Pinterest!

Hooked on Pinterest - the discovery has recently been made and the unlimited reach and variety of the  web has drawn me in!    Boards – public AND secret?   Followers and following.  Unlimited DIY ideas, crafts, recipes.  Oh and animals - lots of smiles and 'awe's as I scroll through pictures pinned by others.  Taking precedence are cats – from a magnificent Ligar (cross between a lion and tigress) to Norwegian Forest cats. Noble and stunning horses are also finding their way onto my boards.  All things books, and oh, what a great place to line up those unattainable celebrity crushes!  Both current day and from long ago teenage angst.   For example James Drury – TheVirginian from the early ‘70’s..such a crush I had on that cowboy!  Anyone else remember that western? Today’s equivalent is Jon Hamm….apparently a tall dark, brooding, and handsome theme still runs through my veins!

Not to mention being able to gather all things Star Trek and Tolkien.    It’s like having a library and craft room all in one tiny  but unlimited  space – my computer.  With the beauty of not having to dust anything!  However the question is – how will this benefit my pursuit of writing and is there room for Jamie Tremain amidst the boards.   Pinterest is fast becoming another popular social media and I believe I can see some benefits – networking with other authors and writers for one.   How neat to have a spot to gather, and organize, books related to this wonderful community of writers.

Tomorrow is a planned Jamie Tremain day as I trek off to spend it with Pam in Oakville – she has promised a lunch at Stoney’s – if we can get in the door!  Then we need to work on our collaborative offering for the Scene of the Crime short story contest – due next month.  How to merge two different endings into one tale – there’s a challenge.  Lots of coffee please!

Pam will have another interview to post by month’s end – its sure to be a good read.  Make sure you keep checking back so as not to miss it!   And feel free to join me on Pinterest – who knows what ideas I’ll be able to ‘pin’ from you!

Cheers

Liz

To clean or not to clean that is .... (apologies to Will)

It’s that time of year again and the cobwebs and dust bunnies have gathered in the corners. The light is different this time of year and honestly, I just noticed the swaying of a web over the skylight. My philosophy regarding housework is.....drum roll....  ‘Its always gonna be there.’ General cleanup; making beds and wiping down the bathroom are always done. Dusting and vacuuming I do on a whim and I clean up after I cook. Re-decorating and gardening is another kind of work but that is something I plan.

I was in the workforce for fifty years, bar a couple of years at home with my three children and housework was never a priority. I’m of an age that women who entered the workforce in the sixties felt they could do it all. Working to “bring home the bacon and cook it too” as the song goes. That was the refrain of the day. Super woman or Wonder woman names were bandied about, but that was not for me.

Many women schedule chores for different days of the week. Monday wash, Tuesdays cook for the week, etc, as well as taking their children to extracurricular activities. The men of my generation did not do ‘housework” and mine is no different. I’m sure there are exceptions to that rule. Garbage and recycling, loading the dishwasher is his repertoire. At my peril he picks up groceries especially if we are out of his favourites. I’ve been told I did not train him right...I’ve no intention of training anyone.

Are you thinking I live in a dirty house? Well that is not quite true. I have my own method of housekeeping; clean beds, clean clothes, clean toilets and kitchen. The rest of the house gets cleaned and tidied when I have the notion or we’re expecting company. I am a great believer in closets, or, what you can’t see is not there. I am from the school, run around and tidy up by cramming things behind doors. That’s what they’re for, are they not?

Washing is done weekly to save on the water bill and hydro, but the ironing.... I always have ironing. I can hear many of you groan. Ironing? What’s that, says anyone under the age of fifty.

Reading a good book or visiting friends (in their clean and tidy homes of course) or a million other things is preferable.

Spring cleaning, Fall cleaning and getting ready for Christmas cleaning is usually done in one day. Hopefully it is overcast, as I would hate to waste a sunny day. I work so hard that day I need about three weeks to recover and by then the house is a mess again. Last minute invites are always welcome if I am in the middle of a cleaning spree.

