Blog
For my daughter…and all women
Women make up the majority of romance readers and writers. Most of those diagnosed with breast cancer are women too. They are our grandmothers, mothers and aunts. They are our sisters, daughters and nieces. And they are our wives and cousins, friends and colleagues....
Giving thanks
Although Thanksgiving isn't celebrated in England, Canadian Thanksgiving, marked this year on October 13, has always been a turning point in my year. A time to stop and reflect, gather with family and friends and give thanks for what the past twelve months have...
We can (not) do it all
As a teenager, I had an image of my adult self. I wanted a job where I carried a briefcase and wore a suit. The message I’d received was girls could do it all – have a successful career, happy family life and an immaculate home too. I was reminded recently of the...
Talking about trucks
I grew up with pickup trucks. Mud-spattered farm trucks with hay on the floorboards, camping trucks with a Coleman stove and cooler stashed in the back and small-town trucks, washed and polished for Saturday night dates and tailgate parties. I also grew up with one...
A stitch in time
My mom was a knitter. The gentle click of her knitting needles was as much a part of my childhood as the books we shared, her chocolate chip cookies and the touch of her hand soothing all manner of ailments. She was descended from a long line of knitters and crafters...
I know I’m in Canada when…
I’m in Canada this month, reconnecting with special people and places, thinking about where I come from and how it influences my writing. I know I’m in Canada when I… Glimpse my dad in my cousin’s face, my grandmother in the blue of his daughter’s eyes. Watch the...
Living history, remembering WWI
In the UK, we're preparing to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War. For most of us, August 1914 is many lifetimes away. Yet, I'm fortunate to have a connection with one of those lifetimes. It's part of the web of family and community history which...
Making memories at the RNA conference 2014
Last weekend, I attended the conference of the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) held on the beautiful, rural campus of Harper Adams University near Telford, England. Learning about craft From sessions on taking control of plot and using setting more effectively,...
Seeing the world through someone else’s eyes
As an expat, no matter how long you've lived in another country, you’re always to some extent on the outside looking in, trying to see the world through someone else’s eyes, the filters of their experience. My day job in international business also necessitates...
Photo by Robin Spencer, Spencer Studio