Blog
Good news, everyone
Woo hoo, I’ve got another sale! Details to follow, but for now, thanks to my readers for suggestions and advice. You helped hammer my story into evidently saleable shape.
Public Writing Program
Hey look, my name’s in the newspaper again:
Creative writing program another way for library to reach out to community (Westman Journal)
Copyright and Theft
Read Time to Fix Canada’s Copyright Mistake on Medium.
It’s a tricky topic, and I’m by no means expert in it, though I like to think I’m a decently-well-read enthusiast. I’ve actually had my stuff “appropriated” for educational purposes (one day I’ll have to write a longer post about it, but for now here’s the Coles Notes version, sans the angst and irritation I felt at the time).
My day job, which supports my writing habit, is at a university, and so I know the appeal of not paying for things, since budgets are traditionally tight, even under the most small‑l liberal of governments.
Canada does indeed need to address its copyright issues.
Opening line
Opening line for a new 850-word flash fiction piece:
Alice, staring up at the rippling green sky, said, “Make a wish.”
Springtime Bike Rides
Things I love about riding my bike this time of year:
- Shorts
- Lilacs
- Kids’ chalk art adding a pop of colour to the bike-trail tarmac
Things I could do without:
- Diesel pickup trucks giving me 2″ of clearance
Definitions
For a scene in my current work in progress, I wanted to know what the proper term is for the skullcap worn by bishops in the Catholic Church. So I Googled archbishop skullcap, as you do.
The word is zucchetto. It comes from the Italian for … Pumpkin. (Because, apparently, the little caps—worn to keep the bishops’ heads warm—reminded people of pumpkins cut in half.)
I ended up going with “archbishop’s skullcap” in the manuscript.
Prairie Comics Festival
I went today to the Prairie Comics Festival. Reconnected with some writer friends (Chadwick, Sam, and Jamie), made some new connections (hi, Donovan), and regretted not bringing along my business cards (at least three people asked about WordPress stuff).
But I picked up a bunch of local art, so at least there’s that.
- Mini Book of Monster Girls by Autumn Crossman
- Eggman Colouring Book #1 by Gabrielle Ng
- How to be Human by Kathleen Bergen
- Street Style Samurai by Jamie Isfeld
- Those Who Make Us with short stories by Chadwick Ginther and Corey Redekop, among others
- Winterpeg by Matthew Dyck
- Spacepig Hamadeus by Donovan Yaciuk
- The Rangeroads by Courtney Loberg
I look forward to a lot of reading.
Story Generator
The page bills itself as The Best Story Idea Generator You’ll Ever Find, and when it dispenses gems like this:
Have your character attend a themed costume party where they can’t find the person that invited them, they know nobody else, and the people they meet are alternately hostile and friendly. What is the strange theme of the costumes, and does your character stay or run after a disaster happens?
…it’s hard to call that an exaggeration.
Header image courtesy Unsplash.
Some very bright aurora
I could see them already while I was still in the city. By the time I got to my nice, dark spot, this is what I could photograph:
They stretched from the northeast to the southwest. They were bright enough for a while that I could watch them dancing with the naked eye. The last time I remember seeing them this bright, I was a teenager in Ste. Rose, lying on the grass, looking up.
Also: a video version:
An hour of my evening well-spent, I’d say.