Category: Fiction

Release Day!

No Right Thing is out in the world! A big thank you to Crwth Press for loving the story and shepherding it through to publication.

There’s always a profound sense of satisfaction on book release day.  There’s joy – a job well done! – and a touch of trepidation too. Will it find a home? Readers? Will people love it as much as I do?

These days, of course, Covid-19 has changed the book release dynamic. Book store signings, author talks and school visits are out of the question. Thankfully, people are still reading. Some indicators suggest they’re reading more than they were before.

No Right Thing is a young adult novel about 16-year-old Cate Sheridan who believes in always doing the right thing. So, when Cate sees a homeless man about to be hit by a truck, she does the only right thing: she pulls him to safety. Cate quickly realizes that one good deed can have catastrophic consequences. Eventually, after heartache, tragedy and a devastating betrayal, Cate learns that sometimes people have all the right reasons for doing a very wrong thing.

You’ll find purchase links to Crwth Press and some of the larger chain stores on my books page. I’d also like to give a huge shout-out to smaller independent bookstores who work hard to provide us with books. Many will take phone orders deliver. For an independent bookstore near you, please check out this map:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=19gEK_fkWpBbp0Hvba32T5T77YzjosqXI&ll=53.566861485582976%2C-99.09063119999996&z=4

My April Reads

I’m dealing with a debilitating and hopefully temporary back problem, so I’ve been spending more time resting and less time doing. That means relaxing and staring at the clouds . . .  watching the swallows swoop and dart through the air . . . and reading. Lots and lots of reading. As the month opened, I reached for the comfort and reassurance of a classic I’ve read before. And now, as we creep closer to the end of the month, I need a break from reality, some laughs, and the promise of a happily ever after. I know I can count on Kristan Higgins for that.   Here’s what I’m reading this month.

Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins

Books read to date in 2020: 26

Divine Timing

The garden sent me a lesson the other day. It’s a lesson I’ve witnessed repeatedly in writing and gardening. But it’s a lesson I’ve yet to master. Everything happens when it’s meant to happen. The unfolding of life has its own rhythm. And as much as I’d like to think I’m in charge, I am not.

I’d seeded tomatoes and peppers and broccoli and basil. Sweet peas and eggplant and cilantro too. The broccoli popped up first, quickly followed by basil, tomato and sweet pea seedlings. The eggplant was slower, but it eventually germinated. The pepper and the cilantro seeds languished under the starting soil. I hovered and fretted and hovered some more.

Cocooned in their dark bed, the pepper and cilantro seeds paid no attention.

Meanwhile, the effects of the Covid-19 slowdown continued. I learned of more work cancellations and delays. I heard of more writer friends having their book releases postponed. Or having their books come out without the expected fanfare of a launch (if you’re a writer with a book releasing during the Time of Covid, email me and I’ll plug it on this blog).

Nothing was going according to plan, one friend wailed after she’d been hit with a particularly bad piece of cancellation news.  Indeed.

In the big picture, she and I both know what matters is life and health and slaying the Covid dragon. We know it’s shallow to worry about book releases or cancelled tours when people are dying. We’re wearing our grown-up pants (yoga pants) these days. We have our priorities straight. But at the same time, we wish things were different. We wonder why things are the way they are. We worry that maybe if we’d made different choices or worked a little harder or taken a different route, things would be going according to plan. According to our plan.

But they aren’t.

Maybe they will eventually.

And maybe they won’t.

The peppers finally germinated. In spite of my very best hand-wringing, the cilantro never did.

Life has its own rhythm, my seedlings whispered. Maybe someday I’ll learn the lesson and won’t need the reminder.   

Promises

Life has been upside down for weeks now as all of us learn to live with the restrictions brought about by Covid-19. Schedules have been upended; cancellations abound. The news is grim, the future is uncertain and it’s easy to get caught up in worry, sadness and fear.

However, just as the spring flowers are popping up to promise us better days ahead, there have been promises of the future in other ways too.

A few weeks ago, I received an email from the daughter of a friend of a friend of a friend. She’d written a book of children’s stories and wanted to know how to get them published. She was excited and enthusiastic, full of questions and optimism. It was a reminder that life continues, and there will be things in our future to look forward to, including new books to read.

In fact, there are new books to read right now! Two children’s authors have new releases worth checking out.

The Rise and Fall of Derek Cowell by Valerie Sherrard is already getting great reviews. This humorous novel (published by DCB and suitable for ages 9-12) tells the story of a middle-grade boy who becomes popular after unintentionally photobombing a group selfie of his sister and her friends. As a kid who is used to living under the radar, Derek struggles with his sudden fame and the inevitable crash that follows. Check out Valerie Sherrard’s website here:  https://valeriesherrard.blogspot.com/  And the DCB website here: https://www.dcbyoungreaders.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-derek-cowell

Sophie Trophy Too by Eileen Holland is another humorous read but for younger readers, ages 7 – 9. Published by Crwth Press, this story follows Grade Three student Sophie as she befriends Hailey, the new girl in her class. Unfortunately, her efforts go hilariously wrong, but even as Sophie ends up feeling left out she is determined to find a way to make Hailey feel welcome. You can listen to Eileen read the first chapter here: https://youtu.be/hPqKLGLhPOM   For purchase information, check out the Crwth website: https://www.crwth.ca/sophie-trophy-too/    And to visit Eileen’s website, go here: http://eileenhollandchildrensauthor.com/

Finally, you may remember me blogging about a mosaic class I took last year from Debra Hagan. (Here’s a link for those who missed it:   https://lauralangston.com/filling-the-well-mosaic-style/). Debra regularly holds classes and workshops at her Nanoose Bay studio, and I booked one for March, only to see it cancelled because of the pandemic. Cancelling was the right thing to do and I know there will be other chances down the road. For now, though, we can get our mosaic fix through her new website: www.goldbugmosaics.com.  The next time you want to take an uplifting break, check it out. And some of her mosaics are for sale!

