East Coast snow!

light snow, mild, temps minus 3

A beautiful, gentle day here...in contrast to what those of you along the east coast have last night and today. My God - 18 inches in places. Some places more. New York city getting a foot and a half. It must have been absolute chaos.

Our day was very quiet. I went off to be Pina-ed. She's our neighbour and runs an exercise class in Sutton which Michael and I have started taking again. After a 5 year hiatus. Have you noticed that some days, when exercising, it's not terribly difficult and other days you can barely lift your legs? I had the latter today. Torture. Pinatized. I might need therapy. Again.

But wow, does it feel good when you stop.

Popped into the grocery store (resisted the chips and gummis) then home just in time to meet Kirk. He and Jane are helping us design the renovation. We have a solarium at the end of our kitchen which was never the best quality and has not improved with age. So now it's like having an open window in our kitchen. And when it's minus 34 as it was Monday, that is not a good thing.

So we've decided to re-do it, and the kitchen. So Kirk came by to discuss it, and then our contractor came and we all walked around discussing options.

Now, I'm not extravagant. Mostly because I hate being in debt. If we can't pay it off quickly, it doesn't happen. So the poor contractor kept having to re-adjust the ideas to try to fit our budget. But my theory is that anyone can do a great house if you have a million dollars. The creativity comes in trying to achieve something beautiful and useful on a modest budget.

that's what we're trying to achieve. We'll see how I feel when the cardboard kitchen cabinets arrive, and the sod floor.

then in the afternoon we got caught up on bits and pieces - wrote the February newsletter for instance - and replied to emails.

Hope those of you along the east coast are safe and have managed to dig out. We're thinking of you.

the doc's dock

sunny, mild, temps 15

Another beautiful day - we're back in Sutton. Walked over to the guest cottage with trudy to see how Gary and Alan got on without our supervision and advice. Oddly, everything is finished! And done beautifully!! The large blacony/deck/verandah. And they re-built the dock completely! And even built in a bench. It is just so peaceful on a summer's day to sit down there with a cup of coffee in the morning. And now they needn't worry about taking their lives in their hands.

the place is getting very uninteresting. Hardly any mortal dangers anymore. Bears gone. Decks without holes. Docks repaired. We're heading off to Malice on Thursday (thank for the link, Marjorie!!!) - but friends will be using the cottage in our absence - coming for a funeral.

Speaking of travels, we've confirmed (as far as I know) that the Canadian launch party for Bury Your Dead will be in Quebec City on Friday, Oct 29th. At the Morrin Centre - which is the home of the wonderful Literary and Historical Society - where much of the action of Bury Your Dead takes place. We'll be there, of course...and it'll be a GREAT party. If you can come that would be amazing.

And, have just booked a few days in New York in early July...some business stuff, but mostly going to celebrate my friend Dan's birthday. Michael and I will be staying at a hotel I've been dying to try - the W Union Square. Now, we've stayed at lots of W's - like them a lot...but they are famous for compact rooms...and in NYC they tend to be miniscule. But apparently the W Un ion Square has much larger rooms...and we booked into a Mega Room - which bodes well. Will let you know, of course.

Gary and Alan, Bless 'em, also put the dock in at the main house.

The daffodils are all up - the tulips are just days away from blooming. What an amazing time of the year...especually when you consider the feet and feet of snow not all that long ago.

Didn't get any writing done today - but did a first draft of the May newsletter. Don't forget, I'll be giving away 2 copies of the advance copy of BURY YOUR DEAD in this newsletter. It always feels better to get the newsletter written. Linda Lyall, in Scotland, who manages and designs the website and newsletter, is magnificent.

Must go. Have some gardening to do. As we talked to the cottage I noticed some digitalis in the forest _ where i'd spread seeds years ago - and want to dig some up and plant them in the garden around the house. And our friend Cotton dropped by while we were gone and left off three beautiful potted asian lilies, which need to be popped into the garden as well. The cutting garden I think, for them.

Speak to you tomorrow.

