….and then we are off to Ottawa and “Bloody Words”. I’ve spent a lot of this weekend trying to decide what to pack and then of that what is absolutely necessary! The conference promises “reams of books” as part of our package, so there must be room left in the suitcase for that.
But even more difficult than deciding what to pack is deciding which items on the agenda we want to attend. Saturday has been booked in blocks, with 3 topics and/or speakers running concurrently. And so many of them are of great interest…how to decide which is of more benefit?
No question though about wanting to hear Louise Penny, that’s a given!
Hard to believe its June 1 tomorrow, the weather has been sunny but definitely cool. Not that I’m complaining, for I do not suffer gladly the humidity our Canadian weather produces starting anytime now. Don’t get me wrong, I love sunny days and warm temperatures, just keep the energy-sapping humidity away please.
And only three days of work this week. Fly into Ottawa Thursday afternoon and return Sunday evening..and THEN I can enjoy a whole week away from work.
My granddaughter will be 4 in a week’s time, so a shopping/lunch trip is planned on her special day with her mum to see what Nana can buy for the birthday girl.
The afternoon is winding down and there are still chores I need to attend to, so I probably won’t post until after Bloody Words, or if Pam has her laptop with her and we can get it connected, perhaps we will blog from the hotel.
Cheers!
Liz
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Printed and bound. Yea!
What dreary weather we are having. One day is nice and then we have high winds and rain. The gardens look good of course. Everything is so green. My favourite colour.
Liz and I had a very emotional moment this week when I picked up the manuscript from the printers of Madelaine, all bound and looking like a book. Next month it will be two years since we started our journey in storytelling. I can honestly say that it has been so much fun and a great learning experience for both of us. Long may Jamie Tremain continue.
Madelaine is being read in the bound form by two friends at work whom we really feel will give us an honest critique. So far so good.... No we didn't bribe them.
Last night I finished the first draft of editing and revising Body Perfect. It is 20 chapters but not quite finished. After the conference we will sit down and see where we want to finish up and where we will go from here. We have been throwing ideas around when we manage a coffee break together but nothing concrete yet.Liz is still very overloaded at work so she is especially looking forward to the break.
Pouring over the program for "Bloody Words" has us dizzy. We are in for a jam packed three days and there are some super speakers and events. It will be hard to cram them all in as there are three events going on at a time.
Will keep you all posted about the latest in forensics and police procedural. At least Liz will tell you all about the Forensics as I am not sure if that is my forte.
Will write soon.
Slainte,
Pam
Liz and I had a very emotional moment this week when I picked up the manuscript from the printers of Madelaine, all bound and looking like a book. Next month it will be two years since we started our journey in storytelling. I can honestly say that it has been so much fun and a great learning experience for both of us. Long may Jamie Tremain continue.
Madelaine is being read in the bound form by two friends at work whom we really feel will give us an honest critique. So far so good.... No we didn't bribe them.
Last night I finished the first draft of editing and revising Body Perfect. It is 20 chapters but not quite finished. After the conference we will sit down and see where we want to finish up and where we will go from here. We have been throwing ideas around when we manage a coffee break together but nothing concrete yet.Liz is still very overloaded at work so she is especially looking forward to the break.
Pouring over the program for "Bloody Words" has us dizzy. We are in for a jam packed three days and there are some super speakers and events. It will be hard to cram them all in as there are three events going on at a time.
Will keep you all posted about the latest in forensics and police procedural. At least Liz will tell you all about the Forensics as I am not sure if that is my forte.
Will write soon.
Slainte,
Pam
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Excuses, excuses!
It's not so much writers block as .....any excuse not to do revisions or start something new. Life seems to be getting in the way at present. I can't even use the excuse that the computer is down. Not that Liz used that one as she really was tearing her hair out having no computer but she is up and running again. Maybe I just came out in sympathy with her.
