Author Spotlights

Ryan Turner’s first collection of short stories, What We’re Made Of, was shortlisted for the 2010 ReLit Award. His latest collection, Half-Sisters & Other Stories, was published by Gaspereau Press in November 2019. He is the co-founder and co-director of the AfterWords Literary Festival in Halifax. In what follows, Ryan talks about writing short stories, and plans for this year’s AfterWords festival. 

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I notice that both of your books are short story collections. Why do you gravitate to that literary form?

Short stories are what I prefer to read. Pretty much all of the writing I return to, both for inspiration and enjoyment, are works of short fiction. I prefer their compression and their flexibility. Also, the brevity of short fiction allows me to fail more often, I think. Most of the stories I attempt to write I never finish; I never have a plan; I believe that in order for a story of any length to be successful it requires some unexpected spark outside of my control—I write and write, searching for how the disparate parts might come together—and often that spark never comes, and so I leave the story and move onto the next one. Writing short fiction, I am able to put all of my energy into a story for a month or two or three, pushing it as far as I can, but if that spark doesn’t come I can allow myself (much more freely than when I’m working on a novel) to set it aside and try again with something new.

Short stories versus novels. Pros and cons?

The writing I prefer I could open up to any page and just read. I could read the ending, or a few pages in the middle, and feel satisfied. I don’t mean that I won’t read it from start to finish but that the parts are as good as the whole—this goes for a work of any length.

Writing that I really admire makes me want to remain inside that same paragraph or sentence, looking back over what I’ve just read, while it simultaneously draws me forward. Lisa Moore’s February is a good example of a novel that really works for me in this way.

If I was to pick up a short story collection, whose would you recommend? 

From the Fifteenth District by Mavis Gallant, Accidents in the Home by Tessa Hadley, The Moons of Jupiter by Alice Munro.

OK, let’s say we were experiencing a worldwide pandemic, and we were confined to our homes. What five books would you like to have with you?

In truth, I’d probably choose five story collections to re-read, but instead I’ll go with five books I’ve been meaning to read (or, in the case of the last one, read only parts of): Omar El Akkad’s American War, Rebecca Solnit’s Recollections of My Non-Existence, Anne Enright’s new novel, Zadie Smith’s new story collection; and The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis.

What do you see as some of the positives as we cope with staying home and maintaining social distance?

I guess having time. Like everyone else, I always feel rushed trying to clean the house and answer emails and make a proper meal and tick all the little boxes that have to be ticked. Some things I’m hoping to do with my extra time: call my family more; play Scrabble with my partner; take our dog for longer walks; of course, read more and write more; but also just unplug and not worry about being productive, stare out the window or up at the sky, be grateful.

How do you ruminate on your stories? Go for a walk, have a bath, stay at your desk until the muse strikes?

Walking helps but mostly I just keep writing. I never wait for any sort of inspiration.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

I don’t really get writer’s block. I know that I’m going to throw away 99% of what I write so I just keep going. I also depend upon the daily ritual that writing gives me of escaping my conscious self to see if I can tap into something unexpected. 

Congratulations on the first annual AfterWords Literary Festival. How did it come together? What are some of the favorite moments you look back on?

Thanks! My co-founder, Stephanie Domet, and I have been talking about organizing a multiple-day literary festival ever since the Halifax International Writers’ Festival stopped more than a decade ago.

As for my favourite moment, we had a little event on the Friday evening where many of the authors got together and we all read Alice Munro’s “Miles City, Montana” aloud and then chatted about it. That might have been the highlight, though it’s difficult to choose. I think we were fortunate to have such a generous group of truly world-class writers in our very first year!

Any plans you can share for the second annual festival? 

Just that we’re in full swing and that we’re preparing to be a virtual festival if we can’t be out in the physical world. Though we’re certainly hoping that won’t have to have happen!

If you could have any writer present at AfterWords (no matter the cost), who would that be and why?

Marlon James, Svetlana Alexievich, Alexander Hemon. These are just a few names off the top of my head. The exciting thing is there are a hundred people I could add to this list. I just want to sit in a room and hear their perspectives. The festival also allows me the opportunity to hear and read the work of artists I might never have otherwise encountered, which is just as exciting.

What are you writing right now?

A novel, actually! And stories. I always have a few short stories on the go.

Christy Ann Conlin is a fiction writer based in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Her books include her debut novel Heave (Doubleday Canada, 2002), which was a national bestseller, a Globe and Mail top 100 book, and was selected as a finalist for several awards, including the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award. Most recently, Conlin is the author of a short story collection, Watermark (Astoria, 2019). In what follows, Conlin talks about her writing practice as a member of the “Sandwich Generation,” what she loves about writing in her part of Nova Scotia, her new projects, and more.

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How long have you been writing? What drew you to writing in general, and fiction in particular?   

I’ve been writing since 1995. It was not my dream to be a writer. My dream was to be a dermatologist. I have a learning disability which made learning to write very difficult so it was something I avoided, even in university. Oral presentations were much easier for me. It was through theatre, and studying stage plays, that I found my way into writing, through dialogue and voice. At first I wrote poetry, stage and screenplays. I did an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia and my thesis was a screenplay. But the fiction writers fascinated me, their discipline in both long and short form. The same with poets, that commitment to something shorter but so layered and complex.

Your latest book, Watermark (Astoria, 2019), is a collection of short stories. Have you noticed any recent changes or trends in short fiction?

Yes, I find there is more experimentation in form, a challenge to the idea of a prescribed type of short story. In Canada I find a short story often has a prescribed word length, if you want to publish. Literary journals and magazines have to be conscious of length, and longer stories take more time for editorial boards to read. Many American journals take stories up to 8,000-10,000 words and consider that average length. But in Canada, 5,000 words is considered very, very long. That said, there is a resurgence in longer stories and novellas. Kris Bertin’s new collection is a good example of longer stories. And of course, Alice Munroe’s stories are considered to be long. I tend to react against the institutionalization of form. Literary art advances through innovation. My stories are both long and short, sometimes very short. Watermark has a huge range in voice, style and length.

What role does research play in your writing? 

A huge role. While I don’t write historical fiction, history and the remnants of the past influence my work. I also write a lot about mental illness and health issues, about the natural world and oceans. There is more traditional research—I read an enormous amount, consult archival records, do on-the-ground research and trips. But there is also the day to day research, which consists of observing people constantly, having my ear tuned into conversation and speech, to body language, to seeing the unexpected.

What’s great about writing in your part of Nova Scotia? 

The Box of Delights. Angela Reynolds at the Annapolis Valley Regional Library. Writers Dana Mills and Ami McKay. Conundrum Press, which is located in Wolfville but booming internationally (disclosure: I’m married to the publisher!).

