Better late then never ...
I might be a little late coming to the Coffee Shop Author forum - but not late coming to the writers' lifestyle. I worked in print media for years and published an urban weekly arts & entertainment paper in Calgary. Having written professional freelance magazine and print media for years my words are my bread and butter but my heart has always belonged to my creative writing. I am finally at a point in my hectic life where I have had time to pursue a new stage in my writing career as a fiction writer.
While I continue to earn freelance I also have a poetry book published last year and a few major fiction projects in development. My key writing focus this winter is the push to complete my first historical fiction novel. I was fortunate to earn a coveted spot at Sage Hill Writing Experience this past summer and spent ten days work-shopping my novel in progress. I continue to work on the manuscript and will be spending two solitary weeks in March in Writer Residence at Wallace Stegner House in Eastend, Saskatchewan where I hope to complete a final draft.
My novel is based on the common story of the early Alberta pioneers who came to the prairie to start a new life. It is set in the Mennonite faith although the story crosses all communities in the struggle to work the land and hold onto faith and family. Shunned is a story of prairie hardship, birthright and displaced families regardless of origin and is a common thread of the Alberta history. Disjointed bloodlines, displaced families, and a blending back of half-truths and crossed cultures which many families share today. Much was sacrificed and lost in the breaking of this harsh Canadian prairie over the last hundred years but there remains a quiet holding on to faith and tradition rooted in the soul of the Mennonite families who came to the new world hoping to hold their old ways.
Looking forward to spending some time at one of my favourite downtown Lethbridge Alberta coffee shops, The Penny Coffee House (http://pennycoffeehouse.com). If you are around email me and meet me there for coffee and a chat about all things wordy.
Michelle Greysen
www.GreysenInk.com
Comments
Welcome and blog often
Great to see a professional join us.
I have a dear friend who wrote professionally for many years. She had her first article published at fourteen.
After the war she wrote a by-lined food column, then later worked as a copy editor.
She claims her children understood ‘deadline’ and the pets were all familiar with ‘journalese.’
Inspired by a diary, she took a year off and did research on an ‘old-fogeyish pasha', which in the opinion of writer friends would never sell as history and humour don’t mix.
It was published by Hunters Mclean.
Margaret Moffatt, is the past president of the BC Writer’s Federation, and now a member of my writers group.
She had never tackled fiction, but felt compelled to write some little thing to bring to the meetings.
We laughed until we fell on the floor and our sides hurt.
It is now a novel, and I own a signed copy. It officially comes out this spring, though there are copies for sale on the Amazon.com
The book is titled ‘BLOW UP THE CASTLE’, published by West Pro Publishing, it will sadly be their last endeavour as the will become a self-publishing company after this book.
Margaret is 86.
Good luck greysenink
jaw
wonderful ...
Thanks for the warm welcome and a wonderful story about Margaret!
reminds me of one of my favourite quotes:
"It is never to late to be what you might have been" - George Eliot (1819-1880), the pen-name of Mary Ann Evans, English Novelist.
Great to have your aquaintance......
Its been the guys and I, till now. A new voice, is just what we needed. You and I share a common love, our writing. Sisters in the word.
For now,
Happy writing, and all the best to you in your new year.
Airlover.
girl power ...
budge over guys!
thanks sister - what are you writing?
Michelle
I have written...
The first draft of Alice Had A Palace, a creative, non fiction, my mother is Alice. Her life was so horrific, it resonated with me, my whole life. Had to tell the story, my debut novel. A thousand pages, first draft. I have a lot of work ahead of me, with this one.
The next one, The Necktie Party, fiction. First draft seven hundred pages, double spaced of course, l.o.l., its a murder mystery, with a serial killer.
The novel I am working on now, is creative non fiction. Its a terrible story, called, I'll Call Her MARILYN. Its based on a girl I know, that is a drug addict. I know her family well.
I need to get serious, and edit, at least my debut novel. Sir Jaw read the story, and loved it. He is my mentor, having met him since coming to coffee shop author.
Great to have you aboard, and all the best with your novel, its sounds great.
For now, sista,
Airlover
Welcome
Great to have anothern not afraid to blog.
Have a great time.
TOG LYNN