My Time Writing Down the Bones with Natalie Goldberg, Part 2, by Diane Bator

 

Book 2, Dead Man's Doll

Since starting the virtual Writing Down the Bones course with Natalie Goldberg, I find myself slowing down. Feeling the snow on my face as I did with my kids when they were young. Laughing when I find fluffy, white turkey feathers that have made their way from the costume hanging in the upper lobby at work on my desk a floor below.

I find myself taking 10 minutes to myself a couple times a day to write. My topics? The walk I took to the coffee shop one day in the wind and finding a clean, crisp twenty dollar bill that hadn't blown away yet on the sidewalk. The taste of the Americano I bought and how I loathed that taste for years even though I'd always loved the comforting scent. To write about the puffy flakes of snow falling or the icy pellets tapping on the glass to be let in.

I find that I'm focusing on details more lately where before I mostly focused on the dialogue in my books. Even while editing my latest work in progress, All That Shimmers, I've added more details than in any of my previous books.

So far, I've finished the first three out of four sections in the course. I've also read three of Natalie's writing books and was able to join in a Zoom call with my mentor herself! I swear I barely listened to the first few minutes, I was just in awe by the experience. She was gracious enough to answer questions from the group for the entire hour.

Which of her books have I read so far?

• Writing Down the Bones
• Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life
• Thunder & Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft

If you're looking for a little inspiration to improve your own writing, I'd highly recommend any of them. Just as they helped with my upcoming book, All That Shimmers, Glitter Bay Book 3 that comes out in May. Watch for the new cover next month!

You can find my work at https://bwlpublishing.ca/bator-diane/

Happy Reading. Happy Writing!

Diane

    

Book 1 Drop Dead Cowboy

 

Big News in the Sugarwood Mysteries Series by Diane Bator

 

Sugarwood Mysteries has 

a NEW LOOK and a NEW BOOK!!

Audra Clemmings loves Halloween. At least until she sees the display of voodoo dolls in the shop next door that resembles nearly everyone in Sugarwood, Ontario--including her.

Then there's the matter of the dead cowboy on the bench in front of her shop Stitch'n'Time...

A few great reviews:

"After reading the first book in the Sugarwood Mysteries, I became hooked on the characters, genre, and author. Ms. Bator penned a goodie in this murder mystery. Characters Audra Clemmings and Merilee Rutherford (best friends) hang in there together, always having each other’s backs through some terrorizing moments. Between the two of these women, figuring out the ‘who done it’ kept them guessing while wrapping the reader around their conjectures and info gathering. I enjoyed these women, completely enamored in their thought process. I adore cozy mysteries, and Ms. Bator just became one of my favorite authors of this genre." - Susan

"This is not your Wild West Cowboy story. No, this is contemporary and takes place in a small town. Yes, one of the shopkeepers in the charming downtown area is on the trail to find out whodunit. Lots of humor and speculation on who killed the cowboy and why, so I was not sure who the murderer was until the end of the book. Ms. Bator's description of the locations and the quirky fun characters engage readers in this well-written cozy mystery. Yes, I recommend the book to cozy mystery lovers." - Janet Glaser

"All the characters were well-crafted. One of my favorites is Miss Lavinia. She describes them so vividly it's as if you actually know them, great job.
Clemmings definitely has her hands full. However, in the end, she prevails. If you enjoy reading a really good cozy mystery then this is the book for you.
It has surprises, it's captivating, and keeps you wondering until the very end." - Digiecard

BWL Publishing Website:  http://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/

AND THE NEW BOOK...

Christmas blooms in Sugarwood in the form of a brightly lit tree in town square, colourful ornaments, and a snowstorm. It’s just Audra Clemmings’ luck that she literally stumbles over the local butcher in Miss Lavinia’s shop. Then a witch doctor arrives in town. Can Audra solve the mystery before the killer turns their sights on her?

Here's a little snippet!

 As I grabbed my red parka from the closet, I smiled. The colour never failed to give me a lift, so I paired it with my favourite red hat and black gloves. I left Drake home to babysit Rex who, as predicted, fell asleep on the bed and still hadn’t returned to the couch. I was at the deli before I realized I could’ve taken the key and the car and then he’d be stuck there. Darn it! I was such a creature of habit.

At nine o’clock on the dot, I set a large black coffee on Officer Grant’s desk and asked, “Did you find out who owns that token?”

He scratched the stubble on his chin as he reached for the cup.

I moved it out of his reach. “Not so fast. I want answers.”

“And I want coffee,” he said, meeting my gaze. “If you think we’re at an impasse, keep in mind I’m the one with the gun and the handcuffs.”

