My music tastes are as eclectic as my writing genres, from classical to rock to pop to techno and more. If you saw my audio streaming list you would think it was compiled by several people, not just one. I don't always write with music in the background, however when...
As many of you know I am the Secretary of the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County. We hold a writing conference every year. Our 14th will be held on 2nd May 2026 and the title is - Claiming Your Future Creativity Our presenters are experts in their field, so take...
As we celebrate National Tell a Story Day on 27th and Great Poetry Reading Day on 28th, this question arises. Why Read Books? For the consummate reader this is an easy question to answer - the love of story, the chance to 'escape' into a narrative, to indulge in a...
Is your character Suzanne Rickson a combination of real people, or not? Suzanne Rickson is inspired by my mother. While planning my first mystery novel and searching for ideas, I visited my parents at their retirement community on the West Coast of British Columbia....
Today is National Donate a Book Day, which has the bibliophile's among us stressing about our precious collections. Should we keep, or donate from our shelves, or not? I have mentioned before that I have a circle of friends who regularly swap books. These are books...
I am frequently asked how I come up with my ideas for the books I write. I was honoured to be asked to answer that question and more on a podcast recently. I hope this answers some of your questions, but as always you are more than welcome to contact me to ask any...
As writers and authors, we not only write stories, but also enjoy reading them. It is part of the writing life to immerse ourselves in our own characters and their journeys, but also those of other authors - whether in the same genre or not. Reading books is a vital...
As we begin the year there are a number of scheduling items we need to take note of, one of which is, our attendance at book fairs and events during the year. Some of us have regular events we attend and note the dates down on our calendars. However, there are always...
As many of you know I log the books I read every year during the Goodreads Reading Challenge. It allows me to see what genres I have read during the year, as well as remind myself of the stories that resonated with me. There is a fine balance between the reader in me...