Is it laziness or procrastination? I admit to a bit of both, but I would still rather be in the garden reading than weeding. If cleanliness is next to Godliness, I’d better pull up my socks- that’s after I finish reading my book.

Life With Elizabeth

No, not me, but a small gem of TV history just recently discovered on Netflix.  Starring Betty White and from the early 1950’s it contains some side-splitting moments with Betty White as a newly-wed.  Proof once again that comedy doesn't need to be vulgar and obscene.  To quote from Amazon  "Unlike the format of normal sitcoms, LWE did not feature a single narrative, rather several 'incidents' (sort of "A Day in the Life of Elizabeth"), hosted and narrated by Jack Narz. Betty White glows as Elizabeth with fine support from Del Moore as patient husband Alvin. LIFE WITH ELIZABETH ran for three years in syndication. Simple, homely domestic comedy."      If you get the opportunity do watch it and know that, as with I Love Lucy, the best comedy is timeless.

Being Good Friday, the morning was spent attending a Passion Play, put on by Kitchener Holy Trinity Church.  The first time I've been to that church and was curious to see what their presentation would entail.  It didn't disappoint, and while a low key production and simply presented, the effect was moving and very appropriate to the day.  Well done to all involved -  I plan to be back on Sunday.  Then lunch afterwards  and here it is almost five hours later and no hunger pangs to trigger something for supper.

I have letter number three now from grandson Michael as our pen pal relationship develops. He seems to be enjoying it, and I know that I certainly am.  In this most recent note he says he can’t believe he’s ten years old now.  Well, guess what…neither can I!

Hope you're enjoying Pam’s interviews – if you could see the list she has lined up!  When she was still my co-worker, one of her strengths was conducting informal ‘getting to know you’ interviews for the monthly newsletter that I produce.  And even though she’s been retired nearly two years now, printed copies of those interviews still decorate the wall.

We've been working on a short story for a few weeks in anticipation of the upcoming Scene of the Crime in August, and did the first thousand words in tandem, but then at my suggestion we branched out and finished the story independently.   Earlier this week we swapped our finished tales and how very interesting to see how different we treated the ending!   Next Saturday we plan to spend the day in Jamie Tremain mode and see how we want to integrate these endings into one.

I leave you with this whimsical reminder that it really is Spring and send Easter wishes your way.

Cheers!

Liz

Happy Monday All

We’re delighted to have as our guest today the irrepressible Melodie Campbell. Melodie can always make us laugh so sit back and enjoy hearing from Ontario’s answer to Lucille Ball.

 Pam:   Writers are a multi-faceted group with their finger in every pie.

 What’s your favourite pie? Writing novels, college instructor, housework, walking the dog, stand up comedian or the (top staff thingy) you do for Crime Writers Canada?

Melodie: Meeting the imaginary men who appear in my novels. (What – that wasn’t a choice?)  I like writing novels. No, that’s a lie. I like having the novel written. The process is darn hard work.

But mainly, I love writing comedy. It’s my default, always. For instance, today I was feeling rather delinquent. You know that feeling you got in high school, when you were so antsy, you couldn’t settle to anything? That’s the way I was this morning, so naturally I wrote a comedy column.

 Pam:  ‘Social Media’? Is it helpful or a hindrance to writers, and is a platform really necessary to sell a book?

Melodie: It’s absolutely essential, whether we like it or not. All publishers want you to be hooked up with websites, blogs, Facebook and twitter, and often write it into your contract. The 90s are over, alas. I miss them. Now authors are expected to do a lot of marketing, and social media allows you to do that with little to no cost.

Look at it this way. If you get with a traditional publisher, your book might be in Chapters for two months. If you’re selling well, maybe six. (I’ve been there six and am biting my fingernails now.) So how will you sell books when you novel is off the shelves?