Do you remember the first time you were paid for your writing? What was it like?

Yup, I won the B+A prize for my first short story. I got $500 and the story in print. I was over the moon. It felt unreal to see my words on a magazine page. I went to a fancy Toronto night and got to hang out with Alistair MacLeod who told me to stay true to my voice. The story became the prologue to my first novel Heave. The full short story, “Beyond All Things Is the Sea,” is a story in Watermark.

Do you have a writing group, or any trusted readers who help you with your work?

I don’t have a physical writing group. My sandwich generation life, or as I prefer to call it, the panini generation life, means it’s hard to have time to write, let alone be a part of a regular writing group. I really miss this, I have to say. But with work and writing, and spending caring for children and elderly people, life is a blur, with little time for those opportunities. I have one friend who I exchange work with, over coffee. She lives in Falmouth. And I have a tiny circle of writers I exchange work with electronically. I guess I have a virtual writers’ group. I also save my dollars, when I can, and hire freelance editors for objective feedback on my drafts.

Do you have any writing rituals? 

Yup, I have two sets of rituals.

1.     

Lots of time and solitude ritual:

I use an hour glass timer and I start with singing and then I do a drawing. Then I do a journal entry in what I call a Common Place Book, a book with my thoughts, with clippings, where I keep lists etc. Sometimes I will then do a very specific writing exercise, all with a pen and pencils and markers. Then I often move to a keyboard and into the focused project at hand. The rituals are to warm up my creative brain and disconnect my analytical mind, and let the creative right brain take over. I first discovered this when I studied drawing, and then read Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. I did a botanical drawing course at NSACD with Carrie Allison and it dramatically improved my writing focus. I really don’t like to warm up on the project at hand, and find that generates some sloppy writing I end up deleting or heavily revising. But that’s the reality often, of little time. And so, let’s move to the…

2.     

GenX Sandwich Generation Life writing ritual:

Sit down on my butt and get to the writing as fast as possible before the time evaporates and I have to take care of people or do my day job. This means I often write in waiting rooms in hospitals and doctors’ offices, in the van in a parking lot, in the stands at an arena, in a café, in the dining room, in a hotel, in libraries, in funeral homes, wherever I have time to whip out a notebook or a laptop and make some headway. If the first few pages are stilted and sloppy, I recognize they were my warm up pages, the ritual of entering into the work on the back of the work, if this makes sense. I try not to judge those pages, and fall into that black hole of despair we writers know all too well. 

What do you do when you have writer’s block? 

I rarely have writer’s block, I am so grateful for the small blocks of time I have for writing. But when I do, I get up and for a walk or a bike ride or a run. I’ll do house work or gardening, or I’ll chop or stack wood. Or I will write a letter to a friend, anything to get a sense of flow going. I’m a big believer in writing your way into the writing. There might be some pages of drivel but those pages are the path back into the story. Writer’s block, to me, is anxiety and insecurity, which manifests in doubt, lack focus, confidence and commitment. It’s why it’s good to avoid stewing in it. We must fully believe in our vision and invest in it, and keep the judges at bay.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? 

Read, read, read & write, write, write. Protect your time. Write on a regular basis and show up for the times you set aside to write. If you don’t honour your own schedule, and don’t show up for yourself, no one else will. Most of us don’t have the luxury of writing fulltime and travelling about and going to residencies. I’m living proof that if one sets aside writing time and actually shows up, eventually the work gets done. It’s so hard, so I have total compassion for anyone struggling to write, who has a job and family demands, or writers who are isolated. It’s very hard to hold the vision. But it’s possible, with huge discipline. And also knowing, that every day is a new day, and it’s never too late, so keep going. Never give up. It’s that simple and that freaking hard.

What are you working on right now? 

I am working on a novel about a sisterhood of mentally ill women, a wise old lady and several drunken mermaids who together are trying to solve the mysterious murder of a girl seventy years earlier.

YA author Tom Ryan is a previous Lambda Literary Fellow whose books have been nominated for the White Pine Award, the Stellar Award, and the Hackmatack Award. In addition to a number of young adult novels, he published his first children’s picture book, A Giant Man from a Tiny Town: A Story of Angus MacAskill, with Nimbus in the fall of 2018. Ryan divides his time between Cape Breton and Ontario. His latest book, a young adult thriller titled Keep This To Yourself, is forthcoming from Albert Whitman (May 2019). Ryan is currently holding a pre-order giveaway for this title.

In what follows, Ryan talks to us about not buying into writer’s block, his guilty pleasures, new projects, and more.

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How long have you been writing? What drew you to writing in general, writing for children in particular? 

I grew up in rural Cape Breton, well before the internet and with limited access to TV, so from as far back as I can remember, books were my best friends. At some point I started making up elaborate stories of my own, and I never really stopped. After high school, I studied English Literature at Mount Allison, which was a great education for a budding writer. Over the decade after graduation, I continued to write short stories, and even made a few unsuccessful attempts at getting something longer off the ground, but it wasn’t until 2010 that things really came into focus. My husband is in the navy, and when he was posted unexpectedly to Victoria, we moved to the west coast, and I decided to take six months to see if I could finally write a novel. Originally, I planned to write a mystery for the adult market, but a chance encounter with the acquisitions editor at Orca (a respected kidlit publisher in B.C.) convinced me to shift focus, and Orca ultimately published my first YA novel Way to Go in 2012. I discovered that I love writing for young readers, and it’s been full steam ahead ever since.

Your newest book, Keep This To Yourself, is a thriller for young adults. Did you find it challenging to adapt such a dark genre for a younger readership?  

One of the things I love about writing YA fiction is that I get to explore and examine one of the most dramatic of life’s stages—the transition from youth to adulthood. Relationships are in flux, the future is uncertain, and change is happening at an often overwhelming pace. In Keep This To Yourself, I tried to layer several complicated realities on top of the mystery—from the dissolution of childhood friendships to the struggles particular to queer high schoolers—so that the paranoia and suspicion that thrillers rely on build from several directions at once. Teen readers are astute and aware, and I’ve found that they’re often willing and eager to dive into dark, twisty stories. So far, the response from young readers has been great, which is really exciting!

What do you love about living in Nova Scotia? 

As far as I’m concerned, Nova Scotia has it all. Atmosphere, natural beauty, a thriving capital and fascinating small towns, and above all, amazing, creative people. Because my husband is in the military, we move quite a bit; we left Halifax last year for Toronto, and we’re moving again in a few months, this time to Ottawa. But we own a farmhouse deep in the countryside of Cape Breton, and I’m lucky enough to spend a few solid chunks of time there every year. Cape Breton is my favourite place on earth, and I’m never more inspired than when I’ve finally crossed the causeway and left the rest of the world behind.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? 

