First the most jaw-dropping news, to me. CBC Radio picked STOCKHOLM SYNDROME as one of their best crime books of the season.
Yup, for summer 2016, Dr. P.K. Rangachari, mystery novel enthusiast and professor in the faculty of medicine at McMaster University, told Shelagh Rogers, the mystery panel, The Next Chapter audience, and basically the planet that they should read my thriller about a hostage-taking on the obstetrics ward, where Dr. Hope Sze has to deliver a baby and get everyone out alive.
So why do I pair this news with a picture of me and Max in a helmet? Well, zip lining is not a bad metaphor for writing.
“What happened to you?” said a nurse last week, pointing at a purple and yellow bruise on my arm, just beneath my scrub sleeve.
I glanced at it and smiled fondly. “Oh. I went zip lining with my son’s grade four class.”
I’d gone zip lining before, in Costa Rica. Truthfully, my favourite part was climbing up the ladder and the guide saying to my husband, “Is this your wife?” and giving me an approving look. I also loved the toucan in the trees that had another guide yelling, “Toucan! Toucan!” and pointing, so that an oblivious tourist forgot to brake and crashed into the trees.
My least favourite part was that this was part of a possible horse riding/mountain hiking combination package, and another tourist complained, loudly, “I can’t believe they have horse manure! They should put up signs to warn us!”
That’s writing at first. Fun. Lots of adrenaline. Highs and lows. Can be expensive if you throw money into it. Surrounded by people who don’t want to do the work, crave easy success, and are utterly outraged they’re surrounded by feces.
Zip lining at Arbraska was harder. First of all, because safety regulations are so much stricter in Canada, we had to clip on carabiners all the time, even climbing up a ladder. There were fewer guides, since labour costs more and at least two schools had taken over the camp. And I was trying to keep an eye on a bunch of ten-year-olds, while not just pleasantly zipping from station to station, but also swinging on logs on chains, crossing rope bridges, crawling through tunnels, and so forth.
That’s what writing is like now. I’m conscious of how I’ve had to climb up one foot at a time. How, if I decided to take a leap, I have a whole family I’d potentially have to catch. But I’m also taking some risks and reaping some rewards.
I told you the big one: I’ve yearned for an interview with Shelagh Rogers ever since I was living in a windowless, TV, and Internet-free basement in my first year of Arts & Science at McMaster University. CBC Radio saved my brain. So, okay, I haven’t gotten an official interview yet. But my name has now appeared on her show, Melissa Yi (Canada) alongside Michael Robotham (Australia), Andrew Taylor (Britain), Sally Andrew (South Africa), L.S. Hilton (Britain), Steve Burrows (Canada), Naomi Hirahara (USA), Esmahan Aykol (Germany & Turkey), Belinda Bauer (England & South Africa), Sally Andrew (South Africa), Barbara Nadel (England), Dan Fesperman (USA), Craig Johnson (USA), Val MacDermid (Scotland), Adrian McKinty (Ireland).
I mention everyone’s countries because Shelagh asked if any of us were Canadian, and I was curious enough to look up the answer: only two of us. We are truly competing internationally, folks, when the CBC selects a few books as the best of 2016, and only 14 percent are homegrown. I’m not complaining, but nowadays, when you want to get noticed, you have to be the best in the world.
If you listen to the interview, STOCKHOLM SYNDROME is at 11:42.
So that’s me climbing to the eagle’s nest and zipping my way down, screaming in victory.
In celebration, all Hope e-books are now on sale. CODE BLUES is only $2.99 (50% off) and the other books are $3.99 (33% off) for a limited time only.
Already read the Hope books? Meet Octavia Ling, Ottawa public servant by day, who celebrates her birthday by trying out THE ITALIAN SCHOOL FOR ASSASSINS. When her roommate gets murdered, assassin school turns all too real. On sale for 99 cents (a whopping 84% off) for a super-short time!
Octavia’s adventures continue in THE GOA YOGA SCHOOL OF SLAYERS, which Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine reviewer Steve Steinbeck called “a lot of fun,” at the cut-throat price of $2.99 (50% off)! (My yoga killer short story, “Om,” was published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, and I had to keep playing with the idea of yoga murderers. I love Octavia and her squeeze, Dario, and India is a fascinating country. As Shashi Tharoor points out, “Everything is recycled in India, even dreams.”)
Today only, use the code 50JUN at Kobo. You’ll get 50 percent off any or all of my books, on top of these prices, so you could pick up THE ITALIAN SCHOOL FOR ASSASSINS for less than 50 cents plus tax. Cheaper and healthier than a lead-filled dollar store necklace!
Other happy news: JEWISH NOIR was nominated for an Anthony Award, considered one of the most prestigious awards in mystery fiction!
And…THE MOST UNFEELING DOCTOR IN THE WORLD AND OTHER TRUE TALES FROM THE EMERGENCY ROOM is now available as an audio book on Audible, narrated by The Review editor Louise Sproule and edited by Jean Sarrazin of Vankleek.fm. I’m giving away a free copy to one of you lovelies, so hit me up online or offline!
I never pretend everything is fake-perfect, so I must assure you that I still see feces all the time, most recently in a toddler’s bathing suit, and of course in the ER or or the hospital wards. But I keep climbing, baby. I keep climbing.
Wowza! Congrats Melissa!
CBC Picks Stockholm Syndrome as 1 of Best Crime Novels Free Unfeeling Doctor Audio https://t.co/h9pJkhmsGX #amreading #amwriting @dr_sassy
big heartfelt grats, my friend! that’s so awesome! you rock more than a rock concert at a geology conference hosted by Dwayne Johnson!