Amazon and the other online sellers allow our books a much longer lifetime. By promoting on social media, we can reach a large audience that buys books that way.

Pam:  With the changes in the publishing world today many writers have added their books to the eBook format. Do you believe the e book business will take over traditional books or is there room for both?

Melodie: Room for both.  All my books are both print and ebook. Personally, I love the feel of a real book in my hand. I love the scent of the glue (you’ll delete that, right?) I’m very tactile. I guess that is evident from my Rowena series (say no more, say no more.) But I am grateful for ebooks because they allow my work to be read by a much larger audience. The price difference is substantial. If given a choice, I will always pick a real book. I decorate with books. They are in every room in my house.

Pam:  I have only one question about this book. Do they have a contract out on you yet?

. THE GODDAUGHTER! (Orca Books)

"Hilarious" (Ellery Queen Magazine review)

"Campbell's comic caper is just right for Janet Evanovich fans.  Wacky family connections and snappy dialog make it impossible not to laugh."  Library Journal review of The Goddaughter

Melodie: No need. They already know me well. My family is Sicilian. I had to wait for some of them to die before I could write this series.

Pam:   Joking aside, it’s a very funny book and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel “The Goddaughter’s Revenge” when it’s published in the fall. What comedian do you most admire?

Melodie: So many. Of the old masters: Lucille Ball, Phyllis Diller. Women who were willing to make fools of themselves in public to get a laugh – I can so relate to them. These women paved the way for my generation.

Columnists: Dave Barry, Erma Bombeck

Of the fiction writers: Janet Evanovich, Lisa Lutz, Douglas Adams.

Let me explain: We moved a lot when I was young. I was in four different high schools. Being a smart-mouth was the way I coped. I found that being the class clown got you liked. So it was really a means of self-preservation.

Even as a pre-teen, I always looked for the funny. I listened to what others would say to see if I could find a way to make a good-natured joke out of it. Never sarcasm. Sarcasm hurts. I went for self-deprecating humour mostly. People love to laugh with you.

Pam:  Melodie, your dog is called Frankenpoodle. You have written of his exploits on FB; how he would like to play with a coyote on the other side of the fence in your backyard etc. How did he come by his name and does he have a death wish?

Melodie: This is a dog that wouldn’t stop growing. Standard poodles must be at least 15 inches at the shoulder.  Frankenpoodle is double that. Obviously, if Dr. Frankenstein were creating a poodle, this is what he would have come up with. We call him a giraffe in a dog suit. Other people have asked if he was crossed with a great dane. A dog this big is rather intimidating. Luckily, he’s a gentle giant with really big teeth.

Pam:  “A Purse to Die For” (Imajin books) was co-authored with Cynthia St-Pierre. Tell us about that experience. Do you mind sharing control of your work and will you collaborate again?

Melodie: Yes and Yes. I don’t think I could share my other two series, Rowena and Goddaughter. They are vehicles for my comedy.  But Cindy and I came up with the Fashionation series together, and developed the characters together.

We wrote sequentially. It was great fun seeing what Cindy would come up with, and then figuring out how I could carry it on. Then we had the hard work of making it seamless. But we’re starting another novel, with the working title of A Killer Necklace. So it was a good experience we want to repeat.

Pam:  Your time travel book “Rowena Through the Wall” is a romantic comedy. It has been so well received you’ve written a sequel “Rowena and the Dark Lord” to be released in April.  What gives you the most pleasure to write? Time travel or comedy/farce, by yourself or with a co-author?

Melodie:  All of it. Anything that has comedy in it. Oh, and sex.  Did I say that out loud?

Pam:  You have been teaching writing for many years. What is the most important lesson for aspiring authors to learn?

Melodie: That writing is hard work. I can’t emphasize it enough. We all think it should be easier. But it can’t be easy to create something new that the world has never seen before.

I tell my students to expect this to feel like work. And maybe on some days, it won’t seem like work. Those are the grand days.