Read as much, and as consciously, as you can. It’s so important to write regularly, to practice and make mistakes and develop your own voice, but in my opinion it’s just as important to pay attention to story structure, so that you can take your fresh ideas, compelling characters, and great lines and pull them together into something that will keep readers turning the pages.

Did you have a mentor when you started writing? What was this relationship like? 

I’ve had several mentors in my life, from great teachers, to other, more seasoned writers, to editors who helped me gain perspective on my work and recognize what was and wasn’t working. My greatest mentors, however, have been the books and writers who really grabbed me by the lapels and said, “Now this is how you tell a story!” As just one example, I revisit Fingersmith by Sarah Waters every year or two, to marvel at her brilliant use of language, her wonderful characters, her note-perfect plot with its unexpected twists and “how did she do that!?” moments. It’s one of several books that have entertained me, given me something to aspire to, and taught me so much about what I’m trying to accomplish with my own work.

What’s your guilty pleasure? 

Wine and candy!

What do you do when you have writer’s block? 

I don’t believe in writer’s block. When I’m working on a new book, I give myself a strict word count goal, usually 2000 words a day, five days a week, and I don’t get up from my desk until I reach it. I consider myself extremely lucky to be doing this for a living, and I take it as seriously as I would any other job. A plumber doesn’t have the luxury of getting plumber’s block, and I don’t let myself fall for false narratives about inspiration or “waiting for the muse”. Don’t get me wrong, I suffer from loads of self-doubt—doesn’t every creative professional —but I’ve trained myself to tune those feelings out when I’m working.

Do you remember the first time you were paid as a writer? How did it feel? 

Cashing my first advance cheque was a moment I’ll never forget. Real money that I’d made from one of my stories? Amazing! It wasn’t much by any measure, but it was an important and validating first step that revealed to me that the writing life might just be possible.

What are you working on right now? 

I just finished edits on a YA novel I co-wrote with my friend Robin Stevenson, about two teen cousins from opposite sides of the country who end up on a road trip to Toronto Pride. The title is up in the air at the moment, but it will come out in spring 2020 from Running Press. I’m also about to start editing my next YA mystery (working title I Hope You’re Listening) about a teen girl who copes with her guilt over her friend’s unsolved, decade-old abduction by anonymously creating a podcast to help solve missing persons cases. When a new abduction in her small town is revealed to have links to the old case, her life is tossed upside down. It comes out in fall 2020 from Albert Whitman. I’m also writing two new books at the moment, they’re both about gay teens in the mid-80s, but the similarities stop there. I tend to keep details of my works in progress close to the chest, but I hope to have news about them both sooner than later!

Evelyn C. White is a journalist and author whose books include Chain, Chain, Change: For Black Women in Abusive Relationships (Seal Press, 1985) and the biography Alice Walker: A Life (W. W. Norton & Company, 2004). A former reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, she now lives and writes in Halifax, where she has published articles in The Coast, The Nova Scotia Advocate, Halifax Examiner, and other local newspapers. In what follows, she shares her reflections on the writing life, her advice for aspiring writers, her experience working on Alice Walker’s biography, and more.

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How long have you been writing? What drew you to writing in general, and non-fiction in particular? 

I have been writing since about grade 5. I have always been an avid reader and especially loved newspapers. My hometown had an afternoon newspaper and I can still hear the sound of the newspaper landing on our front stoop.

You have an extensive background in print journalism. How did you find the transition from working for a newspaper to writing book-length non-fiction projects? 

The transition from being a staff reporter on a daily newspaper to writing non-fiction books was not difficult. I welcomed the space to expand my own voice. 

In addition to working as a writer, you’ve taught non-fiction workshops and worked as a part-time tutor with the Nova Scotia Community College. Do you see a connection between the practice of writing and the practice of teaching? 

One must have and/or develop confidence in one’s creative and technical skills as a writer. As a teacher, I enjoy helping my students build their self-confidence.

You recently participated in an event co-organized by the WFNS and the Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute in honour of poet Maxine Tynes, where you shared some moving words about Tynes’ work and career. If you had the opportunity to meet Tynes, what would you say to her? 

I would thank Maxine Tynes for learning to love all of herself in a province that has marginalized people of African descent for generations. The history of Blacks in Canada begins in Nova Scotia and it is a sad commentary on the white power structure here that African Nova Scotians have not emerged (because of racism) as the prototype for Black excellence in North American. Nova Scotia had a free Black community for nearly a century before my African forebears were emancipated from slavery in the United States. So what happened here? The free Blacks in Birchtown were so mistreated that they got back on ships and returned to Africa. This is one of the saddest chapters in Canadian history—recounted beautifully in The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. Every Nova Scotian should make it a priority to visit the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre (BLHC) in Birchtown. It is one of the finest small museums in the world. I have been privileged to visit the Perfume Museum in Barcelona, the Women’s Museum in Aarhus, Denmark, the Parasite Museum in Tokyo (yes, that’s what I said), and the Kentucky Fried Chicken Museum near Louisville (again, that’s what I said). The BLHC is situated in a beautiful landscape and houses a history that should be of paramount interest to every Canadian and especially to Nova Scotians. 

As for Ms. Tynes, her early poem “Poet, Weaver, Woman, Dreamer” ends—despite everything she suffered as a Black female in Nova Scotia—with this line: “I wonder, who is casting jealous eyes on me.” She was triumphant. I never met her but am eternally grateful for her shining example of self-love. 

In a Q&A published on the Halifax Public Libraries website earlier this year, you discuss your work on Alice Walker, including the biography Alice Walker: A Life (W.W. Norton & Company, 2004). In this interview, you explain that you have a personal relationship with Walker. What was it like to write a book about someone you knew personally? 

My relationship with Alice Walker during the writing of my book is best described as “collegial acquaintances.” We had a mutual understanding of each other as writers who greatly value artistic freedom. I never perceived her as someone who might interfere in my writing process. My sense is that she did not perceive me as someone who would disrespect (in any way) the great honour and privilege she granted me as her official biographer. I think that most writers, by virtue of the demands of our profession, tend to keep a certain mental remove from others. In my view, such distance helps to sharpen our powers of observation and discernment. 

