mainly sunny, mild, temps 17
Lovely day. Wayne came to mow. It's his 70th birthday!!! Yippee. He said he's quite stunned to find himself 70. But as we all know, people are living healthy, active lives easily into their 90'. So 70 is the new 50.
Wonderful news yesterday. Indeed, it was Marjorie from Connecticut who wrote to congratulate me. I'm afraid I didn't quite believe it...until poor woman sent me the link to Janet Rudolph's blog. She's the head of Mystery Reader's international.
The Brutal Telling has now been nominated for a Macavity award! Here's the announcement and the other nominees....
Macavity Award Nominations 2010
The Macavity Awards are nominated and voted on by members of Mystery Readers International. The 2010 Macavity Nominations are for books and stories published in 2009. Mystery Readers Journal is MRI's publication. The winners will be announced at Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, in October. Bouchercon will be held in San Francisco in 2010. This award is named for the "mystery cat" of T.S. Eliot (Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats).
Congratulations to all!
Best Mystery Novel
• Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott (Simon & Schuster)
• Tower by Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman (Busted Flush Press)
• Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie (Wm. Morrow)
• Nemesis by Jo Nesbø, translated by Don Bartlett (HarperCollins)
• The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (Minotaur)
• The Shanghai Moon by S.J. Rozan (Minotaur)
Best First Mystery Novel
• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley (Delacorte)
• Running from the Devil by Jamie Freveletti (Wm. Morrow)
• A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield (Minotaur)
• The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville (Soho Crime)
• A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn (Picador)
Best Mystery Nonfiction
• L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City by John Buntin (Random House: Harmony Books)
• Talking about Detective Fiction by P.D. James (Alfred A. Knopf)
• Rogue Males: Conversations & Confrontations About the Writing Life by Craig McDonald (Bleak House Books)
• The Line Up: The World's Greatest Crime Writers Tell the Inside Story of Their Greatest Detectives, edited by Otto Penzler (Little, Brown & Co)
• Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art by Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo (Penguin Press)
• Dame Agatha’s Shorts: An Agatha Christie Short Story Companion by Elena Santangelo (Bella Rosa Books)
Best Mystery Short Story
• “Last Fair Deal Gone Down” by Ace Atkins in Crossroad Blues (Busted Flush Press)
• “Femme Sole” by Dana Cameron in Boston Noir (Akashic Books)
• “Digby, Attorney at Law” by Jim Fusilli, (AHMM, May 2009)
• “Your Turn” by Carolyn Hart in Two of the Deadliest (Harper)
• “On the House” by Hank Phillippi Ryan in Quarry: Crime Stories by New England Writers (Level Best Books)
• “The Desert Here and the Desert Far Away” by Marcus Sakey in Thriller 2: Stories You Just Can’t Put Down (Mira)
• “Amapola” by Luis Alberto Urrea in Phoenix Noir (Akashic Books)
Sue Feder Historical Mystery
• A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell (Forge)
• In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff (Minotaur)
• A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd (Wm. Morrow)
• Serpent in the Thorns by Jeri Westerson (Minotaur)
• Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (Henry Holt)
Lots of fabulous reading.
And thank you all for your messages and celebrations. I feel sort of overwhelemed...both joyous and perhaps a little shy about this embarrassment of riches!!! But I'm sure I'll get over that shyness! But not the joy.
And what a list! Wonderful books and authors.
Must go. Globe calling in a few minutes to interview about the new book. Love your comments about the Karmann Ghias. As kids that was our dream car. I think we mostly liked the name. So exotic. Made us feel very 'in the know' and mature.
Have to drive into Sutton to do a Skype test. Fingers crossed we can find a highspeed link there.
I'm sorry, I just have to go back to the Macavity! I really am so happy about that. All that work on the book, all alone. for a year - every day. Like all the other nominees. And then to have this happen. It sure feels great!!!
Yippeee....
Speak to you tomorrow! Oh, am up to 125 pages (out of what is now 248 pages - halfway)...and the wordcount is now 110,400. Yay. The lower the better, I figure. Within reason, of course. But sure don't want to fall into the trap of getting more and more wordy and self-indulgent as the series goes on. Indeed, I need to become more and more disciplined. Not bloated.
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
A string and a prayer
sunny, cloudy, warm, cold, dry - then torrential rains. All normal.
Back home in Sutton!! Feel I've been away longer than I have. So wonderful to be home. Played with Trudy, hugged Michael, cut the first peonies and some lupines out at the pond. visited Markus. Wrote. Took Trudy to the Vets, with Michael - just for some rabies shots and other shots...and some heart worm prevention stuff. All's well.
All's better than well.
When I stepped out of the car and hugged and kissed Michael and asked how his breakfast in Cowansville was he said - It was grovelous.
huh?
He started to say 'Grotesque' (as it massive) - and changed halfway to 'marvelous' (as in massive).
Feels so amazingly good to be home. But it was also a wonderful time away...everything, as you saw, went so smoothly.
