Home from Hovey

mainly sunny, warm, temps 25

A perfect spring day.

We're back from Hovey.  Marc-Andre, who is the head front desk clerk and such a lovely man was saying that when readers of the Gamache book are guests at Hovey they are just wonderful.  In fact, Michael and I were out walking and he caught us up specifically to say, 'Your readers are very special people, I hope you know that.  When they come to Hovey they're always so wonderful.'

I can't tell you how much that meant to me.  Not that your behavior is any of my business - but I have to say, I wasn't at all surprised, but I was gratified.  I could see he meant it.  I suspect the Manoir guests are generally nice people, but I could see that those of you who have discovered it through the books are even more amazing than most.

Thank you for that.  For making a place so meaningful to Michael and me, even more special by bringing your own kind spirits to it.

As well, Franck, the maitre 'd at Hovey was delighted to tell me when he knows guests found the Manoir through my books, he introduces himself as Pierre - the maitre d' at the Manoir Bellechasse, from A RULE AGAINST MURDER/THE MURDER STONE.

I can't tell you how much it means to me that where I live, and places I love, are so supportive of the books and characters.  It would have been easy for people to find fault, or criticize, or be negative - but almost to a person they're kind and supportive and happy for me, and for the area.

And how lucky I am to have you as readers - people so special that Marc-Andre was moved to make sure I know how wonderful you are.

Back home now - peas and radishes coming up in the vegetable garden, where My Assistant Lise and Her Assistant Donna planted them.  Peony buds round and promising.  Roses almost out.  Purple azelea (new to our garden) in full bloom.  Alliums just out.  It's such a fantastic time in the garden.

Sitting at the laptop, about the begin for the day.

Suddenly realized I need another file called 'second draft notes' - issues that have arisen, too late for the first draft.  things I need to put into the manuscript, earlier.  And will have to add in the next draft.  I always think I'll remember them when the time comes, but honestly, by noon they've disappeared.  Lay in bed last night and a piece of dialogue came to me - I wondered if I should write it down... vacillated - but finally roused and wrote it in the notebook by the bed.  Thank heaven because this morning, while making the bed I saw the dialogue and barely remembered writing it, never mind thinking it.  Course, the dialogue in the light of day was just ridiculous - but I live in hope.

Fresh laundry on the clothes line - I can see it from where I'm sitting.  Very relaxing.  Hope you're well.  Speak soon.

Lobster lust

overcast, warm, temps 20, slight drizzle

Thunder storm warnings out for yesterday, but nothing materialized.  Still, we thought it best to stay close to our cottage at Hovey.  For safety sake, of course.  Nothing to do with indulgence and laziness.


Dinner last night was very fun with the three journalists - one from Toronto, one from Oregon and one from BC - though the last two run a travel blog for women called WAVE Journey.  They're off today on the Gamache/Three Pines tour of the townships - from the general store in Georgeville, to Danny and Lucy's bookstore in Knowlton...and, of course, the night at Hovey.

Oh, dinner last night.  Michael, and almost everyone else, had lobster bisque then fresh magdellan islands lobster - I had the celeriac salad and halibut....but am eyeing the lobster for tonight.  Halibut was fabulous - but have to admit, their lobster looked wonderful.  I was worried I'd have to struggle with the shells - again, laziness - but it was already shelled.  Will try to take a photo and post it tomorrow.

Did more writing yesterday.  Getting closer and closer to where I want/need this chapter to be.   I hope, when you read this book, that you have no idea which chapter gave me such anxiety.  I'll be successful if it is seamless, and reads as though I simply pounded it out and moved on.

Well, back to work.

Enjoy the day!

happy victoria day!

sunny, warm temps 34

Lilacs in full bloom and honeysuckle and alliums just popping.  Up to 35 degrees (over 90f I believe) yesterday.  Scorching hot.  A perfect long weekend day.

In southern Canada the May long weekend is considered by many the unofficial start of summer.  It's when summer cottages are opened, and annual flowers planted and some anxiety over more snow is lessened (but never gone completely).

