Kame and Kettle Art Show

I've been busy the past few days between waiting around for electricians and editing Murder on Manitou, my soon-to-be released novella by Wynterblue Publishing in November 2011. Today, however, I took a break to attend an art show.

This wasn't just any art show. This was the 20th Anniversary of the Kame & Kettle Art Group here in Orangeville, more special to my heart because a few of its members are friends of mine. My kids weren't exactly thrilled at the whole idea of going at first, but once they saw some of the paintings, they were hooked. Congratulations to Darlene Hassall, Andrea Trace, Emilia Perri, all ladies I've had the pleasure of painting with in the past. The show was fabulous and I came away with tons of inspiration and new artists to admire. It was nice to hear them ask, "Where are your pieces? When are you going to join us?" Very flattering!

The best part about the whole show was that we were able to buy a catalogue of all the pieces we'd seen and Alex got the autograph of the lady whose work he admired most - Darlene. It was nice to see old friends and feel inspired to not only write, but get back to painting when I get the chance.

Happy March Break!

A Dream One Step Closer to Reality

In February, I announced that I'd won the Murder in Ink contest run by Wynterblue Publishing out of North Bay, Ontario. Since then, I've learned a few more details. One is that my book "Murder on Manitou" will be published in November 2011 so I am currently editing and polishing. There will be an awards banquet as well as workshops taking place in North Bay November 18, 19 and 20th. I'll be sure to post more details as I hear them or you can check out http://www.wynter.ca/. Wynterblue also offers some great contests that run all year.

I've been doing some spring cleaning in an attempt to find homes for the novels I've written that are currently gathering dust on my bookshelf. I've had three great friends reading The Bookstore Lady to help me polish it for submission. The whole idea of soon having one novel in print is motivating me to push forward. I have also entered a couple of other contests lately: the Toronto Star Short Story Contest and the WOW (Women on Writing) Winter Contest. I'll let you know if anything comes from these.

Time to get to some editing.
Keep Writing!

Are Those your Muffins?

This was the prompt I got at today's writing meeting. What I'm about to write here is rough, but I do plan to use a similar version in one of my novels. Enjoy!

"Are those your muffins, pudding?" the toothless man asked, the tips of his grimy fingers aimed at my shopping basket.

I walked around him, in no mood to talk to anyone, and fled down the aisle at a brisk pace. I'd become absorbed in reading the labels of tea boxes when the scents of body odour and alcohol assaulted my nose and stung my eyes.

"Are those your muffins?" he asked again. This time his finger tapped the plastic lid right above a large blueberry.

"Please leave me alone." I took several steps backward then darted toward the deli, my last stop before I could go home for the evening and crawl into bed with my Ben and Jerry's ice cream and a bag of cookies. Chocolate chunk, not chocolate chip. This was one seriously brutal day and I needed all the soothing I could get.

How dare the world treat me this way? Fired from a job I needed, but hated. A parking ticket for stopping to drop off library books. And, to top it all off, dateless on a Friday night while my boyfriend was out of town. Self-pity followed me up and down the aisles, helping me fill the basket to brimming.

The old man found me in line at the checkout, his aroma so pungent that everyone stepped aside in his wake. "Are those your muffins?"

"Yes, those are my muffins! Now leave me alone!"

He blinked his watery blue eyes. "Sorry, pudding, I just wanted to tell you that they were moldy and you'd get sick." He handed me a different package. "Take these instead."

As he swam away in my tears, I left behind the Ben and Jerry's and took home the tea, the mold-free muffins, and left my self-pity at the checkout.

All it took was one stranger to care.

Happy Valentine's Day!

What a wonderful Valentine's Day.
This morning at 9am, I found out I'd won Wynterblue Publishing's Murder In Ink contest! (Click on the Wynterblue link to the right to see the notice!) What a wonderful way to start a Monday. I'll post all the details when I find out more! Validation that I AM a writer! Even better, by the time I came home for lunch, it was all over Facebook courtesy of my friend and beta reader Laura. What a treat to find all kinds of messages from my friends.
After work, I came home to hugs from my kids then my husband came home with Thai takeout and wine.

I know, I shouldn't NEED validation. I am a writer. I always have been a writer, but it's nice to have the pat on the back after all of the rejections. My favourite line in one of my own novels is by Lucy Stephens who yells as her husband drives away, "Just because I'm a writer, doesn't mean I thrive on rejection."  (Date With a Dead Guy).

To all of my writing friends - published or not - I have one piece of advice. Don't Give Up.
Keep writing,
Diane

A Fresh Perspective

Last night I received the news a lady I'd volunteered with and been friends with for the past few years had passed away. We were the tag team who cooked hot dogs for 400 elementary students and she'd unofficially dubbed me the "Weinie Queenie," threatening to make me a tiara with a hot dog on top. I would never again cook hot dogs in the oven without thinking of all the fun we had during Hot Dog Day.

What saddens me the most about losing Janet, is that she has two children the same ages of my two youngest. Her daughter will become a teenager this year without a mother to guide her. Janet was only 47 years old, full of enthusiasm, drive and a great sense of humour. Lying in bed last night, I though about her and about what would happen to my own family should anything happen to me. Then my thoughts turned to the dreams she would never make happen.

I have wanted to be a writer ever since I could write. My dream is to have the manuscripts stacked on my bookshelf turned into real books that other people will read. Riches and fame aren't the goal. They never have been. Putting out books and stories that people will read and enjoy are my ultimate goal. I want to provoke thought and make people smile and forget their own problems for a while.

Thinking of Janet will bring tears to my eyes for a long time to come, but in her honour, I will forge on and make my own dreams come true with her as my inspiration.
God speed, Janet. You will always have a special place in my heart.

Renovations

If you've visited my blog before, you'll notice a slight colour difference. I've changed it from bright green to brown. Not a sign of depression, I assure you. Merely an update. I've been painting walls in my house and decided to paint the wall of my blog as well.

Had a great meeting of the HWG again today. Very intriguing prompts which led me to channel Edgar Allen Poe and write a something so creepy it made my hands sweat! Never had that happen before. Couldn't stop writing it either, which does happen lots, but nothing so heart pounding as this one. I promise to give it an edit and post it soon. Let's just say it features a special ghost and an unsuspecting guest.

The weather here in Southern Ontario has been rather bizarre this winter. Today we're huddling in a -17 degree Celcius chill. It will get up to 2 degrees come Tuesday. All this cold (not to mention the blackouts we've been having because of it) has one wonderful side effect. It makes me want to huddle with a candle, paper and pen and write. Seriously write. Lately, I've been so focused on editing novels with the intent of submitting to agents and publishers that I've neglected the creative side and it has been rebelling.

No more.

Balance is key.

Write, read, edit.

And keep warm...

A New Year, but not new goals

Happy New Year to you all.
I haven't made Resolutions per se. My goals are perpetual. Get my books published and make more ME time. Neither is easy to do with three kids and a job, but I'm managing.

I am currently in the editing-like-crazy mode as far as two of my novels are concerned. Book 1: The Bookstore Lady and Book 2: Date with a Dead Guy will be making the rounds again this year. Ah, the polishing phase.
By the end of January, I WILL be ready to resume the hunt for an agent/publisher and move on to edits of Book 3: Padded Walls and writing Book 4: ????.

I had a wonderful time at our Headwaters Writers' Guild meeting yesterday. I was leading and decided to simplify the prompt for once. Usually we end up with anywhere from 5-10 items to choose from. I gave everyone one, which extended into two due to the conversations we were having.
1) Why do you write?
2) Who are you?
The responses people gave were incredible. Similar, yet from such totally different perspective that it was invigorating to hear them all. I came home last night and settled right down to write.

Usually I do most of my writing during the week while I'm not at work and the kids are at school. Last week I was sidelined while my youngest had the flu. Did get time to brainstorm and do some research though. Sometimes you just have to take the moments that you can. For example, I'm writing this while at home on my lunch break!

Hope you all have a happy and productive 2011.