College Fans have March Madness, fans of the written word have National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. For me, it's that time of the year to take an idea germ and grow it into a draft. I have done NaNo since 2008 with Talisin2012, who introduced me to this crazy, lovely concept. In the middle … Continue reading A NaNo-ing We Go
Tag: nanowrimo
Sage Advice Before NaNoWriMo: Roxane Gay
Like most writers, I was able to write a novel without explicit instruction, and that’s probably for the best. There are some things we should figure out for ourselves. --Roxane Gay
PrepTober Periods Before NaNoWriMo2017
I thought long and hard about participating in this year's National Novel Writing Month. I have done one every year since 2008, under an old username, in the middle of the third term during the library tech program. It's a way to get rid of the critical voice and do the first draft. If I … Continue reading PrepTober Periods Before NaNoWriMo2017
NaNoWriMo 2016 Update:Rebel Rousing
The year listed on my profile says 2013. Under my old profile, one I found and deleted, it's 2008. That year, in the middle of a crazy school term, V introduced me to National Novel Writing Month, and I never looked back. Julia Cameron wrote a lot about synchronicity in her book The Artist's Way, in … Continue reading NaNoWriMo 2016 Update:Rebel Rousing
Pumpkin-Spice-Everything Season
September 22nd looked like a typical Thursday as I drove my mom to her doctor's appointment on a leave day from work. I learned later it was no ordinary day: https://twitter.com/stacksandranges/status/779073436001898497 Fall means trees taking their bow with leaves in hues of red, orange, and brown. They started getting ready a week before Labour Day … Continue reading Pumpkin-Spice-Everything Season
Coming Up for Air III: NaNoWriMo Midway Report
How's NaNoWriMo going? Let me show you: The Winnipeg zombie idea feels dead, ironically with no hope of resuscitation at this time. I liked the idea and even had my twist. The germ has one spark of life left-I need to switch the point of view. I tried the third person, but it feels like the … Continue reading Coming Up for Air III: NaNoWriMo Midway Report
Coming Up For Air I: Being Okay with the Deficit and Beating Back a Cold
Let me illustrate how I felt on Friday after staying home sick on Thursday: A sharp uptick in students asking for tissues meant something had gone around. I had a strange taste in my mouth, and I know it meant something had invaded. The troops turned aggressive with my energy zapped, my body temperature elevated, … Continue reading Coming Up For Air I: Being Okay with the Deficit and Beating Back a Cold
NaNoWriMo Prep 2015: The Year I Have Fun
During last year's NaNoWriMo, I had a situation authors only talk about in interviews. I don't know if it will make the final draft if the final draft ever happens, but during one scene in the novel I started to cry. Something happened to one of the characters, an incident not far from reality. My … Continue reading NaNoWriMo Prep 2015: The Year I Have Fun
After the Election, The NaNoWriMo Prep
Heard a big sigh of relief from over the border? That's me. I went to bed around midnight, my evening spent with Peter Mansbridge asking questions, showing results, and subtly amazed people flocked to vote the Harper government out. Meanwhile, Twitter discovered Canada not only found its mind, although some Conservative stalwarts will find that … Continue reading After the Election, The NaNoWriMo Prep
Loki’s Guide To Norse Mythology: Winnipeg
Another good one for NaNoWriMo Prep. Chadwick talks about setting, especially in a city one may already live in. I admit setting is a week point, and thinking about where your characters live makes your story breathe for the reader.
One great city (to write about).
It was Winnipeg’s slogan, “Heart of the Continent”, that made me want to use the city as the centre of a return to a world of magic.
When I started writing Thunder Road it was going to be set in Winnipeg (and Manitoba) largely because I live here, so it cut down on my costs for a book I had no idea if someone would want to publish, but that I desperately wanted to write.
But I do love my home, and I think it makes an interesting setting. While it may not quite have the concentration of Icelandic or viking stuff that the town of Gimli does, it’s still here. Laxdal road, and Valhalla apartments (Edmonton has them too, more on that later) among them.
When your book deals with the goddess of the dead coming to town, it’s natural to think of…
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Unpaused Life 