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EmailFrom encyclopedias to Google: Looking things up in life and writing
Posted Jul 24 2020 in A Wish in Irish Falls, About Jen, Research, Writers Life, Writing
Amongst the many bookshelves in my childhood home, one of them (although not pictured here) held an encyclopedia set. In that pre-Internet world, those twenty-five volumes (hardcover and bound in cream with touches of red, black and gold) were my window on the wider world. One of my earliest reading memories is matching “Z” for […]
Read More...Wishing on a wishing tree
Posted Jul 10 2020 in About Jen, Small town life, The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls, Writers Life, Writing
“There’s a wishing tree in Irish Falls. The bits of paper tied to its gnarled branches hold the hopes and dreams of everyone in town…” That’s from the blurb for my most recent book, The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls, a story about wishes come true, even for those who have given up on wishes. […]
Read More...Voices in my head
Posted Jun 12 2020 in About Jen, Jane Cable, The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing craft
In a Twitter exchange earlier this week, my author friend Jane Cable commented on the importance of writer friends, saying: “They don’t think you’re odd to have voices in your head.” Although Jane and I were chatting about finding writing inspiration (which usually for me comes at random and whilst doing something else), her comment […]
Read More...For the love of libraries
Posted May 29 2020 in About Jen, Books, Firefly Lake, Libraries, Reading, Writing
As both reader and author, one of the things I’ve missed most during this time of self-isolation is visiting the library. From childhood until now, libraries have been one of my happy places—to learn, get book recommendations, find a sense of community and more. Learning about the world One of my favourite childhood memories is […]
Read More...Walking my way through lockdown
Posted May 15 2020 in About Jen, Covid-19, Family, Small town life, Writing
Like many of you, and although certain restrictions have eased a bit, I live in an area where we’re still sheltering in place and ‘normal life’ remains in almost complete lockdown. As such, and with gyms, my dance studio and other fitness facilities closed, walking is even more of a lifeline for me than usual. […]
Read More...Reading (& Writing) for Hope, Comfort and Happy Ever After, plus a 0.99 deal on my latest book
Posted May 1 2020 in About Jen, Reading, The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls, Writing
Hello everyone, This week, I’ve written a guest post for Women Writers, Women’s Books (WWWB) about ‘Reading (and Writing) for Hope, Comfort and Happy Ever After.’ Especially at this time of global pandemic, I’m sharing the importance of ‘comfort reading’ and why I think books with happy endings are more essential than ever. Read my guest […]
Read More...Looking to the past to cope with the present
Posted Apr 17 2020 in About Jen, Covid-19, Family, Reading, Writing
As life continues to be unsettled, I’ve thought about my late mother even more than usual recently and, in particular, how she coped during rough times. Both practical and pragmatic, when life was difficult Mom turned to baking or knitting. If she could give the results of those activities to comfort or help someone who might […]
Read More...Life and writing in lockdown
Posted Apr 3 2020 in About Jen, Covid-19, Family, Friendship, Home, The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls, Writing
When this is all over… I hear that phrase often these days as everyone, me included, wants life in 2020 to go back to ‘normal’ as soon as possible, whatever that ‘new normal’ will be. For the moment, though, life (and for me, writing), have to go on in lockdown. As such, I’m finding new ways […]
Read More...Celebrating women who have gone before
Posted Mar 6 2020 in About Jen, Family, Friendship, Womens Fiction, Womens History, Writing
To mark women’s history month (celebrated in March in the United States, UK and Australia), I’m this month’s featured author on my friend Mel Greenberg’s ‘Notes from the Nest’ blog. I’ve written a personal piece about what ‘women who have gone before’ mean in my own life, and how their example has helped me become […]
Read More...Falling down, getting up and moving forward
Posted Feb 21 2020 in About Jen, Family, Motherhood, Small town life, The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls, Writing
Several weeks ago, while walking in my small town I slipped and fell on a patch of ice that lurked under a blanket of fresh snow. Since three generations of women in my mother’s family broke their hips, one when she was not much older me, that ‘legacy’ flashed across my mind as my feet […]
Read More...The Latest News
- Aug 07, 2020: Friday Night Drinks with A Little Book Problem: Chatting about writing,books & life
- Aug 06, 2020: New book news: ‘A Wish in Irish Falls’ releases September 16 & is now available for pre-order
- May 01, 2020: Reading (and Writing) for Hope, Comfort & Happy Ever After: Guest post for Women Writers, Women’s Books
- Apr 22, 2020: Author Q&A: Chatting with Anita Kushwaha about ‘The Wishing Tree in Irish Falls,’ favourite authors, lockdown life & more
- 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’