Blog-Letter March

 March 1 2022

 

***Note from Jamie Tremain - most of this letter was put together before the horrible situation erupted in Ukraine and we would be remiss not to mention that our hearts and prayers go out to the leaders and brave people of Ukraine and like everyone else we hope and pray for a peaceful resolution!

 

This month has Spring in it! And here in the Northern Hemisphere, we eagerly await its arrival.

Liz's Book Review -      Crimechurch by Michael Botur

This is an author I'd never read before and I was asked to provide a review. While this is not a book I would have likely picked up because of the subject matter, I'm not sorry I read it.

MichaelBotur, 38, is from Whangarei, New Zealand, and is a fiction writer and poet. As of 2020 he has published two literary fiction books, traditionally, and has self-published five short story collections, one poetry collection and has received numerous accolades.

The book description for Crimechurch -

                                                                         

My Review:

I’m exhausted and overwhelmed reading this harsh tale of gang life in Christchurch, NZ, and  I feel as if I have just emerged from a freakish carnival roller coaster ride. Moments of intense graphic violence were relieved sporadically when I uttered a laugh at unexpected, but totally appropriate, humour. The book is populated by inhumane and psychopathic gang leaders and those who would do their bidding,  who occasionally show a glimpse of sentiment. A bungee-cord ride from start to finish.

Gritty, raw, and bleak don’t even begin to describe the general tone of this remarkable account given life by the author. Entering gang life – as a choice, drug use, violence as a means to an end and a never-ending string of creative profanity – this is not a life I would ever care to be part of. Knowing it exists is bad enough, but I applaud the author’s ability to peel back some of the layers of lost lives to bring them to a very realistic level of believability.

His weaving of several distinct character voices is well done, bringing different points of view to experiences shared by two or more of these characters.

Yet some of these messed up, and beyond-lost gang members find a way to connect with the reader so that there is an engagement that makes you want to see how their messed-up lives will end.

As in real life, some lives are restored, and others are forever lost. This is not a book I will easily forget. Marty, Winston et al will lodge in my brain for a long time. 

SEPTEMBER

 September 13 2021

And another summer has blitzed by! We're well into September now. The leaves are turning faster, and the nights are generally cooler, which suits me quite fine!  I think Autumn is my favourite season of the year and wish it could last until Spring!

Jamie Tremain’s newest series – Grant’s Crossing – débuts October 1 with the first book in the series -  Death on the Alder. Once again, we applaud our cover designer, Jennifer Gibson, for beautiful cover artwork.

Imagine you’re 28 years old - carefree, career undecided, and your last surviving family member has bequeathed you a renovated farmhouse, which is now home to 8 senior citizens.  You no sooner arrive, when a suspicious death throws a heavy shadow over two of the residents. It’s your decision – turn down the inheritance or stay. What would you do?

This is what faces our newest protagonist - Alysha Grant - as she returns to her hometown of Grant’s Crossing, located in a small, rural, Ontario town.

We have some quirky characters, and of course a body or two. As far as genre? Well, it’s a mystery with cozy overtones. We do hope you will come for a visit, stay awhile, and get to know these characters. Pam and I had a lot of fun creating this series, and we’re about halfway through the second – Resort to Murder.

But what else has been happening, you ask?

I had to buy a new laptop when my faithful Acer decided to retire unannounced. Its successor is another Acer and I’m loving it. Gearing up for Windows 11 as well. Progress all around.

And here in Canada we’re facing a federal election on September 20. And that’s my only comment on that particular subject.

COVID’s tentacles reached out to my family this week, with two family members testing positive. My husband and I had our swab tests and fortunately have negative results. Please, can this thing be over, SOON!!

Zoom meetings and marketing forays seem to round out my days. Another one scheduled tomorrow afternoon with our Author Survival Network group. If you’re a published author and would be interested in joining our group, send me an email and I’ll provide more details.   Lizlindsay528@yahoo.com

Earlier this month, my sister and I, along with a good friend, went trekking through the tombstones in search of our earliest ancestors in Southern Ontario. Two cemeteries in the Listowel area were on our list. Our mother was born in England and married our Canadian-born father after WW II. But my sister, the genealogy wizard in this family, has discovered ancestry hailing from Cornwall, England on my father’s side. The name? Tremain(e) of course. Sometimes with an ‘e’ and often without.

