Watermarked
This month’s short story installment is “The Hummingbird,” a heavy story (trigger warnings for rape and anorexia) inspired by cautionary tales from my misspent adolescence. It’s the time-worn tale of a younger sister wanting to impress her older sister. It is one of the stronger ones in the collection. I hope you enjoy it.
Recognition for “Skywalking”
My short story, “Skywalking,” was e-published by the Victoria Writers’ Society in their publication, Island Writer, the Summer 26 edition. If you read the introduction by Valerie White, the editor, you’ll learn that there was a broad acceptance policy for this issue, but it’s nice to be recognized.
I like my two quirky characters, Harry and Edith, who meet in a charity shop in Victoria. Harry looks up to Edith but is puzzled by her choices and her expectations of him. (aren’t we all sometimes puzzled by people’s expectations of us?) Many thanks to Larry Bambrick, who advised me on the revisions.
The BC Masters Swimming Provincials in Kelowna
To mark turning seventy, I entered a swim meet. Like the slogan on the old Lululemon bags advised, “Do Something That Scares You…” It was slightly scary. I learned a lot at the three-day provincial event—when and how to warm up, where to leave my flip-flops and shirt, when to get up on the blocks and more. The experienced members of my team (The Sharks Masters) provided bottomless positive support. There was a lot of action, amazing athletes and a competitive vibe. I got to use the skills I’d gained by the time I hit the last event. There’s a lot more to learn, but yes, I’d do it again. Maybe as soon as November.
Reading and Writing
I’ve got a pile of short stories I should be revising. Instead, I’m negotiating with three fictional characters who might want to be in a novel. They’re busy considering the commitment to all those scenes and plot points and whether they want to change over the course of three hundred pages.
Meanwhile, I read Emma Donoghue’s Giller-nominated page-turner, The Paris Express. It’s a wonderful fin-de-siecle, clock-ticking, pot-boiler of a novel.
And now…
Back to the garden to catch up on all the pruning and planting I’ve delayed and deferred from last year.
See you in June, and thanks for reading.
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