November 2010 Archives

One more sleep to the official book launch of The Mystery of the Cyber Bully. Book launches are bittersweet experiences. I love kicking off launches, but I know that in the blink of an eye, the party will be over and I'll be left to look for a new party to plan. Why is it that time flits by when you're having fun?

If you're in Edmonton tomorrow (Wed., Dec 1), please drop by Audrey's Bookstore on 10702 Jasper Avenue and help me celebrate the launch of a new book and the end of the Marty Chan Mystery series. I'll be there from 7:30 pm to closing.

I've been sitting on this for a few weeks, but I can finally officially announce that I have been named the Edmonton Public Library's writer in residence for 2011. I'm excited to take the new position and I know I have big shoes to fill, coming after Chris Craddock, Conni Massing, Marilyn Dumont and Linda Goyette. I'll do my best not to let down the fine tradition these talented writers have started.

I'm still in talks to work out the details of my programs, but I will be available for one-to-one consultations either in person, via email or even Skype. I'll also be looking at running some writing workshops over the year. Finally, I'm kicking around the idea of giving Edmontonians a behind-the-scenes look at a writer's process. Stay tuned for details.

Man, am I itching to tell someone about this. I have a big secret that I've been sitting on for the last two weeks. I should be able to go public with the news by the end of this week. It's a cool new adventure for me, and Edmonton readers will be able to participate. More details soon.

Happily, I'm about to shut my computer down for the day. I spent the entire day working on the revisions to the second novel in the Barnabas Bigfoot series. I think I've addressed all my editor's notes. Of course, once I convinced myself I was done, I realized I had repeated myself in the early part of the novel. I had to cycle back through the manuscript and chop out a section of the setup.

Tomorrow, I'll go through and polish the manuscript. I'm debating whether or not to send the first two books to my editor or wait until I finish the revisions to the third manuscript. I'll make the call at the end of tomorrow. My biggest worry is that if I wait for all three, I'll go cold. If I send her the first two, I can finish the revisions to the third manuscript hopefully by the time she has the next round of notes on the first two books.

Let me see how I feel tomorrow.

Nothing better than a Sunday morning, some smooth jazz and my manuscript. Finally, I have a break from school visits (well, just a day), but I'm going to use the morning to revise my second book in the Barnabas Bigfoot Series. I'm aiming for 20 pages of a 70 page manuscript. If I can do at least 20 today and then 20 on my other two days off this week, I'll almost have the revisions done by the end of the week. Then I can send the two books to my editor while I kick around my third book. Wish me luck.

I've been bouncing around from school to school doing author visits and workshops, which have left me little time and energy to update the blog. But I owed it to the incredible students at Minchau Elementary to post a hearty thank you and congratulations to all the writers who worked on their scary stories. In all my travels, I've never met a group of students so eager to write. I was genuinely shocked and pleased to hear the kids ask for more time to write.

I hope everyone remembers the writing tips I shared. For you keeners who are still working on your stories, here's one last word worm: "abyss."