overcast, some light snow, mild - temps plus 2
Nice day - snow still melting but we had a little more fall last night.
Zipped off to Knowlton this morning to drop the record off at CIDI community radio station. Not sure when they'll be finished transferring it. Now having a quiet afternoon. Watching Entourage. It sort of feels like the last day of summer vacation before school begins!
We invited Bal, Linda and Bethany over to watch the hockey finals this afternoon. Starts at 3pm our time. they'll bring the snack and we provide the drinks and TV. Bal seems to have fallen in love with the high definition.
We're very nervous about the game. I can guarantee the roads of Canada will be almost silent and empty at 3pm our time (noon in Vancouver). Placards were being set out in front of cafes and bars yesterday announcing that they were having a party to watch the Olympic finals.
But - before we get there - did you see the curling. Wow. Loved it.
Now heading up for a bath and a relax... happily having the Mounts is like having family - I plan to stay in my sweats.
In terms of the book, I start tomorrow morning...but my big question now is, do I write it on the new MacBook or go back to my ancient, beloved PC? I'm not sure. I'll tell you tomorrow what I decide. Apparently what I write it on isn't crucial - at least, my agent says the publishers will not accept that as an excuse if the book is bad.
Drat.
Speak to you tomorrow. Enjoy the day!
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Olympian anxiety
sunny breaks, some snow squalls, mild - temps plus 3
Dear Lord, sitting here watching the Canadian men's curling team play Norway (their skip - siiigh) in the gold medal match. Heart pounding. Canada up 5 to 3, but Norway smart and well positioned. 9th End. there's one more end.
But - while the curling is on in the BG - I have to tell you about last night and the Olympics. Bal, Linda and Bethany came over and Bal and Michael immediately raced to the TV to watch the Canadian women's finals playing Sweden. Shrieks from the TV rooms as Canada battled Sweden...and finally Sweden prevailed.
Dear Lord, the Norwegians might score three in this end...
there are no atheists at curling matches. Yikes. Rock going down the ice...ooops - Norway just knocked our stones out of the rings. That can't be good.
So, last night the Canadian women won silver. We all ate dinner around the TV - mouths agape.
Then the Mounts ran back to the guest cottage and Michael and I watched the hockey - Canada vs Slovakia in the semi-finals. Unbelievable game. We won - but wow was it terrifying in the last minute. Slovakia poured everything the had - score was 3-2. Canada collapsed. The Slovaks were pounding shot after shot at the goalie. 20 seconds to go. One looked like it went in. The crowd was screaming. We were screaming. I think I could hear Bal and Linda in the cottage screaming. More Slovakian shots on net. All of Canada silent - hilding breaths...watching the clock. Slovaks pull their goalie...another forward comes on the ice to hammer the Canadians. 10 seconds... 5 seconds. A slovakian shot on goal - one last. And it misses.
Ohhhh - Canada won - but just.
And now we go to the finals tomorrow - Sunday - at 3pm our time. We've invited the mounts back...might as well scream together.
Busy but very fun day today...breakfast with Cheryl, lunch with Lili and David - saw Jacques and Louise tonight to celebrate his birthday.
Oh - Canada just got one more point at the end of the ninth end. score is now 6 to 3 for Canada. We might win gold. Still - that Norwegian skip. He might need comforting after this...
By the way, there's a wonderful post by Robin Agnew you might want to read...she runs Aunt Agatha's Bookstore in Ann Arbor - a fabulous mystery bookstore. She put up her favorite mystery/crime books each year so far this decade. Here's the link to the blog she writes with others...great name to 'Hey, There's a Dead Guy in my Living Room.'
Here's the link:
http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/
It's a great blog - all the posts.
Martin now shooting final stone...for Canadian gold!!!! And - we win!!!!! Wow. I like Kevin Martin, our skip. Seems like such a nice man. The crowd just sang, spontaneously, O Canada. Very moving. This might sound normal, but it is, believe me, quite rare for a Canadian crowd to do that. All the more moving, really, when it does happen.
Wow. And the Norwegians - while I'm sure very sorry to win silver - have the grace to smile and shake hands and clap the Canadians on the back...to be good sports. Surely that's all part of being a really great, world-class competitor - being gracious in defeat as well as winning.
Off to Knowlton tomorrow. I finally found that record i"ve been looking for for decades...Billy Bishop Goes to War. Wonderful musical. But only available on LP...not CD. But happily, Maurice at the local radio station said if I take it to the station tomorrow morning he'll download it. Such a nice man. But he also asked if i could do a radio show for them.
