A writer’s week.

A place for a reading

A place for a reading


Reid-Thompson Public Library, 705 Main Street, Humboldt, SK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldt,_Saskatchewan
On Wednesday, May 22, I left home after over packing and drove to St. Peter’s Abbey for a writer’s retreat. Because we are encouraged to bring our work to an audience, I had asked the librarian if she would host a reading. She consented and then I asked more Saskatchewan Romance Writers if they would join me. Hazel Kellner and Jana Richards said yes.
Wonderful things happen when you say yes.

Wonderful things happen when you say yes.

After we each read from our novels, the audience stayed around for tea and coffee as well as chocolate and sliced fresh strawberries.

The librarian presented us with bouquets of carnations to take back to our rooms at the abbey.

A pleasant surprise to enhance our rooms

A pleasant surprise to enhance our rooms


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter’s_Abbey,_Saskatchewan

All day Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we spent working on our writing. We work in our rooms and if we see someone in the kitchen or the hall, we generally don’t speak with them until lunch, as we might interrupt their thoughts. All writers join for lunch and dinner. And then later in the evening we will join up in the lounge and talk about writing.

It seems to be easier to concentrate when all of the additional life responsibilities are removed, as well as having other people who share the passion.

But I did walk into Muenster, the adjoining town and discovered this sign.

There wasn't another sign to be found

There wasn’t another sign to be found

Tomorrow morning it’s back on the road home.

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.