Spring in Montreal

sunny, warm, temps 18

We're in Montreal for the day - came in to meet a reporter from Le Devoir, one of the big Quebec papers. Wrote this morning. I wanted to move on to a new chapter, but found myself editing the former one. It's a tricky chapter, lots of stuff, but I don;t it to read like there's a lot there. Want it to zoom along, so you get the info, the character development, the clues, the themes - without even realizing it.

But, we'll see tomorrow. And then move on.

Had fun with the reporter Catherine and the photographer, Anik. We sat on the terrasse on Greene Avenue, chatting and watching the world walk by. I have to say, this is a spectacular city, and so beautiful in spring. Walking over to the bistro, past all the open tulips, with the trees in new bloom, and a sweet scent in the air. so lucky neither Michael nor I have allergies!

It really was a beautiful day.

Except - poor Michael has a cold! Got all the way through fall and winter without one, but come spring and he gets it. It started coming on three days ago, but not bad. We both kept saying how lucky he was - especailly to escape the raw throat (always the worst part of a cold)...then last night, middle of the night, he woke up with a terrible sore throat.

A stretsil and neocitran later and he fell asleep. Today he sounds like an animated character. I thought he'd spend the day in bed, but after breakfast in bed he got up and got to work on his book.

Hope you're all OK. We're watching all the flooding - so stressful. Can't begin to imagine how horrible it would be, to see the water rising. Hope you're not caught up in it.

Peepers

a little overcast now, cool, temps 4

Happy Easter, Happy Passover, Happy Spring.

Yesterday it pelted rain, but that meant all the snow is well and truly gone, until the next storm. But none in the forecast, for now.

One wonderful sign of spring that I often forget is the peepers. The early frogs in the ponds and marshlands. We have two ponds around our home, and quite a bit of wetlands. At dusk and dawn especially, you can hear them. In fact, driving along the country road you can tell when passing wetlands because there's a near deafening sounds of frogs.

We always worry when there's the inevitable cold snap or snow - and for a few days the peepers disappear - but then they come back. Like the earliest spring flowers. How in the world do the crocuses and bluebells survive a heavy layer of snow. But they do. The snow goes and the flowers are still in bloom. Ain't nature grand?

Doug left at 6 this morning. We stayed up, made breakfast and ate in front of the fireplace. While I got to work. Good day. Lots of re-organizing, and re-familiarizing myself with where I was at in the book. Getting back in to that world. I'm still worried this first draft is long...but they always are.

Especially when I set one in a different place, in this case, the monastery. I take a long time creating that world. Much longer than will ever appear in the final book. More for myself really. Then I can edit in the next draft.

I keep telling myself not to worry. And then I worry. More of a nag, really, than that sharp thrust of real concern.

Nice day. Very quiet. Great for concentrating.

Something else about peepers. We never see them. As we get close, they go quiet and disappear. I'm not sure I've ever seen one. Seen loads of frogs in the summer...but not these.

Take care of yourselves.

Films

Sunny, warm, temps plus 5 -

Gorgeous spring day - after a snow storm Friday...and more bad weather forecast for tomorrow. I know the midwest is getting hammered!

We have some regular, and unusual visitors these days. Wild turkeys. We tried to take pictures out the solarium window...the just look like big blobs, but in person they are formidable. Very impressive. And fun.

As you might have read in the newsletter, I've just, and finally agreed to option the first two books for movie rights.

We decided to limit it to Still Life and Dead cold/A Fatal Grace just in case its a disaster. that way the damage is contained. Not that I'm expecting a disaster...I'd never have agreed if I thought that was a possibility. But you just never know.

After 6 years of turning down all offers, I agreed because of the passion this production company showed. For the books, the characters, the themes. And to do a great job. And I was impressed that they offered me the job of Executive Producer. As my agent, who never holds back, said - I wonder if they know what they're getting in to?

this is a Canadian company. I felt strongly that the lead should be taken by a Canadian production company...but there will be international partners. British and American. So if the made-for-TV films are made, they will almost certainly be shown in the UK and the US.

Very fun to dream...to imagine the best case scenario. And so important for me to remain vigilant, to protect the characters without strangling or micro-managing the production. the fact is, film is different than books. And I'm not a film person.

The head of the production company's coming to Montreal on Thursday so we can meet and discuss plans.

Must hop off....it's a hectic time here - and I'm sure you're busy too! But I wanted you to know about the films because we've discussed it before on the blog.

Feel free to offer casting ideas!

Happy Spring!

