In the North of Newfoundland where I spend many months of every year, the fall is a good and a sad time for me. Good because my fisherman finally has time to come on some of the hikes with me. The autumnal colours are fantastic, there are still some warm, sunny days, and the harvest of fish, potatoes and new crime novels is done.
But it is also a time when the local restaurants and coffee shops close and some of my friends and acquaintances leave the area for their winter homes. The migratory birds are leaving, too. I am sad to see them go, the humans and the birds. I feel deserted in a weird kind of way. Weird because I will leave later, too, and fly to Vancouver and then travel to the Sunshine Coast. I am deserting friends, too.
The last winter was comparatively mild for Northern Newfoundland. I don`t expect another mild winter ahead of us.
The farewells remind me of how important it is to have friends in an isolated, remote area. With friends, you don`t really feel the isolation. As a “stranger”, it is important to know other strangers who regularly spend some time elsewhere. We have a common language and shared experiences. These people are my anchor in choppy waters far away from home. Although Newfoundland has become a second home to me.
And then there is the comfort of books, of course. What would I do without them? To be able to download stories to my e-reader wherever I am is an incredible blessing.
My next crime novel with detective Calista Gates is now in the hands of my copy-editor Lindsey Alexander and hopefully, I will be able to publish it in December. I will keep you posted. If you would like to be among the first readers to see the new cover and get to know the release date, you can sign up for my “Letter from Canada” here on the home page (scroll down until you see the button).
Enjoy the remaining fall days before the Christmas craziness sets in – I`m determined to make the best of it!
