Ornament winner - and Paris

Mainly cloudy, cool, temps minmus 6

What a fun day, so far...

Heading off by train to Quebec City...on Via Rail. I'm always a little surprised by how dull the terrain is. Very flat, not especially pretty...we hardly see the St. Lawrence river...but as we get close to Quebec we cross it, and that's quite spectacular. It's a wonderful train trip...I'm very lucky that my publishers send me first class so I got a lovely large seat to myself, with meals. And a chance to just stare out the window and daydream. Heaven.

Once in Quebec City it was 4pm and dark. Sun sets so early these days. Took a cab up to the CBC-Radio Canada offices on St. Jean, which is just outside Les Portes St. Jean - the gates through the thick stone wall into Old Quebec. There are three gates, of which this is one.

Jacquie Czernin had me on her 4-6 show. What a lovely woman she is. We worked together briefly before I moved From Quebec City to Montreal back in 1990 (can barely stant it that it was 18 years!!!). We had a great time on her show - chatting to the whole province.

Then Guy Dubois, the owner of La Maison Anglaise bookstore picked me up. He's an old friend and he and his wife Christine have a 2 week old daughter - their first. Gabrielle. Michael and I got her the softed little bunny rabbit doll. I forget how tiny and pretty little ones are. And Gabrielle is adorable...I met her later in the evening. But Guy drove me across town to my hotel.

Now - if you need to go to Quebec City - or actually the neighboring suburb of Ste Foy - you must stay at the Hotel ALT. It's a fabulous boutique hotel, all re-done, with amazing bathrooms, and ?TV's and lighting, huge high loft ceilings, massive rooms, comfortable huge beds. Perfect. It was all I could do to leave it to walk to the talk and signing. One note about the Hotel ALT - do not stay there if your interntion is to visit Quebec City - it's too far out. Ste. Foy is like Brooklyn ()well, not really - but in terms of distance to the city centre. I imagine most of the people at the hotel were like me - there on business. Very few tourists would choose to stay in Ste. Foy. Too bad because it really is a great hotel.

The talk mand signing was such fun. I LOVE the people at La Maison Anglise. They're the QC equivilent of Brome Lake Books in Knowlton. Independent, smart, beautifully and sympathetically designed by people who just love books. It a read community hub.

Rana Bose, whopse book is The Fourth Canvas, was also there. He read from his work and I bought 2 books! It sounds great. Then I had a chance to read. Loads of people - feels like old home week. Very fun and comfortable, and successful.

Back at the hotel by 9pm, in bed by 10pm - alarm at 6am - and off to the train station for an 8am ride back to Montreal, and the Quebec Salon du Livres...which is the book fair. Except this one, unlike any I've been to anywhere else, is open to the public...and lasts a week (with one day dedicated to schools). It's a madhouse...all these grown men and women on the literary equivilent of a sugar high. Racing from booth to booth to get books signed by old favorites, and meeting new authors...it was just buzzing. My signing was 2-3. Kim McArthur (my Canadian publisher) was there in all her glory. As was Taryn Manias of McArthur, and Debra Schram, a book rep who helped organize that Hovey Manor launch.

One of the very few disappointments in my publishing career - and it's quite a large and mystifying one - is that while the series is translated into all sorts of languages (including Estonian for heavens sake) it has no French publisher. I'm genuinely baffled. Anyway, one day perhaps.

The book is #10 on the bedsellers list this week so you'd think a French publisher (hello, Quebec is French!!!) might be interested. But apparently not.

But we had a riot at the Salon, signed loads of books, met lots of people.

Then hopped a cab, came home, re-organized clothing and bags and we're off to the airport in 45 minutes for...now where again...oh yes...PARIS!!! Did I mention that before? Surely not.

We've decided not to take a computer - to make this a complete vacation. Will try to blog from Paris at least once, give you an update...but I hope you understand if it doesn't work.

Oh yes - the winner of the draw for the Three Pines Christmas ornament, designed and made by my fabulous assistant Lise is....London Kate! Distance notwithstanding.

Now, Kate - you need to give us your address. Please write it privately through the 'contact me' page on my website. Thank you and congratulations! It really is stunning.

Thanks to everyone who wrote emails and messages on the comments section of the blog. We'll have give-aways every now and then - and some through the newsletter as well and the website. Big one beginning on the website early in December, so you need to keep checking the home page.

Thanks so much - a bientot.

Quebec City

Mainly sunny, cold, temps minus 8

Quick blog - running off to the train station to catch the train to Quebec City for the event at 7pm at La Maison Anglaise. Beautiful, crisp winter day here. Just picked up the key to the apartment we're renting in Paris. Belongs to a friend here. It's in St Germain des Pres in Paris, right by the Luxembourg gardens. Heaven.

