A Worthy Imposter

It’s a dreary afternoon and one of the last days before my hectic schedule will take hold. I felt like a having little indulgence but living on an island I often have to make do with what I may have on hand. I had too many bananas to eat on my own that were spoiling quick. And, I was craving chocolate (which I don’t eat). I opened the cupboard to explore all I had was some rice flour, honey and carob...

I searched the internet and found a brownie recipe. While I sort of followed the recipe,  my inner black sheep chef took over as I was missing a few of the key ingredients. They are not my mother’s brownies that I grew up on but they turned out delicious. And, since every day seems to be a holiday; happy Lazy Day❣️

Not My Father's Daughter

This has been the summer of tests... I don’t think I have ever gone through a time when I was so poked and prodded but at least one test was a diverting one. Since a young age, I’ve identified with my father more deeply than with my mother. I was always told that I was my father’s daughter but as science confirmed this past week, that isn’t the case. In light of this revelation, it is fascinating for me to think about the old nature vs nurture debate and just how much those that surround us influence who we become. However, it’s been a tumultuous couple of days with Mino recovering from her surgery. Rather than dive deeper into heavy topics, I think I’ll just stick with soup and stitches for the rest of the evening. I am keeping my fingers crossed that we won’t need to return to the vet tomorrow...

As we sail through the remainder of summer, the cooler nights are a haunting reminder of how quickly things change. I start work next week and I want to savour the final summer moments. Blueberry season is coming to a close and with a subtle suggestion from the lighter side of life, I thought I’d get creative once again. A few soup ideas inspired me for this one. The first little nudge led me to blåbärssoppa, which frankly is just fun to say. Another inspiring nudge guiding me was the abundance of blackberries lining my driveway. The finale feels like an adult version of PB&J which is more than okay for today.

Cephalopodan Triad

I am often asked what inspires my writing or how I sit down to write my stories. My process is very much spur of the moment (I wrote more than half my novel on my phone). But sometimes I’ve felt blocked and there are a few exercises that help to get the ideas flowing. Of the different tricks I use when the inspiration evades me, emulation is the easiest when I am feeling lost. Although someone dear to me once told me I added poetry to their life, I am not confident writing poetry. This same person had introduced me to a few poets that I have fallen in love with over the years and so I have integrated writing poetry into one of my writing exercises. Simply, chose a poem and readapt it to reflect your own ideas…

Emulation of  Pablo Neruda’s, Love Sonnet XI

By Marie-France Boissonneault, 2018

I haven’t been well for most of July and so I have put a few of my writing projects on the back burner. But, while away I had several ideas germinating. The opportunity to explore new areas and old favourites was like tilling fertile soil and I have been wanting to plant these ideas and get them growing before my very first in-person writing group next week. So today I think I will indulge in a little fantasy and immerse myself in emulation to get the old fingers dancing across the keyboard again... 

Some Like it Hot

When I was gifted of a flat of peaches, I couldn’t help but sing the nostalgic tune... Oh, how I love peaches!

I’ve always loved to let my imagination go wild whilst cooking so I almost never work from a recipe. When a friend of mine asked for the secrets to the delicious image of my soup I’d shared that day, I quickly jotted down what I could remember. 

I had spent the morning in the kitchen making chutneys, salsas, and this happy accident soup. So, I am glad that I wrote the gist of it down so I could enjoy this wonderful summer soup (hot or cold) once again. I think it is even better the second time! But, my picture was better the first time ;)

So, while I take a little break from writing. I’ll pass along the “recipe” the best I can...



Two large onions sautéed until clear. Four cloves of garlic, six large peaches (I kept the skins on). Throw them all in a pan to simmer for about ten minutes. While simmering, add in a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, two tablespoons of brown sugar, about a tablespoon of dried ginger, curry powder and turmeric and a splash of cider vinegar. 

I almost forgot the chilli pepper; add that to your liking. Let it all cool and then give it a whirl in the blender until it’s smooth. I was freezing some of it so I didn’t add any coconut milk as I might most times. But honestly, I don’t think it needs it as a summer soup, perhaps I’ll make it richer in the fall. 

Then, if you want the delight of a stunning image, find yourself an earthy bowl, a secondary and tertiary coloured flower, and complementary colour for the background. 

Et, voilà! 

