I’m a red-shafted northern flicker. I happened to flick through the pages of Anneli’s latest book, “Marlie.” It took me back to a time when I made a return flight up to the northern coast of BC. I flew across to the Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii), but the weather up there is something else, let me tell you! I nearly blew all the way to China in that windstorm.
On Graham Island near the fishing village of Masset, I ended up gripping a hemlock branch. In one wind gust, a lovely lady on the cover of Anneli’s book flew by and got hung up on the branches too. Since I was already gripping the branch, I grabbed it and thought, “How fitting!” I’d read it before and it was a gripping story.
When I read it, did I ever have my eyes opened. Let me tell you! Here’s Marlie, this lovely lady, newly arrived on the islands just like me, trying to make her way all by herself, just like me, and she ends up struggling not to give up on living in the new place, just like me.
I flickered through some more pages. Well! This smarmy artist fellow (I’d seen him around town looking like a charming beach boy – can’t stand the type myself), came onto Marlie. She’s a looker, let me tell you! But she’s too kind for her own good. Finds it hard to say no. And when she finally does say no – screams it, in fact (I heard her all the way to my tree in the woods near the beach) – it doesn’t do her any good.
Now what?! She’s so much like me. She can’t go home and admit she’s a failure. Like me, she just got here. We have to stick together. So when I found out what happened, I flew over to the dumpy trailer she was renting and imagined that I whispered in her ear, “Never mind. There are other people in the world besides those beach boy types. No one else knows what happened in the woods. Just do like me. Fly away and mend for a while. Maybe you’ll meet a friend. I know a fisherman. Handsome fellow and very capable. Good person.”
But, to be honest, I wasn’t sure they were suited. Marlie’s politics are a bit left-wing (government job, you know) and this fisherman, Brent, I’m sure is far right, being in business for himself. You never know, though. They say opposites attract.
“I’ll fly over to his fishboat in the Masset harbour,” I imagined telling Marlie, “and sit on the crossbar of his mast. I’ll get his attention, doing what birds do in the rigging. I’ll drop some ‘e-mail’ down to him and when he looks up, I’ll tell him about you. Maybe I’ll drop the book cover image down to him so he can see how pretty you are.
“I’ll put a bug in his ear,” (Ha ha, I have some real juicy ones, let me tell you), “and then the rest is up to you.”
By the way, you lovely followers of Anneli’s blog, if you need a book to read during Christmas break (or any time) you can find Marlie on amazon (just type in the title) and on smashwords.com if you have an e-reader other than Kindle.
You will love it, let me tell you! And so inexpensive. Less than the price of a hamburger, but fifty times as good, it lasts a long time and not on your thighs either.
*****
Thank you all for indulging me. My book is just out and I’m a bit excited about it. I won’t hit you up about it all the time. I think I’ve got that out of my system now – for a while anyway.
I wish all of you a very happy Christmas season and hope 2018 is good to you.
See you in the next year or maybe sooner.
December 22, 2017 at 8:21 pm
Merry Christmas, Anneli
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December 22, 2017 at 10:48 pm
Thanks, Terry. All the best to you too. Looking forward to a new year of blogging and doing fun things.
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December 22, 2017 at 8:33 pm
Congratulations Anneli. You should be excited. Incredible accomplishment. Merry Christmas.
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December 22, 2017 at 10:51 pm
Thank you, DK. It is the best part of the book-writing process when you hold the first book hot off the press. Somehow this one is particularly dear to me.
All the best to you and your family. Have a great time over Christmas.
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December 23, 2017 at 12:11 am
I just hope that my exemplar doesn´t get caught by a fir branche on the long way to here!
Have a lovely Christmas all of you out there.
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December 23, 2017 at 8:14 am
I’m sure your copy will be in good shape, if they wrapped it properly. The one this flicker read just blew in on a southeaster. Marlie didn’t even have time to put a jacket on.
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December 23, 2017 at 3:48 am
Merry Christmas, Anneli!
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December 23, 2017 at 8:15 am
Thanks, Jill. Have a nice Christmas yourself, and I wish you only good things in the new year.
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December 23, 2017 at 1:38 pm
❤
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December 23, 2017 at 4:57 am
I’m so glad the flicker told us about your book. I flew over to Amazon, and Marlie is now in my Kindle. My gift to myself. The cover is gorgeous. I love it! Merry Christmas and huge congratulations for the accomplishment of publishing another book!
