Season's Greetings from Cathy Ace

Made it through another writing year! Are you taking a break or is this prime, quiet, writing time for you?

An unusually snowy back deck

This year? I’m at maximum panic point because I have a deadline for a manuscript at the end of January. That means I’m head down, tapping away at the keyboard every chance I have, and trying to do other, family oriented, seasonally required tasks when I take necessary breaks from typing and editing.

No, I’m not crying “boo-hoo”; I realize how fortunate I am to have a book under contract with a deadline attached, but I won’t deny it’s a busy time. The days between Christmas and New Year will be especially good for me because I’ll have the house to myself, and all the preparation, decorating, cooking and baking for a family Christmas will be behind me. 

I think the weather is trying to help me out…it’s unusual for us to have a lot of snow here near Vancouver on British Columbia’s “wet” coast, but the past week has been a white out, with almost a foot of snow becoming frozen solid in temperatures down to about  minus 15 degrees Celsius – again, very unusual. That means that, since we only have one vehicle with snow tyres, I’ve been confined to the house and able to keep my head down. YAY! 

So – the tree is up and decorated, the outside of the house is looking as Christmassy as it ever will, the presents are all ready to be wrapped, and I have the wherewithal to make my usual 100 mince pies. Getting to the down-slope of the manuscript will be a bonus. 

Tree ornaments gathered on my travels

Here’s wishing you and yours the best of the season – and I look forward to connecting with you in 2017, Cathy

Cathy Ace is the Bony Blithe Award-winning author of The Cait Morgan Mysteries (#8 The Corpse with the Ruby Lips was released on November 1st) and The WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries (#2 The Case of the Missing Morris Dancer was published in paperback in the USA & Canada on November 1st, and #3, The Case of the Curious Cook, was released in hardcover in the UK on November 30th).  You can find out more about Cathy, her work and her characters at her website, where you can also sign up for her newsletter with news, updates and special offers: http://cathyace.com/

NEEDED: Perspective and patience by Cathy Ace

What are some of your New Year’s resolutions, writing or otherwise?

Of course I’m going to eat more vegetables, use the elliptical more often (not just for hanging up the ironing), walk the dogs instead of using the slingy-thingy to throw balls they bring back to me and generally get off my butt more often. Same resolutions I make (and break) every year.

On the writing front? That’s easy: keep enjoying it, work to get better at it and realize how incredibly fortunate I am to have the chance to do what I dreamed of doing when I was eighteen – have my books published.

Like Janus, I allow myself some time to look in both directions at the turn of the year. And I don’t focus on just the past twelve months. As a workaholic I need perspective. And patience. I’m not good at either. January’s the time I force myself to employ both.

My first Cait Morgan Mystery was published in March 2012, and I promised myself then that I’d review how the whole “writing thing” was going after five years. Until that time, I told myself, I would put 100% into it – because any less effort on my part would mean I’d never know how it might have gone if I’d tried my hardest. By April 2016 I’ll have had nine books published (the WISE Enquiries Agency Mystery #2, The Case of the Missing Morris Dancer, comes out in Canada and the USA on February 1^st, and Cait Morgan Mystery #7, The Corpse with the Garnet Face, comes out on April 5^th) and I am thrilled about that. I’m enjoying writing two series – one largely plot-driven, one more character-driven – and the plan is to continue with that this year.

My 2016 calendar - views of places my soul knows and loves

In 2015 I was blown away by the fact I won the Bony Blithe Award for Best Canadian Light Mystery (not something I ever dreamed of) but writing award-winning books isn’t something one can really “resolve” to do. However, I can put my ALL into writing the best books I can. I also plan to take a more organized approach to promoting my work: my publishers are helpful, but I know I have a responsibility to represent my work the best way I can.

And that’s about it, really. I honestly reckon I am the most fortunate person – I love my life, and not just the work aspects. I’m delighted that I don’t know what’s around the next corner, and I hope I have within me whatever is required to make the best of it…or cope with it. For 2016 I’ll keep the resolutions to a minimum, count my blessings, work hard

and remain as flexible as possible so I can spot and take opportunities. Oh yes, and I’ll try to eat more green things. That’s all folks!