Tuesday 21 April 2009

All the rage

rain, cool, windy at times, temps 10

Dreary day. Went in to Montreal - via our breakfast of French Toast in Cowansville. Michael met with Frank the accountant...and I went to the dentist, then to the new hairdresser. Is hairdresser a terribly old fashioned word? Oh well. Happily, thank God!, the hair looks great. And I think it's not just one of those cuts that looks great because they've put the scaffolding, plaster, girders in there and it'll look like bear droppings tomorrow. I think this is a genuinely terrific cut.

Those of you going to Malice Domestic in Washington, DC next week will get to judge for yourselves. You might want to start practicing now - 'Great hair, Louise!'. or 'Oh, my God! It's Angelina Jolie.' Something like that.

Tomorrow we're off to Bishop's University in Lennoxville. I'll be giving a workshop on writing and marketing for a couple of hours in the morning, then doing a book signing in the afternoon at the university bookshop. Then an early dinner with two great friends, Jim and Roya. Roya's the prof. who's invited me, and Jim is a mystery writer and reviewer and was hugely supportive when I was writing STILL LIFE. He taught mystery writing for many years. After dinner Michael and I will drive the 2 hours in to Montreal.

then on Thursday we're meeting with movers to get estimates for the apartment move, in the morning. And in the evening I'm on a panel at the book festival Blue Metropolis, with Giles Blunt. It will be moderated by Anna Asimikopolis - of CBC Radio, and recorded for broadcast.

After that Michael and I will hop back in the car and drive back down here. That will give us all Friday to write...plus Sat. and Sunday...before jumping back into events next week. Hectic time - but all good stuff.

Pretty good work day, no? Oh, just finished an interview with a Pittsburgh newspaper, in advance of the Festival of Mystery. It's a fabulous book festival put on by Mystery Lovers Bookstore...and will be held Monday, May 4th in the afternoon. If you live in the area just go to the Mystery Lovers Bookstore for details. Love to see you there. There will be 40 crime writers!

Take care, will try to blog again Thursday. Oh, one more thing (feel like Columbo)... Tony was right...the pile of bear poop really is a conversation piece. The FedEx woman arrived not long ago - showed it proudly to her and she was very impressed. It might even replace Gnomes and Pink Flamingos. I tell ya, it's gonna be big - real BIG!

10 comments:

Jo B. said...

Your dead mother says really nice haircut and I love what you're wearing! You make me proud!!

KarenB said...

You are making me very curious about the conversation piece in the yard! Could you possibly post a picture? At the moment I could post an accompanying piece on human waste disposal - a dug-up septic system in our front yard. A conversation piece, yes, but a conversation I'd rather not have.

Loved your hair at Bouchercon and I am sure you look just as lovely now if not more so.

frouch said...

Dear Louise,

I've never been a groupie... until I discover your writing. And what a groupie I am. Everybody around me knows about you, your books, your blog, your delightful humor, and my many, many laughs. What a bliss it is to read you, especially these days, while I have to wait, and wait, and wait for the results of all the exams.

Thank you so much for the wonderful pleasure you bring into my life.

Louise XXX

donna said...

Hi Louise: So glad to hear that you are happy with this haircut. You are giving me courage. I haven't had mine cut since the last one and I have to go within the next few days. I have a party to go to May 22 so to play it safe in case I get scalped again, I am figuring I better go now for a trim and then I have a few weeks for it to grow. I know - it's only hair and it will grow!
All the best,
Donna

lil Gluckstern said...

Busy and great time for you. But do you have the lips?

You have that Je ne sais quoi that Jolie doesn't. Enjoy!

humble_pie said...

hello MichaelJo. How absolutely splendid to see you here. Soo paire !

nobody knew you were having these conversations with your late mother-in-law. What a good idea to bring them to the tea table. She was dying to get a word in.

Heureux le mari dont la belle-mère décédée subsiste sur un islet.
Qu'elle n'apprenne jamais à nager.

Anonymous said...

so why not post a new pic of you with your shiny new haircut?

I wonder if you can mail bear poop?

Beth said...

Pretty soon you're going to have to add another label to your posts: Bear Poop. :)

Living a country life, we have an inordinate number of conversations about poop--good way to keep track of how the animals (especially the chickens) are doing. Now I feel as if we are in good company.

Beth
in Oregon

Hilary MacLeod said...

Congratulations (no, not on the haircut...okay..on that too) on being shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Best Novel for The Murder Stone.
That means I have one of Canada's best crime novels packed in my suitcase for a weekend in Montreal. As if I didn't know that anyway....

Finally going to get to read it. I've been saving it up. Now it's time to gobble it up.

Louise Penny Author said...

Hi everyone -

Sorry to do a group reply, but am just home and needing to dig out from under a ton of things...

I would love to post photos, but can't get my act together. Besides, I know your imaginations are up to the task. For both the Bear droppings, and my hair.

Such fun to read all your comments! Makes me laugh and I love that.

And Frouch - fingers crossed for the tests...I know you'll be getting good news!! Things we can't control. Ommm.