10 Sep Such a Day
Another gorgeous September morning – it’s been sun and warm temperatures in Ottawa all week and difficult to be indoors.
Of great note this week, Queen Elizabeth II died two days ago, ending an era that has stretched my lifetime. I remember singing “God Save the Queen” every morning in grade school with her picture hanging in the classroom. I saw her in profile once drive past in a car downtown, and it felt surreal to see the woman whose face is on our money and other documents in person. She has been a stabilizing, constant throughout the decades and one the world now mourns and will greatly miss.
As for my writing, I’m in the editing stage of book two in the Hunter and Tate series. I’ve also sent this version to a police officer friend who lives down the street to see if I’ve gotten the investigation details correct. We already had a chat about search warrants and it turns out that a justice of the peace approves them, not a judge as I thought. The devil’s truly in the details. I’ve gone through all the edits from my editor and am having another read-through, still finding the odd word to change. I particularly dislike having the same word used too closely together and am constantly on the search … it’s odd how often they slip in.
Blind Date received a lovely review from another Ottawa author Lis Angus who writes, “Chapman’s writing experience and skill are evident. Her plotting is faultless, her characters are individuals with their own quirks, and her descriptions of scenes and routes in Ottawa are totally fresh and clear.” Lis’s suspense novel Not Your Child has received some terrific reviews too so one to put on your reading list!
I have to confess that I haven’t had much sleep as I type this blogpost. I went to the Chris Stapleton concert last night (such a wonderful singer and musician), and while the show ended at eleven, getting out of the parking lot and driving home took a few hours, after which, I was wide awake. Our daughter, Julia, gave us Stapleton’s double album a few Christmases ago, and I’m a huge fan – check him out if you haven’t already.
So, I’ll close off and go in search of another cup of coffee. I hope you’re also enjoying a beautiful September wherever you are. I hope the cold weather holds off another few weeks at least!