That said, Alice Walker and I had (and have) many common interests. It was enjoyable and enriching to attend movies, lectures, and concerts with her. I once attended one of her readings. There were so many people (beyond standing room only) that officials at the auditorium brought out extra chairs to be placed on the stage around her. As I’d arrived late (long story), I ended up being among those seated on the stage. This meant that I was able to gaze out at the audience as Alice spoke from the podium. The sight was breathtaking. Because what I saw being beamed back to Alice Walker was pure love. From people of every age, background, ability. I saw love, happiness, pride, delight, wonder, appreciation, joy, peace, comfort. I will carry the magic of that “accidental moment” with me for the rest of my life. I think it is rare to witness a sea of humanity at total ease. Everyone in the room was alive and rejoicing in the sheer presence of Alice who was completely and totally herself. 

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? 

Advice to aspiring writers? There is zero commercial profit in it—except in extraordinary cases. Most of us are not extraordinary. One must be motivated by and find reward in something beyond money. Writers are poised to have a wealth of experience and the satisfaction of self-expression. Beyond that, writers suffer just like everyone else. There is nothing special about being a writer. Most do not rank high on the “excitement” meter. I count myself among that number. I’d much rather chat with a marimba player. It will be a great day when I meet the genius who invented black sesame ice cream. 

What’s great about writing in your part of Nova Scotia? 

The new library is the best part of my writing life in Nova Scotia. It is one of the main reasons that I moved here from BC. I love everything about it. I make excellent use of its excellent interlibrary loan system.  

Do you remember the first time you were paid for your writing? What was it like? 

I was paid $13 for a book review I wrote in the late 1970s. An unexpected cheque (on goldenrod paper) arrived in the mail. I was dumbfounded by what I then viewed as “magic money.” For the longest time, I considered all income from my writing as magical. No more. The cost is very high for bearing witness (and living to tell it) as a writer. Doubly, triply so for writers who are not white, male, heterosexual, and from the privileged class. Let us not forget that future Nobel Literature Laureate Toni Morrison started with The Bluest Eye and Sula. I am hard pressed to imagine the emotional strength it took for her to write those novels. 

Did you have a mentor when you started writing? What was that relationship like? 

All of my writing mentors/muses have been musicians. I aim to write with the mastery exhibited in “Car Wash” by Rose Royce, “Dream” by DeBarge, and “Somewhere” by Aretha Franklin. I am infinitely inspired by the unhinged authenticity of Celine Dion. I took note when a group of Black drag queens (the ultimate in discernment) declared Celine Dion the only contemporary singer with talent equal to that of the late Queen of Soul. They were right. 

What are you working on right now? 

It is not my practice to discuss current writing projects. I maintain an intimate relationship with them that contains multitudes—but in an unspoken way. A recent essay about Michael Jackson and climate change will be published in a forthcoming anthology. 

Originally from Cape Breton and now based in Dartmouth, Amy Spurway is a writer, performer, and editor. She has worked with CBC Radio and published in Today’s Parent, the Toronto Star, and other venues. This spring, her debut novel, Crow, was published by Goose Lane Editions. In what follows, Spurway talks about publishing her first book, what she likes about living and writing in her part of Nova Scotia, her new projects, and more.

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How long have you been writing? What drew you to writing in general, and fiction in particular? 

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Even before I could physically write, I used to put on plays. There are pictures of me as a two-year-old, with my parents and their friends dressed up in the costumes I insisted they wear while I directed the story, telling them their lines. By the time I was ten, I was writing and performing public speeches and radio commentaries, and I’ve written a little bit of everything since. Much of it, the less-than-glamorous stuff that helps pay the bills.

Despite the sense that I’ve always been a writer at heart, I never really saw myself as a fiction writer, and especially not a novelist. With Crow, I feel like I tripped and fell face-first into fiction because the drive to tell that story was just so strong.

Your first novel has just been published by Goose Lane Editions. How would you describe your first experience publishing a book?

This runs the risk of sounding cliché, but what can I say? I’m a risk taker. I can only describe it as being akin to giving birth to a baby. There is much anticipation and trepidation. There is crying. Praying. A little screaming. It takes time, and energy, and a small army of dedicated people to help bring it into the world. But in the end, here I am, holding this creation, this new being that now has a life all its own. It is overwhelming at times, but I’m so grateful and a little awe-struck by it all. Like my children, this book has helped me learn and grow in the most unexpected ways. But unlike my children, this book almost never wakes me up in the middle of the night anymore.

What do you love about living in Nova Scotia? 

The ocean. My CSA box from Taproot farms. Witnessing the fierce, creative, collective resilience and resourcefulness that runs through so many people.

What’s the biggest misconception about being a writer? 

Maybe it’s the idea that writers are essentially one-trick ponies. That we write one kind of thing, or that writing is all we do, or that there is a quintessential ‘writer’ type-person. Most of the writers I know are jacks-of-all-trades and masters of several others! Some are introverts, some are extroverts, some read and write widely, some have very narrow interests, and ‘writer’ is a part of who we are, but not the totality. If you don’t think you look or feel or act like a writer…join the club.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers? 

Don’t be afraid to write garbage. You might have to dump a bunch of bad writing onto a page, and then hunt around in the mess for a sliver of something good. That’s part of the process, and there’s no point in being too romantic or precious about it. And learn to love editing. Cutting, hacking, slashing, shifting. It’s a different skill set, but it is worthwhile to practice and embrace it. And finally, once you think you’ve got something, read it out loud, just to yourself. Hearing the words aloud is a quick way to uncover what works and what doesn’t.

What’s great about writing in your part of Nova Scotia? 

I live in Dartmouth, and the great thing about writing here is that I’m never far from nature, when I need some clarity, or inspiration, or to just feel humbled and tiny and connected to life on a deeper level. The same can be said of my other part of Nova Scotia, which is Cape Breton. When I go back home, I also love listening to people talk and tell stories. Every pocket of the island (and the province, for that matter) has its own accent and dialect and developing an ear for that continues to be immensely helpful in my writing.

What’s your guilty pleasure? 

Life’s too short for guilt. I love the things I love, guilt-free, including Kevin Smith movies, and the song “MmmBop” by Hanson.

What do you do when you have writer’s block? 

Writer’s block feels like something I could never afford to have, because most of my writing was either professional projects on a deadline for clients, or personal projects that had to be shoe-horned in to whatever hours I could find. So I’ve learned to just keep going, no matter what. Get something down and keep hammering away at it until it works.

What are you working on right now? 

I’ve started what feels like it will be novel #2. Loosely, it is the story of a group of women who’ve been cast aside by society for various reasons, and now they’re done playing nice.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be? 

I’m deeply interested in the human psyche, so perhaps a psychologist. A Jungian psychologist, in particular. Either that or a professional tarot card reader.

