20 Sep On the Road Again
And another week has flown by! No rain and endless sunshine … such a great September, but unusual enough weather to feel worrisome. Well, there will be snow soon enough.
I took the train to Toronto on Tuesday, primarily to fulfill my commitment to Blues for Youth and the charity auction for an author visit, the winning bidder none other than my friend Dawn in Toronto. Spending time with Dawn was also the reason for my trip. Her book club selected Blind Date, and we spent a lovely Wednesday afternoon in Dawn’s garden over lunch, discussing the book and all things writing. They told me that this was the first mystery chosen by their club, and they all thoroughly enjoyed it. Some said they thought they’d read the first chapter but couldn’t put the book down. Music to my author ears! All in all, it was a relaxed, fun afternoon spent with some welcoming and interesting women.
Thursday, we took the subway downtown to meet Meghan MacDonald, Dundurn’s publisher, for coffee. Meghan and I spoke often by email and once by Zoom, but this was our first time meeting in person. Dawn also came along and we chatted about books and writing, gardening, and life in Toronto. Meghan let me know that the editing for Nobody Tell will begin soon. It was good to meet and chat in person. Lunch in Yorkville and drinks on the top floor patio of Writers Room bar in the Park Hyatt hotel with a view of the CN Tower made for a wonderful day.
I made it home yesterday and need to settle in to some book tasks, including getting a writing routine going again. I’d say my summer break is all but over. The consistent message readers have been saying is that they want to make sure I’m not stopping, which is very kind while also kind of motivating. I think there are a few more books in me!
Finally, there is some buzz starting for the upcoming release of the short story anthology, A Capital Mystery, all the stories set in Ottawa and written by local writers, including me. The launch is set for October 15 at the main branch of the public library. You can pre-order a copy at a discounted price now from Ottawa Press and Publishing.
Have a great week, everyone. I’ll let you know if I get my writing kickstarted again next week 🙂