Home again

I returned home from Wales on Friday, Sept. 3, with mixed feelings. While I was glad to be home, back amongst the familiar comforts, and to be reunited with the son and dog I love, I hated leaving all that glorious green beauty behind. But as my friend Eirlys said, the fall will whizz by and I will be back to Wales again in late December. There were things I wanted to do on this visit which I didn't and places I wanted to go which I didn't, so we will consider those pleasures deferred. I love Wales in December when the crowds of tourists have gone home and everything seems even more beautiful, if that's possible, in winter. So for now, it's back to school and back to the routine of everyday life.

I live right on the shore of Lake Ontario in the west end of Toronto. It's like being at the cottage in the city. Streetcars rumble past the front door and out back, there's a huge lake.  The lake by moonlight is spectacularly beautiful and I love it in all weathers, seasons and times of day. Swans and sailboats drift by  all summer and sunsets are rather nice, too!

So one of the first things I did when I got home was enjoy a few precious, peaceful minutes with Dolly in our backyard.

Dolly and me

There has been a change to the publishing schedule of my third book in the Penny Brannigan series. Because it is a seasonal book, set at Christmas, the plan now is to publish it in the fall of 2011. Sorry to those of you who aren't keen to wait another year for the next installment of the Llanelen saga! But the great news for me is that the deadline to submit the manuscript has been extended to January so that will give me time to (hopefully)  improve it and I can add in some extra touches after my December trip. I am also going to be changing the opening of the book to wrap up a little leftover mystery from A Brush with Death, that many people have asked about … the remains found in the duct work of the new spa.

Not sure yet how Penny will work that out, but she'll crack it, I'm sure!