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The last six months have been particularly challenging for me in making progress. In May 2024, I received a manuscript evaluation from my editor, but my day job has kept me so busy that I have little time to focus on it. After months of juggling responsibilities with no clear end in sight, I finally decided to quit my job. I feel a tremendous sense of relief with this decision. I plan to spend September recovering (I've been sick for the last 3+ weeks) and recharging before moving in a new direction. I will get back on track with revising my second manuscript. I'll also dive into tutorials on how to use TikTok to market my first book, Spark, and commit to updating my blogs more regularly. 
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I have completed my second manuscript! It is currently under content review from an editor, who can point me to what works well and what needs to be improved or fixed in the story. I’m leaving the manuscript alone for two to three months so that I can edit the story with a fresh perspective. In the meantime, I am updating the blogs on this website and on Facebook, as well as posting on Instagram. I’m also brainstorming new outlines for my next project(s). The second manuscript is not a sequel to Spark. It is a story about a young adult who believes she is being haunted by a ghost after almost being hit by a car near a cemetery in Hong Kong.  Lake Louise, AB Lake Louise is within Banff National Park. It has a beautiful lake surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. Since moving to Calgary, my family has always celebrated our anniversary at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for afternoon tea. It has always been a wonderful experience, and the views of the emerald lake and mountains are truly breathtaking. In Spark, Jenny and her companions decide to rest at Lake Louise after a long day’s travel from BC to Alberta. It is also at Lake Louise that they learn about a deadly new virus with horrific symptoms tearing through BC. Calgary, AB Calgary is a city in western Alberta and the third largest city in Canada. I currently live in Calgary! In Spark, the characters discuss about the Calgary Stampede. The Stampede is an annual ten-day event in July. It has shows (rodeo, dog bowl, freestyle motocross, etc.), music, attractions (parade, midway, shopping, etc.), and more! The book also mentions Calgary’s high elevation. If all the ice caps melt, Becky and her friends believe that Calgary, at an elevation of 1,047m, will still be above water. Regina, SK Regina is the capital of Saskatchewan. Driving from Calgary to Regina in the summer feels like gliding across an endless canvas of flat prairie land, framed by vast fields of golden wheat and other crops. In Spark, two people are airlifted to the Regina General Hospital, one of the city’s two major hospitals, after a particular event. Winnipeg, MB Winnipeg is the capital and largest city in Manitoba. I haven’t been to Winnipeg, and whenever people talk about it, they always mention the snowstorms. Anyhow, I hope to travel there one day. They have the largest and longest-running multicultural festival in the world, the Folklorama. Becky and her companions travel to Becky’s aunt’s place in Winnipeg's Linden Woods neighbourhood.  Thank you Indigo (The Core location) for giving me the opportunity to do a book signing event last week at their store. I got to meet so many people in the process. To those who have purchased a book, I hope that you'll enjoy reading Spark. If we've missed each other last week, Spark is still available at Indigo (The Core location), the Indigo online store, Pages . . ., Shelf Life Books, and of course, all other major retailers including Amazon and the FriesenPress bookstore.  Join me at the book signing event tomorrow! Come by Indigo at the Core (T.D. Square, 317 7 Ave SW T159, Calgary, AB) between 11 AM and 2 PM and say hello!  Working hard with my day job during the day, and writing my next book during the night. :) Saw these painted rocks at a neighbour's yard the other way when I walked the kids to the playground.  Check out the link to Joel's Books's article on the top 9 YA thriller books for 2022 (so far). Spark is on the list!  The plr programAs per the Public Lending Right’s website, the average payment for eligible authors in 2020-2021 was $4,500. Even if your book is purchased by only one library, consider applying! Registration is due May 1 of each year for results and payout the following February. What is the PLR Program?
 LibraryHow to get your books into the library?
Check your local library's website of call them. I called the Calgary Public Library’s hotline and asked if they would consider adding my book, Spark, to their collection. After the call, the library sent me an email outlining the questions I need to answer in order to be considered. I answered the questions and that was it. I didn’t hear back from the library but when I checked the library’s catalogue a week later, they’ve ordered 2 copies of my book. I was very thrilled and grateful. If you live in Calgary and would like to read my book, Spark, you can borrow it from the Calgary Public Library shortly: Spark | Calgary Public Library | BiblioCommons |
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