Met Simone at 8 at the cafe creme in Westmount. hadn't met her before. She's the publicist for the launch of Still Life in French. The French title is En Plein Coeur - which means Right in the Heart. The literal, exact, translation of Still Life is - Nature Mort. A GREAT title, but so great it's been used a million times. So we went with the other, which is also a magnificent title.
The publisher herself, from Flammarion Quebec, Louise Loiselle, also came, which was a lovely surprise. She was on vacation. so the three of us sat around and talked strategy and touring and timing. And it became clear that this fall I would in fact be juggling three tours.
The US and Canadian tours for Bury Your Dead.
The Canadian tour for the literacy novella The Hangman
And the Canadian/Quebec tour for the French translation of Still Life, En Plein Coeur
Very exciting. But crucial to pay close attention to scheduling. fortunately, everyone is very reasonable and fairly flexible...though there are some dates that can't be changed...like the Miami and nashville and Montreal Book Fairs, and the literary festivals.
I had two very large, extra strong, cafe au laits - no breakfast - and boing...what a caffeine rush! Drove - having to pay close attention - to my dentist for a cleaning - then home.
It was very cold this morning, but Michael told me he bundled up, put the roof down, and drove the beetle to Cowansville for breakfast. I tell you - he's in love with this car.
Our neighbor saw him and remembered he - like one of you - used to have a karman Gia (sp?) Said he might just see if he can get one again. We might have to rename the road...VW way.
Gary's coming on Thursday to take a photo of me with the car for The Globe and Mail. I thought it would be fun to sit in the car and have old fashioned goggles and a scarf appear to be flapping out behind me...but I would obviously be stationary. So I did what I always do... Oh, Lise...
Emailed My Assistant Lise and asked her how she'd get that effect. A few hours later she sent back the funniest email, with a bunch of suggestions! What a creative woman she is...and i have to think, not many assistants get urgent requests like that.
her winning suggestion is to tie some thin nylon string to the end and hold it up (out of camera range) with a pole. so it looks like it's heading straight out behind me. Will let you know how it goes on Thursday.
Speak to you tomorrow!
Back home in Sutton!! Feel I've been away longer than I have. So wonderful to be home. Played with Trudy, hugged Michael, cut the first peonies and some lupines out at the pond. visited Markus. Wrote. Took Trudy to the Vets, with Michael - just for some rabies shots and other shots...and some heart worm prevention stuff. All's well.
All's better than well.
When I stepped out of the car and hugged and kissed Michael and asked how his breakfast in Cowansville was he said - It was grovelous.
huh?
He started to say 'Grotesque' (as it massive) - and changed halfway to 'marvelous' (as in massive).
Feels so amazingly good to be home. But it was also a wonderful time away...everything, as you saw, went so smoothly.
Met Simone at 8 at the cafe creme in Westmount. hadn't met her before. She's the publicist for the launch of Still Life in French. The French title is En Plein Coeur - which means Right in the Heart. The literal, exact, translation of Still Life is - Nature Mort. A GREAT title, but so great it's been used a million times. So we went with the other, which is also a magnificent title.
The publisher herself, from Flammarion Quebec, Louise Loiselle, also came, which was a lovely surprise. She was on vacation. so the three of us sat around and talked strategy and touring and timing. And it became clear that this fall I would in fact be juggling three tours.
The US and Canadian tours for Bury Your Dead.
The Canadian tour for the literacy novella The Hangman
And the Canadian/Quebec tour for the French translation of Still Life, En Plein Coeur
Very exciting. But crucial to pay close attention to scheduling. fortunately, everyone is very reasonable and fairly flexible...though there are some dates that can't be changed...like the Miami and nashville and Montreal Book Fairs, and the literary festivals.
I had two very large, extra strong, cafe au laits - no breakfast - and boing...what a caffeine rush! Drove - having to pay close attention - to my dentist for a cleaning - then home.
It was very cold this morning, but Michael told me he bundled up, put the roof down, and drove the beetle to Cowansville for breakfast. I tell you - he's in love with this car.
Our neighbor saw him and remembered he - like one of you - used to have a karman Gia (sp?) Said he might just see if he can get one again. We might have to rename the road...VW way.
Gary's coming on Thursday to take a photo of me with the car for The Globe and Mail. I thought it would be fun to sit in the car and have old fashioned goggles and a scarf appear to be flapping out behind me...but I would obviously be stationary. So I did what I always do... Oh, Lise...
Emailed My Assistant Lise and asked her how she'd get that effect. A few hours later she sent back the funniest email, with a bunch of suggestions! What a creative woman she is...and i have to think, not many assistants get urgent requests like that.
her winning suggestion is to tie some thin nylon string to the end and hold it up (out of camera range) with a pole. so it looks like it's heading straight out behind me. Will let you know how it goes on Thursday.
Speak to you tomorrow!
Monday, 7 June 2010
That GPS would be pushing up daisies if it wasn't nailed to the dash -
Overcast, sunny breaks, some showers, cool, temps 17
Back home...very long day yesterday but VERY fun. Didn't start until 10:30, when Donna Nopper, of Hachette Canada picked me up at the hotel. She'd rented a car (hers is filled with dog hair - too late she found out that is actually my natural habitat) - and took her husband's Tomtom GPS system, so we could find our way from the Toronto waterfront to the town of Shelburne in the Orangeville area. They had it programmed to John Cleese's voice.
but it soon became clear that Mr Cleese does not have a good sense of direction. He had us haring off all over Toronto. I was completely lost. fortunately Donna wasn't about to join the 'ministry of silly drives' - so she pulled the plug. And we found our own way out of the city (further complicated by a bike-a-thon for cancer that closed streets.)