          

          

Bonus discovery. A very helpful groundskeeper also pointed us in the direction of this grave - John Livingstone, Sr - brother to Dr. David Livingstone (I presume?).  All in all, it was a lovely way to spend a day and feel a connection with those gone before.

Now, it’s time for coffee and flexing the keyboard to see what Alysha Grant and friends are up to in Grant’s Crossing – Resort to Murder.

Cheers!

Liz

Grant's Crossing - Death on the Alder 

Paperback available October 1 on Amazon

Pre-order e-books on Kindle and other online retailers

The Perils of Living Alone

 

Writers like to be alone, don’t they? How else can they conjure up devious characters  and plots to entertain you? To a certain extent that is true.    A room with no distractions, your favorite beverage by your side, maybe music,  and a good chair to churn out your latest work in progress is all you need.   Not so living alone. I had never lived on my own until I became a widow four years ago.  Brought up with four siblings meant there was always someone  to fix or help with a task you could not do.    We were both twenty when we married never having lived away from our parents.  So for the next fifty years, I always had someone to open a jar, hold a ladder, drive me whenever I didn’t feel like driving. My husband was not what you would call a handy person. He ignored light bulbs needing to  be changed, oil for the car, and even a gas fill-up.  But he was really good at putting on my eye makeup. Let me explain.   I was in the Cosmetic industry for many years. You were expected to wear full makeup everyday. How else can you sell if you are not wearing the  products?    I don’t have the best eyesight and as my husband was an artist he helped me with shadow and liner. I managed the mascara myself.  The benefits of not living alone are endless.  Let me give you an example.    Last week during a cold snap my heating was not doing what it should be doing and the chill in my living room had me looking for penguins.  I fiddled with the thermostat—still nothing but blasts of cold air. I called  the management of my condo and waited and waited.   To keep warm I donned a long-sleeved t-shirt and a quilted vest. I zippered it up to the neck and settled in my office to diligently edit  Jamie Tremain’s latest W.I.P.   I started to get a bit warm so I tried to unzip the vest to be more comfortable - determined to finish the editing. Thirty minutes later I still couldn’t get the zipper down. The toggle had shifted and wouldn’t  connect where it should.  I tried to pull it over my head. Wasn’t going to happen!     My neighbors are reluctant to go into anyone's apartment so unless I  wanted  to embarrass myself and call the cops to extricate me I needed to look for my  sewing shears. No idea where they could be.  Then, I remembered I had some sharp ones in the kitchen.   Another half hour and I was free. I nearly lost an important part of my  anatomy, and my Old Navy vest is now in the garbage. It didn’t owe me anything.                                   So living alone in the time of Covid-19 or anytime can be… Dangerous or humorous. I prefer humorous.   Spring will be here soon and I won’t need a vest. But maybe I will call the cops if a future predicament necessitates.  I love a man in uniform. Slainte, Pam ReplyForward

ADIOS 2020!

 

Not sorry to see the end of 2020! Vaccines are here so perhaps the end of COVID’s stranglehold on our lives and economies is nearing an end.

Christmas and other holiday times with family and friends to gather have been disrupted and put on hold. But I am grateful to say that my family and friends have been kept safe from the virus. Understandably, though, patience with restrictions is wearing thin. Cracks, often quite large, are showing up with our compliance efforts. I will continue to play nice and abide by best medical advice, but long for the day when I can grocery shop sans mask or no regard for “senior hours”. 

Pam and I still await word from our publisher on the status of Beholden To None,  the third (and last for a while) in our Dorothy Dennehy mystery series. We are anxious to move forward with our next series under development – Grant’s Crossing.  The first book tentatively called Grant’s Crossing – Death on the Alder is now undergoing beta reader testing and final edits. Then begins the process of shopping for a new publisher or taking the plunge and self-publishing.

I’ve been polishing up my short story skills, venturing submissions here and there, and a contest or two. Nothing COVID related either!  Although, never say never.

