Roasting in winter

Hello Coffee Lovers,

Yes, it’s still winter here. There are some advantages to roasting in winter. The first being that the beans cool faster. The second being that roasting things at 250-300 Celcius is a lot more tolerable when the temperature outside is -5.

The shoveling and having to stop for snowfall isn’t as much fun.

I was roasting this weekend to prepare for Mini Ottawa Comiccon. It’s at the EY centre and will be a vendors market with free entrance (Although parking is $10).

Hours are 11-6 on Saturday and 11-5 on Sunday.

Hope to see you there,

Éric

Nominate us for the Auroras please!

Hello family, fans, people who randomly read this blog, and friends (both real and imaginary),

The Aurora Awards, which are for Canadian science fiction and fantasy writers and artists, are open for nominations! This means the LONG lists of eligible works are being narrowed down to 5-6 per category.

Once they have a list of nominated works, every single person who signed up and paid the $10 membership fee gets ALL the nominated works as downloads. That’s all the adult novels, YA novels, novellas, short stories, graphic novels, and related works (usually anthologies), so about 36 works, for just $10 CAD, which is a great deal.

Getting nominated for an Aurora Award is a BIG DEAL in the writing community. You get a nomination pin (only once, so I’m terrified I’ll lose mine!), and you’re part of an elite group of people.

How do you nominate?

  1. Go to this website
  2. Join, pay membership fee
  3. Nominate up to 5 works per category

It would mean a lot to us if you’re willing to nominate us! (Categories are in alphabetical order by work)

  • Category 1 – Best Novel
    • Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers by Jen and Éric Desmarais
  • Category 3 – Best Novelette/Novella
    • Birth of the Aetherverse by Éric Desmarais
  • Category 4 – Best Short Story
    • Ringing In The New Year by Jen Desmarais
    • Choose Your Own Adventure – Welcome to Westmeath by Jen Desmarais
  • Category 7 – Best Related Work
    • Nothing Without Us Too by Cait Gordon and Talia C. Johnson (Jen has a short story Semper Ubi Sub Ubi in this one!)
  • Category 9 – Best Fan Writing/Publication
    • JenEric Movie Reviews by Éric Desmarais
    • The Travelling TARDIS by Jennifer Desmarais

In case you’re wondering why Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers is not included in the best cover art category, it’s because our cover artist is Vietnamese! Only Canadian creators are eligible, unfortunately.

Thank you so much for your time, attention, and support!

Jen and Éric

Rescheduled Signing

*UPDATE: The signing has been POSTPONED until further notice.*

Hello Readers,

Unfortunately due to a massive cyber security incident on Indigo, we are forced to reschedule the signing to next weekend.

Meet the Authors of Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers Sunday February 19th, 1pm to 3pm at Indigo Pinecrest (2735 Iris St. Ottawa)

See you there!

Éric

Signing – Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers

*UPDATE: The signing has been POSTPONED until further notice.*

*UPDATE: The signing has been rescheduled to Sunday February 19th*

Hello Readers,

Have you wanted to get a copy of Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers, but were waiting so you could get it signed? This is your chance.

Meet the Authors of Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers Sunday February 12th, 1pm to 3pm at Indigo Pinecrest (2735 Iris St. Ottawa)

We might have some extra goodies for those that show up.

Hope to see you there!

Éric and Jen

The Swoonie Awards are open!!

But only until January 30th!

If anyone would like to nominate our book:

Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers by Jen and Éric Desmarais

It is eligible in the following categories:

  • Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance
  • Best Cover (add “art by @pinkpiggy93 ” to your nomination in this category)

Please and thank you!

Happy nominating, everyone!

https://www.theswoonawards.com/2023/01/16/the-2022-swoon-awards-nominations-round/

New schedule

Things have changed a little bit on our blog.

Travelling TARDIS has shifted from Wednesday to Tuesday/Thursday, because the Guitar Updates have stopped. I felt like they were getting super repetitive this summer, and I wasn’t enjoying writing them any more.

Movie Reviews, for now, are on Wednesday.

And I’ve taken over writing some of the Monday/Friday blog posts because Éric, despite the doctor’s orders, has been forced back to work by WSIB. He started on November 2nd, which is when I am writing this.

With him physically at work for the first time since Pegasus was born, things have changed rather drastically at home.

For one thing, we adults have started going to bed an hour earlier (so 11pm instead of midnight, although we probably should be aiming for 10pm) because we are getting up at 6am instead of 7:30am.

Since the bulk of my writing was being done at night after the kids went to bed, I need to figure out a new way of writing. So far today, I’ve been writing on my phone during the day, in between reading books to my son, while remotely supervising Dragon’s virtual school. It’s been working fairly well, but I’m at a point in the book where words flow easily. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep the momentum when it’s a point where I’m struggling.

I’m also now responsible for the kids for the entire day, waking them up, getting all three meals (because Éric isn’t home until 6pm), and tonight he’s grocery shopping, so I’ll be putting them to bed by myself as well. I recognize my privilege that I haven’t had to do this since the beginning. It’s still hard.

And I miss my husband.

Fortunately? for COVID, his office is still doing 3 days at home, so I’m only by myself for 2 days of the week, but those 2 days feel interminable.

However, the kids have been very good so far (separately, since Dragon was in the basement and Pegasus was with me) today, so I’m counting that as a win.

Apparently, saying “I know Papa doesn’t do it like this, but Papa isn’t here today, so work with me here” is working. So far.

Wish us luck.

A new health update from Éric on how he feels working against his doctor’s orders will be coming soonish. It really depends on how bad his pain is when he finishes work.

JenEric Can-Con Schedule

Hello Readers!

This weekend is the wonderful Can-Con: Conference on Canadian Content in Speculative Arts and Literature.

Jen and I will be in the vendors room most of the time.

Here are the vendor’s room hours

  • Friday 5-8
  • Saturday 10-6
  • Sunday 10-4

I have a signing (in the vendors room) from 12-12:30 with awesome John Hass. (Although I’ll sign at any time you catch me.)

Jen has a reading at 1 on Sunday (In Salon D) with the wonderful Madona Skaff. (I’ll be there too and might read if Jen insists.)

Beyond that, I participated in the Digital version of the Con. I prerecorded a panel that will be at 2:30 on Saturday. The panel is called The Horror of Time Loops. I was on it with Gigi Ganguly and Ren Hutchings, both of whom were excellent panelists. Our moderator was Sean Dowie, who did an excellent job.

I’ll try to be in the discord during and after the panel.

Hope to see you there!

Éric

Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers Music Video

Hello,

Now that you’ve seen the Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers Book Trailer, check out the Music Video.

I’m super proud of Jen for composing this song and performing it. She rocks! (Literally)

Assassins! Accidental Matchmakers is available everywhere books are sold. Find it in your local bookstore with 49th Shelf.

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric