A few of my indispensable fiction writing sites
For today’s rolling blog tour, we are sharing our favourite sites for writers. The internet offers thousands of excellent writer resources. Here are several sites I find particularly helpful: Fiction...
View ArticleA setting I love to write (my characters may not agree)
Paths intrigue me. Who, or what, made them and why? In particular, paths in forest settings hide as much as they reveal. What destinations await the courageous traveler? What dangers lurk along the...
View ArticlePersuasive Writing Workshop: References and Links
Last night, I taught a persuasive writing workshop for Golden Ears Writers, as part of their Lobby Night series at The ACT. Thanks to everyone who came out. As promised, here is the reference list....
View ArticleDeath Sparkles – A Short Story Anthology
It’s a year since I last posted to this blog. Where has the time gone? Let me tell you: September 1st, 2011, I began a one-year novel writing intensive workshop led by Devon Ellington and hosted by...
View ArticleCatching up!
I’ve spent a good part of the last two months traveling and attending writing-related conferences and conventions. In truth, it began back in mid-August when I attended the Cape Cod Writers Conference...
View Article7 Things About Me
Back in September, my friend, and writing-workshop instructor extraordinaire, Devon Ellington tagged me in her blog. The tag was a challenge to post “7 Thing About Me” here and nominate seven people to...
View ArticleHealthy Holiday Fruit Bread (Recipe)
Writers need fuel, preferably healthy fuel. I’ve been fiddling around in the kitchen, trying to create some healthy holiday fare. This bread worked out quite well, so I thought I’d share… Festive...
View ArticleChocolate Raspberry Muffins
At this time of year my mind is focused more on food than writing, and I expect the same is true for most of you. This afternoon I baked Chocolate Raspberry Muffins, a recipe I developed last year....
View ArticleZombie Short Story for Christmas
I’m testing the waters of Amazon’s Kindle publishing with a holiday zombie short story titled, The Giving Season. It’s been a learning experience, from editing to commissioning a cover, and I’m happy...
View Article“The Giving Season” inspiration
The fictional town of Ridge Falls (in my Christmas short story The Giving Season) is inspired by my home town, Maple Ridge. Three years ago, the blue lights appeared… Fred Armstrong, communications...
View ArticleWriting: Mining for Story Ideas
Science fiction asks the question, “What if?” For thought-provoking articles and snippets, one of my favourite websites is io9 We Come from the Future. The human capacity for rationalizing self-serving...
View ArticleShort Story: The Hemlock Solution
I have a story in the fifth edition of Tigershark Magazine, The Mystery Issue. To read The Hemlock Solution, click here and then open the pdf (the link doesn’t work in the preview – click on the...
View ArticleThe Writer’s Studio 2015
I spent 2015 as a student at Simon Fraser University’s The Writer’s Studio, in the Speculative Fiction cohort with Hiromi Goto as my mentor. The mix of lectures and workshops, along with the strong...
View ArticleSetting Goals for 2017 and Beyond
Over the last couple of days, I’ve devoted some time to sketching out 2017 writing goals and roughing in a plan to achieve them. (I’m enrolled in a seven day Plot Your Success in 2017 workshop at...
View ArticleChristmas Stories at The ACT, Maple Ridge
Next Tuesday, December 20th, Ronda Payne and I will be hosting Golden Ears Writers’ fourth annual Holiday Readings by Local Writers evening. There will be a cash bar and the event is open to the...
View ArticleWhat writing rule do you wish you’d never heard?
I’m a couple of weeks late with this post. Not a great start to my resolutions, but late is better than never, right? (In my defense, I fell off the group list and didn’t receive a newsletter reminding...
View ArticleInsecure Writers Question of the Month: How has being a writer changed your...
I’ve been studying fiction craft for the last six years. These days, when I read a story that isn’t engaging me, I’m more likely to know why (head-hopping and/or poor characterization for example) I...
View ArticleWriters need healthy nourishment: Orange Bran Muffins
Writing does not typically involve much movement or activity beyond staring out the window, growling at the screen and pleading with characters. Put bluntly, writers tend to be cerebral and somewhat...
View ArticleAfter the Happily Ever After anthology
My story, 3-D Monarch, is part of new anthology edited by Anthony S. Buoni and Alisha Costanzo of Transmundane Press. At 522 pages, it’s a substantial volume of fractured fairy tales. Claudia Quint...
View ArticleIWSG – Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it?
Insecure Writer’s Support Group, March Question: Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out? Given that I only delved into fiction writing about six years ago, I don’t...
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