(Continued from page 3) McQuaig worked briefly at the Montreal Gazette and then later as a senior writer with Maclean‘s Magazine before returning to the Middle East. Back home again she joined the staff of the Globe investiâ€" gating, amongst other things, the Patti Starr affair, for which she won a National Newspaper Award in the late 1980s. Her first book, Behind Closed Doors, about the Canadian tax sysâ€" tem, appeared in 1987. She speaks candidly about the process. "For one thing that first book was really big," she says and Author blends home Tifé with writing "The truth is..." she adds, "it is quite hard work, but for me there is a tremendous joy in the craft of writing. I find it energizing." She laughs. Her second book, The Quick and the Dead, examining the Free Trade Agreement, was released in 1991. Asked about her favorite part of the book ‘process,‘ she does not hesitate: "Nothing appeals to me more than having a whole day before me with nothing to do but write. In an odd sort of way, I‘m a little shy, so writing is the perfect pastime. You‘re just there with your machine. "I worked flatâ€"out every night until 11 or 12," she says and adds that her best hours were from 5 to midnight. "I guess I was fairly drivâ€" en. It was so exciting... I had a one year leaveâ€"ofâ€"absence and I‘d gotâ€" ten a big advance from the publishâ€" er. I was on cloud nine... I didn‘t deliberately become a maniac or anything but I just got so ‘into‘ it." laughs, "it was my first and I didn‘t know what I was doing. I had one year to write it and I really did little else." "Also," she adds, "there was this ‘fear‘ in me. Can I do this? Can I get it done in time?" She was single with no children and living in Toronto. "HADDOCK ASH N CHIPS ONLY" DAYS We have been "Frying" since 1967! Longer than any other "Chip Shop" in Oakville. Home Delivery Daily From 5:00 p.m. At Art‘s Fish Chips 1500 Sixth Line, 844â€"9209 Tuesdays are Now a typical writing day goes from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with time out for lunch. McQuaig says she has a wonderful babysitter/housekeeper who manâ€" ages little Amy and the house while About then she discovered she was pregnant. It was her first pregâ€" nancy and though excited about the prospect of becoming a mom, she was nauseous and tired most of the time. Her usual schedule went out the window. Her book became a national bestseller, however. He rejected it. "And he was right," the author asserts, "it was no good. But it terrified me because, then I thought, maybe I‘ve only got one book in me." "He is always my first editor," McQuaig says. She‘d quit her job at the Globe to write this one, but things did not go well. She says she‘d done the preâ€" liminary research and drafted the first chapter for her husband Fred to read. SPECIAL SAVINGS OF 30%â€"50% Regularâ€"Priced: Watches, Clocks, Sterling Silver, Fine Jewellery, Luggage, Royal Albert Dinnerware, Johnson Brothers China, Silver Holloware, Giftware Stemware, Decorative Accessories, Linens, Draperies, Bedroom and Dining Room Furniture, Four Winds Accent Furniture, Occasional Tables, Entertainment Units, Wall Units, All Mattresses and Boxsprings. SPECIAL SAVINGS OF 10% On All Regularâ€"Priced Major Appliances, Small Appliances, Barbecues, Personal Electrics, Valueâ€"Pack Linens, Everyday Low Priced Fine And Bone China and Flatware. SPECIAL SAVINGS OF eW( On All Regularâ€"Priced 10K and 14K Gold excluding valueâ€"priced Gold with 99¢ price endings. SAVE 10%â€"25% Oakville Place ON ALMOST ALL" REGULAR, SALE AND CLEARANCE PRICED MERCHANDISE AVINC PIdte 842â€"4811 AND ACCESSORIES * HOUSEWARES * MEN‘S LADIES®‘ FASHIONS * KIDS‘ WEAR * ACCESSORIES AND SHOES x LADIES®‘ HOSIERY x HANDBAGS * FASHION JEWELLERY * JEWELLERY BOXES * NURSERY FURNITURE Adding, "I certainly can‘t think of a life I would like better than this one â€" except maybe with a little less pressure â€" just a little more downâ€" time, maybe a chance to travel more..." » "It can be a pressureâ€"cooker,‘ McQuaig admits, "I should allow myself a little longer to do books... but I love it. There is such freedom to express yourself..." It‘s a wonderful life, she says. Very family oriented on the weekâ€" ends. In addition to Amy, Fred has three children from a previous marâ€" riage who often come round, plus grandparents who also want in on the act. "Basically I‘m a lousy houseâ€" keeper and a lousy cook though I hope I‘m a halfâ€"decent mother," McQuaig says, "I guess I know my limitations." The erstwhile reporter calls writâ€" ing books, "a dream life." she works. YOUR ADVANTAGE: YOU DECIDE WHAT‘S ON SALE... *See in store for a complete list of exemptions BLANK MUSIC VIDEOS * CANDY x FINE FOODS * BAY OPTICAL x PORTRAIT STUDIO...AND MORE * PRINTS x TOYS x STATIONERY * YARNS x BATTERIES * CAMERAS x SPORTING GOODS * PREâ€"RECORDED AND Budson‘s Bay Company Store Hours: Mon.â€"Fri. 9:30 a.m.â€"9:00 p.m Sat. 9:30 a.m.â€"6:00 p.m. Sun. 12 Noonâ€"5:00 p.m.