Happy Canada Day!

Mall Collapse in Elliot Lake .....

It happened this afternoon in Elliot Lake.  I thank God my daughter, who works in the mall, had the day off.  I am also grateful that none of my family members were in the mall at the time of the disaster.  My heart goes out to all those who have been hurt in any way by this terrible event.



Ellen and The Hummingtree ........

Thanks to Susan Ruby K. of Yuneekpix.com the wonderful cover design and all the illustrations which will be found throughout the novel, Ellen and The Hummingtree, have been completed. They are amazing!

And now I work on what I hope will be the final re-write.

Susan and I hope to celebrate Ellen's Elliot Lake launch  in the fall of 2012 in plenty of time for Christmas gift-giving.

To learn more about my third novel, Ellen and The Hummingtree, visit my website.   And while you are there thanks for taking a few minutes to sign my guestbook.

cover design: Susan Ruby K. at Yuneekpix.com



Sara, a Canadian Saga on Amazon.com

I apologize for the late notice but I've just learned from my publisher that my first novel, Sara, a Canadian Saga is being offered FREE until midnight tonight on Amazon.com

Hope you enjoy the read. :-)

Happy Father's Day!

To all the Dads out there I wish you a Happy Father's Day.







WynLit 24 monthly short story writing competition

I was pleased to learn today that my entry last month in the WynLit 24 monthly short story writing competition was short listed.  My story was titled The Last Ember.  This writing competition is offered each month by Wynterblue Publishing Canada.

If you also like writing short stories check out Wynterblue's website.

I entered again today with a short story titled No Stone Unturned.   I hope this story will also do well in competition.

I plan to enter the Alice Munro short story writing competition.  Registration info I have posted on this blog.  Perhaps you will want to enter your story too.

And though it seems a long way off, it will soon be time to register for the 3 day novel writing competition.  This is much like the WynLit 73 novel competitions offered annually by Wynterblue Publishing Canada which I have entered three times.  Twice my novellas were short listed.  It is, indeed, a fun challenge.

I like the personal challenge of competition writing.  Creative writing is a joy.

THREE DAY NOVEL CONTEST

Registration is now open!

35 Years and Still Notorious

Sign up now for the 35th Annual International 3-Day Novel Contest

Labour Day Weekend, September 1-3, 2012
Registration and Full Details

It began as a dare, became an act of defiance, and today, 35 years after its birth, the 3-Day Novel Contest still reigns as one of the world’s most maddening, compelling and exhilarating challenges for writers.

Register now and commit yourself to this brain-bending creative experience. Whether you’re a first-timer or seasoned 3DNC veteran, you won’t be able to predict where the contest might take you. What you can count on is a literary workout that will push the limits of your imagination and kick the heck out of writer’s block for 72 full hours.

Early-bird registration deadline: August 15 ($50)
Final registration cutoff: August 31 ($55)
Contest date: September 1-3

Take the leap and join us for our 35th anniversary event! Need a reason why? Because it’s there. (Also for the thrill of creative experimentation and for a shot at the top prizes of cash or publication.) Use the links above and to the right for rules, fees, prizes, FAQs, chat links, survival tips and full registration information. We hope you can join us!

SHORT STORY COMPETITION ...... Huron Arts & Heritage Network

Huron Arts and Heritage Network is hosting a Short Story Competition as part of the Alice Munro Writers and Readers Festival in Huron County. Deadline for entries is August 1 and there are two categories … Teen and Adult. Full details at www.AliceMunroFestival.ca.

Many thanks,

Karen Stewart,

Event Programmer - Huron Arts & Heritage Network.

 

Tree planting and creation of a Memorial Garden for The Dudley

We spent this rainy Sunday morning planting a Lilac Tree and creating Dudley's Memorial Garden. 

"I needed you and you were there ."

Thank you for sharing the journey, Dudley.

When my time comes I know you will meet me at the Rainbow Bridge.

I love you always and forever.

Remembering HRH The Dudley .... always and forever

Remembering The Dudley

Our little old man passed away Saturday, June 2, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.

Sleep well little one ..  we will meet again.

Feeling at peace and warmed by contentment we sit side by side together on the backyard swing. The fragrance of the lilacs, the graciousness of the robin to serenade us with his song as he balances gracefully on the overhead power wire and the caress of the morning sunlight dancing across the backyard patio combine to make us grateful and blessed in our life together.  

