I Survived Book Release Day - Hello Summer / Barbara Baker

 

Jillian of Banff XO is out in the world. Thank you to everyone who bought copies and made this possible. For a few days it held its own as an Amazon Best Seller and a Hot New Release in Fiction About Being a Teen. That was a wonderful surprise. 

The worry and fretting about release day has subsided and it’s fun to get messages from readers expressing their reactions and thoughts. I even received a few WTH texts which made me smile. Perfect. The story is getting reactions. Music to a writer’s ears. Trust me, all interactions with readers is greatly appreciated regardless of their comments or method of delivery.

After I receive each note, I put on my big girl panties and ask the reader if they can leave a review. It’s what writers live for and yes, I will admit, I force myself not to have the Amazon or Goodreads review page on speed dial. I’ve made a deal with myself to only check the reviews twice a month. Yup, I already blew it. I have to wait until August 1st to check them again. 

As a result of the release day hoopla on social media, I now have tons of new friend requests. And so many promises that if I hire them to make a book trailer or market my book, I will attain super star status. It’s hard to sift through so many requests to determine their authenticity, so I delete them all. I did pause at a couple that said they found my profile picture stunning. I was never this popular in high school. Delete. Delete. 

With all of it in the rearview mirror, it’s time to drop off books at libraries and book stores. That, in itself, is a treat. And then to see them on display, well … stop my beating heart. 

And now it’s time to settle down and enjoy summer. 

The traffic heading west out of Calgary every morning is an indication there are lots of people enjoying staycations.

Day trips to Canmore and Banff keep both towns hopping and regardless of the weather, sidewalks are busy with tourists. Few of them seem to mind the ongoing construction or crowds, as selfie sticks wave out of car windows or above people’s heads, and everyone merges on queue while locals carry on with daily routines hardly grumbling at all. 

But you don’t have to get caught up in the hustle of the townsites. Within minutes of setting out on a hiking or biking trail, you can leave the busyness of it all behind and find a quieter spot.

 

You might even be lucky enough to come across some wildlife but be respectful - stay back and give them their space.

Enjoy all that summer has to offer.

Summer of Lies: Baker, Barbara:9780228615774: Books - Amazon.ca

 What About Me?: Sequel to Summer of Lies : Baker, Barbara: Amazon.ca: Books

 Jillian of Banff X0 | Universal Book Links Help You Find Books at Your Favorite Store! (books2read.com)

 

Spring Break

 

                               Please click this link for author, book and purchase information

During this past winter of staying home, I looked forward to a spring getaway with my husband Will and our son Matt. With travel outside of Canada and our province of Alberta restricted this month, we booked a four-night stay in Canmore, an hour a half drive from our Calgary home and just outside the entrance to Banff National Park. 

Easter Monday, we drove directly to Banff and ate our turkey sandwiches on a bench by the Bow River. Despite the sunshine, a breeze made the 3 degrees Celsius (37.4 F) temperature cool for sitting out. We soon warmed up on our hike up Tunnel Mountain. Sections of mud and ice typical of early spring made us glad we'd brought our cleats. At the top, we rested on Muskoka chairs half buried in snow and enjoyed the panoramic views of Banff. 

Day two of our trip was sunny and warmer. Will and Matt went skiing at Lake Louise, while I spent a summer-like day in Canmore. In the morning, I checked out the local stores and bought a salad and bread for our lasagna dinner. My afternoon walk followed part of the town's extensive trail network. The rest of the day I read on our balcony, looking out at the Three Sisters and HaLing mountain peaks. Will and Matt had a perfect ski day -- sunny, warm, uncrowded, fresh snow from a weekend snowfall. I didn't envy them, since I'd preferred my lazy time.   

                                              Balcony view from our AirBnb apartment

Lake Louise ski hill

The weather turned cooler on our third day and cloud mingled with sun. We stayed close to Canmore and hiked up to Grassi Lakes, an icy trail we couldn't have managed without cleats. At the top, we were surprised and pleased to find the ice on the lakes had melted to reveal their clear, green colour. After lunch, we walked the riverside portion of the trail I'd done the previous day and continued farther. We talked about returning later this spring with our bikes to explore the whole Canmore pathway network.  

                                                                        Grassi Lake

              Former railway bridge on Canmore path - Will didn't hold the camera straight

Rain blew in that evening and we woke up to a snow-draped town. Matt's weather app forecast a relatively nice day at Lake Louise with only 17 percent chance of snow. We drove west. As we approached the village of Lake Louise, we hit steady snow and low cloud that made the mountains almost invisible. Hoping the sky would clear later, we opted for a morning hike through a wooded area. The snow continued, but we drove up to the famous lake anyway. Everything was so white, we could hardly tell where the lake ended and the mountains began. We gave up on a viewpoint hike and walked along the lakeshore. When we returned, blue sky started to appear and we left the lake in sunshine. 

Winter conditions at Lake Louise, summer on our Canmore balcony, in-between temperatures the rest of the time. That's spring in Alberta.

    

                                                             Lake Louise village trail

Will and Matt on our Canmore balcony