TIME OUT

I've been very busy lately with this and that -- not working too much on the novel, just a little. And doing other things like editing, attending classes for professional development and winding up the class I teach at night school. Whenever there's a break, like now -- Spring break -- I like to get out and about. A little R&R. One thing I do is walk about the neighbourhood. Just down at the foot of my street by the port-side road there are three little parks. This one (above) is a Meditation Park. There's little bench where you can sit looking out over the inlet and North Shore mountains. This is view (below).

I've been enjoying some special events the past two weeks, besides the classes I attended at the Simon Fraser Uni. downtown campus. I took an all day class in editing fiction (most useful for the task ahead with my novel and also helpful with my other editing tasks such as class papers and the submissions I get for my travel web site. This past Friday I attended another all-day course put on by the Writer's Union of Canada. It was a writing/publishing workshop with three interesting lectures -- one for non-fiction, one fiction and one for the technical aspects of publishing such as contracts etc. Very useful information. Next month I'll be doing another editing class on fine-tuning your writing. My aim is to get more experience editing so I can use this to supplement my income as a writer. One thing I've learned is the importance of writers having websites and/or blogs where there are samples of their writing. Most editors these days like this as a reference point when people submit manuscripts. I've got my blogs. I used to have a fairly extensive website which, unfortunately went into cache mode because I neglected to activate it after 40 days (was busy and forgot). Now I'm considering reopening it but it's hard work with the http coding and all. Still, I did it before and I'm sure I can do it again. Just a matter of finding the time.

I am poking away at my novel. Got a little stuck (usual do on transitions) but ready to go again now. My March issue of Travel Thru History is almost ready to publish so there isn't much editing to do for that until next month. Time to focus totally on the novel again.
Class are finished until next month and Spring is just around the corner. There are lots of flowers blooming in gardens now and in another week most of the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom. Yet it's feeling cold and wintry still. In Eastern Canada they're still up to their armpits in snow. Here on the Coast at least we have the signs of Spring. Like the lovely daffodils (below).

On the weekend I attended a very interesting play by a French-Canadian playwright Michel Tremblay -- title "Hosannah" -- a strong, beautifully written work about two gay men, one very macho (a biker) who is struggling to accept his feminine side. And the other a transvestite obsessed with Liz Taylor being Cleopatra, who is struggling with his male side. A wonderful play and the acting was simply superb. A friend of mine who had a starring role in my own play "The Street", was the director.

Sunday there was a dinner party at my friend's with a delicious meal of lamb -- all cooked and served in elegant Argentinian style by her boyfriend. Afterwards we all went up to the Drive and took in an evening of Latin jazz. I was supposed to go to a very early Monday morning breakfast for France tourism next day but when I woke at six a.m. and heard the rain pouring down I decided it was best to stay tucked under my cozy covers. Sorry I missed it though, as it wasn't just breakfast but lunch as well, all French cuisine including wine.
The next travel writer's event is a get together with the BC Association of Travel writer's folks this week to discuss the 2010 Winter Olympics and what role we media people can play. Frankly, I don't care about the Games. It will all be too expensive for the average Joe to afford anyway and they should be spending the money on the vast numbers of homeless folk who are living on our streets. However, there will be tourists coming to our town so it's a chance to write local stories to promote Vancouver and environs.

So, in spite of taking "Time Out" from my more serious endeavors, there's lots going on and most of it focused on writing anyway.
And, by the weekend I'll be back in the full swing of things and the next series of dramas involving Alexander's world.