Hello, Sleevers, I hope you are keeping well. I have missed our back and forth here at the blog. I have been absent lately, but I have a good excuse. Book release!

My debut novel, Daughter of the Moon is finally ready! Release date is October 3, 2024 for the eBook and October 6th for the paperback.

Click for the e-book on Amazon.com or  Amazon.ca

The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr-I read it so you don’t have to

Are you thinking about writing your memoir to tell your life story? If so, you likely have a compelling reason for it. Our lives don’t have to be full of trauma or drama to be interesting. Many people want to write their memoir and publish a small batch for posterity. The children can read it after the writer is dearly departed and find within those pages, stories mom or dad didn’t have a chance (or the courage) to tell when they were alive and kicking. It is one of the reasons many folks consider this daunting task worthwhile.

My memoir is ready. It’s waiting in a drawer for my courage to publish.

If you are an aspiring memoirist, please know this: you don’t need to read a how-to book before you begin. For example, if you are tempted to first read The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr, I’m here to tell you it isn’t necessary. In fact, reading this book may just snuff out your desire to begin. My advice? Avoid it altogether–here’s why…

Photo by Kevin Mueller on Unsplash

Although




I want to write 

About rainbows and birds

Pretty flowers perched

And gazing from their stems




But all that appears

Are ravens and storms




Black clouds




Stir my soul




Although I'm the first

To point to colours in the sky




It's black ink

Crows and clouds

That get me by




`Nora M. Parker

art Henri Matisse

#Poem #Poetry #Woman’sWork #DomesticLife

It’s Woman’s Work

He rushed past the threshold

With barely a glance back

No concern for his son’s lost shoe

Or his daughter’s missing “my little pony”


It’s woman’s work

And he need not bother

He works hard, he explained

But went to great pains

To catch a game


He was important, you know

Above menial chores

But he would soon learn

The cost of his absence

Could not be repaid,

Ever, amen


And the perpetual woman’s work

Came to an end, left undone

When the love dried up


Only a fool assumes she will forgive

Without appreciation for the little things she did

Like a kettle overboiled scalding his heart

The scar will remain long after she departs


Memory of her holding their son, 

Or kissing a boo-boo,

Vivid and clear

Woman's work endeared



Many years later

The lonely man advises the younger,

"As you pass the threshold

Remember to glance back

For you never know

Which day will be your last"

Hello Sleevers, t’s been a while since we’ve talked. Life has been interfering with my blog.

I hope you are doing well. I thought a nice way to ease in back here is to share what I’m currently reading, doing and anticipating this Spring. We’re half way through spring, that’s true but it’s not too late to share what’s happening mid-season.

First, let’s talk books.

Shadowed secrets

Weight my mind

Ground me in clouds

Greyer than time

Do you remember me?

Or am I a figment

Of a lie

You pretend to deny

Open now to sunlight

In the gloom

I make no sound

Simply pray

On a starlit wing

Returning to me

my soul replete

Treading lightly 

In a new day

-Lisa Thomson Wells

Last year my son and his girlfriend bought me a very thick book titled 500 Writing Prompts. Whew. Not daunting at all…

My last mail out I had asked my subscribers which upcoming book they would like to read of mine, given a choice of the three works currently in progress. The results are listed below in order of popularity:

I Don’t Drink Alone and Other Lies-a hilarious essay collection

Draft Book Cover

Between Midnight and the Moon-Poetry Collection

Daughter of the Moon-a Novel

So I did have a set back with editing my novel. But I am getting back on track with that and I Don’t Drink Alone is pretty much ready to format. So looks like I will have a few new releases in early 2024.

In other topics; The strangest thing has been happening to me. I come up with an idea to write about here on the blog and then moments later, I forget what my brilliant idea was. What the heck?! Also, I re-read my post on “Ten things Covid Made Me Do”. I looked for it on the blog because there was a Leonard Cohen special on HBO which triggered my memory. I thought of the time during Covid that I tied my Beau to the kitchen chair. You know what came next.

image source: Ben Nelms for CBC “Aggressive Wildfire Threatens Major Okanagan Cities”

Untitled  

Only the Lucky Ones 

Orange, smokey skies

Cloud our thoughts

Confusion and loss

Invade our lives

Burning out of control

Devil’s breath destroys

Leaving our home behind

Only the lucky ones

Get out alive

-LTW

With the wildfires foremost on my mind, the above poem came to me naturally. I can’t think of a title though. Strange as usually titles come to me first. 

I’ve been thinking about the evacuees due to wildfires in both the Interior British Columbia and Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories. In addition, the tragedy of Lahaina in Maui, Hawaii has weighed heavily on my mind as I’m sure it has with you as well.

Normally I would write about ‘summer’ and what I’ve been up to but summer hasn’t been pleasant with wildfires dominating the news. The season’s no longer as charming as its endless blue skies and incredible sunsets. It is disturbing. I do feel that our world is truly on fire. 

Just for reference, the city of Yellowknife is the most northern city in Canada. There is no daylight on the winter solstice and no darkness on the summer solstice. I’ve heard from people who have lived there that it is a magical place where the Aurora Borealis dances and the community, although fraught with a colorful history, is tight knit.

If you are curious about this city, I recommend reading Elizabeth Hay’s Late Nights On Air. I’ve read it twice because it’s that good. It is fiction (semi-autobiographical) and takes place in the mid-late 1970’s. She weaves the political issues and the growth of the city of Yellowknife in her story making the city itself a central character. The story takes you through the wilderness as well which is a vicarious way to experience the Great North without leaving your couch (haha).

I pray the city will survive and the evacuees can return to their homes and livelihoods. Ditto for the city of Kelowna which has been hit hard in the suburban areas. I saw on the news that the conditions for fighting the fires have improved but still, no rain in forecast to assist.

To give you a visual, you see on the map below exactly where Yellowknife is located. The Interior cities in British Columbia are southwestern part of the map.

Summer isn’t over yet and nor are the wildfire dangers. Let’s hope for improvement in the next few days. What’s happening in your part of the world? Do you feel overwhelmed by climate change, or the ‘news’ in general? Let’s chat in the comments. Also, if you can suggest a title for my poem please tell me in the comments. 🙂 Thank you, LA CONTESSA who suggested the title for my poem!