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EmailStaying apart but joining together: The rise of ‘caremongering’
Posted Mar 20 2020 in About Jen, Ballet, Community, Family, Home, Reading, Small town life
With the rapid spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, in only a few weeks life as we know it has changed almost beyond recognition—and in ways unprecedented in my lifetime—so we’re all adapting to a new normal. Yet, as I stay apart from others (and social distancing is one of the many new expressions I’ve learned […]
Read More...Finishing a book, ‘nesting’ for winter, and celebrating writing milestones
Posted Nov 1 2019 in About Jen, Books, Family, Firefly Lake, Friendship, Reading, The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls, Writing
Last week, I finished writing the sequel to The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls. For those of you who have read the first book in this series, the sequel is Annie’s sister Tara’s story. It will be my fifth published book (or eighth including the German editions of my Firefly Lake series) and together with the […]
Read More...A time of losses and gains
Posted Aug 23 2019 in About Jen, Family, Friendship, Home, Reading
One of my favourite series of books, loved in childhood and which I still return to as ‘comfort reads’ as an adult, is the Little House stories by American author Laura Ingalls Wilder. Those books taught me about resilience, cheerfulness in the face of difficulties, and finding a silver lining, no matter how grey the […]
Read More...Advice to my younger self
Posted May 31 2019 in About Jen, Ballet, Reading, Writing
On social media and elsewhere recently, many people are giving advice to their younger selves. Some posts are short and pithy (no major accomplishment without significant “butt hurt” is an especially topical one for writers!), but others are longer and thoughtful reflections about the meaning of life. Long or short, they’ve made me think about what […]
Read More...Why do I write?
Posted Feb 8 2019 in About Jen, Reading, Writing, Writing craft
In a Facebook group this week, another writer asked: “Why do you write?” While the answer is different for each writer, the question made me think about the constants from when I first started my writing journey—enthusiastic and starry eyed—through to now—still enthusiastic but more realistic. Making sense of the world Making sense of the […]
Read More...Hunkering down for winter
Posted Jan 25 2019 in About Jen, Home, Reading, Winter
I grew up in a Canadian city (profiled in a documentary “Colder Than Mars”) that is either celebrated, or depending on your perspective, reviled for the harshness of its winter weather. Now I live near a place that this week garnered the dubious distinction as the world’s coldest capital city. Yet, despite proximity to this […]
Read More...Disconnected from a connected world
Posted Oct 12 2018 in About Jen, Books, Community, Reading, The Cottage at Firefly Lake
If you follow me on social media, you know that I was unexpectedly offline for most of last week when work to lay underground fiber optic cables cut existing cables that deliver landline phone and internet service to my home. As someone who is almost always connected to the wider world, I was all of […]
Read More...Reading habits
Posted Aug 31 2018 in About Jen, Authors, Books, Lena Gregory, Reading, Writing
One of my Facebook friends, cozy mystery author Lena Gregory, recently posted a question about reading habits, asking “how many books do you read on average?” She also noted that while she “used to read between three and five books a week,” these days, her reading time isn’t nearly as plentiful. Lena’s question intrigued me, […]
Read More...Summertime…
Posted Jun 22 2018 in About Jen, Books, Family, Friendship, Reading, Small town life, The Cottage at Firefly Lake
With temperatures topping 30 Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Rideau Valley this week, it’s indeed summertime in my small town. From the fishing spot off the town dock, to the outdoor swimming pool, and lines at local ice cream shops, everyone is savouring seasonal joys. I’m writing this blog post on my porch (to […]
Read More...Celebrating fictional heroines: My top five
Posted Jun 8 2018 in About Jen, Authors, Books, History, Reading, Writing
In each story I write, I aim to create strong, independent heroines who face real-life challenges that other women can relate to. I’ve realized, though, that the heroines and their journeys I create in my own books have much to do with my favourite fictional heroines—the girls and women who shaped me as a person, as […]
Read More...The Latest News
- Mar 10, 2020: Penguin Verlag buys German rights to The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls
- Mar 06, 2020: Celebrating Women’s History Month & ‘Women who have gone before’: Guest post on Mel Greenberg’s ‘Notes from the Nest’
- Mar 05, 2020: Paperback of The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls releases April 12, 2020 & now available for pre-order
- Feb 26, 2020: Meet me at the Local Author Showcase, North Grenville Public Library, February 29, 2020
- Dec 20, 2019: Talking about life & writing on Arabella’s Blog and Chit-Chat
- Nov 18, 2019: Chatting with author Maggie Blackbird about my writing life & ‘The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls’
- Nov 15, 2019: Interview with author Susan B. James about ‘The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls’
- Oct 30, 2019: Asking ‘what if’ and building a book: The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls
- Oct 24, 2019: Harlequin Junkie Spotlight: The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls
- Sep 22, 2019: The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls is on tour with Suzy Approved Book Tours (October 14 to November 29, 2019)