Sandra Phinney is a professional freelance writer who has been writing and publishing for twenty years. Her articles have appeared in over 70 print and online magazines, and she is also the author of four books and teaches workshops on narrative, travel, and memoir writing. Phinney lives on the edge of the Tusket River in Yarmouth County. In what follows, she tells us about how she started out as a freelancer, planning your work as a writer, and more.

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How long have you been writing? What drew you to writing in general, and non-fiction in particular?

Started my writing business in 1999. I had spent 18 years farming (and taught adult classes & university courses, cut fish, waitressed…anything to help subsidize the farm); it continued to be a losing proposition so after losing money for 17 out of the 18 years, we decided to sell the farm, pay off the farm loan board, and move on. (In case you are wondering, we made a profit of $966 one year.)

So. I needed to find a new career. Writing found me, at age 54, at a writer’s conference at White Point Resort. One of the workshops was presented by freelance journalist Julie Watson. The title of her sessions was “You, too, can earn your living as a freelance writer.” I came home and told my husband I was going to be a freelance writer. He looked at me with a strange look and said, “Eighteen years ago you told me you were going to be a farmer.” Poor guy; I scared him silly. I didn’t even know what a clip or query was. But I soon learned.

You’ve published your work in a wide variety of periodicals and have been active as a professional writer for well over a decade. Have you noticed any changes in the way freelance writers work in recent years? 

It seems that we all have to do more with less. It’s likely a sign of the times and strikes every profession. The biggest change for me personally is getting used to new technology and social media. It’s hard to keep up. But at some point I dug my heels in. For example, I had a cell phone (because I thought I needed it to survive—especially as a travel writer), but that’s nonsense. I sold it six years ago and have no regrets.

In addition to being a writer, you run writing workshops. Do you find that teaching and writing are activities that complement each other? Are there any particular challenges you’ve faced in teaching writing? 

I love giving workshops. They definitely complement each other. I learn from teaching and incorporate that into my writing. I also learn from my writing, and incorporate that into my teaching. The only challenge I’m faced with when teaching is having enough time to get it all in…meaning, a day’s workshop is never long enough to cover all I’d like to cover. Teaching and giving workshops is probably the most hassle-free (and joyful work) that I do as a writer. And the most lucrative. Now if you had asked about what the particular challenges I’ve faced with writing stories for a living, well, I’d need about 10 mores pages.

What do you do when you have writer’s block?

Believe it or not, I’ve never had writer’s block. My biggest problem is procrastination. But it’s not due to writer’s block. I procrastinate because I’m terrified of looking at a blank page and will do just about anything to avoid writing that first word or sentence. I’ve been known to stoop as low as doing the ironing for heaven’s sake! Or mend clothing or make jam or scrub the tub or clean my office! But deadlines are a powerful motivator. After I’ve postponed long enough and I have no choice (unless I want to chance missing a deadline which I don’t) then I look at my computer, face the blank page and GO. As soon as I start it’s not a problem. It’s getting bum in seat and fingers on keyboard and actually writing something that’s the biggest challenge for me.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Come up with a plan. I remember, for example, wanting to be a travel writer. For three years I “wanted” to be a travel writer but it was always in my head.  But once I came up with a to-do list (e.g., join a travel writing organization, find story ideas, analyze magazines, find markets, write queries, etc.) then it became clear what I had to DO in order to become a travel writer. Eventually, I was able to add “travel writing” to my portfolio. So setting goals is crucial, and, actually doing them.

What’s great about writing in your part of Nova Scotia?

I live in a home that’s off the grid on the Tusket River outside of Yarmouth. I can see upstream and downstream without another house in view. We don’t even have curtains. It’s the most peaceful place on the planet. So one thing that is great is the setting. How lucky am I?! Another great thing is the rural-ness of living in this part of Atlantic Canada. There’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be living/working. And I don’t have to go far for stories. Goodness knows how many business, lifestyle, health, travel, nature stories etc. I’ve written that are anchored here. In fact, my latest book Waking Up In My Own Backyard is all about discovering people/history/culture in Southwest Nova Scotia (and myself in the process.) So that is what’s great about living in my part of Nova Scotia.

Do you remember the first time you were paid for your writing? What was it like?

I remember it clearly. I was asked to write a story for the Liverpool Advance about that workshop at White Point resort I mentioned in the first question. I was paid $50 for that story and I was floored. To me that was a vast sum of money. (Remember we were still trying to sell our bankrupt farm.) I was so excited I actually jumped up and down and kissed the cheque when I received it.

Did you have a mentor when you started writing? What was that relationship like?

Yes. Glen Hancock. What a dear soul. At that same writers gathering at White Point Lodge, he was also one of the presenters. I knew that he had worked as a journalist (war correspondent, editor at Maclean’s and Reader’s Digest back in the 40s, 50s, and 60s). Once I decide to start a freelance business, I got in touch with him and asked if he would mentor me as I didn’t have a clue how to proceed. I met with him once a month for about a year at his home in Wolfville (with other writers) and am eternally grateful for his guidance. It was an extraordinary experience. He taught me many things, including how to stay out of the way of the story.

What’s the last great book you read? 

Oddly enough, I’m re-reading Joe Gould’s Secret. It’s a small book which includes two profiles written by Joseph Mitchell for The New Yorker, about a fellow in NY called Joe Gould. The first was written in 1942; the second one was written in 1964. Even though they are both written about the same person (Jo Gould) they are both extraordinary profiles. 

Mitchell was one of the early journalists who approached non-fiction as literary journalism or create non-fiction (but stuck with the truth.) By this I mean he created strong characters, compelling scenes, conflict/resolution etc., and he also used literary techniques such as metaphor, internal rhyme etc. So it reads like a beautiful piece of fiction…but everything is true. Nothing is invented or embellished and there are no composite characters. However, the research and reportage required, along with paying attention to the moment is immense. Mitchell is one of my many heroes.

The other book I have on standby is Margaret Laurence, The Making of a Writer, by Donez Xiques. It was just loaned to me with a “You must read this” recommendation.

What are you working on right now? 

Juggling a few things: profile of a docent at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton; lifestyle story about the biggest chicken farm in Atlantic Canada outside of Fredericton; one about a chap building a “tiny home” on wheels here in Yarmouth; one about Barrie and I renewing our 40^th wedding vows at White Point Lodge with nine other couples last year; those are for magazines.  I’m also writing a story about paddling in a Voyageur canoe up the Trent-Saverne waterway in ON for an online travel mag.; and a travel piece for The Chronicle Herald; and a couple of stories for The Nova Scotian (one about a group of volunteers making “Boomerang bags” here in Yarmouth; and another about a social enterprise also here in Yarmouth.) Hmmm. And I have two memoir workshop to deliver this spring and I’m launching a new business called “HeartSong Travel” (check it out later this month at www.heartsongtravel.ca). I think I’d better get back to work. Or go for a walk. Or a canoe ride. Anything but look at the blank page I should be looking at. Apparently the deadlines are still too far away. Like, days!