But we got onto the highway, found shelburne and were there early so we sat in the car and discussed plans for the upcoming launch of Bury Your Dead. Sat so long we almost missed getting into the Grace Tippling Hall to meet with the 10 people who'd won the contests.
This is all part of The Brutal Telling being chosen for the One Book, One County book for this year...thanks to lots of people but especially Nancy Frater, of the fabulous bookstore, Booklore. The idea was to get the whole county reading The Brutal Telling.
Over the past few months the libraries and Booklore held all sorts of events, sparked by the book - for instance, a judge started the whole thing off. Then there was a workshop on forensics a month or so ago. And a few weeks back an antiques expert talked about the antiques discussed in the book. So there were all sorts of ways to pull people in. Including a trivia contest...and I was to meet the winners for coffee and cakes in the local village bistro! Great idea - except Donna and I stayed chatting in the car for so long we were then running late.
And we didn't really pay attention to the approaching bagpipes - which was a mistake.
When we got out of the car we noticed a crowd of people gathered right in front of the hall. In uniform. They were veterans and supporters commemorating the invasion of Normandy. June 6th.
We felt awful. Here were these heroic men who'd had courage - holding a solemn ceremony...and we needed to get inside. What to do?
Well, we stood outside, listening respectfully, for a few minutes - then Donna noticed a side door. So we snuck in. Just wanting to be invisible. Yech.
Once in we met the contest winners and by then the ceremony outside was finished and we went off to the bistro. Then back to the hall, which was filling up.
The event was such fun. Place was packed...and Nancy and the others had even found this amazing blues guitarist and singer, Brian Blain who is from the Eastern Townships originally. He'd written a number of songs about it and performed them live. I'm hoping to get him to the Sutton en Blues festival the village has started!
Then I spoke for almost an hour - answering questions at the end. Then there was a draw. I brought two mugs and two calendars - and Donna brought the piece de resistence... an advance copy of Bury Your Dead. It was so exciting.
then I signed books for half an hour or so - then had to scoot back to Toronto to catch the 6:30 train back to Montreal. Donna was wonderful, doing all that driving. And designing posters and all sorts of things for the One Book, One County campaign.
Fabulous.
Next year I'll be in Prince Edward Island...the whole province had chosen to make Still Life the One Book, One Province book!
the train back was relaxing - though there was this fellow one row back and across from me who had his music turned up so loud in his ears I could hear it. Can you imagine what mush that was making of his brain. It must have attacked him impulse control first because about 10pm - when we were all trying to sleep - he started to sing along to whatever he was listening to. Sing is perhaps generous.
But I plugged into my ipod (after turning it on with the ear buds out of my ears to make sure no sound was leaking out) and stared into the night. Ahhhh.
Got into the apartment by midnight. A little wired. But fell asleep by just after 1am.
Wrote/edited this morning...wonderful to again have a quiet day where that's all I have to do. Phew. Am now at page 110 - of 260 pages. And have dropped about 3,000 words so far. I think I might be able to get another 3,000 out. Am actually hoping the finished manuscript will be around 110,000 words. Am aiming to be finished this first edit (second draft) by June 20th.
Walked over to Westmount Square for salad and sandwich to bring home for lunch - and some sushi for dinner. Vegetarian sushi, that is.
Tomorrow I have an 8am breakfast meeting with the publicist, Simone, for the launch of Still Life in french in early september. Then dentist at 10am - then home. Hope I'm in time to wrestle the beetle away from Michael - but I have my doubts. I think he might have slept in it last night.
Oh, there's an early review of Bury Your Dead posted. Here's the link...
www.conniesreviews.blogspot.com
Had a message from Catherine McKenzie. She's a Montreal writer...her book is called Spin - and she's started an interesting project. It's designed to make under-appreciated books and authors into bestsellers. Here's the link to her project.
Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=113149048727107
Hope the link works. If not, she his info on her website.
What a long post! I'll talk to you tomorrow, from home home...ahhh.
Back home...very long day yesterday but VERY fun. Didn't start until 10:30, when Donna Nopper, of Hachette Canada picked me up at the hotel. She'd rented a car (hers is filled with dog hair - too late she found out that is actually my natural habitat) - and took her husband's Tomtom GPS system, so we could find our way from the Toronto waterfront to the town of Shelburne in the Orangeville area. They had it programmed to John Cleese's voice.
but it soon became clear that Mr Cleese does not have a good sense of direction. He had us haring off all over Toronto. I was completely lost. fortunately Donna wasn't about to join the 'ministry of silly drives' - so she pulled the plug. And we found our own way out of the city (further complicated by a bike-a-thon for cancer that closed streets.)
