Bragging + Iran+ Adele

Oct 17, 2021

May I recommend

This week it’s not a recommendation so much as a brag. So maybe that’s what I recommend this week - a bit of good old fashioned bragging. Thrust out your chest, tug your suspenders away from your body, plaster a smug look on the ole kisser and reeeeeeeeeally toot your own horn.

I am thrilled and delighted (and frankly still processing) to announce that I have sold three more books to my publisher. Woot woot woot!

Holy man! Last January I was giving one last kick at the can to get published after A LOT of rejection and this October I have three more books (in addition THE HONEYBEE EMERALDS) in the hopper! A podcast I enjoy - The Shit No One Tells You about Writing - ends every episode with, “And remember, it just takes one ‘yes’” and that is so true and so motivating.

Here’s the skinny on what’s coming:

THE FOULEST THINGS: A young archivist wants to nail her new job, but an overbearing boss and a corpse in the vault dampen her prospects. Can she salvage her career, unravel an ancient mystery, solve a murder and, oh yeah, save her own life, before it’s too late? AUTUMN 2022

SPEAK FOR THE DEAD: Cate, a snide and lonely coroner, has a tough facade that masks a deep compassion for victims. She’ll need to put down her whiskey and rein in her sarcasm to solve a murder the police doubt even exists. SPRING 2023

Sequel to SPEAK FOR THE DEAD: Book still to be written (to quote Cathy, ACK!) publication date TBD.

Damn that felt good. Go ahead and brag! Vaunt your accomplishments in the comments below. Toot! Toot!

Hogwarts and belonging

Iran was our Hogwarts: My childhood between Tehran and Essex

Loved this article so much. One of the four protagonists of THE HONEYBEE EMERALDS lives the experience of dual British/Iranian identity, and I was gratified that the article resonated with my own research on the subject.

So it was that when Harry returned to his aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley, each summer, he had to bear their mistreatment and his cousin’s bullying without recourse to his spells, and without the satisfaction of telling them that he was special in the other world. As any migrant or mixed person knows, I am valued there has no value here. Bodies migrate; worth, like home-boiled jam, doesn’t travel well

Confirming my decision not to watch

Haven’t watched Squid Games yet? Here’s what you’re not missing

I am of course intrigued by the buzzy new Netflix show, but it looked scary and it turns out it’s very gory. This article confirmed that I’ll be giving it a miss. Warning: the article contains spoilers

And what that also accomplishes, of course, is to provide cover for the violence, which is more than mildly sickening in its scale, its graphic presentation and its calculated gratuitousness.

I love a good retirement story, and I love Tina Turner

Tina Turner’s Swiss Chateau Retirement is Going Swimmingly, thanks for asking

Remember when Tina and Oprah were on tour together, or something? I don’t know… Tina T was always popping up with Oprah and O donned a lot of wigs? Those gals were having a good time. I wonder if Oprah is jealous that Cher got to visit the Swiss Chateau, and she didn’t.

I love to sit in my garden and listen to nature, take loving care of my plants. I also enjoy chatting with friends. Recently Cher came to visit. We gossiped and laughed a lot. We had a great time!

Adele’s new video is filmed near my hometown!

This is her second time filming in the Eastern Townships (ANOTHER BRAG) because she also shot the video for a minor little number called HELLO in Dunham, which is also near my hometown. Her next video will probably be in the litter-filled tunnel between the high school, the dépanneur and the McDonalds in downtown Cowansville…