December Newsletter

The power of two minds. It comes with many benefits, but challenges too.

December 2023

Vol. 4

Hello,

I hope this finds you and yours healthy and that you’re managing to tame the “noise” that often precedes the holidays into a dull roar. The subtitle of this month’s newsletter is apropos for me in so many ways.

First, I’m of two minds about balancing the necessity to have a quiet Christmas and New Year’s (due to my husband’s current health issue) and wanting to dress up and experience a little of the holiday sparkle and glitter. I miss that! As we can’t be around large groups of people this year, cooking a traditional turkey dinner for just the two of us was completely unappealing. So, for the first time ever, I’ve ordered a catered dinner that we will pick up the day before Christmas. After I’d done that, we received an unexpected (and delightful) invitation for Christmas Eve dinner from our besties. We’ll have the best of both worlds—and I daresay, lots of leftovers!

MY WRITING

I’ve also been of two minds about which manuscript to get back to work on. It still surprises me that when we’re dealt a devastating blow about a loved one’s health diagonosis, how quickly we adjust to the “new normal.” For us, that’s working our life around weekly chemo treatments, all the expected (and many unexpected) side effects of those treatments and the many ancilliary drugs. And, how quickly we’ve had to accept how much our world has shrunk. Again, out of necessity, not out of any lack of love and compassion from our friends and family. We couldn’t ask for more 🩶.

Having settled into this new normal, I find myself able to dip my toe (tentatively) back into my fiction writing. Honestly, up until now, being able to write for you here on Substack has saved my sanity. Why? Because I’m an unfulfilled (read: crabby) person when I’m not expressing myself by writing. I even considered applying for a job writing greeting cards or coming up with the next OPI nail polish colour. Have you ever wondered who does that? I wonder how much they get paid? But I digress.

Usually, I only have one manuscript on the go at one time: the next thriller I’m working on. However, at this moment, I have 15K words of the first draft of a standalone set in a small seaside village similar to the one in which I live. As you writers will know, that’s not many words into a project when you consider that my novels run anywhere from 75K to 90K words. I mean, it’s a good start, but I’m not exactly married to it. It’s more like a flirtation. But, it was the first project where I made an attempt to “drop my pants,” (as in being a “pantster,” an author who writes by the seat of their pants) and follow an outline.

So, I’ve been of two minds whether to carry on my flirtation with that project or, to go back to the second book in the Nicoló Moretti Crime Thriller series. The first book, Everybody Knows, was well received and I’ve had readers asking for sometime when the next book in the series will come out. By the way, Everybody Knows is 20% off on my website right now. Okay, shameless plug over…

“Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction.” ― C.S. Lewis

So, as I laboured with that conundrum (I love that word!) I confided in an author friend at lunch that I was torn about what to do. I told her I’ve had the title forever for the second book in the Moretti series and the cover is already done (which I still totally love!). It’s a complete story with a beginning, a middle and an end. That’s always a good thing, right?. But I’m torn between writing another book set in Calabria, Italy versus one set closer to home.

My friend listened carefully and then she came up with the most brilliant suggestion. Can you guess what it was? I can’t let the cat out of the bag quite yet, as it’s still percolating (is that a mixed metaphor—should it be “mewing”?).

If you think you know what my friend’s idea was, please leave your thoughts in the Comments section below. I’d love to hear! Anyway, suffice it to say, she got me very excited and I’m considering her idea seriously. I promise to let you know my decision next month—but just know that I am back to writing. Yay!

Anyway, I’m hoping C.S. Lewis was right—that two minds are better than one.

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📊 Poll

Did know that you can change your preferences as to which of my posts you receive?

I love writing these newsletters for you! But I know everyone has different preferences and time restrictions.

Did you know that Substack lets you update your preferences where you can choose which of my three posts you receive? *But it’s a bit of a secret how to do that!

Your choices are:

1. This always free newsletter for readers of my thrillers

2. Wise Wednesdays Unleashed: Personal essays about being an author of “a certain age”)

3. Sunday’s Curated Chronicles, a rundown on books, podcasts, films and links I enjoyed and think you’d be interested in.

*To change your preferences: just hit Unsubscribe at the bottom of this post and you can turn off what you no longer want to receive. And voila, you only get what you want to your inbox!

The diversity of this readership warms my heart and I’m so grateful you’re here. If you have 15 seconds, I’d be so appreciative if you’d register your interest in the poll below.

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📚What I’m Reading

With a new puppy, doing some serious “Swedish Death Cleaning,” (don’t worry, it’s not as lethal as it sounds) and various other things I won’t bore you with, it’s been a struggle to read as much as usual.

However, here are some I think you might like. *One in particular, if you’re also a writer.

Tess Gerritsen - The Spy Coast

William Landay - All That Is Mine I Carry With Me

Rebecca Yarros - In The Likely Event

*John Truby - The Anatomy of Genres (for you writers)

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📚 And now to the winner of last month’s giveaway!

Every month, I draw a name from those of you who open the newsletter and I say thank you to one loyal reader with a $25 gift card to the bookstore of their choice.

Last month’s winner: Congratulations to comdetail@buckeye! Check your email...

I WANT THAT GIFT CARD! Just hit “Reply” to this email and I’ll put your name in the draw.

And that’s a wrap. I wish you and yours a safe and blessed holiday season. Be good to yourself and others. Kindness is always rewarded. Thank you for yours!

K.R. 🩶