First day of spring - glorious day here - brilliant sun - started off cold, but warming up. temps plus one

A maple syrup day. Perfect for the sap to run in the trees. It needs to be cold enough at night to freeze, then warm enough in the day for the sap to run. Friends just down the road had what's called here a 'sugar bush' - which means a stand of maples they tap for syrup. Then they hold a 'cabane a sucre' - a sugar shack...where they boil the sap down to the syrup and also make 'tire'. That's the special syrup that is warmed up, dribbled on snow, and it turns into toffee. Nothing like standing outside in the snow, rolling tire (pronounced teer) off the snow with a stick. And eating it. Grains of what's known as 'sugar snow' mixed in with the toffee.

often there's a party - with fiddlers, and scrambled eggs and beans and bacon...with syrup poured over everything.

I think this must be a bit like clam bakes in other areas. A real community event.

As you can see, I took a photo of our very special Quebec mud. on Trudy's ball. At least, we all hope it's mud. Except Trudy, who has a taste for the other.

Also took a shot out at the pond. this is significant because today is the first day Michael and I were able to take Trudy around the pond. Had to wear high boots, because every now and them we'd step on snow we thought was solid, and sink in to our knees. Quite a job yanking the foot out without losing the boot. of course, the boot became filled with that granular snow/ice mix.

But that's how we know it's spring.

The other clue is that we come back hoarse after screaming at Trudy to get off the pond. She doesn't see the difference between the frozen pond and the field. But of course, the pond is also busy melting. And if she broke through...

So we scream. And cajole. And bribe. Which is probably the reason she goes out in the first place. Knowing we'll offer cookies to come back. I'd offer the stuff that isn't mud, if it would get her off the fragile ice.

Right now it's probably OK - but at some stage we stop taking her around, just until the ice has gone out completely.

Did you see the Super Moon last night???

We didn't.

Forgot.

Oh well.

Thanks for all the wonderful comments about Aline. Wonderful to read. I wrote her and told her about them, and she wrote back to say how terribly moved she was.

Wrote this morning, as always. Actually, unwrote a lot. In reading over the past chapter I knew one scene was wrong. I tried not to admit it, but finally had to. So I undid it all, and started again. Now it feels right. So much of writing, at least for me, is slapping something down - then editing and shaping and undoing. But I need to have something one the page to work from. About half, I'd say, I get about right the first time....and about half is wrong. And then the trick is to go for walks, or stare into space, or make another cafe au lait, and see it. See what the characters should be doing. And saying.

It's actually fun, when it isn't terrifying.

they're a bit like Trudy, perhaps. Wandering out onto a pond, where they shouldn't be. And me screaming at them to come back. to solid ground.

happily, as yet, I haven't had to offer Gamache or any of them 'the thing that isn't mud' as an inducement. I suspect cafe au lait would work better for them.

Perspective

sunny, mild, perhaps even warm, temps 11

Yes, 11. Above zero. Celcius. On St. Patrick's day. The traditional storm did not materialize. It feels and smells like spring. And you can see the buds in the garden, right beside snow. But, if you turn around in our garden you see...snow banks 6 feel high.

It all depends on perspective, and perception.

I've decided spring is here...though we're not breaking out the culottes just yet.

Our friend, the amazing Nancy, wrote to us today - about her springtime memories of Eastern Townships roads...

When my kids were young and I piled the three of them in the car (to pick up
their father after work on Fridays)we had to travel the Bromont road. There
were 5 cahoos all in a road and we all yelled "CAHOOOOO" for each one !!
They still do it and they're 30, 32, and 34 !!!!


Had a funny day writing. Tough spot in the manuscript. Have to balance the demands of character development and drama with believable and appropriate behavior. Of course, this is true throughout the book, but there are specific parts in each manuscript which are more challenging. A balancing act. And still needing to drive the plot forward.

Happily, once I get over my fear with a nice hot cross bun, the writing goes well. And I have to keep reminding myself that the point is not to get it right at this stage...an approximation will do. Will get closer in subsequent drafts.

Our great friend Joan is home after 7 weeks in hospital. They're still not sure what she had - but suspect it was in the meningitis family. Terribly worrisome. We could have all used Dr. House. But now she's home and we visited yesterday and she is amazingly well. She'll be celebrating her 79th birthday next Wednesday. And is as vibrant as ever.

My new drug of choice is (besides the comfort of old drugs like gummi bears and hot cross buns) DVD's of the old Mary Tyler Moore show. My god, they're still hilarious! Especially Lou Grant...but really, all of them. One of the shows from the 70's that has worn well, in my opinion.

an easy place to park a tired brain.

Of course, our focus continues to be on events around the world.

Happy Spring!

overcast, mild but damp, temps 7

Nice first day of spring. Snow is fast disappearing. Grass - etc - fast appearing. Yesterday, before Derek and Cathie arrived at the cottage I took Trudy over there to make sure everything was fine. We walked through the woods between the homes, along the path. First time since fall. Wore rubber boots, and needed them. it was a mixture of sodden earth, mud, temporary rivers and grainy snow.

But, wow, was it beautiful. Very earthy. As was Trudy by the time we got back.

