The Year 2007--Friday Feature

Today's Friday Feature showcases the year 2007. I thought it might be both fun and somewhat entertaining (if not revealing) to reminisce about 2007 through pictures… You know what they say, after all…A picture is worth a thousand words… so, I’ll try to keep it brief… but I am a writer, after all…

January: My family kicked off 2007 with a trip to Thailand. Thailand is a strikingly beautiful country, matched in its verdant beauty by a gentle, kind-hearted and humble people. The Thai people are without a doubt one of the most beautiful people I have met in my many travels throughout the world. They possess a healthy sense of humor and patient nature that allows them to accept disaster (like the recent tsunami and the earthquakes and floods that so commonly befall them) in stride. We experienced their wonderful culture, rode elephants (actually, one blew in my ear!), ate spicy food of unknown origin, swam the Andaman Sea, got tickled by a shrieking monkey, spoke Thai (badly, I’m afraid), risked our lives to cross the road (the Thai are NOT known for their driving skills), bought silk-made clothes, indulged in Thai massages, and drank lots of Singha Beer.

April: Not only is this month a bit of a phenomenon for me (I was born this month!) but this was the month I created my blog, The Alien Next Door, with my first post called “Alien Musings” on April 11. I was such a newbie (embarrassed grin) and so jazzed about my blog and the Blogosphere in general.

May: I joined MyBlogLog and soon after BlogCatalog, my two favorite blogging communities, and found them both so welcoming. That’s when I met most of you, particularly those of you highlighted in this previous post. What a COOL place I’d discovered in the Cyber Universe!

July: the family embarked on our annual vacation trip to the islands off the coast of British Columbia…a veritable holiday paradise. It helped that we have use of a family-shared 28-foot cruiser that my husband captains…Yeah… we’re a bit spoiled… I know… The sparkling clear waters of Desolation Sound harbor a rich cornucopia of sea life that my marine biologist husband can actually name. And, yes, those fried oysters in garlic butter are to die for… The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things…

August: I flew via the friendly carrier WestJet to Calgary, Alberta, and participated in Conversion-23, Calgary’s science fiction and fantasy convention. I got there early to do a writer’s retreat with my drinking buddy, Virginia, and we had a grand time between writing in our suite, research in the office, and drinking at the bar (for inspiration, of course!). This excellent combination proved incredibly productive and set me on fire for the con. Good thing too, because Kirstin Morrell, the con chair, kept me out of mischief by putting me on so many panels, I was literally running from one to the other without a washroom break...That's okay; I needed the exercise and it kept me out of the bar! And I still managed to find the Slave Auction (one winner pictured here with her prizes).

October: I participated in Vcon, Vancouver’s science fiction and fantasy convention, and got re-acquainted with my publisher, Gwen Gades (an amazing energetic and creative lady) and the publisher of Edge Publishing, Brian Hades, and his vivacious wife, Anita, who taught me how to swear in French (something that might come in handy when I go back to Montreal). We knew we were in “the zone” when we did the cha-cha down the hall and I re-told my “Henri the manure salesman” joke to a group of appreciative-because-they-were-inebriated attendees.

November: my anticipated book, Darwin's Paradox, was released in bookstores throughout North America and Europe and I launched in my own home town at the independent bookstore, Black Bond Books. Then I travelled to Toronto to visit my father, brother and his family and sneaked in a book tour of virtually all the Chapters stores there (between tile shops, that is), as well as the well known science fiction specialty store, Bakka Books. It was also an opportunity for me to finally meet my then press agent—now my manager—the dynamic Karen Mason, a most remarkable woman who I credit with being largely responsible for making my book known to important individuals (including YOU). I’d only corresponded with her via internet or phone etc. up to then. It was special to finally meet you face-to-face, Karen! I was so jazzed! And she was so cool (she rides a motorcycle, you know! Hey, you think that if I'm really nice to her she'll let me have a ride?...).

December: the family saw several members and close friends fall ill but also recover in time to spend a wonderful Christmas that we could all be thankful for. I even managed to do some Christmas baking, which my boys appreciated. What a way to end the year: healthy, happy and sated on Christmas baking…