Pam:  With two books coming out this year, your work with Crime Writers of Canada, teaching and other projects, what do you do for Melodie when you find some time?

Melodie: I like eating. And drinking coffee. And Viking Warlords.

No, seriously. The most fun of all is meeting with other writers. They are the most interesting people in the world because they are always using their minds.

Thanks Melodie. We‘ve enjoyed speaking with you today. As you are my neighbor in Oakville I’d appreciate a heads up on the coyote situation. Anytime Frankenpoodle has his sights on one I’d like to know about it! 

Good luck with your books and come again soon.

Pam and Liz 

Melodie Campbell     

Melodie Campbell experienced a personal best this year when Library Digest compared her to Janet Evanovich.

Melodie got her start writing comedy (stand-up and columns.)  In1999, she opened the Canadian Humour Conference.  She has over 200 publications including 100 comedy credits, 40 short stories and 4 novels. Her fifth novel, a mob caper entitled The Goddaughter’s Revenge (Orca Books), will be released Oct. 1. She has won 6 awards for fiction, and was a finalist for both the 2012 Derringer and Arthur Ellis Awards. By day, she is the highly proper Executive Director of Crime Writers of Canada.

THE GODDAUGHTER (Orca Books)

“Impossible not to laugh” Library Digest

Amazon: 

Chapters/Indigo:

ROWENA THROUGH THE WALL (Imajin Books)

“Hot and hilarious!” Midwest Book Review

Amazon   

www.melodiecampbell.com

www.funnygirlmelodie.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/MelodieCampbellAuthor

@melodiecampbell

March Break and Migration

Although the snow is still on the ground it feels like spring. Robin’s have been spied, and shoots of green are pushing up through the snow.  The Canada geese appear confused as hundreds of them are in Chevron formation as they decide which direction to go readying for the big migration. I love the sound of hundreds of geese honking.

Not all the geese leave on migration and many stay behind to flood our park and green space as they search for food. Guess what they leave behind?  Canadians have a love/hate relationship with these magnificent birds, but I think its Canada at its finest.

This w/e is the start of the March break for my grandchildren. I have been talked into maybe going BOWLING!! And then there is lunch at Mc Donald’s etc. I think I would rather chew glass than bowl but at least the coffee is not too bad at Micky D’s. Yes, I know some of the lingo and it is their break from school so grandma will go along with it.

Next w/e we’ve been invited to Kincardine on Lake Huron for a spot of snowmobiling.  If the snow has melted the men in the party will go to a hockey game. My husband is taking his pool cue hoping he can fit in a game. That’s the boys taken care of so my friend and I will shop until we drop (mainly yarn stores as we are avid knitters) and every book store we can find on the Lake Huron coastline. Just being away in a lovely farmhouse with good friends should set me up for spring. The three hour drive there and back gives me ample time to scribble notes on a short story or the next manuscript we have tentatively started.

I’ve finished an interview with ‘Funny Girl’ Melodie Campbell. I’ll be posting this creative and funny lady’s answers to my questions on March 25^th. The last week of each month I hope to have an interesting and informative interview from Canada’s many great crime writers.

A date for a collaboration day with Liz is in the works at the beginning of April. I enjoy the face to face and we need to button down a few things that only a meeting can do.

Enjoy the March break all you mummy’s and daddy’s as the wee ones grow up very fast.

Talk soon,

Slainte,

Pam

Captain Underpants meets Origami Yoda

March – the calendar this month has lots of days marked for birthday observances.  Two grandsons, a daughter in law, and a special friend who lives in Florida, plus my godmother, sister-in-law and others at work.

My oldest grandson enters the double-digit era next week.  Michael is my pen-pal as mentioned in an earlier blog – so far we've exchanged two letters.  With more to come I hope!   He’s also a great reader and I love to encourage that whenever I have the chance.  So my thought this year was to take him and his younger brother to my local Chapters and have them pick out their own books for their birthdays.  Apparently Captain Underpants is a hit with young Noah – who knew?  And Michael chose The Strange Case of Origami Yoda.  He seems to like stories with a mystery theme – wonder where he might get that from?   I’ll certainly encourage reading among all of my grandchildren every chance I get.