Thanatosis

At the beginning of the week, I reviewed Honeyman’s novel and a quote from the book resonated with me. 

“There are days when I feel so lightly connected to the earth that the threads that tether me to the planet are gossamer thin, spun sugar. A strong gust of wind could dislodge me completely, and I’d lift off and blow away, like one of those seeds in a dandelion clock.” (Honeyman, 2017). 

This quote embodies the last few weeks for me, and even more so in the last few days. As I make my way westward I look forward to staring out into the wide expanse of the North Pacific and being cut off from technology. This time to write and explore has been like a strong wind that has dislodged my spun sugar connections to a previous life. The guidance that disconnection brings is like being a satellite above my life, an opportunity to examine, understand and create a new path. Sometimes we need that disconnection to allow for introspection, a moment to quiet all the competing voices that surround us so that we can hear our own.  I have a few more weeks until I embark on new adventures that my work in September will bring. 

So for today, I am grateful for that wind to continue to take me farther away...  

Eleanor Oliphant is Not Completely Fine

My literary FOMO is growing with each novel I pick up! So, while I review works from the list I mentioned last week; I can’t help but devour the words on the page from new authors I knew nothing about to favourites from another time alike. I’ll start with one of my favourites on the list for today as it was the first story that rekindled the bibliophile within me. Forget about how the novel has won a basket full of awards from being the book of the year to have attained the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller list; Honeyman’s debut novel is a gem beyond its accolades. It may be in part due to Cathleen McCarron’s brilliant narration. I was struggling with my vision at the time so I listened to the novel, and while the beginning was a bit slow to get going Cathleen McCarron’s talented narration keeps the story moving along.

  

The Guardian refers to Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine as having “characters [that] aren’t goodies, baddies or plot devices, they just feel like people” which is why this novel resonated with me. Her characters are rich and spot-on which made it was so easy to connect with the protagonist; we all know someone like Eleanor. Perhaps it’s a colleague, an acquaintance or a family member but how Honeyman has created Eleanor in the novel; an unequivocally straight-forward, introverted character who is socially maladroit and carries no pretence captivates the reader’s fascination. The story is steeped in an attention to detail and understanding of the nuance of human idiosyncrasies which Honeyman has infused each of her characters with; that brings the novel to life. Eleanor isn't just a quirky oddball character intriguing the reader, she is well-rounded, and she speaks to the depths of loneliness and will trigger an empathetic response from any reader. 

I won’t give a synopsis of the work as this is a title with a thousand write-ups about it online (One of my favourites). But, I have to agree with most of the reviews which crown it as an insightful novel dealing with loneliness in a very relatable way. There are parts where I laughed out loud and other passages which made me cringe for Eleanor. The story is true to life in how simple gestures and moments can change our trajectory. But, while I enjoyed the story, and I don’t like to give anything away, the ending disappointed me.

*SPOILER ALERT*

I won’t give anything away in detail, but the end of the novel, for me, was like a pedantic tidying-up of minor perceived loose ends. The explanations that come to light were formulaic and predictable. I kept waiting for a great twist but while reading the actual great twist I was thinking, this can’t be it… I think the story got caught up in dysfunction and rather than to allow a natural progression of events and explanations, Honeyman wanted to create something more involved and complicated than she could deliver.  

*SAFE FROM SPOILERS*

With all that said and done, the novel was a wonderful read. If you want a thought-provoking story that will make you laugh, cringe and connect with its characters than you’ll find it with Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

Happy reading and see you next Monday!

Summer Reading List

Since early September I have been teaching English. As a result, I have had the chance to re-read the classics and some "new to me" classics. It highlighted how much I missed reading fiction, and so in June, as classes were winding down I gave myself a summer goal. I decided that I was going to "do" a summer reading list as I did when I was a teenager. It was one of the things I really looked forward to as the summer break would approach. Many of my friends groaned about having to read books over the summer break but I was so excited to get my hands on the list our school would assign. I also grew up in a reading household; the shelves were lined with the classics. So my brother and I loved reading, and I have carried that into my adult life.