After some discussion we decided it would be fun if I took a tape recorder with me to Washington for Malice Domestic - and recorded my experiences - emotions - events...some interviews perhaps with people there, both readers and writers. Give listeners a feeling they're there with us. So I'll be doing that.
But very excited to finally get to hear that record again. Especially as I begin the next book. More wonderful music to inspire and lift me...make me better than I actually am.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Dear Lord, sitting here watching the Canadian men's curling team play Norway (their skip - siiigh) in the gold medal match. Heart pounding. Canada up 5 to 3, but Norway smart and well positioned. 9th End. there's one more end.
But - while the curling is on in the BG - I have to tell you about last night and the Olympics. Bal, Linda and Bethany came over and Bal and Michael immediately raced to the TV to watch the Canadian women's finals playing Sweden. Shrieks from the TV rooms as Canada battled Sweden...and finally Sweden prevailed.
Dear Lord, the Norwegians might score three in this end...
there are no atheists at curling matches. Yikes. Rock going down the ice...ooops - Norway just knocked our stones out of the rings. That can't be good.
So, last night the Canadian women won silver. We all ate dinner around the TV - mouths agape.
Then the Mounts ran back to the guest cottage and Michael and I watched the hockey - Canada vs Slovakia in the semi-finals. Unbelievable game. We won - but wow was it terrifying in the last minute. Slovakia poured everything the had - score was 3-2. Canada collapsed. The Slovaks were pounding shot after shot at the goalie. 20 seconds to go. One looked like it went in. The crowd was screaming. We were screaming. I think I could hear Bal and Linda in the cottage screaming. More Slovakian shots on net. All of Canada silent - hilding breaths...watching the clock. Slovaks pull their goalie...another forward comes on the ice to hammer the Canadians. 10 seconds... 5 seconds. A slovakian shot on goal - one last. And it misses.
Ohhhh - Canada won - but just.
And now we go to the finals tomorrow - Sunday - at 3pm our time. We've invited the mounts back...might as well scream together.
Busy but very fun day today...breakfast with Cheryl, lunch with Lili and David - saw Jacques and Louise tonight to celebrate his birthday.
Oh - Canada just got one more point at the end of the ninth end. score is now 6 to 3 for Canada. We might win gold. Still - that Norwegian skip. He might need comforting after this...
By the way, there's a wonderful post by Robin Agnew you might want to read...she runs Aunt Agatha's Bookstore in Ann Arbor - a fabulous mystery bookstore. She put up her favorite mystery/crime books each year so far this decade. Here's the link to the blog she writes with others...great name to 'Hey, There's a Dead Guy in my Living Room.'
Here's the link:
http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/
It's a great blog - all the posts.
Martin now shooting final stone...for Canadian gold!!!! And - we win!!!!! Wow. I like Kevin Martin, our skip. Seems like such a nice man. The crowd just sang, spontaneously, O Canada. Very moving. This might sound normal, but it is, believe me, quite rare for a Canadian crowd to do that. All the more moving, really, when it does happen.
Wow. And the Norwegians - while I'm sure very sorry to win silver - have the grace to smile and shake hands and clap the Canadians on the back...to be good sports. Surely that's all part of being a really great, world-class competitor - being gracious in defeat as well as winning.
Off to Knowlton tomorrow. I finally found that record i"ve been looking for for decades...Billy Bishop Goes to War. Wonderful musical. But only available on LP...not CD. But happily, Maurice at the local radio station said if I take it to the station tomorrow morning he'll download it. Such a nice man. But he also asked if i could do a radio show for them.
After some discussion we decided it would be fun if I took a tape recorder with me to Washington for Malice Domestic - and recorded my experiences - emotions - events...some interviews perhaps with people there, both readers and writers. Give listeners a feeling they're there with us. So I'll be doing that.
But very excited to finally get to hear that record again. Especially as I begin the next book. More wonderful music to inspire and lift me...make me better than I actually am.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Friday, 26 February 2010
T'was a dark and...
mainly sunny, mild, temps plus 4
Unbelievably mild day - most of that snow we had - about 2 feet - melted. Very sorry to see it go. But we still have lots. And I see the east coast is getting hammered. Again. Very odd weather patterns when New York has a harsher winter than the Quebec hinterland.
Did you see the gold medal women's hockey??? What a great game - at least sitting where I am! It's just possible american fans might feel different. To be honest, not being into hockey, we weren't all that pleased when it seemed a choice between that or Norway vs finland in cross country skiing. So we begrudgingly settled in to watch the hockey. And within 2 minutes we were hooked - yelling at the screen (they won because of us, you know. Same thing applied to airplanes...they only stay up because I will them to...and you thought it was science). We got very, very excited.