Poet Margo Wheaton’s debut collection, The Unlit Path Behind the House (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2016), won the Canadian Authors Association’s Fred Kerner Award and was selected as a finalist for the J.M. Abraham Poetry Award, the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award, a ReLit Award, and other literary honours. In what follows, Wheaton talks to us about writer’s block, her new writing projects, what she likes about writing in the Maritimes, and more.

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How long have you been writing? What drew you to writing in general, and poetry in particular? 

I’ve been writing since I was a child, since about the age of seven or so. I used to make up little songs and poems while I was walking home from school. I have no idea why I did this, other than that I felt drawn to the rhythm, to the way words sounded and felt when you said them a certain way. Somehow, I guess I’d managed to stumble into the chant structure, the musical structure, that poetry and writing is based upon. There was a lot of singing and music in our house—my father loved to sing old Irish ballads whenever we were in the car and we often sang at the kitchen table—and I think that this probably has a lot to do with the way I experience the music that underlies poetry and language.   

What do you do when you have writer’s block?

I remember reading an interview in which the poet Patrick Lane made the simple but powerful observation that writers’ block is essentially fear. Over the years, I’ve found that a helpful way to think about it. So, usually, after flailing around in the dark for a while at the computer screen or at the physical page, I end up asking myself, what it is, exactly, that I’m afraid of.

It may be a specific technical problem in the writing that I’m apprehensive about and am not sure how to solve. It may be something deeper and more personal, like worrying about the personal consequences of writing about a particular issue or theme. Either way, it seems that once I’ve considered the role that fear might be playing in a current bout of writers’ block, I start finding more practical ways to deal with it and start moving forward again.

Do you have any writing rituals? 

Yes, and they often vary, depending on what other demands and work commitments I’m juggling at the time. Long walks and getting out into the stillness of nature, into a place that’s at least somewhat removed from the noise and bustle of the city, are very important to me so that I can, quite literally, hear myself think.

Of all the art forms, poetry, especially, I think, involves engaging the world through the senses. The rituals that I tend to return to and need the most—like being in nature, paying attention to other forms of art, and listening to music—are all ones that allow me to connect with the world in a way that’s rooted primarily in the senses.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?  

The usual: read, read, read and write, write, write. Be willing to fail. Be willing to press your own limits and take chances with your writing because if you don’t—if you remain in the shallow end with what feels safe—you might never find the thing in your heart that you most want to write. Pay attention to and honour your fear. Be aware of what you feel compelled to write about and aware of what makes you sort of catch your breath when you think about writing it. Likely, that’s where the gold is.

Also, I think that it’s important to stay connected with people who feed your heart and nourish your soul. Writing is hard, often profoundly solitary work and while writers usually need to be able to bear periods of solitude in order to tap into their truest work, I do think that kind of intense solitary practice and concentration needs to be balanced with the warmth of community and connection. At least, that’s been true in my experience.    

What’s great about writing in your part of Nova Scotia?

Probably the same thing that’s great about writing and living in the Maritimes in general and that’s the warmth of the culture. There’s a lot of heart and generosity here, and it spills over and is alive and thriving in the writing communities, too. There’s a lot of support out there for writers at all stages and that’s a real blessing. 

What are you working on right now?

At the moment, I’m finishing my second collection of poems. I’m also working on a book of essays set in New Brunswick.

Based in Halifax, Alison Delory is a writer, editor, and communications professional. Her writing has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Dalhousie Magazine, Halifax Magazine, and other publications. She is also the author of two children’s books, and her first novel for adults, Making it Home, will appear with Nimbus this June. In what follows, Delory shares the story of how she got started as a writer, details of her new projects, and more.

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How long have you been writing? 

20-some years. 

What drew you to writing in general, and fiction, non-fiction, and writing for children in particular? 

I love words. I was also drawn by the challenge and the opportunity to learn. My training and background is in journalism and professional writing, but over time I wanted to expand and experiment with new forms. I’ve taken courses and workshops and dabbled in poetry, blogging and academic writing, too. No forms come easily to me but I find enormous satisfaction in finishing any piece of writing. It would be smarter to stick with one thing and really master it but I guess I’m distractible because I jump around a lot.

You are widely published as a non-fiction writer and children’s author, but this summer, your debut novel for adults, Making it Home, will be published with Nimbus. Did you find the transition to writing fiction for adults challenging?

Yes, it was hard but I don’t think that’s a negative. It’s good to embrace difficult things. I’m used to doing lots of research and interviews and then writing true stories based on what I’ve gleaned. With the novel, I had to imagine what might happen next. I regularly thought I’d run out of ideas but then every day I’d surprise myself by pushing it forward just a little bit—maybe having one small breakthrough to advance the plot or writing even a few lines of prose that I was happy with—until eventually I had a whole narrative arc. Learning to trust myself and the process was a leap of faith.

Do you think technology has changed the way we write and read? If so, how?

Yes, at least for me it’s negatively impacted how I read and positively impacted how I write. I think collectively our attention spans have shortened. We’re more comfortable reading Facebook posts than novels. We snack more and consume fewer wholesome meals. I fight this urge every day and make sure I’m always reading a mix of short- and long-form writing. I’ll never not have a book on the go. That said, I love my laptop and can no longer write by hand. I find writing even a birthday card hard now. I need that backspace key and five attempts at writing each sentence before I’m satisfied with it.

What do you do when you have writer’s block?

Exercise. A walk or a run are a good way to feel productive and moving your body has the wonderful side effect of freeing your mind so the ideas can creep in. Plus training for long-distance running and novel writing are surprisingly similar; you need the same discipline and ability to push through discomfort and self-doubt to complete either.

Do you have any writing rituals?

I often write in public at a library or coffee shop. I think writers need to be seen in the community and they have to be part of it. I’ve never believed in shutting out white noise or isolating myself; it’s the buzz of activity—life itself—that’s inspiring. But I don’t write every day and I don’t believe in telling anybody they should. You do you; write however it suits you best as long as it gets word on a page.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Cultivate an attentiveness to the world around you—there are stories lying in wait everywhere. Pay attention to small details like facial expressions, smells or words that strike you as lyrical, and if you don’t have a good memory, jot them down. A heightened power of observation improves not only your writing but your general way of being and living. Also find a writing community. Join a writing group. Seek feedback but more importantly give feedback. Teach if you have the opportunity. For me, teaching writing, critiquing writing, and editing taught me as much or more than actually writing.