However, over the years fiction has fallen by the wayside. I never gave up reading, but it became scientific studies and academic articles that that now took centre stage. I have tried to pick up works of fiction here and there but unless they were tied to my career they were soon forgotten on the bedside table. This time though, I had a goal that between July and August I would read at least five books... Now, I don't have a list to work from but I thought, if I can read five as a teenager I can certainly get through five books as an adult... I think I was a bit like a kid in a candy store binging on stories. So far, I have gotten through a few more books than I thought I would read for the entire summer which is really exhilarating for me. I have ten titles already under my belt. And so, I thought it might be nice to take a little moment to step back and absorb the works while I work up the appetite for my next novel binge. A few of the novels were light reads, stories for my own research (Lauren, Hoang & Chbosky) on current genre and style. While other titles I read were solely for pleasure... I won't review them all in this post but I will share the list below.    

Here is the list I have gone through so far. I always love a great suggestion so feel free to drop me a line and let me know about any riveting reads you've enjoyed; or even what you may have thought of the ones I've listed J

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

By Gail Honeyman

My Favorite Half-night Stand & Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating

By Christina Lauren

Less

By Andrew Sean Greer

Supermarket

By Bobby Hall

The Kiss Quotient
By Helen Hoang

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

By Stephen Chbosky

The Nest

By Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

The Japanese Lover

By Isabel Allende

The Home for Unwanted Girls

By Joanna Goodman

I’ll review one of these titles in my post next week!

When We Were Birds

Part two of my writer's adventure ended up becoming one but that’s all part of the fun! It took some planning but I think all the kinks are finally ironed out. I am really looking forward to a week of good laughs, hard work, networking, searching, dedication and both inspiring and being inspired... Counting down! Two weeks to go until my writer's adventure! 

And, maybe a little break for some mural hunting too! ☺️ This beauty is by Ana Marietta from Blink 2017 a little digital gift from an awesome travel partner who caught the mural hunting bug from me during our last road trip together!

Trapped in my Head

I woke up to a rough start after a dreadful sleep last night. However, it seemed like everyone could read my mind today... So, this fun little T was a perfect fit for the day; a delightful gag gift from one of my favourite students.

My passion for writing is one I have had since a very young age so it is something I do as a part of who I am and I am prepared for a deluge of rejections and criticism. I write to satisfy a different need but if people enjoy my prose; all the better. Even more satisfying is when someone provides insightful comments on my stories.

In February, I started to share my more personal work with much trepidation. I am a private person and one that juggles the whole personal versus public persona. There are very few people that I have allowed into my inner circle over the years and the inability to show vulnerability can be my downfall. So, I’ve challenged myself to share a little more through my writing.

My brother once told me I lived in my head. And, I do. It’s a fascinating place to roam... An editor commented on my work suggesting the same idea this morning after reading a few of my stories. It delighted me to open my email and read his critique. It was illuminating! I felt good about the stories when I sent them off. His manner of highlighting the suggestion he had for my work brought to light exactly where I should focus my attention on my rewrite which was so helpful. And, I am always looking for challenges to grow in my craft so I appreciate the guidance from a good editor! 

Another thing I am really looking forward to is a familiar island hop at the end of the month where I will have a little writing retreat oasis. I’m hoping to have another couple of days for a similar escape with a good friend. Until then though, I’ll work on finessing my writing to create an experience more than spelling it all out for my reader which is perfect timing for my novel edits.

As for reading my mind again, even though my father who knew nothing of my morning, and has said nothing about my writing, told me to keep writing when I got off the phone with him today. It felt serendipitous! But, this is it for me today. In the words of Seinfeld, “I’m on no sleep” so I’m taking a break, but only for today…

Adaptation

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”― Cicero

In life, there are so many unexpected changes that I find myself relentlessly re-evaluating myself. I’m a human chameleon devouring the understandings of the flashes of my existence. On this first of July, Canada’s birthday, I look out to the mountains from my yard after an early morning hike with my girl, some gardening and a writing exercise that perplexed me from the onset. The warm-up for this morning was of the very short story style, 19 words to be exact. I crafted 9 stories, and it was a great way to warm up for the editing work I have set aside for this month. You have little room for the superfluous with so few words which puts me in the right mindset with my red pen eagerly hovering over my manuscript. 

