It’s been an uncommon winter here on Denman Island. The ground froze for 6+ weeks, which is an unusual state of cold we normally count in days, not weeks (No need to roll your eyeballs – we know we’re spoiled – we barely reach the “damn it’s cold” threshold for Canadians). And on top of the frozen ponds and gardens, we woke day and again to find fluffy white stuff, more commonly referred to as snow. Unheard of … especially when it sticks around for more than a day. (Your eyeball are going to stick up there!)
I can’t complain; I didn’t get outside much in November. The November 15 release of Betrayal Kept me busy and plagued with the usual should’ve/could’ve/would’ve done more XYZ to promote the new release, except for the troublesome fact that I also have a life.
That “life” took me back to Ontario to spend a rare and snowy Christmas with my family. Despite my earlier whinging, I love a white Christmas. There’s something magical about crisp, white snow at Christmastime. And it may just be my ego, but I think Ontario went out of its way to emphasize the white this year. It brings me back to my childhood. I can count on one finger how many white Christmases I’ve experienced since moving to the coast (not that finger – gheesh!). The coast has many wonderful attributes, which I tout to no end in the Gift Legacy books, but a white Christmas isn’t one of them.
I’m now back on Denman Island. The snow has melted away and the frost has departed. Spring bulbs are poking through the earth, the honeysuckle bush is blooming, and I find myself in the refreshing position of writing something new. This is one of the sweetest spots for writers. It wakes me in the middle of the night, and pulls me out of bed early in the morning. It doesn’t wait for the coffee to brew or a good internet connection.
It demands my attention, and I’m beyond happy to oblige. In addition to developing the story for Witness, I’m writing the next chapter in Emelynn’s story. This is what it looks like when I’m organizing my ideas for a story. If you have thoughts about characters you’d like to hear from, or storylines you’d like to see on one of those stickies, now is the perfect time to tell me. Leave a comment, or contact me on any of my social media sites.