My Old Sewing Basket

This is the sewing basket my father bought me when I was in grade seven. It is this sewing basket that gave me the idea for the fictional story I wrote that became "The Sewing Basket" which I will hold in my hands next week.I find it intriguing and encouraging that a seed of an idea can come from an object, a brief experience ,something heard , or just about anything. As a writer, that is good to know but the challenging part is to pay close attention to the seeds that have potential to grow and let some others go that seem at the time to be brilliant . The hard part is taking the idea and letting it take shape and the most exciting part is that it doesn't always take the shape you think it is going to take. If you let it the story takes over and finds its way out through you or in spite of you. The process is hard to explain or even to understand but again I must say how truly grateful I am to have the time and the inclination to let those stories come. My friend and talented photographer, Kathy Thornhill of Sparrowhawk Photography took a series of photographs of my sewing basket.She took my old sewing basket and found such beauty in it.She made several of the photos in to bookmarks that I will give out at my launch on May 9th. She also created the beautiful pansy bookmarks I gave out with Ten Thousand Truths.Thank you Kathy!

Cover For The Sewing Basket

I am only stopping here to write a short entry. I want to finish book #4 by the end of this month. Part of me feels that I am hurtling toward the finish whereas another part of me is holding back not entirely certain I know what it will take to finish this story.So those two sides are battling with each other and the rational referee that is also in me must make the determined effort to get to it. But I do want to enjoy the feeling I have this morning after receiving what I think will be the cover of The Sewing Basket. It is completely different than the one I envisioned but through the capable work of Matt Reid and his designing skills I think we have come to another perfect cover . I have been very happy with the two covers he previously designed for me and have gotten lots of positive comments about both.I have the three spread out on my office floor seeing them as a collection of my work which thrills me . Next step is to hold it as a book and launch it out in to the reading atmosphere. With all the current debate about books vs e-books, are books still relevant?, are people reading? etc. for me the important thing right now is the story that began with a small flash of idea ,has taken shape and will come together in a book. What more could I ask for at this time? Nothing! I am perfectly content in it's progression. Now get to work on the stage that the next one is in this morning and move it along.

Indian Horse

I finished reading Richard Wagamese's Indian Horse while sitting on a plane coming from Edmonton. I wanted to hold the book to my heart and cry which for me is the sign of a good book.I also wanted to shout to the plane full of people that this is a book Canada should read.I read most of the book while visiting my daughter and two little granddaughters and on more than one occasion I hollered out as I read of such cruelty and heartlessness at St. Jerome's. As a mother , grandmother and teacher I could not even imagine being witness to such evil disregard for individual value. It is really beyond grasping how a child can be stripped of everything that matters to their very being and then casually buried out back. Then I struggled through the blatant racism in small town Canada and in sport. I know this is reality and I am ashamed of it.I also know that there are layers to this racism that are age old and complicated but definitely worthy of honest reflection and debate. I listened every day to the debates of Canada Reads and I registered some of the comments made about Indian Horse but had not read the book so didn't really engage in the debate. I read February and certainly would take nothing away from Lisa Moore's win. But come on people. How could some of the comments made about Indian Horse have been made if they had really read and embraced the writing at all. I don't know how Richard kept from losing his mind upon hearing remarks like "The sport should have been lacrosse". Really! The powers at St. Jerome's stripped the residents of everything "Indian " but would have encouraged Saul to play Lacrosse? "No redeeming white character." I found one but Erv Swift didn't ride in and save the day and I would have been pissed off if he had. "No hope." That is the biggest unfair statement of all.Hope was the powerful message of this book. Saul's mere survival showed hope and the fact that he explored the horrific events of his childhood brought hope from the only real and lasting place it can come from,a place deep within that sees where the soul has been but where by choice it can find a place to reside that gives it a reason for hope. This is what made me want to sob and what will give Indian Horse a place of honor on my book shelf.