Love this time of the year. Michael made it around the pond for the first time in months. Still ice in the pond. No sign of the moose we've had in past years. Hope it's still on the property. Their territory is huge though...many miles. Even more kilometers.

And the bears are waking up. I keep trying to remember to take the 'bear stick' - but keep forgetting.

Had a fun dinner last night with Cathie and Derek. They're off today or tomorrow to the nearby monestary to hear them sing gregorian chants...and to buy chocolate and cheese.

The writing is going well. I'm actually quite surprised and relieved. One of the things I realize I enjoy alot is knowing what needs to happen in a scene, but not knowing when I sit down in the morning how this will happen. So I get to choose how it's revealed. Always a surprise. And when my choices work it's thrilling. When they don't, well, you can imagine how it feels.

Not a good night's sleep last night. But Michael, dear one, let me sleep in. Woke up to the smell of coffee and the sound of kibble hitting Trudy's bowl.

Speak to you tomorrow.

Happy first day of spring!

Happy Spring

sunny, chilly, temps about freezing

Had a wonderful dinner last night with Linda, Bal and Bethany. Thank God they're great cooks...their dinner at our place a few days earlier was mediocre...except Michael's amazing barbequed steaks.

Happy Spring and Equinox by the way.

Wrote a lot today...such a gift to have a day just to ourselves. But writing a section I think stinks...so that's not so good. Still, with luck, by this time next year it won't stink. Everything's a process.

Am downloading Fiddler on the Roof - to exercise to. Haven't heard it in years. This listening to iPod while exercising is brilliant!

Off to make lunch for The Big Guy - who is also writing. Then down into the basement, which is pretty much our General Store, to see if we have enough left over times to do the kitchen in the new rental. Don't need much, the room's the size of my desk. We've signed a 2 year lease and since home's important to us we've discovered it's worthwhile to do some things that make the apartment feel like home. Otherwise I feel I'm just perching, or visiting.

So, we'll paint, put up crown molding and might, as I say, do some tiling in kitchen.

Had a fun meeting with Lise yesterday. doing some scheming, which I'll tell you about in a few weeks.

Hope you're enjoying yourself today. And are at peace and content.

Spring

Sunny, warm, perfect!

This is the most spectacular day. Is this the first day of Spring? You'd think I'd know. Well, if it isn't it should be. So, with the power vested in me by myself I want to wish you all HAPPY SPRING!

Glorious day in London. Picture perfect. Sunny and almost hot.

We went off to dinner last night to the OXO building, which is on the south bank. Peter newsom, from Headline, chose it. It's apparently quite well known. It's an old industrial building - the (you guessed it) Oxo company building. Now it's design studios and on the top this amazing restaurant right on the Thames looking across the St Paul's Cathedral, and Somerset House and all sorts of iconic London sights. As the sun set, and the lights came on in the buildings it was almost enough to make me weep. Splendid.

And Peter was very, very funny - telling us about the perils of export sales. Namely visiting countries he's unfamiliar with, like japan and korea. Places where the food and customs were quite unfamiliar. He said he was once at quite an important business dinner in Japan and ate the table decoration.

Today Michael and I worked on our books in the morning - our usual cherished routine. Then a car came for me and I headed off to the Headline International Authors lunch, which was basically two writers from South Africa who write under one name - Michael Stanley. The book ( a first) is called A Carrion Death. I haven't read it, but it's getting great buzz and seems like one to buy! It's set in Botswana. And the two men are lovely. I'm trying to convince them to come to Bouchercon in Baltimore this year.

Mike Ripley was there as well - one of my favorite people. Wonderful reviewer, columnist for Shotsmag, and writer. I'm reading his book: Boudica and the Lost Roman. He's also an archeologist and gave me a Roman jug he excavated a few years ago. It's so deeply moving to hold it and think of the hands that first held it. The man, or perhaps woman, who made it. And what their lives were like.

Two women, Anna and Sarah, were there from the Borders Airport bookstores. They order the books. Good people to know - but loads of fun too. We talked about the books we'd pretended to have read. More than I care to admit to.

Once home Michael and I walked through the gorgeous afternoon sun to The Kings Road for a hot chocolate and pastry at Paul's Cafe, then to Holy Trinity Church on Sloane street to see his sister Carol's exhibition. She's one of a number of artists with a group show on now. The church is wonderful...it serves as an active church for the parish, but has chosen the arts as a vocation, and so supports artists in the area. of which there are a few. Carol is an extremely gifted artist and it was great to see her show.

And now home. Reading the Times, the Evening Standard and The Independent. And OK magazine. Mustn't raise the bar too high.

Only a couple more days in London - but we'll be back in a month, so not too upset about leaving. Besides, I miss home, and the puppies, Maggie and Trudy. Sent them a card. God help us, we're that sort of dog people.

Be well.