After Chapters, we enjoyed lunch at Pizza Hut, accompanied by a good friend of mine.

Pam and I want to enter a short story contest as she mentioned below and after discussing a handful of scenarios have decided on the theme of our story.  I woke yesterday morning brimming with ideas and had to rush to jot them down before I forgot.  This morning, over breakfast, I began working on the first draft – so far about 700 words.  Having worked and re-worked so long on Body Perfect I find I’m really energized to be creating something new and I think Pam is of like mind.  I’m waiting to hear her thoughts on what’s been penned so far.

With the beginning of March, my thoughts turn to the approach of spring.  Although this month can be treacherously deceptive, I choose to be optimistic and believe each snow fall will be the last.

Next weekend will see the family get together to celebrate Michael and Noah’s birthdays – only 9 days apart.  Always a good time to catch up with everyone and enjoy being with each other.  In the meantime, there are stories to write and books to read!

Cheers!

Liz

Confessions of a Mall Walker

I said mall walker not the other kind!

I was reluctant to join the 50-100 age group that religiously walk indoors at the local mall, either by the orders of their doctors for the betterment of their health or because they like the company.

Since retiring 18months ago I was increasingly sedentary. If I was not parked at the computer writing I was sitting by the fire reading, knitting or watching television. Occasionally I do some dusting! I decided to start the New Year by getting back to walking for fun and relaxation; don’t forget health as according to the old adage.. you gotta use or lose it.

I have done my share of power walking. I trained at the local sports store and completed two half marathons about seven years ago. I was flat and fit and had loads of energy.  Then it was winter. I really do not like cold and snow. The gym has no appeal for me so my friend Michele and I have started with the oldies walking three mornings a week.

What’s not to like? Its 7:30 am and -13degrees, -22 with the wind chill outside. Inside the temperature is controlled and a skylight overhead. Michele and I solve the problems of the world as we chat and check the shop windows for the new spring fashions. We’re not breaking records on the measured path. We walk two miles and when the lure of coffee reaches us we head to Tim Horton’s for coffee and my favourite, oatmeal and berries. 

So it’s all good. I’m not back to my fighting weight but come spring and we start to walk outside we can crank it up a notch and walk further. In the meantime my new boyfriends ; the ones that say good morning to me every time we pass them going in the opposite direction, well, do their wives know they’re out?

Loads of new books are launching this spring. When I pick them up to read I will give a short review. I’ve just finished Lincoln and Child’s ‘Fever Dream’. WOW! Thrillers are new to me, and the tension is palpable. The next in the series I’ve just started; ‘Cold Vengeance’ preferably read in order.

Liz and I are working on a short story to be entered in a contest for ‘Scene of the Crime’ festival on Wolfe Island in August. We are really looking forward to attending this event. This contest is part of their program so we’ll keep you posted.

Talk soon,

Slainte,

Pam

Guest Blogger Alison Bruce visits Jamie Tremain

After a pulse racing afternoon at the movies watching Daniel Craig as 007 in SkyFall, I came home to watch two hours of Downton Abbey. Both have a cult following but are completely different as a form of entertainment.

Skyfall's stunts and visual effects had me sitting on the edge of my seat. I was exhausted after ten minutes and was sure Bond would not survive the thirty or more cars that were demolished along with a train; the bodies were countless. But he prevailed. We all want a hero.

Downton Abbey by comparison is another ‘kettle of fish’. A different fantasy world; at least for the aristocracy who live in a perpetual state of ignorance of how the other half live. The drama has more plot lines than any ‘Licence to Kill’ movie, but I'm drawn to both and they’re hugely entertaining. As a writer I learn much from my people watching both in real life or through the eyes of other writers both for television and the big screen.

Today I want to share with you an interview I did with author Alison Bruce. On this (Family Day in Ontario) sit back and read what Alison tells us what makes her tick.

Pam: As a recent recipient of the Liebster award for ‘cutting edge’ blogging, how do you see the role of a blogger?  Is it entertainment, general information or one’s own view of the world?

Alison: All of the above. I use my blog to promote my work and share my ideas. For the first, I need to be entertaining. After all, the idea is for readers to think, “I like reading her stuff. I think I’ll buy her book.”Sharing my ideas includes imparting information. If in doubt, ask my children. I’m a little like Dr. Mallard in NCIS. I have a story or bit of trivia for almost every occasion.  

Pam: Alison, you wear many hats. Mom, writer/author, editor, Publication Manager of Crime Writers of Canada, blogger. Did I mention crossing guard and now mentor to Jamie Tremain.  Did I miss something?

Alison: I’m also the Arthur Ellis Awards Administrator.

Pam: You must prioritize but do you have a favourite occupation- and what about your least favourite?

Alison: I love the creative process and most of my jobs involve that in some way. Obviously, I love to write stories. But I also love to turn dry facts into readable prose for clients or share ideas and vignettes with readers on my blog. I like the design work I do for CWC.

Every job also has certain housekeeping aspects. I hate housekeeping.

The work I do for the Arthur Ellis Awards has the most housekeeping chores (next to my own house that is), but they're offset by getting to interact with so many interesting people in the process. (I don’t get that kind of benefit doing the dishes.)

1     Pam:  Liz and I met you in a local Starbucks last week and you mentioned it was a good place to work. Do you just tune out the noise and rely on the caffeine to fuel your writing? Or do you just stay for the free fill-ups!

 Alison: The baristas at Starbucks in Guelph, especially the one at Stone Road Mall, know me well. I’ll work through a coffee and a refill a couple of times a week. I go in the morning when they play light jazz and rock. The music and the buzz of conversations blend into the background and I have no trouble concentrating on my work.

At home, I have a dozen other things demanding my attention… paperwork, email, those damned dishes… In a café, I can focus.

Someone else making the coffee also helps.

 Pam:  Many writers will tell you they are inspired by different types of music. Do you have a particular playlist to listen to when writing?

I      Alison: I have different playlists for different genres. I have one called “Crime Pays” that kicks off with the Tommy Dorsey version of “Sing Sing Sing” and continues with music that brings to mind the classic mysteries of the 30’s and 40’s.  I have other playlists that are like soundtracks to my novels. They outline the broad strokes of my plots. Thank heavens they’re easy to change.

 Pam: You have a degree in history and philosophy.Which of these subjects influence your writing the most? If neither then what does?

Alison: Both influence my writing but not directly in most cases… at least not my fiction writing. Listening to people has the biggest influence on me. Growing up with stories about my mothers’ family experiences in WWII had a big impact on me. My mother’s stories from work inspired me in writing DEADLY LEGACY.  The whole near future setting on the story came out of an interview with a chief of police. Conversations with cops and detectives and a police academy drop-out, helped shape the world and the story.This pretty much holds true for all my stories. Of course, with the historical stuff, my “listening” has to be reading narratives backed up with research.

Pam: Writers generally are considered, if not eccentric then definitely different.Do you consider yourself eccentric? And is this a good thing?

Alison: Eccentric? Me?
I can be a bit of a space cadet sometimes. My mother blamed my loss of hearing.  I’ve been completely deaf in my right ear since age nine. I think it’s more the case that the stories in my head drown out the rest of the world sometimes.  Long before my hearing problems, I could get totally focussed on a thought and be oblivious to important details, like where I was walking or where my friend’s finger was in relationship to the stapler I was using. (Oops!)

