Comparison is the Death of Joy - Mark Twain

Now that I am well into the marketing aspect of my debut novel, I am reminded of Mark Twain's brilliant statement. 

Marketing, after all, is all about comparisons. How many Likes to I have? How many hits did I get? How many followers? How many views? Did I do better than the other guy? Worse?

Implicit in those plaintive queries of course, is the larger, more insidious question. Am I good enough?

If you're like me, you immediately gravitate toward the negative. You know the drill. The concept is dull, the writing is crap, and the final product is pure, unadulterated shite - or something to that effect.

For others, the opposite is true. They see themselves as the next Tolstoy, Hemingway or Monroe. Reality, when it strikes, is a bitter pill for these deluded souls.

Whether negative or positive, judging yourself is a no-win situation. You will always come up short.

We all know what self-judgment sounds like...

"You'll couldn't write your way out of a paper bag, ya hack." 

"A kid in grade one paints better than you ever could." 

"Your singing sounds like a strangled cat."

"It doesn't matter how great you are, you'll never get as many views as the latest mommy porn writer. You'll always be average."

We also know what happens when we listen to that nasty little voice. We don't even try. We shut down our creativity for fear of coming up short, of being laughed at, of failing. 

And, as I head into the marketing phase, I am going to do my best to follow through on all the tasks I'm given by my marketing team. I'll keep my author website current, attend writing conferences as needed, and participate in author forums, etc. Whatever they ask, I'll do it. 

What I won't do, is watch the numbers. Simon and Schuster can worry about that. Whether my book sells fifty thousand copies or five hundred is irrelevant to me, and always has been.

My goal in writing this book was to put my ideas on paper, and to improve as a writer. I have succeeded on both counts - far beyond my wildest dreams. 

And I know that if I want to continue along this joyous path, then I must be vigilant against comparing myself to others. 

There will always be those who are worse, and those who are better. 

I'm okay with that.

I'm content as I am...happily messing about with my stories.

Feeling good. 

 

 

 





 

 




 

 


 



  

Kinky Sex: A Dumpy Dilemma

Last week, my publisher at Simon & Schuster asked if I would agree to participate in the International Festival of Authors digital festival on Wattpad. From October 1st to the 23rd, Wattpad will be showcasing one author per day. Other participants include Margaret Atwood and Vincent Lam. 

Of course, I said a great big YES!

My big day will be October 20.

Here comes the dilemma. My publicist at S & S suggested that I not use an excerpt taken directly from the book. She said readers respond better to stand-alone pieces - a snippet of back story, an unrelated short story featuring the main character, or a scene that didn't make the final cut.

No problem, I thought. I left almost as many words on the cutting floor as wound up in the manuscript. I just had to find something that tickled my fancy. I sifted through a realms of material, sorting it into yes, no and maybe piles. Then I flipped through it all again, and kept coming back to one particular scene.

It was a sex scene between Signy and her bad-boy ex boyfriend, Zef. It didn't make the final cut because I just couldn't make the time lines fit. Perfect, I thought - I'll dust off the old chestnut, update the writing and submit it.

Problem is, in the course of re-writing, I found the sex between Signy and Zef was getting kinkier and kinkier. I didn't mean it to - nor was I being gratuitous - it just evolved that way. I understand Signy much better than I did when I first wrote the scene, and I have no doubt that she would use sex as a tool to regain balance in her life. And in this scene - she does just that. It is raw, unfettered, and definitely R rated.

I stayed far away from throbbing pistons and womanly flowers. I have no hard bits being overtly inserted into any soft pieces. I tried to focus on sights, smells, touch, sounds, and made liberal use of metaphor.

That being said - it is still pretty damned hard-core.
 
I emailed my publicist telling her what I'd prepared, and suggested that maybe we should go with an excerpt from the book instead. Blown Red is a thriller after all - not an erotic novel - wouldn't a rough sex scene be false advertising? In addition, this would be my first ever attempt at erotica - a difficult enough genre for a skilled writer. In the hands of a novice, the portrayal of sexual encounter can be positively cringe-worthy.

Not to mention that there are 34 million members on Wattpad! Can you spell H.U.M.I.L.I.A.T.I.O.N?

I was certain the publicist would agree with me.

