A harsh and brutal land

One of the reasons why Arctic Blue Death is set in Canada’s far north is because I’ve always wanted to go there. So when I was deciding the plot and setting for the 4^th Meg Harris mystery, I thought what better way to see it than to have Meg go there. That way I get to go too.

A couple of years ago, during the longest days of the year, I hopped on a plane and flew to Iqaluit, where I spent several intriguing days and then onto Pangnirtung for a couple of more. Although I was a little more than seven days on Baffin Island, I came away with more than enough material, impressions and plot ideas to keep Meg busy.

It’s a harsh and brutal land and it took me awhile to appreciate its underlying beauty. As Meg keeps telling herself, I had to put aside my southern sensibilities and see beyond the dirt and barren rock to what the land had to offer. And for me, that was the people. I met some very kind and wonderful people both in Iqaluit and Pangnirtung that helped give me some insight of what it is like to live in one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet.

On the longest day of the year I was in Pangnirtung where the sun doesn’t set, but runs just below the mountain ridge on the southern shore for an hour or so before popping back up again.   No one seemed to sleep, including me. In fact at any hour of the ‘white night’ people, including kids, would be seen out walking or playing.

When I’d flown to Iqaluit, I’d had a vague idea for a plot. I knew it would be about Meg’s father, who’d died while traveling in the Arctic when she was a child, but I wasn’t sure how he had died. I just knew that something related to his death would prompt her to go to Baffin Island. While I was being shown the Iqaluit RCMP detachment by a young constable, she happened to mention one of her cold case files. It had to do with a plane that had gone missing over 20 years ago and was never seen again. The minute she said the words “missing plane” the light bulb went on. I knew I could do a lot with a missing plane and I have in Arctic Blue Death.

To learn more about my research trip to Baffin read the November 2009 issue of Mystery Scene Magazine in which I talk about my trip and how it influenced the shaping of Arctic Blue Death.

I also took many photos, some of which I include below. But I’ve also set up an album, so click here to access the album.

View Across the Pangnirtung Fjord at midnight on

the longest day of the year

Reviews

Arctic Blue Death reviews are starting to trickle in. I say trickle because I get impatient. After spending many hours, weeks, days and months intimately involved in my book, I am never sure how it will be received once it is finally revealed to that big broad world beyond my computer screen. I wait with bated breath and fingers crossed hoping that someone will like it.

I was very pleased to discover Margaret Cannon’s terrific review in the October 31st issue of the Globe & Mail. She starts off with “The fourth book in the excellent Meg Harris series by Ottawa author R.J. Harlick is the best.” and finishes with “Harlick has a great plot here and she takes it and runs.”

And I don’t need to say that I would also love to hear from you. If you enjoyed reading Arctic Blue Death or any of my other books please don’t hesitate to let me know via my email address rj@rjharlick.ca. And if you so feel inclined let others know by posting reviews on the various online sites, such as Amazon and Chapters. And if you didn’t like it, tell me why so that I can take your comments into consideration during the writing of my next book.

A Terrific Maritime Tour

I’m back! Got back on Wednesday, tired but pleased with the 11 day book tour. Vicki Delany and I travelled over 3600 kilometers visiting stores in Knowlton, Lennoxville, Fredericton, Moncton and Halifax. We had a super turn out to our event at the Fredericton Public Library and an equally successful panel event at Mount Saint Vincent University. And we met lots of eager readers intent on delving into a new mystery. I will never forget Carol, who ran up breathless to get a signed copy of Arctic Blue Death. We’d met at the Madison Bouchercon and she’d been a fan ever since. Brome Lake Bookstore was a delight, where we were treated with a visit from friend and fellow crime writer Louise Penny, her husband, Michael and their happily friendly golden retriever, Trudy.

And I must not forget another dog I cozied up to, Lucy, the German shepherd at Jenny’s wonderfully comfortable house in Knowlton, where Vicki and I spent our first night on the road. I’m afraid I miss my DeMontigny and loved giving these dogs the vigorous pats I used to give to him.

People bent over backwards to make our trip a success, from Jenny in Knowlton and Patti in Halifax, who opened their doors to us, Danny and Lucy of Brome Lake Books, Jim and Roya at Champlain College, Leslie at the Fredericton Public Library, Patti and Jean at Mount Saint Vincent University and the helpful and friendly staff of the various Chapters and Coles where Vicki and I spent many hours.

I also had terrific visits with my cousins and uncle in Fredericton and Moncton. We hadn't seen each other since my mother's funeral eight years ago. Unfortunately as happens with most far flung families we only see each other at weddings and funerals and these days funerals seem to be happening more frequently than the weddings.

Vicki and I only had one mishap and that was with my car. We ran into trouble in Halifax and had it towed to a dealer, who refused to look at it until much later in the day. Unfortunately that evening we had to be in Moncton, a 2.5 hour drive away, so I found another Chrysler dealer, who agreed to find out at least what was wrong with the vehicle as soon as I brought it in. With our fingers crossed that we wouldn't break down, I drove it over the Dartmouth bridge to the motors, where within the hour we found out the problem only to learn that they didn't have the required part and wouldn't until the next day. The service rep. then got on the phone and discovered the part was available at a Chrysler motors in Moncton. So with assurance from the mechanic that we could make it, we drove to Moncton where the part was speedily replace. Many kudos to the great service from both Dartmouth Chrysler and Moncton Chrysler. And a raspberry to Steele Chrysler.

I've included a couple of photos from the trip. Vicki took the one of me on the quai of North Hatley where Insp. Gamache is reported to hang out. And Jim Napier took the one of me talking to a customer about my books at the Bishop's University Bookstore. I tried to include a photo of Vicki and me, but it kept being uploaded incorrectly. So I gave up. Not to worry, I do have some good photos of Vicki and me with Barbara Fradkin and Mary Jane Maffini on our trip to Indianapolis. I'll post these to another blog.