Blog

For the last two years I have been doing ground work in preparation for finally finishing a middle-grade fantasy novel. It has been hanging on the edges of my creative efforts for too many years. Starting with an idea that popped up about 30 or more years ago (yes,...

There is a joy to be had spending time with art work. Being present. Observing from a distance. Inspecting up close, being one with every brush stroke. I greatly admire artists who use line expressively. The lyricism, movement, energy, emphasis, capricious...

It's a teeter-totter of a life. It takes a lot of finesse to keep your balance. If I am being truthful, balancing has always been a challenge for me. Family, work, volunteering, creating - all need their share of attention. However, I often let one gobble up more time...

I first met Joan Clark back in the 1980's. I belonged to a children's writers' group at the time, and we organized an annual weekend writers' retreat, piggybacking off the National Book Festival author readings in schools and libraries. These retreats enabled us to...

When you are a writer, it is a huge advantage to have an extensive and crystal-clear memory. Imagine. An incredible, invaluable resource right there at your finger tips. Unfortunately, I have come to realize that memory is elusive concept for me. There are blank...

Researching. Sometimes it needs to be done.  I don't know enough about raising alpacas and it is a central part of my story. I want to integrate the Sistine Chapel into the background of a watercolour and I need visual reference. I have written a police...

I love a good gesture.  The way he uses his hands when he's talking. The angle of her neck when she looks over the fence. How they hold their bodies when they are waiting for the bus. The glance.  A gesture  can embody the meaning of the piece. It can...

When in the middle of rewrites, inevitably there comes a time when you have to bite the bullet and cut your favourite scene, your favourite character, your favourite piece of witty dialogue, the perfect word. Ugh. 'But, but, but that's the best part!'  'No way...

One of the best experiences I have ever had at an art workshop was a one-week session with Brian Atyeo.  In the early 2000's he was living in Nova Scotia and led a number of painting workshops in the Maritimes. I liked his approach so much that I enrolled in at least...