Updates

Hey, great news: I got an Alberta Foundation for the Arts Grant to help fund my book tour in support of Bursts of Fire this summer and fall! This means I can do all the stops on the tour I had planned, and not be completely broke by the end! Yay!! Thanks, Alberta Foundation for the Arts!!

Well into the new year, and tons of stuff on the go: continuing to work on my current novel, waiting for edit requests from my publisher for book 2 of my series, and ARCs for book 1 were mailed to reviewers this week. Prepping for the video filming for the book trailers for books 1&2 of the series. Also, I’m editing for a monthly client, just met with a potential client with a novel he may want done this year, waiting for all the short stories to come in for the anthology, and agreed to swap novels to beta-read with another author. The course I’m teaching this winter starts on Wednesday, and I’m planning not only my book tour for this summer/fall, but 2 writing retreats in February/March. Oh, yeah, and tons of reading as I am judging the Sunburst awards this year. So, lots of things to juggle!

Managed to put away all the Christmas stuff and had a lovely ski trip over New Year’s, and now I’m jumping into a million things for 2019. This is going to be an awesome year!

Had a few days off for Christmas, but have been writing this week, too—and super-enjoying it! I finished a series of scenes, which I may not use, showing what the villain is up to. Stuff I need to know, but as a mystery, may have to be kept secret from the reader. Now I’m back on the main story line. Such fun!

I’m a judge for the Sunburst Award for adult and YA books published in 2018. Just received a box of 33 books (and there are 4 ebooks as well). That is BOX ONE. Not sure how many books there will be altogether, but the judges (there are 5 of us) have to come up with our top ten recommended books in each category by May 1 (the long list). The YA category so far is looking not too bad: only 6 books in it so far, meaning the top ten are almost chosen. The short list (top 5) shouldn’t be hard either—unless, of course, we get a bunch more books. I think publishers have until December 31 to submit their books, so there could be more coming, but I’m guessing not a ton more at this point. It will be good to become familiar with what’s been written in my field (SFF) across Canada for a given year. I’m sure I will learn a lot that will improve my own writing as I wrestle with what makes the top 10, 5 and 1 the best.