27 | March | 2021 | Leslie Budewitz

Ah, for the good old days of actually holding book launches in bookstores and libraries and art galleries! I miss them, but mostly I miss YOU. I miss BOOK PEOPLE. With most events moved online right now, it can be easy to lose track BUT it can also be a lot easier to pop in and hear a favorite author speak about her new book, her old books, books she’s read, books she wishes she’d written or read. So as the April 13 launch of BITTERROOT LAKE (written as Alicia Beckman) approaches, watch for an occasional weekend email letting you know about events coming up the next week and how you can join me. Not every week, and only until early May; of course, you can find the full list of events on my website.

Sunday, March 28 at 2 E/noon Mtn: BookTuber (yes, it’s a word!) Tiffany Krieg will be interviewing me on her YouTube channel about cozy mysteries and more. The video will be archived so you can catch it later. Join via this link.

Tuesday, March 30 at 8 pm Mtn/7 pm Pacific: Join me and fellow NW cozy authors Emmeline Duncan, Ellie Alexander, and Angela Sanders for a book talk at Annie Bloom’s Books in Portland, OR. Register for the Livestream via this link. The first in Emmeline’s new series, FRESH BREWED MURDER, starring a terrific young woman who runs a coffee cart in Portland, launches that day; I’ve read it and it’s a lot of fun. Plus, we’re all a hoot, if I do say so myself, so you’ll have a great laugh and, I hope, discover some great new books and authors.

I hope to see you somewhere along the way.

In the Clearwater Valley, pastel on suedeboard, by the author

We all know that showing up on the page, or the sketchbook, or the keyboard, is the only way to get the work done. But novelist and teacher Julianna Baggott points out that regular practice doesn’t just give you more pages or paintings or songs; it improves your skills and flow, and helps create the supportive community we all need.

“While creating pages at an ambitious rate, you’re also practicing strategies that help you block out distraction and get you to the page. You’re figuring out how to carve out time, to refresh and recharge, and then returning to the page. Perhaps you’re also learning how to move between projects. Maybe you’re teaching the people in your life that this discipline is important to you and that it will require some understanding and support on their part. In this way, you’re hopefully working toward a sustainable practice.”
– Julianna Baggott, Writer Unboxed 12/3/20