He is adorable as he sits in his bed on the deck.  Every once in a while we reach out to pet him.  He has grown old along with us.  His handsome white face, once a soft brown along with the lumps and bumps that have disfigured his once fit and dapper Jack Russell body give us the realization that our little beloved pet is aging more quickly than ourselves; more rapidly than we truly want to recognize.

A chipmunk scampers across the deck and we are reminded of a time when The Dudley would jump to his feet and race like popping corn to ban the critter from his realm.  Today our little fellow simply raises his head and warily watches with eyes shadowed by cataracts as the chipmunk fearlessly enjoys his short sojourn.

Osteoarthritis took up residence in our little dog’s legs.  Often we ask him, “Are you in pain, little one?”   Of course he cannot speak but lack of the English language does not prevent him from responding.  He perks up ears that are nearing deafness, wags his tail and licks my hand as though to say, “No, I’m feeling fine.  Will you take me for my walk now?” 

And, yes, he still takes great pleasure in his daily walk.  Where he used to walk for hours he is now content with the occasional short walk through the little woods on a trail that has been an integral part of his home for many years.

Today we sit together and enjoy this summer afternoon.  We try to prepare ourselves for the day that we know will arrive when we will sit together alone without our little Dudley.  As he journeys toward seventeen we do all we can to ensure his comfort and happiness.   Yet all that we give to him is as nothing compared to the wealth of knowledge, wisdom, tolerance and unconditional love that he has shared with us.  When he decides, and we pray it will be his decision, that it is time for him to journey to the Rainbow Bridge we will be devastated.

And so we treasure this day.  Feeling at peace and warmed by contentment we sit side by side together on the backyard swing. The fragrance of the lilacs, the graciousness of the robin to serenade us with his song as he balances gracefully on the overhead power wire and the caress of the morning sunlight dancing across the backyard patio combine with little Dudley snores to make us grateful knowing we are blessed in this life we share together.  

Rest in peace, dear Dudley, and dream your doggy dreams.

Thank you for being there for us throughout all the years.. we love you always and forever.

Weather is too beautiful to stay indoors.  I've been spending most of time working in the garden and enjoying the sunshine.   Forecast is for rain tomorrow and that rain will lead me to getting back to work on Ellen and The Hummingtree.  I'm excited about the illustrations Susan has already created.  We hope to celebrate Ellen's Elliot Lake launch sometime before Christmas 2012.

I will share a few photos of the garden that I took earlier today.

Happy Victoria Day Weekend!

WynLit 24 -- with Wynterblue Publishing Canada

I was pleased to learn this weekend that my short story titled Just a Sliver placed third in last month's WynLit 24 competition.
This month I entered another short story into competition titled The Last Ember about on-line love gone wrong. I hope this entry will also fare well.

I love writing short stories.  The second print run of my anthology titled The Silent Star Plus a Dozen is just about sold out.  I have only four copies left.  If you are interested in purchasing one please just email me.

I'm seriously thinking of gathering together another dozen or more of my short stories to produce a second anthology but first things first and the most important item on my writing agenda is to get back to work on my third novel, Ellen and The Hummingtree, which I hope will be celebrating its Elliot Lake launch sometime before Christmas of this year.

It is a beautiful spring day here in Elliot Lake.  Mother's Day for me was a blessed celebration. I enjoyed a wonderful dinner with family members.  I hope you were equally pleased with your Mother's Day however it may have unfolded for you this year.

A great weekend at the Elliot Lake Trade Show

Elliot Lake Trade Show

What a wonderful weekend at the Elliot Lake Trade Show!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my table to say hello and a special thank-you to the many who purchased one of my books.  I hope you enjoy your reading.   I appreciate your encouragement and continued support.

Congratulations to Audrey Carr who won a copy of REAWAKENING in the free draw.

The date is Thursday, May 3rd for CommuterLit.com

I learned this morning that my short story Abundance will be published on http://CommuterLit.com on Thursday, May 3rd.  I hope you will enjoy this excerpt from my upcoming novel Ellen and The Hummingtree which will celebrate its Elliot Lake launch sometime this fall in time for Christmas 2012 gift-giving.

Abundance on CommuterLit.com

I've just received notification that one of my short stories, which also happens to be an excerpt from my upcoming novel titled Ellen and The Hummingtree, will be published next week on CommuterLit.com

The title of this short story is Abundance; one that I enjoyed writing very much and I hope you will enjoy reading it.