Tomorrow I'm heading back to Mtl for a signing at the huge Montreal Book Fair - called the Salon du Livres. 2-3pm signing. Then grabbing Michael and the suitcases and off to the airport. Hope not to get caught in traffic...there's the Santa Claus parade in Montreal tomorrow and Grey Cup - the HUGE Canadian football finals in the city this weekend too.

Lots happening this weekend.

Thanks for all your entries in the Christmas ornament draw! Will choose a winner tomorrow and hope to have time to post the blog before we leave.

Speak soon - have a great weekend!

Christmas ornament draw!

Mainly sunny, cold, temps minus 6

Wonderful day - Lise arrived at 9am to help us dig out from the office overload! All the stuff we'd moved from the loft-office in Sutton was still sitting in my study at home and Michael's office right next to mine. It looked like someone had turned the house upside down.

I reeeeally hate dis-order. I don't need everything all tidy - that would drive me crazy too. But after a point I find I get totally stressed in an environment that's cluttered. Our home can get like that. I love to throw things out and Michael, well, doesn't. So we've tried to compartmentalize things...his study can be as topsy-turvy as he likes, and mine is in whatever shape it's in. We try not to interfer in those areas. But often that 'mess' expands into the kitchen and dining room and living room - with mail and magazines and newspapers and books all piled up. I actually like a bit of that - feels comfortable and lived in and not too anal...but it reaches a stage with me where I just want to scoop it all up, put it in recycling and be shot of it.

We reached that stage at home about a month ago but our lives have been so hectic there wasn't anything we could do.

Until today. Glorious today...glorious Lise!

With barely a gasp she saw the disaster areas - the we rolled up our sleeves and unpacked boxes and bags - sorting into recycling, stuff to give to the senior's home for their sales, stuff to keep, and garbage. When in doubt I'd hol;d something up and Lise would ask, Are you ever gtoing to use it? No? Well, maybe someone else will.

Wise - very wise.

Lise also made a dozen Christmas decorations with Three Pines themes...each an original work of art, each designed to hang on the tree! I've signed a small card attached to each, and dates. So that each will become a collectors item.

Am taking two to Quebec City with me tomorrow. One to give away on t5he CBC radio show - Jacquie Czernine's 4-6 show tomorrow...and the other to give away at the event I'll be at tomorrow night in Quebec City at La Maison Anglaise bookstore, in Ste. Foy. I'll be there with another author - Rana Bose. REally looking forward to meeting her.

And I want to give one away to one of you right now...since you're so sup[portive and loyal, and have helped spread the word about my books.

If you leave a comment at the end of this blog saying you'd like the Christmas decoration I will ask Michael to choose a name at random - then ask Lise to mail it to the winner! If you can't - for whatever reason - leave a comment, then just go to the 'contact me' page on the website and leave a message there. I'll give it a few days.

We're in Montreal now...after Lise got us all sorted out, and Tony came to get Maggie and Trudy, Michael and I put the cases in the car and drove to the city. I signed a stack of books at the McGill bookstore where Kim (one of the managers) gave me her copy of a book she adored...AN EXPERT IN MURDER by Nicola Upson. Kim knows I adore Josephine Tey, and in this book Ms Upson has taken the bold move of making Josephine Tey the detective. Imagine that.

Will try to blog tomorrow before heading to Quebec City by train. Lovely journey. 3 1/2 hours...very relaxing. Take care, and don't forget to enter the draw for the handmade Three Pines - dated and signed Christmas ornament!

Maggie fine!

cloudy, light flurries, temps minus 2



Hi there. A quick blog today. maggie's just fine! Yay - well, not perfect but vet says the swelling is what he expected and not to worry. It's not a crisis. Thank heaven. And she doesn't seem in pain. Phew.



Great day - finished polish and will email manuscript for THE BRUTAL TELLING to Teresa tonight.



Busy day - 2 loads of laundry. Nancy coming because my desktop is frozen. helped Tony take Christmas lights off a massive tree out front - we're putting them on the honeysuckle instead. Now have to run over to the guest cottage where the water system seems to have failed! Michael there now trying to figure it out...Tony there...but apparently I've put the manuals somewhere. Oh oh.



If I don't come back you know they've killed me.



Talk tomorrow - I hope.

A gentle day

flurries, cool, temps minus 3

Odd, but doesn't feel nearly as bitter as the other day when the temperature m,ust have been the same. And it was sleeting. But as always it's the wind that's the culprit.