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December 31, 2017 at 12:50 pm
I just saw this comment and it looks like I didn’t answer it. I’m so happy you flew over to amazon. I’m sure the flicker knew the way. He’s been there often. I appreciate your comments because you know the sweat and blood and sleepless nights it takes to get a book to this stage. All the best to you, Pam, and thank you for buying my book.
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December 23, 2017 at 8:05 am
Dear Anneli,
a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours,
Pit
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December 23, 2017 at 8:17 am
Hi Pit, I suppose your snow is gone now that you would like it for Christmas? But whatever the weather is doing, I know you’ll have a happy, cozy Christmas, if your blog video clips are any indication. It looks so festive and lovely. All the best!
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December 23, 2017 at 10:09 am
You’re right: no more snow in the offing. It looks like cold [well, night freezes] but sunny weather for the holidays.
All the best to you, too,
Pit
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December 23, 2017 at 10:56 am
What a beautiful introduction to your new book. Congratulations! And Merry Christmas to you and the Captain.
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December 23, 2017 at 10:57 am
Thank you, Gladys. Have a wonderful Christmas. All the best in 2018.
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December 23, 2017 at 1:01 pm
Lovely writing, as alway’s 🙂
Cheers !
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December 23, 2017 at 1:29 pm
That birdie is a great marketing gal!!!
Congrats.
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December 23, 2017 at 2:05 pm
Haha. Does that mean my book is for the birds? But the flicker does a good job of getting right into the story, doesn’t he?
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December 23, 2017 at 4:45 pm
Nicely done! Happy Holidays!
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December 23, 2017 at 9:02 pm
Thanks for indulging me once again, Belinda. All the best to you for the holidays.
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December 25, 2017 at 3:23 pm
Merry Christmas Anneli and all the best! I am glad I found your blog!
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December 26, 2017 at 8:19 am
All the best for the new year, Juli. I’m glad you found me too.
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December 26, 2017 at 12:17 pm
And a Happy New Year to you too!
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December 26, 2017 at 7:31 pm
Hope you have a really nice season of holiday cheer, Anneli. I like your “Birdy told me” idea! I will feature Marlie on two posts on January first, I will wait to buy the paperback edition since I don’t have any computer or reader devices! Just my cellphone. . . Happy New Year, dear friend. ❤✨🎉
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December 27, 2017 at 12:23 am
Thanks a lot, Robin. That will help me to get the word out. I really appreciate it. Happy New Year to you too.
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January 14, 2018 at 3:27 pm
I ordered your “Marlie” book and John Howell’s “My GRL” book. Together, $36.25 which is not too bad. I stayed home all weekend, no gas or meals out due to frigid weather. 🌬🌫❄
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January 14, 2018 at 3:32 pm
Good choices, Robin. I’ve read John’s book and it;s a page turner. You’ll have good reading while the weather keeps you inside. Thank you so much!! Please tell your friends.
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January 22, 2018 at 3:38 pm
I will pass on the word on my blog, once I finish each book. I will make sure to tell my local friends!
First, I have a borrowed book of a friend who asked me to read her book club’s choice. It is the last Kinsey Milhone book by Sue Grafton. Sadly, she passed away having completed 25 of the 26 letters of the alphabet. It is in her will and copyright claim that No One will write letter, “Z!” “Y Is for Yesterday”
won’t close the chapter of what will happen to her character. (A Is for Alibi and B Is for Burglar were written while I was a young single Mom of 1, 3 and 5 year old.)
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January 22, 2018 at 3:46 pm
Thanks, Robin. That’s kind of you.
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January 23, 2018 at 5:00 pm
It is what friends do, Anneli.
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December 31, 2017 at 12:14 pm
Oh! I just noticed this lovely, new post! So nice to read it from a birdie. I will definitely check out your new book. Congrats!!!! And Happy New Year, new virtual friend!
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December 31, 2017 at 12:47 pm
Thank you, Cathi. I hope you’ll enjoy it.
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January 14, 2018 at 3:16 pm
I will buy your book and read it, since it is on Amazon now! Yay!
So glad if anyone stopped by after your blog was mentioned. . . Not sure if you had any extra guests. 👍 😊
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January 14, 2018 at 3:18 pm
Yes, I did. Thank you! And thanks, Robin, for reading my book. I hope you’ll enjoy this adventure to Haida Gwaii with Marlie.
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