Friday, July 7, 2023
The Joy of The End by Eileen O'Finlan
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Writers, Authors and a Bookstore - Barbara Baker
Writing
is a solitary process. So, when you get a chance to meet up with writer friends
and participate at a bookstore author event you jump on a plane and fly to
Ontario.
First
stop, the Stephen Leacock Museum in Orillia, Ontario. My friend goes into the
office. “I know the museum isn’t open, but she’s come all the way from Calgary.”
She points at me. “Is there a chance we can take a look?”
“Of
course,” the cheery lady says. “Give me five minutes. I’ll open it for you.”
I
grin at my persuasive friend, and she winks back.
While
we wait, we head to Leacock’s Boathouse. Painted figures resembling characters
from Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town align the pathway.
And then we’re off to check out Leacock’s home. With no one else around we’re able to take our time and read all the plaques.
Stephen
Leacock facts:
- 1869-1944 born in England, 10 siblings, family moved to Ontario in 1876, father became an alcoholic and abandoned the family in 1878.
- Leacock was a teacher, political
scientist, writer, humourist (best known English-speaking humourist of his time).
- In 1900 he married Beatrix Hamilton, an
actress. They had one son, Stephen Lushington.
- Leacock’s colleagues warned him his
reputation would be ruined if he published humour. Beatrix encouraged him to
publish it regardless of what others thought.
- In 1990, while completing upgrades on the Leacock house, love letters from Beatrix were found in a secret panel in the bedroom closet. They were written before she died of breast cancer in 1925 at 46 years old. The letters tell of their love story and depict a side of Leacock few people were privy to.
- Beatrix passed away before the house was complete.
Okay, enough Leacock trivia. We’re off to meet the others. There’s much to catch up on so a simple supper of nachos and fixings, red wine, Hawkins Cheezies (no substitutes) and assorted chocolates carry us late into the night. My cheeks hurt. Tears fall. Weight is lifted off shoulders. Exhausting good fun.
Early the next morning we leave in
the rain, headed for Uxbridge, Ontario for the Independent Book Store
celebration at Blue Heron Books. I get to promote my book, hang with authors
and try to appear unterrified.
At the bookstore, I get a name tag which helps me remember who I am when fear nails my tongue to the roof of my mouth. I pull up my big girl panties and approach authors, ask them questions about their book(s) and writing journey. It’s not a walk in the park for anyone – this book writing gig. It’s hard work. A lot of hard work.
From a distance, I watch Canadian
bestselling author, Terry Fallis chatting. He’s relaxed. Smiles like it’s not
painful. I want to go over and tell him I follow his newsletters and enjoy
reading how his career didn’t just fall in his lap. But I’m too shy. He’s…well,
he’s Terry Fallis. I can only hope in my lifetime to look that comfortable. Be
that confident. Did I mention he’s a two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock
Medal for Humour? How awesome is he?
I recognize two authors chatting in
the kid’s section. I approach and say, “Would it be okay if I hang with you
gals?” They smile and say, “sure” in unison.
Time flies and then it’s over. I leave with a bag full of new books and notice my friends purchase my books and discreetly slip them into their bags. I’m a lucky lady to have them as friends.
On the drive home, the rains stops. The sun shines. The chatter continues.
We make plans to put together an anthology of our short stories and publish them in a book. It’ll be a lot of work. But I know there will be another trip to Ontario to review the hardcopy draft. I can hardly wait.
You
can contact me at: bbaker.write@gmail.com
Summer
of Lies: Baker, Barbara:9780228615774: Books - Amazon.ca
What
About Me?: Sequel to Summer of Lies : Baker, Barbara: Amazon.ca: Books
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
When Your Novel Takes a Wrong Turn
Please click this link for book and author information
Around the manuscript's 3/4 point, I realized that a number of scenes in the third quarter would work better if they were set in different locations. This time I stuck with my usual approach since most of the other material would remain the same. Instead of revising the scenes, I made an outline for the changes I plan to make. They will move a critical plot point earlier in the story, but I think the outline can deal with this change. Revising the wayward scenes would have benefits, but I really want to finish the first draft this spring.
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Myers-Briggs for Writers by Mohan Ashtakala
The MBTI, by way
of personality tests, categorizes individuals into sixteen different archetypes,
based on Carl Jung’s idea of cognitive functions. The personality test measures
the extent of the test-taker’s adherence to the following characteristics:
Introvert (I) or Extrovert (E); Sensor (S) or Intuitive (I); Feeler (F) or
Thinker (T); and Judger (J) or Perceiver (P.) Each of these sixteen archetypes
is assigned a four letter label, and personality traits are ascribed to each
such archetype.
