Ode to Ice

Changes are brewing here at the lake. Yesterday, the ice went out! It's always an exciting time to see the open water again each spring.

To mark the occasion, here's a bit of an "ode to ice" collage from this past winter and previous years.

New Series!

I finally get to share my big news.
I know, MORE BIG NEWS?? How is that possible?

I've had an incredible year, and been very very lucky.

This is what I've been working on lately. From Publishers Weekly:

Christine Krones at HMH has acquired the first four books in a fictional series of young chapter books called Survivor Diaries by Terry Lynn Johnson. Each book will feature a different survival story about kids who get lost in the wilderness and are able to survive using their knowledge and skills in climates ranging from snowy Wyoming backcountry to tropical Costa Rican rainforest. Publication of the first title, Overboard, is scheduled for spring 2017; Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.

An example of "never give up":
Survivor Diaries has been super fun to write. I felt blessed each day during my recent leave of absence from work that I got to stay home and do something I love. 
But before that, I had started to wonder if my writing career was over. I hadn't sold anything in four years. Not since ICE DOGS. 
Now suddenly, with the 4-book SURVIVOR DIARIES series added to my other contracts (FALCON WILD is the new official title of my falconry novel coming out next fall, and SLED DOG SCHOOL coming out Feb. 2018), that makes six books sold in one year! Publishing can be like that. I'm just so grateful to be writing again.


We've recently returned from a research trip hiking in Montana and Wyoming, so here are a few pictures while we wait for the book covers to arrive. 

Yellowstone Park, Wyoming

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

hiking Sphinx Mountain, Montana

Best vacation - Whales in St. Lawrence, Quebec

I still can't tell you my big news.

But I do have more happy photos to share of our latest adventures.

Three weeks kayaking St. Lawrence and the Saguenay Fijord in Quebec.
Very French. Very WHALE.

little fuzzy, but here's me taking the above photo. This minke whale got a might close but the best part I wish I could share with you is the noise they make coming out of the water and blowing. Spectacular! 

Beluga Whales!

Grey seal - heavy breathers when following your kayak! 

stayed in this tent for three weeks!
Notice the tide markers in front on the beach. Sneaky coming up 14 feet during the night, had to keep an eye on it.

Two minke whales in a feeding frenzy. This photo was taken just before they got way too close erupting out of the water in a chaotic fashion and we had to back paddle post haste. Notice we are already rafted together with our kayaks to feel more stable and safe.

Note: "safe" being a relative term while sitting in a plastic tube on freezing water with mammals the size of busses underneath you. 

Kayak north shore Lake Huron

I have news! 

But I have to wait to tell you.

In the meantime, here are some photos of our latest kayak trip along beautiful Lake Huron from Sault Ste. Marie to Spanish, Ontario.

Another Adventure

Bet you're wondering what happened to the good old days when I used to post here about my outdoor adventures and share buckets of photos.

Few things have made this a busy summer and sadly, we missed a few planned trips.

And the final blow was a very heartbreaking decision to put our Husky dog down due to cancer. This hollowed me out right good till we met Lady Bird.

Lady Bird - our 10-month-old latest family member. Border Collie / Lab mix

We've just returned home from our two-week adventures in Nova Scotia where we all bonded and ate seafood and hiked and camped in a tiny tent, and now Lady Bird is home and wondering - "What?? I can't sleep with you in your bed? What the heck is this business?"

Lady Bird LOVES to sleep in a tent with THE PEOPLE

And now for buckets of photos:

When I say hiking in Nova Scotia, I mean - the ENTIRE province. We went all around. 6,000 km. Fun, but next time we are flying to the destination!

anyone else do an epic road trip this summer?