Time to slow down ...

A place to pause, take a breath and relax. Monet's Garden, Giverny, France. Taken October 2022.

Can it already be November? What happened to October? Well, it was jam packed with activities, including a Thanksgiving feast, a book signing at the awesome Analog Books in Lethbridge, editing obligations, and the amazing Bouchercon. It seemed like every day sped by more quickly than the last, and every time I looked at the calendar, another day had flown by. Not that I’m complaining, mind you!

I had a great time signing books at Analog Books in Lethbridge, made even better by a certain marmalade tabby.

Copper graced my table, happily leaving behind copious quantities of fur. He reminds me so much of my long-departed Kootenay-Kat that I couldn’t help but fawn over him. If I could have bundled him into my book bag and taken him home, I would have, although I suspect his regular fans at the bookshop would take issue with the cat-napping.

The main event of the month was, of course, Bouchercon. I’ve copied an image here from Facebook because I failed to take a single photo of my own. There’s no excuse, I know, but I’m glad so many others had the presence of mind to make digital memories.

One of the stand-out panels was this one -- Deadly Canada. From left to right: Wayne Arthurson, Anthony Bidulka, Charlotte Morganit, M.H. Callway, and retired homicide detective Dave Sweet. Pick up any one of their books and you will not be disappointed.

The most interesting and entertaining panel presentation I attended, though. was “Forensic Toxicology and Treatment of Poisoning” with Dr. D.P. Lyle and Emergency Room Dr. Daniel Kalla About - Daniel Kalla. While the formal title of the panel was “What poisonings are commonly treated in emergency rooms? What is forensic toxicology?”, with a room full of authors, the discussion took an abrupt turn to “how to kill someone (in your novel, of course) with poisons”. From the historic use of water hemlock in the death of Socrates, to death cap mushrooms, to modern day medicines such as Fentanyl and GHB, and an age-old favourite (arsenic), we were provided plenty of ideas for our future novels.

I should point out that the subject matter in many crime/mystery panels is dark, depressing, and (let’s be honest) macabre. Authors take the darkest and most evil subjects and turn them into entertainment for readers who (by the way) may be no less twisted than the authors who create them. If crime, mystery, suspense and thrillers are not appealing to you, then there are many other genres and thousands of authors who take a gentler approach.

In addition to listening to interesting panels, I met fascinating people. No, I didn’t fan-girl on Louise Penny, Kathy Reichs, Sara Paretsky, PJ Vernon (and the other Guests of Honour), but I had a blast with some of the more-mortal authors.

The organization of the five-day conference, with 1400 attendees, was outstanding, and I think attendees went home (to locations around the world) with a positive impression of Calgary. Congratulations to the entire Local Organizing Committee led by Pamela McDowel. A special shout out to Linda Sanche (who’s just released her debut novel, “Off the Mark”) who coordinated all the special events for the conference. Well done!

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At the beginning of October, I was down for the count when a pesky cold came a’calling. Interestingly, an after-effect of the cold lasted a couple of weeks -- an altered sense of smell. Frequently and from out of nowhere, I’d smell campfire smoke. I know this is weird, but ever since my first bout of COVID back in the pandemic days, it’s not unusual.

I’m curious, though. What causes this “phantosmia” and how long will it last?

Phantosmia, also defined as an olfactory hallucination, is the sensation of perceiving odors that are not present. It emerged as a distinct long-term symptom following infection with SARS-CoV-2. Some people experienced a total loss of smell during the infection, only to have phantosmia develop weeks or even months into recovery. It is not a sign of residual virus, but rather a manifestation of lingering damage to the machinery responsible for processing scent signals.

Unlike a simple loss of smell, phantosmia involves the brain creating a scent based on faulty signals from the nasal cavity. These phantom smells, often unpleasant, can be constant or (in my case) come and go.

How long do these symptoms last? How long will I be smelling campfires like I’ve just come home from a camping trip?

According to my internet research, the duration / recovery timeline varies, but generally it is a slow and gradual process, anywhere from a few weeks to months. I guess I’m one of the people for whom the symptoms last much longer. Either that, or I just now realize, my recent “cold” might actually have been COVID!

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My preparations for winter are underway. I’m booked for my influenza and COVID boosters, and my vehicle has an appointment for winter tires in just a week. It is time to put my winter emergency kit (snow shovel, emergency candle and snacks, boots, extra toque and mittens, warm coat and fleece pants back in the car) and cover the patio furniture in anticipation of snow. Should I take advantage of a few more warm days and put up my string of Christmas lights? I know that if we get seasonable cold temperatures in December (as opposed to recent years when it has been quite mild) I will regret not doing it now. Although I know that procrastination in these matters is never the correct approach, I have seven new books I brought home from Bouchercon all lined up on my bookstand just begging to be read.