This and That with Jamie Tremain

I’m not really superstitious but I go along with the adage of things coming in threes and I have been known to touch wood for luck now and again.

This merry month of May has been anything but merry. The weather has been so-so but it was a good excuse to get lots of reading done. My interview and writing schedule has been up in the air as my laptop limped along and finally crashed.

Then my husband came down with bronchitis and I did my Florence Nightingale role. Just when he is on the mend, with my nursing care I might add, he says... “I can hear water running. Did you leave a tap on again?” 

As I'm hard of hearing I have often left taps running as I walk away and not heard the offending trickle.

He searched the house and found the water. Fortunately the water leaked from the ceiling in the bathroom into the bathtub. This bathroom is not used much in the basement so we don’t know how long the water has been leaking. A plumber found the cause after tearing the ceiling and tiles off the walls. A tiny pinprick in a copper pipe!  The drying out will be three days and then hopefully they will put it back again.

So it’s all go here but I can’t get my mind around writing. I should be outside planting and weeding and all that stuff but.. next week will do. That’s before I attend the Bloody Words conference with Liz in Toronto. 

So looking forward to this event and meeting old friends and new.

This is what I have been reading when not dealing with all my woes! You can stop playing the violin now.

Deryn Collier –   

Open Secrets with Bern Fortin- Coroner as the main protagonist. Thought provoking with a main character who is intriguing and very engaging.

Vicki Delany- 

A Cold White Sun –the sixth in the Molly Smith series- never fails to keep my attention.

Vicki Delany    

Gold Webb- Love that Fiona MacGillivray.The last in the Klondike mysteries.

Victoria Abbott- 

The Sayers Swindle. The second in the Book Collector Mysteries. This mother and daughter team are on a roll.

Michelle Wan- 

Deadly Slipper- If you like orchids… This is a spooky thriller/First in the series.

Howard Shrier   

Miss Montreal- Need to read more of Howard's books /Great protagonist in Jonah Geller

Gloria Ferris  

Corpse Flower / Strange flowers and bikers and pot. What a combination.   My kind of humour.

 Melodie Campbell  

 The God Daughters Revenge/ A mob caper/ Laugh a minute.

Cathy Ace    

The Corpse with the Golden Nose

This BC author by way of Wales is new to me. I certainly will  read the others in the Cait Morgan series. I'm looking forward to meeting her at Bloody Words.

Kay Kendall 

Desolation Row   Excellent debut novel. Kay is a FB buddy and we will be meeting her next Friday at the conference.  She hails from Texas but has based her book in 1968 Toronto. That was my coming of age and she had it right on.When is your next book out Kay?

My book club choices

Mary Anne Shaffer & Annie Barrows 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. German occupied Guernsey during WW11. Interesting characters.

Gillian Flynn-   

Gone Girl   This is the only book I didn't finish. Might try again.

Cathy Marie Buchanan                       

The  Painted Girls  ***** One of my favourite books of all time. Marvellous writer. Degas bronze is the background to this story. The little fourteen year old dancer that was used as a model. 

I have not added any links to make things easier for you as I'm still playing around with my new laptop. I think you will find most of these authors on Google.

Liz and I will get back on track with regular blogs after the conference.

OOPs I forgot to mention I did manage to attend two events when my nursing duties allowed me.

"NOIR at the bar" on May 8th at P.J. O'Briens Irish pub was well attended in downtown Toronto. Photos will be forthcoming as soon as I figure out how.

Then on May 18th five of Canada's Criminal Masterminds were at the Moonshine Cafe in Oakville for lively discussions of the writing world and read from their books. 

Happy reading and writing,

Talk soon,

Slainte,

Pam