tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:04:06 +0000Assorted ramblings and photos from RJ Harlick, author of the Meg Harris mystery series.http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/index.htmnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)Blogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-7718006663168938915Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +00002010-03-18T11:04:06.178-04:00The busy spring season is about to begin. On Thursday, April 22, I'll be participating in Capital Crime Wave, Ottawa's Arthur Ellis short list event. I, along with Brenda Chapman, Linda Wiken and Brian McKillop will be grilled by Ottawa lawyer, Kate Jaimet. It promises to be great fun. And of course we will all be anxiously awaiting the short list for this year's Arthur Ellis nominees. It starts http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2010/03/upcoming-events.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-1478907301131942493Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:13:00 +00002010-02-16T13:13:53.977-05:00I'm off to the Niagara region next week to do a reading at the Fonthill Public Library on Tues. Feb. 23rd at 7:00 pm. If you live in the area I'd love to see you. If you have friends living there, please let them know. The address of the library is 43 Pelham Town Sq. Fonthill.http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2010/02/niagara-library-event.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-1644574872859345719Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:43:00 +00002010-01-15T10:43:49.565-05:00I've finally taken the plunge and joined Facebook. I was dragging my heels over concerns about privacy and intrusion on my precious writing time. I'm afraid I'm one of those that loves to play with technical toys and I'd put Facebook in that category and knew once I was on it, it would be game over for my writing. And yes, it is eking into my writing time, but I am having great fun meeting all http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2010/01/ive-finally-arrived.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-7273989259893940407Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:27:00 +00002010-01-11T18:30:11.209-05:00While I would never call myself an avid bird watcher, I love watching the birds flit in and out of the many feeders I have erected both at my home in Ottawa and log cabin in Quebec.  They are a splash of colour on a dull winter day or a burst of cheer in a silent forest.  I’ve positioned my various feeders so that when I’m in need of a momentary respite from my writing I can look out the window http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2010/01/surprise-winter-visitor.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-4193969578354343091Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:00:00 +00002009-12-21T22:00:15.544-05:00 From our snow locked cabin deep within the Quebec woods, Jim and I would like to wish you a wonderful Christmas and a joyous New Year. http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/12/happy-holidays.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-8254628424728095967Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:45:00 +00002009-11-30T13:49:13.292-05:00Arctic mystery booksCanadian mystery booksOne 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 4th 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 http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/11/harsh-and-brutal-land.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-2232675375776265112Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:41:00 +00002009-11-15T17:44:47.191-05:00Quebec mystery booksArctic mystery booksCanadian mystery booksArctic 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 http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/11/reviews.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-1434483051547118280Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:08:00 +00002009-11-10T18:13:04.950-05:00I’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 http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/11/terrific-maritime-tour.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-4881633503702982339Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:38:00 +00002009-10-22T09:59:07.321-04:00After almost a week away at Bouchercon, I’m back home in Ottawa. It was a great conference and I really enjoyed the company of fellow crime writers, Barbara Fradkin, Vicki Delany and Mary Jane Maffini and meeting avid mystery fans like Kaye, Lance, Mary Allyn, Jan, Leslie and numerous others. But it’s wonderful to be back with my husband. Sadly it’ll only be for a short time. On Sunday I’m off http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/10/quebec-and-maritime-book-tour.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-8906570198991392207Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:47:00 +00002009-10-16T13:03:17.886-04:00Well, Barbara, Mary Jane, Vicki and I made it to Indianapolis intact and still speaking to each other, even laughing together. Although I wasn’t sure if Jill, Vicki’s GPS, and I were still on speaking terms, since on several occasions I refused to follow her insistent instructions. When we didn’t take the highway to Detroit, whose multi-lane highways I definitely wanted to avoid, she kept http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/10/canadian-happening-at-bouchercon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-7265843437652401593Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:56:00 +00002009-10-14T07:58:58.023-04:00Well the car load of Canadian Crime Writers took off at the crack of dawn yesterday. Well not quite. That was the initial hope since we had a long 9 hour drive to Port Huron, MI. But beauty sleep took precedence so it was more like 9:00 when Mary Jane Maffini, Barbara Fradkin and I crammed suitcases, various bags filled with our samples of quintessentially Canadian cuisine, our magnificent hats http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/10/bouchercon-here-we-come_14.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-3373597786636389490Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:29:00 +00002009-10-06T09:50:05.561-04:00Canadian mystery writersMystery conferenceA week from now, Vicki Delany, Barbara Fradkin, Mary Jane Maffini and I will be loading up my car and heading south of the border to Indianapolis for Bouchercon 2009. The fifteen hour drive promises to be quite the adventure. No doubt we will be hatching many a murderous plot to while away the long hours. Killing off drivers who cut us off, waitresses that refuse to smile or truck drivers that http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/10/bouchercon-here-we-come.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-7930629873885594585Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:16:00 +00002009-10-01T17:03:37.835-04:00A cherished member of our small family went up to that big doggy kennel in the sky yesterday. For 14 years deMontigny was an integral part of our lives. He moved in with Jim and I when he was a tiny, (well not so tiny, since he was a standard poodle) black, curly fur ball of 9 weeks. He grew quickly, ate ravenously and had a mind of his own, which required 2 years of dog obedience training to http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/09/demontigny-1995-2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-5345519661278078383Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:29:00 +00002009-09-24T14:53:27.792-04:00InuitNunavut mysteriesCanadian mysteriesQuebec mysteriesArctic mysteriesAlgonquinAs with the release of any new book, I'm gearing up for lots of events in October and November in Ottawa. Plus I'm planning a tour to the Maritimes at the end of October, early November. But I'll list these when finalized in a separate blog. I hope to see you at one of these. I always enjoy meeting my fans and introducing my Meg Harris series to new readers.In Ottawa, I'll be signing the latest http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/09/upcoming-ottawa-events-october-november.