But we got onto the highway, found shelburne and were there early so we sat in the car and discussed plans for the upcoming launch of Bury Your Dead. Sat so long we almost missed getting into the Grace Tippling Hall to meet with the 10 people who'd won the contests.
This is all part of The Brutal Telling being chosen for the One Book, One County book for this year...thanks to lots of people but especially Nancy Frater, of the fabulous bookstore, Booklore. The idea was to get the whole county reading The Brutal Telling.
Over the past few months the libraries and Booklore held all sorts of events, sparked by the book - for instance, a judge started the whole thing off. Then there was a workshop on forensics a month or so ago. And a few weeks back an antiques expert talked about the antiques discussed in the book. So there were all sorts of ways to pull people in. Including a trivia contest...and I was to meet the winners for coffee and cakes in the local village bistro! Great idea - except Donna and I stayed chatting in the car for so long we were then running late.
And we didn't really pay attention to the approaching bagpipes - which was a mistake.
When we got out of the car we noticed a crowd of people gathered right in front of the hall. In uniform. They were veterans and supporters commemorating the invasion of Normandy. June 6th.
We felt awful. Here were these heroic men who'd had courage - holding a solemn ceremony...and we needed to get inside. What to do?
Well, we stood outside, listening respectfully, for a few minutes - then Donna noticed a side door. So we snuck in. Just wanting to be invisible. Yech.
Once in we met the contest winners and by then the ceremony outside was finished and we went off to the bistro. Then back to the hall, which was filling up.
The event was such fun. Place was packed...and Nancy and the others had even found this amazing blues guitarist and singer, Brian Blain who is from the Eastern Townships originally. He'd written a number of songs about it and performed them live. I'm hoping to get him to the Sutton en Blues festival the village has started!
Then I spoke for almost an hour - answering questions at the end. Then there was a draw. I brought two mugs and two calendars - and Donna brought the piece de resistence... an advance copy of Bury Your Dead. It was so exciting.
then I signed books for half an hour or so - then had to scoot back to Toronto to catch the 6:30 train back to Montreal. Donna was wonderful, doing all that driving. And designing posters and all sorts of things for the One Book, One County campaign.
Fabulous.
Next year I'll be in Prince Edward Island...the whole province had chosen to make Still Life the One Book, One Province book!
the train back was relaxing - though there was this fellow one row back and across from me who had his music turned up so loud in his ears I could hear it. Can you imagine what mush that was making of his brain. It must have attacked him impulse control first because about 10pm - when we were all trying to sleep - he started to sing along to whatever he was listening to. Sing is perhaps generous.
But I plugged into my ipod (after turning it on with the ear buds out of my ears to make sure no sound was leaking out) and stared into the night. Ahhhh.
Got into the apartment by midnight. A little wired. But fell asleep by just after 1am.
Wrote/edited this morning...wonderful to again have a quiet day where that's all I have to do. Phew. Am now at page 110 - of 260 pages. And have dropped about 3,000 words so far. I think I might be able to get another 3,000 out. Am actually hoping the finished manuscript will be around 110,000 words. Am aiming to be finished this first edit (second draft) by June 20th.
Walked over to Westmount Square for salad and sandwich to bring home for lunch - and some sushi for dinner. Vegetarian sushi, that is.
Tomorrow I have an 8am breakfast meeting with the publicist, Simone, for the launch of Still Life in french in early september. Then dentist at 10am - then home. Hope I'm in time to wrestle the beetle away from Michael - but I have my doubts. I think he might have slept in it last night.
Oh, there's an early review of Bury Your Dead posted. Here's the link...
www.conniesreviews.blogspot.com
Had a message from Catherine McKenzie. She's a Montreal writer...her book is called Spin - and she's started an interesting project. It's designed to make under-appreciated books and authors into bestsellers. Here's the link to her project.
Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=113149048727107
Hope the link works. If not, she his info on her website.
What a long post! I'll talk to you tomorrow, from home home...ahhh.
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Toronto
sunny, mild, temps...not sure actually
Thank you SO much for your Anthony nomination celebrations - I'm still flying!!!
Train down was terrific...no one beside me! Like winning the lottery...and, icing alert...the nice person in front of me didn't put his seat all the way back. And - my window seat on VIA1 actually had a window. Many have just a wall with a curtain...with a wall behind it. No glass.
And - the meal was actually yummy. I spent the 5 and a half hours listening to music on my ipod and staring out the window. Just pondering the books. Imagining scenes from the book I'm writing...and even had some ideas for the next one. Brought my notebook and made notes...and stared...and made notes. And stared. Very, very relaxing. Lovely trip.
But VIA is pathetic. Used to be a magnificent train service, something to be proud of...but they haven't updated the interiors in literally decades. Toilets barely work - only one in our compartment worked. Everything looks and feels shabby. BUT - the VIA workers are wonderful!
One thing I thought was weird was the this lovely older couple sat behind me. Clearly a little befuddled and sometimes querulous, but very adorable with each other (I could hear them talking behind me) - but they were placed in the emergency row. Before we left the conductor came and gave them instructions on what to do if there's an emergency (breaking glass, deciding if it's safe to leave by that window, help others out) and they were totally confused. And even if they weren't, they just were not going to be able to help. So since I was pretty close I just told them I'd help if need be.
