Ready to Go

All packed and ready to go

All packed and ready to go

Tomorrow bright and early, well not so early, I will drive through Lumsden, Saskatchewan to St. Michael’s Retreat House to spend ten days at the Sage Hill Writing Experience.
I will be a participant in the fiction novel colloquium. There are five participants who will work individually with Lawrence Hill.
There are other classes going on at the same time. There will be approximately thirty-two participants in all.

When I return, my new novel with working title of Designed For Love will have been discussed and revised.

Time to pack up for the night.

Time to pack up for the night.

Now it is time to pack up my computer and go to bed, so that I am bright eyed and bushy tailed for ten wonderful days.

Yesterday was a long journey home

This carousel has its ups and downs and rounds and rounds just like writing

With the conference over there was nothing left to do but decide which books could fit in the suitcase, stuff into the computer bag and wait for the super shuttle. The lobby was subdued as writers said goodby for another year.
I met Cindy Kirk on the shuttle and we talked about writing whenever we could. She enjoys long waits for planes because she writes. I took her advice and wrote. With my earbuds in listening to some tunes, I wrote another scene for my new contemporary romance novel, yet to be titled, during the flight and then in the airport.
Last year I took a novel writing workshop from Gail Bowen at St. Peter’s College, Muenster, SK. She suggested that we should title our work and therefore own it. Right now it is called Georgette because that is the name of my main character.

This evening on the twitter feed I read that Maeve Binchy died. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19057922

I have had so many hours of pleasure reading her books and my last acquisition was a 166 page book called: The Maeve Binchy Writers’ Club where she shared tips on writing. I am going to re read it in her honor and to remind myself of why her writing style was so popular. “We write. We tell stories. We may create poems, do research into some specialist area, come up with thrillers, turn out a comedy. But we write. We don’t just talk about it.” (page 1, ISBN 978-0-7528-8307-6 )
Her books will survive for years although she is no longer here.

The Elsie Shirley Gallery was the perfect place for a reading

Love, Loss and Other Oddities: Tales from Saskatchewan

This book is now available in the Regina Beach Public Library

Reading at Elsie Shirley Gallery, Regina Beach, SK

Karyn Good and I read from our novels. Eunice Cameron introduced Karyn Good www.karyngood.com who read two exciting scenes from her book Backlash. Eunice introduced me next and I read from chapter 1 of Moving On A Prairie Romance.
We had a draw and Karyn’s book was won by Janey while my book was won by Duana. We hope both of them enjoy their reads.
The audience was supportive and friendly and asked many questions. I estimate that two of the audience used e readers regularly. One audience member used an i Pad, while two others read on their computers. The rest of the audience is still coming to grips with the idea of electronic publishing.
While Karyn Good’s book Backlash will be available print on demand, and therefore a traditional book can be purchased but her book will also be available in many places on electronic sites.
My book, Moving On A Prairie Romance is not available in traditional print. I wish it could be only because many of my friends and supporters continue to read in print and are not ready to move into the e reader. But perhaps when they are the book will continue to be available.
I have approached South East Regional Library about including a copy of my novel in their lending library. I have not have a response to date.

Karyn Good and I donated a copy of Love, Loss and Other Oddities: Tales from Saskatchewan to the Regina Beach Library.