But the MBTI is
much more than a description of different personality archetypes. Its examination
of cognitive functions—Sensing, Intuition, Feeling and Thinking; allows for
deeper exploration and “fleshing Out” of characters, especially when combined
with “external” characteristics such as Introvert, Extrovert, Judger or
Perceiver.
Sometimes, authors
run into the problem of multiple characters who, despite outward appearance, all
think and act the same way. The MBTI is useful because it allows writers to go
beyond characters with whom they are familiar, based on personal experience. By
using the MBTI, writers can create primary or secondary characters who would be
true to their “character,” in terms of how they think and act. Genuinely diverse
characters are important in creating believable tension, an important function
in novel-writing.
As one may expect,
the MBTI has shown usefulness in many areas, especially in Human Resource
departments in the corporate world.
There are critics
of the MBTI. Specifically, some find the number of categories to be limited,
and perhaps, not fully useful in describing the enormous number of
personalities that exist in real life. Of course, pigeon-holing a character
into one archetype or another can be misleading. But, since MBTI is one of the
earliest personality type indexes, a lot of literature and studies exist
regarding the various personality types. This rich repository of information,
if well-understood, can help authors create characters who, while showing
distinct personalities, are believable and consistent in their words and deeds.
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
What is a ‘grammar nazi?’ Mohan Ashtakala
The
use of the lower-case word ‘nazi,’ to describe an extremely authoritarian
person, came into vogue in the 1950-60’s. It found popular usage in the description
of fanatics of all kinds, such as ‘surf-nazis,’ whose zeal in the search for a
perfect wave knew no bounds. More recently, audiences were introduced to the ‘soup
nazi,’ an ill-tempered restaurant owner who had the habit of throwing customers
out of his establishment, in the Seinfeld television series.
A
grammar nazi is one who is obsessed with the formal rules of grammar. They are
also eager to point out these ‘errors’ in others’ writings. Grammar nazis are
usually amateurs with strong opinions on the usage of the rules of grammar.
They are not to be confused with professional editors who wield a pen with the
same expertise that a Japanese chef uses his trusty knife. The editor’s intent
is to help the author refine his or her craft; the grammar nazi is more
interested in proclaiming his or her expertise, especially on social media.
One
of the issues is that grammar nazis accept only Standard English, while ignoring
many other forms of English, such as Black or Asian English. Another defining
characteristic of this type is the pointing out of inconsequential errors,
usually done by mistake, while diverting attention from the plot itself.
All writers, even editors, make the occasional
mistake. It happens. But it would be a mistake to judge writing only by its
strict adherence to the rules of grammar. More important to most writers is the
ability to create interesting characters, a compelling plot and the
construction of well-written sentences.
We
have all come across grammar nazis. My experience is that it never pays to
engage in an argument or even a discussion with them. It is a losing
proposition and only serves to encourage them in spouting further grammatical
rules. Best to continue writing!
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Spotlight: Seven Aprils Wins at the Chanticleer International Book Awards
Community, that’s what we creatives crave when we come out of our focused, turtle habitats!
Thankfully, there are organizations that provide a nudge out of our shells. When I was considering entering my World War II romantic suspense novel Watch Over Me in the Chanticleer International Book Awards, I consulted with some writer friends about the organization. “Oh, a great group with a wonderful small conference every year in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!” I was told. And … CIBA knows how to throw a party!” They were right on both counts! (Thank you Janet Oakley and Michelle Cox!)
Fast forward a few years and two conferences later. Not only did Watch Over Me achieve First in Category status in the Chatelaine Award for Women’s Fiction, but at this year’s virtual conference, held via ZOOM, I was delighted to hear: “Congratulations to the Grand Prize Winner of the LARAMIE Book Awards for Western, Civil War, Pioneer, First Nation Novels and Americana Fiction: “Seven Aprils by Eileen Charbonneau!”
My cheering squad of husband Ed, daughter Marya and baby grandson Desmond were on hand. My tiara was in place! Our favorite bubblies flowed!
Here’s a glimpse at some of the topics covered in this years Chanticleer Book Conference:
- Virtual Author Events: How To Pivot from LIVE to VIRTUAL for Book Launches, Book Clubs, and Book Events
- Book to Film Panel Discussion
- The Critical Role Authors Play in Fostering a Better Society
- Writing and Selling Children’s Books
- Voice Driven Technology and the Future of Publishing
- How to Create a Sustainable and Compelling Series
- Don’t be Left OUT and OFF the Airwaves – Intro to Podcasting
- Historical Fiction–how to both fictionalize real characters and realize fictional ones
- Collaborating with Other Authors
- Writers: Improve Your Productivity and Your Health by Correcting Posture
Sound great? It was!! So, I encourage my author friends of all genres to stick your necks out, enter your books in award competitions, and come out of your shells once in awhile and join with readers, industry folks and fellow authors to celebrate our crazy but wonderful business!
