This is the new cover for the Shaded Light e-Book.

Hope you like it.

Wendy Elaine Nelles, my co-editor for Hot Apple Cider, plans to co-edit this one, too.

Because my company (That's Life! Communications) is working in partnership with The Word Guild and World Vision Canada, we're only looking at submissions from members of The Word Guild (Canadian citizens or landed immigrants who agree to the Apostles' Creed).

Submissions are open until October 18, 2010, so if you qualify to be a member of The Word Guild, you might want to join now, and get a submission in.

If you're a reader, stay tuned for more information. I'll be posting here as we proceed.

Over 30,000 copies of Hot Apple Cider have gone out through World Vision's Girls Night Out and Couples Night Out programs and another 15,000 have gone out through various means. We're hoping for similar results with Hot Apple Cider 2.

9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Vancouver Bible House 700 Kingsway, Vancouver BC

with N. J. and Les Lindquist

9:30 a.m. – Registration

10:00 a.m. – Workshop 1: The Art, Craft, Business, & Ministry of Writing with N. J. Lindquist

11:30 a.m. – Update on The Word Guild with Q & A

12:00 p.m. – Lunch and Networking

1:00 p.m. – Workshop 2: What Writers Needs to Know about Trends in Publishing with Les Lindquist

2:30 p. m. – Wrap-up

Click here for more details

The title of the column is "When the 'Different' Ugly Duckling Becomes a Swan," which comes directly from my article, "The Diamond Ring," published in Hot Apple Cider.

However, I did manage to do two online interviews, which are both out this week. Thanks to KD Easley and Linda Faulkner for the interview opportunities. They asked some good questions. Like what would I need on a desert island? :)

Tuesdays with Friends

Author Exchange Blog

Oh, yes, the websites that have taken up so much of my time.

The Word Guild

The Word Guild Awards

Where Two Paths Converge…connecting readers with writers 

I've also added new interviews at the Hot Apple Cider site

And, of course, Write! Canada is coming along very well. Registration is now open.

Ironically, Wendy and I both attended the conference for the first time in 1988, and we were both on the planning committee for many years. But we really didn't know each other at all until we started trying to save the conference in 2001. We've worked very closely since then, in almost daily communications.

The interview

Among other things, I talked about our vision for Hot Apple Cider and the need for support Canadian writers, and did my best to  get people thinking about what it means to have a Canadian culture.
 
Watch online

I talked about Hot Apple Cider and tried to light a fire under listeners to get them all actively involved in supporting Canadian authors. We need a fan club!!!!!!!!!!!

For Christmas this year, I decided to post three stories of mine.

Two of them were published in 1999 and 2000 in Canadian anthologies: the other has never been published.

Hope you enjoy them.

"The Case of the Sneezing Account: a Manziuk and Ryan Mystery"  - after a timely sneeze saves a young woman's life, Manziuk and Ryan have to find out who is trying to kill her before the assailant strikes again.

"The Day Time Stood Still" - a middle-aged real estate agent  finds something unexpected in a house she has just listed.

"Revenge So Sweet" – after a mother of three discovers her husband has been cheating, she sets out to exact revenge. 

You also might want to read a non-mystery blog I wrote recently called "The Babe of Christmas."

And now, I will respond to a few questions I've been asked:

Dave asked about finding a Christian bookstore near Richmond Hill, Ontario.

The best online lists of Christian bookstores in Canada I'm aware of is that of David C. Cook Distribution. You can find it here: http://davidccook.ca/retailers.asp

Several people have asked me what I'm working on (as a writer, that is).

The short answer, not much. The longer answer, I'm actually trying to put my writing first. Hoping to write something each day. Hoping to make it a habit. But the reality is that until Write! Canada is history, I likely won't get any writing done. My writing to do list includes trying to complete my edit of Princess Persnickety and figuring out what to do with it re publishing (find an agent who loves children's fantasy, look for a publisher, etc.) I'm also trying to work on an adult contemporary novel called Transforming Jesse Owen Tucker which I started writing about 15 years ago, I think. One thing you can say for me is that I don't give up on anything easily. It's probably 1/3 written. I'm hoping to finish it this summer. I'm also getting ready to put a lot of my writing workshops into some form of book, ebook, audio, video, etc. over the summer.And then I have two mysteries, 2 non-fiction books, a memoir, a new teen nvoel, and a host of other things I've already begun. Sigh.

Where am I speaking?

Right now, I'm trying to figure out what I want to do in the fall and 2010, so I'm sort of "on hold." 

I did speak recently for a Unionville Women's Group of 100 or so, and that went very well. My talk was based on my story "The Diamond Ring" in Hot Apple Cider. That story, by the way, is shortlisted for two awards in The Word Guild Canadian Christian Writing Awards. My other story in Hot Apple Cider, "My Letter to the Editor," is also shortlisted for an award. If you're interested in supporting Canadian writers, do consider coming to the Awards Gala June 17th. It's open to tbe public.

And of course, I'll be at Write! Canada (I am the co-director). I'll be teaching and facilitating, with 4 other people, the continuing class, "Everything You Need to Know about Publishing a Book in Canada." I'll also be teaching a workshop on writing fiction and moderating a panel on creating a platform. Yep, looks as though I'll be busy.

Why do I  look different?

Because over the winter, I let my hair go au naturelle, and this is the result. I hated putting chemicals on my head and only started because it looked so bad when I started going grey in my 40's (still had long hair and it came in in streaks). But now I am very happy to be "me."

If you have any other questions, on any topic, feel free to ask here.