And then Canada won. Fun.
Did you see the figure skating? Now, I have to admit, as exciting as the hockey turned out to be, my heart all day was yearning for the long programme in skating. To see that South Korean woman again. And Flatt and the other American - so graceful and so young. And, of course, Joannie. Wow.
Gorgeous. All of them.
It's been a busy but fun day. Breakfast in Cowansville - then a meeting at the Sutton school about their Reading initiative they've asked me to be part of. Met with 3 school people to discuss it. We decided I'd go for lunch on March 18th, then speak to the students. Mostly about the struggles I had. One of the teachers also suggested I talk about starting a book...apparently the kids struggle with that. How a story should begin. i think that's a great idea. Indeed, I asked if - to make it interactive - the kids could be asked to write first lines.
Oddly, just that morning tying up my boots to go out to breakfast I suddenly knew how Book 7 should begin. poor Michael and trudy were already in the car and I took off into the living room to write my thoughts down in the notebook.
Cannot begin to tell you what a relief this is! I'd been growing more and more anxious. I know the story of book 7. I even knew - in broad strokes - what I wanted to have happen in the first chapter...but not the first line. Not the introductory scene.
Now I know.
Makes Monday seem a lot less frightening.
then, over breakfast, I had more ideas and needed to interrupt Michael to jot them down. poor one. but he's been through this before. Each book really is different, though. Each has it's own unexpected rough patches and challenges - and even writing tempo.
Must head off...our friends who are staying at the guest cottage for the next two weeks have just arrived. Bal, Linda and Bethany Mount. They're coming over for dinner. Linda - who has eaten here many times - decided to make the main dish. Smart woman. Lucky us.
tomorrow morning I'm breakfasting with Cheryl, then Michael and I are having lunch with David and Lili in Sutton...and seeing jacques and Louise later in the day. Trying to get all the socializing in before starting the book.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Unbelievably mild day - most of that snow we had - about 2 feet - melted. Very sorry to see it go. But we still have lots. And I see the east coast is getting hammered. Again. Very odd weather patterns when New York has a harsher winter than the Quebec hinterland.
Did you see the gold medal women's hockey??? What a great game - at least sitting where I am! It's just possible american fans might feel different. To be honest, not being into hockey, we weren't all that pleased when it seemed a choice between that or Norway vs finland in cross country skiing. So we begrudgingly settled in to watch the hockey. And within 2 minutes we were hooked - yelling at the screen (they won because of us, you know. Same thing applied to airplanes...they only stay up because I will them to...and you thought it was science). We got very, very excited.
And then Canada won. Fun.
Did you see the figure skating? Now, I have to admit, as exciting as the hockey turned out to be, my heart all day was yearning for the long programme in skating. To see that South Korean woman again. And Flatt and the other American - so graceful and so young. And, of course, Joannie. Wow.
Gorgeous. All of them.
It's been a busy but fun day. Breakfast in Cowansville - then a meeting at the Sutton school about their Reading initiative they've asked me to be part of. Met with 3 school people to discuss it. We decided I'd go for lunch on March 18th, then speak to the students. Mostly about the struggles I had. One of the teachers also suggested I talk about starting a book...apparently the kids struggle with that. How a story should begin. i think that's a great idea. Indeed, I asked if - to make it interactive - the kids could be asked to write first lines.
Oddly, just that morning tying up my boots to go out to breakfast I suddenly knew how Book 7 should begin. poor Michael and trudy were already in the car and I took off into the living room to write my thoughts down in the notebook.
Cannot begin to tell you what a relief this is! I'd been growing more and more anxious. I know the story of book 7. I even knew - in broad strokes - what I wanted to have happen in the first chapter...but not the first line. Not the introductory scene.
Now I know.
Makes Monday seem a lot less frightening.
then, over breakfast, I had more ideas and needed to interrupt Michael to jot them down. poor one. but he's been through this before. Each book really is different, though. Each has it's own unexpected rough patches and challenges - and even writing tempo.
Must head off...our friends who are staying at the guest cottage for the next two weeks have just arrived. Bal, Linda and Bethany Mount. They're coming over for dinner. Linda - who has eaten here many times - decided to make the main dish. Smart woman. Lucky us.
tomorrow morning I'm breakfasting with Cheryl, then Michael and I are having lunch with David and Lili in Sutton...and seeing jacques and Louise later in the day. Trying to get all the socializing in before starting the book.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Clara Hughes!!
overcast, mild, blustery, temps plus 2
Oh dear - we might be losing all the magnificent snow we had yesterday. About two feet of the stuff. Gorgeous. Anthony's back, doing some more shoveling. It's such fun - there's so much of it that walking out our back door is like walking into a snow fort - with high, carved walls of snow on either side. There was so much snow we couldn't see our car...it was buried.