No such luck. She wrote back to say that on Wattpad, kinky sex is big draw. She told me to keep plugging along (no pun intended)

I can't even post it under an assumed name!



Gaaack!!


What to do? What to do?


I would appreciate any advice!

Why Dumpy Grace?

Why 'Dumpy' Grace?

I've answered this question before but it still comes up, often accompanied by the usual admonishments that I should not be so hard on myself, so I thought I'd take another crack at clearing things up.

Dumpy Grace was born on a day when I was feeling more than a little irritated at work. A straw had just landed on the camel's back, and long story short, resulted in me radically changing my life. Unable to vent my feelings, I picked up a pencil and doodled this stormy little figure on a scrap piece of paper.

Looking at her, I felt instantly better. Her scowling face and droopy boobs made me laugh. Her plump physique, as wide as she was tall felt right. She was a little portly, a tad stout, somewhat disheveled.

On limp legs, she forced herself to move forward. Angry, but without fists. Dragged over the coals, yet undefeated. Deliberately dumpy. Grace, in the face of adversity.

She was what I aspired to be...
 
...and her name was obvious.

The ARCs have arrived!

      The advanced reading copies of Blown Red are finally here!!

I'm getting super excited to them in bookstores and I hope you are, too!

Publication date is January 6, 2015. 

If you just can't wait, copies are now available for pre-order at Amazon.ca ; Indigo ; Kobo ; i-tunes ; or contact your favourite bookstore. : )

Please come and visit me at my new author website for more updates: susancphilpott.com

                        Looks like this is really happening!

Tales from Little Partridge Lake: Larry the Loon

Poor little Larry the Loon. For the first several weeks of his (or her) life, he was safely tucked between his gorgeous parents. A few weeks ago, his Dad took off for greener pastures - or bluer waters, as the case may be - leaving him in the loving wings of his devoted mother. The mother/chick pair were rarely apart - eating, sleeping, and just generally floating around together - day and night.

This morning, however, everything changed. Big Daddy-O flew in to reconnect with his lovely wife. After a heartwarming reunion and a little mutual fishing, the pair bid a fond farewell to Larry and took off into the great blue yonder. Sans Larry.

Apparently, that is the way it goes in the Loon world. The parents just up and go - leaving the chick to his or her own devices until he or she is able to fly. 

Larry is pretty close to taking wing. His flight feathers are almost in. I would imagine that within the next few days or weeks, Larry will make his inaugural flight. He'll flap his way over to a larger lake where he will hook up with a bunch of other hipster chicks. They'll hang out like a bunch of rowdy teens until it is time to fly south.

Poor Larry. He looks a tad forlorn out there on Little Partridge Lake all on his own. Good luck with those flight feathers, bird man! 

We'll be sad to see you go.

Life in Transition on Little Partridge Lake

I must admit I have not been writing as much as I should be lately. Spring arrived late at our new home on Little Partridge Lake and as summer approaches, the level of activity out on the lake has reached a fever pitch.

If you think Twitter and Facebook are distractions you should try a Common Loon vs. Canada Goose showdown out on the water. The geese won the battle, managing to save their five goslings from a vicious loon attack, but I'm afraid they lost the war. There has been no sign of the geese or their offspring for days.

On the beach, a red-winged blackbird and a tricky raven battle it out on a daily basis. The blackbird dive-bombs his much larger foe with a level of courage and derring-do that far outweighs his small size. Oddly, there are times when the mortal enemies walk together on our small beach, side by side, chatting amiably. These momentary ceasefires remind me of a cartoon sheepdog and coyote from my childhood. Those two foes waged bloody war only until five o'clock in the afternoon after which they punched the clock and went out for a drinks together.

Faced with that level of drama I find it next to impossible to drag myself back into the gray office and sit down at the computer.

Signy Shepherd will have to wait.














 Meanwhile....I've been exploring the lake. A natural transition zone occurs where the water meets the land. Along this magical boundary species from both the wooded forest and the aquatic environment abound.  Join me over the next few weeks as I encounter some truly amazing creatures.

 

Let's begin with some cool plant life.

Dotting the edges of the small lake are bog-like fens.
Fens are dominated by grasses and sedges and have a high diversity of other plant species...