Friday, September 20, 2019
Why I Write by J.Q. Rose
Dangerous Sanctuary by J. Q. Rose
Cozy Mystery
Pastor Christine Hobbs never imagined she would be caring for a flock
that includes a pig, a kangaroo, and a murderer.
Find more mysteries by J.Q. Rose at BWL Publishing
Welcome to the BWL Insiders Blog. You'll find a variety of blog articles written by the BWL Publishing authors. Please take your time and visit them.
|
Thoughts on Why I Write by J.Q. Rose
Ready to write! Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay |
The grand piano played only the way Joseph Martin can! Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.com by nuchylee |
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Lucy Maud Montgomery and Prince Edward Island by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey
http://bwlpublishing.ca/authors/donaldson-yarmey-joan
I started my writing career as a travel writer, researching and writing seven travel books about the attractions, sites, and history along the backroads of Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, and Alaska. While working on them I realized what a beautiful country I live in. Since then I have switched to writing fiction but I still love to travel. 2017 was Canada’s 150th birthday and to celebrate it my husband and I travelled in a motorhome from our home on Vancouver Island on the Pacific Ocean to Newfoundland on the Atlantic Ocean. The round trip took us nine weeks and we were only able to see about half of the sites and attractions along the roads.
I have decided to write about the scenery, attractions, and history of my country. This post is about Lucy Maud Montgomery.
We paid our toll and drove the bridge over the 12.9 kilometre wide Northumberland Strait. We headed to Green Gables in Cavendish in the Prince Edward Island National Park. One of the most famous writers in the world was from Prince Edward Island. Lucy Maud Montgomery was born on November 30, 1874 in New London, PEI. Her ancestors came from Scotland in the 1770s and her grandfathers were members of the provincial legislature for years. Her mother died of tuberculosis when Lucy was 2 and Lucy spent a much of her childhood with her maternal grandparents on the Macneill homestead in Cavendish. Her father moved west in 1887 and remarried. Lucy joined him but felt out of place and soon returned to PEI and her grandparents. She also spent time with her extended family on her mother’s side and her paternal grandfather.
However, her grandparents weren’t very affectionate and Lucy felt lonely and isolated. This led her to reading an abundant number of books and using her imagination to write her own stories. She started with poetry and journals when she was nine years old and had her first poem, On Cape Le Force, published in the Charlottetown Patriot in November 1890. She started writing short stories in her mid-teens. She first published them in local newspapers then sold them to magazines throughout Canada and the United States.
Lucy studied to be a teacher and began teaching in a village school in the late 1890s. She was also writing and selling her works so that when her grandfather died in 1898, she was able to leave her teaching position and move in with her grandmother. Between then and 1911 she wrote and sold poems and stories and also worked in the post office on her grandmother’s homestead.
Her first novel, Anne of Green Gables, was published in 1908 and was an instant bestseller. She got her idea from other novels written by women like Little Women and from a story she read about a couple who had arranged to adopt a boy but were sent a girl. The book sold more than 19,000 copies in the first five months and was reprinted ten times in the first year. It is still in print after more than a century. Lucy wrote two sequels, Anne of Green Gables: Anne of Avonlea (1909) and Anne of the Island (1915) plus five more Anne books over her lifetime. She had a total of twenty books, over five hundred short stories, and one book of poetry published before she died in 1942.
In her private life, Lucy had many suitors over the years and became secretly engaged to a distant cousin named Edwin Simpson in 1897. This ended with she began a romance with a farmer named Hermann Leard. Leard died in 1899 from influenza and Lucy threw herself into her writing. Lucy married a minister, Ewen Macdonald, after her grandmother died in 1911 and they moved to Ontario where Ewen had a parish. They had two sons, Chester and Stuart, and a third one who was stillborn. They moved to another village in 1926 and then, after Ewen was admitted to a sanatorium in 1934 and he resigned his parish, they moved to Toronto in 1935. Ewen died in 1943.
The Green Gables House has been restored to match the descriptions in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s books. I toured through the historic site, seeing the exhibits in the Green Gables house and strolling the Haunted Woods and Balsam Hollow trails that were mentioned in her books.
Prince Edward Island also boasts have Canada’s smallest library. It is one room with shelves of books along the walls and a table and chairs in the centre.
Friday, June 15, 2018
Meditation and Writing
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