Time for some good news

news, opportunities, audiobook, WAW, and a poem...

Jan 23, 2025

This newsletter began as home for short messy, risky pieces I didn’t intend to submit to literary publications – poems, thoughts, essays, short fiction kind of things.

My novel’s travels and adventures have taken over many of my recent posts, but I want to get back to offering prompts and interesting thoughts—just not yet, or not completely.

I Won Something

Today I received the news that What the Living Do won in The Canadian Book Club Awards 2024 fiction category. So that pretty much filled up my day, sideswiping work on my focus on my current novel.

(That’s me right there beside my book and that lovely orange sticker!)

So, hoots and hollers rang from the rafters of Casa Mismac in Costa Rica, where I am doing my best to complete the above-mentioned third novel. It was especially sweet to be at this retreat among fellow writers who get what this means.

I’m indebted to Cheryl MacLean for creating this oasis for writers. Everything we need is here—fellow literary travellers, divine food, exquisite location, and space to focus on what matters.

Casa MisMac

Audio Book

One of the many people who responded to my announcement on social media was the actor who narrated the novel, Mare Trevathan. In her post, she shared the link to the audiobook. What? I have been hounding my publisher for months with questions about a release date and platforms, to which they’ve been essentially shrugging their shoulders. Maybe they’re behind schedule, the last email suggested. Mare told me she’d finished narrating the book in May. After further investigation, it turns out the audio version was released in the summer.

Go figure.

Confusing as that all is, I’m thrilled that it’s available. Not yet on Audible or my favourite, Libro.fm, but I’ve found it on these platforms:

A Poem For You

I subscribe to SWWIM Every Day, and the other day, A Woman on Paper by Emily Blair landed in my inbox. I’m sharing it here because it reflects what Amherst Writers & Artists strives to offer: a symbolic distance that gives each participant a safe space to write what they need to write.

May in Spain

We’ve had additions, cancellations, and requests for the May writing and yoga retreat in Andalusia… when the math is sorted, we still have two spaces available. Check out the details here.

Write Around the World

There are dozens of unique generative writing workshops offered by Amherst Writers & Artists throughout the entire month of February. Dozens of certified leaders have volunteered their time to raise funds for AWA’s many social justice initiatives. Everyone is welcome Schneider said, “A writer is someone who writes.” Check it out here.