Philippine Tarsier (NOT a self-portrait, LOL)
subject of one of my kids’ non-fiction books

One of my favorite parts of writing adult suspense novels is, well, the suspense part. I get to keep people guessing about what’s going to happen next. I can’t help it, I just find that fun.

For example, my 2012 NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month competition) novel features a man named Leon who has taken to saying ominous things to rationalize some highly inappropriate behaviour.  He’s been a very bad man.

When asked, I like to give friends little snippets of what Leon has been working on lately.  I tell them breathlessly, my eyes wide, with a “can you believe THAT?” expression on my face, and I end it with an enraptured, “Isn’t that just aw…”  I want to say ‘awesome’ but they look both hooked AND horrified, so I quickly amend it.  Instead, I finish with, “…aw…ful?!”  Then when they want to know what happens next, I thwart them.  I leave and dash off to write some more.  Usually giggling.  Gleefully.

Recently, though, I took a fun and satisfying break from my usual pursuit of the unusual.  I used it to work on a great idea I had for a neat series of kids’ non-fiction books.   Mailing the query letter was very exciting.  I dropped the envelope in the post box, thinking, “Bye…  Hope to see you again…fingers crossed…”  The publisher’s website says they will respond in about six months.  That gives me plenty of time to wonder what will come next.  Talk about being kept in suspense!  Serves me right, I guess.  Payback:  isn’t it just awe…SOME?!  🙂  Rd