Happy Thanksgiving to all. I’m off to Oakville in a short while to have turkey and all the trimmings with my mom and my youngest daughter. Eldest daughter is busy, and middle daughter too far away, so it’s just the three of us.
More turkey for me!
Negative Image has gone to the editor at Poisoned Pen Press. I anxiously await her response. I know it’s not completely out-to-lunch, because as per PPP policy, she has already approved the outline and the first 100 pages. Still, there is always that niggling thought that maybe she will hate it.
After a couple of months of doing a bit of this and a bit of that, I’m now ready to dive straight into my new book, which will be the start of a new series. I’ve talked it over with my agent, and they feel it has real potential, so let’s get at it!
Oops. I’m going to be on the road for the next month, and then very busy for a month after that with promotion for Winter of Secrets.
I plan to spend the winter working on it, and as I have nothing on (yet) after the beginning of December, I should be able to make real progress. I'm planning to blog about it as it goes.
The contest to win an ARC of Winter of Secrets is closed, but if you are attending Bouchercon next week please try to make our panel: Oh Canada: A Criminal Romp Through the Wilds of Canada, Thursday at 4:30. Prizes will be awarded and Canadian cuisine will be served.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Critique Group Day
I belong to a super critique group, and today is our meeting day. We don’t meet often, about once every two months. The purpose of the group isn’t really to read everything that each of us has written, but to help with difficult parts.
We meet at a pub in downtown Toronto, which sounds rather strange – how can you have a meeting in a pub? But we’ve found a nice place that has a private, quiet corner. We’ll start off with a drink, and some gossip about the publishing biz, then have dinner, and then open the pages. We send the pages we want to discuss about a week before the meeting so everyone has a chance to read them.
There are plenty of ways of organizing a critique group. Probably as many types of groups as there are writers, but I’d suggest one rule only for anyone looking to form, or join a group. You absolutely have to trust in your group members. You don’t have to accept their judgement, and do everything they tell you – which would be difficult as they can be contradictory! – but you do have to be able to justify if only to yourself why you are not taking their advice. Similarly, you have to believe that their work is good enough to be published, otherwise, why bother?
I belonged to an online critique group some years ago, and when I think back on it, it’s a wonder I kept writing. Some of the members were harsh to the point of being mean; one woman completely rewrote a section of my dialogue and said “There, it works much better this way.”
One of the members of my group, Donna Carrick, has just had her new book, The First Excellence, released. I haven’t read it yet, but certainly am looking forward to it. After all, I know it was well critiqued!
http://www.donnacarrick.com/
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Grammar and Your Reputation.
Does grammar matter? You bet it does. I’ve heard beginning writers say they don’t worry much about their spelling and grammar because that’s what editors are for, isn’t it.
Trust me, it matters. Most editors make their living by knowing what’s right and what’s wrong when it comes to writing. And they get annoyed, fast, at common or sloppy errors. If you are trying to get that first novel read you do not want the editor at the publisher or agent you are querying to get annoyed at you.
But even more, if you want to make your living with words, how you write is your reputation.
What brought this up is that there is a classified ad in my local small-town newspaper for a course in creative writing. In the context of one brief ad there are THREE grammar errors.
Internationally acclaimed author XX is offering a highly successful Toronto Workshops at XX. Add punch to your prose and learn how to get them published.
Did you spot them?
1) Workshops should not be capitalized as it is not a proper noun.
2) Offering a... workshops. Plural noun, singular article.
3) Your prose and... get them.. Again singular and plural in the same sentence.
If this person can’t get his own three line ad correct, why should I pay him to teach me anything?
Trust me, it matters. Most editors make their living by knowing what’s right and what’s wrong when it comes to writing. And they get annoyed, fast, at common or sloppy errors. If you are trying to get that first novel read you do not want the editor at the publisher or agent you are querying to get annoyed at you.
But even more, if you want to make your living with words, how you write is your reputation.
What brought this up is that there is a classified ad in my local small-town newspaper for a course in creative writing. In the context of one brief ad there are THREE grammar errors.
