TUESDAY BRINGS TROUBLE

Change is good!

I think it's time for a change!

The country's had a birthday; so have I; so has Mystery Maven Canada. Another year starts afresh and change is good. I've often found change hard to deal with, especially when it involves something I totally enjoy. But it's part of living and growing as a person, as a writer, as a blog.

I'm bringing about the change in my writing by fleshing out a new series, while moving forward with another in the Ashton Corners Book Club mysteries. I also want to write another short story, something I haven't done in a while. I figure all these efforts will help keep my writing fresh and my brain evolving.

So, it's time to look at this blog. Mystery Maven Canada started two years ago -- yes, it was early July, 2010. It was an idea I had since deciding to close Prime Crime Books...a way of keeping in touch with customers and keeping them informed about upcoming books. It morphed into a vehicle for other mystery writers to reach the public and a way to share news and thoughts about the changing world of publishing.

But I feel it's becoming more of a diary, which, I'm told, is what most blogs are. I hadn't meant it to be so focused on my thoughts...and they're running thin these days. But most writers are busy, well, writing. Deadlines loom, life intrudes, blogs become a chore. I've really appreciated the willingness of the authors I've contacted to write guest blogs. Their input has added a lot of value to this blog. But as I said, writers are busy people.

The Ladies' Killing Circle have gamely kept Thursdays a day of lively and reflective reading...but, they all have deadlines, too.

We miss Mary Jane Maffini's input but she's had to focus elsewhere for several months now, although she's easing back into writing these days.

And the publishing world...well, what is there to say about it? If you're an afficianado of paper books, it's a sad prognosis. If e-books are your forte, the news is better but still, it's an unruly field and it, too will have to evolve.

I've been flogging the lack of media attention to mystery writing in Canada. One caveat is the CBC which has come through with flying colours, devoting an entire month on their Canada Writes website to Canadian mystery writing and also, continuing to highlight our wonderful authors on various programmes.

What more is there to say?

I mean, really...what more is there to say? I'd like to hear from you. That's what the comment feature is for. I'm thinking of changing the weekly format and this is the time to tell me, what do you want to read on this blog? Who do you want to hear from? What news?

I will say that reviews will continue and probably, become more prominent. What I'd like to say is that I'll also have more immediate author news posted -- more in the way of events, launches, upcoming releases, TV deals...all that juicy stuff. But I need to hear from the authors themselves in order to do that.


So, what's it to be? How should Mystery Maven Canada change? Do you care?

Linda Wiken/Erika Chase

A KILLER READ
Berkley Prime Crime, now available
READ & BURIED, coming Dec., 2012
www.erikachase.com

LADIES' KILLING THURSDAYS

Reinvention

This is a self-serving blog in which I marshal my arguments for changing my life. I’m using this forum as a means to explore the issue and I hope it resonates with readers who are or have been through the same process.

Apparently Salvador Dali marked three phases in his artistic career by adopting three very different signatures. As my own reinvention progresses I am considering this but as many report that my handwriting is illegible I don’t think any change would be apparent to anyone but me although it might serve as a constant reminder of what I am trying to do.

My reinvention is progressing in a jerky spasmodic way. I am examining various facets of my life and evaluating whether to continue, replace or eradicate.

To hasten the process I have decided to relocate for the better part of a year in the hope that a new environment will foster creativity. In this new location I will not spend hours in the car getting from A to B and this will give me more time for a creative life.

Secondly, I have vowed to eliminate time-wasting pastimes. This will be a slow and painful process but to gain time to do the things I want to do I need to enforce my decisions. Scrabble - is one game a day possible or will it have to be cold turkey? The cryptic crossword - perhaps only on Saturdays. House and Garden television - do I really want to spend my life watching people decide which house to buy?

What will I do with the time I save? Because this is a writing blog one answer obviously will be to write more, to keep myself glued to my chair despite the siren call of the refrigerator, the dutiful response to dogs pleading for more walks or my body’s need for more exercise. I will need deadlines, self-imposed, but there. To require myself to complete a certain number of pages before I allow myself to do something else even if that means working in the evening or getting up very early.

The obituary columns constantly remind us that time is short. I hope I can make better use of my time.




Joan Boswell is a member of the Ladies Killing Circle and co-edited four of their short story anthologies: Fit toDie, Bone Dance, Boomers Go Bad and Going Out With a Bang. Her three mysteries, Cut Off His Tale, Cut to the Quick and Cut and Run were published in 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2000 she won the $10,000 Toronto Star’s short story contest. Joan lives in Toronto with three flat-coated retrievers.