Bett Norris

Merry Christmas and happy holiday season to everyone.

I hope you all are enjoying being with family and friends.

It is quiet this morning, a light rain is falling, and I imagine people enjoying scenes like this one from years past.

I am working on my new book, still reading, researching, thinking, making notes and tentative beginnings. Revisiting lots of questions that made me start this novel, like: what pushes a person to do something outside their normal range of comfort and confidence? What motivates them to engage in something that could be dangerous, knowing ill consequences will follow? How does one take that first step?

Even as I begin the first draft, I am waiting for the editing to begin on my second novel, What’s Best for Jane, which has received a release date now of October, 2010. This is exciting and welcome news. I am convinced that readers might not care about the reasons for the long delay between books, but the short explanation is, the book wasn’t ready when I first submitted it, and I was tasked to rewrite, which pushed it off Bywater’s schedule. Now it is back on, and I am relieved and pleased.

Writers are, in my opinion and experience, strange. While most everyone I know is gathering with family, opening gifts, sharing a holiday meal, enjoying time off from work, all that runs through my head is, I have three uninterrupted days in which to write.  I have quiet, I have a space, I have the prospect. It is the best gift I can think of.

I am so happy that Jill Malone’s new novel, Field Guide to Deception, received an excellent review and was selected as one of the top ten novels of 2009 by afterellen.com. This is a remarkable book. I greatly admire Malone’s work, and I see many accolades for Field Guide coming her way. She is one of the best new writers around.

Sandy Moore’s memoir, Beside Myself, seems to be selling well. This is a funny and touching look at her childhood, and people seem to be spreading the word about it.

Filled with photos and original drawings, this book makes a great gift for readers of all ages.

I am also excited about Cynn Chadwick’s next book, Angels and Manners. Idon’t know the release date yet, but it will be soon, I think. Ibelieve this may be her best work yet. A comment on the times we haveshared in this first decade of the new century, I can’t wait to read this one.

All these new books really get me excited and enthused about my own writing.  Ya’ll have a great holiday. I hope I’ve given you some good ideas for those gift cards. Remember to support your local and indepedent bookstores when you can.