So, you probably thought I was dead.
And I’ll admit, there were a few close calls. (Is it just me or have people recently become really terrible drivers?)
But no, the rumours of my demise have been greatly exaggerated and no doubt have been fuelled by my seeming disappearance from the interweb spaces.
To be honest, I didn’t have much to say (I still can’t really believe I have a blog) or much time to say it in because I’ve been busy doing the following things:
- Watching all the Wes Anderson films and all the Marvel movies and shows, in order. (I’m up to The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Hawkeye, in case you’re interested.)
- Finding a new place to live, packing up every we own, unpacking everything we own and then trying to find a couch that fits our new living room.
- Playing a lot of Dungeons and Dragons with my friends. (I did not have a misspent youth and so I’m trying to have one now.)
- Gardening (more about that in another post but it’s possible that the gardening genes skipped a generation.)
- Flying back and forth to Winnipeg a few times (shoutout to the excellent Business Class lounge at the Ottawa airport and to Rae and Jerry’s Steakhouse for all the good times!)
- Seeing some really marvellous theatrical productions (You guys — I saw Paul Gross in King Lear at Stratford! It was amazing!)
- Reading a bunch of books (that I didn’t write.)
- Bringing home a rescue dog who has, shall we say, a few teensy issues.
- Perfecting my Mongolian Beef recipe (PF Chang’s is jealous.)
- Working on a super secret project (that I’ll be announcing in the coming months)
- And (I know this is the one you’ve been wondering about…) working hard on the third Stafford Falls book, The Spaghetti Supper Sangha.
On that last topic, as of today, the manuscript for Spaghetti Supper Sangha has now passed 99,000 words and since I expect it to be about 110,000 words, give or take an adverb or two, I feel like I’m in the home stretch. There’s a particular poetry to weaving all the plots together at the end to create a satisfying conclusion…and then there’s the much less poetical process of rewriting, editing out the boring bits and finding every wayward comma and typo. (Thank God I have an eagle-eyed copy editor who has strong feelings about comma placement, because by the time I hand it off to her, I’ve read the darn thing so many times that I can’t see straight. Also, I feel like commas are suggestions. She vehemently disagrees.)
Anyway, you can expect to see a little more action here on Patti Writes Books in the coming weeks, including announcements on when Spaghetti Supper Sangha will hit the shelves, cool new things that I’ll be doing, as well as the usual amount of navel-gazing.
Stay tuned!
Patti.
P.S. And what have you been up to lately? Enquiring minds want to know…
Welcome back Patti, you were and are missed. Please continue to blog occasionally. Your fans are anxious to read the third of the trilogy.
Stay well, and hope to see you, if you visit Georgian Bay this summer.
Aw, thanks, Irene! I am anxious to get the book out there for everybody to read. (Spoiler: I think it’s pretty good!)
So lovely to hear from you, Patti. Waving from Wales.
Michael <3
Michael, hello! I hope your hibernation is going well! Sending love from Canada!
Hi Patti. Great to see you back on your Blog. Some of us have wondered where you went off to. Hopefully, you’ll get up to Penetanguishene This summer and we can get together. Can’t wait for your new Spaghetti book, have been for a few years now. Maybe a reading forthcoming at the Penetanguishene Library for the summer of 2024. Good to hear that you’re okay. By the way, we have a dog with social issues, but he is a sweetheart to us, so, he’s staying put. Hugs to you.
Irene! I know you know about rescue dogs. Ours is a cutie but is a bit of a challenge at times. Good thing we love him!
Great to hear Patti. I love your books.
We are in Mirimar beach Florida. Love it. First time. Let me know when book is finished.
Our daughter Stephanie got a pound puppy, Sadie is three months old and is going it be huge. The vet figures between 80and 100 lbs. she seems very gentle for a puppy. Think she is part black lab part border collie and part Newfie. She tries to herd Steph in the kitchen.. Sue Bailey
Hi Sue! That sounds like a lot of puppy! Enjoy Florida!
You have been missed.
Aww, thanks. Glad you’re here, too.
Hi Patti, glad you arecstill alive and kicking. Not much new in my life. At 87 its a monumental event just getting out of bed in the morning. So looking forward to your new book. Take care. Barb
Barb, how lovely to hear from you! At 87, I feel like you’ve earned the right to get up when you want to or to hang out in your jammies all day, watching TV. I’ll get a move on to get the new book out, just for you to read in bed!
Good to know the Blanket Fort is thriving, and book 3 will be arriving sometime! Cheers!
Wrote another thousand words today! Woot, woot!
So good to hear things are on track! Spending a little time in Florida currently… look forward to seeing the book in print.
😊
Teensy bit jealous of the whole Florida thing, Marg! Take a beach walk for me, please!