Community Building

This week, I gave my second-to-last reading of the year at the library in Selkirk with Seyward Goodhand, who read a stunning and smartly provocative story from her new book Even That Wildest Hope (check it out right here: and, look! It’s on sale!). Reading with her – she drove up from nearby Winnipeg – […]

It Takes A Town

Phew! What a whirlwind. Four readings and one workshop in twelve days – plus helping my mom do some downsizing by picking through her books (hopefully my suitcase has not tipped over into the oversize scale). I want to express my deep gratitude for everyone who helped make my wee Ontario Following Sea tour a […]

Guest Post and a Giveaway!

Magical Juggling  by Jennifer Farquhar Mother to three kids, one of whom is a night-nursing toddler. Half-time elementary school teacher. Squeezing in work late at night until my eyes burn, because there’s no other time to do it.  Every single one of the readers here can match, if not trump, my busy-ness, am I right? […]

Craving Kin

It took about two minutes of talking to a few writer friends at the Canadian Writers’ Summit last weekend before I began realizing what might be wrong with my novel. I felt like a sponge, soaking up thoughts, ideas, writerly conversations while wandering between tents and event rooms at a muggy Harbourfront Centre in downtown […]

Firelight Interview Series: Shelly Sanders

This month’s Firelight Interview is with Shelly Sanders, the author of the Rachel Trilogy, a series of Y.A. novels about Rachel and Sergei, two young people who struggle for a better future, moving between early 20th century Russia, China, and the United States. Who are you?  I often describe myself as living “without borders” because I […]