Congrats girl!!!!
Gordon Brogan, I had to look up Dwayne Johnson! I’m that cool!
Well done you!! Congratulations. Better get my reading done before i see you at Christmas time!
Congrats, Melissa Yuan-Innes. Well-done!!
Way to go!
!!!!!
congratulations
That’s awesome, Melissa!
@dr_sassy Good company to be in! @michaelrobotham @cbcbooks
Thanks, everyone! Especially since some of you saw the original CBC post in your timeline already. Caroline Fréchette and Presses Renaissance Press even shared it both times. I have such good friends, I’m telling you.
Amber Mah, are you coming at Christmas? Yaaaaaaaay! I’m booking my time with you right now.
And if anyone is curious, we’ve got some talented writers in the comments/shares. Travis Richardson is not only part of Jewish Noir, he was individually and deservedly nominated for the Anthony Award for his story “Quack and Dwight.” Gwen Florio is a novelist whose writing was honed as a journalist covering such stories as Columbine and the Oklahoma City bombing. Benoit Chartier is just tearing up every conference with his science fiction. My husband just finished Caroline Fréchette’s novel and is most of the way through Evan May’s. Even more talent and perseverence in the like pile–absolutely amazing!
Fabulous news, Melissa. And thanks for the heads up. Since The Next Chapter vanished from Mondays, I have a hard time picking it up. I’ll listen on line.
How wonderful!
Super-congratulations, Melissa! You deserve this!
Yay!! Excellent news, and well-deserved.
Congrats and thanks for the heads-up!
Holy crap Melissa – I did not until now make the connection that YOU are Melissa Yi!!!!
LAUGHING. You are hilarious.
OMG. So hooked on your books right now…
Thank you. And enormous admiration to you for reading, on top of all your other accomplishments!
Congratulations Melissa!
Thank you! I have to run off to work, but thanks for all the terrific comments, shares, and likes. I’ll be back to explain who all these cool people are.
Congratulations!! It was an amazing book.
Loved that book, Melissa. How are you? I’ve been over busy! Work, caregiving, sailing. Becoming a grandfather today.
Way a go Melissa
We are all so very proud of you
Woo hoo! Way to go Melissa Yuan-Innes!
Fabulous! Congratulations
So incredibly thrilled for you!! Brilliant, girl!!
Thanks so much! I love my friends. I just want to give a few shout outs. Maggie Lynch is the founder of Windtree Press Author Cooperative, a talented writer, a serious brain, and a wonderful friend. She wrote a whole series on a group of musicians and the men they fall in love with.
I’m not sure if Alan Wong writes or not, but he just had an epic karaoke birthday party.
I love Tara Kirkpatrick and Louise Sproule at The Review. It’s definitely not easy, making a local newspaper thrive, but they’re doing it!
I used to write–I actually have an MA in creative writing, but I’ve never really done anything with it
Alan Wong, never too late to start!
I believe I met Susan Daly when she was dressed up like Trixie Belden. Congrats on your story in The Whole She Bang 2! I’m a huge fan of Murder in Common, both for their exquisite taste in crime fiction and their support in the lonely world of social media. David Farland graciously welcomed both me and Max to his writing workshop (and Marie Emerson Seager helped put us up!). Sarah McDermed is researching guide dogs for her latest novel (http://bit.ly/292DJ3j)–how cool is that? Diana McCollum is a paranormal romance writer who loves all things Scottish–gotta admit, I read the last Outlander book with interest, including the part where Claire fixes a blowout fracture by squeezing out the eyeball to grab the inferior rectus and later coating it in honey. And I just became friends with Diane Bourgault, so now I know that someone stole a Leon carriage (vintage red carriage) in Hawkesbury. How horrible.
So thoughtful Melissa, Many thanks from MurderinCommon.com
Congratulations, Melissa.
I will continue to sing the praises of my friends. I’m grateful for all the cool people I work with, who also shared and commented: Wanda Shrum, Lianne Aline, Christine Suess, Sharon Cleary-Leclair (took care of me & baby post-partum), Melissa Branchaud, Joanne Leger, Chryssi Paraskevopoulos (at St. Mary’s!), Kristen Leroux (miss you), Dan Piette (thanks to you and Jonathan for coming by).
In May, Robin Harding invited me to the Brantford Library as the mystery guest of honour, and Cathy Astolfo and her husband not only put me up, but took me on a tour of a residential school so that a terrible part of Canadian history will not be forgotten. Check out Cathy’s books, and a big thumbs up to our beloved libraries.
I’m geeking out that Naomi Hirahara stopped by–her novel, Sayonara Slam, was also chosen as a CBC best crime novel of the season!
Nadia Alam is a GP anaesthetist *and* mother of four who is spearheading the campaign to raise awareness about how cuts to Ontario’s physicians (We are Your Ontario Doctors) hurts us all.
If you ever need honey, I swear by Mary Levac and Marcel Levac.
Dave Wright III is one of my best readers, a sailor, a caretaker, *and* a brand new grandfather! Joseph Grau is a strong reader, and Amber Mah loves books but has an extremely busy life. 😉
Plus if you ever wanted to meet a Hollywood star, say hi to Robert Babish! Thanks, everyone! I couldn’t ask for better friends. If I’ve forgotten anyone, I blame overwork.
I miss working with you, too, your million dollar smile, and your huge heart.
You are amazing!!
Congratulations! That is awesome!
Aww, thanks, Melissa! More mysteries!