But then, unexpectedly, Michael came and said we had to go into the village - to the post office. Something needed to arrive at the government by Monday. Fortunately Tony had already dug the car out so we all just brushed it off, and we headed into town.
Honestly - thank God for all wheel drive, and snow tired. The plow had been by in the last hour, but only one swing, so our road was one lane wide. Had we met any other demented people on it we'd have had a bit of a problem. But no one, as it turns out, was quite as nuts as us.
We got to and from the post office just fine. Even climbing the very big series of hill to our home. We're pretty much on a plateau snuggled on the top of some mountains, but between a few higher ones. It will be snowing at our place but rain in the village. And we can see the temperature (as measured by our car, which is clearly smarter than we are - now that would be a good game show. Are You Smarter Than Your Car? the answer is, no.) but you can see the temperature drop as we climb the hills to our home.
it was actually quite fun - except it mean the almost inconceivable...I had to leave the couch by the fireplace.
I saw Clara Hughes win bronze. What a remarkable woman - indeed person - she is! You know she's won SIX olympic medals...most in speed skating, but one in the Summer Olympics in biking. And she works hard for others - raising huge amounts for a cause called 'Right to Play' - for children in developing nations. Lovely woman.
I cannot believe we've never actually met. She's been training in Vancouver for the past 18 months, but still - before that...even in the IGA for groceries. You'd have thought... I must send her a congratulatory note. And when she gets back see if we can't get together for a coffee...though I suspect she'll be very busy.
We also watched Canada defeat (easily) the Russians in hockey. They looked a different team than the one that lost to the US on Sunday night. So - we're still in it. Tonight it's the women's long programme in skating. Go Joannie! And that delightful young American...Flatt is her name? Actually, though I really will be cheering Joannie, I have to say for the most part I just love seeing all their performances. Such poise under unbearable pressure. Can you imagine standing alone at centre ice in the Olympics in that silence before the music begins.
Wow.
Having a quiet day. Fine-tuning the newsletter...answering Michel's questions about the french translation for Dead Cold/A Fatal Grace. Doing bits and pieces. Trying to really clear the decks before starting to write book 7. hard to believe I'm actually at book 7.
In answering some of Michel's translation issues I needed to go back to Dead cold/A Fatal Grace. Always afraid when I do that I'll hate the book - be embarrassed by it. But, you know, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. A huge relief. One day, perhaps when I'm 90, I will sit by the fire and re-read all the books (all 45 of them). I look forward to the day I can do that. Right now I can't re-read a book already published. Bits and pieces, yes...but not the whole thing.
But, when the time comes that I have the time and distance to do it - and my internal critic had died and gone to Hell - I will pour a cafe au lait, get a croissant and read. And remember this amazing, blessed, glorious time in my life. When I have Michael and this lovely career.
In the meantime - forward!
Oh dear - we might be losing all the magnificent snow we had yesterday. About two feet of the stuff. Gorgeous. Anthony's back, doing some more shoveling. It's such fun - there's so much of it that walking out our back door is like walking into a snow fort - with high, carved walls of snow on either side. There was so much snow we couldn't see our car...it was buried.
But then, unexpectedly, Michael came and said we had to go into the village - to the post office. Something needed to arrive at the government by Monday. Fortunately Tony had already dug the car out so we all just brushed it off, and we headed into town.
Honestly - thank God for all wheel drive, and snow tired. The plow had been by in the last hour, but only one swing, so our road was one lane wide. Had we met any other demented people on it we'd have had a bit of a problem. But no one, as it turns out, was quite as nuts as us.
We got to and from the post office just fine. Even climbing the very big series of hill to our home. We're pretty much on a plateau snuggled on the top of some mountains, but between a few higher ones. It will be snowing at our place but rain in the village. And we can see the temperature (as measured by our car, which is clearly smarter than we are - now that would be a good game show. Are You Smarter Than Your Car? the answer is, no.) but you can see the temperature drop as we climb the hills to our home.
it was actually quite fun - except it mean the almost inconceivable...I had to leave the couch by the fireplace.
I saw Clara Hughes win bronze. What a remarkable woman - indeed person - she is! You know she's won SIX olympic medals...most in speed skating, but one in the Summer Olympics in biking. And she works hard for others - raising huge amounts for a cause called 'Right to Play' - for children in developing nations. Lovely woman.
