i'm obsessed with shorts. short. stories.
i’ve been fucking around on twitter and shortlisted for a CBC challenge “lawmakers & lawbreakers”. here’s my tweet story, a bite-sized excerpt from a noir-styled story i wrote a couple of years ago titled ‘Dent’. it’s contained within a fabulous anthology titled ‘Stampede Queens’ that we’re trying to publish. he deserved it, says Phil. i … Read more
There are songs you have to sneak up on like you’re hunting for a rare bird. And songs that come to you fully intact like a dream through a straw. And other songs you find like bits of gum under your desk that you have to scrape off… Tom Waits
in a recent New Yorker podcast, Richard Ford states that novelists cannot be perfectionistic, that it doesn’t fit the novelistic form; however, this trait fits the short story form. this really got me thinking, took me on tangents into the writing/personal. last year, i tried to write a novel and it fucking freaked me out. … Read more
i read an interview of James Salter in the Paris Review and, man, what an interview. take a look at it here: http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/1930/the-art-of-fiction-no-133-james-salter this man is fucking smart. anyway, in the usual discussion of what makes short story writing so great, he is asked “what’s your idea of a short story?” here’s his answer: Above all, it … Read more
i’ve got nothing, nada, not one thing to say. this is a problem because i’m writing a lot and i wonder if this apathy translates into my work. lordy, this writing business–it’s like walking through sludge. somebody bring me a cool compress, i’m swooning. and a gimlet, whatever that is. do you have the recipe … Read more
this week, i’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a writer who is professional. by that, i mean someone who takes their writing seriously, as opposed to a technical writer. i believe a professional attitude is key to success, however a writer defines success. what does this mean? i believe in … Read more
i’m currently practising my story “A Suitable Dress” to read at Astrid’s salon in Edmonton, AB. fortunately, i’m able to read an entire story, which is something i’ve never done. it’s a longer read and i’m building up my stamina. wish me luck, imaginary readers of this blog. what would you read if you were given … Read more
i enjoyed a trip to the Glenbow Museum the other day, namely, Fred Herzog’s exhibit. he’s a street photographer from Vancouver who has wandered the streets of that city for 50 plus years, snapping photos of people, alleys and urban signage galore. he’s an interesting guy, Fred. he loves taking photos and takes a great … Read more
i listened to this podcast with Marisa Silver in which she discusses her inspiration by an iconic 1936 photograph of a migrant mother. this image drives her entire novel. this process of image/inspiration is thought provoking for me, as i use images in my writing and often start with a particular image or object in … Read more