Blog
Thoughts on development, writing, and the intersection of technology and creativity
Saskatoon Berry Harvest 2026 with Saskatoon Breakfast Cake Recipe
Between the small bags for muffins, larger portions for pies, jars of jam, and plenty of donations, this year's harvest from the saskatoon bushes in my yard has been incredibly productive. Hooray for the vacuum sealer and the extra freezer in the garage. While it’s currently too hot to bake, I’m already looking forward to the cooler fall weather when I can finally make this breakfast cake.
My Thoughts on the Future of AI and Fiction Writing
I'm not terribly worried about AI-generated creative writing right now because it kind of sucks, and the near future doesn't worry me because there isn't enough money in it to justify the actual costs involved.
Training Wheels
An agent mentioned today that while she would like to see a few chapters of my manuscript, she advised me not to get my hopes up. She explained that a writer's first novel often serves merely as "training wheels," and that true mastery of the craft usually isn't achieved until the fourth book or so.
DIY Nasi Goreng Spice Mix
I was raised on bags of Conimex nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice) packages from the Dutch grocery store. This recipe reminds me of home without breaking the bank.
In Which I Panic and Start a New Series
I hit a wall. Painfully hard, even. I tried forcing myself to write, and the words came slowly and poorly. My solution is likely not the recommended approach. I started a new series to avoid the old one. At least for a while.
Canadian Mystery Tour: Tourism Time
Summer reading often brings to mind light, fast-paced books you can dip into between activities. But sometimes the best vacation reads are the ones that fully pull you into a place. These 3 books use Canada as a destination, with mysteries set in Muskoka, St. John’s, and a road-trip across British Columbia.
Happiness is Wrapping Up Your WIP
I have just finished the penultimate chapter of my WIP, and writing the final chapter, letting my protagonists circle back to where they started, changed but familiar, is so fulfilling. Even when the characters don't recognize their own arc.
Act As If
Sometimes you need to outsmart yourself to find the motivation you need. When I convinced my brain the book already existed, the words finally showed up to meet it.
Handwriting, Typing and the Writer's Brain
Writers spend a lot of time worrying about the right words. But recently I started wondering about something else: does the way we write change how we think?
Whose Head Am I In Anyway?
One of the things I’ve been noticing while writing my current WIP is how easy it is to slip into omniscient narration without meaning to.
5 Things I've Learned About Cozy Mystery Writing From Save the Cat!
What does a screenwriting book have to do with cozy mysteries? More than I expected. Save the Cat! reshaped how I think about protagonist likability, exposition, and emotional stakes.
Distractions
This idea for book 3 just took over my best working hours, and I had to get it out of my head right then and there, or it would have been nagging me for the rest of the day, if not longer.
Another Friday Night
It’s hard to sustain outrage when everything demands outrage. Eventually, it stops feeling like alarm and starts feeling like exhaustion.
A Waiting Room
I’m still drafting. I don’t control the timeline. Nothing is guaranteed. But somewhere in town, there’s a room waiting for a book that doesn’t exist yet.
On Large Canvases
A painter once told me she never begins with the large canvas. She sketches, studies, steps away, and only later commits to scale. A novel, I’ve realized, demands the same patience.
On Building a Platform (Reluctantly)
To be taken seriously as a writer, I’m told I need a platform. This is awkward, since I love writing but feel considerably less enthusiasm about performing it for the internet.