Doug, Michael and I got up at 5am hopped in the car and headed north, to the Laurentians, and lac Manitou - where we spend such blissful childhood summers.  We packed a picnic and thermos of coffee - arrived about 8:30 am, sat on the dock, and drank coffee.  I took this photo as we sat there.  A more splendid day would be hard to find.

then back in the car mid-afternoon for dinner at an Indian restaurant in Montreal.  Doug stayed there, to head back to Toronto, and we came home.  Didn't write yesterday, but sitting placidly on the dock, thinking of the Gordian knot I've created with this chapter, a few thoughts came.  Not solid, but more a gleam on the horizon.

Looking forward to returning in a few minutes to the manuscript and seeing what the day brings.

Tomorrow morning we're off again - this time to drop the little volkswagon beetle in to have it's tires changed (we feel it might now be safe to remove the winter tires) - then heading to Hovey Manor on Lake  Massawippi, North Hatley.  I have an interview there with a journalist from Las Vegas, then a dinner with a Tourism Quebec official at Hovey and three other journalists who are on a tour very loosely based on local inspirations for the books.  Looking forward to hearing about their day!

Happy Victoria Day/Journee des Patriotes etc to you!

Into the light of the dark black night

sunny, warm, temps 25

What a beautiful day - again! So fortunate to have this warm, sunny weather fall on the long weekend!

My brother, Doug, arrived from Toronto at 8pm last night. It was still light outside, and warm, so we sat in the garden and talked. Then he reported being awoken at just past 6am by a red-winged blackbird, gripped onto the screen at his bedroom window. Calling to him. I think you can imagine his response.

Then, this morning as I started to write, a blackbird grabbed onto the screens of the living room window and for about an hour moved from window to window, as though it wanted in. Most disconcerting. I worried maybe it had lost a baby down our chimney and wanted in - but more likely it was claiming its territory. Hate to say it, but no matter how hard the blackbird might try, we're not moving out.

Cut some lilac for the kitchen table, and now the whole room is filled with the sweet scent. Well, back to trying to figure out where I went wrong with this chapter, and fix it. 'It's a process. It's a process.' Perhaps the blackbird was trying to help...

We're off to the Laurentians tomorrow, to Lac Manitou - just for the day. The forecast is for sunny and highs around 30 degrees - which is somewhere in the 80's I believe. Amazing.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend.

It must be Fete

sunny, warm, temps 25

Glorious sunny, warm day here - as you can see, at least one of our lilac bushes is in bloom, the others are very close. Indeed, if you look closely at the photo you might see two geese who arrived this morning. No babies yet. What a difference sunshine makes - everything seems to come alive.

Wrote more than 2,000 words today, but not happy. I think it's close, but slightly off. Perhaps just too much detail....need to streamline it. But I walked a few times around the pond and stopped at the bench to think, and came to the conclusion that it needs tightening, sharpening, and I need to really pin down what I want this section to say and do. The purpose.

Sometimes scenes are long and convoluted in the first draft because my thinking is a little fuzzy. But I'll get back at it tomorrow. No use doing it now. I just keep reminding myself, 'It's all a process, it's all a process.'

Hope you have a great weekend. Here in Canada it's the Victoria Day long weekend, Monday's a holiday. In quebec we don't celebrate (officially) Victoria Day. It's the Journee Nationale des patriotes - probably to get up the nose of the Federalists. Either way, most people simply care that it's a day off! So happy Victoria Day des Patriotes - bien sur!

And it's supposed to be beautiful and warm and sunny all weekend. Wow.

the other photo is of Meaghan Westover, the young woman who won the first annual Whitehead/Penny Award for Public Speaking. We felt strongly, Michael and I, that all the work that went in to learning public speaking should be recognized and rewarded. A good speech doesn't just happen. A good topic needs to be chosen, research done, thoughts organized. It needs to be written, edited, times, and memorized.

Meaghan described going over it and over it and over it - remembering key words and phrases. When I asked how she kept nerves from getting the better of her, her answers was short and as elegant as the girl herself. 'Preparation.'