...including these lovely wild irises.

On a healthy fen, carnivorous plants wait patiently for their next meal.


Just offshore, I found many spectacular examples of carnivorous pitcher plants. Check out this dangerous flower.







 Unfortunate insects, attracted by the flashy colours and musty smell of the flower head down the curled leaves, become stuck in the sticky interior and are digested by the plant.

Ugh.  Nasty way to die.



Hmmm....

Perhaps one of my villains might suffer a similar fate...?


Life and death in the transition zone.


Food for thought.

Addressing the Confidence Gap

Claire Shipman is a reporter for ABC News, and Katty Kay is the anchor of BBC World News America. They are two journalists at the top of their game, authors of The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance-- What Women Should Know.

I listened to Claire and Katty talking about their book on CBC radio's The Current yesterday morning. It was surprising to hear them say that despite their skills and accomplishments they still occasionally experience a profound lack of confidence.

What?! You mean I'm not the only one?

They went on to suggest that while confidence is partly influenced by genetics (you either have a warrior or a worrier genes) it is not a fixed psychological state. You can change your confidence level by worrying less about people-pleasing and perfection, and by taking more risks. Check out their website at The Confidence Code to take a quiz and to read some interesting tips on how to bolster your confidence.

The discussion touched a nerve in me as a writer. 

It is said that a successful writer needs talent, luck and persistence. I can say with - er - confidence - that I have decent amount of all three. 

But, missing from the list is a capacity for self-promotion. It is essential to be able to sell yourself as well as your product to your agent, your publisher and your editor - not to mention blog tours, cocktail parties, public speaking, interviews, etc, etc, etc. 

And that is where I fall short. 

I've never felt comfortable blowing my own horn. 

Why?

I was almost certainly born with the worrier vs. the warrior gene, and my guilt-infused catholic upbringing didn't help. Nor did my gender. Many studies have shown women are far less confident in general than men in just about every context. 

Is that because women have less testosterone coursing through their veins? Is it because they are afraid of being labelled a 'bitch' if they stride into a board room to voice their opinion? Are we all just a bunch of perfectionists - afraid of failure?  

Or, as Jessica Valenti commented on Twitter, "Maybe women's lack of confidence is not a personality flaw, but a predictable response to a culture that tells them they are not good enough."

Whatever the root cause, all I know is that for me, waxing eloquent on my own awesomeness is so far out of my comfort zone it makes me shudder to even think about it.

Still. I like a good challenge. I've taken quite a few risks in my life. I'm not afraid of failure. And now it seems I have another mountain to climb.

If I want to reach my full potential as a writer I must master the art of self-promotion.

Where to start?  Perhaps I should revisit those three requirements of being a successful writer and look at them from a different point of view. 

Instead of saying I have a decent amount of all three, maybe I should exult a little. Maybe I should try...

Celebrating my talent out loud.

Acknowledge that my 'luck' didn't fall in my lap by chance.

Remember just how tenacious and persistent I can be....

I'm can do this!



...Dammit.

  










 

A Scattering of Stardust

 I've finished my second book and the outcome for the series is now out of my hands. Time for a much needed vacation and a chance to regain some perspective on what matters and more importantly, what doesn't.

Don't get me wrong. I don't presume to have any special insight into this curious thing we call life. I write black and white thrillers for a reason. 

Nevertheless, on our way down to Boca Del Vista we spent an amazing day at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida...and it caused me to take a step back and take a broader view.

We live on a tiny blue planet tucked on one arm of a spiral galaxy known as the Milky Way. At its centre a super massive black hole known as Sagittarius A. Our sun is only one star among as many as 400 billion others that are rotating around the galactic center at around 220 km/second.

And our galaxy is a very active place.

In the almost 14 billion years since the Big Bang, stars are still being born in magnificent stellar nurseries such as the Eagle Nebula - also known as the Pillars of Creation in the gorgeous picture taken by the Hubble Telescope.

Peer in closer into one of the stellar nurseries and you might see a cloud of black dust circling an infant star. Wait a few billion years and that dust will coalesce, and planets will form. There may be up to 100 million planets or more, and of those, as many as 8 billion might exist in the 'Goldilocks zone' where the conditions are just right for the formation of life as we know it.