I will post here again once I know which day my story will be published on CommuterLit.com

But in the meantime I do have four other stories published on this wonderful site -- I hope you will also enjoy reading them.

I also have short stories published on-line in a wonderful site called ChapterandVerse.ca   I hope you will enjoy reading them as well.

Short Story Publication and more ...

I am very pleased to share the good news that seven of my short stories written during this past year have been selected by Wynterblue Publishing Canada to be published in an anthology titled Confabulation Five which will celebrate its launch late spring/early summer of this year.

Creative writing is my joy.

Now that home renovations and exterior restoration are near to completion I hope my focus can soon return to what will be my third novel titled Ellen and The Hummingtree which is a collaboration with artist/illustrator, Susan Krupp.  We hope to have the launch of this book sometime before Christmas of this year.

Check out Susan's website at Yuneekpix.com

The Elliot Lake Trade Show is now only a couple of weeks away.  I will be there  the Friday night, Saturday and Sunday in the Elliot Lake Arena with Susan and with fellow writer Blair Sterling.  I hope you will stop by and say hello and for those who are so inclined I hope you will want to purchase a copy of one of the three books I will have available which are my first novel, Sara, a Canadian Saga; my second novel titled Reawakening and I will also have a very few copies available of my award winning short stories contained in my anthology titled The Silent Star plus a Dozen.

Elliot Lake Writers' Workshop Assignment

Another ELWW class tomorrow and I had a lot of fun with this month's assignment which was to write two very short stories using the same characters in each but changing a few words to make the stories very different one from the other.

Example:

ELWW Assignment for April 19^th class

(1)   Down the Aisle

I stand, proud, excited and blessed, at the front of the church.  When I catch my first glimpse of her my breath is taken away. I am the proverbial Cheshire Cat.

She is stunning in the long white bridal gown that kisses the church aisle with each step she takes toward me on her father’s arm.  The white lace veil hides the pretty smile that offers me her loving promise of forever.  The wild white roses hide the hand that will soon wear my ring.

The Wedding March fills the air and the happy guests stand up, turn their heads to view the wonder of her beauty as she appears to glide down the aisle toward me.

For two years we dated before I at last found the courage to propose.  “Barbara, will you do me the honour of being my wife?” I asked.   She hesitated.  I braced myself for a rejection.  And then like summer rain her soft, sure yes filled my happy heart.

And now we stand together, side by side, in this sacred place.  Vows exchanged, we kiss.  The future is an open door and with loving anticipation we cross the threshold into the mysterious adventure of a brand new life together.

(2)   Rest Eternal

I stand, sad, forlorn, and forsaken on brown grass at the side of the grave.  My Barbara is taken away.  My first glimpse of the coffin as it is lowered into the ground returns me to that moment when she breathes her last pain-filled breath.   I  am an empty shell.

She was fragile and lost in the long blue nightgown that hugged the hospital bed and with each soft word she whispers love to me over the nurse’s shoulder.  Pain reveals the tightness of her lips that seek the promise of going home. The intravenous needle punctures the small hand that wears the gold band I placed on her finger three short years ago.

Nurse leaves and the room is silent.  I sit by her bedside and turn my eyes from her hand to her once glowing face.  I stare down the evil of cancer’s triumph. As she lays tired and weak I feel helpless, useless.

For twelve months she found the courage to fight the unwelcome intruder.  Together we prayed, “God, give us the strength to win this battle.”  Braver than me, she accepts her fate.  I cannot begin to brace myself for the loss of my beautiful Barbara.

And then, like winter sleet, her “yes, Lord” tears out my broken heart.

And now I stand lost and alone in this sacred place.  We will kiss no more.  The past glows in my memory but the future is bleak.  I see no door.  And in fearful depression I cross the threshold into the agonizing blackness of a lonely life alone.

Sara, a Canadian Saga

Sara, a Canadian Saga, my first novel, is available as an E-book on Amazon.com 

Today I am thrilled to be informed that my first royalty cheque is on its way to me.

Thanks to all who have purchased a copy and for those of you who plan to do so, thank you.

Also I still have a few copies of this book in paperback form.  If you wish to purchase a copy please email me.

Cover Design by Yuneekpix.com

Other books available include:  Reawakening and The Silent Star plus a Dozen