I cannot believe we've never actually met. She's been training in Vancouver for the past 18 months, but still - before that...even in the IGA for groceries. You'd have thought... I must send her a congratulatory note. And when she gets back see if we can't get together for a coffee...though I suspect she'll be very busy.
We also watched Canada defeat (easily) the Russians in hockey. They looked a different team than the one that lost to the US on Sunday night. So - we're still in it. Tonight it's the women's long programme in skating. Go Joannie! And that delightful young American...Flatt is her name? Actually, though I really will be cheering Joannie, I have to say for the most part I just love seeing all their performances. Such poise under unbearable pressure. Can you imagine standing alone at centre ice in the Olympics in that silence before the music begins.
Wow.
Having a quiet day. Fine-tuning the newsletter...answering Michel's questions about the french translation for Dead Cold/A Fatal Grace. Doing bits and pieces. Trying to really clear the decks before starting to write book 7. hard to believe I'm actually at book 7.
In answering some of Michel's translation issues I needed to go back to Dead cold/A Fatal Grace. Always afraid when I do that I'll hate the book - be embarrassed by it. But, you know, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. A huge relief. One day, perhaps when I'm 90, I will sit by the fire and re-read all the books (all 45 of them). I look forward to the day I can do that. Right now I can't re-read a book already published. Bits and pieces, yes...but not the whole thing.
But, when the time comes that I have the time and distance to do it - and my internal critic had died and gone to Hell - I will pour a cafe au lait, get a croissant and read. And remember this amazing, blessed, glorious time in my life. When I have Michael and this lovely career.
In the meantime - forward!
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Joannie Rochette
snow, blowing snow, temps around freezing
What a day! Two feet of snow at least...thank God for Tony who came and dug us out this afternoon and even brought a bag of groceries (hot cross buns, chocolate syrup - the essentials...just like the pioneers). We were going to stay in Montreal overnight and drive down to the country today. I had a Skype book club chat with this marvelous bookstore called Mysteries&More in Nashville. It started at 8pm. We had a great time...lots of fun and interesting questions. They'd read Still Life.
But - Michael and I had heard the forecast. There was always going to be bad weather for the balance of the week, but a sudden storm had appeared off the east coast and would hit Quebec by midnight and dump up to 20 cm's of snow. And the rest of the week was looking bad too.
So we decided to scoot into the car and head home in the window between 9pm and midnight. The first half of the drive was quite...between the forecast for a blizzard and the Canada/Germany hockey game, we were mostly alone on the road. Then the snow started...and got heavier and heavier. We were going to stop for dinner off the highway but decided to push through. made it home - always a relief! - in time to watch Joannie Rochette skate in the women's short programme. both Michael and I were in tears, as were most of the people watching. Poor one. What depths she must have. Sometimes when watching sports it suddenly becomes about something else...and no score could ever reflect that. That was such a moment.
These young athletes are amazing. She's amazing.
Then Michael and I crawled to bed and woke up to snow plastered against the windows...we could barely see out. It was waist deep and we got on our snowshoes to walk through it but could only get two paces away...I couldn't lift my leg high enough to get to the top of the snow.
I was supposed to go for a meeting at the Sutton school, to discuss their Reading Programme. As you know, they've asked me to take part, which I'm thrilled to do - but I'm not a natural with children. After I mentioned on the blog that my strategy was to treat them like puppies a number of you wrote to say kids actually have thoughts, and feelings and imaginations and perhaps it would be better to appeal to those rather than offer them cookies if they sit up nice and beg.
So I will try. But we had to cancel the meeting since the school was closed. Rescheduled for Friday.
We were forced - forced I say - to have a cafe au lait in front of the fireplace instead. I wrote the March newsletter and marveled at Marjorie from Connecticut, who seems a "friends" demon. She'd have made a marvelous herder in another life.
Unfortunately the snow has also plastered itself against our satellite dish, so no Olympics. More time in front of the fire. Reading, nibbling, sipping. Preparing to write the next book, starting monday.
Oh, Michael just reported that the satellite is clear and Sutton's own Clara Hughes is about to skate in the Olympics. Must fly. Speak tomorrow. Be well.
What a day! Two feet of snow at least...thank God for Tony who came and dug us out this afternoon and even brought a bag of groceries (hot cross buns, chocolate syrup - the essentials...just like the pioneers). We were going to stay in Montreal overnight and drive down to the country today. I had a Skype book club chat with this marvelous bookstore called Mysteries&More in Nashville. It started at 8pm. We had a great time...lots of fun and interesting questions. They'd read Still Life.
But - Michael and I had heard the forecast. There was always going to be bad weather for the balance of the week, but a sudden storm had appeared off the east coast and would hit Quebec by midnight and dump up to 20 cm's of snow. And the rest of the week was looking bad too.