Great Day in Fredericton

Yesterday I had a very enjoyable day in Fredericton. Fredericton holds a special place in my heart and I always look forward to time spent there. I lived in Fredericton from age seven to eleven. Anyone who knows me at all has heard me talk about 619 Regent St.That address has found it's way into two of my books.In fact Fredericton is the setting of "The Sewing Basket" which comes out in May and my main character lives where else but 619 Regent St.In 1976 I went to Fredericton to attend St. Thomas University and remember those days as a student in Fredericton very fondly.I started my Fredericton day by meeting with Joan Clark who is spending this year in NB as UNB's Writer in Residence. She generously gave up her morning to share her wisdom , experience and perspective. I came away from that meeting with some of my questions answered and a good feeling about the trajectory of my writing career.What a wonderful example she is for other authors.I spent the afternoon in Sara Belong's classroom at George St. Middle School. I would love to list the names of all the seventeen students I met and could probably remember most of them but I wouldn't want to leave anyone out so I won't try. Each one of them was delightful and welcomed me with such enthusiasm. When you hear a boy exclaim that he will buy every book I write it makes me very happy even though I imagine he will soon forget his claim. Then there was the thrilling comment I received when after reading just a short passage from Ten Thousand Truths ,Chantay remarked that it made her think of Anne of Green Gables. That is the best compliment I could ever get about that book.I spent two hours reading from my three books, sharing some of my favourite books and authors and having the kids do some writing. I ran out of time and was very disappointed when the bell rang . They presented me a gift of appreciation , a few pictures were taken ,I hurriedly signed bookmarks and said goodbye.I look forward to visiting there again next year. Thank you Ms. Belong.

The Reach of The Year Mrs. Montague Cried

Last night I came up to my office to spend some time on the computer. I would have liked to have watched the East Coast Music awards but my son who does not pay for his own satellite was visiting so he could watch The Walking Dead.I did the normal stuff,looking at Facebook, checking my e-mail,went on Twitter, looked at my blog stats, and then Googled Ten Thousand Truths, and The Year Mrs. Montague Cried.I stumbled upon a blog entry that had just been published that day with a beautiful review of The Year Mrs. Montague Cried from someone in Australia who had bought the book at Woozles in Halifax,last summer. www.momotimetoread.blogspot.com I called Burton up stairs and we had a tearful embrace. It amazes and overwhelms me how vast and continuous the reach of this book has been.Over and over again I am touched when I hear from another reader.I have said this book was a gift Zac gave me and every day I am reminded of just how powerful that gift is . I am overjoyed when I hear from readers of Ten Thousand Truths but there will always be something very special when I hear of one more reader that has shared a bit of our pain in losing our oldest son."As long as there is one person on earth that remembers you ,it isn't over." Oscar Hammerstien

Another Day of "Jeaneology"

Last year I had the privilege of spending a night and day at the home of Jean Holder in Millstream.I had that privilege again this weekend. Jean is now 91 and still a rich fountain of family history and past remembrances. She is humorous, and generous in sharing those memories. This year the theme of her get-together was "Meet Your Ancestors". I was so happy to be invited to observe the afternoon of story telling as each family member took an ancestor and after researching them read a piece as that ancestor bringing him or her to life and interconnecting the past and present recollections of that person.Aunt Jean and Barb Fullerton were interviewed on CBC Information Morning in Saint John and Fredericton about this undertaking. From the initial idea and through the extensive planning that engaged about twenty family members it all came together to create a wonderful family event that hopefully will keep this family connected by the past and present and determined to keep that connection for the future generations. Thank you Aunt Jean!

Bring on Book # 3

After my last launch when I expressed how happy I was to be getting the chance to write , something I have always done but never had the time to devote to actually getting it done, my son Caleb said"How many books do you want to write,Mom.?"He asked the question with an element of surprise as if it hadn't dawned on him that I would continue writing. I know for my family the first book was huge in so many ways and the intensity of the whole thing has been monumental.I feel it was the book that I needed to write first and has allowed me the opportunity to keep writing. My answer to him was, Well it depends how many years I have left, a book a year,let's say - 20. Twenty sounds good , twenty five even better.Well it is getting closer to the time when I will hold book #3. Yesterday I finished the line edits after a couple of rounds of rewrites under the editing direction of Sherie Hodds. She was wonderful. I worked with Caitlin Drake on my first two books and was disappointed when she was not able to work on this one. But there was no disappointment once I started working with Sherie. She has been so supportive and encouraging throughout the process.Next I look forward to exploring cover options.So today after shovelling snow from yesterday's storm and amidst my occasional worried thoughts, as Caleb and Ashlie travel back from Chester today, I will work on book # 4. It is coming to a very pivotal point and I think I know what direction it is taking.Funny how much writing books is like living life. "I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned ,the hard way,that some poems don't rhyme,and some stories don't have a clear beginning,middle,and end. Life is about not knowing,having to change,taking the moment and making the best of it,without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity" Gilda Radner