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-1934778103912678094Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:27:00 +00002009-09-10T17:40:12.697-04:00Meg Harris mystery seriesCanadian mystery bookArctic mystery bookArctic Blue Death will be launched in Toronto on Friday, October 2 at 8:00 pm at the new McNally and Robinson Bookstore in Don Mills at the Shops in Don Mills at Lawrence and Don Mills Rd. I remember when this shopping centre used to be called just plain Don Mills Shopping Centre. I guess it has come up in the world since it used to be a teen hang-out. I'm looking forward to this event which willhttp://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/09/toronto-launch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-7194513656161198798Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:08:00 +00002009-08-23T15:19:30.884-04:00Put Thursday, October 8th 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm in your calendar. I'll be launching the latest Meg Harris mystery, ARCTIC BLUE DEATH along with Barbara Fradkin, who'll be launching the next Inspector Green mystery, THIS THING OF DARKNESS at our usual location, the sunken lobby in Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington St. in Ottawa. We always have a great time, so if you live in Ottawa or near http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/08/launch-of-arctic-blue-death.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-197978320934357384Thu, 21 May 2009 15:14:00 +00002009-05-21T11:20:38.697-04:00Canadian mysteriesQuebec mysteriesWilderness mysteriesThis is such terrific news, that I wanted to make it a separate post. For all of you who have been waiting to get a copy of the first Meg Harris Mystery, DEATH'S GOLDEN WHISPER, the next reprint will be released on May 28. So place your orders now. And enjoy.http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/05/deaths-golden-whisper.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-1950544705370969257Thu, 21 May 2009 14:46:00 +00002009-05-21T11:12:49.146-04:00I feel as if I've just been let out of school for the summer holidays. And in a way I have. I've just sent off my manuscript for the next Meg Harris mystery ARCTIC BLUE DEATH to be released this coming fall. I always feel badly in neglecting my blog, but I'm afraid I'm one of those writers, who when she's in the midst of a book can barely focus on anything else. It seems to consume my life. But http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2009/05/arctic-blue-death-next-meg-harris.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-6028270413641677570Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:00:00 +00002008-06-17T17:57:53.746-04:00canoeingwhitewaterLa Verendrye ParkCanadian riversTHE RIVER RUNS ORANGE starts off with Meg Harris frantically paddling a canoe with Eric Odjik, her friend and lover, down a river swirling with the white water of rapids. Although Eric is well versed in whitewater paddling, Meg isn't and experiences the same dry mouth and butterflies in her stomach as I did on my first whitewater paddle. At the same time, she also experiences the joy and wonder http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2008/06/joy-of-paddling.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-1889482539952154222Sun, 18 May 2008 12:17:00 +00002008-05-21T16:47:33.201-04:00Well The River Runs Orange was launched with great fan fare on May 12 in Ottawa. Fellow author and friend, Mary Jane Maffini, who was launching her latest Charlotte Adam mystery, and I had a terrific time talking to our fans and signing lots of books. To see some of the action check out the photos in my online album. There have also been some changes and updates to my events calendar. My day in http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2008/05/more-events.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-1979241088782055370Sat, 03 May 2008 14:32:00 +00002008-05-03T10:56:22.857-04:00I had a terrific time at Malice Domestic. My husband, Jim and I drove down to Arlington VA from Ottawa the Wednesday before, so we could do some sightseeing. We spent Thursday in the blissful heat tramping the grassy acres of the Mall and exploring a couple of the museums. The next day we drove around our old neighbourhood in Northwest DC, where we lived in the early 1980’s while on a posting tohttp://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2008/05/first-stage-of-whirlwind-spring-is-over.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-3597941701933904878Sat, 19 Apr 2008 12:55:00 +00002008-04-19T11:23:20.513-04:00Well, wonders never cease. Two blogs in two days. My, my, my, I am getting chatting, aren't I? This coming week I head to the Malice Domestic conference in Arlington, Virginia with my husband Jim. While he enjoys the sights of Washington, I’ll be doing my author bit. I had a terrific time at last year's Malice, so am quite looking forward to this one. It's going to be a very busy time, starting http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2008/04/off-to-malice-festival-of-mystery-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-4530755434372505444Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:23:00 +00002008-04-18T16:41:55.982-04:00With THE RIVER RUNS ORANGE now out, my event card is getting full. Lot's of store signings are lined up for May and June and I'm still lining up more. I hope I get a chance to see you at one of these events. Please say Hi and let me know you found out about the signing from my blog or website. I'll also be doing another radio interview and I'm going to be very busy at Book Expo Canada. So here http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2008/04/its-gonna-be-very-busy-spring.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-4343331667019006879Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:54:00 +00002008-03-31T18:37:07.196-04:00As I try to peer around the mounds of snow blocking the view from my cabin windows, it's hard to imagine that in a couple of month's time I will be looking at forest green. More than 14 feet of the white stuff have fallen so far this winter, with at least 3 to 4 of it still remaining on the ground. The roadway into our log cabin has narrowed to the width of our car with SUV-high banks on either http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2008/03/will-winter-never-end.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12950793.post-783935236411604305Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:08:00 +00002008-02-25T18:10:37.504-05:00With the release of THE RIVER RUNS ORANGE only 2 months away, I'm busily filling up my calendar with lots of book happenings. The LAUNCH - Have finally scheduled a date, May 12, 7:00 pm at the usual place, Library and Archives Canada. I'll be doing this with Mary Jane Maffini who'll be launching her second Charlotte Adams novel. I'll be posting more details on my events page in my webs site. And http://www.rjharlick.ca/blog/2008/02/upcoming-events.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (RJ Harlick)0