Oh, wow! What a conference!

Conferences are often the brunt of jokes. You know how it is — the annual conference in Vegas that’s little more than a vacation getaway where attendees take in all the entertainment and casino opportunities, and make it to one conference session just to legitimize the trip’s expense claim. Not so for most writers’ conferences. Maybe

Conference Reflections, Past and Present

The Surrey International Writers’ Conference was, as it always is for me, an incredible weekend. So many wonderful people to meet, informative workshops to attend, and inspirational opportunities to absorb. So many books available to buy (I would have liked one of each but settled on four). Each time I return home and begin reflecting, I say many of the same

Everything Writing

This week my life is all about writing. Oh, I write pretty much every day, but there’s a special focus on it right now. On Tuesday I joined my daughter, Shari Green, for an evening hosted by the Golden Ears Writers in Maple Ridge. She and her fellow authors Denise Jaden and Dawn Ius Dalton took

On the Cusp of Conference Time!

You might have noticed (or maybe not … it doesn’t matter) that references to writing in this space have been getting rather sporadic. I have to admit my enthusiasm has been, too. Oh, I’ve been writing, but it’s routine, uninspired stuff, interspersed with editing. I think that’s why I’m so excited about the upcoming Surrey Conference.

Facing Fears: Admissions of a Writing Introvert

Today I’m admitting to something I rarely talk about beyond the circle of family and close friends. And I’m stepping way out of my comfort zone by discussing it in a guest post on Jenn Hubbard’s blogs. ~ As gatherings go, the Surrey International Writers’ Conference is a big one for me. It’s my favourite weekend of

Conference Aftermath…

Every event has a highlight. For the Surrey International Writers’ Conference, it has to be after the Saturday evening’s theme banquet, when author Jack Whyte offers up his annual rendition of ‘The Hippopotamus Song’. This year’s performance was especially poignant because many of us know we almost lost Jack last year following his November 30,

Photos from THE Conference

I promised some photos…   That’s enough for tonight. I’ll have a “conference catch-up” post on Monday. ~  ~  ~

‘Taint Happenin’

I know, I know… this is Friday and you’re expecting a blog post. ‘Taint happenin’, to use a friend’s favourite phrase. I’m currently holed up in a hotel room, getting set for the start of the Surrey International Writers’ Conference. I’m still trying to decide between a couple workshops, but it isn’t easy when there

Are you leaving footprints?

A bear wandered through our property the other night. He left his ‘calling card’ and other evidence of his presence, plus his ‘footprints’ in the fence boards as he scrambled over. I sometimes wonder at the footprints I’m leaving. Do you? What will people remember of us after our wandering and scrambling are done? Will

More Conference Thoughts and an Inadequate Thank You

I’ve been reflecting on the people involved with the Surrey Conference. So many people! They all had an impact on how I experienced the conference and yet many of them I didn’t directly encounter. For every visible contribution there were at least ten more from behind the scenes, and every one was important to the