Baking has become my second most prolific past time, next to writing, this year.  My sister and I have partnered together to produce Christmas fruit cakes and assorted cookies and treats to package and distribute via porch drops to family and friends over the next week or so.

 

                                             

Not everyone's cup of tea, but I love traditional English Christmas Fruitcake!  My sister, Michele, faithfully follows our Mother's recipe every year.

Where would we be these days without video options to keep in touch with family, friends, and for me, the writing community.

Netflix, Prime, Crave, and Acorn TV platforms have kept me entertained. Among shows I had to binge are The Sounds and Queen’s Gambit. Loving Season 3 of Star Trek-Discovery! I'm also watching Castle Rock now, which seems appropriate as evenings are dark and the balcony has gone into hibernation. I’ve  been trying to read more, which helps me, as a writer, become more aware of writing styles, likes and dislikes.

So, I wonder what 2021 will have in store for Jamie Tremain?  For you, I wish health, happiness and an appreciation for all that is still good in this world. Oh, and keep reading, too. Please!

Until next year, this half of Jamie Tremain wishes you a Merry and Blessed Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and all things good for this holiday time of year.

See you in the New Year!

Cheers!

Liz

 

A Writer's Rambles

 

Writing – it’s what writers do. If we’re gifted in our craft, diligent, dedicated, and lucky, we manage to get ourselves published. Since the age of eight, it’s what I’ve wanted to do. And even though it didn’t happen overnight, I’ve managed to find myself now as a published author.  Thanks in no small part to my talented and persistent writing partner, Pam, and our “Jamie Tremain” identity.

 

Today I find myself in a reflective mood. Generated in part remembering it’s my Mother’s 107^th birthday today, and that tomorrow is Remembrance Day. Remembrance Day is poignant and I’ve posted the reasons why last year.   101 Years

But this year, this roller coaster of a year – 2020! It’s been written to death, and the political circus that has engulfed America has only added to the stew. I’ve been journaling since the virus took off back in March and find that’s been therapeutic, as well as a personal record of the world we’re living in. And I like statistics, so every day I’ve been recording virus numbers. Hey, routine is good, right?

I’ve been trying to avoid social media. It’s exhausting and frustrating. Everyone believes their opinion, and rights, are all that matters. I’m tired of the nastiness and seeing the very ugly side of human nature. Yes, we all know it’s there, but until recently, we’ve managed to be mature and keep it under control. It makes me so sad to see how angry everyone is. I think if I were God, this planet would have been toast quite some time ago!

Aside from the above, on a more personal note, Jamie Tremain’s writing progress has been halted at times this year for various reasons, not the least of which was Pam breaking her arm early in January. A portent of the year to come!  But despite setbacks and detours, the third book in our Dorothy Dennehy Mystery Series - Beholden To None -  is now with our publisher. 

Unfortunately, at times, the publishing process is slow – which is likely an understatement! 

In the meantime, Pam and I have had frequent video meetings with our Genre5 Author group, which have provided support, structure and one or two laughs. We’ve had a writing project on the go for the past few months. Imagine five authors working together on one project!  As if this year wasn’t crazy enough, but in fact it’s been a source of stability, at least for me. Can't say enough about these ladies and so grateful our love of writing has led to a wonderful circle of amazing friends.

Donna Warner   Pam Blance   Gloria Ferris   Liz Lindsay
Donna Houghton

Despite not being able to have in person book launches or book club meetings, writers tap into their creative side to find ways around it.  More online interviews, more video hook ups and chats mean we keep our presence out there. And we continue to write. Will we write with stories around COVID or totally ignore it? Opinion seems evenly divided, but regardless, stories will continue.

And before long, we will say adieu to 2020 and I wonder what the next year will bring? I only ask for the health and safety of my family and friends – this year has shown how terribly important those two elements are. Truly, no man is an island. Family and friends provide a foundation, roots and a fortress at times against the world. 

But for now, another glorious, and highly unusual, November day calls me to get some fresh air. We’ve enjoyed, here in southwestern Ontario, remarkably warm days; 18 - 22 degrees celsius! If not for the barren trees, you could be tricked into thinking early summer. It won’t last, of course, so as with all things, make every day count.

Cheers and thanks for listening!

Liz