Internationally acclaimed author XX is offering a highly successful Toronto Workshops at XX. Add punch to your prose and learn how to get them published.
Did you spot them?
1) Workshops should not be capitalized as it is not a proper noun.
2) Offering a... workshops. Plural noun, singular article.
3) Your prose and... get them.. Again singular and plural in the same sentence.
If this person can’t get his own three line ad correct, why should I pay him to teach me anything?
Monday, October 5, 2009
Win an ARC of Winter of Secrets
Contest time!
I’m offering two ARCs (advance reading copies) of Winter of Secrets which will be released by Poisoned Pen Press on Nov. 1st.
The first chapter has been posted on my web page (www.vickidelany.com). Send me an e-mail telling me what Constable Molly Smith’s radio call number is, and you will be eligible! Contest closes on Friday Oct. 9th. My e-mail address is Vicki at vickidelany dot com. (you know the drill)
Onto further news – I baked cookies yesterday for our party at Bouchercon. We’ve decided that because the O Canada panel is at 4:30 on Thursday afternoon, when energy levels are starting to droop, we will make it a party, so we’re all contributing something deliciously Canadian.
The picture at the right is of me taken at Word on the Street in Toronto last week. Nice banner, eh? That’s the Crime Writers of Canada logo. The picture was taken by Pam Balance who is one half of the writing team Jamie Tremain. (http://jamietremain.blogspot.com)
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Fresh Tomato and Basil Linguini and a lot of work
Spoke to my agent yesterday, and she will have the comments for Negative Image back to me on Monday. So that gives me a couple of days to get caught up in the garden.
Today will be a gardening day. Time to pick the last of the tomatoes, bring them in the house and hope they’ll ripen, and dig up the vegetable garden. I have only been in this house for a year. Last year I had grass dug up and a vegetable bed prepared. I was a bit on the over-enthusiastic side, and ended up with more than I could care for. I had a really good crop of weeds in one corner of the garden, so tossed a tarp on them for the summer. Over the next couple of days I’d like to get the entire bed ready for winter. Next year I’m going to expand into peppers and garlic. I know I have to get the garlic in this week.
I’ve really enjoyed the vegetable garden – lettuce in the spring and early summer and then tons of tomatoes in the late summer and early fall.
I estimate that in the last month 80% of my dinners have been tomatoes, garlic, and basil over pasta with a sprinkle of feta cheese on top. And I’m still not tired of it – yesterday I bought another package of linguini. If you’d like the recipe, ask, but you really don’t need a recipe. Just toss what you have in a frying pan in a splash of olive oil. Even cooked, real tomatoes taste so much better than anything from the supermarket in January.
Today is the County Marathon, and I for one can’t wait. Not that I’m exactly a marathon runner, but as it happens the course goes right by my property. I love living here, in Prince Edward County, and I love my 19th century house and property in the country. The only thing I don’t love is that I am on a County Road. Which means a busy road (never mind summer when it’s the road to the beach!). They’ll be closing the road soon for the runners, and yeah! Peace and quiet for a few hours.
Today will be a gardening day. Time to pick the last of the tomatoes, bring them in the house and hope they’ll ripen, and dig up the vegetable garden. I have only been in this house for a year. Last year I had grass dug up and a vegetable bed prepared. I was a bit on the over-enthusiastic side, and ended up with more than I could care for. I had a really good crop of weeds in one corner of the garden, so tossed a tarp on them for the summer. Over the next couple of days I’d like to get the entire bed ready for winter. Next year I’m going to expand into peppers and garlic. I know I have to get the garlic in this week.
I’ve really enjoyed the vegetable garden – lettuce in the spring and early summer and then tons of tomatoes in the late summer and early fall.
I estimate that in the last month 80% of my dinners have been tomatoes, garlic, and basil over pasta with a sprinkle of feta cheese on top. And I’m still not tired of it – yesterday I bought another package of linguini. If you’d like the recipe, ask, but you really don’t need a recipe. Just toss what you have in a frying pan in a splash of olive oil. Even cooked, real tomatoes taste so much better than anything from the supermarket in January.
