the trouble with writing

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you never where to start. or end. the interruptions of daily life are difficult to manage, even when you need them. telling a story is one thing; finding the meaning in it is another. reading good books is extremely important because you need good sentences that linger inside your head. jealousy is problematic, both yours … Read more

dolly

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“tempo, girls, tempo!” the lizard called. “count it out!” he skittered across the floor, skidded to a halt and stared indignantly up at them. “this is ridiculous!  i shouldn’t have to remind you there’s a great deal riding on this!” the girls coughed and looked down at their hooves, embarrassed by both his sharp tongue … Read more

hot box motel

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3 a.m. i’m in a hot box motel in Merritt. the lights in the bathroom don’t work and i lie awake and wonder why. the kids are asleep directly next door and i wonder about a serial killer who vanishes them in the middle of this night. construct a narrative. i turn to the window. … Read more

weeping woman

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  Weeping Woman (Dora Maar) by Grace Nichols   14. Picasso, I want my face back the unbroken photography of it   once, I lived to be stroked by the fingers of your brushes   Now I see I was more an accomplice to my own uprooting   Watching the pundits gaze open-mouthed at your … Read more

tapely (THE GLOBE)

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music drives my writing.  and, for your listening pleasure, a mixed tape that inspired my short story collection: https://tapely.com/the-globe

bauhaus, the obscure

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i dig Bauhaus. one of my favourite novels is by William Boyd titled THE BLUE AFTENOON and there’s a discussion of this architectural style, and it is from this novel that my interest in the Bauhaus School was born. i’m no expert. i just love the angles and an attempt at simplicity that’s harder than … Read more

scorched earth

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there’s an artist in LA called Mark Bradford and he creates oversized pictures out of canvas and paper and paint. he calls his work “social abstraction” or abstract art with a social context “clinging to the edges”. (p.3) i can buy that; art should do more than one thing. the painting above is titled ‘Scorched … Read more

my dad

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after Dad retired from the RCMP he had a rough re-entry into civilian life as a realtor, where you had to explain yourself. he was used to acting with authority in public. although he wasn’t much of a cook, he loved cooking stir fry in a big wok. golf was his church. he had a … Read more