Someone kindly snapped pictures of me on two panels at When Words Collide this August.

When Words Collide multi-genre writing conference gets going tomorrow (Friday). I’ll be there from my morning sex-writing workshop through the mystery writers’ evening party, with (I hope) an afternoon break at home. My first panel takes place Friday at 6:00 PM, right before the keynote addresses. “Eve of Destruction” features a half dozen mystery writers talking about how we keep our female sleuths from becoming cliches.

Saturday evening, I’ll be at the mass autograph session, which is open to the public. Sunday at 10:00 AM I’m on a panel called Pantser, Plotter or Quilter. We’ll talk about what methods we use (if any) to keep our stories from going astray.

The rest of the time, I plan to attend lots of sessions. So many look interesting, it will be hard to limit myself. People can still register for the conference at the door. I look forward to chatting with some of you there and crashing after the jam-packed weekend.

The When Words Collide party hosted by Calgary Crime Writers and the Crime Writers of Canada is shaping up to be a fun event. We’re going with a “Clue” game theme, with a half dozen of us assuming the roles of the colourful Clue characters: Miss Scarlett, Colonel Mustard etc. There will be punch, cake and board games for those interested. Join us in our party room at the Carriage House Inn, Friday night starting at 9:00 PM. Everyone welcome.

I’ve been conscripted to help organize the Calgary Crime Writers/Crime Writers of Canada party social at When Words Collide. The party will take place the first day of the conference, Friday Aug 9, from 9 PM to midnight at the conference hotel, the Carriage House Inn. You’re all invited to this free event. We’re working on a fun theme. Stay tuned for more details once we figure them out.

First day that really feels like summer. Under blue skies, eleven of us enjoyed our annual bookclub potluck lunch in our backyard. We spent more time discussing the flood than books, but came up with our list for next year. Looks like a good selection, with settings all over the world.

Relatives and friends, hearing and viewing reports about the Calgary flood, have been calling and e-mailing to ask if we’re okay.

We live fairly high-up from the river and have escaped the flood’s effects – so far. Life, for us, functions normally, aside from cancelled events and inconveniences.  My heart goes out to the numerous southern Alberta residents forced to evacuate, those with flood-damaged property and, most of all, the loved ones of people who lost their lives in High River.

While we feel somewhat like outsiders to this local disaster, Will and I can understand. This is the third major flood we’ve experienced in less than year, in three separate world locations.

The first one, which impacted us most, was last fall’s flood in York, UK. Prior to the trip, we booked an apartment along the river for five nights. It came with bicycles and we had visions of biking along the river pathway, as well as making day trips to sites outside of town, such as Castle Howard, the grand estate where  the TV series Brideshead Revisited was filmed. None of that happend.

After several days of torrential rain, the river spilled over the pathway and rose up buildings that now looked like homes in Venice. Water filled our apartment building courtyard, the only access in and out.  Our worst morning in York, we waded through murky, thigh-high water dressed in our bathing suits, ducked into a public washroom and changed into our street clothes.

Last month, when I left for a holiday in Austria and the Czech Republic, I joked that I hoped a flood wouldn’t hit us again. It did, during the final week of our trip, in Prague, following five days of heavy rain. As in Calgary, the country declared a state of emergency and called in the army. Soldiers erected flood walls and sandbagged threatened areas and buildings. One block from our house, we stepped over barricades to go to our favourite bakery. Subway lines were closed, as were city parks due to the risk of trees falling due to soggy ground. This resulted in us changing several sight-seeing plans and prevented us from making a day-trip to Terezin, to view the concentration camp, because the routes to the town were under water and Terezin was evacuated. Instead of evenings spent strolling the iconic Charles Bridge – it was closed – we joined the multitude of tourists and locals photographing the swollen river. Water rushing over paths and parks made us glad to be distant from the flood’s worst effects.

… after a 40 day holiday to Austria, the Czech Republic and Toronto. When I left, the trees in my yard were barely budding.  I returned to summer bloom – and mosquitoes.

After such a long time away, I’m eager to return to writing. Calgary’s June rains (plus the bugs) might help tie me to my computer and writing room, although I don’t want to miss our short summer weather. My priority, for the next month, will be enjoying the warm air and blue skies, getting exercise and healthy eating. I managed a fair bit of the first ones on the holiday, but couldn’t resist gorging on Austrian and Czech pastries, schnitzel and dumplings, among other arterty-choking cuisine, and inexpensive wine and beer.

A look at my blog, shows I haven’t posted since January. Yikes. Last winter and spring, I was focused on finishing the third draft of a new novel before leaving on the trip and let the blog slide. I’ll get back to it during this more relaxed summer period. Tune in for some travel-related posts.

When Words Collide multi-genre writing conference comes to Calgary Aug 9-11, 2013. I’m registered and looking forward to a busy, informative and fun three days. Last year, I participated in three panels. You can listen to podcast of one called Always the Bad Guy.

The discussion wound up focussing on anti-heros, a topic I hadn’t given much thought to before the panel. Interesting to wing it in front of an audience.

Calgary Readers: Check out the CBC Book Sale for some really great finds.

I hosted a fun, informative book club gathering yesterday featuring Alberta author Fran Kimmel and her novel The Shore Girl.

The Shore Girl is short-listed for this year’s Alberta Readers’ Choice Award. Voting is now open to the public. Prize is $10,000. The winner will be announced at an Edmonton gala on May 25th.