This is Canada's Victoria Day holiday week-end. I think there are more Royalist in Canada than in Britain. Of course in Quebec it is Patriots Day not Victoria Day. Any day away from work is a good day for me.
I have been banished from my office as my eldest grandson uses it as his bedroom when he is here and I am sitting in my bedroom looking out at our cherry tree in full bloom. The sun has just gone down and I should be inspired, but I am not. The wind is very strong tonight and the trees are bent over. I love to watch this spectacle as it changes every minute. The garden is filling in nicely and the clematis looks very strong. So do the weeds. Too much rain.
I have been asked to watch "King Kong" with my grandsons but no, I will pass. I have a book I want to finish. I have read lots of mysteries but not thrillers and I picked up a book by Linwood Barclay. "No time for goodbye". He is one of the authors that will be at" Bloody Words". I am halfway through it and can't wait to find out the who , what, why and how. It is so well paced and very exciting. It's a genre I did not think I would like but I am now a fan.
Talking of genre. Liz and I have many discussions regarding this subject, trying to figure what genre we should write in. We hope lots of things will become clear to us at the conference.
Some black clouds have just rolled in and it is getting dark. I thought I would just curl up with my book now but noticed the bed does not have the clean sheets on it . Don't you hate that? But maybe you don't procrastinate like me.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend and I will talk soon.
Pam
This is Canada's Victoria Day holiday week-end. I think there are more Royalist in Canada than in Britain. Of course in Quebec it is Patriots Day not Victoria Day. Any day away from work is a good day for me.
I have been banished from my office as my eldest grandson uses it as his bedroom when he is here and I am sitting in my bedroom looking out at our cherry tree in full bloom. The sun has just gone down and I should be inspired, but I am not. The wind is very strong tonight and the trees are bent over. I love to watch this spectacle as it changes every minute. The garden is filling in nicely and the clematis looks very strong. So do the weeds. Too much rain.
I have been asked to watch "King Kong" with my grandsons but no, I will pass. I have a book I want to finish. I have read lots of mysteries but not thrillers and I picked up a book by Linwood Barclay. "No time for goodbye". He is one of the authors that will be at" Bloody Words". I am halfway through it and can't wait to find out the who , what, why and how. It is so well paced and very exciting. It's a genre I did not think I would like but I am now a fan.
Talking of genre. Liz and I have many discussions regarding this subject, trying to figure what genre we should write in. We hope lots of things will become clear to us at the conference.
Some black clouds have just rolled in and it is getting dark. I thought I would just curl up with my book now but noticed the bed does not have the clean sheets on it . Don't you hate that? But maybe you don't procrastinate like me.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend and I will talk soon.
Pam
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Short & Sweet
Happy Mothers' Day!
As Pam mentioned my computer is in a non working status, and is currently in for repairs...thanks to my good friend Rebecca for the loan of her computer to check my email and to quickly post a brief blog.
Spent a lovely afternoon yesterday for Mother's Day with my oldest son and his family. My other son and his family joined in along with my daughter. A barbecue had been planned, but the weather was too unsettled to sit outside. However barbecued meats taste just as great indoors!
Friday evening saw my oldest son, William, and I take in the new Star Trek movie..what a treat!! Its something we share in common and have made it our special time to share in any new premieres, This one was AWESOME! I have fallen in love with the early Star Trek all over again..the new "young" Star Trek cast have nailed their characters perfectly and the whole movie was a wonderful ride from start to finish...bring on more!!!
Well as I said, this would be brief and I must not take advantage of the time loaned to me, so need to attend to other outstanding email.
I'll be glad to be back online - hopefully no later than Friday - and finish getting ready for our Bloody Words in less than a month!
Have a great week.
Cheers!
Liz
As Pam mentioned my computer is in a non working status, and is currently in for repairs...thanks to my good friend Rebecca for the loan of her computer to check my email and to quickly post a brief blog.
Spent a lovely afternoon yesterday for Mother's Day with my oldest son and his family. My other son and his family joined in along with my daughter. A barbecue had been planned, but the weather was too unsettled to sit outside. However barbecued meats taste just as great indoors!