Then I spoke to the conductor quietly and said I was amazed that VIA wouldn't find them an equally comfortable seat and move someone more able to help. It's not as though there have never been an fatal VIA accidents, on exactly this Mtl to TO route.
He just said it was the ticketing people's fault. I left it at that - but felt very badly for the elderly couple who spent at least part of the trip trying to figure out what they should do - asking each other, and fretting. I tried to help, but they'd sort of gotten themselves into a bit of a state...and I also felt badly for people in the car who thought VIA would do all possible to ensure their safety, and clearly did not.
Happily, of course, nothing happened...and it is extremely unlikely...but such an easy fix.
Am in a wonderful room in Toronto - they booked me into a suite...and Donna of Hachette Canada will pick me up at 10:30 tomorrow morning to drive to Orangeville for the culmination of their One Book, One County event. Their book this year is The Brutal Telling. Yay.
At 1pm I meet with 10 contest winners, then do a talk/reading/question and answer starting at 2pm...a signing...and then Donna drives me back to the train station and I grab the 6:30 back to Montreal - arriving about midnight. I could have stayed the night in Toronto, but if I get back tomorrow night that gives me all Monday to write/edit.
Bliss. Otherwise I lose the day, and even more momentum.
Probably will not blog tomorrow...but will try on Monday.
Thank you again for ALL your good Anthony wishes!!! Yay.
Thank you SO much for your Anthony nomination celebrations - I'm still flying!!!
Train down was terrific...no one beside me! Like winning the lottery...and, icing alert...the nice person in front of me didn't put his seat all the way back. And - my window seat on VIA1 actually had a window. Many have just a wall with a curtain...with a wall behind it. No glass.
And - the meal was actually yummy. I spent the 5 and a half hours listening to music on my ipod and staring out the window. Just pondering the books. Imagining scenes from the book I'm writing...and even had some ideas for the next one. Brought my notebook and made notes...and stared...and made notes. And stared. Very, very relaxing. Lovely trip.
But VIA is pathetic. Used to be a magnificent train service, something to be proud of...but they haven't updated the interiors in literally decades. Toilets barely work - only one in our compartment worked. Everything looks and feels shabby. BUT - the VIA workers are wonderful!
One thing I thought was weird was the this lovely older couple sat behind me. Clearly a little befuddled and sometimes querulous, but very adorable with each other (I could hear them talking behind me) - but they were placed in the emergency row. Before we left the conductor came and gave them instructions on what to do if there's an emergency (breaking glass, deciding if it's safe to leave by that window, help others out) and they were totally confused. And even if they weren't, they just were not going to be able to help. So since I was pretty close I just told them I'd help if need be.
Then I spoke to the conductor quietly and said I was amazed that VIA wouldn't find them an equally comfortable seat and move someone more able to help. It's not as though there have never been an fatal VIA accidents, on exactly this Mtl to TO route.
He just said it was the ticketing people's fault. I left it at that - but felt very badly for the elderly couple who spent at least part of the trip trying to figure out what they should do - asking each other, and fretting. I tried to help, but they'd sort of gotten themselves into a bit of a state...and I also felt badly for people in the car who thought VIA would do all possible to ensure their safety, and clearly did not.
Happily, of course, nothing happened...and it is extremely unlikely...but such an easy fix.
Am in a wonderful room in Toronto - they booked me into a suite...and Donna of Hachette Canada will pick me up at 10:30 tomorrow morning to drive to Orangeville for the culmination of their One Book, One County event. Their book this year is The Brutal Telling. Yay.
At 1pm I meet with 10 contest winners, then do a talk/reading/question and answer starting at 2pm...a signing...and then Donna drives me back to the train station and I grab the 6:30 back to Montreal - arriving about midnight. I could have stayed the night in Toronto, but if I get back tomorrow night that gives me all Monday to write/edit.
Bliss. Otherwise I lose the day, and even more momentum.
Probably will not blog tomorrow...but will try on Monday.
Thank you again for ALL your good Anthony wishes!!! Yay.
Friday, 4 June 2010
Anthony Nomination!
mainly sunny, beautiful day...temps 20
Great news...The Brutal Telling has been nominated for an Anthony Award in the States as the Best Crime Novel of the Year!!!
Here's the list of nominees - in alphabetical order:
BEST NOVEL
THE LAST CHILD - John Hart [Minotaur Books]
THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH - Charlie Huston [Ballantine Books]
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE - Stieg Larsson, translated by Reg Keeland [Quercus/Knopf]
THE BRUTAL TELLING - Louise Penny [Minotaur Books]
THE SHANGHAI MOON - S.J. Rozan [Minotaur Books]
BEST FIRST NOVEL
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley [Delacorte Press]
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley [Touchstone]
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield [Minotaur Books]
THE TWELVE/THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville [Harvill Secker/Soho Press]
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM - Stefanie Pintoff [Minotaur Books]
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott [Simon & Schuster]
TOWER - Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman [Busted Flush Press]
QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE - Max Allan Collins [Hard Case Crime]
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley [Touchstone]
DEATH AND THE LIT CHICK - G.M. Malliet [Midnight Ink]
AIR TIME - Hank Phillippi Ryan [Mira]
Fabulously strong fields!!! I wanted you to see the other nominees because I suspect most of you love reading good crime and mystery fiction and these are the best - whoever wins.
