Blog
In praise of comfort reads
Like all writers, I’m a reader too. When I need to recharge, or am low in spirit, books are a great comfort. Over the years I’ve recognized there are books I always turn to. They’re the ones on my keeper shelf, which follow me from place to place, and whose characters...
The vanishing art of letter writing
When did you last write a letter? Or, a word I learned from Dictionary.com, when did you last epistolize? I’m not talking about sending an email, tapping out a text or posting on Facebook. When did you last put pen to paper and write a letter to a friend or family...
Books for planes and trains…but not automobiles
When this post goes live, I'll be on my way from the UK to Grand Cayman in the Caribbean, via a layover in Toronto. Then it's back to Canada, before returning to England a week later. Travel is a constant in my life, mostly for my day job. With long days, faceless...
Words to live by
Words are my business. Finding the right words to express emotion, and to show conflict and character development, are fundamental to my work as a writer. I also delight in learning new words through reading, and the word of the day from Dictionary.com In 2014,...
Out with the old, ringing in the new
As I've mentioned on Twitter, the start of a new year compels me to clean house. So, post-Christmas, I've sorted through drawers and wardrobes, dusted hidden corners, and polished tarnished silver. I also have four bags packed and ready to take to the local charity...
Senses of Christmas
There’s a sticky note on the wall facing my desk. On it I’ve written the five senses–smell, taste, see, hear and feel–as a reminder to include sensory details in the scenes I write. Christmas is perhaps the most sensory of Christian festivals. So in the spirit of the...
Setting goals and celebrating success
Holiday party season is here. It’s the time when families, friends and co-workers celebrate the year that’s passed, and anticipate the one ahead. It’s also the time of year when I reflect on my writing goals and plan for the next twelve months. I take stock of what...
Finding home in Hong Kong
Those of you who follow me on Twitter know I’ve been in Asia for my day job for the past two weeks. First in Kuala Lumpur, then Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s moniker is "Asia’s World City". For someone like me, who grew up on the Canadian prairies and has no Chinese...
Remembrance and remembering
November is a month of remembrance. Many Christian religions mark All Souls’ Day on 2 November. It’s a time to pray for the dead, especially family members. The All Souls’ service I attended this year helped me grieve the loss of a friend. Remembrance Sunday in the...
Photo by Robin Spencer, Spencer Studio