where deadly meets fabulous
Despite that saying about not judging books by covers and all that, they do. Big time. Just look at all the fervor generated by the recently released version of Anne of Green Gables, featuring a hot blond instead of the classic diminutive red head. I admit, the change is rather surprising, considering the many reference […]
Read MoreI don’t know if anyone else besides the author and the people listed within them ever actually reads them, but I have soft spot for Acknowledgments pages. They are like a little peak behind the scenes, a tiny glimpse into how the book in my hand was created. And sometimes a much needed lull at […]
Read MoreFlawless, smooth, and without a single misplaced comma to be found. That was pretty much what I thought of my manuscript excerpt when I brought it to my monthly writing group last Thursday. Naturally I was totally wrong. As I started to read the pages out loud to the group, a myriad of mistakes suddenly popped […]
Read MoreI got some pretty critical feedback regarding a manuscript last week, and I won’t deny it, the comments left me feeling pretty DEVASTATED at first. What do you mean that character wasn’t developed? What do you meant there are lots of loose ends. What do you mean it’s not totally perfect!! However, like a torrential […]
Read More“Why do you write?” My mom asked me this question yesterday afternoon, and after my automatic eye rolling response had passed (there are some parts of adolescence that just won’t die) I thought of a quote from Gloria Steinem: “I do not like to write – I like to have written.” (sourced from goodreads) Do […]
Read MoreI have suddenly found myself paralyzed in an indecision of the Coke or Pepsi magnitude. I recently got some feedback on a manuscript I ‘finished’ several months ago, and would be totally ready to dig into it if however I also happen to be two drafts in to a completely new one, leaving me with in a […]
Read More“They just started casting for the movie—when can you fly down to Hollywood?” Despite all the times I’ve been told publishing is a highly competitive industry, I can’t help it. Every time I send a manuscript off to my agent contact, part of me can’t help but hope that this it. She is going to […]
Read MoreIt’s okay to kill your mother. According to Miriam Toews, one powerful way to set up conflict for your protagonist, is to take something away from them that you yourself hold dear. Describing her process of writing A Complicated Kindness in Herizon magazine, Miriam states: “The relationship I have with my mother is so strong […]
Read MoreEver since my grade nine English teacher berated me for using ‘allot’ instead of ‘a lot’ in my limerick about Canadian wildlife, punctuation, grammar and spelling have not been my friend, which is why I naturally felt a great joy upon reading Kurt Vonnegut’s quote on the subject this afternoon. “Here is a lesson […]
Read MoreEver wake up in the middle of the night and think, holly crap what am I doing? This manuscript is garbage! I just wasted six months of my life!? I do. Often. However, apparently that is okay. No, it is better than okay. According to Lainey Lui, “insecurity is the lifeblood of the writer”. […]
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Book reviews, the occasional rant, and more
