Winter paddling. Once we got past the ice, it was beautiful. (Photo credit Diane Hill)
Always Pack a Candle had been Number 3 on the BC Bestsellers’ list for the past three weeks. It dropped to Number 8 this week. That may be because the publisher ran out of books and had to reprint. We’ll see what happens when the books are again in the stores—which should be soon.
We have a cold snap, -1 C, 30’ F, just when the primroses are blooming and the daffodils are budding. It’s quite a shock to them. I expect they will shiver for a few days and it will put a damper on the blooming process. I am scheduled to paddle in an outrigger canoe on Saturday and won’t enjoy it as much if I have to break ice to get out of the harbour.
I finished the first draft of Overkill in Kent, the fifth book in The British Book Tour Mysteries. I need to do a second draft before I sent it out to Beta readers. They pick up inconsistencies and gaps as well as any spelling mistakes or typos that Spellcheck missed. I still need to get to Kent to check out facts and to absorb the accent and atmosphere. It’s been many years since I was last there. I remember the countryside as being very flat, but I think there are rolling hills in the north and east sections. I’ll have to pay attention. With luck, I will be there in May.
I am writing this series using American spelling because the printer, not the publisher, changed all the spelling in the first book. The publisher asked if I’d like to change it back to British spelling but I decided not to do that. I don’t find it difficult to write in US spelling, except for the occasional word. I don’t like writing “check” when I mean “cheque”. I have a list of words that are slightly different: favour, neighbour, travelling, counselling, honour, centre, fibre, recognise. Licence is easier because in Britain licence is a noun and license is a verb. In US spelling I use license for both. I haven’t figured out defense and defence and offence and offense but assume it follows the pattern of licence. Storey as is second storey doesn’t seem to exist in the US. My editor catches my errors there. I am not at the picky stage in Overkill yet.
This winter has been one where everyone seems to be reading. I expect my Australian friends are adjusting to fall and lining up their reading list. As much as I love a good story and the time I get to read in the winter, I’m looking forward to spring. May the good weather come soon wherever you are.