 Pam:  What does Alison do for Alison on a regular basis? Spa/mani/pedi, a weekend with the girls, chocolate and a good book or all of the above? ... Tell us a secret your willing to share- we won’t tell anyone.

 Alison: Ha! I don’t believe you for an instant.

Going out for coffee is my big not-so-secret vice. Playing Animal Crossing  on my kids’ Wii is another. Reading is both a pleasure and a necessity. Chocolate doesn’t count because I only take it medicinally. Really. 

       Pam: How important is having a sense of humour to a writer?

       Alison: How important is having a sense of humour to live? It’s essential. First of all, I ascribe to the Shakespearean model that all tragedy must have comic relief and vice versa. The series M*A*S*H exemplified this. Experience with the terminal illness of my sister and my father’s strokes proved out the theory in life. We could not have survived as a family; I couldn’t have held it together as a person, without a sense of humour.

      Now, add it the petty nuisances of dealing with publisher rejections, frustrating edits when you do get a publisher, and snarky reviews once your book is out there, and you can see that the business end of writing also  requires a sense of humour.

      Pam: Character or plot driven? What is important to you when starting a new book?

      Alison: I almost always start with a character or set of characters imind, then I think about what trouble I can get them into. After that, the broad strokes of my plot create the route from point A to point B, but the characters may take the story off–road.

       Pam:  For aspiring writers like Jamie Tremain, which route is the most benificial to publication. Agent or publisher?

Alison: I lean towards going after both at the same time. The big trick is to get your work noticed by someone who will care about it, at a time when they can do something about it. That takes research and networking and luck. Why limit an already small field by concentrating on one or the other?

Thanks Alison for being our first guest blogger on Jamie Tremain-Remember the Name. We're both excited to work with you as our mentor and we'll put all your good advice to use in our publishing quest.

Stay tuned for our next mystery guest.

Talk soon,

Slainte,
Pam

A Willing Heart.....

….is the title of a short Valentine themed story submitted for inclusion in Alison Bruce’s blog this week.  When I logged on to my computer this morning I was tickled to see it had been posted as one of her Valentine Shorts.

Pam has mentioned that Alison, incredibly busy lady that she is, has agreed to mentor Jamie Tremain during this process to become publisher worthy. The first few pages of Body Perfect have been reviewed, with some agreed upon changes.  Pam has been busy this week –amidst bedroom calamities – adding her thoughts to those pages and now they’re in my court.

On another note, I’ve now had a week with my new sleeping partner – a CPAP machine. Still getting adjusted to the apparatus around my face, although compared to some models I’ve looked at this is one of the least obtrusive.  Apparently there is no snoring to be heard from anywhere in the house while I’m hooked up and while I still haven’t slept all through the night, I’ve been really happy to note I’m not yawning my way to work each morning (a 40 minute commute).  Another sleep study is booked for next Friday, this time using the CPAP machine for comparison.  Results of my first study showed that I was not breathing anywhere from 60 – 80 times an hour!  Any wonder exhaustion was my middle name for so long?

Before you go, please take a moment to check out Alison's web site and her blog.  Jamie Tremain is pleased to add Alison to our list of favourite links.

Cheers! and belated Happy Valentine's Day

Liz

ps...Watch this space for the first Jamie Tremain interview.

The Best of Intentions

After burrowing in when 30 cm of the lovely white stuff was coming down on Friday I had the notion to cancel my trip to Guelph to visit with Liz on the Saturday. We were meeting with Alison Bruce who has very kindly agreed to be our mentor in this journey of ours to have our book published. (I’ll tell you more of Alison later.)

Saturday morning  dawned with brilliant sunshine; the Weather Network said no precipitation and all roads were now cleared. That didn't stop me getting lost. I forgot my directions, no GPS and I never carry a phone. The one person I spoke to for directions had an accent I couldn't understand. But I did have a lovely tour of the University town of Guelph. I eventually recognized Edinburgh Road and I was on my way. Ironic as Edinburgh is my home town.  Serendipity. I love that word.