Today is the County Marathon, and I for one can’t wait. Not that I’m exactly a marathon runner, but as it happens the course goes right by my property. I love living here, in Prince Edward County, and I love my 19th century house and property in the country. The only thing I don’t love is that I am on a County Road. Which means a busy road (never mind summer when it’s the road to the beach!). They’ll be closing the road soon for the runners, and yeah! Peace and quiet for a few hours.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Preparing for Bouchercon and Fall Book Tour
What happened to fall? Two weeks ago I was in the pool, and yesterday I turned the heat on.
I’m stuck between projects right now, and not happy about it. I’ve sent the MS of Negative Image (Smith and Winter #4) to my agent, and waiting it’s return, no doubt with suggestions. I’ve sent a proposal and the first 50pages of a new idea to my agent, and am waiting input before continuing. Gold Fever is at the publisher, and I’m waiting their editorial changes on that. Time to start thinking about Gold Rush book #3. I finished the short story and will get input about that from my critique group next week.
I am not good at starting and stopping something; I want to work on a book in a continuous flow, so I find myself this week in a holding pattern.
Fortunately, It’s not that I have nothing esle to do. My fall is looking to be jam packed with activities. There’s Oakville for Thanksgiving with the family, then the Great Road Trip of ’09 to Bouchercon, then my Quebec and east coast book tour with R.J. Harlick, and back to Ontario for booksignings for Winter of Secrets.
The book tour is really falling into place. We have a lot of bookstores to visit, two libraries to present talks at and not one, but TWO, universities at which we’ll be speaking. Bishops’ University in Lennoxville, Quebec, and Mount St. Vincent in Halifax.
There’s a lot of work that goes into a book tour. Calling stores and arranging the visit, settling details of when and where and what to talk about where we’re speaking, arranging accommodation, working on speeches.
The writer’s life is about a lot more than writing!
I’m stuck between projects right now, and not happy about it. I’ve sent the MS of Negative Image (Smith and Winter #4) to my agent, and waiting it’s return, no doubt with suggestions. I’ve sent a proposal and the first 50pages of a new idea to my agent, and am waiting input before continuing. Gold Fever is at the publisher, and I’m waiting their editorial changes on that. Time to start thinking about Gold Rush book #3. I finished the short story and will get input about that from my critique group next week.
I am not good at starting and stopping something; I want to work on a book in a continuous flow, so I find myself this week in a holding pattern.
Fortunately, It’s not that I have nothing esle to do. My fall is looking to be jam packed with activities. There’s Oakville for Thanksgiving with the family, then the Great Road Trip of ’09 to Bouchercon, then my Quebec and east coast book tour with R.J. Harlick, and back to Ontario for booksignings for Winter of Secrets.
The book tour is really falling into place. We have a lot of bookstores to visit, two libraries to present talks at and not one, but TWO, universities at which we’ll be speaking. Bishops’ University in Lennoxville, Quebec, and Mount St. Vincent in Halifax.
There’s a lot of work that goes into a book tour. Calling stores and arranging the visit, settling details of when and where and what to talk about where we’re speaking, arranging accommodation, working on speeches.
The writer’s life is about a lot more than writing!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Bouchercon Road Trip and Party!
This picture is of Rick Blechta and me at Word on the Street on Sunday.
Plans are progressing for the Great Road Trip of ‘09. I am going with Mary Jane Maffini, Barbara Fradkin, and R.J. Harlick; setting off on the 12 hour trip (for me) 15 hours (from Ottawa for them) to Indianapolis for Bouchercon. I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of fun, not only on the road but also at the conference.
The four of us, along with Anthony Bidulka, are on the Canadian Crime panel. Let me just say that we’re planning to have a lot more than a panel – we’re thinking party!
If you’re going to be at Bouchercon, and you want to know what’s happening in the world of Canadian crime writing, and you like a good party, be sure and look us up in Indianapolis.
Contest News: On Monday, I’ll be having a contest to win an ARC of Winter of Secrets AND I’ll give another copy to anyone who reads this blog and says the secret word to me at Bouchercon.
So stay tuned.
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