How To Write Literary Fiction

Recently Dundurn Press, the publisher of my latest novel, “Even So,” asked me to write a blog for their “Advice To Writers” feature and they suggested the subject “How to Write Literary Fiction.” Why? Because they love to ask the hard questions! I encourage you to go to Dundurn’s site, so you can see (and…

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Do You Keep Writing? Three Lessons

Every day I hear from writers who tell me how impossible it is to keep going, how they are broken by this ‘business’ and they see no reason to continue. Often this means they see no reason to continue living, since being a writer/creator/artist is so deeply embedded in the soul as the archetype by…

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Writer’s Block of Ice Breaks Up!

Thank you, everyone, for your support during a dry spell, for encouraging, and listening, and understanding this fragile writer. I’ve learned some things, and I want to pass that on, so let’s talk process. It goes like this: I begin a novel. Oh, the golden glory and silver slide of words from mind to finger to…

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When we are here… here…look!

As some of you know, I popped off social media a few days ago.  I’m a bit conflicted, I admit, and probably in the thrall of withdrawal, if you will. I miss people — and I hope they will find me and reach out. But I’m also much more at peace. I do not need another…

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A Return to the Beginning

T.S. Eliot’s Little Gidding. These lines: We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. Circles. Wheels. In Indigenous spirituality, in Pagan spirituality worldwide, as well as in mystical forms of all major religions, this form has…

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Wisdom for a Hunger Moon

Here in North America, Indigenous people tell us the name for the full moon in February is the Snow Moon, or the Hunger moon. Yesterday we had what New Jersey folk call a snow storm, and while it was a bit blustery, for this Canadian, 4 inches of snow is hardly a storm. Still, it…

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The Author In Autumn

I remember a walk I took at twilight nearly twenty years ago.  I was living in Menthon-St.-Bernard, France then, a mountainous region in Haute Savoie on a deep lake. My Best Beloved and I lived in a house a ways up the mountain,  perhaps a twenty minute walk up the steep path from Menthon itself…

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The Anglo-Saxon Forced March Northwards

With the publication of AGAINST A DARKENING SKY, people have been asking me to pull together the blogs I wrote on my research trip to England, back in 2008.  And so, here you go… an account of what My Best Beloved calls, “The Anglo-Saxon Forced March Northwards”.  I must say, reading these again has brought…

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Booklikes Interview — Part II

Last week I told you I was interviewed by the kind folks at Booklikes.com  (You can read Part I of the interview here.) Well, the second part of the interview is now up, and if you’re interested in things like book recommendations, a couple of inspirational quotes and some writing advice… just click here! Thanks,…

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Booklikes Interview

I love Booklikes.com.  I hopped over there after Amazon purchased Goodreads, since I didn’t like the idea of the monster retailer using the site to gather reader data.  Booklikes.com continues to grow and to add features every week.  They are responsive to readers and lovely to deal with.  You can look up reviews, follow people…

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