“Good thing I’m not wearing my pajamas then.” The words sounded better in my head than they did aloud.

A nearby officer smirked.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Jacobs,” Officer Grant snapped. “Last time I arrested her, she was wearing her pajamas out in public.”

Handing him the coffee before he bit anyone, I decided to consider it my good deed for the day. I sat across from him and asked, “So?”

He sipped the coffee. “Needs cream.”

“You’re welcome.” 

Dead Man's Doll Coming October 2022 

from BWL Publishing: http://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/

To request additional review copies or an interview with Diane Bator, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    

We look forward to the coverage!

Happy National Peppermint Latte Day! ... by Diane Bator

 

Drop Dead Cowboy, Book 1 Sugarwood Mysteries

 Happy National Peppermint Latte Day!

Yes, it's for real! (https://web-holidays.com/blog/2018/11/04/national-peppermint-latte-day/) 

Did you know that there is a holiday for nearly every day of the year? I discovered that a couple years ago when one of my co-workers decided it would be fun to have something to celebrate every day. I never really put much thought into that until this year.

The world has been a tumultuous place the past 2 years. We've been locked up, had shots we never thought we'd need, and discovered sources of anxiety we never thought we'd have. Truly, who would've thought we'd be afraid to be in the same room as other people?

When I was asked to write a blog for the holidays, my first thought was Bah-humbug. What's there to celebrate? Not even the characters in the Christmas book I'm working on seemed concerned about the holiday season so why should I?

Then I discovered that anything can be a source of celebration.

Even Peppermint Lattes.

So, how does this relate to writing? Procrastination for one. I found digging into what December celebrations made the calendar a pretty steep rabbit hole to fall into. Along the path, I also found inspiration in the form of Peppermint Latte Day which resulted in two of my characters discussing murder over Christmas cookies and a latte in my newest Sugarwood Mystery, Dead Man's Doll, coming in September 2022:

Sugarwood, Ontario was known for two things:  maple syrup and our Christmas tree lighting festival that always went off with a variety of creative challenges but never failed to impress. I just hoped we didn’t end up finding a body on a bench like we had during the town’s Halloween bash. Since we had four days to go, I’d taken to crossing my fingers whenever I thought about it.

“Do you think we have enough decorations?” Merilee Rutherford, my partner both in Stitch’n’Time and crime solving, had circled November twenty-seven with a fat, red marker weeks ago.

I gazed around our craft shop. Large shiny balls hung from the ceiling, strands of garland draped over the top of every cupboard and cabinet, and a four-foot tree glistened in the front window. We’d spent hours wrapping empty boxes to pile underneath and added a few needlepoint kits, fabric swatches, and sewing kits to attract customers.

I grinned. “I think Santa would feel right at home in our workshop. All that’s missing are the milk and cookies.”

Drake, my Golden Retriever-slash-Husky raised his head.

“How about a peppermint latte and cookies,” Merilee asked. “I could run up to the bakery and grab lunch complete with dessert.”

“Santa’s going to have to bring me a whole new wardrobe at this rate.” I tucked a thumb inside the waistband of my pants. They were getting snug already and it wasn’t even December. I started to tell her to hold the latte. No way was I giving up cookies before Christmas. In the end, I kept my mouth shut.

While Merilee was gone, Drake returned his attention to the heat vent while I finished hanging one last string of lights around the inside of the front window swaying to the soft Christmas music we’d already started to play.

Outside the gloom of the day was brightened by the swirling blue and red lights from a passing police car. Since there was no way anyone could be speeding on the roads given the current conditions, I had to assume the police were on their way to an accident.

Drake got up to amble toward the door.

“Do you need to go out?” I asked.

Rather than paw at the glass, he sat and yawned.

“Good to know it’s not an emergency.”

Less than a minute later, Merilee bustled through the front door carrying a cardboard tray and a paper bag. Drake stood as a string of drool seeped from the corner of his mouth.

I laughed. “You smelled cookies. What a surprise."  

And who says a character has to celebrate a traditional holiday? 

In the writing world we do this exercise every November called Nanowrimo. A short way of saying National Novel Writing Month. One of those events that is so crazy it requires an entire month rather than a day. What normal person would set a goal to write 50,000 words in 30 days? Of course, most writers celebrate Nanowrimo starting December 1st when we hibernate for about three days to catch up on sleep and ease the cramps from our fingers!

Here's a fun thing to do. Go to https://web-holidays.com/ , find your birthdate, and see what else you can celebrate along with it. Mine is National Cavier Day among others. 

If you do check out the daily list and run out of favorite things to celebrate in December, please keep in mind this is also National Eggnog and National Fruitcake Month. 

Cheers!

Diane