In the midst of all this life, older stars are dying. Depending on their size, they may slowly contract into a super dense white dwarf or explode in a massive supernova.

But  our busy galaxy is not alone in the universe. The Milky Way is surrounded by several smaller galaxies and is part of a larger group of galaxies known as the Virgo Supercluster.

Recent estimates put the total number of galaxies in the known universe at around 500 billion, each containing hundreds of billions of stars.

Even more astounding, every atom in your body was at one time swirling about the galaxy, roaming free on interstellar winds. (And just to really blow your mind...there are more atoms in your body than there are stars in the known universe)

So, next time you're feeling overwhelmed by the trials and tribulations of everyday life go outside and look into the night sky.

You are made up of a scattering of stardust.

You are almost 14 billion years old.

At the same time you are as ephemeral as a flash of moonlight reflecting off a solitary wave on a vast ocean.

Kinda puts things into perspective, doesn't it?
  

Ups and Downs?

Plenty of updates from the busy world of Dumpy Grace.

Number One - We moved! From the wilds of Eastern Ontario to the bliss of the Near North, we have relocated to the shores of a small, private lake. We were able to keep everything that was marvelous about our old place - the privacy, the wildlife, the wide open skies - and have added the astonishing diversity that comes from living on the edge of an aquatic ecosystem. Ducks galore, including Bufflehead, Ring-Necked and Wood ducks. Loon calls at night, Blue heron fishing in the reeds, American Bittern, Pileated Woodpeckers, Beavers, Otters....and that is just the beginning. Insect season hasn't started yet and when it does, I'm sure I'll discover creatures even more exciting than the Sammy the psuedoscorpion and moldy baby-carrot pine beetle. Can't wait!

Number Two - I received the Advanced Uncorrected Proofs of Blown Red from Simon and Schuster. Very cool to see it in book format. Once the final corrections are made the book will be printed with its gorgeous red cover.


Along with the proofs, I also received a copy of the manuscript that had been given a thorough one - word - at - a - time reading by a copy editor in NYC. The accompanying letter asked me to please read through the entire manuscript one more time to make sure that all the corrections made by the editor were indeed correct - oh, and by the way could I have it back to the publisher within two days because failure to do so might push back my publication date.  No problem! Did I mention that I received the package four days before our move date? No matter....ya gotta do what ya gotta do - and I did. Re-read Blown Red VERY CAREFULLY all in one day and got it back to the publisher with time to spare. Phew!



Number Three - I FINISHED the final draft of Dark Territory and it was approved by my editor, Becky Toyne. She pronounced it a great read. It has now gone off to Alison Clarke at Simon and Schuster for her final approval. I'm hopeful there will be no glitches but I'll just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, I must say it is quite something to know that I have completed two fairly decent novels!










 Number Four -  Here comes the not so good news. Anne McDermid took several copies of Blown Red with her to the London Book Fair to try and sell it to the European market. Unfortunately, she did not have any luck. She reported that reaction was mixed. One publisher told her it was too violent while another told her it did not have enough hard core sex and violence. Another said it didn't grab her hard enough by the throat.

I am not too disappointed by the lack of success in Europe. Anne told me ahead of time that books by North American authors often must prove themselves in the NA market before being picked up in Europe. What is more discouraging is that she has yet to find an American publisher willing to take on the series. Still, her team is heading down to NYC in the next few weeks for another publishing event and she hopes they will have more success there.

I think the one thing that gives me pause is whether Simon and Schuster Canada will rethink their sales strategy based on the feedback from other publishers. They had been willing to go full tilt in the promotion of Blown Red. Will that still be the case given the lack of immediate enthusiasm from other publishers? I have no idea how the publishing industry works - but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that S and S Canada will carry on with their original strategy regardless.

But no matter what - nothing that happens from this point on could possibly be a downer. I've already reached goals far beyond my wildest expectations. Whatever happens now is icing on an already extraordinarily delicious cake.

I'm not stressing one tiny bit.















Number Five - we are off to Florida for a week of R and R. Life has been a whirlwind lately and a week of mindless beach reading sounds perfect just about now.

See you soon!

