Don’t you love it when a plan comes together? And by plan, I mean a series of beautiful, random events you may or may not have ever imagined. Or if you did, considered highly unlikely. Events like a once-in-a-lifetime viewing of aurora borealis in your little corner of the world, a place you’d never expect to see waves of green and pink (enhanced through the phone, but nevertheless stunning) dance across the sky.
Or more practical pleasant surprises like the completion of another manuscript — I’m surprised each time — and jumping back into the querying trenches. Receiving an agent like on a pitch event, which is an invitation to submit because they’re interested enough to want to see more. Waking up to a full request from another agent in your inbox.
Things are happening. I can’t say why that is, or why I feel a coming together in my life. Maybe the timing’s finally right. Maybe my hustling hard is starting to pay off. Maybe I’m just lucky.
I don’t take any of these wins for granted. When it comes to the publishing world, I’m conscious of paying it back. My writing motto (and really, my motto for life) is Using my words for good, and it continues to guide my decisions. In addition to putting words to paper and screen to get my stories in the world, I’ve focused of late on supporting other authors. In welcoming requests to share my experience, such as it is, I’ve felt more fulfilled than if I’d kept my journey to myself. And I’ve made new friends along the way.
So, I may or may not have had a crazy idea to start a secret literary salon and anyways, tonight I have secret plans … 🤐
(If no one shows up this time around, I’m going to be consuming a LOT of cheese.)
Update: I ate a lot of cheese, but it was also an amazing first gathering! Planning another one for mid-July.
No Big Deal …
… I just totally forgot to mention last time that I’ve finished the draft of my next novel. 🙈 (As I’m sure you’ve already figured out from the intro above.) I can’t believe I’ve managed to write an entire book. I really do say this every time, but I mean it.
Originally I had a completely different book in mind, but when I finished outlining it, I went meh and put it away. Something was missing. Luckily, an unexpected story knocked at my door and demanded to be told. I’ve already got some nibbles from agents. Fingers crossed!
Watch my celebratory announcement
Baby Elephant Walk
I’m so glad Rutley, the elephant statue who makes a number of appearances in Provenance Unknown, will be getting its pink coat back soon! 🐘💕
Update: Rutley’s back!
From Saanich News:
Pretty in pink: Saanich preps historic pachyderm for park’s grand reopening
Primed and ready Rutley’s ready for closeups. The much-photographed pink elephant in Rutledge Park completes a transformation from its old chipped-concrete pachyderm this week.
Rutley’s almost ready for closeups after a glow-up as part of upgrades to the Saanich park where it resides.
The park officially reopened yesterday (June 24), and I’ll be stopping by as soon as I can to check it out.
The Celebration Continues
The community is still celebrating the 2024 Emerging Local Authors Collection. Thank you for including Provenance Unknown in this year’s group!
From the Greater Victoria Public Library on Facebook:
Congratulations to our 2024 Emerging Local Authors! We were thrilled to celebrate with you at the launch event earlier this month. For those who couldn’t attend, we’ve created a video to commemorate this special occasion, along with an album of photos from the day.
📽️ https://ow.ly/z2Zw50RX38O
📸 https://ow.ly/4ci250RX38N
Print books from the Collection are now on display in the Central Branch rotunda and can be placed on hold for pickup at any branch. Ebooks are available online through BiblioBoard with unlimited borrowing.
Northern Exposure
A few months ago, I was featured in the first issue (Vol. 1, No. 1) of The North Ink, a new Canadian literary magazine, and all issues are now available online.
Look for me in the “Sneak Peeks of Upcoming Publications” and “Author Spotlight” sections.
Past and Present
Congratulations to my friend and local Victoria author Valerie Green on the launch of the fourth and final book of The McBride Chronicles, Tomorrow.
This historical fiction saga is set primarily in Victoria, British Columbia, so it’s only fitting the launch took place in the Bard & Banker pub, opened in 1885 as the Bank of British Columbia. Its most notable employee was the Bard of the Yukon himself, Robert Service.
The books are published by Hancock House and available through your favourite retailers. Locally, Munro’s Books, which had a representative on hand at the launch to sell copies, is a great source!
(My small gift to Valerie on the occasion was to create a reel of the event.)
Anyone Can Be A Superhero
I’ve had other poetry published (and much more written) over the years, but this is my first micro-poem. Thanks to Fresh Out: An Arts and Poetry Collective for putting it out there.
I’d like to dedicate it to a group I work with, the Superheroes of Victoria, in honour of their upcoming 15th anniversary celebration. Anyone can be a superhero! 💕 🦸♀️
The Sound of Paris (Music to my Ears)
When music-focused Syncopation Lit reached out to me a few months ago to ask whether I’d be interested in including an excerpt from Provenance Unknown in Volume 3, Issue 2: Paris, I was thrilled. Um, yes! And I knew just the scenes to choose. I hope you’ll agree.
To end on a light note: I found the perfect wallet for an author with a book about Paris and archives … (What do you think?)
Les Bouquinistes
Under the Surface, by Diana Urban
Thank you to author Julie Liddell Whitehead for suggesting this month’s Paris book feature! I’d seen posts about it and was totally intrigued, but then I got distracted and it went out of my mind. I’m grateful for the reminder — I can’t wait to read it when it comes out in August!
From Amazon:
An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.
“Tense and fast-moving, with a unique setting and compelling characters, Under the Surface is Diana Urban’s best yet.”—Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying
Ruby is terrified to cave to her feelings for Sean and risk him crushing her heart.
Sean is pumped to spend a week with Ruby in Paris on their senior class trip, and he’ll wait however long until she’s ready to take things further.
But when Ruby’s best friend sneaks out the first night to meet a mysterious French boy, Ruby goes after her with two classmates, but caves to another temptation: attending mystery boy’s exclusive party in the Paris catacombs, the intricate web of tunnels beneath the city, home to six million long-dead Parisians. Only they never reach the party.
Underground, as something sinister chases them, they get lost in the endless maze of bones, uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs…..and each other. And if they can’t find a way out, they’ll die in the dark beneath the City of Light.
Aboveground, Sean races to find the girl he loves as a media frenzy over the four missing teens begins.
From award-winning author and rising YA star Diana Urban comes a twisty tale of four teens lost in the dark beneath the City of Light and the race to find them.
As always, thanks for reading. Merci!
Sonia
Sonia Nicholson 