Remarkable young woman.

Thanks to Patrick Fontaine and everyone at Massey-Vanier High in Cowansville for organizing the award and the assembly and making Michael and me feel so welcome. And congratulations again, Meaghan.

Well, off to walk Trudy around the pond again.

Be well - and I hope to talk with you tomorrow.

Moody day, moody internet

overcast, cool, brisk wind, temps 14

Well below seasonable. But, as we say, better than snow - which is still a possibility!

Internet went down again today. Just back now. Frustrating when wanting to say hi to you, but very frustrating when I need to do research or look at an attachment someone has sent. But, as I say, this is life in the country.

Finished reading the latest draft of the film script for Still Life. Looking very good. Still a long way from actually happening, but this is a big step forward. Wrote this morning, then Michael and I headed to the high school in Cowansville to give out the first annual Whitehead/Penny Award for Public Speaking - to Meaghan Westover. VERY impressive young woman. Congratulations, Meaghan!

And now home. Had a talk with publishers in NYC about the fall tour. Very preliminary. They're looking at options and logistics. The Beautiful Mystery comes out August 28th, and I'll be on tour for 2 weeks. It would be wonderful to see you on tour. Always a bit of a challenge, these book tours - as those of you who followed last years' might remember. But what makes it possible for me is all the great energy and enthusiasm I feel from you. It really is sustenance. I get back to my hotel room and feel it is all so worthwhile. And deeply thankful to have you reading my books. How lucky I am!

I'm really hoping to have the second draft of the book I'm currently writing done by the time I head out on tour. The first two drafts are the most difficult, of course. Then, post tour, I can do the third draft and whatever else. My hope is to have this book in to the publisher before Christmas. It can feel, at times, like a bit of a slog. Writing almost everyday. And when I'm not writing, I'm thinking about the book. Every day. For a year.

So fortunate that I really, genuinely, love the company of Armand, Clara, Gabri and the others.

And that I have you for a reader.

Chilly day, brisk wind here. But the lilac are coming out finally. Will try to remember to take a camera on our next pond walk with Trudy.

Michael home!

sunny, warm day - finally - but now a big thunderstorm has kicked up - temps 25

Michael is home! He and Vic flew from Glasgow to London, then London to Montreal. I met the plane Sunday night, with a dozen doughnuts. Not sure they remember me being there, but they sure made googoo eyes at the chocolate glazed.

So amazing being home, and having Michael here. We haven't been together here in the country for almost 2 months. Barbequed a steak on Monday night and we sat on the new screen porch. Bliss. so peaceful.

The rest of our days, Tuesday and today taken up with opening mail and responding to phone messages. Feels like we've fallen into a bucket of chores.

I'm writing every morning, as usual....then in the afternoon try to get other things done, but often have a phone conversation scheduled with a publisher, or the film producer. Finished reading the latest version of the script for Still Life. Very much like it. I had a few notes, but not many. Very odd, though, to see what someone does with the story, the characters, the themes. And for me it's a struggle to find that equilibrium between making sure the film is true to the spirit of the books - and especially the characters - without needing the script to be slavish. When to hold tight and when to let go. Not sure I'm always getting it right - but learning.

Off tomorrow afternoon to the local Cowansville high school -Massey Vanier - to speak with some of the students at their assembly and to give out an award Michael and I have established in Public Speaking. There are a lot around for writing, so we though, with the help of one of the teachers, Patrick Fontaine, it would be great to celebrate those students who find the courage to get up in front of their peers and deliver a speech. Very scary.

So, that'll be fun!

What I think I'm going to do from now on, since I can't seem to blog as often as I'd like, is I'll put my facebook posts up on the blog...that way we get to stay in touch daily....and sometimes I'll add things, just for you. I know that many of you, who read the blog, were among the very first supporters of the Gamache books. And I'm forever grateful to you!

So excited about The Beautiful Mystery coming out in a few months. I also know many of you followed the adventures in the monastery, as Michael and I did some of the research for the book. And now it will soon be in your hands.

Speak soon - be well.