Dear Readers,

What a start to 2018! I’m sure many of you can relate to the deep freeze we are currently experiencing here in the Toronto suburbs. It is -20 Celsius today (-4 Fahrenheit—not nearly as dramatic sounding, I must say). With the cold brings an urge to turn on the fireplace and curl up with a good book… Then my dog barks, my kids yell, and I look longingly over to the cozy section of my living room where I hope to end up tonight. It is a dream I intend to fulfill.

As cold as it’s been, I’ve found myself inspired by the dramatic temperatures. I grew up in the Canadian prairies, so I find sweet memories in the bitter cold. I have begun to think beyond my current book and feel certain that my next will require a winter setting, perhaps even one closer to my own roots—in the prairies, near the mountains, and in the eighties. Until now, I haven’t considered writing anything without my four favourite women, especially Izzy Walsh. But lately, I’ve been thinking it might be fun to take a spin with a new crew. It could be all the Stranger Things binge-watching I’ve been doing, too—I love that show. But I’m halfway through my third Izzy instalment, I’m enjoying more than ever, yet I can feel the start of a new story beginning to take root. I guess when the spring hits, when I’m completed the current book, I’ll see if these recent thoughts are still hanging around. It was so cold out today my mountain rescue pup even had cold paws. I had to call my husband and request a pickup halfway through our walk. Could it be that my brain is not yet thawed? I guess time will tell…

Any thoughts on my musings are always welcome, of course. Unfortunately, I must keep this posting extra short or my out-of-sight juniors may get into things that require a lot of work to fix (unlike my beautiful new red lipstick I got for Christmas which will remain on my 3-year olds shirt and bedding forever and ever, if perhaps in a lighter, pinker version of its original hue).

Stay warm and keep reading…

Onwards,
Lynn