Congratulations to all the nominees...I know this is an exciting day for all of us.
Am in Montreal...arrived just after 9 last night. Driving over the bridge in construction season is always terrible, so we find it best to do it extremely early in the morning or fairly late at night. Coming in last night gave me the entire day to work on editing the next book. Got lots done. As I get further into the book less needs to be done, as the themes and characters became clearer. Am also winnowing it down, making it sharper and clearer. I hope!
Michael called to say he'd taken our new baby - the beetle - into Knowlton for lunch. Top down. He showed it off to everyone and even took Lucy from Brome Lake books for a spin. What a guy. I'm not gone 12 hours and he'd picking up pretty women and showing off his 'etchings'. He sure sounded hyped though - having a blast.
Off to Toronto tomorrow morning - by train...such a nice trip. Will blog from there.
Be well.
Great news...The Brutal Telling has been nominated for an Anthony Award in the States as the Best Crime Novel of the Year!!!
Here's the list of nominees - in alphabetical order:
BEST NOVEL
THE LAST CHILD - John Hart [Minotaur Books]
THE MYSTIC ARTS OF ERASING ALL SIGNS OF DEATH - Charlie Huston [Ballantine Books]
THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE - Stieg Larsson, translated by Reg Keeland [Quercus/Knopf]
THE BRUTAL TELLING - Louise Penny [Minotaur Books]
THE SHANGHAI MOON - S.J. Rozan [Minotaur Books]
BEST FIRST NOVEL
THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE - Alan Bradley [Delacorte Press]
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley [Touchstone]
A BAD DAY FOR SORRY - Sophie Littlefield [Minotaur Books]
THE TWELVE/THE GHOSTS OF BELFAST - Stuart Neville [Harvill Secker/Soho Press]
IN THE SHADOW OF GOTHAM - Stefanie Pintoff [Minotaur Books]
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
BURY ME DEEP - Megan Abbott [Simon & Schuster]
TOWER - Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman [Busted Flush Press]
QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE - Max Allan Collins [Hard Case Crime]
STARVATION LAKE - Bryan Gruley [Touchstone]
DEATH AND THE LIT CHICK - G.M. Malliet [Midnight Ink]
AIR TIME - Hank Phillippi Ryan [Mira]
Fabulously strong fields!!! I wanted you to see the other nominees because I suspect most of you love reading good crime and mystery fiction and these are the best - whoever wins.
Congratulations to all the nominees...I know this is an exciting day for all of us.
Am in Montreal...arrived just after 9 last night. Driving over the bridge in construction season is always terrible, so we find it best to do it extremely early in the morning or fairly late at night. Coming in last night gave me the entire day to work on editing the next book. Got lots done. As I get further into the book less needs to be done, as the themes and characters became clearer. Am also winnowing it down, making it sharper and clearer. I hope!
Michael called to say he'd taken our new baby - the beetle - into Knowlton for lunch. Top down. He showed it off to everyone and even took Lucy from Brome Lake books for a spin. What a guy. I'm not gone 12 hours and he'd picking up pretty women and showing off his 'etchings'. He sure sounded hyped though - having a blast.
Off to Toronto tomorrow morning - by train...such a nice trip. Will blog from there.
Be well.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Smitten
cloudy, rain, temps 18
All this rain has really eased the forest fire situation. Thank God. We've had more rain than they have, but I understand most of the fires are now under control. Very frightening for a while. We continue to watch.
As we watch the dreadful situation in the gulf. It seems inconceivable that this should happen - and yet it is. Hubris.
On a much lighter note, we got the car!!! And I'm smitten - as is Michael. We took turns driving it, because of course we had to use his car to get there...it's about an hour away. so I took the first turn on the highway. Was hoping to be able to put the top down, but the rains came (including in the distance some magnificent and unsettling fork lightning). So the top stayed up.
What a peppy - and surprisingly roomy - little car! Nothing fancy - and I love that. No sat nav, no mp3 hook up, hardly any electronics...just good old fashioned and very clear dials. It does have heated seats - practically a necessity in Canada - and a CD player - also a necessity given the distances we sometimes have to drive.
So I adore the car but the most important thing?? The colour. It's perfect!!! A baby blue. Powder blue perhaps more accurately. either way, it's the colour I wanted. As the salesperson was describing the features I just stared at the colour. He also gave us a lesson on taking down and putting up the convertible top. I must say it sort of confused me...and I didn't do it very well - but thankfully Michael got it right away.
So now we have a new baby in the driveway...and both of us just drift by it, casually, all day long. Catching glimpses of it.
Off to Montreal tonight...leaving Michael and Trudy, and Pat who comes to look after them, here. With the new car. My gift to The Big Guy. I have to take the train to Toronto Saturday so the car would just sit in the underground parking. He might as well have it here to play with.
