Happy Winter Solstice! Writing life is ups and downs. From what I’ve heard, that never changes. Send a submission to a publisher, get ten rejections, then eventually (hopefully) an acceptance. Get five great reviews, then be devastated by a nasty… Read More »Highs and Lows
During the weekend, I took a break from the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild annual conference to go for a walk (a break from crowded rooms full of people and a break from sitting). Walking in an unfamiliar city is tricky, because… Read More »On My Way to What I’d Dreamed Of
Some people think mid-August is the end of summer. Maybe for teachers, facing back-to-work after 2 months off and parents of schoolchildren celebrating back-to-school shopping, but often for me summer vacation has been the last 2 weeks of August. It’s… Read More »Happy Summer
Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 8 Exciting news (for me): I received my author copy of S&S Tales of Heroic Fantasy Volume 8 with my story on page 85. This is the first paid story in a… Read More »Hot off the Press
If your income is reported on T-slips (employment, CPP, limited investments, etc.) there is no reason to pay the bone-chilling amounts charged by tax preparers. You can download software similar to what they use (some programs are free), enter the… Read More »Yes, You Can Do Your Taxes
2023 in Review: My 2023 NaNoWriMo (interNational Novel Writing Month) goal was part traditional and part rebel; I aimed to write 50,000 words of a new novel but I began October 15 and finished November 29 (I was travelling November… Read More »New Year 2024
Happy (inter)National Novel Writing Month! Have you set your goals? I plan to write at least 50,000 words of a new novel (classic NaNo) but I started on October 15 (rebel NaNo because it’s supposed to be during the 30… Read More »NaNoWriMo Kick-off
Monica is my given name. However, I chose not to use my married name as an author. I thought about using my maiden name, but then asked why use my father’s father’s name? Why not my mother’s father’s name? Or… Read More »Choosing my Author Pen Name
The Writers and Illustrators of the Future contest is a longstanding and prestigious contest for new speculative fiction authors. In 2022, I was thrilled to receive an Honourable Mention for my short science fiction story in Quarter 1 of the… Read More »Writers of the Future
This month marks a milestone in my author journey: I received my first rejection! It was February 13 and not only did I receive a rejection, but it was a personal rejection with comments on my fantasy short story and… Read More »Celebrating Rejection