Back in the dark ages of the 1990’s when I received my acceptance into the Master’s program at McMaster University, my husband said, “That’s fantastic! What are you going to study?” to which I replied excitedly, “Victorian poetry, specialising … Read More
Most of the time when I write, I try to allow the story to come through me onto the page and it’s only after the fact that I’m able to go back and say, “Oh yes, I know … Read More
Recommended Song: Quintet Version of Woodkid’s “I Love You” You know the scene well. It shows up in horror movies and psychological thrillers galore. It’s the image of the abandoned asylum, its corners draped in cobwebs, its … Read More
As I mentioned in my previous posts dealing with Justine, the month of January was dedicated to developing her character with the Victorian sections of the novel shifting from third person narration into her first-person voice as she begins … Read More
As I’ve stated before, ‘The Girl on Harlow Street’, while developed enough to present in a serial form, isn’t just a novel: it’s both product and process, an opportunity to follow a story as it develops, to see how … Read More
As I explained in yesterday’s article, I’m dedicating most of January 2020 to developing the character of Mrs. Marsh, otherwise known as Justine. As you can see, Christine’s portrait of Justine has acquired more detail overnight, a metamorphosis happening … Read More
Please note that the official portrait of Justine — as her completed written character — is still in creation. Illustrator Christine Kilfoil has kindly agreed to show you her work in progress so you can see the development of … Read More
While I’m far from being able to offer a masterclass on authorship, with decades of experience as an amateur author, I’m qualified to give some advice on how to handle imaginary friends at dinner parties. In fact, being able to … Read More
I have years’ worth of writing — poetry, stories, finished novels, half-novels, rejected novels — gathering dust in the corners of a household which has demanded my full attention and then some and then, as if that weren’t enough, … Read More
If you’re opting to follow the novel’s development between-the-lines as well as reading the unfolding story, you’ll be aware that while I know a great deal of the drama to come, I’m still experimenting and creating. With this in … Read More