Busy,Busy , Busy

I am getting geared up for a busy two weeks . This week I have two readings. On Thursday I will join Riel Nason at the Saint John Public library . I look forward to doing a reading with her. I always enjoy her company and the opportunity to hear her read from her very successful first novel The Town That Drowned.From there I will drive directly to Pictou Nova Scotia to meet Gloria Wesley. Gloria's novel Chasing Freedom has also been short listed for the Anne Connor Brimer Award. We will do a public reading together at the Pictou Library on Friday at 1:00. The following week Burton and I fly to St. John's early Thursday morning. I am very excited about going to Newfoundland and plan to enjoy every second of the Atlantic Book Awards and Festival. I am thrilled to have been invited to participate and will be happy whatever the outcome. This time last year when I was about to launch The Year Mrs. Montague Cried and was anxiously awaiting to hold the first copy in my hands,I had no idea how well it would be received. I am very grateful for everything that followed. I just got a draft of a cover for Ten Thousand Truths and now see the reality of cracking the spine of my second book and anticipate whatever that will bring. I will probably only have a few more writing days before I put my fourth book aside until September. I will fill my summer with gardening, swimming, kyaking. reading and my July book launch.As my former colleagues look forward to their summer holidays from the challenges of teaching I too will step away from my writing and let those summer months fill me up. Busy is good when that busy is filled with things you love. Bring it on!

On To the Next Chapter

March was a challenging and extremely busy month. I had no writing time but was lucky enough to have spent every day enjoying the company of my amazing three year old granddaughter Emma and my precious six month old granddaughter Paige. I loved every minute of it.It was great to have Meg and Cody with us and it was hard to see them go back to Alberta. Can't wait until October when they plan to return.I have a wonderful family and am thankful for each and every one of them. A huge thanks to Ashlie, Caleb, Brianne and Chapin for all the love and support they offered. Burton as usual was the anchor I can always hold on to. Now for a bit of writing time before things get crazy around the Atlantic Book Week celebrations. I am so thrilled to be a part of it all. June will bring hours of garden time and I look forward to that season.Can't wait to jump in the lake and get out in my kayak again. I look forward to a July launch of Ten Thousand Truths.

Ann Connor Brimer Award

I am thrilled to have been short listed for the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children's Literature. As a part of the Atlantic Book Awards I will travel to St. John's Newfoundland on May 17th for the celebrations. Congratulations to my fellow nominees Vicki Grant and Gloria Ann Wesley. I look forward to a great weekend in Newfoundland!Congratulations also to my friend Riel Nason on her nomination for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award. See you in St. John's!

Another Great School Visit

On Thursday I visited Quispamsis Elementary School and spent a very rewarding day with students from K-5 . Some of the younger students including Isaac in Kindergarten,who is already a great writer, shared their writing and their thoughts on writing with me.I visited the grade three and four classes and read from The Year Mrs. Montague Cried ,talked about how the story came about and had a wonderful time of answering their insightful questions. I am always amazed by the depth of discussion I get during these class visits. Actually it does not amaze me a bit as I learned from my years of teaching that kids given an opportunity to talk about the important and meaningful things in life always show wisdom and compassion.I was so impressed with the principal Janet Miller who seems to be everywhere at one time running a very busy, kid centred machine. Watching her I remembered the frenzy that is elementary school and unless you have been there you have no idea the amount of energy and commitment it requires. Parents, teachers , and above all the kids are very lucky to have Mrs. Miller at the helm. I wish her, her staff and all the students a good March Break!

February Winding Down

Sunday morning. Caleb just left to take his father to catch his flight for a two week exercise in the USA. It is a beautiful morning and after a bit of straightening up from Burton's packing frenzy I will spend the day writing. Meg and the girls come Wednesday night and I expect that my writing time will be limited while they are here. Final edits done on Ten Thousand Truths and now back in Terrilee's hands. I await cover choices which I look forward to. Moving along on my story set in 1917. I will write today, Monday and Tuesday and then get back to it when the girls go home. I am very excited to have a good long visit with my daughter and two grand babies. I have a school visit on Thursday and then all my time will be given to enjoying Emma and Paige and giving Meg a good dose of grandmother time. My friend Alice just self published a delightful book ( Half a Loaf is Better Than Broccoli) filled with many funny kid stories from her 35 years of teaching. Congratulations Alice Edson.

Getting in to February

Another Sunday morning now in February. We had a winter storm yesterday reminiscent of winter storms in the past. These have been few and far between this winter . Driving home from my sister and brother in-law's house last night with my fearless husband, brought back memories of many snowy drives of the past. Sitting here now in my sunny office looking out at the snow banks while my youngest son plows the driveway I truly appreciate this season. Along with it's challenges it brings much beauty. I had a very enjoyable weekend spending time with two wonderful friends/sisters and their amazing 90 year old aunt. It was a time of story telling and reading and I relished every second of it. Their family which I often pretend is my own is so rich with story and memory and so values the place each generation and family member takes in the whole fabric . I sit in awe at the weaving of such a tapestry of memories.
Friday I sent back my revisions of Ten Thousand Truths and now wait for it to take it's next lap on the way to publication. I believe in this story and look forward to sharing it with others. Tomorrow I will return to 1917 and see where my story of Lily takes me and her. Now in my Sunday tradition I will attempt to reclaim my home, sweep up the dust balls

and dog hair, and catch up on laundry and overall tidying, enjoying my home and this stage of the life I have been given.

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.