What’s great about writing in your part of Nova Scotia?

Cafés that let you write for hours while sipping one Americano! The smallish size and supportiveness of the writing community. The fact that Halifax is cosmopolitan but the natural world is nearby and accessible. I really, really love being a writer in Halifax.

Do you remember the first time you were paid for your writing? What was it like?

Yes! I wrote a travel story on Harlem for the Toronto Sun in 1997. I knew it would run in a Sunday paper but not what edition so I bought it every week for months before it was finally published. I got $150 for the article. The travel editor was really cranky and offered no feedback but I owe her a debt of gratitude for setting me on a course.

Did you have a mentor when you started writing? What was that relationship like?

I’m so lucky to have had many. Lawrence Hill was one of my earliest creative writing teachers in Toronto. We re-met last summer and he was wonderfully warm and generous. Sherri Fitch read my first middle-grade fiction book, gave me feedback, and wrote an endorsement for the cover. I was gobsmacked. Lesley Crewe read an opening chapter of an adult novel and told me, “OK, you know how to write.” Kim Pittaway has been my nonfiction editor several times and her intelligence is staggering. My writing group has been invaluable. Then having Stephanie Domet as my editor for Making it Home was the best experience imaginable because she was tough, kind and funny at the same time and my book improved drastically. I can’t underestimate what all these people have meant to me. I’ll never be able to repay them but have hopefully paid it forward through my own students and can continue to do so.

What are you working on right now?

I just finished final revisions to Making it Home last month and am starting the work of marketing and promoting it so more the business side of writing. I also have a full-time day job with the University of King’s College where I write and edit stories or copy most days. But right now I am writing answers to this questionnaire : )

Chris Benjamin writes both fiction and non-fiction, and is the current managing editor of Atlantic Books Today. He is the author of three books, Indian School Road: Legacies of the Shubenacadie Residential School (Nimbus Publishing, 2014), Eco-Innovators: Sustainability in Atlantic Canada (Nimbus, 2011), and a novel, Drive-by Saviours (Fernwood, 2010), which was longlisted for a ReLit Prize and made the Canada Reads Top Essential Books List. (Before being published with Fernwood, Drive-by Saviours won the WFNS’s H.R. [Bill] Percy Prize.) After having lived and worked across Canada and abroad, Benjamin is now based in Halifax. In what follows, he talks about how he got started as a writer, the first time he was paid for his writing, his new projects, and more. 

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How long have you been writing? What drew you to writing in general, and ficiton and non-fiction in particular?

When I was around six or seven years old (picture it: Westphal, 1981), I impressed some friends and family with a short story I wrote about a little boy who owns a dinosaur. The concept was completely ripped off from Syd Hoff’s children’s classic, Danny and the Dinosaur, but I loved the attention, and I did have a good way with words. The stories got a little more original as I aged—in Grade 6 my classmates and teacher loved a story I wrote called “The Monster Who Wanted to Eat New York.” Spoiler: he was a foot shorter than the 100-foot sign saying “You Must Be Taller Than this Sign to Eat New York.” A star was born.

Fiction is still really my thing, but what initially drew me into non-fiction was the world’s perpetual state of crisis and an earnest desire to save it. Maturation again proved good for me, filing down such harmful aspirations. I still find I can do some good in sharing true stories that shed light on the lives of the afflicted. World not saved, but occasional lives positively affected. 

In addition to being a writer, you are the managing editor of Atlantic Books Today. Do you find that these two roles (writer and editor) complement each other? Are there any particular challenges for writers who also work as editors?

Mostly yes. It’s a steady gig and as an otherwise self-employed freelancer that is complementary. The skills I use and improve as a structural and copy editor (editing books as well) are really useful in my own prose efforts. And it can’t hurt that I’ve gotten to know the Who’s Who of the Atlantic Canadian literary scene better. 

But of course there are challenges, like editing negative reviews of works by people (writers, publishers) I know and like. That hurts and can make for some awkward Christmas parties. 

There’s also a significant challenge as a reader, turning off that editorial brain. I can’t seem to read anything aloud to my children without tightening sentences as I go. 

What do you do when you have writer’s block?

Read I suppose. Waste away on social media or NBA basketball blogs. I’m never short of ideas though. Writer’s block, for me, is more a certain laziness, and it’s unfortunate because actual writing time is so limited in my life. To fritter it away is tragic, and knowing that is usually what kicks my arse back into gear at some point.   

What’s the biggest misconception about being a writer?

I think there are two equally large misconceptions at the opposite ends of a spectrum, balancing one another. The first is the idea that writing pays, and this is mostly held by people who are young or young at heart and love to read and hold writers in high esteem. They see it as a profession, like doctoring or lawyering or professing. On the other end are the people who see writing as a hobby and never stop wondering when you’ll get a regular job. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Writing is hard work, it can pay a little if you’re disciplined and savvy and lucky (and good), and most of us need another source of income to make it work. 

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Related to the above, find a way to make it work financially, which means (until you become the next Atwood) finding work that pays your bills and still allows you an acceptable number of writing hours each week. Once you do that, do not fritter away those writing hours (or let anyone infringe on them), because they are the most important part of your working week. It’s not a hobby. 

What’s great about writing in your part of Nova Scotia?

I love that every time I go to my local coffee shop (Local Jo) to work, I run into other writers (and other freelancers from other professions too). And there we kvetch and catch up and cheer one another on. 

I love the writers. There are so many here you can’t go to the market on Saturday without bumping into them, and they are by and large an incredibly supportive community and willing to give a hand (cheerleading, advice giving, coffee drinking, work sharing, hot tip offering). Writing is a solitary artistic practice, connecting with the writing community breaks the isolation. 

Do you remember the first time you were paid for your writing? What was it like?

I think it was in the early aughts, a narrative nonfiction piece I wrote—called “The Law Won,” about a regrettable encounter with the New Orleans penal system—won an honourable mention from a writers’ guild in Ottawa and it came with a prize of perhaps $20. The money was less significant than the fact that a group of writers somewhere, anywhere, had recognized quality in my work. The story was eventually published in an issue of the much missed Descant magazine. 

Did you have a mentor when you started writing? What was that relationship like?

