Happy Anniversary Hoopla

I suppose I should be all sentimental and nostalgic, thinking back over my first year of blogging, but first there is big news.

The city of Calgary is trying to pass a bill that would see tough fines in place for bad behaviour in public.

Which automatically rules out any thought of having B’con here and hoping John would be one of our featured guests. And I’d so like to see him do a public reading of Hardboiled Jesus at Olympic Plaza. Oh well. Some things just aren’t meant to be.

I did think that, in honour of Calgary’s penny-pinching municipal government, perhaps I should consider pledging to go one whole week without using profanity on my blog, but fuck that. I doubt I could last five minutes on an average day.

Now, let’s see. What happened this year.

November 16
The first person other than my husband commented on my blog.

Hmm. I’ve noticed my blog posts were considerably shorter way back then, but as early as last November I made fun of somebody who submitted a query to Spinetingler.

December 20
I wrote a very naughty Christmas poem about Stuart and John. This poem was accompanied by various Christmas stories that involved Santa, sex and special cookies.

I signed a publishing contract at some point in February as well.

Placed a few short stories. Demolition, Crimespree… I have stuff that will be in Mouth Full of Bullets in the new year and possibly two anthologies.

I interviewed Simon Kernick, after many delays. Of course, I was happy to accommodate Simon, as he’s one of my favourite writers and I enjoyed talking to him.

I met Cornelia Read.

In fact, I met virtually all of you for the first time through blogging. Not Stuart. Not a few others who read and don’t comment (but I know who you are). But most of you.

There have been times I’ve been bummed and times I’ve been psyched, and maybe a few times I’ve just come off a bit psychotic. If I don’t say it, Stuart will.

Other highlights of the year?

Edinburgh. I’ve been to something like 26 countries on four continents and I still tend to be a bit anal when traveling, like to do my homework, pre-plan for convenience. Not with Edinburgh. It’s a city I feel comfortable enough to just go to, and then make plans. I guess it would be best to say I feel at home there. If there is one place in the world I really want to take Kevin to some day, it’s Edinburgh. Of course, we’d need to tour Scotland, to look up that damn family castle of his. His grandmother was a Ramsay.

Some Scottish Author. Well, specifically, the one who got me drunk.

Some Other Scottish Author. This one kicked my ass. What’s with it with these Scottish authors and their abuse? And this one has what remains my sentimental favourite blog.

This Other Scottish Author, who completely cracks me up on an ongoing basis and has a unique relationship with an American who does the same.

And this Other Scottish Writer who is one of my favourite people to hang out with. It’s so much fun to bug someone who’s always more inebriated than you are. And, really, effortless.

Hanging Out With Mark Billingham. Any day with Mark is a good day. He’s a great person. And I interviewed him… finally.

In fact, I’ve had some awesome interviews this year. Mark. Simon. Laura Lippman. Cornelia Read. John Rickards. Upcoming ones with Jess Lourey and Duane Swierczynski. I’d venture to say that it would be hard to top that in the coming year, except I have David Terrenoire, Steve Mosby, Julia Buckley and Allan Guthrie on my list for 2007 already, so I have some great ones to look forward to.

I started the blog with the idea that it would force me to work on writing short, focused stuff on one topic, and when I wasn’t working on a new manuscript it would provide the reason to write something every day.

I think I’ve completely failed on the ‘short’ and ‘focused’ anyway.

The blogging has brought things I didn’t expect. A way to meet people online, many of whom I’ve met in person as well. A sense of community. Through the blog, I hear from a lot of people I suspect I wouldn’t otherwise.

All in all, I’m glad I decided to blog. I personally don’t think you should blog if it’s just to sell yourself, or if you find it a chore. It’s only something you should do if you enjoy it.

And I do. Mostly, because you guys make it so much fun.

On that note, I have some frivolous stuff for you, but first I was thinking that with so many bloggers taking on NaNoWriMo starting November 1 that it will likely be quiet… everywhere. For all of you who’ve decided to take on the challenge, I wish you the best of luck. For those of you still slamming on edits on manuscripts already finished in one form, but needing to be pummeled into another, I hope you have inspiration as well.

And I’d like to point out that all of you starting this challenge November 1 will have an easier day than Rebus.

He’s getting neutered.

An oldie

An extremely modest man was in the hospital for a series of tests, the last of which had left his bodily systems extremely upset.

Upon making several false alarm trips to the bathroom, he decided the latest episode was another and stayed put. He suddenly filled his bed with diarrhea and was embarrassed beyond his ability to remain rational.

In a complete loss of composure he jumped out of bed, gathered up the bed sheets, and threw them out the hospital window.

A drunk was walking by the hospital when the sheets landed on him. He started yelling, cursing, and swinging his arms violently; trying to get the unknown things off, and ended up with the soiled sheets in a tangled pile at his feet.

As the drunk stood there, unsteady on his feet, staring down at the sheets, a hospital security guard, (barely containing his laughter), and who had watched the whole incident, walked up and asked, "What the heck is going on here?"

The drunk, still staring down replied: "I think I just beat the shit out of a ghost."

Bug Off

Wait for it…