Friday, March 30, 2012
All she wants is a quiet life: Fiona MacGillivray guests at Killer Characters
Fiona MacGillivray, owner of the Savoy Saloon and Dance Hall in Dawson City, 1898, guests today at the fun blog Killer Characters. Head on over to see what she has to say about her adventures and about being a character in a book. http://www.killercharacters.com/
Friday, March 23, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Win a copy of A Winter Kill
I've received my author copies of A Winter Kill, and they are just fabulous.
So, I'd like to give away the ARC (Advance Review Copy). It's got the same beautiful cover, and the same text except for perhaps the odd typo.
I've you'd like to give it a try, please leave a comment here, or send me an email (vicki at vickidelany dot com). Contest closes at the end of the month, March 31st.
Remember: This is a Rapid Reads book. Short and to the point.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Libraries
Seemingly out of nowhere, all over the world libraries have come under attack.
Libraries? What have they done to offend the powers-that-be? I think the question that must be asked, is who benefits. Who benefits from closing libraries, reducing access to books and information? Who benefits from cutting the poor, the mobility-restricted, the elderly, off from access to their community? Supposedly it's all about saving money.
Really? Seems to me there's always money for the things politicians want whether it be new fighter jets or hockey arenas.
I'm making a presentation tomorrow to my municipal council, which has suggesting closing three of our six libraries. Now, I live in a rural area that has no public transit. Here's the crux of my talk:
As a relative newcomer to the County, I was shocked to read that council is considering closing libraries in the smaller communities. This would be a serious mistake for many reasons. In a spread-out area such as Prince Edward County that does not have the luxury of public transit, libraries are an invaluable resource to those who don’t have access to a car such as parents with young children, teenagers needing help with homework, job seekers who can’t afford a computer or high-speed wireless in their homes, the elderly with mobility issues.
Libraries bind communities: they promote literacy, provide meeting spaces, help children with homework, give young people a safe and productive place to go. They welcome newcomers and provide older residents with a place to get together and keep their minds active.
Closing of the libraries in the villages as has been suggested would be tantamount to tearing the heart out of those communities. And worst of all penalizing the poorer and least fortunate of County residents.
I ask councillors to reconsider this ill-thought out plan.
Libraries? What have they done to offend the powers-that-be? I think the question that must be asked, is who benefits. Who benefits from closing libraries, reducing access to books and information? Who benefits from cutting the poor, the mobility-restricted, the elderly, off from access to their community? Supposedly it's all about saving money.
Really? Seems to me there's always money for the things politicians want whether it be new fighter jets or hockey arenas.
I'm making a presentation tomorrow to my municipal council, which has suggesting closing three of our six libraries. Now, I live in a rural area that has no public transit. Here's the crux of my talk:
As a relative newcomer to the County, I was shocked to read that council is considering closing libraries in the smaller communities. This would be a serious mistake for many reasons. In a spread-out area such as Prince Edward County that does not have the luxury of public transit, libraries are an invaluable resource to those who don’t have access to a car such as parents with young children, teenagers needing help with homework, job seekers who can’t afford a computer or high-speed wireless in their homes, the elderly with mobility issues.
Libraries bind communities: they promote literacy, provide meeting spaces, help children with homework, give young people a safe and productive place to go. They welcome newcomers and provide older residents with a place to get together and keep their minds active.
Closing of the libraries in the villages as has been suggested would be tantamount to tearing the heart out of those communities. And worst of all penalizing the poorer and least fortunate of County residents.
I ask councillors to reconsider this ill-thought out plan.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
The Standup Office
I’ve been reading a lot lately about how important it is to stand up. Long hours sitting in place, the jobs most of us do these days, is very bad for ones heath. We need to not only move, but also to stand. Apparently even the most active of us (a category that does not include me) is doing their health no good by sitting at a desk most of the day.
I’ve heard about standup desks and treadmill desks, and when my friend Charles Benoit posted a picture of his new stand-up office, I figured I’d give it a try.
Yesterday was the first day. I set my Netbook computer up on a half-wall between the kitchen and dining room. I decided I’d give it half an hour to start.
I worked like that for 3.5 hours.
I loved it.
Not only did I scarcely notice that I was standing, but it gave my writing a real boost. When I lifted my head to think, instead of shifting in my chair and then hitting the Facebook or e-mail key, I took a few steps, swung my arms around and came back to it.
Today I stood again. The time whizzed by almost as fast as my fingers typed. Now I’m sure the increased productivity is due more to the shift in working environment, as minimal as it is, than the actual position. No doubt things will slow down back to normal soon.
But I’m delighted that I’d tried this.
I’m lucky that the half-wall is at exactly the right height. I’d advise anyone to take care as to the position of the computer to try this. Too low and your back will feel it. Too high and you’ll strain your shoulder. You probably also want to be sure you don’t have your computer wobbling on the top of an impromptu stack of books.
The above picture shows my new set up. Nothing fancy at all.
Monday, February 13, 2012
.99c Special Continues
Amazon is still offering In the Shadow of the Glacier on Kindle for only .99. I thought the special was running just to the end of January, but whatever...
So, if you haven't read the Constable Molly Smith series yet, here's your chance to give it a try. In the Shadow of the Glacier is the first book in the series. Click here for Kindle.
The second book is titled Valley of the Lost and I had a really nice trailer made for that book. Here's the link to the trailer for Valley of the Lost. I'd forgotten how good it is.
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