Words to live by

Words are my business. Finding the right words to express emotion, and to show conflict and character development, are fundamental to my work as a writer. I also delight in learning new words through reading, and the word of the day from Dictionary.com In 2014,...

Out with the old, ringing in the new

As I’ve mentioned on Twitter, the start of a new year compels me to clean house. So, post-Christmas, I’ve sorted through drawers and wardrobes, dusted hidden corners, and polished tarnished silver. I also have four bags packed and ready to take to the...

Senses of Christmas

There’s a sticky note on the wall facing my desk. On it I’ve written the five senses–smell, taste, see, hear and feel–as a reminder to include sensory details in the scenes I write. Christmas is perhaps the most sensory of Christian festivals. So in the spirit of the...

Setting goals and celebrating success

Holiday party season is here. It’s the time when families, friends and co-workers celebrate the year that’s passed, and anticipate the one ahead. It’s also the time of year when I reflect on my writing goals and plan for the next twelve months. I take stock of what...

Finding home in Hong Kong

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know I’ve been in Asia for my day job for the past two weeks. First in Kuala Lumpur, then Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s moniker is “Asia’s World City”. For someone like me, who grew up on the Canadian prairies and has no...