Liz and I had a fruitful morning working on some edited pages from Alison. We met at Starbucks getting to know her and visa versa. Two hours later I was all pumped to write the novel of the century. Liz felt the same way and it feels like a good fit.

I made it home by 5.30pm. Roads were dry and still the sun was shining. I was raring to get home and write this post when my sunshiny day turned to gloom. A large leak in the roof had water pouring into my bedroom. Have you ever tried getting construction people out on a Saturday night? All my towels and absorbent clothes my husband had in the basement for .. wait for it... a rainy day! Well we sure needed them.

Did I mention my office is in a corner of the bedroom? Thankfully the water has not crept to that part but when I am not wringing out towels I’m moving my desk and office stuff before it does. And where are the!@#$% workmen.

It’s now Monday and the freezing rain has descended just to get my blood pressure up. The workmen or should I say workman is here taking out large amounts of drywall and soaking wet insulation.Industrial sized dehumidifiers are set to dry things out. The water has gone through to the living room and another machine is there also. "Its like being in a wind tunnel" said my nervous wreck of a husband. Not very many times I say I’m thankful to be hard of hearing. A contractor is coming this afternoon to clear away the foot of snow from the roof and fix the leak. The machines will be here until Wednesday!!

I've been busy to say the least but we’ll come through it. People have it far worse than us. I’m pretty resilient so I’m off to shore up my husband and his nervous breakdown and wring a few more clothes.

One of the things we did discuss with Alison Bruce was to have a guest blogger. Liz and I are grateful to the writing community for all the help we get. So for our inaugural guest blogger we have asked Alison and she has agreed. As soon as my new office/spare room is set up I’ll compose some scintillating! questions to ask our new friend and mentor.

Gotta go. There’s a man on the roof.

Talk soon,

Slainte,

Pam

Character Building

Not mine – but rather, how do the characters that Jamie Tremain have created change and evolve.  Regular readers know that Pam and I have now spent countless hours and discussions on revising, correcting, polishing and general tidying up of Body Perfect.   With the last ‘adjustment’ we focused on an aspect of Dorothy’s character that up until now had not been recognized.  Dorothy was easy, for me, to ‘get’ – perhaps more than just a little alter ego at work.   And while I'm far from perfect, Dorothy seemed to be heading towards being too easy going and agreeable – just not realistic.  So we devised a small dust-up between her and Paul over his assumption she’d be willing to partner with him in business.  As well, she is keeping a secret from Paul – a secret carried forward into their next adventure.  Sometimes secrets need the right timing to be revealed, but the longer its delayed, the harder it becomes.  The potential for an easily avoided strained relationship looms. Especially after Paul reveals the skeleton in his closet.  But is it the only one?

As we move them into a second book and a new crime to test their fledgling partnership upon, we wonder whether the foundation they've built so quickly will be able to withstand day-to-day stresses of working together.  Just as any new relationship takes time to develop, so we plan likewise for our heroes. 

We've read differing perspectives on how authors create their work – from detailed outlining and planning to flying by the seat of your pants – what works well for one may not be so successful for another.   At this stage of our writing, I think Pam and I agree that our characters are going to grow and develop as we, and you the reader, get to know them better.  I think as we write, we are also in the ‘getting to know you’ stage of the protagonists in our story and are eager to learn more about them, too. 

As with any ongoing series, more and more of a central character is revealed, little by little.  Settings, plot, and other characters, new and familiar, all lend to the personality tapestry being developed.  Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta, Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache, for example show us more of what makes them tick with each story.  And isn’t that true of we ‘real’ humans?   Those who know and love us are always discovering something new about us – sometimes not always a good thing!

So we hope you will continue to bear with us as our quest to bring Body Perfect to the publishing world moves on.  And that you will enjoy getting to know Dorothy and Paul, as we get to know them better, too!

Cheers!

Liz