Writing as an evolution

Although I haven't been posting lately I have been writing.  I am a longhand writer and prefer to use hard-copy over computer.  Call me old fashioned but I love the tactile qualities of writing longhand - the sound of the pen or pencil moving over the paper, the feeling of satisfaction that comes with the completing a page and turning it to a new fresh sheet of paper.

I have several stories on the go right now.  One is turning out to be a sort of post-apocalypse and the other a kind of creepy/funny I'm not sure what at this point (40 pages in and still don't know for sure!!grr) - they just keep writing themselves and I feel like I am just the conduit for them.  Strange that these two are like that.  I normally write with a direction.  I decided I would just let them evolve the way they want to go and see what happens or becomes of them.  This is a completely new way of writing for me.

When I was little, I used to tell stories about anything I could think up.  I would sit and tell my dolls or whoever was around.  Later, when I was a teenager and had to babysit or entertain the younger cousins(not super young), I would make up stories that would scare the crap out of the poor kids. Kept them in line - as an adult I realize that they were probably too frightened to do anything. (A little part of me feels a bit guilty about it.) They have reminded me occasionally that I still had to finish this story or that one because they wanted to know how it ended.  Who would have thought that they would even remember I made up stories for them? 

I think what really got me actually writing was my high school teacher Mrs. Myra Hiebert.  Her and I had our  moments, as I was a reluctant student. (I realize now, as an adult, that I was bored and the work was no challenge for me.) She was a very bright and witty teacher.  I am sure I gave her more than a moments pause but she persevered with me throughout high school.  I eventually graduated and went on to fully immerse myself in  English courses at university and I knew I had found my niche.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I discovered the variety of courses offered at  the university.  Coming from a small northern town, I didn't know that all this existed.   I was blessed with such professors as David Arnason, Dennis Cooley and many more who were not only teachers but talented writers as well. My biggest regret was graduating, it all coming to an "end" and having to move back home to "help out".

So, I write to amuse myself and sometimes share. 

First Annual Cabin Fever Writing Competition 2

Well, it is now time to reveal our most worthy second-place writer.  She is well-known for her music reviews, has a very uniquely named and incredibly popular blog called the Bad Tempered Zombie .  I am not even sure how to describe her as I have known her for quite a long time - literally more than a couple of decades!  She is a wonderful, unique person, who is immensely talented at whatever she puts her mind and pen to. ( I am totally biased here, which is why I had to have impartial judges to decide on our winners.)

Barbara Bruederlin freelances out of Calgary.  She writes reviews for several music magazines.  Her knowledge of Indy music astounds me, (she can vouch for the fact that I am a complete Luddite in this area - lol) and I am always impressed by the depth and humour in her writing.  Our judges commented that there was "great use of colour - like points of punctuation" and that the poem was "Enigmatic, has me guessing/posturing but (the) sense of dread and hopelessness is strong."  She also writes Haiku  and occasionally posts it on her blog.  Barb was one of a few individuals that chose to submit a piece of poetry for Cabin Fever.

Congratulations, Barb!


Here is her poem:

barricade

Blood red walls

bear silent witness to

the death

of dreams.

Periwinkle

beckons you to the water,

offering glimpses of escape.

Day pass.

Stay of execution.

When the pounding stops,

when the water stops, 

silence descends.

Silence follows you to the grey room.

Silence peers through frozen glass with dead eyes.

Silence cannot escape this wall of white.

The dead world holds you firm inside this cage

I will be sending your prizes sometime next week.  They include a beautiful pair of earrings from Jeanine Elder of Neepawa, and a Tim Horton's card, as well as a couple little surprises.  Unfortunately, the batteries are dead in my camera so I will post the picture of them tomorrow after it is charged.  (My apologies - I feel like a bit of a smuck for not being more prepared with the camera!)

First Annual Cabin Fever Writing Competition Winners

The stories written for the First Annual Cabin Fever Writing Competition were amazing!  I expected no less from everyone and that is what was sent.  I had several entries and the judges took their time deciding who would be the worthy winners.  (|Although, I must admit that I thought the stories submitted were all great and should all be winners!)  I am quite pleased with their choices, as I think all of you will be as well!  I will only be posting the top three stories, starting with our third place writer.

Watch for the first story tomorrow to be posted tomorrow afternoon - (Saturday)! 

First Annual Cabin Fever Competition

How would you like to do something fun this January that will help celebrate (or not) the cold weather? How would you like to write a story or a poem for a potentially wonderful prize?

I am calling this my "First Annual Cabin Fever Competition" - the inaugural topic this year will be - what else but cabin fever!" It should be 200 words or less... and the timeline would be ... say the end of January? The 31st?

(I do reserve the right to disqualify anything that is very inappropriate, which still gives you tons of leeway...)

As a prize I will send the winner a little something...not sure what yet but it will be something great - something quintessentially Canadian - I will let you know closer to the date.