I met my deadline for the POV switch of my June story May Day but was way over my word limit! I write my stories from a female perspective so to get into the mindset of my male character was a huge but rewarding struggle. And, my beta readers loved it; a huge relief. Dialogue and POV are new to me as my academic writing background calls for neither so I welcome these new challenges. My day started bright and early with the sun. So, I think I will also take the afternoon to celebrate; lest I find myself in the same predicament as good ole Jack…  

Happy Canada Day!          

Stay kind. It makes you beautiful @najwazebian

It’s the little things in life that make memorable moments for me. It’s the thoughtful gestures of kindness that can change my day in an instant. The end-of-the-year always brings those opportunities to share appreciation, from the colourful sweets and savoury treats to handcrafted bath bombs, and lovely cards. The students that surround me for an end-of-year hug truly warm the heart. Each of these momentary snapshots of kind gestures from the surrounding students rekindles my spirit after a hard year. I think that is something I try to remember when crafting some of my characters. 

It’s easy to forget, but those little moments in real life do make the world a difference. So, just as paying attention to those details can breathe life into you, so too, do they bring to life to the characters we create in our narratives. That’s what makes a moment special, the nuances and appreciation. I think about that as I go through my own day and have thought about that each time I write a story. 

As I jump into summer with re-inspired energy to write. I’ve been working on my villain from YBGTL, the contemporary thriller, and the warped love story I mentioned in my last post. I am often blinded from the negative aspects wanting to only see the good, or rather focus on the positive traits in people so it’s a task for me to draw out the nefarious elements in people I have encountered in life. I think it’s why it was such a surprise twist to my readers of YBGTL. But, I have a weekend deadline to meet. So I will have to explore that thought another time. I have my work cut out for me :)

On that note, I guess I should get back to working on my June assignment and get it in before the month is up. I have a handful of anxious beta readers and critique partners that proofed the first part eagerly waiting to read the flip side of my story, my male voice... 

Happy summer!

You've Been Gone Too Long

Rodeo Beach

There is something about waking up in a new place that gets the ideas flowing like nothing else for me! Walking the streets of my stories gives a new insight into the consciousness of the characters I can only get from experiencing the world through their eyes. I won’t get away too often this summer and somehow just south of my island home doesn’t feel like a true escape. I have written a few stories set under the California sun. The painted ladies of the Mission District and the beach-side ocean breeze are like a marriage between the culture I miss from growing up in the east and the west coast island life I now lead. It’s all too familiar to feel like I am not already home.

Love on Haight

I have a few projects I want to redevelop over the summer, and one is my first true fiction short story I wrote this past April; which I suppose would fall under the genre of a romantic thriller. My writing group suggested that I make my story about three sisters (YBGTL) into a novel, and there is a lot of room to expand the narrative. In that regard, it’s nice to revisit the spaces where I set some of my scenes to get the ideas flowing. But, we’ll see. Embodiment enhances my process, and to put myself in the shoes of my character and meander through the sultry streets while taking in the sights, sounds and smells can sometimes translate into words more fluidly than when I only rely on my imagination… 

Another long-awaited project is the humane education creative non-fiction adventure series I started a few years ago. The umwelten of other species is a whole other level of embodiment I have been aching to dive back into. But, there are a few “people” stories I would like to polish up first, and then I’ll see where my inspiration takes me.  

So, on that note, off I go to wander.

Language of Birds

Fifty Shades of my Imagination

I knew I was close, and today marks the day I have submitted 50 stories for review (and one book proposal). It feels a little surreal when I think of it. I started this journey on February 12 of this year when I surrendered a personal piece for a huge Literary Contest (it is still being reviewed and I have yet to hear any news). Once I had made myself vulnerable, I decided that I would continue to work on writing new pieces for submission. As the saying goes; it takes a hundred attempts before a win. So, if they reject all the above stories; I’m halfway there!

My writing group has been a great support in keeping me on my toes. I work well under a looming deadline. It’s a very informal group, but they have pushed me and enjoyed what I have shared with them along the way. When I have doubted myself it’s been those stories that have spoken to them. Today I should write my POV switch "assignment"
for the group but it’s been hard. I’ve been rolling ideas around in my head for two weeks now and I am still struggling, which is great. I suggested the POV switch since I hate it 😁 I am always interested in growth and we get nowhere without challenging ourselves.

Speaking of growth… While I wait for responses from the journals I have submitted my work to, my garden is producing much better returns, for now… So here’s to too many leafy greens! Bottoms up!