Last Day of January

It is the last day of January and a beautiful day indeed. It is January cold but the sun seems April hot. I am again sitting (and perhaps avoiding) writing in my writing room thankful for the opportunity. Yesterday I did a school visit at Touchstone School in Rothesay. The kids were amazing and I enjoyed spending time with them. I very quickly remember at such times what it was I loved about teaching but when I leave I remember what it is I love about having the freedom and time to write. I can not express how thrilling it is for me to enter a classroom and see my book on every students desk. Being a teacher who used novels long before and even after it became the in thing to do I believe to the core in the value of literature in teaching for developing a love for reading , writing and for teaching the basic lessons of life .The lessons those kids teach us are every bit as important as anything we try to teach them.Thank you to the teachers and staff of Touchstone for believing that as well.

Sunny but Cold January Morning

It is a very cold but sunny Sunday morning in January. I know it has been and is much colder in other parts of the country but it is cold enough for my liking here on the Walton Lake Road.I like winter, I love my wood heat and my cozy home but it is very work intensive and time consuming to keep that wood burning animal fed and on the weekends my husband is usually here to take that job from me. This weekend he is not so I did not wake to my usual warm house but am now attempting to get it to the desired temperature. But at least as I mentioned the sun is streaming in and as I sit my office this morning I can feel it's heat on my back. So far January has been a productive month. I am about four chapters in to my latest novel and am enjoying being back in 1917 on an island in the St Lawrence River,getting to know my characters and seeing the story unfold.I am waiting for my editor to send back the second round of Ten Thousand Truths and can't wait to begin the next stage,choose a cover and see it head to the printer .Hopefully we will launch it in May or June.I sent my third book to my publisher this week for her to read. I have two school visits booked in February. I got the cheque for my November visits this week and I like the feeling of getting paid as an author for doing what I did as a teacher for 29 years.A 4/5 clss at Macdonald Consolidated started reading The Year Mrs. Montague Cried this week and started a blog to record their responses . They invited me to participate and I am enjoying reading their writing.It is hard for me though not to comment on their conventions. "Just write" Mrs. M. says but Mrs. White says check your spelling and punctuation.I will now leave my sunny office and do a bit of necesary housekeeping,(laundry, bathrooms and such) and I then I will return to my office to write for the afternoon,enjoying the cold January day in a place that is exactly where I want to be.

Looking Ahead to 2012

Again my daughter has alerted me to the fact that I have not written on my blog since November. I've been busy is my main reason and not being of the blogger generation is another. I know that there are woman my age actively blogging but for me it hasn't quite taken off as one of my daily chores. Oh well I will attempt to improve that.I had the pleasure of going to Alberta for 12 days in December and kept my grandaughter Emma while her mom and dad and baby sister went to Maui for a friend's wedding. Coming home on the 14th I then proceeded to get the house ready for another Christmas. I have enjoyed family and friends and a quiet but busy two weeks with Burton home from work. I am so looking forward to Monday and my return to my writing routine. I have finished the second round of editing for my second book and I am excited to see it come together for a spring release. Happy New Year everyone !