The Personal Impact of Writing about Violence

I reported in a recent post titled Where I Get My Ideas how random thoughts, even a single word can coalesce into a potential story line. For me, that word was cult. A myriad of spooky scenarios ran through my head and in an effort to bring a semblance of order to the process I picked up a couple of well-known books on the subject.

I started to read up on the perplexing reasons why seemingly average people get sucked in by charismatic, yet pathological con-men. Why do people allow themselves to be utterly controlled, to be physically, emotionally, and sexually violated?

What drove the brainwashed acolytes of David Koresh and Jim Jones to blindly follow their leader into a brutal and painful death. What was so compelling about Roch Therriault from right here in Ontario, who disemboweled one woman and cut off the fingers and arm of another among his many abuses? What drove his female followers to bear him several more children, even as he languished in prison?

 In my last book, aptly titled, Dark Territory, Signy Shepherd encounters brutal violence. I didn't mean to write it that way, but the characters insisted. The use of extreme violence was no more than a means to an end for the antagonist and to add insult to injury, he reveled in his disgusting deeds. I didn't like writing it, and even re-reading my own words gave me the creeps.

A story with an evil cult leader as the antagonist would be more of the same. Do I really want to go down that road again?

The answer is a resounding NO. I'm not up for more blood on my hands. At least not now.

I put down the cult books. Hid them away, in fact, and re-visited an idea that played around the edges of my mind as I wrote Dark Territory. What if Signy went up against a highly skilled female antagonist. What if no matter what she tried, the other woman always seemed to come out on top?

When I let my imagination roam down that avenue, I envision a clever and complex game of cat and mouse with a potentially shocking outcome.

Clever....complex....kick ass.  One hundred percent Signy Shepherd! 

Even better...no need to scrub off the stink of evil at the end of the writing day.







 

TV/Movie Rights - an update

Received a call from Anne McDermid this morning.

In preparation for the London Book Fair in 3 weeks time, she published her agency catalogue online yesterday. Apparently, this is the way an agent lets publishers and other agents know what the agency has on offer for the upcoming year. Included in her catalogue this year was Blown Red and Dark Territory.

This morning Anne received a call from an agency in New York City (which shall remain nameless until we see what happens) It is safe to say that this agency is among the top ten in the USA and represents some pretty big names. I'm assuming this means they are serious.

The agent that Anne spoke to was, apparently, very excited about the Signy Shepherd series. The agent said the premise is perfect for TV - exactly what networks are looking for. Strong, diverse characters, unique premise, fast-paced action.

Anne is going to try to work out a deal whereby this agency will represent me for TV/movie rights in the US. Early days yet...but, an exciting turn of events.

This initial interest gives me added hope that Anne will be able to sell the book publishing rights to the American and European markets in London this April. Fingers crossed on that one, as well!

The Thrill of a Good Cover Design

The cover is here!! 

When the cover design popped into my inbox from Simon and Schuster, Canada, I have to admit to a moment of emotional overload. After months and months of crafting the first draft, the marathon re-write, the fine-tuning and the copy edits, the arrival of the cover felt like I'd finally reached the top of the mountain.

And, it wasn't only the sense of accomplishment that felt so great. The design itself took my breath away. I know, I know....it's only the cover of a thriller novel but I think that Paul, the design guy at Simon and Schuster created something truly special.

Check it out.

The red colour theme is arresting. What reader could resist picking it up off the shelf for a quick peek?

I love the shadowy lettering behind the title. It feels a little off-balance which reflects the situation in which the protagonist, Signy Shepherd, finds herself.

The girl running toward the viewer is exactly how I pictured Signy! Seeing her long hair billowing out behind her as she races headlong into danger brought a tear to my eye.


The sense of the girl being inside a tunnel and the bright light at her back evoke the train theme which play an important part throughout the story

The target graphic really ramps up the tension

My name is pretty huge which feels kind of weird but they were trying to go for a Sandra Brown/Tess Gerritson look, and I think they achieved that very well.

Thanks to Alison and Paul at Simon and Schuster, Canada.

                                                  You made me feel like dancing!

Hearing Voices: How to Get to Know Your Characters

In my last post, How Do You Get Your Ideas? I discussed the way I use chatty conversations with my characters as a way to generate story ideas.

