Working with Police Dogs

Quick blog post before I head out for the day.

Lovely end of summer week. Hot and sunny. I love closing off the summer this way, with one last blast.

I have a meeting this morning with a police dog handler. Hopefully I can get the inside scoop on working with dog. With all the help I’ve had from various police officers, I’ve had trouble really getting familiar with the dog-thing. In the Molly Smith books one of the characters is a police dog handler for the RCMP. I’ve had to skirt over that a bit, because I didn’t have a feel for the relationship between human and dog. I’m really looking forward to my morning chat!

Then this evening, I’m off for a ride-along with the O.P.P. Will this be another night for BatVicki? When the criminal elements flee in terror at word of her approach.

Which seems to be the norm when I’m riding-along. The police end up apologizing for how quiet it has been.

I’ll report in tomorrow.

The Agony of Waiting

You work on a book for months, years for some people. You have friends and critiquers read it, you revise it. You send it to your editor. She makes suggestions. You revise it. Then it's finished and put in the queue for publication. And you wait. For a whole year. Sometimes you even wonder if that book was a figment of your imagination. Finally, release date approaches. Then you get the first review.

There is something pretty nerve-wracking about reading that first review. Will they say it's at least okay, or will they say it's the worst piece of dreck ever written?

Reviews, to be honest, come and go. I've had good ones, including a starred review by PW for Winter of Secrets, and I've had some not-so-good. I had one where I wondered if the reviewer had mistaken me for someone who stole her boyfriend back in highschool, it was so viciously personal. So I know not to take them toooooo much to heart. But that first review... Gulp.

The online review site Paperback Dolls loved Negative Image, I'm relieved to say. Here's what they had to say in a very well written review that manages to be comprehensive without giving away any plot points. http://paperbackdolls.blogspot.com/2010/08/arc-review-negative-image-by-vicki.html

Woodpile

If you've been wondering what I've been up to for the last little while, these before and after pictures should explain. I've been in the woodpile. I had two cords delivered. The person who was supposed to help couldn't make it, so I stacked it all myself. I decided it would be best to spend one hour a day shifting wood. That way I wouldn't strain myself and I also wouldn't keep putting it off. I am rather proud of myself, if I do say so myself. My ex-husband suggested I use the money I saved by not paying the helper to buy a good bottle of wine. If you need me, you can find me out on the deck, with my feet up, book in hand, wine close by.

My good friend Anthony Bidulka, author of the wonderful Russell Quant series, says that getting wood in is a very positive thing. We are planning ahead, preparing for the future in a practical way.

More this and that

In my list of blogging recently I forgot my six word post for Jen's Book Thoughts. Yep, my life in six words. Not easy.

http://jensbookthoughts.blogspot.com/search/label/Six-word%20Memoirs

Bit of this and a bit of that

I’ve been busy getting my fall book tour organized and am just about done. I’m mostly going to be in Southern Ontario at Chapters/Indigo stores. If you know of a store that might like to have me, please send me a note and let me know.

Busy blogging week. I was at Mystery Kitchen (http://mysterykitchen.blogspot.com) with my blueberry pudding cake recipe, at Fatal Foodies (http://fatalfoodies.blogspot.com) to talk about how badly my tomatoes are doing this year (Is it a lack of bees and someone suggested?) and for a change of pace at my regular Monday spot at Type M for Murder (http://typem4murder.blogspot.com) talking about Conrad Black and the prison-industrial complex and Linwood Barclay and invisible criminals.

Friday it’s off to Scene of the Crime Festival on Wolfe Island (www.sceneofthecrime.ca). Can’t wait, it’s going to be just great.

Also talked with the publisher at Rendezvous Crime and Gold Mountain will be released in Fall 2011. Don’t have a date yet for Among the Departed.

Hope to see you on Wolfe Island.

Planning the book tour.

I love going on book tour. I love standing in bookstores trying to get people interested in my books (really). I love meeting people and talking about books (mostly mine). I also love to travel and I like to drive. And I love going back to stores where they know me and like me!

On the other hand I absolutely hate organizing the book tour. E-Mails, phone calls. Follow up e-mails. Follow-up phone calls. Balancing dates and locations. Ug.

Anyway, can't be helped. Right now I am signing up stores for November/December for Negative Image which comes out Nov. 1st. I'll be doing mostly stores in south-eastern Ontario, where I live, with a visit to Oakville/Burlington/West Toronto and one to Montreal for an event called Fusion Fiction, which sounds like fun.

The big trips will come next year. Today I registered for both Left Coast Crime in Sante Fe and Bloody Words in Victoria. Both of which should be just great.

If you know of a store or library or festival that might like to have me, please do pass the info on. I'll go almost anywhere.