The Lovely Month of May

I spent my writing time editing Tumbled Graves this week. Jennifer McNight, my Dundurn editor, had suggested changes, including adding a scene, and picked out plot inconsistencies. Very little change to the actual text. I sent the manuscript back to her on Thursday evening for her next review. I'll see it one more time before it goes to Jennifer again and then to the copy editor, who looks for spelling errors and the like. This is done now to have advance reading copies ready six months before publication to send out to reviewers. My first manuscripts were not edited electronically but on hard copy. I know that we see different errors when we look at hard copy vs on a computer screen - something about how our brain works - but electronic editing sure is a lot easier.

And now, back to working on my latest manuscript, which is rounding into the stretch before the finish line.This is the scary part when I find out if all the storylines I have going will come together. Send hopeful thoughts, everyone.

I spent last Saturday afternoon signing books at Chapters Rideau with fellow crime authors Vicki Delany (Eva Gates) and Linda Wiken (Erika Chase). You might wonder why they have two names and I only have the one. They each use a pseudonym for their Berkley Crime series - the pseudonym belongs to the series and will not be used again for a new series. In other words, Berkley owns the pseudonym. I don't have the same restriction and so simply write under my own name.

 

 Linda Wiken, me and Vicki Delany

Several events are coming up: the Arthur Ellis awards dinner on May 28 in Toronto - Ted, Julia and good friend Dawn Rayner will be coming with me so excited about that; Prose in the Park on Saturday, June 6 - I'll be on a crime panel - takes place near the Parkdale Market and is the place to be to hear top Canadian authors in all genres speak about their work and to purchase books; June 13 from noon to three - signing at Chapters Barrhaven; and August 15 reading at the Perth ClassicTheatre Festival with Peggy Blair - loved this event last year and pleased to return with Peggy.

A long weekend ahead and temperatures heating up. I'm going to get into my garden, which is growing a nice crop of grass at the moment, and will get my bike out for the first ride of the year. Other than a few barbecues, I'll spend time typing at the keyboard hitting my word count for May. But for now, another cup of coffee as I ease into the morning.