Someone who read the post was intrigued by the way I described my conversation with my main character, and wanted to know if Signy seemed like a real person to me, like REALLY real. Did I know her as well as my sister or best friend?

The short answer is no, and therein lies one of my greatest challenges. Who are my characters and how can I make readers care about them?

There are plenty of good character development techniques and templates available. They help the writer probe for physical appearance, personality traits, quirks, habits, voice, etc. Supposedly, all this prep work helps the character burst into joyous life the minute you finally put pen to paper.

Unfortunately, this basic process isn't always enough.  Sometimes, despite knowing every detail about your character's food preferences, medical history, childhood friends and bedroom habits, he or she stubbornly refuses to comply with your Frankenstein-ian demands.

I had that difficulty with my protagonist, Signy Shepherd. I knew exactly who I wanted her to be, but never seemed able to capture my vision on paper. No matter how many character interviews I filled out, Signy remained dull and colourless on the page. A flat-lander if there ever was one.

That is, until Sue Reynolds  teacher of the brilliant course, A Novel Approach asked the class to explain how our main character had changed throughout our book. The twist was, that we had to answer using the voice of our protagonist. I closed my eyes for a moment, and channeled Signy Shepherd. Signy being Signy, the first thing she said to Sue, was "That's a stupid question."

Sue said she got goose bumps because she could truly 'hear' Signy's voice - loud and clear.

So did I.

It was the first time I really had a clear sense of my prickly, complex main character, and I've used that technique every time she starts to become a little hazy in my mind.

As a result of our regular chats, Signy and I have developed a relationship over these past three years.

She is very different with me than she is with her mentor, Grace Holder, or her long-lost brother, Alex Nakai. With them, she is confident but guarded. With me, she is open and funny and even a little demanding. I need her to let loose with me because I need her to feel free to come up with even the most bizarre story ideas, without fear of feeling stupid (one of her problems)

And, it works. Not only do these little chats keep Signy fresh and vibrant in my mind, they also serve as an effective way of generating ideas.

Next time you are lamenting that your characters are more than a little one-dimensional, try inviting them into your head for a cup of tea, or a scotch on the rocks if that seems more apropos. Ask a few provocative questions then wait for them to start talking.

Don't worry. They will. You just have to listen.







 

Where do you get your ideas?

Where do you get your ideas? That's a question that is often asked of writers. As I prepare to begin Book Three, I thought I'd share my process.

I've been wracking my brains for a few months for the next great idea but everything seemed stale and lifeless until a couple of days ago when # 1 Reader mentioned the word cult.

That's all. Just that one word. Cult.

My brain perked up but I didn't have time to think consciously about the concept, and it wasn't until yesterday that things began to gel. This is how it happened. Honestly.

I was driving along thinking about nothing when out of the blue, Signy Shepherd appeared in the passenger seat. I barely had a chance to register that shocking fact when she started talking.

Signy: Hey, writer girl.

Me: Who---?

Signy: Calm down. It's only me. Signy.

Me: What the---?

Signy: (cranking her eyes to heaven) Are you deliberately trying to piss me off?

Me: (with my usual flair for witty dialogue) Eh?

Signy: Get a grip, lady. I have a job for you.

Me: What are you talking about?

Signy: (peering closely at me) Are you really the writer? Cause, I have to say that slack jaw is making me nervous.

Me: (eyes darting) No....I mean yes. I'm the writer.

Signy: Well, start acting like one for God's sake, and pay attention. Something's happened and I need your help.

Me: My what?

Signy: Seriously? You've done this a couple of times now, what aren't you getting?

Me:  (finally twigging to the glint of amused excitement in her eyes) Oh, you mean you want me to write something?

Signy: Give the girl a pink balloon.

Me: (thinking about what on earth a pink balloon has to do with anything) Eh?

Signy: Never mind, just listen up.

Me: Yes Ma'am.

Signy: What do you know about cults?

Me: Um. Jim Jones. Koolaid?

Signy: (shaking her head) Looks like you have some work to do.

Me: Work?

Signy: God, you're annoying. Look, there's this girl. She's being held captive in the wilds of Eastern Ontario. The cult leader is a real piece of work, a manipulative psychopath. No way she can get out on her own and the cops can't help. 