Friday evening saw my oldest son, William, and I take in the new Star Trek movie..what a treat!! Its something we share in common and have made it our special time to share in any new premieres, This one was AWESOME! I have fallen in love with the early Star Trek all over again..the new "young" Star Trek cast have nailed their characters perfectly and the whole movie was a wonderful ride from start to finish...bring on more!!!
Well as I said, this would be brief and I must not take advantage of the time loaned to me, so need to attend to other outstanding email.
I'll be glad to be back online - hopefully no later than Friday - and finish getting ready for our Bloody Words in less than a month!
Have a great week.
Cheers!
Liz
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Spring Run-off
Where does the time go? By all accounts Spring has arrived as the grass is green and the trees are in leaf. The forsythia is on the wane and the cherry tree and lilac will be next. The hosta and the forget- me-not are competing with the perennial ground cover for space. It seems I remember more plant names than I thought.
Since receiving my new hearing aids a few weeks ago it is a lovely surprise to notice the outside noises. When I sit on the deck I have noticed woodpeckers, mourning doves and loads of grackles making a terrible racket. I thought I could hear traffic but my husband assured me that what I was listening to was the river rushing through the ravine. The spring run-off. I try to look for the positive in situations and it is a pleasure to take them out (hearing aids) and just listen to the quiet.
I have to admit I need quiet when I am revising. As I speak out the sentences to myself to make sure it sounds right as well as written, it is best done in a room by yourself. Body Perfect is getting the line by line editing that is necessary but it is so slow. Just started on chapter two but I will persevere. Liz has been finishing up Madelaine but her computer crashed a few days ago.
She is one frustrated lady. Hope she is back soon.
You have all heard of our friend Louise Penny whom we admire very much. Her latest book, "The Murder Stone" won an "Agatha" at the conference" Malice Domestic"on the week-end. Don't you love that name?
We are just thrilled for her and it is much deserved. If you have not read her work I suggest you do as they are beautifully written. Her fifth book is due out in October.
When we go to "Bloody Words" next month we will be meeting with Louise. I can't wait to pick her brain and hopefully learn lots about the publishing world from her along with a slew of other authors and editors.
We have our plane tickets so now we have to pack a suitcase. I just can't pack light. It is only three night but..... Who knows what one wants to wear the next day.
and we need lots of room for all the books we will be bringing back!!.
Talk again soon.
Pam
Since receiving my new hearing aids a few weeks ago it is a lovely surprise to notice the outside noises. When I sit on the deck I have noticed woodpeckers, mourning doves and loads of grackles making a terrible racket. I thought I could hear traffic but my husband assured me that what I was listening to was the river rushing through the ravine. The spring run-off. I try to look for the positive in situations and it is a pleasure to take them out (hearing aids) and just listen to the quiet.
I have to admit I need quiet when I am revising. As I speak out the sentences to myself to make sure it sounds right as well as written, it is best done in a room by yourself. Body Perfect is getting the line by line editing that is necessary but it is so slow. Just started on chapter two but I will persevere. Liz has been finishing up Madelaine but her computer crashed a few days ago.
She is one frustrated lady. Hope she is back soon.
You have all heard of our friend Louise Penny whom we admire very much. Her latest book, "The Murder Stone" won an "Agatha" at the conference" Malice Domestic"on the week-end. Don't you love that name?
We are just thrilled for her and it is much deserved. If you have not read her work I suggest you do as they are beautifully written. Her fifth book is due out in October.
When we go to "Bloody Words" next month we will be meeting with Louise. I can't wait to pick her brain and hopefully learn lots about the publishing world from her along with a slew of other authors and editors.
We have our plane tickets so now we have to pack a suitcase. I just can't pack light. It is only three night but..... Who knows what one wants to wear the next day.
and we need lots of room for all the books we will be bringing back!!.
Talk again soon.
Pam
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