I’ve got another longtime passion – along with writing, reading and canoeing!
May 11, 2012 | 
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I don’t think I’ve confessed to another longtime passion of mine – along with writing, reading and canoeing! – gardening. Although I live in an apartment, for the last five years I’ve looked after two of their gardens, the larger one about 250 square feet and on a slope. I grow perennials that don’t need much water.
This year I wanted to order some good garden soil. A friend told me a cubic yard of soil was the size of my stove. I looked at my stove and thought, “That’s not very much soil.” So I ordered a yard and a half. My friend lied. The pile is the size of three refrigerators.
In seven days, I’ve moved about half the pile. But the garden looks way better, and the soil should retain moisture better…I’ve discovered muscles I didn’t know I had and all of them ache.
I’m really looking forward to getting on the plane this morning for the Red Maple in Toronto and Ottawa, so I can have a rest…
Posted in Award Shortlist, Home Truths | 
Tags: Home Truths, Martime authors, new juvenile fiction book, Red Maple Award | 
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The Hidden Agenda of Sigrid Sugden
I’ve just signed the contract for the third book of the trilogy, the second sequel to “The Nine Lives of Travis Keating.” The working title is “The Hidden Agenda of Sigrid Sugden.”
In Prinny’s story, Sigrid was one of the Shrikes, the three girls who bullied Prinny. At the end of that book, Sigrid makes a phone call when Prinny is in real danger. A phone call the other two Shrikes don’t know about.
I found myself wondering…what will happen to Sigrid when they find out?
I plan to start writing after the Red Maple trip in May.
And I’m off to Newfoundland for a few days at the end of May, so that’ll really help.
Home Truths One of Ten Nominees for Red Maple
Plans are settling into place for the Red Maple celebrations in Toronto and Ottawa in May. “Home Truths” is one of the ten nominees. I’ll be visiting schools in Uxbridge and Ottawa, doing signings and Q/A sessions, and meeting a lot of kids who have read the book. Always fun to do that. Writing is so solitary, that it’s wonderful to actually meet people who have actually read your book.
Oh, and I had a delightful phone interview with the student who will be introducing me at Harbourfront. So many perks to the writing game.
Posted in Home Truths, Juvenile fiction, Writing a book | Tags: Atlantic provinces, Martime authors, new juvenile fiction book, Red Maple Award | No Comments »
The Rest of March
Revising my free verse novel. Is there life after free verse novels? Will I still be revising this book when I’m 99? Stayed tuned. Or not.
Posted in Juvenile fiction, maritime author | Tags: Atlantic provinces, children's books, juvenile book, Newfoundland book, writing books | No Comments »
My Visit to Banff
After flying from Comox to Calgary, I took the Airporter to Banff. Again, I stayed with friends, one of whom had made a huge dish of tiramisu in my honour. Whipping cream. Chocolate. I had to walk every day to work it off.
It snowed there on a daily basis, the Bow River was frozen, people and elk were crossing on the ice, and not a cherry blossom in sight. The mountains really are spectacular, although for me – Maritimer to the core – the lack of horizon would, in the long term, bother me. Mountains just sit there. Looking majestic, unapproachable and yep, hostile, especially in March.
The elk were impressive. Keep three bus lengths away from an elk, so goes the local wisdom. Out with the zoom lens again.
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