Me: (smiling broadly) Trapped inside a cult, eh? Sounds cool.

Signy: (frowning) I'm not sure the word cool is the right choice.

Me: I didn't mean to suggest-----

Signy:  Look. I can't imagine how or why the average Joe gets drawn in by these charismatic creeps, so you need to get cracking. I'm going to need a lot of intel before I infiltrate the place.

Me: Hold on. You're going undercover?

Signy: Of course. How else will I be able to rescue the girl?

Me: But a place like that would be remote, off-grid. There would be no one around for miles. God only knows what kind of crazy stuff you'd have to face.

Signy: (smacking the dashboard with her palm) That's why I need your help. I need you to find out everything you can about the compound, the freak who runs the group, and anything else you think might be important. (she leans in) And, you have to hurry. I don't know how much time she has left.

Me: (eyes on the road ahead) I can do that. It sounds awesome.

Signy: (smiling at me, her blue eyes flashing) Come on. You don't remember the hipster doofus word for awesome?

Me: Um. I'll ask my daughter.

Signy: (sighing) I won't lie. A younger writer would have been easier to work with, but I'm stuck with you, so get moving on that research, okay? We're running out of time.

Me: You bet. I'm on it. I won't let you down.

Signy: I'm not worried, writer girl. I'm gonna be on your case night and day until we get this situation resolved.

Me: Awesome.

Signy: God, this is going to be a long trip. Quit talking and drive, okay?

Me: (gripping the wheel) Yes, Ma'am. 


AND THAT...is how I get my ideas.

p.s. Hipster doofus word for awesome is SICK. Try and remember that.

What Next?

For me, February 14, 2014 was not just another day of hearts and candy. This year, Valentine's day was the submission date set by Simon and Schuster, Canada, for my second novel.

On February 14, after consuming copious amounts of chocolate, I held my breath and sent the (hopefully) final version of Dark Territory off to Alison Clarke.

Alison had already read a previous draft and provided me with excellent editorial suggestions as well as some confidence building feedback. She liked it! Phew.

I also sent a copy off to Anne McDermid, my agent, who got back to me within a couple of days to say that she had loved the book, and was looking forward to beginning the process of selling the series. Double Phew!

Meanwhile, my youngest daughter was married in a fairy tale wedding, and we sold our current house and bought a new one. Not to mention our wonderful dog, Sophie, who, having just recovered from knee surgery was forced to go under the knife again when her hip gave out. Stress anyone?

Finally, however, the dust has settled, and I can breathe again. It was an exciting ride but now I am ready to start moving forward again.

What next? Supposedly, I will soon receive advance reading copies of my first novel, Blown Red, although to be perfectly honest, I never count chickens until they are hatched.  But, if I am very lucky and everything goes according to plan, then I expect I will have some major work to do over the next many months in preparation of the publication date. I just read a cautionary tale of an author who neglected his self-promotion duties and paid the ultimate price. Few sales....disinterested publisher. As much as I loathe self-promotion, I know I will have to bite the bullet and get cracking - starting with website development and a regular blogging schedule. At least it will be fun to step out of my comfort zone and learn something new.

Book Three is calling me, as well. I only have a two book contract with S and S so my urge to start plotting the third in the Signy Shepherd series has nothing to do with contractual obligations. Rather, the characters are demanding to be heard. Signy wants to know what is going to happen with Ben Tran. Will he be 'the one' or will their relationship fumble along the way? 

Grace wants to know if she is going to recover from her PTSD, whether she and Kim will work things out, and whether she will ever make it back onto the Line.

The Tracker wants to know who killed his mother and stole him away from his sister. He is dying to know whether he and Signy will be able to work together to solve that terrible puzzle, or whether Signy will continue to shut him out of her life.

And, of course, somewhere out there, a young woman is in desperate need of help from the Line. Will Signy get to her in time?

On a totally different note, my DBT skills partner and I, are also ready to get back on track with our online counselling idea. We will be ramping up our efforts on that front over the coming months.
 
I'm looking forward to the brain-rattling challenges of the upcoming year, as well as the inevitable setbacks. Whatever the final outcome of my various projects, I am already thrilled. It isn't the end result that interests me, it is the journey along the way, and 2014  promises to be a whirlwind.

What could be better?