Life is a smorgasbord of fun things to learn and do. I haven’t got past the appetizer course yet.
Writer
I’ve been telling stories and writing them as long as I can remember. Poems too.
I had my first poem published when I was about eight years old. It was called Wind and published in the United Church newsletter.
The summer between grade school and high school, my friend Connie and I decided to write books. Hers was sci-fi; mine was more along the lines of Nancy Drew. (Remember her?) I filled several scribblers, but unfortunately I let others read them, they got passed around, and eventually lost.
Over the years, I wrote many short stories and poems and started a few novels. They have almost all been lost. That may be a good thing. Or not.
In any event, a few years ago I realized if I wanted to achieve my lifelong goal of being a writer, there was no time to lose. So I buckled down (more or less) and started actually working at it, in between working at my paying job, life’s vagaries, and all the things that pull you away from what you’re trying to do.
My favourite genres to read are fantasy and sci-fi, though I love crime stories, thrillers, mystery and historical fiction. I write the same way. How could anyone stick to just one genre?
When I need to take a break from editing my current work in progress, I write short stories or flash fiction.
I am a member of Headwaters Writers’ Guild and have participated in NaNoWriMo for the last few years.
Illustrator
I’ve always liked drawing, too, but never thought I was good at it. My mother was an artist and she encouraged me to try watercolour. I’m still awful at that!
A few years ago, I started experimenting with acrylic painting and took a few courses. That was a bit more successful.
When I found out how much it cost to have someone create a book cover or create illustrations for a children’s book (of which I had about a dozen running riot in my head), I decided I had to learn how. I bought the Affinity suite of programs (Deisgner, Publisher and Photo) and took an introductory course on Designer. I was hooked.
Illustration is so much fun I would rather do it than almost anything else. I’m still learning and growing and developing my style.
It took a lot longer to do the illustrations for Aeryn and the Dragon than it took to write and edit it, which delayed publication far beyond what I intended. But it was a labour of love, in more ways than one. I wrote it for my granddaughter.
I live just outside a small town in Ontario, with my lifemate and my cat, with a conservation area right outside my back door.
I’m interested in almost anything (except sports), particularly history, science, ecology and language. I have opinions on everything, too, as you can tell from my blog. So do you, so don’t judge me.
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