So we decided to scoot into the car and head home in the window between 9pm and midnight. The first half of the drive was quite...between the forecast for a blizzard and the Canada/Germany hockey game, we were mostly alone on the road. Then the snow started...and got heavier and heavier. We were going to stop for dinner off the highway but decided to push through. made it home - always a relief! - in time to watch Joannie Rochette skate in the women's short programme. both Michael and I were in tears, as were most of the people watching. Poor one. What depths she must have. Sometimes when watching sports it suddenly becomes about something else...and no score could ever reflect that. That was such a moment.
These young athletes are amazing. She's amazing.
Then Michael and I crawled to bed and woke up to snow plastered against the windows...we could barely see out. It was waist deep and we got on our snowshoes to walk through it but could only get two paces away...I couldn't lift my leg high enough to get to the top of the snow.
I was supposed to go for a meeting at the Sutton school, to discuss their Reading Programme. As you know, they've asked me to take part, which I'm thrilled to do - but I'm not a natural with children. After I mentioned on the blog that my strategy was to treat them like puppies a number of you wrote to say kids actually have thoughts, and feelings and imaginations and perhaps it would be better to appeal to those rather than offer them cookies if they sit up nice and beg.
So I will try. But we had to cancel the meeting since the school was closed. Rescheduled for Friday.
We were forced - forced I say - to have a cafe au lait in front of the fireplace instead. I wrote the March newsletter and marveled at Marjorie from Connecticut, who seems a "friends" demon. She'd have made a marvelous herder in another life.
Unfortunately the snow has also plastered itself against our satellite dish, so no Olympics. More time in front of the fire. Reading, nibbling, sipping. Preparing to write the next book, starting monday.
Oh, Michael just reported that the satellite is clear and Sutton's own Clara Hughes is about to skate in the Olympics. Must fly. Speak tomorrow. Be well.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Ice Dancing
overcast, wet flurries, temps 0
Did you see the ice dancing last night at the Olympics??? Amazing, beautiful, performances. I adore the American pair who've been skating since they were kids...love the old video of them skating together. But what joy to see Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue dance. And win.
It was transcendent. And they were so happy. Joyous. And, to add to the delight, as Hope Dellon my US editor said - Tessa Virtue is not only a brilliant athletes and gorgeous...she has the BEST name ever. I think I might have to start using it. Tessa Virtue...
Watched a wonderful film last night too - before the ice dancing...a small, hilarious british film called In The Loop - political satire. Great.
Finished the copy edits yesterday as you know - but today's struggle was to ship them back. called UPS - who refused to picked them up today even though Michael called at 10:30 in the morning. We needed to pay an extra 2 dollars, which we were willing to do...but wait, no, we couldn't pay it, the US publishers had to pay it - but wait - their account wasn't set up for this admittedly new UPS rule. So they'd pick it up from us tomorrow but, no, they couldn't tell us when in a 12 hour period they might arrive.
UPS. I wonder if they know they have competition? From FedEx, from the post office, from emails... I wonder if they've heard of the economic downturn - where it might be a good idea to ramp-up customer service. Ugh.
I wrote to my magnificent US publishers - Laura at St. martin's Minotaur and ran through the situation. She got back within minutes saying she'll clear it up. And she did.
But this was more than an hour of productive time take. ugh.
But they came, whisked it away - took them about 30 seconds at the door, if that.
Had a fun day today...porridge at Nicks with Michael. Then grabbed a cab through the snow and slush to an annual medical...routine. then walked home, and while Michael had lunch with a very good friend - David Rosenblatt - I answered emails, did some writing and marvelled at Marjorie from Connecticut (her new legal name...or MFC for short) - the Queen of Facebook. This woman is unbelieveable. Added almost 100 people to my Facebook account today. When she get's me to 1,000 she will ascend to Empress of Facebook. At 10,000 she becomes the Archangel Marjorie (from Connecticut - to distinguish her from Archangel Marjorie from Manitoba) and at a million she is a Goddess.
We should all root for Marjorie becoming a Facebook Goddess.
At 4pm I had a meeting over the phone with Torin, of ProLiteracy about adult literacy and different strategies to raise awareness. And tonight at 8 I have a Skype chat with members of the book club at the Independent bookstore, Mysteries and More, in Nashville, Tennessee. I love skype - makes a visit to places I can't actually get to right now easy and fun.
Greg, his wife Mary and I did a test about a week ago and managed to connect but we're on satellite at home and the connection is a little weak so the signal jumped and both the video and audio was distorted at times. We needed to come in to Montreal for doc appointments anyway so we decided to stay in the apartment for the night since we have highspeed here.
