Thursday, May 7, 2009

Awards

Is it May??? Really? How is that possible? I'm hopeless at this blogging thing. I actually blog a lot in my head.

Um...exciting things that have happened lately, you ask? I was nomintated for three Manitoba Book Awards - Most Promising Writer, Winnipeg Book Award and Best First Book. I managed to snag one. I was so convinced I would not, not, not win that I didn't even contemplate what I would say and went shoe shopping. That seemed like a much more productive use of my limited time. So when I WON the Best First Book Award my shoe gave a pretty crappy speech. Ah well.

Another highlight in my life as of late is that McNally contacted me and they are going to put my mug shot up there on the wall with all those fantastic writers. It's been kind of a personal dream of mine my whole life. And I'm really hoping that they don't change their mind about it.

I was in New York last week...and I should lie and say I had meetings with Vanity Fair and the like about my book being featured...but the truth is I was a full on tourist. But I told two New Yorkers on the ferry ride the Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty that I wrote a book. Does that justify the trip?

There is rumour and talk of a potential Prairie Bridesmaid movie. How great would that be. I think I will audition for the role of Anna...oh wait...I played that role for ten years. Never mind.

My excuses for not blogging are many...the baby in my belly is sucking ALL of my energy. Did I mention it's a girl. Oskar, my two year old, announced yesterday that "sister" would be living in the house two doors over and we could visit her if we wanted. Hmmm....I can see this is all going to go very well. I've also caught every single cold, bug flu ...well except the "you know what flu" that has been making rounds this winter.

And I'm madly trying to get the first draft of my second novel written before July. This goal is looking more and more hopeless. But I still wake at 5 am everyday to write as though it's a possibility.

Ahhh life.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Books & Babes



Where the hell have I been? Good question. If anyone knows, let me know. All of a sudden it's March and the paperback has been released. Huh?

Okay, I've been at a kabillion bookclubs this winter. Check out these bridesmaid cookies Shannon Burns made for her book club! As I stuff shrimp crackers down my throat it is so flattering to see how passionate and excited people are about this book. Really, it is!

The hard cover of the novel is gonzo so now you can save yourself ten bucks and buy it in trade paper...or just borrow it from someone and photocopy it.

I'm trying to write a second novel (and no, it's not a sequel!), but it seems I've gotten myself pregnant - well not to lay blame, but I think my husband is technically responsible. While this is very exciting, I've been off coffee and booze which makes the act writing excruciating...and I suspect the product quite bad. We'll see what agent, publisher and editor have to say. Ultimately though, I don't think "babies in progress" and writing are very congruent. Eating ice cream and napping are always sooooooo much more appealing than hammering away at my laptop. This is also another lame excuse for not attacking my blog. At any rate... I forge ahead and will hopefully finish a first draft by early summer. Which comes first - baby or book? The race is on.

I drove my parents to the airport for their annual tourista trek to the wristbands & free-drink capital of the western world - Peurta Vallarta. My dad proudly showed me his copy of The Prairie Bridesmaid that he plans to read on the beach. Seriously dad, 7 months later, you're going to read my book? Well, at least he's reading it - which is more than I can say for my bro. I know, I hold very unreasonable expectations for my familia. At the very least, I might be responsible for ruining a cheap Mexican vacation.

Mocha pecan in the freezer section at Safeway calls...but I'm excited about the release of the paperback, pending spring, my blooming belly, my not-so-blooming second book and of course the act of blogging. I'm back.


Daria Zmiyiwsky's book club