Hi everyone, and welcome to all my new readers!
I hope everyone is keeping well and staying safe. I'm continuing to embrace my new life as a full-time writer - October was very busy and November will continue that trend!
Research is well underway on my next Jason Davey novel. which will be called Ticket to Ride and which I hope will be released at the end of August 2021. In Lost Time, Jason is rehearsing to go on tour with his mum's reunited band, Figgis Green. In Ticket to Ride, we'll follow Jason as he embarks on that tour - and solves another intriguing mystery.
I was really excited and honoured to have my new short story Salty Dog Blues included in the Sisters in Crime - Canada West Anthology Crime Wave. The anthology launched on October 29, 2020 with a celebration and readings by J.E. Barnard, Alice Bienia, Amber Cowie, Karen Dodd, Debra Henry, Tara Moss, Merrilee Robson and me.
The anthology itself features stories by K.L. Abrahamson, J.E. Barnard, Alice Bienia, Marcelle Dube, Debra Henry, Charlotte Morganti, Merrilee Robson and me, with a Foreword by Melodie Campbell.
Salty Dog Blues stars my current hero Jason Davey (when he was working as an entertainer on board the cruise ship Star Sapphire in 2012), as he tries to solve the mystery of a missing (and highly annoying) Chihuahua which has been brought aboard by an equally infuriating passenger.
You can read more about Crime Wave here:
http://www.winonakent.com/crimewave.html
and you can buy it on Amazon (paperback or ebook) here:
https://www.amazon.ca/Crime-Wave-J-Barnard-ebook/dp/B08HL85TX8
The link is to Amazon Canada but it's available internationally as well.
I was really thrilled and honoured to take part in the Surrey International Writers Conference (SiWC) 2020 at home Author Showcase virtual event on October 23, 2020. I had three minutes to chat about my writing and introduce everyone to the Jason Davey Mysteries, and it went very well.
Last month I contributed a little piece, Working With An Outline, to the Writers First website. You can read that short article here:
https://writers-first.com/working-with-an-outline
As you may (or may not!) know. I started using outlines when I was at Vancouver Film School learning how to write screenplays, and the habit has stuck with me through six novels, one novella (Disturbing the Peace) and Salty Dog Blues. I'll very definitely be using the same strategy for Ticket to Ride.
Last month I was really excited to be interviewed by Joanna Vandervlugt for her new podcast JCVArtStudio - Sophisticated Creatives. I discussed everything from the peculiar neighbour who chopped down my dad’s rose bushes to the racy pole-dancer on the cover of Notes on a Missing G-String. All that and Lost Time too! You can listen to the interview here:
https://anchor.fm/joanna6570/episodes/An-interview-with-multi-published-author-Winona-Kent-el4cti
The interview is about 40 minutes long and I was Joanna's "guinea pig" - the experience was excellent and I'm happy to report Joanna's podcast is now booked up right until the end of the year with interviews.
(I happen to know that Brian Richmond, my partner in crime over at Blue Devil Books, will be Joanna's guest this weekend. I'll have the link for you in the next newsletter.)
I'll be doing a 3-minute virtual reading from Lost Time and answering questions at the Creative Academy's celebration of Indie Author Day on Saturday, November 7, between 1pm and 2pm. The event will be online. If you'd like to watch me and my multi-genre colleagues, more info and the link to register for Zoom is on the Creative Academy's website here:
https://t.co/ID8EWytEJq
I will also be doing a virtual reading on November 25th for Writers in Our Midst #16 - The Mystery Edition through the Port Moody Public Library. The readings will feature me along with my colleagues AJ Devlin, Debra Purdy Kong, WL Hawkin, Seamus Heffernin and Erik D'Souza. The episode will be streamed on the Port Moody Library's Facebook page. I'll have more information in the next newsletter.
Also just a reminder - you can read the first two chapters of Lost Time on my website here:
http://www.winonakent.com/losttime-chapters.html
And there are links to Amazon Canada, US and UK on that page. (Thanks again to everyone who's bought the book - you are very much appreciated!)
Many thanks to everyone for continuing to support me and to stay in touch!
As always, if you want to write to me personally, please do! I'm at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Stay well and safe.
Cheers
Nona
www.winonakent.com