Looking forward to the discussion.
I must say, I had a fun day too relaxing on the bed, watching trashy video's (none as fab as In the Loop from last night) and eating pastries. Ahh, the life of a struggling writing. My big struggle is getting up.
Be well - I'll talk with you tomorrow.
Did you see the ice dancing last night at the Olympics??? Amazing, beautiful, performances. I adore the American pair who've been skating since they were kids...love the old video of them skating together. But what joy to see Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue dance. And win.
It was transcendent. And they were so happy. Joyous. And, to add to the delight, as Hope Dellon my US editor said - Tessa Virtue is not only a brilliant athletes and gorgeous...she has the BEST name ever. I think I might have to start using it. Tessa Virtue...
Watched a wonderful film last night too - before the ice dancing...a small, hilarious british film called In The Loop - political satire. Great.
Finished the copy edits yesterday as you know - but today's struggle was to ship them back. called UPS - who refused to picked them up today even though Michael called at 10:30 in the morning. We needed to pay an extra 2 dollars, which we were willing to do...but wait, no, we couldn't pay it, the US publishers had to pay it - but wait - their account wasn't set up for this admittedly new UPS rule. So they'd pick it up from us tomorrow but, no, they couldn't tell us when in a 12 hour period they might arrive.
UPS. I wonder if they know they have competition? From FedEx, from the post office, from emails... I wonder if they've heard of the economic downturn - where it might be a good idea to ramp-up customer service. Ugh.
I wrote to my magnificent US publishers - Laura at St. martin's Minotaur and ran through the situation. She got back within minutes saying she'll clear it up. And she did.
But this was more than an hour of productive time take. ugh.
But they came, whisked it away - took them about 30 seconds at the door, if that.
Had a fun day today...porridge at Nicks with Michael. Then grabbed a cab through the snow and slush to an annual medical...routine. then walked home, and while Michael had lunch with a very good friend - David Rosenblatt - I answered emails, did some writing and marvelled at Marjorie from Connecticut (her new legal name...or MFC for short) - the Queen of Facebook. This woman is unbelieveable. Added almost 100 people to my Facebook account today. When she get's me to 1,000 she will ascend to Empress of Facebook. At 10,000 she becomes the Archangel Marjorie (from Connecticut - to distinguish her from Archangel Marjorie from Manitoba) and at a million she is a Goddess.
We should all root for Marjorie becoming a Facebook Goddess.
At 4pm I had a meeting over the phone with Torin, of ProLiteracy about adult literacy and different strategies to raise awareness. And tonight at 8 I have a Skype chat with members of the book club at the Independent bookstore, Mysteries and More, in Nashville, Tennessee. I love skype - makes a visit to places I can't actually get to right now easy and fun.
Greg, his wife Mary and I did a test about a week ago and managed to connect but we're on satellite at home and the connection is a little weak so the signal jumped and both the video and audio was distorted at times. We needed to come in to Montreal for doc appointments anyway so we decided to stay in the apartment for the night since we have highspeed here.
Looking forward to the discussion.
I must say, I had a fun day too relaxing on the bed, watching trashy video's (none as fab as In the Loop from last night) and eating pastries. Ahh, the life of a struggling writing. My big struggle is getting up.
Be well - I'll talk with you tomorrow.
Monday, 22 February 2010
Getting in your Facebook
mainly sunny, mild, temps minus 5
Lovely day. got up at 4:15 this morning, and drove in to Montreal with Doug. Him in his car, Michael and me in ours. Doug continued on to Toronto.
The trick, especially for Doug who needs to drive through Montreal, is to avoid rush hour here, and rush hour when he arrives in TO. The best way to do that is leave really, really early. We could have just seen him off and left later, but we quite like getting in early too.
So we arrived here about 6:15am - unpacked the car and went for breakfast at Nick's on Greene Ave. Lorraine served us eggs and bacon. And loads of coffee. Then home to do some copy editing. At 10:45 we decided we needed fresh air so we walked from the apartment along rue Ste Catherine to Michael's eye doc on Drummond street. Great walk...took about 25 minutes.
The doc gave Michael some drops to lower the pressure in one eye, but beside that everything looked great. Always a relief. Thanks to all of you who wrote to give support. You know what it's like.
Then we wound our way home stopped at the Nespresso store for cappuccinos and cookies and to pick up more capsules. What a gorgeous store/cafe. Beautifully designed and even comfortable.
