Surviving 2021

 It's been a while since I've posted here and I believe that the handful of people who occasionally visit this page deserve a small explanation.

But first, last Fall, Changing the Face Of Canadian Literature launched. It was a pleasant surprise how much support this anthology, which took me over a year to compile and edit received. CBC Books featured it on their best of 2020 list. Myself and Charles C Smith had a chance to discuss the environment that inspired the anthology with Shelagh Rogers on CBC Radio. We also got two great reviews from Quill and Quire and Malahat. 

This year, my third poetry collection had a soft launch. Love and Other Failed Religions is my first time working with Mansfield Press. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to properly promote it.

My mother got sick this Spring and passed away. She lived by herself in a small community in NB. My father and I were the only members of our family that were able to reach her before she died. After her passing, my dad had me speak at her funeral and then we began dealing with her estate. I spent 3 months in NB. To go there I had to say no to work. As a writer and editor, I don't receive a wage. I survive on gigs and offers. So, I still was paying bills on my apartment, but I wasn't working for 3 months. I am trying to find work so that I can keep my apartment. So far, it's not looking good. 

Currently, I'm also shopping my first work of middle grade fiction. Looking at what is getting published in Canada, my fear is that my book is too "real". A lot of books about magic are aimed at tweens, not a lot of books that write to their experiences. Those books are reserved for YA readers. That said, I only need one publisher to bite. I'm proud of the current draft, and believe that kids will like it too. With help from an editor to polish it a bit, I think it's a manuscript that could be really successful.

Peace and respect