Did the photo shoot for Vita magazine yesterday. Four women came down...art director, make-up, photographer and her assistant. We had a riot. Michael was wonderful - catered the event. While I was having the make-up applied (scaffolding, caulking, cranes) he was making tomato and cucumber sandwiches and what we call 'mixes' - combination of cranberry, pomegranate and ginger ale. Yum.
Took four people (not including me) three hours to get two usable photographs. And you know - it's exhausting. I remember reading interviews with the Hollywood starlets complaining about how hard their lives were - endless photo shoots and interviews...and thinking...well, I won't tell you what I was thinking.
but now - very humbling - I find it is tiring! Not actually sure what makes it so - it's not like I'm digging a ditch or repairing a heart or doing anything actually useful. But interviews and photos isn't quite the cake-walk I thought they were. Still - to be fair - it's not a bad way to pass an afternoon.
Writing/editing going slowly but well. I decided to drop yet another subplot...complicated and not actually totally in the character's character. An easy fix, though it does present some structural issues later - but better than keeping it in. I find most of my second and subsequent drafts are really about simplifying and lightening up.
Off to pack and then meet a friend in Sutton for a coffee - then driving to Montreal tonight.
Speak to you tomorrow.
All this rain has really eased the forest fire situation. Thank God. We've had more rain than they have, but I understand most of the fires are now under control. Very frightening for a while. We continue to watch.
As we watch the dreadful situation in the gulf. It seems inconceivable that this should happen - and yet it is. Hubris.
On a much lighter note, we got the car!!! And I'm smitten - as is Michael. We took turns driving it, because of course we had to use his car to get there...it's about an hour away. so I took the first turn on the highway. Was hoping to be able to put the top down, but the rains came (including in the distance some magnificent and unsettling fork lightning). So the top stayed up.
What a peppy - and surprisingly roomy - little car! Nothing fancy - and I love that. No sat nav, no mp3 hook up, hardly any electronics...just good old fashioned and very clear dials. It does have heated seats - practically a necessity in Canada - and a CD player - also a necessity given the distances we sometimes have to drive.
So I adore the car but the most important thing?? The colour. It's perfect!!! A baby blue. Powder blue perhaps more accurately. either way, it's the colour I wanted. As the salesperson was describing the features I just stared at the colour. He also gave us a lesson on taking down and putting up the convertible top. I must say it sort of confused me...and I didn't do it very well - but thankfully Michael got it right away.
So now we have a new baby in the driveway...and both of us just drift by it, casually, all day long. Catching glimpses of it.
Off to Montreal tonight...leaving Michael and Trudy, and Pat who comes to look after them, here. With the new car. My gift to The Big Guy. I have to take the train to Toronto Saturday so the car would just sit in the underground parking. He might as well have it here to play with.
Did the photo shoot for Vita magazine yesterday. Four women came down...art director, make-up, photographer and her assistant. We had a riot. Michael was wonderful - catered the event. While I was having the make-up applied (scaffolding, caulking, cranes) he was making tomato and cucumber sandwiches and what we call 'mixes' - combination of cranberry, pomegranate and ginger ale. Yum.
Took four people (not including me) three hours to get two usable photographs. And you know - it's exhausting. I remember reading interviews with the Hollywood starlets complaining about how hard their lives were - endless photo shoots and interviews...and thinking...well, I won't tell you what I was thinking.
but now - very humbling - I find it is tiring! Not actually sure what makes it so - it's not like I'm digging a ditch or repairing a heart or doing anything actually useful. But interviews and photos isn't quite the cake-walk I thought they were. Still - to be fair - it's not a bad way to pass an afternoon.
Writing/editing going slowly but well. I decided to drop yet another subplot...complicated and not actually totally in the character's character. An easy fix, though it does present some structural issues later - but better than keeping it in. I find most of my second and subsequent drafts are really about simplifying and lightening up.
Off to pack and then meet a friend in Sutton for a coffee - then driving to Montreal tonight.
Speak to you tomorrow.
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Blue Beetle!
torrential rains, temps 18
An absolute deluge today...but we're happy for it. Lovely, misty, mystical evening. Rain stopped, and everything is fragrant. The roses are just coming out and there's the faintest scene of them in the front garden.
We went off to VW in Sherbrooke last night - Walter drove me in his beetle convertible - top down - and Michael followed in his car. It was SO exciting. I can't remember the last time I was this happy about a car - except maybe my very first, which was also a VW convertible. But it was a rabbit. Bright red. Manual. I bought it sight unseen in Thunder Bay...I was in Toronto and about to start my very first professional job - co-hosting the morning show in Thunder Bay. I was 21. I got off the plane and took a taxi to the car dealership. Picked up the car - and then remembered. I don't drive standard. But at 21, who cares?
It leaped and stalled and lurched its way off the lot. I'm sure I saw the salesperson turn away in horror.
Took me weeks to figure out how to get out of second gear.
But I adored that car. Drove it well in to fall with the top down. Ecstasy. Finally sold it years later in Quebec City. By then it was a wreck - the windshield washers wouldn't turn off...there was a tear in the roof from where someone had tried to cut it to break in. The poor thing was on its last legs. But I still loved it.
