What people think of you, that is. This has taken me a very, very long time. I’ve always been extremely self-conscious and aware of every idiotic thing I do or say. Someone once told me that I promptly forgot every good thing that I did yet could remember in excruciating detail an embarrasing moment at […]

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This is part II of Nancy’s “this is my blog and I’ll write about whatever I want” series. Today’s topic is canning, which followed soon after I realized that I was planting more beans and cucumbers than anyone could realistically eat at the time. I come from a farming family on my mother’s side. She […]

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And certainly not posting about much else, either, these days. I know this blog is really supposed to be about my writing (ok, really it’s supposed to persuade you to BUY MY BOOKS, let’s not pretend otherwise) but I don’t have much to say on that subject. I’m fearful of jinxing things, I suppose. Or […]

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My friends at The House of Pomegranates and Gloometh have launched a fabulous contest to celebrate the launch of “Carmilla”, published by the House and illustrated by Gloometh designer Taeden Hall. This is your chance to win one of Taeden’s Carmilla-inspired dresses, tailored for you, plus a copy of the book and more. Just submit […]

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This influences thing has gotten all out of order, but c’est la vie. While walking in the unseasonable sun and warmth day (16 degrees celsius on Jan 12th. Lovely as it is, I think we all need to be afraid now), an Emmylou Harris song turned up on the IPod. It got me thinking about […]

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Ok, I admit it. I did not keep a record of what I read and my memory is … um…. not what it used to be, so this is more a note about the best things I think I read in 2012 (or perhaps late 2011). Deathless Catherynne Valente I’d previously read The Girl Who […]

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No, I’m not going to talk about my cats (of which I currently have none). I’m not going to talk about other people’s cats (much as I am fond of them). This is the next installment of “Influences” so I’m going to talk about books about cats and about writing about cats. As a child, […]

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My interview on Speculating Canada is up now. Many thanks to Derek for his thoughtful questions. Check out the other interviews on the site as well, especially the recent one with Helen Marshall, whose “Hair Side, Flesh Side” collection is currently in my “to read’ pile.

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At a planning retreat for my day job, we were all given a Bond Girl alter-ego. I was lucky enough to be Diana Rigg’s character from “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. Sadly, I’m not in the least like either the Divine Ms. Rigg or her character. Sigh. But this picture is definitely going on the […]

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A few words of warning up front: I am in no way impartial about the House of Pomegranates, the wonderful people who run it, and David Keyes’ new collection of short short I Do So Worry For All Those Lost At Sea. The House of Pomegranates Press published my short story collection and the illustrated […]

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