I have received the Cover and Interior proofs of my novel. I now face the daunting task of painstakingly going through each and every word, piece of punctuation, chapter name, character descriptor, phrase of dialogue, etc. This is gruelling stuff. Why? Well, this is the final thing I must do before I unleash my work on the public. Once that's done, I cannot take it back. Part of me, the crazed perfectionist part, is cringing. What if I miss something? What if I say someone has blue eyes on one page and then fifty pages later they're green?!? I'll be laughed at, mocked horribly. What if I put a comma in the wrong place. Lynn Truss will have a field day with her sharpie. (Aspiring writers, please read her riotous work Eats, Shoots, and Leaves.) At some point, however, I know I will just have to let it go. Ultimately my goal is to be read, and in order for that to happen, I need to stop picking at it.

What this all comes down to is this: I need to finish editing and just say that this is the best it will be. I am happy with my story. My characters are who I want them to be. My plot moves in the direction it should. I need to trust that the people who read my book will like it. Or not. It is out of my hands now.

In other news: I have been asked to perform again. There is a holiday cabaret going on with Steppin' Out Theatrical Productions on December 5th at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. Check out their website for more details. Also, if you don't have tickets yet for Angelwalk Theatre's first show of the season Off Broadway On Stage, it is most certainly worth a look. It will be an awesome night of fun, laughs, and great music at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. (Don't sell it Rob Ford!) Go here for more details.

So, yesterday marked the official launch of this website, and I just want to take the time to thank everyone for their kind words and support. It is thanks to all of you that I am able to do this. I have been blessed with an amazing support group with my friends and family.

People who have read early drafts of The Strings of the Violin have said one thing repeatedly to me: That is that it is wonderful to read about a group of teenage girls who are friends. Not just friends, but true, strong, friends who support each other no matter what . This is what I hope to instil in my readers. Having good girl friends, as a young woman is important. My best friend has been with me since we met in junior kindergarten what feels like a million years ago. I rely on her for so much. It is disheartening to read and see friendships depicted in literature and in the media as being disposable. Girls toss their friends aside for boys, for social status, for the most mundane reasons. I grew up watching shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, reading books like The Hunter's Moon  and the Harry Potter series, and generally like my female protagonists to be strong, to be caring, to be intelligent. This is what I want my own daughter to see and read. This is the kind of character I want her to look for, and this is the kind of character I want my sons to see as well. I don't want them to see women as fickle, weak people who need protection. I want them to be pillars of strength, humanity, and intelligence

This past week has been anti-bullying week. Girl on girl bullying is a horrible epidemic, and while in school, and in the online communities, we should wish on our daughters, sisters, and friends the kind of friendship and support I had from my best friend, and from my family. I was bullied in school. My own personal bully seemed to find it mildly amusing that my friend and I could fit inside of a locker. We therefore spent a large amount of time inside of them. If it wasn't for her, I don't know how I would have dealt with that. So, let's take the time to be the kind of friend you want. Let's support each other and be kind to each other. As my bubbie said: "Be a mensch."

For all interested, I have just opened a contest on my Events page. I am very excited about this, as the whole thing is quite new to me. How did I decide to do this? You may ask. Well, I knew I wanted to do something creative. Not for me, for all of you. I didn't just want to do something along the lines of: fill out a form and enter. I wanted to get all of your creative juices flowing. I want you to have to do a little bit of work. I want to get to know you all a bit better.

The Strings of the Violin has been a true labour of love for me. This is a story I have had rattling around in my head since I was fourteen years old. In essence, I have been living with these characters for literally half my life. In the case of some of the villains, much longer. These characters infused the stories I was told from infancy. So, in order for you, my dear readers, to get a prize, tell me all about where you go in your heads. Tell me about the worlds you dream of inhabiting. Enter once, enter multiple times. Whatever you choose. Just write.

I am still writing. The muse has not left me. These characters just will not let go. I am currently hard at work on a sequel, the name of which I will not say (I can, I just choose not to at this present time). So check back here for updates on that as well.

Much love and luck to you all.