Then to the DVD store - then the bank and picked up sandwiches and salads (and pastries) for a lunch at home...and some magazines. In Westmount Square, where we got the food, they'd set up easy chairs and a flat screen TV and everyone was gathered around watching the Olympic curling.
Speaking of which - Michael, Doug and I watched the hockey last night. Canada vs the US. Canada...lost!!! But what a great game. Fast - clean...hardly any whistles. And while the Canadian team played great, so did the americans...and their goalie Miller was wonderful. See, I sound like I know what I'm talking about. I generally don't watch hockey. Don't really like it. But Olympic hockey seemed a national necessity - as was the pizza Doug bought. Anyway, Canada lost.
However - far more important - Canada defeated the Americans this afternoon at curling.
By the time Michael and I got home we were hitting the wall and just trudging along.
Once home Michael put the curling on, I got our lunches ready, and he watched the Olympics while I spent the next 4 hours finishing the copy edits. Quite easy - but some gnarley issues - like at least one day lost and how to fix that.
Marjorie, from Connecticut - wrote to say she had no idea I was on Facebook. She just sent a 'friend request' and a gentle suggestion that maybe it would be better not to keep my social networking such a secret. I agree. So I'm telling you...I'm on Facebook. Now - I'm also a Facebook luddite...I have no idea what to do with it.
If you could tell others I'm there and they too can friend me, that would probably be a good thing too. And, since Marjorie seems to know how these things work, I've asked her help in also getting the blog up there.
If any of you know how to spread the word better - and how I might better utilize Facebook, please help me. I'm happy to do it, as long as it is absolutely no work. Ha.
I now feel like a stuffed toy...all floppy and tired. Time to sit and watch the Olympics. Go ice dancers. Now there's a beautiful sport!
Hope you're all well...speak to you tomorrow. Storm expected tomorrow night.
Lovely day. got up at 4:15 this morning, and drove in to Montreal with Doug. Him in his car, Michael and me in ours. Doug continued on to Toronto.
The trick, especially for Doug who needs to drive through Montreal, is to avoid rush hour here, and rush hour when he arrives in TO. The best way to do that is leave really, really early. We could have just seen him off and left later, but we quite like getting in early too.
So we arrived here about 6:15am - unpacked the car and went for breakfast at Nick's on Greene Ave. Lorraine served us eggs and bacon. And loads of coffee. Then home to do some copy editing. At 10:45 we decided we needed fresh air so we walked from the apartment along rue Ste Catherine to Michael's eye doc on Drummond street. Great walk...took about 25 minutes.
The doc gave Michael some drops to lower the pressure in one eye, but beside that everything looked great. Always a relief. Thanks to all of you who wrote to give support. You know what it's like.
Then we wound our way home stopped at the Nespresso store for cappuccinos and cookies and to pick up more capsules. What a gorgeous store/cafe. Beautifully designed and even comfortable.
Then to the DVD store - then the bank and picked up sandwiches and salads (and pastries) for a lunch at home...and some magazines. In Westmount Square, where we got the food, they'd set up easy chairs and a flat screen TV and everyone was gathered around watching the Olympic curling.
Speaking of which - Michael, Doug and I watched the hockey last night. Canada vs the US. Canada...lost!!! But what a great game. Fast - clean...hardly any whistles. And while the Canadian team played great, so did the americans...and their goalie Miller was wonderful. See, I sound like I know what I'm talking about. I generally don't watch hockey. Don't really like it. But Olympic hockey seemed a national necessity - as was the pizza Doug bought. Anyway, Canada lost.
However - far more important - Canada defeated the Americans this afternoon at curling.
By the time Michael and I got home we were hitting the wall and just trudging along.
Once home Michael put the curling on, I got our lunches ready, and he watched the Olympics while I spent the next 4 hours finishing the copy edits. Quite easy - but some gnarley issues - like at least one day lost and how to fix that.
Marjorie, from Connecticut - wrote to say she had no idea I was on Facebook. She just sent a 'friend request' and a gentle suggestion that maybe it would be better not to keep my social networking such a secret. I agree. So I'm telling you...I'm on Facebook. Now - I'm also a Facebook luddite...I have no idea what to do with it.
If you could tell others I'm there and they too can friend me, that would probably be a good thing too. And, since Marjorie seems to know how these things work, I've asked her help in also getting the blog up there.
If any of you know how to spread the word better - and how I might better utilize Facebook, please help me. I'm happy to do it, as long as it is absolutely no work. Ha.
I now feel like a stuffed toy...all floppy and tired. Time to sit and watch the Olympics. Go ice dancers. Now there's a beautiful sport!
Hope you're all well...speak to you tomorrow. Storm expected tomorrow night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)