Oh - the Canadien's won!!! Just when we thought we'd be put out of our misery. But hope still burns.

The Beginning

sunny, cold, temps minus 10

Not as cold as yesterday. Just got off the ellitical torture device. 20 minutes..for both of us. Michael - wretched man - refused to do my 20 minutes for me.

Wrote the opening for book 6. won't tell you what it is. Was aiming to do 500 words and ended up at about 800. The first go at it this morning I was happy with but not ecstatic. Then had an idea and tried a new top...and it all came together. Funny how you know when it's right and when it's not quite right. It might still change, of course. But right now I'm happy.

Am tempted to put The End there and pretend I'm finished and the rest is just editing. It's all perception. And a dash of delusion.

We're fasting for tomorrow. I think I know why they call it a fast, because we pray for it to be over quickly. Yes, I am that insightful.

Linda sent the newsletter out today with the giveaway and a recipe for Pouding Chomeur.

Must run, we're off to Montreal. Will try to blog from there. Be well.

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.

Nearing The End

heavy rains, mild, temps 20

torrential rains today. Loads of leaves fell so that our lawn now looks like amber. Quite stunning in itself.

The October newsletter went out. Just spent some time responding to the kind people who wrote me after recieving the newsletter. Not actually sure how much longer I can keep that up, since the numbers are increasing as is the time it takes - b ut I feel it's rude not to. And I know the only reason I have the life I have is because of the readers.

Made dinner tonight - a pork paprikash (sp?)...Hungarian dish...wonderful.

Nearing the end of the editing. the re-write for the new facts took quite a while this morning, but it made the section even stronger, and I'm thrilled about that. I adore this stage in a book. More problem-solving than creation. Less frightening.

Am off...quite tired after a very long day at the computer. But a very good day. Hope yours was too.

The strange voice in Michael's head

mainly sunny, cold, temps 4

Heard from both Lise and Tony back home in Sutton that it snowed yesterday! And stayed on the ground. Tony, who is looking after our home and Maggie and Trudy, says the dogs will be very sad to see us return. Oh my. According to Tony, they're having a ball with him and his dogs.

We'll have to put an end to all that fun!

Had lots of fun yesterday. I had lunch with Susan at a funky (do people still use that word? Is it groovy to use it?) restaurant in Old Montreal. Michael had lunch with David Rosenblatt, one of his very best friends. He's a doctor and geneticist at McGill, and they lead each other astray, dietarily. Unlike Susan and me.

Then Michael got his new hearing aids. For the last ten years or so he's worn one in his left ear, but now he needs them in both. He's such a riot. Since being fitted yesterday afternoon he's constantly got his fingers to his ears, 'tuning' the aids. They're quite high-tech with knobs and buttons. For all I knew there might be a tiny satellite dish. He says the oddest part, and the hardest to get used to, is his own voice in his head. With two hearing aids it's changed.

After that I had a coffee with a neighbor, Robert Landori-Hoffman. He writes thrillers. We talked about the market.

Wanted to mention a new blog. It's called stageandpage and it's written by Pat Donnelly, the arts editor at the Montreal Gazette. Fun way to keep up on stuff happening in the province.

And - this is the last day to sign up for my May Newsletter in which I give away 6 copies of Julia Spencer-Fleming's new book I SHALL NOT WANT. And she'll even sign them to the winners!

You can sign up on the home page of my website.

Tonight is the big Crime Writers of Canada event at the Atwater Library in Montreal. It starts at 7pm, and features a talk by Jim Napier. He's just fantastic. He taught crime writing for many years, is a writer himself and writes reviews of mysteries for the Sherbrooke Record. He'll be giving a talk on what makes a winning book. Then there's a panel discussion with NAT Grant, Michael Blair (the president of the CWC), Robert Landori-Hoffman, Andre Baby and me.

And finally, after that, Michael Blair will announce the nominations for this years Arthur Ellis Awards for Crime Writing in Canada. The awards themselves will be announced at the CWC banquet in early June in Toronto.

Love to see you at the Atwater Library tonight! After that Michael and I will drive home.

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