As of September 22nd at 6:04 p.m., it is "officially" fall. 

Well, the book is officially a book, and I'm pleased to report that early reviews have been complimentary. This starred review in Booklist, for example, is hugely helpful. It's the source that librarians and booksellers look to when ordering books for their catalogue and shelves. This final sentence is a keeper: “Dog Days of Planet Earth is, at times, a difficult read, but Shea’s page-turning prose and loveable, curious, and kind protagonist keep the heart at the center of this tragically gorgeous novel.”

In addition, Quill & Quire and 49th Shelf both flagged the book as one of their most anticipated fall fiction titles. 

In my last newsletter, I mentioned Elizabeth McCracken's comment that publishing a book is akin to "failing in public." This time, I'm thinking of Jean Rhys's description of literature as a collective body of work: "All of writing is a huge lake," she writes. "There are great rivers that feed the lake, like Tolstoy or Dostoyevsky. And then there are mere trickles, like Jean Rhys. All that matters is feeding the lake. I don't matter. The lake matters. You must keep feeding the lake." 

Dog Days of Planet Earth is a small addition to the lake. 

By the time this newsletter hits your inbox, some of my events will have passed, but here is the list booked so far. 

1. Frank's Pub Launch, September 17th

2. Gibsons Launch, September 19th

3. Author Talk, Edmonton, September 29th, 6:30 p.m. (in conversation with local author Jocelyn Brown, please register in the link)

4. Lacombe Performing Arts Centre, October 3, 2:00 p.m. (in conversation with ECW author Fran Kimmel)

5. Toronto launch at Flying Books (Queen Street location), TBD, in mid-October

5. Montreal launch, Paragraphe Books, October 18, 2 p.m.

Below are some photos from my Edmonton and Gibsons launches. I'm so grateful that folks showed up. (Please forgive my old phone's picture quality.)

It's an odd thing to both look forward to launching a book and to dread it at the same time. I started writing Dog Days of Planet Earth on April 5, 2019—almost a full year before the pandemic. That's hard to believe. And as I alternately believed in the book and had moments of great doubt over the years, I reminded myself that without me, my protagonist Trevor Westmore would not exist. Sometimes I worried I might die before the book came out.

So it's a great relief to have the book not only in my hands but in the hands of readers. I'm so pleased people can get to know Trevor Westmore and the people in his world.

I'll keep this short then. If you want to know more of what I'm up to, feel free to follow me on Instagram. Or send me an email and I'll reply. Thanks, as always, for your support!

Three days in Gibsons, and three dips in the sea. Always bring your swimsuit.

To be honest, this year wasn't a great year in my garden. It was a rainy summer. Flowers were slow to bloom. And when the rain stopped, a plague of mosquitoes made it virtually impossible to work in the yard. The plants continued to grow and spread out. Now my garden looks like it's being choked. As suspected, the lupin didn't flower again. Dang it. I think that's my fault. 

I'm not the kind of gardener who wants a tamed yard with clearly defined rows; I prefer to let things grow as they'd like, but even I have my limits. 

I put quite a few wildflower seeds out and got nothing in return. 

Next year, I will try to do better. 

We lost our family dog Hugo on September 4th. He was one month shy of his 10th birthday. Our previous golden retriever, Chinook, died at 9 too, so I feel we have been living with premature grief for a while now, hoping Hugo would be one of the lucky ones who lives to twelve while also knowing the stats on how often Goldens die of cancer. Nine years isn't long enough. Hugo was a sweet-natured, mischievous, and loving animal. He was the best greeter ever.

It never occurred to me that I'd lose my own dog right before launching a book that highlights the restorative nature of canine and human relationships. 

Golden retrievers are particularly beautiful in the fall foliage. Here's one of my favourite pictures of him. He is so missed.

Do you have any questions about the writing life and/or how to stay creatively inspired? Feel free to contact me. 

Enjoy fall. I'm happy to finally know my book can now reach readers' hands. Follow me in Instagram to see photos from the various events.

I'll see you next season. Until then, stay engaged, and may great books find you.