And by this time tomorrow I'll have another VW convertible. but this time a new beetle. A powder blue. Fabulous. We got home about 10:30 last night. Exhausted but delighted.
Been emailing with Michael's wonderful sister Carol, in London. Her first car was one of the original beetles...here's one of her emails from today...(with her permission)
Yes, I had a beetle, but it had its problems. In the end it was what I had told them all along but they wouldn't believe me. It had water in the petrol tank. I would drive up north to ski and it would conk out or just go slow and then speed up and then go slow until it drove me mad. I sent it in for servicing and ended up with VW taking a keen interest in this knit of a
woman who was calling them out of false pretences. At one point they came all the way up to St. Agathe and, of course, the car worked a dream while they were there and as soon as they had left, literally, it started its little game all over again. I had to threaten to paint lemons all over it before they took it in and actually lent me another car for a week (which I managed to back into a telephone pole giving the back bumper a dent). When I picked it up I asked them what they had done. With sheepish faces they said that all was well. How well? Well, a new petrol tank. Oh, yes and where is it? Well its up in the top of our work room. Can I see it - I just want to see the rust. Well, yes, there had been some water rusting up the petrol tank.... After that it was a dream car and I loved it. I could manage to change gears without using the clutch if I got the revs right, but
don't please try that one. Yours will be known as the 'powder-blue-blondie-with-no-roof-on-top - and nobody will be able to steal it 'cause there won't be another around! What fun you will both have!
Writing today has been distracted...stop start. So far only 2 pages done...yikes. I like what I've done but this is really, really slow. Still, trying not to worry. Better at this stage to be good than to be swift. I think I'll be working until midnight! Oh well - I have a used VW powder blue new beetle convertible. How bad can life be???
Tomorrow is a busy day. Writing in the morning - the a photo shoot for Vita Magazine - a french mag - then off to Sherbrooke to pick up the car!!! Yippee. You can be sure I'll have a goofy smile on my face for the Vita photos!
An absolute deluge today...but we're happy for it. Lovely, misty, mystical evening. Rain stopped, and everything is fragrant. The roses are just coming out and there's the faintest scene of them in the front garden.
We went off to VW in Sherbrooke last night - Walter drove me in his beetle convertible - top down - and Michael followed in his car. It was SO exciting. I can't remember the last time I was this happy about a car - except maybe my very first, which was also a VW convertible. But it was a rabbit. Bright red. Manual. I bought it sight unseen in Thunder Bay...I was in Toronto and about to start my very first professional job - co-hosting the morning show in Thunder Bay. I was 21. I got off the plane and took a taxi to the car dealership. Picked up the car - and then remembered. I don't drive standard. But at 21, who cares?
It leaped and stalled and lurched its way off the lot. I'm sure I saw the salesperson turn away in horror.
Took me weeks to figure out how to get out of second gear.
But I adored that car. Drove it well in to fall with the top down. Ecstasy. Finally sold it years later in Quebec City. By then it was a wreck - the windshield washers wouldn't turn off...there was a tear in the roof from where someone had tried to cut it to break in. The poor thing was on its last legs. But I still loved it.
And by this time tomorrow I'll have another VW convertible. but this time a new beetle. A powder blue. Fabulous. We got home about 10:30 last night. Exhausted but delighted.
Been emailing with Michael's wonderful sister Carol, in London. Her first car was one of the original beetles...here's one of her emails from today...(with her permission)
Yes, I had a beetle, but it had its problems. In the end it was what I had told them all along but they wouldn't believe me. It had water in the petrol tank. I would drive up north to ski and it would conk out or just go slow and then speed up and then go slow until it drove me mad. I sent it in for servicing and ended up with VW taking a keen interest in this knit of a
woman who was calling them out of false pretences. At one point they came all the way up to St. Agathe and, of course, the car worked a dream while they were there and as soon as they had left, literally, it started its little game all over again. I had to threaten to paint lemons all over it before they took it in and actually lent me another car for a week (which I managed to back into a telephone pole giving the back bumper a dent). When I picked it up I asked them what they had done. With sheepish faces they said that all was well. How well? Well, a new petrol tank. Oh, yes and where is it? Well its up in the top of our work room. Can I see it - I just want to see the rust. Well, yes, there had been some water rusting up the petrol tank.... After that it was a dream car and I loved it. I could manage to change gears without using the clutch if I got the revs right, but
don't please try that one. Yours will be known as the 'powder-blue-blondie-with-no-roof-on-top - and nobody will be able to steal it 'cause there won't be another around! What fun you will both have!
Writing today has been distracted...stop start. So far only 2 pages done...yikes. I like what I've done but this is really, really slow. Still, trying not to worry. Better at this stage to be good than to be swift. I think I'll be working until midnight! Oh well - I have a used VW powder blue new beetle convertible. How bad can life be???
Tomorrow is a busy day. Writing in the morning - the a photo shoot for Vita Magazine - a french mag - then off to Sherbrooke to pick up the car!!! Yippee. You can be sure I'll have a goofy smile on my face for the Vita photos!
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