Lovely to wake up to a layer of fluffy snow. Had already made an appointment to have the winter tires put on this morning, so off we went. Now, the snow might have looked beautiful, but it was surprisingly treacherous underneath. The car was sliding all over the place, and difficult to stop. Happily we're quite used to this sort of driving in Canada...still, it's never pleasant, or comfortable. But we made it just fine. I'm always mostly worried about the people driving toward me. Had a friend I worked with in Thunder Bay years ago who was driving to southern ontario over Christmas with her kids and they were killed in a head-on collison on the highway. A truck lost control in the other direction and hit them. I was quite young and up until that moment thought I was immortal. After that I became mortal. And others became threats. Not sure, honestly, even if you see the truck losing control ahead of you there's much you could do anyway on a snowy highway. Except pray. I wonder where the love of God goes in that moment? Perhaps I should pray I never know. Reminds me of that searing poem from the first world war by Sigfried Sassoon when describing crowds cheering for young men departing for the front - Sneak home and pray you never know
The Hell where youth and laughter go.

Well, enough of this. It remains a beautiful, gentle day. We're home for now. Have just wolfed down a sandwich then looked at the plate and wondered where it went. In 20 minutes we're off again with Maggie to the vet. I dread it - always imagine the worst - but I think it will be just fine. He might give us stronger medication for her swelling. But her tail still wags, and she hops around the pond and gobbles her meals (like her Mom). She has Michael's ears, but definitely her Mom's eating habits. Life seems to still hold a lot of pleasure for her. And while we can see her personal truck starting to veer out of control on the highway ahead we think it's still a distance off.

Hope to finish the polish this afternoon - but if too tired I'll do it tomorrow. Feels so good to be at this stage...almost makes up for all the agony earlier.

Be well and will chat tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Spare tires - the rubber kind

flurries, cold, windy, temps -3

chilly day but dressed warmly and at least made it around the pond twice today! Gary came, poor guy - to fix a leak in our roof (it's always something) and was press-ganged into helping me load the winter tires into the car. Have an appointment in Cowansville at 8am to have them put on.

Breakfast in Cowie while that's being done, then off to do some errands. And in the afternoon we've made a vets appointment for Maggie. Her leg is badly swollen again, so want it checked out before we head out.

Fingers crossed.

Polishing going very well...now at page 503...less than 30 pages to go. Hope to have it finished by tomorrow night. That would leave Wednesday for washing clothes for the trip. Pulled out the Time Out Paris and drooled. Michael ordered our Museum Passes so we're just going to go Museum Mad. Yum.

Will write again tomorrow...hope you're well. Hope all your animals are healthy too!

A chilly but pleasant day

blustery, light flurries, bitter cold, temps -2


It feels far colder than it is - I think it's the wind. Took the dogs around the pond this morning and it was fine, then tried at noon and only got as far as the water, tossed the ball a couple of times, cried, poop! Pee! at them, gave them a cookie then scaddadled back home.


To the fireplace.

To Pat's homemade parsnip soup, like velvet.

To the warm laptop - and THE BRUTAL TELLING.


Am now at page 399 - out of 530. Need to finish by Thursday when I head to Quebec City for an event at this fabulous bookstore there called La Maison Anglaise. That's at 7pm on Friday. Though I have a CBC interview at 5pm. Then back to Montreal the next day to do a signing at the Salon Du Livres - the massive Quebec bookfair. That's on Saturday from 2-3. Then have to rush home, pack and head to the airport for the evening flight to Paris.


Can hardly wait, as you might imagine.


But between now and then I need to finish this polish. It's going well. Infact, I'm really enjoying it...both the book and the process. As those of you who have been reading the blog for the past year know - there have been times with this book I've just wanted to throw it, or me, off the roof. It's been, alternately, brilliant and a pile of crap.


So hard to tell the difference when it's the censurous little voice in my head doing the telling.

But now I see the shape of it, the structure, the characters. I see them and feel them, follow them. I can see the bumps that need smoothing, the slow parts that need zipping up, or taking out. But it really is fine-tuning at this stage. Phew.


Had a wonderful parcel waiting for us when we got home yesterday...it was a quite large box and inside were two cocktail glasses, heavy, elegant, and etched with three pine trees, then underneath were the words, Three Pines.


They were - and are - stunning. And inside was a card from Donald Pile and Ray Williams. They're award winning celebrity travel columnists...syndicated in gay publications across North America. They'd heard of Three Pines and written to tell me some of their readers had told them about the books...so I sent them a couple. And now we're making tentative plans to meet in Maine in mid-June. Who knows, but they sure seem like extremely kind, very interesting people.


As you can see one of the very unexpected and delightful gifts of having books published in meeting people I would never normally meet. And seeing how much kindness there is out there.


Am off - the bath calls, and I for one can never resist.