My March Reads 2020

The crocuses are open and the daffodil tips are swollen with promise and ready to burst into bloom. The color is a welcome spot of cheer at a time when the world feels grim and fearful. Things are changing at such a rapid pace that whatever I say about today’s news will be out of date tomorrow. But one thing that won’t change is the need for good books, the need to escape.  Here’s what I’m reading this week:

The Midnight Line by Lee Child

Animal Speak by Ted Andrews

Japanese Farm Food by Nancy Singleton

Books read to date in 2020:  20

Reading Canadian

Tomorrow is the inaugural I Read Canadian Day, an event designed to bring attention to and celebrate Canadian books for young people. Let’s broaden out and support ALL Canadian books and authors, even those written for adults.

For information on the I Read Canadian program for children and teens, go here:

https://ireadcanadian.com/day/

If you’re looking for a good read by a Canadian author, check out this list from Booknet Canada. You’ll find fiction and non-fiction, and some juvenile titles too. 

https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/2017/6/13/150-bestselling-books-by-canadian-authors

Happy Reading!

My January Reads

We had a snow week not long ago. Okay, maybe not an entire snow week but we had three days of snow, followed by several more days of sleet, making the roads treacherous. Team Sheltie was limited to one midday walk, and only if temperatures rose enough to make sure the roads were free of ice. Considering what the rest of Canada goes through most winters, and especially the blizzard that hit Newfoundland this year, we are lucky. We get just enough bad winter weather to justify cutting back on work and curling up by the fire with a book. Here’s what I’m reading this week.

Maid by Stephanie Land

Life & Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins

The Wedding Guest by Jonathan Kellerman

Books read to date in 2020: 5

A Sneak Peek

A few days ago, I received the final cover and page proofs for NO RIGHT THING, my first YA novel with Crwth Press. This is such an exciting stage. My story now looks like a real book with a lovely font, justified type and elegant scene breaks. But we’re not quite there yet. Page proofs are just that – pages that need to be proofread. And it’s not a time to rush or get sloppy. Each page has to be read very carefully to catch those tiny mistakes: a forgotten period, text that doesn’t flow, maybe a missed hyphen or italics where they shouldn’t be. I’ve found all of that and more and I’m only a little over half way through the book. I’ll be reading methodically over the next few days to make sure everything is perfect for April’s publication date. Meanwhile, here’s a first peek at the lovely cover.

And a New Year Begins . . .

I’m a little late to the ‘Happy New Year’ party but I’m here with enthusiasm, does that count?  I hope the opening chapter of your 2020 was happy/peaceful/celebratory (pick one, or pick all three). Mostly I hope it began optimistically.  

January is a time of fresh starts, new beginnings. It’s a time when many of us make resolutions. And some of us resolve to make no resolutions at all. I’m normally in the latter camp. I’m goal focused – I love to set goals and look ahead with optimism – but I’m not so much for resolutions. Only something about this year feels different, and I feel compelled to set some writerly resolutions.

This year I will:

  1. Measure productivity, not results. We’re a results-oriented culture. Most businesses measure success by results and many writers do too. We often count the number of books or articles we publish in a given year, or the amount of money we make from our efforts. But some things are out of our control. This year I will concentrate on my daily productivity and worry less about results.

2. Listen more and talk less. What are your thoughts on that?

3. Set realistic goals. Life has demanded a lot from me over the last few years. I’ve been meat paste in the sandwich generation of life and it has played hell with my output. Unfortunately, I don’t see it changing any time soon. Nevertheless, I will set goals and do my best to reach them.   

4. Practice kindness. It goes without saying, right? But I’m not always kind to myself. Someone told me recently we should treat ourselves as we would treat a best friend. I think that’s important, and it’s especially helpful when life demands much of us. Or when we’re struggling to reach #3 (see above).

5. Treat that 1st draft as a precious baby. Don’t judge or criticize. Hold a protective, tender space; know it will grow and evolve but right now it needs acceptance and nurturing.

6. Find a new-to-me author. Or three. Or six. Read someone new. Read out of my comfort zone. Read and read some more.  

7. And number seven. Ah, 7. Did you know that in numerology number 7 combines the hardworking number 4 with the mystical and creative number 3. Seven is associated with luck, intuition, inner wisdom and magic. It’s prominent in ancient cultures (there were seven wonders of the world) and it has held significance in virtually every major religion. So, it seems fitting to end with a resolution to make personal renewal a priority this year, however that looks like in any given day or week. Hard work is good. Hard work combined with intuition, inner wisdom and personal renewal is better. In fact, I’d call it an unbeatable combination.

Happy New Year and happy reading.