Category Archives: 2020

2020, Candlemas, Groundhog, Groundhog Day

It’s Groundhog Day!

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Happy Groundhog Day!

it's Groundhog Day

If it’s February 2, it must be Groundhog Day. So will he or won’t he see his shadow?

The popular belief is if he sees his shadow, there are six more weeks of winter. If not, spring is around the corner. But, if you stop and think about it, spring doesn’t arrive until March 19 in 2020.

Isn’t that six weeks away?

Take a look at the calendar.

It's Groundhog Day

When you see it this way, it’s clear no matter how you cut it, whether “Woody” sees his shadow or not, there is a six-week span between February 2nd and the first day of spring.

Some areas celebrate with great pomp and circumstance with men in top hats and tails extracting the wee rodent from his cage.

it's Groundhog Day

Groundhog day dates back to 1887. You can read the origins here.

In addition, February 2nd is also Candlemas, a Christian holiday.

I’m not quite sure how the two came to be linked since they really don’t have anything in common except for the date.

Whether you celebrate the day with “Woody” and the anticipation of him seeing his shadow, or take part in a religious ceremony, enjoy your day.

May spring be just around the corner. 🙂

 

 

 

2020, Author Shout, Novels, Psychological Thriller, Recommended Read, romantic suspense, Silver Badge

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR & IMPOSTER SYNDROME

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Award-winning author. I’m still trying to wrap my head around that. I certainly don’t feel like an award-winning author, but then how are you supposed to feel? Yet, here’s the proof — the silver badge.

award-winning author

In the beginning, the cover didn’t fit the genre, so I tarted it up on the ebook version because it was the easiest. The plan was to wait until closer to the next print run before putting the full cover wrap on it (which has been done with the award gracing the front – same as the ebook).

award-winning author

And further proof that I’m an award-winning author. Bang, right there on the cover. So why don’t I feel comfortable shouting it out to the world that I’m an award-winning author? Why do I feel like a fraud?

Ah, that’s the dreaded imposter syndrome.

I was so excited when the announcement I was a recipient of a silver badge. I shouted out the fact my book was a silver medalist – not me. But, if I didn’t write the book, it wouldn’t have received the award.

It’s a bit of a Catch-22 situation, don’t you think?

Maybe, I’m merely feeling sorry for myself because my book sales have been flat thus far in 2020. Flat to the point of being non-existent. More fuel to the imposter syndrome feelings.

Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome? If so, how did you overcome it?

 

 

2020, Book Promo, Children's author, children's picture book, Novels, Psychological Thriller, romantic suspense, Writing

A warm welcome to 2020! What will you do in the new year?

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welcome 2020

A warm welcome to 2020!

By the time this post goes live, I’ll be long since asleep. Thank goodness for the ability to schedule, so before I fall asleep, I wish a warm welcome to 2020!.

I’m not much of a night owl anymore. I prefer early to bed and early to rise. Those few hours when the house is quiet allow me to formulate ideas for my books, which is best done while working something ‘mindless’ like jigsaw puzzles online. I love doing them, and usually, during the process, I come up with some crackers!

My 2019 achievements

2019 was a great year for me. I crossed an item off my bucket list – train trip to and from Vancouver on The Canadian.

On our return trip, the idea for a children’s book came to me and All Aboard the Canadian with Buddy and his Four Fantastic Furry Friends! came to be. Currently, it’s only available in paperback from me, but in the new year, I plan on getting it formatted for kindle and kobo.

Something that is unheard of for me is I released two books in 2019. The above-mentioned children’s book and the second in my It Happened Series – It Happened in Gastown.

My crowning achievement, YESTERDAY TODAY AWAYS, received a silver Recommended Read Badge in the mystery/thriller category!

a warm welcome to 2020

So now that I’ve given you the highlights of 2019, let’s give a warm welcome to 2020!

I’m hoping to cross another item off my bucket list – The Ocean from Montreal to Halifax. That way I can say I’ve travelled across Canada from coast to coast by train.

Book three in the It Happened Series (It Happened at Percé Rock) takes place in the Canadian province of Québec on the Gaspé peninsula in the quaint village of Percé. A time-honoured tradition is to walk to the rock and back from the mainland at low tide. Needless to say, that event features heavily in the story.

Unfortunately, my characters aren’t cooperating at the moment and not talking to me. I have the plot outlined (sort of). Actually, I think they’re miffed at me because this was supposed to be book two in the series, but got shuffled back.

The idea for a third time-travel book featuring Sarah Shand, so perhaps it will be my 2020 release.

What are your plans/goals for 2020?