I had good teachers along the way and the best thing they did for me was believe in me. Soon after I returned Nova Scotia (after a long economic exile in Toronto and then working at a newspaper in Ghana), I met Silver Donald Cameron. He’d written a nice foreword to my Great Aunt’s poetry book (Dim Time and History on a Garrison Clock); he and I soon became friends and for a time I was involved with his Green Interview project. I’ve always been able to rely on him for kind support and excellent advice, especially regarding the business side of being a professional, freelance writer. The most important thing I’ve learned from him is to never sell myself short, to remember my worth and that professionals must be paid for their work. 

What’s the last great book you read? 

I recently read Alden Nowlan’s novel, The Wanton Troopers. It was the prose of a poet, yet its greatest strengths were the characters, who were fully fleshed out, realized, with all their flaws and humanity and foibles and unexpected strength. It was hard not to hate them, impossible not to love them. Remarkably, Nowlan sent the manuscript to just one publisher and, upon rejection, put it away in a drawer somewhere. 

What are you working on right now? 

A couple of short stories, a novel that keeps getting retitled, another novel that has just started, articles on cannabis in the workplace and the impacts of climate change on Halifax, and a profile of an ophthalmologist. And also the spring issue of Atlantic Books Today. 

Writer and spoken word artist Guyleigh Johnson hails from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Her first book, a poetry collection titled Expect the Unexpected, was published with Pottersfield Press in 2016. Her second book, Afraid of the Dark (Pottersfield Press, 2018), mixes both poetry and prose. In what follows, Johnson discusses her approach to public performances, what she likes about writing in Nova Scotia, her new projects, and more.

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How long have you been writing? What drew you to writing in general, and poetry and spoken word in particular? 

I have been writing since I was a little girl, I remember the blue and green scribblers for journal time. I also always kept a diary, there was something intriguing about writing down my personal thoughts, dreams or imagination. I didn’t take writing seriously in the terms of writing with a purpose until a close family member died in a car crash that’s when I used it to cope with grief. What drew me to poetry was being able to write whatever I wanted and in some weird way it would still make sense, and not only to me but to other people that could relate. I loved the way poetry told a story and painted the very picture I imagined in my head, I loved the way it sounded and the emotion it gave to the audience, it was personal, vulnerable yet connecting and full of love. I used to watch slam competitions on TV, Eastlink used to have an app I think to watch series and one of them was dedicated to slam competitions I used to watch young girls and boys say things out loud that were uncomfortable and true with rhythm and heart and it made me want to be them. 

Your latest book, Afraid of the Dark (Pottersfield Press, 2018), tells the story of its central character, Kahlua Thomas, through both poetry and prose fiction. What attracted you to this hybrid form? Is it something you would want to pursue again?

In Junior High I remember a way we use to practice writing was through short stories, they were always interesting and to the point. When I started to take writing seriously I’ve always wanted to combine the two but I wasn’t sure how to make that happen. After Expect the Unexpected I made it my goal to create a short story and make my character into a writer who wrote poetry so I could get the best of both worlds.

How do you approach public performances of your writing? Do you have any tips for writers who are new to reading or performing their work in public?

I enjoy public performances because they put a voice behind my work and sometimes I think it allows the reader or the listener to understand more and connect. After Expect the Unexpected I actually got a lot of request for an audio book, because people would love to hear me perform the poetry as well. Tips for reading/performing material is to practice, practice, practice because it helps you understand how you sound also what you would change about your piece, sometimes what you write doesn’t necessarily sound good out loud so if you speak it out loud over and over, you can make changes that make sense. Perform whenever you get the chance, because it brings exposure the more people that know about you the more opportunities that will follow you. (It also helps when you’re shy.) Speaking of shy, I am a really shy person (my friends and family always laugh at this because they don’t think it’s true but I am) invite family and friends people that you are comfortable speaking around make them sit in the front row and as you speak every now and again glance at them and it makes you feel less shy. My mom hasn’t missed any of my performances and for the biggest ones where I felt like I would get sick she has been my comfort zone. Find your rhythm when you speak, and talk to the audience like you would your friends, allow them to follow you on your journey of words.

What’s great about writing in your part of Nova Scotia? 

Writing in Nova Scotia inspires you because you are exposed to a lot, meeting new people and being a part of new environments give you things to talk about.  Sometimes even if you don’t have anyone to talk to and you just walk around and people watch or site see you are able to create and imagine so many stories. Nova Scotia also has a lot of untold heritage which I believe brings depth to your writing.

Do you remember the first time you were paid for your writing? What was it like? 

I don’t remember the first time, but I knew it felt good because I was being compensated for something that I was passionate about and it didn’t feel like work. That’s when I knew it was a gift and something I would pursue and take further. It brought me happiness to write and connect to people, getting paid to do it was just a bonus.

Did you have a mentor when you started writing? What was that relationship like? 

I didn’t have a mentor when I started writing and it sucked because I had so many questions and no one that could provide advice, support or encouragement. I didn’t have any writers in my family or anyone that really knew the field to push me in certain directions. Everything I learned was through me and my mom making connections and constantly putting myself out there. Coming from the black community and having a lack of resources or opportunities often makes people compete, or fear change and sharing knowledge. There is a quote that I live by now—“Be who you needed when you were younger.” I always vowed that when I grew up I would mentor and help as many youth as I can with what I could. I always leave the door open when young writers ask me questions or want connections because that’s what our ancestors did—they paved the way so I wouldn’t have to experience some of the things or to the extent that they did and I believe in doing the same for those coming under us—one hand to move forward the other to look back and help another person up.

What do you do when you have writer’s block? 

Take walks, long baths and listen to music.

Where do you like to get your writing done? Do you have a dedicated space, or do you prefer to move around? 

Being a writer it’s hard to have a dedicated space because all day long you’re imagining things. The amount of stories or poems I filter through my head are crazy depending on where I am at I pull out paper I write sentences or key words, sometimes I pull out my phone and leave notes or send texts as reminders. A lot of the time I write in my bed around 3-5 am, I usually wake up every night around that same time, and when I am not praying or manifesting about my life, I am thinking of things to say or stories to tell and I write them down.

What’s the last great book you read? 

For 2019 one of resolutions was to read more books and put down social media. Technology is taking over and it makes you think you have less time for things or people that are actually important and when you calculate how much time you spend on social media you realize you could’ve been doing other things, with that being said my first book of the new year was Worthy of Love by Andre Fenton and if you haven’t read it yet I suggest you do—I don’t want to give away too much because talking about it I get carried away but you won’t regret the choice if you have teenage children buy it for them it’s a life changer.

What are you working on right now? 

Right now I am working on two YA novels, as well as another poetry book. I have a children’s book on Viola Desmond that should be released sometime this year. I am also focusing on my blog cleaning it up and pushing new content and trying to take my writing to the next level.