldn't notice a cow if I moved into our home so I have to figure my hair must be pretty bad for him to say something. And, to be honest, I haven't had it done since the dasterdly 'drag queen' episode in Cambridge, England in September. But perhaps it has grown out enough. Or, maybe Michael prefers the drag queen look. Hmmm. Though this does bode well for the future, especially the moustache I'm working on.

Be well - will talk to you tomorrow.

Death and taxes

Overcast, mild, highs 12

I've finally resigned myself to the fact there is no such thing as a weather forecast here in London. For a Canadian that's the same as living without gravity, or Tim Horton's Double double.

The day starts out one way, by the time I'm dresses appropriately it's changed, then changed again - by lunch it's hailing or snowing or brilliant sunshine. And I'm in my long undies.

Having great fun at the Suzanne Beecher DearReader forum. Some readers are loving The Cruelest Month, some loathing it. Because it's in the fiction club some are just annoyed it's there. Some are very kind and persevering even though it wouldn't be their natural selection.

Here's a quite lengthly response I made to a reader (Doris) who seemed annoyed a mystery had snuck into their fiction club. She admitted she might be just a little grumpy because of her taxes.


Hi Doris,

Death and taxes I guess really don`t mix, but they do seem inevitable in your life right now. Sorry you`re not enjoying the book. I hesitated about responding to you. Partly because it seemed your comments were directed more generally, and partly because my feelings were hurt, I realize now. Then, after sleeping on it, I realized I`m a grown woman and agreed to respond to messages, not simply the ones I want to answer.

I also realized you hit on a subject that has become quite a discussion within the mystery and crime writing community and that`s the very issue of community. Of belonging. Of exlusion and definition. It`s a sort of literary nationalism, with all the comfort and danger associated with nationalism.

What is crime fiction. Is it any different that literary fiction, or fiction generally. I must say my question mark icon has just disappeared, so the lack of punctuation isn`t intentional.

Many mystery writers these days are growing less and less comfortable with the label, when it is used to marginalize the writing. For instance, many mysteries are reviewed (if at all) in their own section of the books page, and not on the `reviews`page with the rest of the writers. There`s growing discontent with that, and questioning why. There`s also a growing sense that good writing is good writing. And there`s a lot of it about. Indeed many so-called literary fiction people are writing mysteries - John Blanville, Margaret Atwood, even Shakespeare. To define (and often dismiss) a book as simply a mystery is to do a diservice to the book and the writer.

The genre of `mystery` was created as a marketing tool, and a very successful one too. We`ve certainly benefited by it. But it`s not meant to stratify the quality of writing.

I had dinner this past autumn with the head of Hachette Livres Australia and he described being on a commission charged with coming up with a direction for support for Australian culture, including the publishing industry. They were given a series of questions to answer. One was `Define Literary Fiction`.Now, this is a man who publishes almost exclusively literary fiction. The committee decided to tackle the difficult questions first, and so left the easy, the obvious one to the end - the literary fiction question. But when they got to it, they found it was in fact the most difficult of them all. Everyone thought it was obvious, how could they not know it. But struggle as they might, fight as they might, they couldn`t come up with a satisfactory definition.He said it revolutionized his view of so-called genre fiction.

Having said all this, there is also a lot of not so great mystery writing out there. Superficial, formulaic - relying on blood rather than feelings. But even those have found happy readers.

The sense in publishing seems to be (and one I adhere to) that for a book to `break-out`it needs to be recognized beyond the borders of it`s genre on the understanding that a good mystery is a good book, and good writing transcends boundaries. Traditional mystery readers picking up and discovering À Thousand Splendid Suns` for example. So I was thrilled when Suzanne chose to put a book she knows perfectly well is a classic mystery into your fiction club. Not to `slip one by`you but to introduce you to a book you might not naturally pick up. I`m very grateful to her for that.

The series has received starred reviews from the Kirkus, Publisher`s weekly, the London Times, the Scotsman, the Sydney Morning Herald. And the Gamache series has been described as `literary mysteries`- I believe because they rely as heavily on character as on mystery, and while it`s possible to read them as comforting cozies, there are deeper layers.

I realize some people will dislike the books. They certainly aren`t for everyone. But I also know they belong in this club, as surely as many works of fiction belong in the mystery club. Happily lines are being blurred.

Still, Doris, I`m very grateful for your comments and for making me look at my own fears and insecurities, my issues of belonging, and legitimacy. And probably my own jealousy that at least your taxes are close to done!

Be well - and know that I do understand.

Louise

And on that gabby note I'll leave you, except to say Doris wrote this morning the loveliest response, saying she'd done some more research and plans to read the series, starting with the first book. Isn't that remarkable? (the question mark is back!)

snow storms and schedules

partly cloudy, mild, highs minus 4

I was wrong about the weather yesterday. When I let the dogs out I thought it was bitterly cold (and God knows it was clear - almost a sure sign it's extremely cold). But it wasn't cold at all! It was one of those amazing days when it's sunny and very mild. Temperature must have been hovering around freezing. Gorgeous.

Today is similar, though not quite as bright. And a little windy, so the windchill comes into effect.

Another storm forecast for tomorrow and Wednesday - and of course we have lots to do on those days. We're trying to figure out our schedule.

So far this is the plan;

Drive to Hovey Manor at 8 tomorrow for breakfast and to discuss the possible launch of the next book there. It's a stunning Inn on the shores of Lac Massawippi, about an hour from us.

Drive 1 1/2 to Cowansville for Michael's test for new glasses.

Try to get to Montreal (about another hour drive) before the snow storm closes in.

Stay night in Montreal. Write Wednesday morning in Montreal. Then Michael has a hearing test Wednesday afternoon. Will probably stay the night Wed. too. Drive back Thursday.

I'm also feeling a little overwhelmed by the degree of details descending. Thank God for Lise. But with all the mystery conventions I'll be going to in the next year I'm having difficulty remembering which one's I've registered for. And if I can't also register for hotel rooms at the time I register for the convention, then I can forget that too.

So far we'll be going to:

*Malice Domestic in Washington (flying direct from London for that) at the end of April
*CrimeFest - in Briston, UK, in June
*BookExpo Canada in June (flying direct from UK to Toronto for that)
*Wolfe Island Festival - in August in Kingston, Ontario
*Bouchercon, in Baltimore, in October
***Magna cum Murder in Muncie in October - I'm the guest of honor with delights me
*Left Coast Crime, in Hawaii, in March 09

I'm normally quite organized, and Lise is ulta-organized - but woke up at 3am wondering about Bouchercon. Sure don't want to miss that.

And, have to say how thrilled I am to be asked to be Guest of Honor at Magna. It's a fantastic, intimate, smart festival run by Katherine Kennison out of the Univeristy in Muncie. It's three days (really 2) and you get to meet and mingle with some wonderful mystery writers. It would be fun to see you there.

On another topic, we received the Russian copies of STILL LIFE late last week. What a thrill. Though a little odd since my name doesn't appear to be on the cover. It is, of course, only in Cyrillic - so I can't read it. So it could be by anyone. But I know whose book it is. And it sends shivers down me to see my first baby translated into Russian. This book no one wanted.

Life astonishes - if we just keep breathing, and trying our best.

Thanks for reading - not sure if I'll be able to write for the next few days, as we battle schedules and snow, but will try. Be well.